Cool Veggie Pizza

Perfect for a summer party or brunch! So yummmmy!
Cool Veggie Pizza
Cold Vegetable Pizza
Source: Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients
2 (8 oz) packages crescent recipe creations
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups vegetables, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll crescent dough sheets onto a large non-sick baking pan to completely cover the pan. Press the your fingers over the dough to seal the seems. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, dill, ranch and black pepper. Set aside.
3. Once the crust is completely cooled, evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over it. Cut the crust into squares and then top with the vegetables and cheese of your choice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Carrot Cake Cheescake

Carrot Cake:

•1 box Duncan Hines Decadent Carrot Cake
•1 cup hot tap water (for soaking carrots and raisins)
•2 eggs
•1/4 cup vegetable oil
•8 1/2 oz can crushed pineapple, packed in juice, drained well, reserve juice
•1/2 cup coconut (optional)
•1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cheese Cake Filling:

•2 (8oz) packages cream cheese
•3/4 cup sugar
•2 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
•3 eggs

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:

•2 oz cream cheese (softened)
•1 tablespoon butter (softened)
•2 cups powdered sugar
•1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•2 T pineapple juice

Carrot Cake:

1.Soak carrots and raisins in 1 cup HOT tap water, allow to stand for 5 mins. Drain and squeeze out excess water from carrots and raisins.

2.In mixing bowl add dry mix, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup oil. Add well drained carrots, raisins and pineapple. Add coconut and walnuts. Mix well by hand. Spread 2 cups of carrot cake on bottom of a greased 9-9 1/2" springform pan. Reserve remaining carrot cake.
Cheesecake:

1.In large bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in eggs.

2.Spread 1/2 of the cheesecake batter on top of the carrot cake. Spoon on remaining
carrot cake and top with remaining cheese cake batter. Do not marble with knife.

3.Bake in a 350° preheated oven for 50-60 mins or until cake is set and cooked through.

4.Cool to room temperature. When cake is cooled frost with Pineapple Cream Cheese frosting. Or top with Duncan Hines Cream Cheese Frosting. Refrigerate for 3 hours and serve chilled.

5.Beat Cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and pineapple juice until smooth. Beat in powder sugar until smooth. Frost top of cheesecake.

My Low Cal Diet

I eat what I want when I want- and chase three kids - thats my low cal diet.
-For you Brooke

Toffee Apple Dip

Thanks to TCBOTB for this recipe! This sounds delightful for your next get together! Perfect for spring!

Ingredients
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8-oz.) package toffee bits **the chocolate covered toffee bits are good too!**
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
1. Mix together all ingredients until well blended. Best if refrigerated over night. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

BACON - WRAPPED WATER CHESTNUTS

Not sure why but these just sound amazing! I cant wait to have a party to try these out!

BACON - WRAPPED WATER CHESTNUTS

1 (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. sugar
8 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise

Marinate water chestnuts in soy sauce at least 30 minutes; drain and roll each in sugar. Wrap each water chestnut with a piece of bacon, securing with a toothpick; arrange on cake rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep hot on warming tray.
*I would half way cook the bacon - then wrap and bake for remainder of time so the bacon is nice and cooked!
May be prepared ahead of time and stored in refrigerator until ready to bake. Makes about 16 appetizers.

Easy Peasy Bacon N' Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Oh goodness its been way too long since ive made these!
WARNING: Oh they are delicious!

Easy Peasy Bacon N' Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
18 to 20 medium mushrooms
8 slices bacon
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
(1/2 c.) shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and drain mushrooms, remove stems. Finely chop stems. In medium skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, drain on paper towel. Crumble bacon, set aside. In small bowl, blend bacon, mushroom stems, onion, mayonnaise and cheese. Fill mushroom caps with stuffing mixture. Place mushrooms on ungreased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until hot and cheese is melted. 18 to 20 appetizers.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

Chicken & Rice Casserole
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans green beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups diced cooped chicken
1 medium onion diced and sauteed
1 8oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 4 0z. can pimentos
1 (10 3/4ox) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonaise
1 (6 0z.) box long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix ingredients together and pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 6 to 8.

Its a Cajun Occasion

We are planning a Cajun feast comming up!
Here are a few more from my wonderful cook of a grandmother (MIMI)
Try these!

Craw fish Casserole (Ive had this and its AMAZING)

1 Tbsp butter/marg.
1 small onion chopped fine
1 small bell pepper chopped fine
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 small can chopped green chilies
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can cream style corn
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp Tony Chachere's (Or Cajun) seasoning
Green Onions (1 small bunch chopped)
1 pkg. craw fish tails (12 oz)

Saute onions & bell pepper in butter or margarine. Mix all ingredients in large bowl and bake in 13X9 greased pan @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until nicely browned.

Shrimp Creole

OMG A must try! Thanks Mimi

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup oil
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
* 1 bell pepper, chopped
* 2 ribs celery, chopped
* 2 large cloves garlic, minced
* 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in sauce (I use tomato sauce cause husband will not eat chunks of tomato, or you can puree it)
* 1 cup water
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 pounds peeled, deveined medium shrimp
* 1/2 cup TABASCO® brand SWEET & Spicy Pepper Sauce (I cant stand that much heat whew)
* 1/2 cup chopped green onion
* 1/2 cup chopped parsley
* Hot cooked rice

Heat oil in a large, non-reactive skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; stir in flour and cook until roux turns the color of peanut butter, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.Stir in tomatoes, water, salt, and bay leaves and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Stir in TABASCO® SWEET & Spicy Sauce, green onion, and parsley and cook 2 minutes longer. Serve over rice.Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Thanks Erica for this Recipe. I am so ready to try it tomorrow!

Chocolate Chip* Scones

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 t baking powder... See More
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
8 T unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg!

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal)

3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.

4. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)

5. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

* I add 1t vanilla and 1 cup chocolate chips ** or 1t almond extract with dried berries and raisons*

Easy Three Cheese Manicotti

Easy Three Cheese Manacotti

Ingredients

12 manicotti
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (8 ounce) container chive & onion cream cheese
4 cups spaghetti sauce, to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
*I added 1/2 pound of ground pork.

Directions
1 Cook shells according to the package directions.
2 Rinse well in cool water and dry.
3 While the pasta is cooking, mix together the cream cheese and 3 cups of Mozzeralla cheese.
4 Stuff shells with cream cheese mixture .I slit the manacotti and add filling with spoon then roll it back up seem down. Put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 13 by 9 baking dish.
5 Place manicotti in dish and cover with remaining sauce.
6 Sprinkle 1 cup of Mozzarella over the top.
7 Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375.
8 Uncover, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and bake for 15 minutes more.