Layered Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

I can't recall if I shared this here last year or not, but even if I did it is SO good it deserves to be posted again. I found this on the Internet, but can't recall where, and I'd like to be sure the proper person receives credit for this incredibly delicious recipe! My brother and husband are convinced I could become a millionaire by selling these. It is quite good, although I'm not sure THAT good!

1 ready made 8 or 9 inch pie shell

3 tbs butter

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

12 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

Bake the pie shell according to package directions. Set aside.

Combine butter and chocolate in microwavable bowl, and heat until melted(approx. 1 minute, stir, then an additional 1-2 minutes)

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cup sugar, and eggs one at a time. Slowly stir in the pumpkin, vanilla, spices, and salt. Pour 1/2 of the filling into a separate bowl. Add melted chocolate to one mixture, and combine thoroughly. Pour into pie shell, and bake for 20 minute at 350 degrees. Cool for 15 minutes, then add remaining pumpkin pie filling. Bake again for 35 minutes, and let cool for approx. 1 hour.

In a separate bowl, combine sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar, soften in microwave for approx. 45-60 seconds(do not let it curdle) and pour on top of pie for final layer. Chill overnight, and serve chilled!

Try this one for Christmas dinner, it will be a hit, I promise!

Crockpot Chicken and "Gravy"

My crockpot is getting alot of use these days as I try and cook more dishes with meat for my meat loving guys. This one is super easy and pretty good too! I serve this with stuffing or mashed potatoes and use the sauce as a "gravy." It's not true gravy, but it works and tastes pretty good!

4-6 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves(you could probably use any chicken, but this is what we prefer)

2 cans Cream of Chicken(or mushroom) soup

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Place the chicken in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and add to slow cooker. Cook on low about 7 hours.

You can use cream of chicken or mushroom soup or mix one of each. You can use chicken broth in place of the water, but I don't notice a big enough taste difference to justify the cost of using broth, not to mention wasting the rest of the can if I can't find a use for the rest.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Sweet&Sour Chicken

This one is becoming a fast favorite around here with the guys. I love any dish that can be made in the crockpot. For one thing it is a great time saver for any busy mom, and secondly, I LOVE the smell of food cooking all day, it makes the whole house smell good and gives it a homey feel.

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can pineapple chunks, undrained

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Place chicken in crockpot. Combine all ingredients except pineapple and cornstarch. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours. Drain pineapple, add chunks to crockpot. Stir in the cornstarch into the pineapple juice, then pour into crockpot and cook on low for another 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened. This sauce is great served on rice along side the chicken!

A New Favorite

This recipe is not the healthiest, simplest or even vegetarian as most of the ones I post here are, but it is just too good not to share! I will occasionally make dishes with chicken or turkey to please my meat eating husband and kids. Sometimes I will even eat one of these dishes myself. This one I am about to share is one such dish. It is too yummy for even me to resist!

My young son LOVES Panda Expresses Orange Chicken. I have tried several recipes and they've all been flops, until I found THIS one. This is very similar, but even better than Panda Expresses. It is more along the lines of P.F. Changs or The Iron Wok.

Because the chicken is coated and fried, it is a bit time consuming to make. I usually avoid such recipes, but I get requests from the kids and husband at least once a week for this one! I suggest making it on weekends when you have time, or make a couple of batches of the meat and freeze some for the next time.

Enjoy! We sure do!

Provolone, Tomato, and Fresh Basil Pizza

I got this recipe off the back of a package of Provolone Cheese that I recently bought. It was surprisingly quite good. My husband and I both really enjoyed it, while the kids ate it, but I have to admit they weren't quite as thrilled as we were.

3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Homemade or Refrigerated Pizza Dough(I made homemade following the directions that came with my bread machine, super easy and yummy!)

1/4 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

120z Sliced Provolone Cheese

5 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced thin

Salt and Pepper

Fresh Basil Leaves, Chopped

Coat a pizza pan with olive oil and spread dough out evenly to all edges of the pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with the sliced provolone cheese. Place tomatoes on top and sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh basil. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven until crust is golden brown(about 15-20 minutes)

Open Face Tomato and Cheese

This is such a simple recipe, but so very yummy! It is often enjoyed around here for lunch, although paired with a green salad makes a nice light supper as well.

To make four: I use four slices of bread. Homemade really improves the overall flavor of this, and of course if you can, use whole grain. I shred about 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Slice 1-2 tomatoes depending on size. You will also need to prepare a mayo mixture of about: 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon dried basil.

First spread a thin layer of the mayo mixture on each slice of bread. Then add sliced tomato, and top with cheese. Easy!

Next, bake on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, at about 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until cheese melts and is just turning golden.

Enjoy!

Apples, Apples, Apples!

Someone from church blessed my family with a HUGE bucket full of delicious apples last week. Not wanting any to go to waste we quickly started making everything we could think of that required apples. We of course made fresh apple juice and dried some in our dehydrator.

The kids wanted an apple pie, which presented a problem for me: I SUCK at making pie! I make the best cookies(in my not so humble opinion) pretty good cakes, bars and other sweet treats, but pie, nope. It seems to be the crust that gets me every time. Even my dear sweet grandmother thought I was a hopeless case when it came to making pie.

But guess what? I made THE BEST apple pie ever, crust and all! How you wonder? This SITE had step-by-step directions. I wish I'd found this years ago. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Next we were off seeking an applesauce recipe. It's not that I can't make it, I just never had before. Being a bit tired from all of the other treats, I was seeking something I could hopefully make in my crock pot and came across THIS recipe. All I can say about this one is YUM and YUM again! It wasn't quite like the mushy baby food substance you buy in the store, but almost like an apple pie filling. It was beyond yummy served on vanilla ice cream and makes an excellent pancake topping! I will be making this again for sure!

I never knew there was so much you could do with apples! Too bad my own tree didn't survive our billy goat! I will have to plant another soon!