7-Layer Greek Dip

Adapted by Our Best Bites from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)
1 tsp. dill weed or Greek seasoning (salt free–go for a mix that just has herbs)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. hummus
1 c. seeded, diced cucumbers
1 c. seeded, diced tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped Kalamata olives
1/3 c. chopped green onions (about 3 green onions completely chopped)
1/2 c. crumbled Feta cheese
1/8-1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, seasoning, garlic, and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Spread in the bottom of a pie plate or a small, shallow baking dish. Then spread a layer of hummus. In order, create layers by sprinkling the cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions, Feta cheese, and parsley. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with pita chips, fresh vegetables, and/or flatbread

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

From Our Best Bites http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/08/guiltless-alfredo-sauce/

2 C low-fat milk
1/3 C (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 T butter
3 garlic cloves
1 C grated Parmesan cheese

1. Toss the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender.  Process until smooth and set aside.

2.  In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic.  Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, you don’t want to burn it. It should be nice and bubbly.
3. Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.

4. When it’s nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms

This recipe is from Our Best Bites and it is AMAZING!
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/05/creamy-pesto-pasta/

1/2 recipe Guiltless Alfredo Sauce (RECIPE BELOW IN STEP #1)
1/2 lb Farfalle/Bowtie Pasta (that's 1/2 a 16oz box or a little over 3 cups dry pasta)
3.5 oz Pesto (that's about 1/3 cup, or 1/2 of a 7oz container they sell in stores)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
8oz mushrooms (about 3 C sliced)
3T pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 425.
1. Prepare your Guiltless Alfredo sauce (combine 1 cup low-fat milk, 1.5oz low fat cream cheese, 1 T flour, and 1/2 t salt in a blender and blend. Melt 1/2 T butter in sauce pan and add 1 minced garlic clove. Saute until tender and add milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, cook until thickened stirring constantly, about 3-5 minutes) Add 1/2 C grated parmesan cheese and stir. Cover immediately and remove from heat.) When it's finished, just make sure it's covered and set it aside.
2. Place a large stock pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.

3. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice. Place tomatoes and mushrooms on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil (3-4 T should do it) toss with your fingers making sure everything is coated and then lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes. You can tell the tomatoes are ready when the skins start to split. Don't overcook them or they'll be mush!
4. When water comes to a boil add a little salt and the pasta.

5. Toast pinenuts: Place nuts in a dry skillet on med heat. Stir constantly. They will start to turn glossy which means the oils are releasing. Then they'll start to brown. (have you checked your pasta? go check your pasta) Let them get golden brown and then remove them from the pan to cool. It should take about 7-10 minutes total.

6. Your pasta should be done, drain it if you haven't already.

7. Add pesto to alfredo sauce and stir to combine well.

8. Tomatoes and mushrooms should be done about now, take them out of the oven.

Put it all together! Place pasta in a large bowl and combine with as much sauce as you need. Place tomatoes and mushrooms on top and sprinkle on lots of fresh parmesan cheese. Sprinkle pine nuts on top and serve.

Serves 4-6. 4 generous main dish servings and 6 we're-having-other-stuff-with-it servings.

Apple Toffee French Toast with Apple Syrup

French Toast


8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tart apples, peeled and chopped
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 sugar
1/4 cup Tree Top apple juice
2 tsp vanilla, divided
1/2 cup English toffee bits
5 eggs
3/4 cup milk

Apple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
2 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 c Tree Top apple juice
2 T lemon juice
5 T butter

To make the French toast:
Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 13x9 -inch baking pan; top with apples. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugars, apple juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth; stir in toffee bits. Spread over apples. Top with remaining bread cubes.

In another large bowl, beat the eggs, milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well blended; pour over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. While the French toast is baking, prepare the syrup.

To make the apple syrup:
In a medium-size saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch,cinnamon, nutmeg, apple juice and lemon juice; heat to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then stir in butter. Seve over warm Apple Toffee French Toast. Makes 8 servings.

Ali's Banana Bread Mini Muffins w/Frosting

Buttermilk Banana Bread

½ cup butter (soft)
1 cup sugar
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
2 eggs
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. buttermilk
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp. salt


Cream butter & sugar. Add Banana; mix well. Add eggs; mix. Add soda dissolved in buttermilk. Add
flour & salt. Fold in nuts. Bake in 1 large or 2 small greased & floured loaf pans for 60 minutes at
350 degrees.

(Ali commentary: I don’t know if my oven is different, but I only baked for 50 minutes and it was very done. I made regular size muffins and they were about 20-22 minutes, and mini muffins were about 16-18 minutes, rotating at 10 minutes…awesome with cream cheese frosting!)

Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 2 cups

8 oz cream cheese (1 reg. sized package), room temperature
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter in pieces, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

Chicken Pillows

1 pkg. stove top stuffing (I often use bread crumbs instead)
Boil or Bake 3 chicken breasts, cool and cut

Mix:
8oz cream cheese
4 oz mushrooms (drained)
finely diced green onion to taste
1/8 c. butter
2 can cresant rolls
6 Tbs. melted butter

Separate rolls and stretch slightly. Place 1/4 cup filling on each roll. Roll up and brush with butter and roll in crumbs. Bake 25 minutes at 350. Serve with gravy.

Green Chile-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, pounded thin
3 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
4 oz green chilies (diced)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup hot (or medium) red enchilada sauce

Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, chilies, chili powder and salt and pepper. Place a generous dollop on each flattened chicken breast, then rollup. Place chicken rolls in the slow cooker, seam-side down. Top chicken breast rolls w/ remaining cheese mixture, soup, and enchilada sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours (may take less time).

Serve w/rice or pasta.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:
2 & 1/4 tsp. yeast
1 cup warm milk (105 to 110 degrees)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 margarine, melted
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 & 1/2 Tbs. cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine, softened

Icing:
8 tablespoons margarine (softened)
1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

1. for the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.

2. Mix together the sugar, margarine, salt, and eggs. Add flour, and mix well.

3. Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour. Put in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough flat until it is approx. 21 inches long and 16 inches wide. It should be about 1/4 inch thick.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

6. For the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread the softened margarine evenly over the surface of the of the dough, and then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar evenly over the surface.

7. Working carefully from the top (a 21-inch side), roll the dough down to the bottom edge.

8. Cut the rolled dough into 1 & 3/4 -inch slices and place 6 at a time, evenly spaced in a lightly greased baking pan. Let rise again until double (approx 30 min). Bake 10 - 15 minutes (light brown on top). Coat with icing while hot.

Green Chile Corn

1 can white corn
1 can yellow corn

Cook together with 1/4 cup butter.

Add:
1 can green chilies
8 oz cream cheese
2-3 tablespoons salsa (optional)