Pumpkin Bundt Cake

 

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
Few drops each green, red and yellow food coloring
1 cake ice cream cone

PREPARE cake batter and bake in 12-cup fluted tube pan as directed on package. Cool in pan 10 min. Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan. Cool cake completely.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and butter in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar until well blended. Spoon 1/2 cup frosting into small bowl; stir in green food coloring until well blended. Spread half the green frosting onto outside of ice cream cone; set aside. Reserve remaining frosting for later use.

ADD red and yellow food colorings to remaining white frosting to tint it orange. Spread onto cake to resemble pumpkin. Invert ice cream cone in hole in top of cake for the pumpkin's stem. Pipe the reserved green frosting in vertical lines down side of cake.

Fun Idea
Place black gumdrops on sheet of waxed paper sprinkled with additional granulated sugar. Use a rolling pin to flatten each gumdrop, turning frequently to coat both sides with sugar. Cut into desired shapes with a sharp knife. Use to decorate frosted cake to resemble a jack-o'-lantern.

How to Pipe Frosting
Turn a resealable plastic bag into a handy piping bag for professional-looking decorated cakes. Simply spoon the frosting into the bag and seal the bag. Cut off a tiny piece from one of the bottom corners of the bag. Twist the bag at the top and holding the bag with one hand, guide the tip with the other. When you're done, the whole bag goes right into the garbage for easy cleanup!

Easy Oreo Truffles

Jennifer S.

These easy Oreo truffles are a fantastic anytime treat. Give these delicious Oreo truffles to friends and family or serve as a sweet treat for a casual get-together. The best part about these Oreo truffles is that they can be made ahead and frozen so they're ready for last-minute guests.

Ingredients

* 1 package Oreo cookies
* 1, 8-ounce package cream cheese
* 2 packages semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Process the Oreo cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs; add the cream cheese and process until it is combined with the Oreo crumbs; place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. Roll into 1 to 1/2-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet; place in freezer (may be made one week ahead of time).
3. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave on low, or use a double boiler; remove from heat.
4. Dip frozen balls into chocolate; put back onto parchment paper and decorate with chopped nuts, candy sprinkles, coconut, Heath bar bits, etc., before the chocolate dries.
5. Freeze until ready to serve.

Potato Soup in the Crock Pot

Jenifer W.

8 C. of potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2'' - 3/4'' sized cubes
1/3 C of onion, diced
3 - 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp of pepper
4 Tablespoons bacon bites
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed

Combine potatoes, onion, broth, soup, pepper and bacon into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. About an hour before serving add the cream cheese, stir and continue cooking until it has melted.

The kids like to add more bacon ;) and some shredded cheese to make it like a loaded baked potato!

Enjoy!

Veggie Pasta Primavera

Jennifer S.

1 lb. whole wheat linguine, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) baby spinach leaves
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 jar (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 tub (8 oz.) Garden Vegetable 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding spinach, peppers and mushrooms for the last 5 min. Drain in colander.

MEANWHILE, cook cream cheese and milk in same saucepan on low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

RETURN pasta mixture to pan. Add basil; mix lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Lighter Spinach-and-Artichoke Dip

Jennifer S.
Assemble up to two days ahead, and bake just before serving.

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (13.5-ounce) package baked tortilla chips (about 16 cups)or pita chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients (through spinach) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.

Red Velvet Rich and Creamy Cookies

Jennifer S.

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red food color
1 egg
3/4 to 1 cup cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)


1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food color and egg until soft dough forms.
2. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. Frost cooled cookies with frosting. Sprinkle with nuts. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Pumpkin Harvest Bars

Jennifer S.

4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup raisins, if desired

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening. In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Stir in raisins. Spread in pan.
2. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.
3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting over bars. Sprinkle with walnuts.

For bars, cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store in refrigerator.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Amy D.

This isn’t a cookie recipe, but cheesecake bars are kinda like cookies????

I even use different flavors of cake mix for a variety (of course leaving out the lemon peel and substitute milk or water for the lemon juice) – chocolate fudge or cherry chip cake mix make tasty bars

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon or yellow cake mix
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In large bowl, beat dry cake mix, butter and 1 of the eggs with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
2. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup; refrigerate. Beat remaining 2 eggs into remaining cream cheese mixture on medium speed until blended. Spread over cake mixture.
3. Bake bars 23 to 28 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Spread with reserved cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

How many lemons do you need for this recipe? One will be fine--it will yield 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons grated peel and 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice.

Bake bars in the exact pan size called for in a recipe to ensure moist (not over baked) bars.

Garnish each bar with a curl of lemon peel for an extra-special touch.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff with Noodles

Jennifer S.

2 pounds beef stew meat
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of golden mushroom soup
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of onion soup (or cream of mushroom)
1 jar (6 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
6 cups hot cooked noodles, the wider the noodle the better

1. In 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker, mix beef, onion, soups, mushrooms and pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until beef is very tender.
3. Stir cream cheese into beef mixture until melted. Stir sour cream into beef mixture. Serve over noodles.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Summer S.

1 stick of butter
1 pint of Heavy Cream
4 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 - 3/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 T. chopped parsley
lots of cracked pepper to taste.

In a saucepan melt butter. When butter is melted add cream cheese, whisk to combine. When the cream cheese is blended in, add heavy cream. Simmer this for 15 - 20 minutes on low. You may wish to season with a little salt and pepper.
IMPORTANT note: don’t let this come to a boil (very gently rolling is okay) otherwise it separates too easily and gets “glucky”. 
I think its best served with penne- but then again, it is called fettuccine Alfredo