Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

I made this for dessert last night because we went to my parent's house for dinner. This pie is so 'effing good & probably one of the easiest dessert to make. I will definitely be making this dessert again.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 oz cream cheese, softened
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
6 oz Cool Whip, thawed
1 chocolate graham cracker crust*
Chocolate sauce


Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, & cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth
Add sweetened condensed milk; beat until combined
Fold in Cool Whip
Put mixture into graham cracker crust
Freeze 8 hrs or until set
Drizzle with chocolate sauce before serving

*the original recipe calls regular graham cracker crust. I decided that a chocolate graham cracker crust would be better & emphasize the delicious combo of peanut butter & chocolate.

Yukon Gold Potatoes with Clarified Butter

This makes a great side dish for meatloaf.

Clarified Butter:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter

Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; cook 5 minutes or until completely melted
Skim solids off the top with a spoon; discard solids
Slowly pour remaining butter out of pan, leaving remaining solids in pan; discard solids
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Yukon Gold Potatoes:

Ingredients:
3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup clarified butter
2 Tbsps chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes
Drain and let stand for 2 minutes
Heat Clarified Butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
Add potatoes to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally
Stir in parsley and remaining ingredients; cook 30 seconds

Blackened Cumin-Cayenne Tilapia

Delicious, quick, & easy weeknight dinner. I served this with couscous & green beans for a balanced meal. Dinner was ready in less than 20 mins (including all prep).

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 (6 oz) tilapia fillets
2 tsps ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat broiler
Rub oil evenly over fish
Combine cumin, salt, garlic powder, & peppers; sprinkle over fish
Arrange fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or desired degree of doneness

Coconut-Curry Chicken Fingers with Cashews

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed & patted dry

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 1/4 cups light coconut milk

1 cup skim milk

3 1/2 Tbsps red curry paste

3/4 cup roasted, salted cashews

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

3/4 cup corn flakes

10 oz baby spinach

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Lightly grease a large baking sheet

Cut the chicken into strips

Season with salt & pepper

In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the coconut milk, skim milk, & 1 1/2 Tbsps curry paste

In a food processor pulse together cashews & coconut flakes until finely chopped

Add the cornflakes & pulse until coarse

Transfer the mixture to a wide, shallow bowl

One by one, dip the chicken into the milk mixture, letting excess drip off

Place chicken into cashew mixture & turn to coat evenly

Transfer each chicken finger to the baking sheet

Bake the chicken fingers in the oven, turning once halfway through, until they are golden all over - about 10 mins

While the chicken cooks, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup coconut milk & 2 Tbsps curry paste

Divide spinach onto places, top with chicken fingers & drizzle with sauce

Adobo Chicken

Since the sauce reduces, I double the sauce to capture all the deliciuos flavors. This is a great quick & easy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp canola oil
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
2 cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
6 Tbsps low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsps water
3 Tbsps white vinegar
2 Tbsps honey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat

Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side or until browned

Remove chicken from pan

Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes

Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently
Return chicken to pan

Add soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil

Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 12 minutes

Uncover and cook 20 minutes or until chicken is done and sauce thickens

Discard bay leaf

Serve over rice

Picture courtsey of: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1924726

Baked Potato Soup

This makes a lot of soup so be prepared for lots of leftovers!

Ingredients:
5 large baking potatoes

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

7 cups milk

1 bunch green onion, chopped

1/2 lb bacon, fried crisp & crumbled

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup sour cream

salt & pepper to taste

Bake potatoes until tender

Cool, peel, & chop into small pieces

In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat

Whisk in flour to make a roux

Slowly whisk in milk

Increase heat to medium & bring to almost boiling

Add potatoes, green onions, & bacon

Stir in cheese & sour cream

Heat through until cheese has melted & soup is warm

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 tsps pumpkin pie spice

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 unbaked 9" pie shell

Mix sugar, salt, & pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl

Beat eggs in a large bowl

Stir in pumpkin & sugar-spice mixture

Gradually stir in evaporated milk

Pour into pie shell

Bake in preheated 425° for 15 mins

Reduce temperature to 350°; bake 40-50 mins or until knife inserted near center comes out clean

Cool on wire rack for 2 hours

Serve immediately or refrigerate