Cheesecake Bites

Cheesecake Bites

2 8oz packages of cream cheese (weight watchers low fat or 1/3 neufchatel tastes just as good)
2 T lemon juice
3/4 c sugar
16 vanilla wafers
Your choice of pie filling
Paper or foil muffin cups

Warm up the cream cheeses in the microwave for 1 minute in a large bowl.  Add the sugar and lemon juice and mix together until mostly smooth (it's nearly impossible to get ALL the lumps out).  PLace the muffin cups in each muffin pan hole.  Place a vanilla wafer in the bottom middle of each muffin hole flat side DOWN.  Pour cheese mixture into each cup about 3/4 full.  For an electric oven-cook at 350 for 15 minutes.  Gas stove-cook at 325 for 20-25 mins constantly checking on them until they are a little golden brown on the top.  Let them cool.  Put your pie filling on top and pop in the fridge until chilled!  SOO good!

P.S.-you should have some extra batter left over to make maybe 4 more, so just don't keep them in as long, of course. :)

Crockpot Cranberry Roast

Our FAVORITE family recipe!

Crockpot Cranberry Roast

1 2-4lb roast
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
2 T soy sauce
1/2 onion sliced into rings
1/2 bottle of catalina style dressing

Place the onion rings on the bottom of the crockpot.  Then, place roast on top (mine is normally frozen).  Pour on soy sauce, catalina dressing, then the cranberry sauce.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low 6-8 hours.  We like to mix it with rice which soaks up all the delicious juices.  Enjoy!

Crockpot Minnestrone

Cozy Crockpot Minestrone

4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups vegetable juice (like V8)

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained or 3 medium tomatoes, diced

2 cups fresh spinach

1 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 cups chopped potatoes

1 can cannellini beans 

1 tsp dry parsley

salt and pepper

1/3 cup dry ditalini pasta or other small pasta noodle (I use more noodles)

Place everything in a crockpot minus the ditalini pasta and stir well to combine.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6.  Add ditalini and stir well.  Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes before serving.  

http://www.smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/ has some amazing recipes!!  We just made this yesterday, and it was DELICIOUS!

Pumpkin Spice Cake Muffins

These are SOO moist and delicious!!  Weight watchers recipe. :)

1 16oz. can pumpkin
1 box spice cake mix
A little less than 3/4 cup of water

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl (ignore the directions on the back of the cake mix, just use the mix).  Pour into muffin pan.  Bake on 350 for 20-25 mins.  Makes about 19 for me because I like them a little bigger than only filling up the cups halfway.

Easy, Easy, Easy!!

I made these his past week and they hit the SPOT!! Thought I would share. 

Mac n Cheese Casserole

2 regular boxes of mac n cheese
1lb ground beef/turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 14.5 oz. can LeSeur peas (silver can)
1 can cream of mushroom
3 heaping tablespoons of sour cream

Make the mac n cheese regular with the butter and milk, boiling the noodles of course, then place in a large bowl.  Brown the meat with the onion, drain, and put in the same large bowl as the mac n cheese.  Put all remaining ingredients in the bowl and stir thoroughly.  Place in a pan (I use 9x13) and bake on 350 for 20-25 mins-just to warm and mesh everything together real good.  Voila!! Done!

Taco Soup
1lb ground beef/turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 14.5 oz can of-dark (or light) red kidney beans, corn, (both drained) and chili beans (not drained)
3 cans beef broth
1 can of diced tomatoes w/ chilis (I get the mild can)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix

Brown meat with onion in a large soup pot.  Drain.  Put back in the pot.  Add all other ingredients (doesn't matter what order).  Bring to a boil.  Let it simmer for 5 mins, and it's ready to go!  Serve with delicious homemade bread, or rolls.