Mini no bake key lime cheesecakes

3/4 c graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp melted butter

8oz cream cheese

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

1/3 c key lime juice 

1 tsp lime zest

Whipped topping ( I used the kind in the bottle)

Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.  In a small bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Press a little less than 1tbsp in each liner. 

Mix cream cheese til smooth add the milk and lime juice and mix well. 

Fold in zest and 1 cup of the whipped topping. Divide mixture evenly among the cups. Freeze at least 3 hours until firm.  Remove cheesecakes from liners and garnish with whipped cream and sliced lime. 

Orange Buttermilk Muffins

These are some of the best muffins I've had. One of my 5 year olds told me they were so yummy he was going to eat them all gone! 

Muffin:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil - i used applesauce to lower the calorie intake
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange extract (optional) - I used a few drops of Doterra's Wild Orange
2 2/3 cups all-purpose white flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with the back of a knife
1 cup buttermilk

Glaze:

1/4 cup butter, melted
zest of 1 orange
1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425. Line a muffin tin (I actually get about 15 standard-size muffins, so plan accordingly) with cupcake liners and set aside.

Zest the orange and set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and orange rind and beat until smooth. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla (and orange extract, if using) and beat until smooth. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour, mixing completely after each addition.

Scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins (I used a 1/4 cup cookie/ice cream scoop and it worked perfectly).

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top. Remove from oven and cool completely on cooling racks.

When the muffins are cool, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small mixing bowl. Add the zest of another orange. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating thoroughly to eliminate any lumps. When you’ve added 1 cup of powdered sugar, it should look like moist frosting. Whisk in a few tablespoons of buttermilk until a smooth glaze consistency is reached.

Grab each cooled muffin by the bottom and dip it into the glaze.

I got 16 muffins. If you use everything I did like subbing oil for the applesauce (unsweetened) they come out to 4 Weight Watcher Points per muffin.

strawberry shortcakes with coconut lime whipped topping

These were a big hit! you can use any pound cake but I made a cream cheese pound cake which is AMAZING!!! the batter is soo good. i may or may not eat a lot of it before baking.....yes its THAT good.

1 1/2 c butter

8 oz cream cheese

3 C. sugar

6 eggs

3 c flour

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add sugar. Do the same with the eggs one at a time.  Add the flour and salt then add the vanilla.

Pour into a 10-inch bundt pan.

Bake at 300 for 1 hour 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

*You can use any pan. for this recipe used loaf pans*

After your poundcake is done- Sliced and cubes and put a layer in the bottom of plastic cups.

Slice up 1 pkg strawberries and put in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp lime juice and stir. Let sit about until you get a syrup. Then spoon the strawberries over the pound cake in the cups.

I did another layer of pound cake and then another of strawberries, but thats totally optional.

For the whipped topping:

2 C. whipping cream

1/2-3/4 C. sugar

2 Tbsp cream of coconut 

2-3 drops of DoTerra Lime Essential oil

Whip everything together until stiff then spoon on top

For the toasted coconut heat oven to 375 and put the coconut on a cookie sheet and bake. watch as it will brown quickly. after cooking i put it in a bowl and added lemon zest and 2 drops of DoTerra lime oil.

*you can add the coconut on just top or you can add a layer of it after the second layer of strawberries.*

Beer cheddar Jalapeno with bacon soup

I found this recipe off Pinterest sooo good!!! I absolutely loved the flavor. It does have a kick to it. I used 2 jalapeños with all the seeds, which meant more for me since my kids wont eat anything jalapeño 

• 1/2 pound bacon (preferably smoked or double smoked), cut into 1 inch slices (omit and replace with 2 tablespoons of oil or butter for vegetarian)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2+ jalapeno peppers, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)
• 1 bottle beer
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• cayenne to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat and set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the grease in the pan.
2. Add the onion, and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the butter and let it melt and get all bubbly then sprinkle on the flour and let it cook until it starts to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the ale and broth and deglaze the pan before adding the bacon and then let cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add the cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted without bringing it back to a boil.
7. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

Symphony fudge

4 cups sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 sticks butter (no margarine)
16 oz. chopped Symphony candy bars (I used the almond and toffee chip kind)

In a large saucepan, mix the sugar and whipping cream. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Add the two sticks of butter and continue cooking. Boil mixture until it reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in chopped Symphony bars until melted and smooth. Beat mixture with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Allow to harden and cool. Remove block of fudge from pan and cut into squares. Can refrigerate if desired.

* I found that this needs to be refrigerated or it gets too soft. I had a hard time reading 230 degrees though I may cook a tad longer next time. But this is an amazing fudge recipe

Chocolate tools

So my boys will be 5 on Friday!!! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. They are really into construction everything so we are doing a construction themed party. I found tool molds on amazon for way cheap and just used milk chocolate chips. I love how they turned out. They had hard hats too but they use tons of chocolate and are way too solid and too much chocolate. Anyways the boys love them.

CARAMELS!!

First Melt 1 C. butter in a large saucepan

Then add 2 1/4 C. Brown sugar

Stir until all the sugar is combined

Add 1 C. Light Corn Syrup

add 1 can sweetened condensed milk stirring constantly

stir until combined

continue stirring constantly. you will notice the color changing

 Cook until a firm ball stage. it really depends on where you live and how soft you want. I do mine 250 that gives you a really soft almost melt in your mouth type....the other day i did 252 and got a soft chewy kind. we liked both. however my 11 year old likes the softer one (she has braces so that may be why)

add 1 tsp vanilla the last 4 min or so. i usually add it about 5 degrees to what I want it to

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU STIR THIS CONSTANTLY!!

 pour into a 9x13 GREASED pan. I have been using a 11X13 pan for mine

 Cool - I stick mine in the fridge for 1-2 hours

then cut into squares

Then get your 11 year old to help wrap them in wax paper

 Enjoy!! 

*I didnt use salt because my butter is salted :)

Another fun variation is do dip in chocolate after cutting the squares

Caramels

1 C. butter

2 1/4 C. brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 C. light corn syrup

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter; add brown sugar and salt mixing well. Stir in corn syrup. Gradually add milk. stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat until reaches firm ball stage (245-252) This will take 10-15 minutes. Add vanilla last 5 minutes. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Let cool. Cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.