Apricot Strudel

 

Here’s what you need! Actually, you need all this plus all-purpose flour. I realized I forgot the flour right after I uploaded this photo.

Simple ingredients, really. Just make sure you leave yourself enough time to defrost your fillo dough before starting! Fillo dough defrosts at room temperature in about two hours and trust me, you don’t want to attempt working with this stuff until it has defrosted—-these tissue paper-thin pastry sheets tear easily.

Ingredients

• 1 stick Butter
• 8  Apricots, Sliced
• ¼ cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 pinch Cinnamon
• ½ packages (16 Oz. Size) Filo Dough

First, melt a stick of butter. You’ll need every bit of this stick for brushing on the fillo dough. This is what will make your strudel so perfectly crisp and golden.




After your butter has melted, set it aside. Slice your apricots and toss them into a bowl with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar.




Then add two tablespoons of flour and a pinch of cinnamon. It should look all delicious and juicy—just like a pie filling.




Now here is where things could get a little complicated … but not really. You’ll see! Open your box of defrosted fillo dough and place ONE super-thin sheet on a parchment paper (or Silpat-lined) baking sheet. Brush that sheet well with the melted butter.
A great tip here is to cover the fillo dough with a wet paper towel while you work. This will prevent it from drying out and cracking.




After you have brushed the butter on your sheet of fillo, carefully grab two more sheets from the package (remember to cover the remaining up with the wet paper towel!). Place these two sheets on top of the buttery sheet, the opposite way.
Proceed to drench in butter.
Repeat this process (laying one sheet down, brushing with butter, then topping with two sheets going the opposite way) until you have eight buttery fillo layers, or until you use up your box of fillo. I did the latter.




Pour the sugary apricots down the center of the fillo dough in as skinny of a line as you can make.




Then, fold the outer “wings” of dough in and start rolling up your strudel like you would roll up an egg roll. You want the ends of the strudel to be as tucked in as you can get so none of that beautiful apricot filling escapes.

Brush your strudel with the remaining melted butter then stick her in a 400ºF oven for half an hour.

 

Serve this warm with powdered sugar dusted on top of with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt

Let’s get started! To make it, you will need: butter, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips or chunks, and vanilla yogurt.

Ingredients

• ½ cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
• ½ cups Packed Dark Brown Sugar
• ¼ cups Granulated Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• ¼ teaspoons Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¾ cups Mini Chocolate Chips Or Chunks
• 1 cup Vanilla Yogurt

 
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars.




Beat until light and fluffy.




Add the vanilla extract and mix until smooth.




In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and baking soda.




Add in the salt.




Whisk all of the dry ingredients together.




Add the chocolate chips and stir.




Add the flour and chocolate chip mixture to the butter mixture and fold gently.




Stir until combined.




Add the yogurt.




Stir until smooth.




Place in a container and cover with a lid. Freeze until set, preferably overnight.




Remove from the freezer and serve.




Enjoy!




The frozen yogurt is rich, creamy, and oh so sweet. It tastes just like cookie dough but in frozen form. I love how simple it is to make.

No-Bake Chocolate Eclair Dessert

Just look at those gorgeous, creamy layers.  And a chocolate topping sure doesn't hurt.

Now, I love to bake, and I certainly don't shy away from complex dessert recipes. But sometimes I want something tasty that just so happens to be easy, too. How 'bout you?

For this dessert, you start with graham crackers, vanilla pudding, and Cool Whip. Mix the pudding and Cool Whip together - then resist the urge to dive in with a spoon and eat it all up at this point ... wait for the final product ... it's worth it, I promise.  Then layer this fluffy pudding mixture with the graham crackers. You just lay the whole graham cracker sheets in the pan and spread them with the pudding. How easy is that?

Filling:

2 (3.5 oz.) boxes vanilla instant pudding

3 c. milk

1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip

Graham crackers

Topping:

1/3 c. cocoa

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. milk

1 stick butter (or margarine)

1 tsp. vanilla

For the filling: Mix pudding and milk; beat. Stir in Cool Whip. Place a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9x13" dish. Spread 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Repeat with another layer of graham crackers and pudding; then top with a final layer of graham crackers.

For the topping: Bring cocoa, milk, and sugar to a boil; boil about 1 minute, stirring very frequently. Remove from heat and cool one minute. Add butter and vanilla; stir until butter is melted. Pour over the top layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate over night.

Once you're done your graham cracker and pudding layers, boil together some sugar with cocoa and milk, and then add some butter and vanilla.  Pour all that over the top graham cracker layer.

Now lick the spoon ... and the pudding bowl ... you deserve it.

Refrigerate the dessert over night, and then dig in!

You'll be surprised how yummy and satisfying this super-simple concoction is.  It's totally fabulous for pot-lucks.

Gorilla Poops

Mix and bring to a boil:
- 2 Cups sugar
- 2 T butter or shortening
- 2 T cocoa
- 1/2 cup milk

Take off burner and add:
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)

Mix well until peanut butter is dissolved.

Quickly add 2 cups of quick uncooked oatmeal and mix. Drop from spoon onto wax or foil paper. Let cool before eating.

No bake peanut butter pie

This is one of those desserts that you make when you’re in a huge hurry, but don’t want to skimp on flavor.  You get a delicious payoff, but the pie takes only 5 minutes to put together.  Just be sure to top each slice with some whipped cream or have a huge glass of cold milk nearby.  This. Is. Rich!  A small slice is definitely plenty to satisfy even the biggest peanut butter lover. 

1 chocolate graham cracker or cookie pie crust  (homemade or store-bought)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and grated chocolate; optional garnishes

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Blend in peanut butter and vanilla.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spoon mixture into prepared pie crust.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, with a sprinkling of grated chocolate.  Keep refrigerated.

No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake

This is seriously one of the easiest desserts that I have ever made. It has only a few ingredients and all that you do is layer them, then throw it in the fridge- no baking required! This dessert is so fresh and yummy and reminds me of strawberry shortcake. Plus the chocolate ganache on top is the perfect finishing touch!

2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed
3 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
4 sleeves (about 19 ounces, or 24 to 28 whole crackers) graham crackers
4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Take out a few of the best-looking strawberries and set them aside for the garnish. Hull the remainder of the strawberries and slice each berry into thin slices.

With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip 3 cups of cream until it just holds stiff peaks.

Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and whip to combine.

Spread a small spoonful of whipped cream on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan, or a similarly-sized platter. Lay down six graham crackers. Lightly cover the top of the graham crackers with a thin layer of whipped cream, and then a single layer of strawberries. Repeat three more times, until you have four layers of graham crackers. Spread the last of the whipped cream over the top and swirl it lightly with a spoon. Add a few more strawberries.

To make the ganache, heat the remaining cream until bubbles form around the edges, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for a few minutes, then whisk until the mixture is thick and glossy.

Drizzle this over the layered dessert with a spoon, or transfer to a squeeze bottle and use that to drizzle.

Refrigerate for at least four hours, or until the crackers have softened completely. Garnish with additional berries.

Cheesy Potatoe Soup

 

Ingredients:
2 lbs. red potatoes, cubed into half-inch pieces
1 cup chopped carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese



Directions:
Place potatoes, carrots, onion, broth and salt in crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. At end of cook time, stir in milk and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes. Turn off crockpot, add cheese, and stir until melted.

Crockpot Pork and Potatoes

This recipe is a different twist on traditional pork and potatoes!

Crockpot Pork Chops and Mustard Sauced Potatoes - Recipe adapted from Lindy

6 pork lion chops
1 T olive oil
1 recipe, cream of mushroom soup (about 1 can)
1/4 C chicken broth (or white wine)
1/4 C Dijon-style mustard
1 tsp. dried thyme (you can substitute 1 tsp. Italian seasoning)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 medium potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

In a large mixing bowl combine wine/broth, Dijon mustard, thyme, garlic, and pepper.



Slice up the potatoes, and mix them with the soup.



Then, brown the pork chops in a frying pan.





Layer the potatoes/soup mix on the bottom of a well-greased crockpot.  Place the browned pork chops over the top.



Then, pour the Dijon sauce over the top of the pork chops and potatoes.



Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-5 hours, until potatoes are tender and pork chops are tender and internal temperature indicates they are done.



Serve warm, with veggies!

Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

This is a tried-and-true recipe that I received at my wedding shower from our wonderful neighbors. 



While the final product isn’t the most visually appealing, it’s a great dinner – a family favorite!




Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes & Ham – From the Sackrison Family
Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. ham, cooked & cubed
• 6-8 medium potatoes, raw & peeled, if desired
• 1 C onion, chopped (divided)
• 6-8oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C milk
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions


Begin by washing, and/or peeling your potatoes.  Then, using a mandolin slicer, thinly slice the potatoes into discs. 



Meanwhile, slice up the mushrooms, and place them in a large skillet.  Saute with 1/2 C diced onion, until much of the liquids evaporate. 

Combine 1 T corn starch with 1/2 C chicken broth and stir until well combined.  Add to the mushrooms and stir constantly as the mixture thickens.  Then, add in the milk and continue stirring.  Remove from the heat and set aside. 



Lightly spray the inside of the crockpot with olive oil.  Then, arrange 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot.
 


Sprinkle 1/3 of the diced ham over the top, along with salt & pepper, as desired. 



Then, sprinkle over 1/6 of each of the cheeses.



Repeat the layers until ingredients run out; reserving the last layers of cheese.



Pour the mushroom soup goodness over the top of the layers in the crockpot. 



Then, sprinkle on the cheese.



Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until potatoes are tender. 



Serve warm!



Enjoy!