Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

If you want your friends and family to LOVE the treats you bring to your holiday get together this year you will definitely want to bring these! :) These are melt in your mouth chocolatey yumminess! And they are eggless so you don't have to worry about that.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate baking bars
12 ounces white chocolate baking bar or chips

Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop (about 1-2 tablespoon sized scoops) batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for about 2 hours or overnight.
Melt each of the chocolates separately. Drizzle or dip the bites in the chocolate. Put back in the freezer. When hard cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Winter Fruit Compote

Okay you have to try this! Yes this is my second post today (I actually will be adding one more yet today, since I am doing a lot of baking for the family for the holidays)! :) This compote is so amazing! I made it about a month ago to surprise Daniel with an at home date night. After the kids went to bed I set up a blanket by the fireplace, some candles, music, and a plate of this compote with some bread and cheese. And I am telling you it was one of the nicest most romantic dates we have ever had, and we didn't have to get a babysitter! So I highly recommend doing this! This also makes a great appetizer to have with friends and or family. And the aroma it will fill your house with is divine! :) Here's the recipe:

Winter Fruit Compote
1 cup dry white wine (I recommend Chardonnay)
1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
dash salt
1 cup granny smith apple, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch thick cubes
1 cup pears, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch thick cubes
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 wedge sharp cheddar (recommended)
1 wedge gorgonzola cheese (recommended)
small slices fresh bakery bread

In a medium sized saucepan bring the first 5 ingredients to a simmer. Stir slowly to dissolve the sugar into the liquid. Add the remaining ingredients expect for the lemon juice, cheese, and bread. When the liquid comes to a boil, adjust the heat to a low simmer for about 20 minutes to marry the flavors and soften the fruit. Turn off the heat then stir in the lemon juice. With a slotted spoon remove the fruit from the bowl. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Bring the remaining syrup to a simmer and reduce until lightly thickened or when the bubbles formed on the top become small. Remove the syrup from the heat and when it has cooled some pour it over the fruit and stir. Bring to room temperature and enjoy! Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Oh boy this is good folks! :) Our family celebrated part of Christmas a few days early this year since we will be away on Christmas day. I made this for our Christmas breakfast, and it is moist and delicious! I got this recipe from an episode I saw on America's test kitchen. I love this show so much! They just call it cream cheese coffee cake, but it has a definite lemon flavor so I am calling it Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. I don't have time today to write out the recipe, and I don't think many alterations need to be made so I am just putting a link to the recipe here. This page also has the video on it of them making the cake which I recommend watching first before you make it.

Bananna Berry Muffins

These muffins make a great breakfast or snack. They are really delicious, and the best part is they are low fat and low sugar! The banana in this recipe is not overpowering and makes the muffins really sweet and moist.

Banana Berry Muffins
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2)
1/4 cups low fat cottage cheese, small curd
1 whole egg white
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cups white flour
1/4 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1- 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries, divided

In a large bowl, combine sugar, mashed bananas, cottage cheese, egg white, and vanilla extract. In another small bowl, combine flours, oats, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in 1 cup frozen berries.
Preheat oven to 365 degrees.
Place muffin liners in a muffin tin. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full with batter. To the top of each muffin, add a couple of the remaining frozen berries. Sprinkle top of each muffin with a dash of sugar.
Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Spinach Enchiladas

I love these enchiladas! And just as a side note I want to say that I get most of my ingredients at Trader Joes. I find that the quality and nutritional standard their food has far surpasses most other grocery stores!

Spinach Enchiladas
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 10-12 ounce box or bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded mozzarella
10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 can or bottle enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for a few minutes until softened. Stir in spinach and cook about 5 minutes more. Take off the heat and mix in ricotta, sour cream, and 1 cup of mozzarella. In a skillet over medium heat warm tortillas one at a time until flexible. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture onto the center of each tortilla, roll up, and place seam side down in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella.
Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, until the sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly browned at the edges.

Boston Cream Pie

This cake is so easy, and yuuuummmy!

Boston Cream Pie

1 round yellow cake (8 or 9 inch)

1 cup cold milk

1 package 3.4 ounce vanilla flavored instant pudding

1 1/2 cups whipped topping

1 square unsweetened baking chocolate

1 Tablespoon butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons cold milk

Cut cake into two layers. Beat 1 cup milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in whipped topping. Let stand 5 minutes. Stack cake layers on serving plate, spreading pudding mixture between the layers. Heat the chocolate bar and butter in a small saucepan on medium until melted. Add sugar and 2 Tablespoons of milk. mix well. Spread over cake. Refrigerate one hour. Serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Potato Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Corn

We LOVE "mexican" food, so you will probably being seeing a lot of these types of meals. This makes for a great lunch or dinner.

Potato Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Corn

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 teaspoons oregano

1/2 teaspoons Paprika

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoons black pepper

4 whole Medium-sized Yukon Gold Potatoes, Diced

2 ears of fresh corn (or you can use a can of corn)

3 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/2 whole Lime Juice

8 Fajita Sized Tortillas

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, Quartered

2 whole Avacados, Diced

Greek yogurt or sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degress F.

In a medium bowl, mix the diced potatoes with the oil and the seasonings, coating well. Transfer to baking dish or pan and bake for 30 minutes, stirring/flipping halfway through, or until fork tender. Meanwhile if using fresh corn cut from the ears and mix with cilantro and lime. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

When potatoes are done, warm tortillas in the microwave or in a dry skillet over medium heat. Once they have warmed build your taco. Layer onto tortilla the seasoned potatoes, corn mixture, tomatoes, avacado, and a small dollop of greek yogurt or sour cream. Makes 8 tacos. Enjoy! :)

Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Skillet Mac

This is a vegetarian meal that I tried recently and really liked. I love Kale, but you could use collard greens or any other kind of greens for this recipe too that you like.

12 ounces small whole wheat pasta (elbow, shells, curled)

1 whole bunch Kale, chopped

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 Tablespoons flour

1/3 cup homemade sun-dried tomato pesto (see recipe below)

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Sun- Dried Tomato Pesto (Giada De Laurentis)

1 8.5 ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a food processor, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil and garlic just until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the parmesan, salt, and pepper. (This makes about 1 1/2 cups so I use part of it for the recipe and store the rest in the fridge to use later.)

After you have made your pesto, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put in some salt, and then add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.

Turn on your oven to broil

In a another large pot or skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for about 4 minutes until soft. Add the chopped greens, stir and cook until wilted another 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and cook and stir another minute. Add pesto, yogurt, feta, cooked pasta, and about 3/4 cups of the pasta water. Stir and cook until everything is well combined and heated through and it begins to thicken.

Place pasta in a casserole dish and sprinkle top with parmesan cheese. Place under the broiler for about 5 to 10 minutes, or just until top starts to brown. Remove from the oven and enjoy a tasty and nutritious meal! Makes about 6 servings.

Oreo Truffles

I though it would be appropriate for my first recipe I share to be my Oreo Truffles, since they are probably the ones I am asked about the most. And the great thing about these is that they are no bake and so easy to make! I got this recipe a couple years ago from my awesome friend Stephanie. :) They are great for this time of year and are a big hit at any get together, party, or to give as a gift. Here's the recipe:

Oreo Truffles

1 package oreos

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

white chocolate bar or chips

Crush the oreos in a food processor or in a ziplock bag. In a large bowl stir oreo crumbs and softened cream cheese until mixed well. Roll into balls. Melt the white chocolate and dip or drizzle top half with the white chocolate. Let cool and store in airtight container in the refrigerator till ready to serve. Yum! :)

Merry Christmas!

Well here I go. I too have decided to enter the world of blogging, since I have so much spare time on my hands (haha). The month of December has been crazy busy so far! It has been full of taking care of my three wonderful kiddos, taking on some more babysitting jobs, and trying to support my hubby during his last two weeks of his semester as he is trying to write 3 papers equalling about 60 pages in all.

But amidst all the busyness this month brings for me and probably the rest of you, I have been reveling once again in remembering and celebrating the birth of our dear Savior Jesus Christ. Having children and teaching them each year more and more about the richness of the Christmas story and what it all means has made the Christmas season so much more a time of wonder and worship for me! Yes it is so fun to watch all the fun christmas movies, listen to all the fun christmas songs, bake christmas cookies etc..., but most of all it has been such a joy to talk about and praise our great God for sending his Son as a gift to us so many years ago!

With all that said, the main purpose of this blog is for sharing with you the different recipes I try if you are interested. I have been on a bit of a crazy journey the last couple of years learning about how we can eat more healthy, but also finding some balance and practicality amongst all that. So basically right now we are eating mostly vegetarian, but not strictly. I love finding healthy delicious meals to try that aren't too complicated. But we definitely treat ourselves. Especially this month during Christmas you probably won't be seeing a ton of healthy desserts, but that's what the new year is for right? :)

So I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas season and hope to see or hear from you soon. :)