Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars

I made these for Thanksgiving and they were absolutely delightful.  I have craved them several times since and everyone enjoyed them.  I also feel like you can't go wrong with the pumpkin cheesecake combo!  This recipe from The Domestic Rebel.


Crust:
1 box pound cake mix
1 egg
2 Tbsp butter (melted)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

 Cheesecake:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese (softened slightly)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
 2 eggs
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside. Combine all the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of the dish.  In a clean bowl beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Slowly add in the sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, eggs and pumpkin pie spice.  Pour over the crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.  Cool at room temperature then chill in the refrigerator.  Cut before serving. 

Baked Penne Pasta

This has quickly become one of our favorites. It's one of those quick meals for a cold night and even better warmed up the next day.  This recipe is from Plain Chicken.

1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef or Italian Sausage
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 ounces)
1 tub Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, divided (10 ounces)
1 cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (divided)
3 cups cooked penne pasta

Heat oven to 350.  Brown the ground beef and onions.  Stir in the spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup of cooking creme and 1 cup of mozzarella.  Cook for several minutes.  Add in the cooked pasta and stir.  Pour into a casserole dish and top with the remaining cooking creme and mozzarella.  Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Top Ten Recipes of 2012

10. Herbed Potatoes and Green Beans 

 9. Crock Pot Chicken Tacos with Black Beans, Bear and Cheddar

8.  Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake 

7. Pasta with Bacon, Zucchini and Cream

6.  Ranch Roasted Potatoes 

5. Dipping Bread

4. Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

3.  Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes 

 2. Chicken and Dumpling Casserole 

1.  Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Bake

This blog has been a bit slack the last part of the year but I am hoping to come back with some great recipes in 2013!  Hope you will stick around to enjoy the new eats! 

Thanksgiving Menu

I love planning our thanksgiving menu with my mom, even if it's almost the same every year.  This year our menu is the following:

Fried Turkey (a friend does it fresh thanksgiving morning)
Ham (mom)
Cornbread Dressing (mom)
Cranberry Sauce (me)
Mac and Cheese (me)
Green Beans (mom)
Sweet Potato Casserole (nana)
Broccoli Casserole (me)
Apple Pie (mom)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (me)

What are you having on Thursday?

French Onion Chicken

The picture alone should make you want to fix this chicken.  Of course I saw this recipe on Cassie Craves first and knew we had to try it right away.  We made it the week after she posted.  Gray and I both found it to be wonderfully flavorful.  I'm sure you will see it on our menu plan again soon!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 stick butter
2 large onions (thinly sliced)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup shredded or sliced muenster, gouda, or gruyere cheese (we used gruyere...oh my heavens)

Heat oven to 350.  Melt butter in a pan over medium heat.  Add onions, sugar, salt, pepper and thyme.  Continue to cook the onions, stirring often, until the onions have become soft and caramelized. Remove the onions from the pan.  Season panko with salt and pepper.  Place in a bowl.  In a separate bowl place the beaten egg.  Dip the chicken into the egg and then into the panko mixture.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, brown the chicken in the skillet on both sides.  Place the chicken into a greased baking dish.  Top chicken with onions and bake for 15 minutes. Top with cheese and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from onion when chicken is done and cheese is melted. 

Roasted Summer Squash

I saw this recipe on pinterest and it reminded me of how my mom fixed squash and zucchini when we were growing up.  This is such a simple and delicious way to fix these vegetables!  The recipe is from The Gracious Pantry but I adapted it slightly.

1 zucchini
1 squash
olive oil
garlic powder
onion powder
salt
pepper

Heat oven to 350. Slice squash and zucchini into half inch pieces.  Place on a non stick cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle each piece with a bit of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Bake for 12 minutes then flip and bake for 10 to 12 more minutes. 

Crock Pot Sour Cream and Bacon Chicken

This is such a great and quick meal, I love anything I can throw in the crock pot and it turns out delicious. I mean, who doesn't? We have made this recipe several times, don't know why it took so long for me to snap a pic! The recipe is adapted from Moms with Crockpots.

8 bacon slices
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 (10 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Wrap each chicken breast with two pieces of bacon then place in the bottom of the crock pot. Mix together the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. 

Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake

I made this yummy guy for Gray's birthday. When he picked it out I knew it was going to be great and horrible to have in the house, ha!  It really was soooo good and sooo easy!!! The recipe is from Table for 7.

1 box chocolate or German chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients to make)
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8oz) container whipped topping
caramel ice cream topping
1 cup toffee bits

Mix the ingredients for the cake and bake according to directions.  When the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, poke holes all over the cake and let cool for 1 hour.  Once the hour is up, pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the cake. Then drizzle 1/4 cup of caramel sauce over the cake. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until cake is completely cooled.  Top with whipped topping, the remaining carmel sauce and toffee bits. Serve right away or store in refrigerator until time to serve. 

Ooey Gooey Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Oh my goodness. These were divine. This picture truly does not do them justice!  I found this recipe over at Fifteen Spatulas.  I'm sure we will be making these again soon, these would be perfect for a Saturday night watching football!

3/4 pound strip steak
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 a softball sized onion (thinly sliced)
1 small green pepper (thinly sliced)  (we don't like peppers so I didn't use them)
8 oz mushrooms (chopped)
8 slices of provolone
salt and pepper
4 hoagie rolls, sliced in half about 3/4 of the way down

Place the strip steak in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This makes it much easier to slice.  Prepare your other ingredients while it's chilling. In a pan add the olive oil and butter. Add the onions with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until translucent. Add the peppers if using and cook for 15 more minutes.  Remove and add mushrooms to pan. Slice the steak now. Heat oven to 350. Continue cooking mushrooms until brown and soft. Add to the onion and pepper mixture. Add the steak to the pan and toss, letting it cook for about 30 seconds on each side. Turn the heat off and add the onions, peppers and mushrooms back to the pan. Divide into 4 sections and top with 2 slices of cheese per section.  Once the cheese is melted, scoop each section into one hoagie roll, wrap in foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes.  When they are done in the even remove from foil and enjoy. 

Orzo with Bacon, Spinach and Mushrooms

I love a good orzo dish!  I made this several weeks ago but it will be a great fall dish as well! The recipe is from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations.

1 tbsp olive oil
4 slices raw bacon (chopped)
1 sm onion (chopped)
 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
3 \mushrooms (chopped)
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup orzo
1/2 bag fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium high heat.  At bacon and saute until brown and crispy. Remove from pan.  Leave 1 Tablespoon of grease in pan.   Add garlic and onions and saute until onions are translucent.  Add mushrooms and continue to saute for 2 minutes.  Add wine and cooked until mostly absorbed.  Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the orzo and cook until the orzo is done. Once the orzo is done stir in the spinach and bacon.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.