Feta-Stuffed Tomatoes

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  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  1. Cut 4 large tomatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out pulp from each tomato half, leaving shells intact; discard seeds and coarsely chop pulp. Stir together pulp; 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese; 1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs; 2 tablespoons chopped green onions; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl. Spoon mixture evenly into tomato shells, and place in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Garnish with Italian parsley sprigs, if desired.

Lemon Chicken Tarragon Soup

1 roasted chicken, meat taken off bone (can use store bought rotisserie chicken)
5 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced leeks
3 tablespoon flour
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups heavy cream (heated)  ( you may substitute whole milk)
1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
Grated Gruyere cheese (optional)
Croutons (optional)

Directions

Once chicken has cooled, pull meat and set aside and cover with foil.  In a large soup pot melt butter.  Add leeks, 1 teaspoon salt and cook on medium until leeks are translucent.  Add flour and stir until it has a thick appearance.  While stirring add warmed cream, ½ cup at a time.  Add chicken stock, one cup at a time, stirring between.  Add tarragon, lemon juice and zest.  Stir until blended.  Place pulled chicken in pot until heated thoroughly. 

If desired you can roast chicken with lemon halves and onion. Seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic.

Sandy made this for Christmas eve 2012--SO, so wonderful!

Oatmeal Cake

60Ingredients

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1-1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• FROSTING:
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
• 1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half (or skim milk)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine oats and water; let stand for 20 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the sugars, applesauce and eggs. Add oat mixture; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg; gradually add to batter and mix well.
• Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• In a large bowl, combine frosting ingredients; spread over hot cake. Broil 6 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Yield: 15 servings.

Mocha Almond Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 2/3 cup chocolate syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 cup whipped topping
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds, toasted
• Chocolate-covered coffee beans, optional

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk, chocolate syrup and vanilla until smooth. Dissolve coffee granules in hot water; beat into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped topping and almonds. Pour over crust. Cover and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Garnish with coffee beans if desired. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

2 cans refrigerated Crescent dinner rolls
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 13 X 9 pan with cooking spray.

Unroll 1 can dough. Place in bottom of  13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Stretch to cover bottom of dish, firmly pressing perforations to seal

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Spread over dough in baking dish.

Unroll second can of dough. Carefully place on top of cream cheese layer. Pinch seams together.

Pour melted butter evenly over top. Mix remaining 3/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter.

Bake about 30-35 minutes or until center is set. Cool slightly, about 20 minutes.Then refrigerate overnight for easy cutting.  When ready to serve remove from refrigerator and cut into squares. Cover and refrigerate any remaining bars


***If desired:
For a more authentic sopapilla flavor, top with honey.
These should be stored in the refrigerator, but are best served warm.  Heat bars in microwave uncovered 5-10 seconds to rewarm.


from Dinah's Dishes

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

For Filling:

• 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened (light or regular)
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

For Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream (light or regular)
• For Streusel Topping:
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, chilled and cubed

For Topping:

• ¼ cup confectioners sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and flour a 9” x 13” cake pan and set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla and blend on medium-low speed until creamy.  Set mixture aside.
3. In separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.  
4. Using an electric mixer in a large bowl cream butter and sugar on medium-low speed.  Add eggs one at a time then vanilla extract.   Gradually add in flour mixture alternating with sour cream until it is all combined.  
5. Spread half the batter in prepared cake pan.  Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top.  Top with remaining cake batter.  Using a butter knife, gently swirl in the batter.  
6. Add sugar, flour and butter in a small bowl and stir using a fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.  Sprinkle on top of cake.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool on rack.
9. In a small bowl combine confectioners sugar and milk until creamy.  Drizzle over cake.  

from Christineskitchenchronicles.blogspot.com--recipe and picture

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake

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• 
  
• 1 large egg 
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk 
• 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt 
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. 2. Sift together flour and next 3 ingredients in another bowl. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened.
3. 3. Toss 1 1/4 cups blueberries in 1 Tbsp. flour; fold into batter. Pour into a lightly greased 9-inch spring form pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup blueberries.
4. 4. Stir together 2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar, sliced almonds, and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter.
5. 5. Bake at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove sides of pan.

from Southern Living  JANUARY 2013