Apple Shortbread Crisp

I seriously think this was one of the best things I have ever tasted! You must make it! Now!

You will need:
2 (12-ounce) packages frozen apple chunks (I used Stouffer's Harvest Apples)
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
20 shortbread cookies, crushed (I used Keebler Sandies Simply Shortbread)
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
vanilla ice cream

1. Prick plastic wrap covering apple chunks several times with a fork; microwave at Medium 7 minutes or until apple is thawed. Let stand 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium hear; add cookie crumbs and nuts. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg.



3. Combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle in a lightly greased 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of apple over brown sugar mixture; top with half of the cookie crumb mixture. Repeat layers with remaining apple and crumb mixture.

4. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until cookie mixture is golden.

5. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

from Southern Living Quick & Easy cookbook

Hopscotch

You will need:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
2 cups marshmallows
2 cups or more chow mein noodles

Melt chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in microwave; stirring occasionally.

Add marshmallows

Add chow mein noodles

Mix

Scoop into spoonfuls on wax paper lined baking sheets

Refrigerate

Lick the bowl while you wait patiently for the hopscotch to get ready! :)

Meg's Crescent Chicken

I love Meg's recipes from Whatever. Her chicken enchiladas are my favorite dish, so I decided to try her crescent chicken. Yumm-O! Try it, for sure!

You will need:

3 or 4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or 1 rotisserie chicken
1 cup of shredded cheese
1 can refrigerated crescents roll
1 cup of milk
1 can cream of chicken soup

Mix chicken and cheese in bowl.

Lay out crescent dough in 8 triangles.

Scoop a spoonful of chicken onto the middle of dough triangles and wrpa dough around the mixture to create a bundle. Place in casserole dish.

Mix soup and milk together in bowl and heat in microwave for 2 minutes. Whisk soup mixture until smooth. Pour over chicken bundles.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until dough is done.

I also baked some without the sauce. They were delish, too.

Here is the hot, bubbly, yummy-ness! It tastes like chicken and dumplings. So good!

Lemon Squares

You will need:

For crust:
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup butter, melted

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
5/8 cup lemon juice (I know in the picture I have fake lemon juice, but DON'T use it!!!!!! It's all I had and I promise you will regret using it. Use fresh squeezed lemon juice!!!!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour so there will be no flour lumps. Stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally, stir in the lemon juice.

Remove crust from oven.

Pour mixture over the prepared crust and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bars are set.

Top with confectioner's sugar. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Triple Strawberry Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package strawberry cake mix
• 1 (3 ounce) package flavored gelatin
• 4 cups water
• Homemade whipped cream (below)
  
• 2 cups strawberries, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare cake according to package directions. Bake as directed for a 9x13 inch pan. Allow to cool.
2. Prepare the strawberry gelatin according to package instructions, using the 4 cups of water. Poke cake with toothpick. Pour over cooled cake while still in liquid form; the cake will absorb it. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until gelatin is set.
3. Spread whipped cream over cake and top with sliced strawberries.

Whipped Cream Icing

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.

Tator Tot Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 lb. tator tots

cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown meat; drain. Pour in an 8x8 dish. Add soup and mix with beef. Cover with a layer of tator tots. Bake at 350 for 30 mins. Cover with cheese and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

From Meredith at From Our Kitchen to Yours

Chicken, Spinach, and Ricotta Quesadilla

This is SO yummy! It tastes like something you would get in a cute and very chic little cafe or bistro!

You will need:

(I'm just going to list ingredients because the measurements depend on your taste and how many quesadillas you are making.)

Chicken (I always use a rotisserie chicken.)
Spinach wraps
Cheese (I used Mexican blend, mozzarella would be good, or whatever cheese you like best.)
Ricotta cheese (I used a little less than half a cup to make two big quesadillas.)
Fresh Spinach
Diced Onions
Olive Oil (Just a drizzle for the pan)

Prepare chicken (cook or shred in my case. Easy!)

Drizzle a little olive oil in a skillet and turn on medium-high. Put onions in and stir for about 2-3 minutes.

Add spinach and cook until wilted (About 1 minute). Place spinach and onion mixture on paper towel lined plate to drain.


Mix cheeses and chicken in bowl.

Spread chicken and cheese mixture on half of the spinach wrap. Make sure not to get too close to the side, so it doesn't ooze out while you are cooking it. Top cheese mixture with onions and spinach. Fold in half and cook in skillet on medium.

And now eat it! :) It is very yummy!

Marshmallow Fruit Salad

My father-in-law always makes this on every holiday. It's so yummy and a great low fat snack or dessert!

You will need:

Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream (Nonfat or light)

1 bag of mini marshmallows
1 can of fruit cocktail
1 can of Mandarin oranges

Notes:
You can use whatever kind of fruit you prefer! I love Mandarin oranges, so I use a big can of them!
I also use two sweet-n-lows to make it sweeter.

Mix together and serve!

An Award!!!!

Sweet Lindsay at Lindsay's Kitchen gave Piece of Cake recipes its first award! Thanks so much! I am thrilled!

This award has a little questionnaire about me! Here we go:

(1) Your Cell Phone? Blackberry

(2) Your Hair? Blonde

(3) Your Mother? Passionate

(4) Your Father? Hardworking

(5) Your Favorite Food? Mexican

(6) Your Dream Last Night? School

(7) Your Favorite Drink? DC

(8) Your Dream/Goal? Motherhood

(9) What Room Are You In? Living Room

(10) Your Hobby? Blogging

(11) Your Fear? Death

(12) Where Do You Want To Be In Six Years? Family

(13) Where Were You Last Night? Home

(14) Something That You Aren't? Unhappy

(15) Muffins? Blueberry

(16) Wish List Item? House

(17) Where Did You Grow Up? Collierville

(18) Last Thing You Did? Olympics

(19) What Are You Wearing? Pajamas

(20) Your TV? On

(21) Your Pets? Fiona

(22) Friends? hubby

(23) Your Life? Good

(24) Your Mood? Tired

(25) Missing Someone? Family

(26) Vehicle? Volvo

(27) Something You Aren't Wearing? Shoes

(28) Your Favorite Store? Target

(29) Your Favorite Color? Turquoise

(30) When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Today

(31) Last Time You Cried? Yesterday

(32) Your Best Friend? Trey

(33) One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Kroger

(34) Facebook? Ugh...

(35) Favorite Place To Eat? Chuy's

And this award goes to...

From Our Kitchen to Yours--I've gotten some great recipe ideas from here! It's awesome and so helpful!

Wearing Gackey's Apron--LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this blog. She has the best ideas!

June Cleaver Cooking Club-- This blog is such a cute idea. She gets people to send their recipe ideas in and posts them! There's some great recipes on there!

Low Fat Beef Nachos

These are really simple to make and are low in fat! Perfect for this Superbowl Sunday!

You will need:

Lean Beef (I use Laura's Lean Beef.)
Baked Tostitos
Frozen chopped onions
Taco seasoning
Fat Free or 2% cheese (I used Mexican blend.)
Fat Free or Light Sour Cream
Salsa (I used Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Style Salsa.)


Preheat oven to 350. Spread chips on aluminum foil topped baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese on top of chips. When oven is preheated, bake until cheese is bubbly. Broil for about 2 minutes to let chips get crispy. (Make sure to watch it, so it doesn't burn!)

While chips and cheese bake, brown beef. Add taco seasoning and chopped onions.

When chips are ready, they will look like this.

Now, plate it! First chips, then beef, then sour cream, and salsa. You can also add any other topping you'd like!