Best Cannoli Dip
8 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. mini-chocolate chips, divided
=
Optional Dippers:
cannoli shell pieces, waffle cone pieces,
wafer cookies, sugar cookies, graham
crackers – anything else you prefer
=
In large bowl using elec. mixer, combine
ricotta & cream cheese until smooth. Add
powdered sugar & vanilla – beat until
smooth. Fold in 2/3 C. choc. chips. Place
in a serving bowl & sprinkle top with remaining
1/3 C. chocolate chips.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serves 10
(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————-
Lemon-battered Fish
1 1/2 C. flour/divided
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2/3 C. water
2/3 C. lemon juice, divided
2 lb. perch or walleye fillets, cut into
serving-sized pieces
cooking oil
–
Optional: lemon wedges for serving
=
In a pie plate or shallot dish combine
1 C. flour with baking powder, salt & sugar.
In another pie plate or shallow dish combine
egg, water & 1/3 C. lemon juice. Stir wet
ingredients into dry ingredients until smooth.
In a pie plate place remaining lemon juice.
In another pie plate place remaining flour.
Dip fillets into lemon juice then into flour then
into egg mixture.
In large skillet heat 1 inch of oil over medium-high
heat. Add coated fillets & cook until golden-brown,
2-3 minutes per side (reaching 145 degrees F.
internally) and fish flakes easily with a fork.
Place cooked fillets on paper towels to drain.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Serves 6
(recipe: recipereader.com)
————————
Fire-roasted Soup
Soup:
1 T. olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt/black pepper – to taste
1 T. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
2 (14 oz, ea) cans cannellini beans,
drained/rinsed
4 C. vegetable or chicken stock
1 Parmesan cheese rind
1 C. heavy cream
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
5 oz. fresh spinach
Optional – for serving:
Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
crusty bread – for dipping
=
In large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil.
Add onions, garlic, salt/pepper – cook, stirring
often, about 5 minutes until onions soften
slightly.
Add tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme – cook,
stirring often, about 5 minutes until tomato paste
darkens in color.
Add fire-roasted tomatoes & juices, beans, stock &
Parm. rind – bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, covering the pot halfway
through until flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Remove
lid & add heavy cream, stirring to combine.
Add 1/2 C. Parm. cheese & spinach – stir to combine.
Cook, while stirring often, until cheese melts & spinach
wilts, 5-10 minutes. Taste soup for seasoning & add
salt/pepper, if needed. Remove & discard Parm. rind.
Serve immediately with remaining Parm. cheese, crushed
red pepper flakes & crusty bread.
Serves 4
(recipe: recipereader.com)
——————————-
Nacho Cheese Chicken Chowder
crockpot
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves,
cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 (14.5 oz) cans Mexican style tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 3/4 oz) can nacho cheese soup
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen whole kernel corn
Shredded Mexican style or cheddar cheese
In slow cooker, combine chicken, tomatoes, soup, and
corn. Mix well; cover & cook on low 4 to 5 hours or
high 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Sprinkle each serving with
cheese. makes 6 servings.
(recipe: Sandy – Marys Recipe Exchange)
—————————————–
Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Bites
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 T. (about half packet) dry ranch seasoning
mix
8 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled
1/3 c. fresh chives, finely chopped
1/3 C. finely chopped pecans
=
In medium bowl combine cream cheese,
Cheddar & ranch seasoning. For mixture
into 16 small balls (about 1 T. each) &
refrigerate 1 hour, until firm.
In a pie plate combine bacon, chives &
pecans.
Roll cheese balls in bacon mixture, making
sure to coat on all sides.
Serves – makes 18
If not serving immediately, loosely cover with
plastic wrap & refrigerate. Let stand at room
temp. 15 minutes before serving.
(recipe: iambaker.net)
———————–
Loaded Baked Potato Skillet
4 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced into
narrow strips
2 lb. (about 3 large) scrubbed, unpeeled,
diced russet potatoes (5 C. diced)
1 C. chicken broth
2 T. garlic powder
kosher salt/black pepper – to taste
1 (10.5 oz) can (Campbell’s) Cheddar
Cheese soup
1/2 C. sour cream
1 1/2 C. (6 oz) shredded sharp
Cheddar cheese, divided
3 scallions, sliced
=
On medium heat place bacon in a
oven-proof skillet & cook until crisp,
about 7 minutes. Remove bacon to
a paper towel, leaving drippings behind.
Place potatoes, broth, garlic powder &
salt & pepper in skillet – bring to a boil
over High heat. Reduce heat to medium;
tightly cover pot with a lid or foil. Cook about
10 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
Using a potato masher, mash potatoes to
coarse, leaving some bigger chunks. Fold in
soup, sour cream, half the bacon & 1 C. cheese
until combined & creamy. Taste & adjust salt/
pepper, if desired.
Turn broiler on High.
Top the skillet with remaining 1/2 C. cheese.
Broil until top is caramelized in spots & cheese
is melted & browned, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle
scallions & rest of bacon on top before serving.
Serves 4
(recipe: allrecipes.com)
——————–
Chicken Green Bean Casserole
(made without canned soup)
1 (10.8 oz) bag cut green beans,
frozen
2 1/2 lb. chicken, cooked/shredded
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese
1 C. heavy cream
1 C. water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
(optional-chopped parsley-garnish)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Cook green beans accordg. to pkg.
directions then place in prepared
dish. In saucepot heat cream, water,
cream cheese, garlic powder, salt &
Parm. cheese over Low heat, stirring
until smooth. Pour 1 C. of this sauce
over green beans. Layer chicken over
green beans then pour rest of sauce
on top. Sprinkle top with mozz. cheese.
Bake 25 minutes until cheese is browned.
Serves 10
NOTE:
-Casserole can be topped with
any cheese desired. Chopped cooked
bacon or crushed pork rinds can be
used for a crispy topping.
-If using fresh green beans or uncut
frozen or canned, be sure to cut them
up into bite-sized pieces (makes it
much easier to eat)
-You can also use leftover turkey
(recipe: lowcarbyum.com)
—————————
Lemon Blueberry Dessert
Crust:
2 T. graham cracker crumbs – garnish
2 C. graham cracker crumbs
4 T. granulated sugar
1/2 C. salted sweet butter, melted/cooled
Cheesecake & Blueberry Layer
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. freshly grated lemon zest
2 T. lemon juice from zested lemon
2 (8 oz, ea) tubs Cool Whip, thawed
1 (21 oz) can blueberry pie filling
=
Line a 9 X 9″ baking dish with parchment
paper & lightly spray with nonstick cooking
spray.
In medium bowl add 2 C. graham cracker
crumbs & 4 T. gran sugar – stir to combine.
Pour 1/2 C. melted/cooled butter over mixture
& stir to coat crumbs completely.
Evenly spread/press mixture in bottom of
prepared baking dish. Refrigerate.
Cheesecake layer:
In large bowl using elec. mixer on medium-high
speed, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar &
vanilla 1 1/2 – 2 minutes until completely smooth –
no lumps remaining. Add lemon zest & juice –
mix until completely incorporated. Fold in 1
tub Cool whip.
Remove crust from fridge & evenly spread
cheesecake filling over crust. Spread blueberry
pie filling on top of cheesecake layer.
Spread remaining Cool Whip tub on top, evenly.
Sprinkle remaining 2 T. crushed graham cracker
crumbs on top evenly.
Loosely cover & refrigerate at least 6 hours.
Just before serving, slice into 3 slices X 3 slices.
Serves 9
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
(recipe: spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com)
====================
Hope you’re having a great day – it’s getting warmer – right now it’s 78 degrees out there (I had no idea! It looks rather gloomy & gray!)
Hugs;
Pammie