Oreo Cheesecake Trifle

This is SO GOOD! Made for Father's Day and loved it.

INGREDIENTS:

Brownie

1 Box Brownie mix premade in a 9x13

OREO CHEESECAKE FILLING

16 oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (155g) sugar
3 tbsp (45ml) milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups (176g) Oreo crumbs

ADDITIONAL

1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate sauce
16-20 Oreos, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the cheesecake filling, add the cream cheese and sugar to a large mixer bowl and mix until well combined and smooth.
2. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to make the whipped cream. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
4. Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
5. Add the remaining whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold until combined.
6. Add the Oreo crumbs and gently fold until well combined.
7. To make the additional whipped cream for layering, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
8. To layer everything together, but the brownie into small pieces. Add about half of the brownie pieces to the bottom of the trifle dish.
9. Add about half of the cheesecake filling in an even layer on top of the brownies.
10. Add about 3/4 of the chopped Oreos in an even layer on top of the cheesecake filling, then drizzle with chocolate sauce.
11. Add a little more than half of the whipped cream, reserving enough to pipe some on the top of the finished trifle.
12. Add another layer of brownies and cheesecake filling.
13. Finish off the trifle with some swirls of the remaining whipped cream, the remaining chopped Oreos and another drizzle of chocolate sauce.
14. Refrigerate trifle until ready to serve. I like to let it all set together for a few hours before serving. Trifle is best when covered for 3-4 days.

Read more at http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2017/05/05/oreo-cheesecake-brownie-trifle/#xjyAe5kJMKDkVdel.99

Quick Drop Biscuits

Via Serious Eats. Really love this method of melting the butter and mixing it with cold milk to get a lumpy but easy way to incorporate all the butter without overworking or having to grate butter. 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and refrigerated
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (8 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk

Directions

1. 1.
   Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; alternatively grease a baking sheet with butter.
2. 2.
   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 
3. 3.
   Toss butter into the dry ingredients until coated with flour. Working quickly and using your fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut butter into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Alternatively, add flour mixture and butter to food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times to form pea-sized pieces; transfer to a large bowl.
4. 4.
   Add milk and stir with a fork until it just comes together into a slightly sticky, shaggy dough.
5. 5.
   For small biscuits: Using a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop, mound walnut sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. For large biscuits: Using a 1/4-cup measuring scoop, mound balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
6. 6.
   Bake biscuits until golden brown, about 15 minutes for small biscuits and 20 minutes for large ones. Let cool slightly, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Black Bean Salsa

• This is SO good. Not too sweet or spicy. Just yummy, tangy and fresh. It will disappear fast! Best if eaten in the first couple of days. From cullinaryhill.com
• 
  
• • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14 ounce) can of corn, drained
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • ½ cup red onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

  1. In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro.
  2. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and chill for 30 minutes prior to serving to let flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side to any Mexican dish.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

This either sounds really odd or really good but either way it is DELiCIOUS! Skip the plain Jane corn next time and impress anyone with this incredibly delicious dish! Found it browsing The Chew recipes. I've always wanted to try their recipes and this one was SO GOOD! I will definitely be trying more. via The Chew Mario Batali 

Ingredients

MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 ears of corn (shucked, kernels removed)
• 1/2 medium red onion (peeled, small diced)
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled, minced)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes (cut in half)
• 4-5 radishes (thinly sliced)
• Kosher and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

SPICY MAYONNAISE DRESSING

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 lime (zested and juiced)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this is mildly spicy)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

FOR GARNISH

• 1/2 cup cotija (crumbled)
• hot sauce (to serve)

directions

• In a large cast iron skillet over high heat, add olive oil, fresh corn kernels and red onion, cook until slightly charred, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool. 
• In a large bowl, add the cooled corn mixture, grape tomatoes and radishes. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest and juice, cayenne pepper, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the corn, tomatoes and radishes. Fold to combine. Sprinkle the cotija cheese on top, drizzle with hot sauce and serve! 
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White Peppermint Fudge

Last year our neighbor brought us some super yummy treats. The most memorable for me was the extra creamy, soft and slightly tangy white peppermint fudge. I hate to bother people for their recipes so I've searched to find one I think would fit. I could tell there was cream cheese in it so that's a must for me

1 cup  cream cheese

3 cups powdered sugar

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/4 teaspoons peppermint extract (or 3-4 drops of the concentated stuff-to taste)

1 cup candy canes, crushed

Preparation:

Line an 8x8 square pan with wax paper and set aside.  With a hand mixer beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and peppermint extract until smooth.   Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave in 30 second increments until melted and smooth.  Add white chocolate to cream cheese mixture, combine with a wooden spoon.  Next add in crushed candy canes, reserving about 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top).  Stir candy canes into fudge mixture until combined well.  Pour fudge into prepared square pan and smooth with a knife.  Sprinkle the reserved crushed candy canes on top.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and then slice and serve!!

Creamy Chicken Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash

I kind of looked at a couple recipes online and ended up improvising. This is what I came up with and it was DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (pretty big)
2 TBSP olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper

1 chicken breast diced
1/2 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 jar alfredo sauce (I really don't like making the homemade versions but you could)
2 big handfuls of chopped spinach
1 14oz can artichoke quarters (not marinated)
1 chopped tomato
Mozzarella cheese/ parmesan cheese or whatever you have

Microwave spaghetti squash in microwave for 5 minutes. Remove from microwave and cut in half. Remove seeds. Drizzle olive oil around edges and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes.

In the meantime make the sauce. Add olive oil to saute pan and sautee onion until tender. Add chicken and garlic and cook until chicken is cooked. Add jar of alfredo and heat. Add the spinach, artichokes and tomatoes. I stirred in a bit of cheese here too. Season if needed.

Remove spaghetti squash from oven and let cool a couple minutes. Remove innards and place in casserole dish. Pour sauce over top of squash and top with cheese. Return to oven uncovered for about 15 minutes. Serves 6-8 but remember it's spaghetti squash so eat a hearty portion. This was decadent, creamy and felt so sinful but the artichokes made it extra yummy. You could really add anything you want.

Pizookie

Easy, fast and yummy. Gooey, chewy chocolate chip cookie with half the amount of dishes. 

• 5 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (I like the caramel notes of dark brown but if you use light brown, use ½ cup)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Pour melted butter straight in a 9 inch pan.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. In a 9 inch pan, pour melted butter along with the sugars and combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
4. Add the egg, vanilla extract and mix.
5. Next, dump all the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
6. Fold in chocolate chips and spread the batter smooth. The cookie dough will be sticky so I use a piece of parchment paper to push the dough to the edge of the pan.
7. Bake the Pizookie at 375 degrees F for 10 -12 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges but a bit under baked in the center.
8. Top with vanilla icecream and a nice drizzle of melted chocolate

Via rookiewothacookie.com