Hi...

Would someone please send me some Grandpa Lynn's? I haven't had any in like 5 years and I'm dying...I'll pay for it. ;-) Thanks!

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

My friend Celebrated a birthday this past week and I asked her what I could make her for a Birthday cake. She loves Cheesecake and Chocolate so I did a recipe search and here is what I ended up making. It was REALLY good and rich and mmmmmm!

INGREDIENTS
Crust
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter, softened
11/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (about 27 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers or 20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed)
Filling
3 bricks (8 oz each) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 large eggs
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 oz milk chocolate
4 oz white chocolate
4 oz semisweet chocolate
Chocolate Glaze
3 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
2 Tbsp stick butter
1 Tbsp light corn syrup

PREPARATION
1. Place a sheet of foil on oven rack to catch any drips. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need an 8 x 3-in. springform pan coated with nonstick spray.
2. Crust: In small bowl, rub butter into crumbs until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press firmly over bottom of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes on foil sheet until set. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
3. Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl several times with a silicone or rubber spatula. With mixer on low speed beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then sour cream and vanilla just until blended.
4. Divide the batter evenly (about 2 cups each) among 3 medium bowls. Melt the chocolates separately. Stir milk chocolate into 1 bowl of batter, white chocolate into another and semisweet chocolate into third. Spread milk chocolate batter in prepared crust in an even layer. Carefully spoon white chocolate batter over milk chocolate layer to cover; gently smooth with an offset spatula (do not let batters run together). Spoon semisweet chocolate batter over white chocolate layer to cover; smooth with an offset spatula (do not let batters run together).
5. Bake 11/4 hours or until set and center still jiggles slightly when shaken (cake should have pulled away from sides of pan; if not, carefully run a thin knife around edge of pan to release cheesecake). Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
6. Chocolate Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients in a small saucepan; whisk over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; let cool 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove pan sides; place cheesecake on serving plate. Spread glaze over top of cheesecake, just to the edge (some glaze may drip down side of cake). Refrigerate just until glaze is set or, if chilled longer, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I was asked to bring an appetizer to our ward Enrichment Night activity. I had NO IDEA what to make. I've never really made appetizers before.

So I went through some of my magazines and cookbooks and I found this recipe. It was really easy, and I had lots of compliments on it. It's a little spicy, so beware if you don't like spicy.

Ingredients

1 Package 8 oz Cream Cheese cubed

1 1/2 C. finely chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup Blue Cheese Dressing (I used Kraft Roka Blue Cheese)

1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

Directions

Mix all ingredients in medium microwaveable bowl. Microwave on High for about 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is heated through, stirring after 3 mins. (Mine took closer to 7 or 8 minutes before the cream cheese had melted all the way.)

Serve hot with Wheat Thins Crackers or celery sticks. I served mine with Wheat Thins, but I actually think I might have liked the celery sticks better.

Pork Chop Casserole

OK Guys...let's get to posting some more! My recipe's are really not very good...I am relying on YOU! So get a move on!

This is another Mom recipe, that you all probably already have...but hey, it's what we had for dinner, and so that's what you get!

Ingredients

Pork Chops enough for your family
Oil
2c. Water
3/4 to 1c. long grain rice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. parsley flakes
dash pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions

Brown pork chops in an electric frying pan. Remove from pan and add water, sage, salt, parsley, and pepper. Arrange rice on bottom of pan. Add chops then sliced onion over top. Stir up and add soup by tablespoonfuls over onion and chops. Simmer 1 hour, checking often to loosen rice and add more water if necessary.

*This meal has been Bubby approved*

Perfect Cake Mix Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

I really should have posted this a few days BEFORE Valentine's day so you could make them for your lover...haha. Anyway, I found this recipe on Real Mom Kitchen.
I thought it was a cute Valentine's treat so I tried them and I think they're pretty tasty. I think I'll always use this cupcake recipe from now on. I've always had problems with my cupcakes. They'll usually have a flat top. These ones actually had a cute little rounded top- just the way a cupcake should! Perfect Cake Mix Cupcakes
1 box of cake mix
1 cup buttermilk* (in place of water called for on box)
vegetable oil (amount called for on box)
4 eggs (instead of number called for on box)

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Mix according to directions on box. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 12-20 mins (I know this is a broad range of time. Mine were done at 15 mins).
*If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by putting a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in your liquid measuring cup. Then pour enough milk over that to make a cup. Let it sit for 5 mins and you've made your own buttermilk!

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
1 cup of butter, room temperature
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 c. seedless strawberry jam
food coloring

Mix butter and jam with mixer until jam is well incorporated. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Put a few drops of red food coloring in. If it's too thick you can add a little milk.

Southwest Chicken Salad

I have not posted in a long time.  I haven't done much blogging or cooking lately.  We have been trying to eat healthy the last couple months, which has meant a lot of salads in our house.  This one is a favorite.  I make it more than I should, but it is healthy, yummy, and easy.

Directions:

Marinate enough chicken breasts for your family in your favorite BBQ sauce (we like Sweet Baby Rays.)  If you have a couple hours to marinate, that is great, but even if you just brush it on before baking, you will still get the flavor.  Bake chicken according to package directions.  

Assemble a salad using the following ingredients:

   romaine lettuce

   diced tomatoes

   diced avocado

   black beans

   shredded mexican blend cheese

   BBQ chicken (once it is baked, dice it up and toss it in)

   Top with crushed Chili Cheese Fritos or tortilla strips

For the dressing, mix together:

1/2 cup salsa (we like Pace)

1/2 sour cream (I use fat free)

2 TBSP taco seasoning

This is a tasty, fresh meal, and you don't even feel like you are depriving yourself.