My take on Pumpkin Pie Dip

ok, so I made the pumpkin dip (link to original recipe below) and I made some changes...the dip is FABULOUS! Even hubby liked it, he does not even like pumpkin stuff. Serve it with Gingersnaps and you will not be disappointed! Here is the original recipe with my changes in orange:

Pumpkin Pie Dip (Original recipe from Allrecipes.com)

1 8 oz pkg of Cream Cheese, softened (I used low fat cream cheese--cannot notice the difference)

2 C Confectioners sugar (I used 1 3/4 C Confectioners sugar and 1/2 C light brown sugar)

1 15 oz can solid pack pumpkin--not pumpkin pie filling

1 T pumpkin pie spice (heaping Tablespoon, use more if needed)

1 T ground cinnamon (I liked more, I used approx 1 1/2 T--use the 1 T and taste)

1 tsp frozen orange juice concentrate (I omitted this, it seemed like a waste)

Combine Cream Cheese with sugars (I used KA mixer) until smooth. If you are afraid it will be too sweet, add 1 1/2 C confectioners sugar and 1/2 C brown sugar and taste, that is what I did. Scrape down bowl and add spices (add 1 T of each, blend and then taste, add more if needed--I like it spicy). What you have right now would make a great spiced cream cheese if you do not care for pumpkin. Slowly add pumpkin and stir until well blended. I omitted the OJ concentrate because I thought it sounded gross and was a waste to just use a tsp. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Serve with Gingersnaps and/or graham crackers.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

OK, so I went to a sex toy party the other night and there was this yummy Pumpkin Dip (which was like the filling to a pumpkin pie and it was served with gingersnaps. It was out of this world!!!! So here is a recipe I found on http://www.allrecipes.com/, I have not tried it yet, but plan to this week and then I will post pictures and any changes I make: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Dip/Detail.aspx

the picture with the dip in the pumpkin is from the recipe on allrecipes***

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

I went to a sex toy party last night and figured, a bunch of girls would love a recipe like this (and they did---the host hid the dip, so she could have it to herself)

***I forgot to do this last night, so I am giving credit to where I got the recipe ( : Thanks Chelley***I got it from Melissa's Magic in the Kitchen Blog ( who I believe got it from Chelley's blog) http://foodiemelissa.blogspot.com/2007/09/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-dip_20.html

1/2 C (1 stick) butter
1/3 C light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz package low fat cream cheese
1/2 C confectioners sugar
3/4 C mini chocolate chips (I used reg. size milk choc chips, but I think heath chips would be good too)

In small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over med heat. Stirl continuously until the brown sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and set aside to cool. Beat Cream Cheese and confectioners sugar for 1 minute. Slowly beat in cooled butter mixture and beat another minute. stir in choc chips and Pour into pie plate and refridgerate. Garnish with more chips. Serve with Nilla Wafers. Let stand at least 3o minutes before serving.

roasted pears with creme brulee ice cream (ben and jerrys)

I had some pears and was craving something fall like, so I made this recipe up....

2 anjou pears, ripe, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp of lemon juice
2 T butter, melted
2 T light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss pears with melted butter, and all other ingredients in a baking dish. Cover and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring several times. I served this over Ben and Jerry's Creme Brulee Ice Cream.

Ice Box Cake

Here is a very old fashioned recipe for an easy dessert that is yummy! I think I got the original from www.allrecipes.com

but I think it called for Chocolate pudding and I had to tweak the measurements a little bit to fit a large pan.

Ice Box Cake

3 pkg french vanilla pudding mix (instant) or flavor of your choice

3 C milk (cold) I used 1 %

12 oz container of Lite Cool Whip (separated into 8 oz and 4 oz) Thawed

1 16 oz pkg graham crackers

Mix pudding mix and milk with hand mixer for 2 minutes and then mix in 8 oz of cool whip. In a 9X13 pan layer graham crackers on the bottom (use broken pieces to fill in gaps). Layer pudding mixture on top. Complete layers with graham crackers and pudding mixture. Last layer should be graham crackers and then 4 oz of cool whip topping. Refridgerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

My Impossible Pie!!!! Mexican?????

I think I am going to ask for suggestions to name this---I looked at a million different "impossible pies" on http://www.bettycrocker.com/SearchResults.aspx?searchText=impossible%2bpies and figured what would work for me and what I wanted to include. Thank god this blog makes me write things down because it really came out so good!!!! And was sooooo easy!

Karen's Impossible Pie

1 C frozen white corn, cooked

2 large shallots, chopped fine

3 Jalepenos, sliced

1 1/2 C cooked chicken (chopped)--great way to use leftover rotisserie chicken

1 can Goya black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 C salsa

1 C shredded colby jack cheese

1/2 C bisquick

1/2 C milk (I used 1%)

2 eggs

low fat sour cream (for topping once cooked)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 9inch pie plate. Layer corn, shallots, jalepenos, black beans and chicken. Sprinkle cheese on top. Mix Bisquick, milk and eggs and pour over chicken mixture. top with Salsa of your choice. Bake 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before cutting. serves 6. Spoon low fat sour cream on top before serving---otherwise it may be a little dry.

creamy pesto with tortellini and chicken

I make this everytime I make pesto for paninis, you can use any pasta you like, and pesto sauce (I have a great recipe in my blog), and fat free half and half.....

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Pasta of your choice (I used cheese tortellini)--amt you want

Homemade Pesto (recipe in blog)--amt you want

Land O Lakes Fat Free half and half (just enough to thin out the pesto)

Chicken breast from Rotisserie (I used about 1/2 the breast I pulled from the rotisserie chicken)

Fresh mozzerella, cubed (optional)

chopped tomatoes (optional)

Boil tortellini or pasta per directions and drain. Add pesto to pot and ff 1/2 and 1/2 and whisk. Add tortellini and heated, chopped rotisserie chicken, and stir over med heat until all heated through. So yummy. I topped it with Fresh Mozzerella, and sometimes add chopped tomatoes

Garlic Mashed

Garlic Mashed Potatoes!!!

I have no idea of measurements, just estimating:

about 7 red skinned potatoes, cut into cubes (dont peel)

2 T butter

3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced

fat free half and half

1% milk

Boil potatoes with skin on until tender (about 20 minutes, may be a little more), and drain. Saute garlic in butter over med heat for a minute or so and then add potatoes and about 1/2 C fat free half and half and mash with potato masher, add more milk if needed to get it to the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste

London Broil with Mushroom Sherry Cream Sauce

I cannot really take credit for the London Broil, because I bought it at Costco---I highly recommend it, it is all marinated and already fully cooked you just need to put it in the oven for 21 min. per lb and it is so tender and yummy! It comes with this au jus sauce, and I incorporate that into my Mushroom Sherry Cream Sauce--it is yum-o on top of the London Broil (or any steak)
Mushroom Sherry Cream Sauce (these are approximations I never measure)

1 T EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced (or more if you like)
pkg sliced baby bella mushrooms (can use sliced white too)
lots of fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 C or so of Dry Sherry
au jus sauce drained from london broil pkg (you can omit this, just use a little salt and increase amt of sherry just a tad)
just a bit of Heavy Cream (to taste--I think maybe about a 1/3 cup (dont want it too liquidy)

Saute garlic in evoo for about a minute over med and add mushrooms, and stir well, add sherry and au jus and Pepper, cook until most of the liquid is cooked off and mushrooms are thouroughly cooked (increase heat if it is not boiling)
take off heat and add cream and let sit a little bit so it can thicken. Pour over steak.