Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

I didn't have the ingredients to make my own crust so I used a prepared graham cracker crust. It wasn't quite big enough to hold all the peanut butter filling so I used the leftovers to dip apples in for a snack for my kids. Yum!

8 ounces chocolate cookies
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

I got this recipe from HERE.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

These taste a bit like The Cafe Rio Burritos but are less time consuming to make. Very good!

Ingredients:
1/2 C. honey
4.5 Tb lime juice
1 Tb chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded
flour tortillas
colby or monterey jack cheese, shredded
10 oz. can green enchilada sauce

Mix first 4 ingredients together and toss with shredded chicken. Let it “marinate” for at least a half hour. Pour some green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 10×10 casserole dish or 9×13 pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese. Pour the rest of the can of green enchilada sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle with more cheese. (When using a 9×13 I like to use 1 1/2 10 oz. cans) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (Put it under the broiler at the end to make the cheese brown and crispy on the top.)

Salsa Salad

Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 can black eyed peas
1/2 bag frozen corn
2-3 diced tomatoes
2 large avocados, diced
1/2 purple onion, diced
Cilantro to taste
Small bottle Wishbone Zesty Italian dressing*


Mix together, and serve with corn chips. May be served chilled or at room temperature.

*You won't need the whole bottle of Italian dressing. Just use enough to coat all the rest of the ingredients.

Pork Loin Alfredo

This is such an easy recipe and it's so, so, so good!

Ingredients:

Pork Loin, 2-3 lbs.
1/2 to 3/4 cup Italian dressing
1 Jar alfredo sauce

Put pork loin in crockpot and pour Italian dressing over it. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low all day until pork is cooked through. Take pork out and shred it, then put it back in the crockpot. Add alfredo sauce and stir it all together. Turn crockpot on High until alfredo sauce heats up. Serve over rice or pasta.

"Slap Your Grandma Bars"

At least that's what my sister calls them because she say's you'd slap your grandma to have one*. They are pretty darn tasty!

1 pkg. Yellow cake mix
1 stick butter
1 egg
Mix these together and press in bottom of 9x13 pan.
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar
2 eggs
Mix these with beaters and pour over your bottom layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a dark golden brown. Cool completely before cutting. They are gooey and taste great chilled!

*I cannot be held liable for any negative consequences that may occur if you were to actually slap your Grandma. Elder abuse is NEVER okay!

Cafe Rio Burritos

Sweet Pork:
3lbs pork roast (boneless)
16 oz salsa
1 can Coke
1 Cup brown sugar (I like it less sweet so I only put 1/2 cup)
water

Put roast in crock pot and fill half way with water. Add salt and cook on high for 4 hours. Drain the liquid and remove the roast. Shred the roast and put back in crock pot. Pour the salsa, coke and brown sugar in and mix with pork. Cook on high for 2 more hours.

Creamy Tomatilo Dressing:
1 pkg dry Ranch dressing mix
1 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
2-3 green tomatillos
1 jalapeno (seeds removed, or leave this out if you don't want it too spicy)
1/2 bunch cilantro
juice from 1 lime

Put chopped up tomatillos and jalapeno in a glass dish with a splash of olive oil, salt and garlic salt. Roast for 25 minutes at 350. Then place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Burrito prep:
Get large tortilla and add black or pinto beans (or a mix of the two) then add sweet pork. Roll it up and top with plenty of Tomatillo dressing and then Mexican blend cheese. Put it in the microwave just long enough to melt the cheese and then add tomatoes, onions, sour cream, or guacamole according to your own personal tastes.

Guacamole

(See picture above with the Cafe Rio Burritos)
Ingredients

* 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup diced onion
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Applebees 3 Cheese Chicken Penne

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Italian salad dressing
penne pasta
jar of alfredo sauce
bag of shredded Italian cheeses
can of Italian diced tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil

Marinate cubed or stripped chicken in Italian salad dressing for at least 30 min in refrigerator
Grill or fry chicken (whichever you prefer)
Cook 2 cups penne pasta then stir in alfredo sauce
Drain Italian diced tomatoes and add 3tb of olive oil
Serve with noodles on bottom topped with chicken, tomatoes and then melt cheese on top. (or just mix it all together like I did!)