Low Fat Pear Cake

15 oz. can No Sugar Added diced pears, (Del Monte)
1 white cake mix, regular or sugar free
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
confectioners sugar

Place pears and syrup (liquid) in large bowl. Add cake mix, egg whites, and eggs. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high foe 4 minutes. Spray a bundt or angel food cake pan. Pour batter in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center is clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto plate and cool completely. Dust with confectioners sugar  if desired. Serve with whipped topping or fruit.

* may also be made with other fruits

Fudge Swirled Oreo Bottom Cheesecakes

18 Double Stuff Oreos

2, 8oz packages cream cheese, softened

½ c. sugar

½ t. vanilla

2 eggs

½ c. sour cream

pinch of salt

¼ c. hot fudge sauce

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Place an Oreo in the bottom of each one.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream, and salt. Continue beating until combined and smooth.

Add a heaping T. of cheesecake batter to each muffin cup.

Warm the hot fudge sauce in the microwave for 20 seconds. Place a scant t. of hot fudge into each cupcake. Add another T. of cheesecake batter on top, filling the cupcake liner. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the fudge into the cheesecake mix. Bake for 30-45 minutes until filling is set. Cool completely in the tin before removing. Store covered in refrigerator. 

Pizza Puffs

1 ¼ c. water
⅓ c. shortening or butter
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
4 eggs
¾ c. finely chopped pepperoni 
¾ c. finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese 
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 jar pizza sauce

Spray 2 large baking sheets and set aside. In a large saucepan combine water and shortening/butter. Bring to a boil. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pepperoni, cheese, parsley, garlic powder, and pepper. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping!

Spooky Spider Cookies

Choice of cookie: homemade, refrigerated pre made cookies, or store bought cookies.

Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, or Rolos

candy Eyes

chocolate almond bark, melted as directed

Bake cookies as directed. Use a teaspoon to make divots in the middle of the cookie and allow the cookies to cool completely. Melt the chocolate as directed on package.. Place a small amount of melted chocolate in divot & place a mini Reese’s peanut butter cups or rolo in the middle of the cookie. Place a dab of melted chocolate on the back of the candy eyes, so they will stick on the candy. Use the melted chocolate to drizzle the spider legs onto the cookies. Place in refrigerator to set. These make cute treats for kids Halloween parties or for fall festivals.

Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs

6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs 

½ red onion chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 t. dried thyme

1/2 t. rosemary

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

2 T. olive oil

For The Sauce:

1 T. butter

8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 T. minced garlic

1 T. fresh chopped parsley

1 t. dried thyme

1 t. dried rosemary

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towel. Combine the onion, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken evenly with the combined seasoning. Heat 1 T. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken thighs in batches until browned on each side and no longer pink in center (about 8 minutes each side, depending on thickness). Add remaining oil if needed for second batch. Transfer to a plate; set aside and keep warm. Melt the butter and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft (about 3 minutes). Add the garlic, parsley, thyme and rosemary; sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Return chicken to the skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Easy Mexican Casserole

1 lb. ground chuck
1 can seasoned black beans beans, or chili beans, undrained
10-12 ounce bag tortilla chips, crushed
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 package taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. water
sour cream and salsa for serving

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, brown meat, rinse & drain. Stir in beans, tomatoes, onion, taco seasoning, soup and water. Simmer over medium-low heat until everything is well combined and heated through. Spray a 9×13 dish. Place a layer of crushed tortilla chips on the bottom, add a layer of the meat/bean mixture, then half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly. Allow to set for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

3 large egg whites
2/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. shredded coconut
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate almond bark

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar. Add coconut and vanilla. Stir to combine. Scoop 1 T. of batter and form into balls. Place 1" apart. Bake until tops are light brown, about 15-18 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Place chocolate in microwave and melt til desired consistency. Dip tops of cookies in chocolate and set aside refrigerate 20-30 minutes to set.

*can be made without dipping in chocolate too. Dad doesn't like chocolate so I made him some without it.

Mounds Brownies

1 brownie mix (9x13 size), made according to directions, or make your own recipe
5 c. coconut
1 can condensed milk
1 c. powdered sugar
1 container chocolate frosting, or make your own

Combine coconut, milk, and sugar together while brownies are baking. As soon as brownies come out of oven, spread with coconut mixture. Microwave chocolate frosting long enough to be pourable and pour over top of coconut layer. Spread evenly. Rich!

Banana Pudding Dip

1 3.4 oz instant banana pudding mix*
1 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix*
3 c. 1/2 & 1/2
1 t. vanilla
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 medium bananas, cubed
3 c. miniature marshmallows, optional
8 oz. whipped topping, thawed*
1/2 c. roughly crushed vanilla wafers
whole vanilla wafers for dipping

Whip together both pudding mixes with 1/2 & 1/2. Add vanilla. Beat until thick, but pourable. Add softened cream cheese. Whip until smooth. Add banana cubes, marshmallows, 2/3 whipped topping, and most of crushed wafers. Reserve some for garnish. Stir by hand.Pour into serving dish and top with remaining topping. Garnish with crumbs. Refrigerate covered for 2-4 hours before serving with wafers for dipping.

*may be made with sugar free, omit marshmallows

Knock You Naked Bars

2 1/4 c. SR flour
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Caramel Sauce:
5 oz. evaporated milk
14 oz. bag caramels, I use the Kraft caramel bits instead, no timely unwrapping  needed (follow melting tips)
1/2 c. peanut butter

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 9x13 pan. Combine first 5 ingredients. Add eggs, one at a tme. Beat well after each. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread half  the cookie mixture in pan. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven. Melt caramels as directed on package. Add peanut butter. Spread over cookie base. Drop remaining cookie dough over caramel layer. Bake 15-20 minutes until light golden brown.These are very rich!

Stovetop Chocolate Cake

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 c. SR flour
1/2 c. cocoa

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time until blended well. Sift the flour and cocoa (sifting/or putting through a sieve makes a lighter cake) and add to batter until combined. Pour batter into a greased and lined round 9" cake pan. Lay an upside down plate in the bottom of a wide & deep saucepan. Fill with water until it almost reaches the top of the plate. (11" saute pan should work. The saucepan needs to be wider than the cake pan & deep enough for the cake to rise with the saucepan lid on.) Bring the water to a simmer over medium low heat. Carefully place the cake pan on top of the plate. You don't want the cake to be sitting directly in the water. Place lid on saucepan. Steam for 25-30 minutes. Be sure to add more water if you see it running low. Once risen and firm in the middle, wearing oven mitts, carefully remove the pan. Leave to cool in the cake pan for 20 minutes. turn out onto wire rack to cool completely. Place on serving platter. Lay a piece of lace or doily on top of cake and dust with powdered sugar. remove lace/doily. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Serve with whipped cream.