Oreo Cupcakes

I found this yummy recipe at

Lemonade Makin' Mama's website

Ingredients for cupcakes:

• yellow box cake mix
• Oreo cookies (regular, not double-sstuffed)

Directions for cupcakes:

1. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners (24).
2. Place a whole Oreo cookie in bottom of each liner.
3. Crush remaining cookies and set aside half of cookie crumbs. (I use a food processor.)
4. Mix yellow box cake mix per package instructions.
5. Stir 1/2 of cookie crumbs in cake batter.
6. Spoon Oreo batter into liners.
7. Bake according to box instructions...will probably have to reduce the baking time because of the cookie in the bottom.

Ingredients for frosting:

• 2 1/4 sticks butter
• 3 1/4 cups + 2 TBSP. powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 TBSP. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• remaining crushed Oreos

Directions for frosting:

1. Beat butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until pale and fluffy.
2. Gradually add the rest of the powdered sugar.
3. Add milk and vanilla extract.
4. Beat until pale and fluffy.
5. Stir in remaining crushed Oreos.
6. Store at room temperature until ready to use.
7. Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes and place a mini Oreo on top.

Beef Stroganoff

This recipe is an oldie, but goodie! We used to eat this meal with Beth and Aaron's babysitter and family back in the early 1980's. Betty is an excellent cook, and we could always count on her for a delicious meal. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have for many years.

Ingredients:

1 lb. round steak, cubed (I use eye of round.)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg extra wide egg noodles

Directions:

1. Cut up steak.
2. Brown steak and onions in small amount of cooking oil.
3. Stir in flour, salt & pepper.
4. Add tomato juice and drained mushrooms.
5. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
6. Add sour cream.
7. Heat, but don't allow to boil.
8. Stir into noodles cooked according to package directions.

Crash Hot Potatoes

These Crash Hot Potatoes are a nice change from the hum-drum potatoes I always make as a side dish. I didn't want to buy scallions just for this recipe, so I topped them with sour cream and shredded cheddar. They are quite tasty!

Ingredients:

•12-15 baby red potatoes
•1 tbsp olive oil
•Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (PW said 450 but I used 400).
2. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender.
3. Place on a cooking sheet coated with cooking spray or drizzled with olive oil.
4. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and with a potato masher, gently smash each potato.
5. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper (add a bit of your favorite dry herbs if you like).
6. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
7. Eat plain or top with a little sour cream and green onions.

Stuffed Sole

Tonight I attempted a new recipe to surprise Papa Dukes. I had never made stuffed sole before, but Bill often orders it when we go to a seafood restaurant. So...I attempted this recipe. Thanks to Farmer's Daughter Blog for sharing this recipe. Bill said he really enjoyed it, but I am going to keep revising the recipe until I get it just right.

Ingredients for Seafood Stuffing:

■1 small red or yellow onion, diced
■2 Tbsp butter
■1 Tbsp olive oil
■1 1/2 to 2 cups breadcrumbs
■salt and pepper, to taste
■water, as needed
■2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
■1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute the onion in the butter and olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until it’s translucent.
2. Add the breadcrumbs, stirring to coat in the butter and oil.
3. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, until the stuffing holds together.
4. Stir in parsley and paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Allow to cool slightly before stuffing fish.

Ingredients for Baked Stuffed Sole:

■4 fillets of sole (or other thin fish fillet)
■stuffing for seafood
■4 Tbsp breadcrumbs, for topping
■1 Tbsp butter, for topping
■sprinkles of paprika, for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place 2-3 Tbsp of stuffing in the center of each fillet.
2. Roll the fillet, and place open-end down in a greased baking dish.
3. Repeat for remaining fillets.
4. If there’s stuffing left over, arrange it around the fish or in the center of the dish.
5. Top each roll with 1 Tbsp breadcrumb, and dot with butter.
6. Sprinkle paprika on top, and bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Karen's Peanut Butter Ganache

My friend Karen McInnis is such an AWESOME BAKER! She makes some of the best desserts I have ever eaten! She makes brownies and dresses them up by piping this ganache atop each square...YUMMY!

Ingredients:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
2. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work.
3. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes

Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes isn't the most appetizing name for a recipe, but I am so glad I found this healthy recipe! Papa Dukes and I enjoy them with a salad, but they would also be tasty appetizers...especially while watching a good football game.

Ingredients:
2 c cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped up small
4 Laughing Cow Blue Cheese wedges, chopped
3 T Buffalo wing sauce (I didn't have this sauce, so I used Frank's hot sauce with a little butter)
½ a celery stalk, chopped small
16 wonton wrappers (typically found in the produce section)
4 oz (1 cup) reduced fat 2% shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a microwavable bowl, combine the chicken, cheese wedges and wing sauce. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes on high. Stir to combine until chicken mixture is fully coated with cheese and wing sauce. Stir in the chopped celery pieces.
3. Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Using about half of the chicken mixture, spoon evenly into the wonton wrappers. Sprinkle about half the cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Yields 8 “cupcakes”. Weight Watchers Points Plus: 4 per cupcake (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per "cupcake" from myfitnesspal.com: 149 calories, 9 g carbs, 5 g fat, 16 g protein, 0 g fiber

Dieter's Soup

I found this recipe at Christy Jordan's Southern Plate. I was hesitant to make it because it said "Dieter's Soup". I am SO GLAD I did make it! Papa Dukes and I are both enjoying it. This recipe makes a full pot of soup, so I froze some of it for later.

Ingredients:

16 ounces frozen green beans
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
4-6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
16 ounces frozen okra
1 cup seasoning blend (you can substitute one chopped onion)
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 packet Ranch dressing mix (dry)
6 cups water

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are desired tenderness. Refrigerate leftovers.