Coconut Lemonade

This drink definitely hits the spot on a hot summer day, heck it hit the spot on a cold day in March. It is a very sweet drink but I love sweet stuff so it was perfect for me. Keep in mind that there is fruit in this drink so it will need to be consumed rather quickly; I would give it two days max before the fruit starts to look gross.

Recipe:

6 cups water
1⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons coconut beverage flavoring syrup or cream of coconut
1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 cup frozen red raspberries
1 small fresh carambola (star fruit), thinly sliced crosswise

1) In a large bowl combine the water, lemon juice, sugar, and coconut syrup. Stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a serving bowl or pitcher, cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

2) Add blueberries, raspberries, and carambola. If desired, serve over ice in glasses.

Note: If using cream of coconut - mix well before using.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Source: BHG

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

This was one of the best vegetarian lasagna dishes that I have ever had. The roasted vegetables are what make this dish amazing; I was eating them right out of the oven before I even put them in the lasagna. The only problem I had with this dish is that I decided to make my own marinara sauce instead of using store bought and it made my lasagna a little runny. My marinara sauce was really good but I didn't care for all of the juices, so either use your own recipe for marinara sauce or just buy it from the store.

Recipe:

15 dried lasagna noodles
4 cups zucchini cut into bite-sized pieces
2½ cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1½ cups coarsely chopped red or green sweet peppers
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (12 ounce) carton cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups marinara sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1) Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Place on waxed paper.

2) Meanwhile, preheat broiler. In a very large bowl combine zucchini, carrot, mushrooms, and sweet pepper. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil; sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss well to combine. Place vegetable mixture in a shallow roasting pan.

3) Broil vegetables 5 to 6 inches from the heat for 6 minutes. Stir vegetables and broil 6 to 8 minutes more or until light brown and tender. Set vegetables aside.

4) Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl combine cottage cheese, egg, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese; set aside.

5) Grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Place one-third of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Add a layer noodles on top of sauce. Top with half of the roasted vegetables, one-third of the sauce, and one-third of the mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of noodles, all of the cottage cheese mixture, and one-third of the mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of noodles, the remaining vegetables, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

6) Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 20 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Other Time: 10 minutes | Yields: 9 servings

Source: BHG

Spiced Fruit Tea

Awesome Summer drink!!  This fruit tea reminded me of a Bay Breeze minus the alcohol. I absolutely love fruit tea's and fruity drinks so this was right up my alley. I will definitely try this with Malibu Coconut Rum the next time I make it.

Recipe:

5 cups boiling water
5 bags orange-flavored spiced herb tea
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (46 ounce) can unsweetened pineapple juice
2 cups cranberry juice
⅓ cup lime juice
Assorted fresh fruit, such as pineapple chunks, orange slices, kumquat slices, and/or lime slices (optional)
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

1) Pour the boiling water into a very large bowl. Add tea bags; let steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in sugar and cinnamon until sugar dissolves. Stir in pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and lime juice. Cover and chill for 4 hours or up to 3 days.

2) If desired, garnish with fresh fruit and/or mint.

Notes: Fruit ice cubes: Pour 3 cups of the tea mixture into two clean ice cube trays, adding fruit. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes | Other Time: Chill 4 hours | Yields: 8 to 10 servings

Source: BHG

Peanut Butter Pancakes

These pancakes were delicious - they weren't too sweet or overpowering with peanut butter flavor. Definitely a kids friendly recipe and even though the recipe didn't call for sliced bananas they tasted great on top of these pancakes.

Recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups milk
⅓ cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

1) In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs and peanut butter until combined. Gradually stir in milk (mixture will be stiff at first but will thin when all the milk is added). Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until combined but still slightly lumpy. Gently stir in peanuts.

2) Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. For each pancake pour about ¼ cup batter onto griddle. Cook until golden; turn when tops are bubbly and edges are slightly dry (1 to 2 minutes per side).

Notes: Batter will be thin but will thicken slightly after standing a few minutes. Tip: Over-mixing makes pancakes tough; stop stirring while a few lumps remain - they will disappear once the pancakes are on the heat.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 minutes per batch | Yields: 16 pancakes

Source: BHG

Almond Pound Cake

This was such a hit at our house and trust me it did not last long. My husband loved eating this for breakfast with his coffee every morning and I just loved eating it, lol. I will make this again not only because it is good but I would also like to master drizzling the glaze on; it came out a little sloppy for my photo.

Recipe:

1 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Almond Glaze

1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1) Allow butter, cream cheese, and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2) In a large mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on medium speed about 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Add almond extract.

3) Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low to medium speed for 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

4) Bake about 1¼ hours or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool thoroughly on wire rack about 2 hours. Top cake with Almond Glaze. Let stand 30 minutes to allow glaze to set.

Almond Glaze

In a small mixing bowl beat together powdered sugar, cream cheese, almond extract, and enough milk for mixture to reach glazing consistency.

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cook Time: 1¼ hours | Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes | Other Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes | Yields: 16 servings

Source: BHG

Failures or Just so-so Recipes

Ok, I am trying to post at least 2 recipes a day on here (not including weekends), since I am still very behind on my blog and I realized the other day that I am starting to forget the recipes that did not make it into my cookbook. Some of these recipes were either disgusting or just so-so, but feel free to make them yourself since everyone has different taste buds.

Moroccan Chicken Stew - This was a slow cooker meal that I had high hopes for since it had ingredients (apricots, raisins, cinnamon, etc) that I normally do not cook together. This recipe seemed to lack flavor for us and it just didn't jump out as one of the best meals we've ever had - so it didn't make the cut.

Chicken with Apricots - This meal was very disappointing. The chicken lacked so much flavor and the only good thing going for this were the apricots. I was very embarrassed by this meal because I made it for my husband and his friend and it was nothing to rave about. Good thing I made up for it with a really good dessert.

Mushrooms in Ginger Sauce - I served this over steamed green beans and my husband hated it. I thought that it was just so-so and definitely not good enough to make it to my cookbook. I made this with the meat loaf and yogurt dessert which you will see listed below. It was one bad night of food at our house. Yuk!

Ginger-Sesame Meat Loaf - This recipe was listed as an award winning recipe in my BHG cookbook and I can honestly say this was the WORST meal we have ever had to date. It took everything in us to swallow each bite. We had the leftovers in our fridge for about a week and dreaded the days we took it into work for lunch. I did however bring it in to work for a guy to try and he liked it, so maybe you will too - It could have just been something we didn't care for.

Peanut-Butter-Banana Trifles - Our Meat Loaf and Green Bean Mushroom night was topped off with this horrible treat. I really didn't see how anything with banana's and peanut butter could be disgusting but wow was I surprised with my first bite of this. I honestly think that we didn't care for the plain yogurt taste and I'm sure this would have been so much better if we used vanilla yogurt, but I wanted to follow the recipe as written. GROSS! My husband only ate one bite of his before throwing it away, where I managed to eat all of mine but threw the leftovers away a few days later. If I would try this recipe again I would definitely try it with vanilla yogurt.

Peruvian-Style Chicken Tacos - I thought the ingredients sounded interesting and in my BHG cookbook it was listed as an award winning recipe but given that the meat loaf (listed above) was also an award winning recipe I can't assume that means it is going to taste good to us. The flavors were different and ok but my husband thinks he didn't care for this recipe because of the ground chicken. Bottom line is even though we thought it was just so-so that isn't good enough to make it into my cookbook.

Chicken Fajita Pasta - This recipe was just ok. It tasted good and was very easy to make but it just didn't wow us. I thought it was going to be a little more spicier than it was, given that it had a chile pepper, chili powder and red pepper flakes but I hardly noticed any spiciness. It just seemed to lack the flavor I was hoping for.

Mango-Ginger Smoothie - I love mangos and thought this drink was going to be so refreshing and tasty. Wrong! Again, I think I just don't care for the taste of plain yogurt - it has a bite to it and I could taste it with every sip of this smoothie. I might try it with a flavored yogurt and see how that goes.

Beef and Cabbage Wraps - I liked this meal but my husband did not. He really isn't a fan of barbecue sauce so that is the reason it is in this list. If you like barbecue sauce I would definitely recommend you give this recipe a try.

Upside-Down Berry Cornmeal Cake - My husband really hated this cake and even though I did not share my husbands dislike for it I still didn't want to make it again for myself. It tasted more like a corn bread with some fruit in it rather than a cake. It does make a nice breakfast treat though.

Apple Pecan Salad - This salad wasn't terrible but nothing that special either. My husband hated the salad dressing, but loved eating just the apples.

Butterscotch Brownies - These brownies were AWFUL. In my BHG cookbook these were another award winning recipe so I thought I would give it a try. Who the heck is giving out these awards? These brownies never cooked all the way through and I had them in the oven for an extra 25 minutes. They are gooey and the bottom of the pan formed a weird sugary syrup - GROSS!

These last 2 recipes I cannot seem to find on the BHG website. Refreshing Green Mango Sipper - It was a very good recipe and my husband loved it but I didn't care for it as much only because I HATE pulp and this is loaded with it. If I do find the recipe on their website I will update this post. The other recipe was a slow cooker meal, Italian Round Steak Dinner; It was ok but not great. After eating it both my husband and I said even though it tasted good it isn't something we would want to make again. I will also post this recipe for you if I find it on their website.

Parsley Green Beans

This recipe is simple to make and tastes great. Again I am a big garlic fan, so if you aren't you might want to stay away from this recipe. Another great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare the beans a day ahead of time; which is always nice when you are strapped for time.

Recipe:

1½ pounds fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, finely chopped with pinch of salt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

1) Fill a large pot with water; bring to a rolling boil. Add beans and salt. Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender but still vibrant green and slightly resistant to the bite. Drain beans; immediately submerge in a bowl of lightly salted ice water to stop cooking and set color. When thoroughly chilled, drain well. (Beans can be prepared to this point 1 day ahead and refrigerated).

2) In a wide skillet heat butter over medium-high heat until hot and foaming. Add beans. Cook, tossing often, until heated through. Sprinkle with garlic, chopped parsley, a generous amount of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook 1 minute longer; tossing frequently to distribute flavorings and avoid burning the garlic. If desired, sprinkle with additional parsley. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Source: BHG

Pistachio Baked Salmon

I will have to admit this is the BEST salmon meal I have EVER had. I have never inhaled leftovers like I did with this meal ever before in my life. It is so unbelievably tasty - YOU MUST TRY THIS!!!

The pistachio's and brown sugar are what make this dish so incredible. Just try this, you won't regret it.

Recipe:

1 cup salted dry-roasted pistachio nuts, chopped
½ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dillweed
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
6 (6 ounces) skinless salmon fillets

1) Preheat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl combine pistachio nuts, brown sugar, lemon juice, dillweed, and pepper set aside.

2) Place salmon fillets in a greased foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Turn under any thin edges to make fillets a uniform thickness. Measure thickness of fish. Spoon pistachio mixture evenly on top of fillets and gently press in place to form a crust.

3) Bake for 6 to 8 minutes per ½-inch thickness of fish or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes per ½-inch thickness | Yields: 6 servings

Source: BHG

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

My husband loved these mashed potatoes because of their consistency and taste. He likes somewhat clumpy, thick potatoes over the recipe I tried a week earlier (recipe found here) where the potatoes were thin and creamy. I decided that even though the other mashed potatoes were good they were a lot more work to make and not really worth it when my husband liked these better.

So by all means try both recipes and decide for yourself which one you prefer. Enjoy!

Recipe:

2 pounds russet and/or yellow potatoes, such as Yukon gold
¾ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1) Peel and quarter potatoes. Cook, covered, in boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain.

2) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine buttermilk, butter, salt, and pepper. Heat over low heat until just warm, stirring frequently (do not boil).

3) Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl; mash with potato masher or beat with mixer on low speed. Slowly add buttermilk mixture, mashing until smooth.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Yields: 6 servings

Source: BHG

Baked Mediterranean Cod and Asparagus

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this meal since the topping sounded strange to me, but to my surprise it tasted great. The olives and the capers complemented the fish perfectly. Another healthy meal that was easy and quick which is always a big plus in my book. Enjoy!

Recipe:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cod fillets, skinned (1-½ pounds)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
salt and pepper
¾ cup whole pimiento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup chopped onion
¼ cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1) Preheat oven to 475°F. Lightly spray a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with olive oil cooking spray. On one side of pan arrange cod fillets, turning under any thin portions. Brush fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes.

2) Place asparagus in opposite side of pan; brush with remaining olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 7 to 10 minutes more or until cod is opaque throughout and is slightly flaky.

3) In small bowl combine green olives, onion, parsley, capers, jalapeno pepper and vinegar. Season to taste with ground black pepper.

4) To serve, place cod and asparagus on a plate and top fish with olive mixture.

Notes: Fish is done when it becomes opaque throughout & the flesh bounces back when touched; use the tip of a knife to peek at the interior of the fish. Undercooked fish resists flaking and is translucent. Fish will continue to cook for 1-2 minutes off heat.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

Source: BHG

Carrot Cake

Well, I had high hopes for this recipe since I absolutely LOVE carrot cake. The recipe is titled Best-Ever Carrot Cake... um I will have to disagree. Now I will admit that I did mess up making this (added too much cream cheese) so it is very possible that it could have been better but I hate to say that I would rather move on and find another carrot cake recipe instead of trying this one again. Don't get me wrong it wasn't AWFUL or anything it just wasn't something to die for and I am looking for food that I fall in love with on the first bite.

You are more than welcome to try this recipe out yourself on the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Beef Tenderloin and Potato Roast

This meal is kind of pricey but worth it. Everything will just melt in your mouth, the potatoes were so tender and delicious and the tomatoes looked like they were about to pop which they did once I bit into them. This recipe originally called for sweet potatoes, but I hate them so I changed it to yellow potatoes - feel free to change it back if you like sweet potatoes. The only thing I did wrong with this recipe was I overcooked the tenderloin a little and I will fully blame that on my meat thermometer. This recipe is definitely a keeper for my book... Enjoy!!

Recipe:

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon bottled roasted minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds medium yellow potatoes (such as Yukon gold), cut into 1-inch wedges
1½ to 2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed
1 cup cherry tomatoes
¼ cup snipped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
2 cloves garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoon salt

1) Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl combine Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and crushed pepper. Stir in olive oil. Add potatoes and toss until lightly coated. In a shallow greased roasting pan, place potatoes wedges around the edge in a single layer.

2) Season beef with remaining oil mixture. In a large skillet brown beef tenderloins over medium-high heat, turning to brown evenly. Place browned tenderloin in center of greased roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, 15 minutes.

3) Add tomatoes; roast, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes more or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 130-135°F for medium rare or 140-145°F for medium. Let stand for 5 minutes.

4) Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir together fresh parsley, orange peel, garlic and salt.

5) Carve beef into slices. Arrange beef and potatoes on plate. Serve with chopped parsley topping.

Notes: May need to double the oil mixture - I ran out when adding it to the tenderloins.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Other Time: 5 minutes | Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Source: BHG

Chicken, Greens, and Brie

Dinner for Two!!! I absolutely love this recipe. Everything from the chicken, to the pesto, and the brie; it all melts in your mouth... Yum!!  The first time I made this recipe I used a spring salad mix which made it very colorful with the red and green leaves, but the second time I made it (as shown in the photo) my husband bought only a green salad mix. Both salad mixes tasted great, but I loved how the red and green salad mix made it so colorful and pretty. So from here on out I will stick with the more visually appealing salad greens, lol. Enjoy!

Recipe:

3 cups torn mixed salad greens
1 cup seedless green grapes
½ cup walnut halves, toasted
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, white vinegar, or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon strawberry spreadable fruit
¼ cup basil pesto
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (8 ounces total)
1 cup chicken broth
2 (1 to 2 ounce) Brie wedges, sliced

1) For salad, in a large bowl combine greens, grapes, and nut halves; set aside. For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the ¼ cup oil, vinegar, and spreadable fruit; set aside. For pesto, in a small bowl combine pesto and chopped nuts; set aside.
2) In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook about 3 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove skillet from heat; drain fat. Carefully add broth (liquid may spatter). Return skillet to heat. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from skillet; discard broth.
3) Toss together salad and dressing Transfer salad to dinner plates. Arrange chicken and Brie on top of greens. Spoon pesto mixture over chicken.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 16 minutes | Total Time: 26 minutes | Yields: 2 servings

Source: BHG

Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes

I love this recipe because of how easy it is to make and that it uses the microwave instead of the oven. More often than not there are those times when my oven is already in use and the side dish I want to make needs to go in the oven as well and there just never seems to be a good way of timing the meal when you can't cook both at once. This recipe is perfect for those types of situations. Also, If you are a big garlic and potato fan like myself you will love this dish. It is so simple - just throw everything in a bowl, put it in the microwave and voila you are done. 

Recipe:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
8 cups red potatoes, quartered

1) In a large bowl add olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper and potatoes; toss well.
2) Cover and microwave on High for 15 minutes. Stir; microwave on High for another 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

Graham Cracker Crust

I found a recipe for homemade graham cracker crust instead of using the store bought kind and trust me you will never go back to store bought crust again. It really is not hard to make and you will thank me for it, trust me.

Recipe:

1½ cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1) Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon until well blended. Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.
2) Bake at 375°F for 7 minutes. Cool. If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for about 1 hour.

Notes: Use chocolate graham crackers if you need a chocolate crust.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 7 minutes | Total Time: 17 minutes | Other Time: 1 hour for unbaked pie shell

Black Raspberry Cream Pie

When I ate this dessert I thought I was in heaven. It is so DELICIOUS!!  After seeing that this recipe used fruit spreads for the flavoring of the pie, I don't see why you couldn't try this in any spread flavor. I can't wait to try this in strawberry and raspberry.

I will confess, I was very nervous when making this because I had never made anything with whipping cream that needed to be formed into peaks before. The original recipe did not explain how to do that so I looked it up and not that it was complicated to do but there was a lot more to it than I thought. I added those instructions to my recipe below in case any of you aren't sure how to do it either. A co-worker of mine told me that I didn't need to go through all of the steps that I did, but hey it worked for me so I am keeping it this way. If you already have your own method, by all means stick with it and ignore my instructions on it.

Recipe:

1 (9-inch) graham cracker crumb pie shell recipe
1 cup whipping cream or heavy cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (10 ounce) jar black raspberry spread
Fresh black raspberries, and/or mint leaves (optional)

1) Place a medium sized mixing bowl and the beaters in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. After sufficiently chilled remove the mixing bowl and beaters from the freezer and place the mixing bowl in a larger bowl of ice water.
2) Add the cream in the chilled mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer for 20 to 30 seconds on low until bubbles begin to form. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until the cream begins to thicken and the beaters show a slight trail in the cream.
3) Increase mixer speed to high and beat until the cream begins to thicken and puff up. Continue to beat the cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
4) In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add black raspberry spread. Beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Cover and freeze for 4 to 24 hours or until firm. Garnish with fresh black raspberries and/or mint.

Note: To check for stiff peaks, pull the beaters straight up out of the whipped cream. The peak should hold its shape and stick tightly to the beaters. DO NOT over-whip the cream. Once it forms stiff peaks, stop beating. If the cream is over-whipped it will start to separate and curdle.

Tip: The cream should be kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator until just before using. Try different pie flavors with changing the fruit spread. If using a stand mixer, be careful because the cream can become over-whipped quickly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours, 27 minutes or Overnight | Other Time: Pie Shell: 17 minutes | Yields: 8 servings

Source: BHG

Chicken Pesto

This is another quick meal for those of us that come home from work and want something easy and homemade. You can use jarred basil pesto from the store but I am in the process of searching for a homemade version that I like and once I find it I will add it to this recipe for you.

Recipe:

4 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup basil pesto
¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Olive oil (optional)
Fresh basil (optional)

1) In a 12-inch skillet cook carrots in olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add chicken; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until no pink remains in chicken. Add pesto; toss to coat.
2) To serve: Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with basil.

Note: Once chicken has been added, add more olive oil to skillet if needed.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

Source: BHG

Tortellini Stir-Fry

I love this meal just for the simple fact that it is super easy and fast. No lie this meal is done from start to finish in 20 minutes. Great to make on those nights when you get home from work and you just don't feel like making anything. I have finally perfected this recipe using a homemade peanut sauce instead of the jarred, since everyone that we tried was way too HOT for our liking.

Tortellini Stir-Fry Recipe:

1 (9 ounce) package refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 (16 ounce) package fresh cut or frozen stir-fry vegetables (such as broccoli, pea pods, carrots, and celery)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
¾ cup peanut stir-fry sauce
¼ cup chopped dry-roasted cashews

1) Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2) In wok or large skillet stir-fry vegetables in hot oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes (7 to 8 minutes for frozen vegetables) or until crisp-tender. Add pasta and stir-fry sauce; toss gently to coat. Heat through. Sprinkle with cashews; serve immediately.

Notes: Vary this recipe every time by choosing a different vegetable blend.

Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

Source: BHG

Thai Peanut Sauce:

¼ cup honey
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Stir together the honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Yields: 3/4 cup

Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese

I personally love Macaroni and Cheese recipes that use 3 or 4 different kinds of cheese, but my goal was to find a kid friendly recipe that was very similar to the boxed Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and I found it on the Food Network's website from Alton Brown. This recipe is simple to make and even though I do not have kids to test this on, my husband and I decided that this is what our kids will grow up knowing as Mac-n-Cheese. No more boxed stuff EVER again in our house!  So, if our kids are anything like my husband they will get overly excited when they see this on the stove.

Recipe:

1 pound elbow macaroni (4 cups)
8 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
1½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 (8 ounces) sharp cheddar, shredded

1) In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.
2) Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over medium-low heat continue to stir for 6 minutes or until creamy.

Notes: Can use mild cheddar cheese instead of sharp. Please note: All ingredients were doubled, so if you don't want as much just cut everything in half.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Source: Alton Brown