No Bake Reese’s Squares
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 lb confectioners’ sugar (3 to 3 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter, melted
1 (12 ounce) bag milk chocolate chips
In a medium sized bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and peanut butter. Mix well. Add the melted butter and blend until well-combined. Press this mixture evenly into a 9 x 13 inch pan.
Melt the chocolate chips in microwave or in double boiler. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter base. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator to cool until it has set enough to cut into bars. (Do not allow the dish to cool too long or the chocolate may be too hard to cut.)
Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Add the eggs, 1 cup of the sugar, the butter and the shortening to a large bowl and mix well. Stir in Bisquick mix until dough forms.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon until it is evenly distributed. Shape the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If dough begins to feel too soft for shaping into balls, put it into freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.) Roll the balls in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and then place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Immediately remove the cookies from the cookie sheets to cooling racks and allow them to cool completely.
Elegant Eggnog Dessert
1 can (13-1/2 ounces) Pirouette cookies
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2 cups cold eggnog (This was prepared with commercially available eggnog and does not work well with reduced-fat eggnog.)
1 1/3 cups cold whole milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Cut each cookie into two 2-1/2-inch sections and set them aside. Crush the remaining 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press this mixture into the bottom of a greased 9-inch spring form pan.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggnog, milk, dry pudding mixes, extract and nutmeg and beat until smooth. In a small bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture; spoon this over the crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, remove the sides of the spring form pan. Arrange the reserved cookies around the dessert and press them gently into sides. Refrigerate leftovers, if there are any.
Christmas Morning Soufflé
1 1/2 pounds pork sausage (You may also use turkey or chicken sausage)
9 eggs
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 day old challah bread (5 oz.) or other crusty bread
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Cook the sausage over medium heat for 15 minutes and crumble the meat as it cooks. Remove the sausage from the pan and drain it on paper towels to remove the excess fat. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs while the sausage is cooking. Add the milk, mustard and seasonings. Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and set them aside. There will be about 4 1/2 cups of bread cubes. Add the bread cubes to the egg mixture and stir to ensure the eggs cover the bread evenly. Next add the drained sausage and cheese. Stir well. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the mixture into baking dish and level it, but do not press it into the dish. Cover it lightly with plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the uncovered dish into the oven and bake for about one hour.
Blue Cheese-Apricot Bites
2 teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, finely crushed
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or other blue cheese (1 ounce)
1 ounce cream cheese
16 dried apricots
Snipped fresh rosemary (optional)
In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the walnuts and sugar to the melted butter. Cook and stir them for 2 to 3 minutes or until walnuts are lightly toasted. Stir in the rosemary in either fresh or dried. Cook and stir the walnuts for 30 seconds more. Transfer the nuts to a foil-lined baking sheet and allow them to cool.
While the walnuts are cooling, combine Gorgonzola cheese and cream cheese in a small bowl. Beat the cheeses with an electric mixer on medium speed until they are smooth.
Spoon about 3/4 teaspoon of the cheese mixture on top of each dried apricot. Sprinkle the cooled walnuts over the cheese mixture. If desired, garnish with additional fresh rosemary and then serve.
After-Christmas Turkey Potpie Recipe
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup frozen cut green beans, cooked and drained
Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
1 tablespoon milk
In a large pan, sauté the carrots, onion, celery, thyme and pepper in butter until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Place the turkey and flower in a large resealable plastic bag shake to coat the turkey evenly. Add the turkey, soup and green beans to the sautéed vegetable mixture. Stir well to ensure the mixture is combined. Line a 9-in. pie plate with the bottom crust. Add the turkey mixture and set it aside. Roll out the remaining pastry to fit top of pie; seal and flute edges of the pie crusts. Cut several small slits in the pastry for steam to escape. Brush the top crust and edges with milk. Cover the edges loosely with foil. Bake the potpie at 350°F for 55-65 minutes or until it is golden brown. This recipe is best served warm.
Sweet Potato Fritters with Smoky Pinto Beans
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large poblano peppers or 2 small green bell peppers, chopped
1 15-ounce can of pinto beans, rinsed
1 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup water
4 lime wedges for garnish
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Spray cooking spray on a baking sheet to lightly coat it.
Prick the sweet potato in several places with a fork. Place the sweet potato in the microwave and cook on high until just cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. (If you prefer not to use a microwave, you can place the sweet potato in a baking dish and bake it at 425ºF until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.) Set the cooked sweet potato aside to cool.
Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers to the pan and cook them, stirring occasionally, until softened, which is 4 to 6 minutes. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture. To the remaining, add beans, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the pan. Cook the beans, stirring occasionally, until they are heated through, about 2 minutes. Cover and set them aside.
Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Peel the sweet potato and mash it in a large bowl with a fork. Stir in the reserved onion-pepper mixture, the egg and water. Add the cornmeal mixture and stir until it is just combined.
Form the sweet potato mixture into eight 3-inch oval fritters, using a generous 1/4 cup for each. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the 4 fritters until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fritters and oil.
Bake the fritters until they are puffed and firm to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve the fritters with the reserved bean mixture and lime wedges, if desired.
Spiced Sweet Potato Chips
1 sweet potato, peeled, about 12 ounces
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Using a mandolin or v-slicer, cut the sweet potato into very thin slices. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange the sweet potato slices on the baking sheets in a single layer. Lightly spray the sweet potato slices with cooking spray.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are barely starting to brown. Carefully turn the potato slices over and return to them to the oven. Bake the potatoes until they are lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the sweet potatoes to a bowl. Repeat with any remaining slices.
In a small bowl, combine the seasonings and stir well. Pour the seasonings over the sweet potato chips and toss well just before serving.
Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 flour tortillas (10 inches)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
Chop up the vegetables and place them in a large bowl. Stir the vegetables and then add olive oil and ground cumin. Toss the vegetables to coat them.
Arrange the vegetables on a single, ungreased baking sheet. Place the uncovered baking sheet in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they are tender. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and divide them evenly between tortillas. Spread the vegetables to even them out across the tortilla. Sprinkle the vegetables with cheese and then add the second tortilla.
Place the tortillas back onto the ungreased baking sheet. Bake the tortillas for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Remove the tortillas from the oven and cut the quesadillas into six even wedges. Serve with sour cream, salsa, olives and guacamole.
Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
Olive-oil, cooking spray
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Mash the squash mixture; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer the noodles to a large bowl. Stir in the squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the noodle mixture to the dish. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle this evenly over noodle mixture.
Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, about 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Ginger Sweet Potato Cheesecake
12 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
15 gingersnap cookies
3/4 cup fiber one cereal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
8 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
3 egg whites
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray.
Add the potatoes in a large saucepan over high heat with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches. Bring the potatoes to a boil; cook them until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and mash the potatoes and allow them to cool.
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat, add the apricots and let them rehydrate for 10 minutes; drain.
Place the cookies and cereal into the bowl of a food processor and process until they are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the butter; mix well. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom and 1″ up the sides of the prepared spring form pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Place the mashed sweet potatoes, cream cheese, and Neufchatel cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the ingredients on high speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the yogurt, egg whites, sugar, ginger, flour, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt and beat well. Sprinkle the rehydrated and drained apricots over the bottom of the prepared crust. Pour the potato mixture over the apricots. Bake until the cheesecake is almost set, which will be about 42 to 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake stand in the unopened oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 3 hours before serving.
Creamy Corn and Turkey Soup
½ cup of chopped onions
1 red pepper, chopped and divided
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
4 ounces of cream cheese, cubed (this will be ½ of an 8 ounce package)
2 cups of shredded cooked turkey
1 – 14.75 ounce can of cream-style corn
2 cups of chicken broth
¾ cup of milk
½ tsp. of cracked black pepper
Place the butter, onions and half of the red pepper into a large saucepan. Heat the pan on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until the vegetables are still crisp but tender. Stir the vegetables frequently to keep them from scorching.
Add the cream cheese to the vegetables and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the cream cheese has melted, stirring constantly. Next, stir in the remaining ingredients except the black pepper and remaining red peppers.
Cook the vegetables and cream cheese mixture until the soup is heated, stirring occasionally. When ready to serve, top the soup with the remaining red peppers and black pepper to taste.
Cranberry Walnut Relish
½ cup of sugar
¼ cup of dark brown sugar
¼ cup of maple syrup
¾ cup of water
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
1 pound of cranberries
4 oranges, peeled, divided into segments and chopped
½ cup of chopped walnuts
Combine the sugars, maple syrup, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium pot. Bring this to a boil over high heat. Add the cranberries and allow them to simmer, uncovered, until the cranberries pop, about 5 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat. Add the orange segments and stir. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and then add walnuts, stirring until well blended. Chill before serving.
Cranberry Cream Scones
2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
¾ cup of sugar, plus extra, for dusting
2 teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
6 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup of heavy cream
¾ cup of fresh cranberries
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set it aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cloves. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the cream and cranberries. Mix this until just combined.
Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough about 5 times. Roll it into a 6 or 7-inch circle. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and cut it into 6 wedges. Brush the top of the dough with beaten egg and sprinkle the top with the additional sugar. Bake the scones until they are light golden, about 15 to 17 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. They are best if served warm.
Candied Pumpkin Spice Pecans
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecan halves
Place the cubed butter into a large heavy skillet and heat until the butter is just melted. Add the sugar to the butter and cook the mixture over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat under the skillet and cook the sugar and butter mixture until it turns amber. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the mixture occasionally.
Add the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla to the sugar mixture. Stir and then add the pecans. Stir the pecans for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the pecans are thoroughly coated. Spread the pecans out onto a sheet of aluminum foil to cool. Break the pecans up if they are clumped together and store in an airtight container. This will make 2 cups of pecans.
Apple Cranberry and Pecan Stuffing
1-1/2 cups of 100% apple juice
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
1 package (6 ounces) stuffing mix for chicken
1 small apple, chopped
½ cup of cranberries
¼ cup toasted, chopped pecans
Place the juice and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring this to a boil over high heat.
Add the stuffing mix and fruit, stirring lightly. Cover the pan with a lid and remove it from the heat.
Allow the stuffing to stand for five minutes. Uncover and stir in the chopped pecans.
Harvest Pear Crisp
6 cups of Anjou or Bartlett pears, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, divided
1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup of regular oats
1/4 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts
Preheat your oven to 375°.
In a 2-quart baking dish, combine the pears and lemon juice; toss gently to coat. Combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pear mixture; toss well to coat.
Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup; level it with a knife. Place the flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse it two times or until combined. Add the chilled butter and pulse the food processor six times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the oats and walnuts; pulse two times more. Sprinkle the flour mixture evenly over the pear mixture.
Bake the crisp at 375° for 40 minutes or until the pears are tender and the topping is golden brown. Remove the crisp from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack; serve while it is still warm or it is at room temperature.
Fall Salad
Candied pecan ingredients include:
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 tablespoons of packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup of raw pecans
Maple-balsamic dressing ingredients include:
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad ingredients include:
1 head endive, leaves separated
2 hearts frisee lettuce, hand torn
1 large radicchio, leaves torn
1 red pear, sliced
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan
To make the candied pecans, set a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the butter and sugar to the pan. Once it has melted, toss in the pecans and continue to toss them to ensure they coat and cook evenly, about 1 minute. Transfer the candied pecans to a sheet tray lined with waxed paper to cool (use two forks to separate the pecans) while you prepare the salad.
Make the dressing by combining the chopped shallot, Dijon and balsamic vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while you whisk the ingredients together to emulsify. Add the maple syrup and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside.
Assemble salad by tossing the various greens and pear slices in a large mixing bowl with the maple-balsamic dressing. Top the salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and candied pecans.
Concord Grape Sorbet
1 1/2 pounds Concord grapes (about 1 quart container)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Prepare an ice bath and set it aside. Combine the grapes and the water in a medium saucepan. Cook the grapes over medium-high heat until the liquid begins to bubble and the grapes start releasing liquid, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat, and simmer until the juices are dark purple and grapes begin to break apart, about 3 minutes.
Pass mixture through a food mill, and then through a fine sieve, into a large bowl set in the ice bath; stir frequently until the mixture has completely cool. Stir in the simple syrup and lemon juice.
Transfer the mixture to an ice-cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container, and store it in the freezer until ready to serve, up to 2 weeks.
Cider Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Almonds
4 slices of bacon, chopped (you may also use turkey or beef bacon)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
¾ cup of apple cider
¼ cup of sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup of toasted, sliced almonds
Cook the bacon in a large skillet until it is crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet and allow it to drain on paper towels. Save 1 tablespoon of drippings from the skillet and discard the rest.
Add the butter, onions and Brussels sprouts to the drippings. Cook these on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly browned. Add the next five ingredients in a small bowl and then pour the mixture over the sprouts. Cook this for an additional 5 minutes or until all of the liquid has evaporated and the sprouts are glazed evenly. Stir the mixture occasionally and then stir in the browned bacon.
Spoon the sprouts into a serving bowl and top them with the toasted, sliced almonds.
Autumn Stew
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
4 cups water
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 to 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
3 cups cubed peeled pumpkin
Open a large zip top plastic bag. Add the flour, salt and pepper to the bag and shake it up to mix the flour and seasoning.
Add a few pieces of the beef into the plastic bag with flour and seasoning. Shake the bag to coat each piece, repeat this until all meat is coated. Place the meat into a Dutch oven that has melted butter and oil in it and cook it until it is browned. Add the garlic and onion to the meat. Cook and stir this for 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add the carrots, celery, water, bay leaves, bouillon, thyme and remaining pepper. Bring these ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and then simmer the meat mixture for at least 1 ¼ hours.
After the time has passed, stir in the cubed pumpkin. Bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce the heat once again and cover the pan. Simmer the entire mixture for 20-25 minutes or until meat and pumpkin are tender. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
Apple and Pear Crumble Pie
24 vanilla wafer cookies, crushed (about 3/4 cup)
¼ cup of packed brown sugar
¼ cup of melted butter
1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of a 14.1 ounce package)
4 ounces (1/2 of 8-ounce package) softened cream cheese
2 large baking apples which have been peeled and sliced
1 large fresh pear, which has been peeled and sliced
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
¼ cup of all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1-1/4 cups of thawed whipped topping
Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
Add the vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar and butter to a medium bowl; stir until it is well blended. Set the bowl aside.
Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray and then place one of the pie crusts into the pie pan. Spread the cream cheese into the bottom of crust. Sprinkle half of the wafer mixture over the cream cheese.
In a large bowl, combine the fruit. Add the second amount of sugar, flour and cinnamon to the fruit. Toss the fruit to coat it. Spoon this mixture over the crumb layer in the pie crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the apples and pear slices.
Place the pie into the oven and bake it for about 35 minutes or until the fruit is tender and the crust has become lightly brown. At about 25 minutes, cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from overbrowning. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Serve the pie with whipped topping.
Appelicious Dip
2 Apples (different colors – red, green or yellow)
1 cup of orange juice
8 ounces of softened honey nut cream cheese
2 teaspoon of almond extract
2 tablespoons of honey
2 to 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 cup of coarsely chopped salted peanuts
Wash the apples prior to doing anything else. Core them and then slice the apples.
Pour the orange juice into a zip-top bag and add the apple slices. Zip the bag and shake the apples to ensure they are all coated. (The citrus juice will prevent the apples from turning brown while you prepare the remaining recipe.)
Remove the apples from the orange juice and allow them to drain on a wire rack.
While the apples are draining, pour the remaining ingredients into a bowl and stir well. When the mixture is thoroughly mixed, transfer it to a nice bowl which has been placed in the center of a large plate. Place the apple slices around the bowl. Dip the apples and enjoy.
Veggie Joes
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 jalape