Peanut Butter Pie

  

   

This may be my favorite pie ever.  Actually..yeah..it is my favorite pie ever.  Or maybe it's tied for first with my banana cream pie.  Whatever.  It's SO good!!! If you are a peanut butter addict - like me - then you will LOVE this pie!!! It's so dreamy, creamy and full of rich, peanut butter flavor.  It truly melts in your mouth and is totally irresistable.  It's incredibly easy to make too.  It reminds of of a cold peanut butter cup...but better...because it's in pie form. The texture is silky and fluffy - kind of like a lighter cheesecake.  I made this for a cross country party, but once I tasted it I didn't tell anyone about it because I wanted it all for myself.  I didn't have much luck though...once people started tasting it they couldn't stop!  It ended up being completely eaten and I wasn't able to take any more home.  But now it's a family favorite and I will continue making it often.

Ingredients:

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

For the Filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 ounces (half a tub) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 
  

Garnish (optional): Reese cups, more whipped cream, crushed oreos, chocolate syrup, and/or chocolate shavings

Directions:

For crust:

1. In a small bowl, combine the crumbs and sugar; add butter and blend well. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate.
2. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

For Filling:

Directions:

1. Beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Mix in peanut butter and milk. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
2. Spoon into cooled graham cracker crust; cover, and freeze until firm. Garnish if desired.

Mashed Banana Toast/Sandwiches

Do you mash or slice your bananas???


I would guess you have probably been slicing them your whole life.  Well, here's something new to try: MASH 'EM! All it does it make it creamy.  It's literally like creating your own banana spread.  Especially if the banana is really ripe...mashing a ripe banana will make it taste way better than a greenish banana (since ripe bananas have more sugar). Did you know that they sell banana peanut butter?  I don't understand why would anyone buy that when you can just make it yourself.  Anyways...instead of your usual peanut butter and sliced banana toast/sandwiches that I'm sure you've been doing for as long as you can remember, just mash the banana!  You can mix other spreads in with the banana if you want to change it up even more.  


Mashed Banana Toast/Sandwich:


Ingredients:
1 slice of bread, toasted   (or 2 for a sandwich)
1/2 to 1 ripe banana (depending how big it is)




Instructions:
Mash the banana as chunky or creamy as you'd like.  Spread mashed banana on hot toast.


***Add a slice of bread on top to make a sandwich if you prefer.  Toasting is optional. 


Variations:  Mix into mashed banana mixture before spreading on top of bread...

• peanut butter
• nutella
• honey
• melted chocolate chips (flavor of your choice)
• cocoa powder
• cinnamon
• blueberries
• almond butter (or other nut butter of your choice)
• chopped or sliced strawberries
• crushed Nilla Wafers
• toffee bits
• coconut flakes
• dash of vanilla extract
• brown sugar (this is very sweet..but delicious)
• chopped nuts of your choice
• grape nuts (or other cereal of your choice.  Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch is really good too)
• caramel sauce
• whipped cream
• chocolate sauce/syrup
• pudding
• maple syrup
• jelly 
• yogurt

Melted chocolate chips & banana:

Peanut Butter, Cinnamon, and Banana:

Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate Chunks:

Mashed Banana and Nutella Sandwich:

Almond Butter and Banana:

Spread it on graham crackers!

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

 

  

These seriously taste just like cinnamon buns...but in pancake form.  I made these this morning and I was sooo happy with the results!  These are way easier than making cinnamon rolls; no yeast, no rolling, no baking.  The total time it took me to make these was 20 minutes tops.  The large amount of baking powder makes them super fluffy, but also biscuit-like.  I had some left over "Grands" frosting in the refrigerator, so I topped the pancakes with that, and...wow...I'm drooling right now just thinking about it.  I know that you probably don't keep "Grands" frosting in your refrigerator, so the recipe below will give you very similar results.  My whole family gobbled them up; I should have made way more.  Next time I make these, I'm doubling - or maybe even tripling - the recipe for sure.  I recommend you do too.


Yield: about 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
•  
• 1 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.
2. In a separate large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, corn syrup, butter and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium low heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
4. While pancakes are cooking, mix the icing. Combine confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and enough milk to make a liquid frosting. Drizzle frosting on hot pancakes before serving.

Lucky Collard Greens

  

These were the best collard greens I have ever had!  I made these for my family's New Years Dinner for good luck, and oh my goodness they are sooo flavorful!!!  The reason they have so much flavor is because they soak up ingredients so easily.  All my collards barely even fit in the pot when I first put them in, but by the time they were wilted and done they were seriously ten times smaller.  I didn't think collards could taste so good before I tasted these.  The drumstick gives them an incredible smoky flavor.  My mom couldn't stop "MMMMMing".  It actually got really annoying...all she talked about all night were these collards.  I'm gonna make these every New Years for now on! Lets hope they really are lucky!

Yield: about 5 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 - 12oz. cans chicken broth
• 1 smoked turkey drumstick
• 2 big bunches collard greens - rinsed, trimmed and chopped
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and gently saute until light brown. Pour in the chicken broth, and add the turkey leg. Cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Add the collard greens to the cooking pot, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Let the greens cook down for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook until the greens are tender and dark green, about 30 minutes. Drain greens, reserving liquid. Use liquid to reheat leftovers.

Black Eyed Pea Salsa

I made this salsa for New Years as one of our "lucky" dishes (since black eyed peas are known to have good luck) and it turned out fabulous!  My dad was constantly bugging me to make him salsa because he loves it, and he gobbled this up.  I love this salsa because it's very healthy and refreshing...not to mention incredibly flavorful.  If I made it again, the only thing I might do is add avocado.  I would have added it to the salsa when I first made it, but my mom doesn't like avocado (she's crazy).  I served these with blue, whole grain tortilla chips and my family and I all agree it's way better than any store-bought salsa we've ever had.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned black-eyed peas
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh cilantro
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. Season with lemon juice, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic clove, and garlic salt; mix well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.

Strawberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

I made these yesterday for a New Years Eve party and they were a big hit!  They're now one of my favorite cookies.   I seriously lost count of how many I ate.  They're so perfect; I would never change a thing about them.  I didn't think I liked shortbread, because the only ones I'd ever had before these were the Girl Scout ones, but WOW! They literally melt in your mouth...especially when they're still warm from the oven.  The touch of almond makes them taste absolutely INCREDIBLE. So even if you don't like shortbread, I bet you'll like these cookies.  My mom almost didn't let me take them because she wanted them for herself.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam
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• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons almond extract
• 3 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.
3. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 1.5 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

Grandma Louise's Hamburger Dip

This is a sacred family recipe.  I almost didn't post it because it's so special to us.  I honestly had to BEG my mom to let me post this.  This is the hamburger dip written by my Grandma Louise.  She created it herself and got it perfect after many attempts.  Now, let me tell you: I'm really picky when it comes to a good burger.  But this hamburger dip is the bomb!  The cream cheese makes it so creamy and filled with cheesy deliciousness.  But the most special, secret ingredient is the sugar, which helps bring out the flavors of all the other ingredients.  This is definitely one of my favorite dips, and it's a great dish to have at parties or other events because it will always be eaten completely.  We usually make it for big get-togethers with friends when we watch the super bowl, and there's never any leftovers.


Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 garlic clove, minced


Instructions:
1.  Cook hamburger until evenly browned all over and no longer pink.  Drain juices.
2. Add garlic, onions, ketchup, oregano, and tomato sauce.  Mix until well blended.
3.  Add cream cheese and sugar.  Mix until blended. 
4.  Let the cheese melt and serve hot with chips.