Chocolate Chip Cookie Cream Layer Delight

My mom used to make this for me all the time for my birthday. She would make her own crust from scratch though....but we both forget how it was made...so I decided to substitute cookie dough, and it's delicious!!! We also both couldn't remember what it was called. So instead of "that layer thing you always make me for my birthday," I chose to name it "Chocolate Chip Cookie Cream Layer Delight."

Ingredients: 1 tube of choc. chip cookie dough
                    8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
                    1 cup of powdered sugar
                   12 oz. of cool whip, thawed
                    3 cups milk
                    1 pkg. of instant chocolate pudding mix (3.9 oz.)
                   1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 oz.)
                 *optional* Coconut and almonds

                   

Directions: Set the tube of cookie dough out at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften. Press it into an ungreased 9x13 pan. If the dough starts to get sticky on your fingers, you can wet your fingers a little bit with water and it helps to not stick! :)
     Bake at 350 for about 14 minutes or until golden brown. Take it out of oven and place the whole pan on a wire rack to cool.
   In a big bowl, beat the cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 3/4 cup cool whip. Spread over cooled crust.
      In another big bowl, whisk the milk and both the pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let it stand for another 2 minutes or until it's soft set.
   Spread over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining cool whip.
  Sprinkle coconut and almonds on top if desired!
  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until it's firm.

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

I love soups! Especially this time of year. This recipe is so so good! It's a creamy soup, which I usually prefer over broth ones. I made it in my crock pot which is even more awesome. Both my husband and father in law loved it.

Ingredients: 2 (14oz.) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
                   1 cup finely diced celery
                   1 cup finely diced carrots
                   1 cup finely diced onion
                   1 tsp. dried oregano
                   1 T. dried basil
                   4 cups chicken broth
                   1 bay leaf
                    1/2 cup flour
                   1 cup parmesan cheese
                    1/2 cup butter
                   2 cups half and half, warmed
                   1 tsp. salt
                    1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions: Put the tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, and bay leaf in your crockpot. Cook covered on low for about 5-6 hours. Next, you are gonna be a "fancy" chef and make a "roux." Don't be scared! It's super easy and it's purpose is to make the soup thicker and creamier.
   Get a big frying pan and melt the butter over low heat. Then, add the flour. Stir it CONSTANTLY for about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the soup mixture from your crockpot. Then, stir in 3 more cups worth. Keep on stirring until smooth. Yay! You just made a roux. Feel fancy. :)
  Then, just add it back into the crock pot and stir it in. Add the oregano, basil, parmesan, warmed half and half and salt and pepper. Cover and cook another hour.

*helpful tip: To chop up the veggies I use a handy chopper tool I have. It's awesome! It makes them finely chopped, which I find hard to do on my own with just a knife!

*Serves about 8-10 people.

OMG! Bread

I am naming this amazing bread OMG bread, because when you take a bite it's guaranteed you will say OH MY GOSH! It's so good! It's got bacon, cheese, and buttery ranch on it....how could it not be good?! Must try this one!

Ingredients: 1 unsliced loaf of round sourdough bread
                   8-12 oz. of cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
                    3 oz. bag Hormel real crumbled bacon (I got the jalapeno kind...mmmmm)
                   1 stick of butter, melted
                   1 T. Dry Ranch Mix

Directions: Cut the bread going both directions, but don't cut through the bottom crust. (It will start to look like a bloomin' onion) Place slices of cheese in between the cuts. Sprinkle the bacon bits on next, making sure to get in between the cuts. Mix together the melted butter and the dry ranch mix (1 T. only) Pour it over the bread. Wrap the whole thing in foil and place on a baking sheet. (I found my round pizza sheet worked best) Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes. Then, unwrap it and bake another 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
*Serves about 6.

Garlic Knot Rolls

I found this recipe on pinterest and it's awesome! Who knew biscuits could be transformed into such cute little knot rolls. They taste so good!

Ingredients: Can of biscuits (my can made 8) -there's only 7 in the picture because I had to eat one!
                    1/4 c. canola oil
                   3 T. parmesan cheese
                   1/2 t. garlic powder
                   1 t. oregano
                     1 t. parsley
             You need a brush to glaze the stuff on!

Directions: Roll each piece of dough into a rope about 9-12 inches. *I used my rolling pin and also kinda stretched it out with my hands* Then just tie it in a knot and tuck the ends down.
  Place on a greased sheet at 400 for about 10-12 minutes.
 While they are cooking, combine the ingredients in a bowl. When they are done, immediately brush them with the mixture. Yum Yum!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

I've been cooking with cream cheese a lot recently....it goes good in everything I have decided! :) My husband loved this dish and said it reminded him of "Bravo's" pasta. Soooo Good!

Ingredients: box of spaghetti noodles (It's like 13oz.)
                   BIG jar of spaghetti (about 30 oz. worth)
                   1 lb. beef
                   onion, chopped
                   1 t. italian seasoning
                    minced garlic
                   8 oz. cream cheese
                   Parmesan cheese

Directions: Brown the meat and drain the grease. Stir in chopped onion and sauce. Leave on stove on low heat, just to keep warm. Cook the spaghetti and drain, then place in a big bowl. Add the cream cheese, italian seasoning, and garlic (just throw a couple teaspoons in) Stir until the cream cheese is melted and covering the noodles evenly.
  Grease a 9x13 pan. Spread a little bit of the sauce mixture on the bottom. Then, pour the noodle mixture into pan. Next top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle as much parmesan as you like on top.
 Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

If you let it cool for a little bit allowing it to set before eating, it will make it easier to cut.
*serving size= 6-8 people

Breakfast Pizza

Pizza and breakfast....the best of both worlds. This is good.

Ingredients: 8 oz. can crescent rolls dough (I got garlic flavored...yum.)
                    1 lb. sausage (maybe even a little less for some people...but not me.)
                   1 cup shredded hash browns, thawed (I threw mine in the microwave for like 20 seconds)
                   1 cup shredded cheese
                  1/4 c. milk
                  1/2 t. salt
                    1/8 t. pepper
                   8-10 oz. of egg beaters

Directions: Brown the breakfast sausage and drain the grease. Grease a circle pizza pan. Press the dough out to form a circle. Make sure you press the triangles together good. Crimp the edges to form a rim. (Crimp it good too, because that's what's holding the egg, etc. in!) Then, just top with sausage, potatoes and cheese. Combine the milk, salt, pepper and egg beaters in a bowl. Pour over the sausage mixture.
   Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Servings is 4-6 people

Mexican Pasta Bowl

I love pasta dishes and I love mexican food, so I decided to combine them together. I normally top it with shredded cheese but I forgot it at the store, so I just threw whatever I had on there. (which happened to be feta cheese) Whatever works! :)

Ingredients: Box of Rotini Pasta
                   pkg. of taco seasoning
                   1 lb. of ground beef
                  1 onion, chopped
                   1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes in sauce
                 1 green pepper
                   Package of shredded cheese

It looks a lot prettier with shredded cheese!

Directions: Brown your meat and drain the grease. At the same time, cook the noodles until done. Once you've drained the grease, add  the onions, taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Stir. Add tomatoes and green pepper. Simmer. Stir in with pasta and top with shredded cheese.

*This is awesome with cornbread!!

Servings is about 6 adults.