Cherry Cheesecake Tart

⅓ cup butter or margarine

¼ cup sugar

1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs

2- 8 ounces packages cream cheese softened

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons Bisquick pancake mix

For crust: Melt butter. Add sugar and graham cracker. Mix well. Place cupcake papers in muffin tin. Press 1 tablespoon graham cracker crust in bottom of cupcake cups. If using mini muffin tin, press 1 teaspoon graham cracker crust in bottom of the cups.

For cream cheese mixture: Beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while mixing. Add almond flavoring and Bisquick. Blend until smooth.

Fill cupcake cups with crust two-thirds full with mixture. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn oven down to 300 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes. Cool completely. Top with cherry pie filling.

Stuffed Manicotti

There's something about pasta and Valentines Day. They just seem to go together. When I picture making a nice meal for a romantic evening at home I always seem to settle on a delicious Italian pasta dish. These stuffed manicotti are a perfect fit for your Valentines dinner. They are easy to make but look like you spent hours in the kitchen. They are impressive by look but even more by taste. I like to serve them with a green salad and the Parmesan Breadsticks we featured here. Hopefully this recipe will help you show the one you care about how much you love them.

Happy Valentines Day!

Heidi

You will need:

1 package Manicotti noodles

2 cups Ricotta cheese

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese

Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons Parsley

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 lb Hamburger

Spaghetti sauce

Directions:

Boil your Manicotti til soft Do Not Overcook

Drain and place on wax paper

Cook hamburger, drain after cooked

Add rest of ingredients to hamburger

Fill cooked Manicotti til full being careful not to tear the manicotti

Spread spaghetti sauce into 9x13 pan

Layer stuffed manicotti on top of sauce

Pour spaghetti sauce over manicotti

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 mins

Then remove foil and cook for an additional 10 mins.





Cherry O'Lets

Some recipes are so ingrained into memories that you would swear your mom was the only one who knew how to make that particular food. This is definitely one of those recipes for me. My mom made them hundreds of times for catering events and family parties. The recipe was always sought after but she held this one close to the chest. My dear childhood friend asked for this recipe a while ago so I rummaged through my recipe box and found it in the deep dark corner collecting dust. I regret that I hadn't made them in so long! Thank you, Kari, for reminding me what an awesome little treat these are. I sincerely hope you love them like we do. They would be perfect for a Valentine dinner. Enjoy!

P.S. Like I mentioned before this recipe is being posted due to my friend's request. We love requests. We also love to hear which recipes you tried and how they turned out. Don't be afraid to leave a comment letting us know. We love to please!

Cherry O'Lets

Top and bottom layer:

12 ounces milk chocolate chips

3/4 cups peanut butter

12 ounces salted peanuts chopped

Middle layer:

1 can cherry frosting

18 large marshmellows

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter over medium heat. When melted and smooth add chopped peanuts.

Pour 1/2 chocolate mixture in bottom of prepared 9X13 pan. Place in refrigerator.

Melt marshmellows in double boiler. Add frosting and blend well. Spread on cooled chocolate. Chill for 10 minutes in refrigerator. 

Top with remaining chocolate mixture. Place in freezer. Cut and serve while frozen.

No-Bake Cheesecake Bites

I have seen a few different versions of these but this one is my favorite. I found this recipe on www.abeautifulmess.com and just tweaked it a little to my liking. These would make an adorable Valentines gift wrapped in a clear bag with a tie..

What you need: One box of Jello No Bake Cheesecake
                              One bag of pink Wiltons Melts
                               Sprinkles- whatever you like

Directions: Make the No Bake Cheesecake following the instructions on the box. I chose to keep it plain but you can add a fruit pie filling on the top.
Place in the freezer until completely frozen. At least 2 hours.
After the cheesecake is frozen melt the Wilton Melts in the microwave using 30 second intervals and stirring in between.
Using a melon baller scoop out balls of frozen cheesecake and dip them into the melted chocolate.

Tap off excess chocolate and place on a baking sheet covered with wax paper.
Add sprinkles immediately.
If the cheesecake gets to warm put it back in the freezer for about 10 mins. They are easier to dip frozen.
Let chocolate harden and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

$100 Sugar Cookies

This recipe comes because I was feeling very nostalgic a few weekends ago. I lived in Saratoga Springs for about 7 years and absolutely loved it. My ward would do a bake auction every year to earn money for the Young Women. It was one of my favorite ward activities of the year. A few desserts became famous at the auction and would always fetch a very high bid. These cookies were at the top of that list. My dear friend Ramey would make them and they would always go for about $100 a plate! I am not kidding. I am hoping that my Saratoga friends will vouch for me. I am not joking. They are that good. The recipe was printed in a ward cookbook a few years back and I love to pull it out once in a while. Do yourself a favor and try these. I am sure they will take on the the nick-name that my family has adopted: the $100 cookies. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies:
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C sour cream
3 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together. Roll out to 1/4" thick. Use your favorite cookie cutter. Place on baking sheet. Bake @ 350 for 9 minutes.

Fresh strawberry frosting:
1 C softened butter
1 C chopped fresh strawberries
2 lbs powdered sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract (opt)

Mix all ingredients. Spread on top of sugar cookies.

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

The first time I tried lettuce wraps I feel in LOVE! They are so tasty and you don't have the heavy feeling after eating them. I have tried to recreate them several times but they never turned out very good. I found this recipe on http://damndelicious.net/2014/05/30/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/ gave it a try and they turned out amazing. They are simple and fast. Here is what you will need.

• 1 Tbs Olive oil
• 1 lb Ground Chicken
• 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
• 1 Onion Diced
• 1/4 C Hoisin Sauce
• 2 Tbs Soy Sauce
• 1 Tb Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Sriracha
• 1(8 oz) Can Water Chestnuts drained & diced
• 2 Green Onions , Thinly Sliced
• 1 Head Lettuce
• Salt & Pepper

Add olive oil to pan and add chicken. Cook until brown about 3-5 mins, drain excess fat

Add garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and Sriracha. Cook until onions become translucent. Then stir in chestnuts and cook for another 1-2 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tear your lettuce leaves off the head and try not to tear. Serve like a taco, add the chicken down the middle of the lettuce, roll like a burrito and enjoy!

I hope enjoy them as much as we do!


 

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

I tried this recipe on my family not long ago and they really enjoyed it. I will use it in the future for a quick dinner when I'm unprepared and have hungry children. The prep work is pretty minimal and so it comes together quick. I found the recipe on justapinch.com. I hope you enjoy it.

1/2 c milk
3 C grated cheddar cheese
2 tubes ritz crackers, smashed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
4 chicken breast quartered

Place milk, cheese, and crackers in separate dipping bowls. Add salt, pepper, and parsley to crackers. Dip chicken in milk, then cheese (pressing cheese into chicken to help it hold), and finally crackers. Place in 9X13 pan.

Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove cover and let bake an additional 15 minutes.

Sauce for over the top:
1 can cream if chicken
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 Tbsp butter
I like to add 1 Tbsp lemon juice for a little kick.

Combine all ingredients and warm on medium heat until heated through.