Easy Chocolate Cream Pie

2 pkgs. instant chocolate pudding
2 cups cold milk
whip cream
chocolate chips
chocolate or graham cracker shell

Mix milk and pudding mixture with mixer on #2 speed for 15 seconds.

Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Mix on #4 speed for 2 minutes or until mouse or pudding is thick. Let stand for 5 minutes. Pour into pie shell  and decorate with whip topping and cover with chips.

The REAL BLT!

2 slices french bread, lightly toasted (or any kind of bread)
¼ cup mayonnaise (see recipe below)
3 slices tomato
4 slices bacon, cooked to crispy
3 butter-leaf or romaine lettuce leaves
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Mayonnaise
2 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1½ Tbsp. chopped chives
1½ Tbsp. chopped parsley
1½ Tbsp. chopped tarragon

Blend in food processor or magic bullet. Keeps in fridge for months.

Spread plenty of mayonnaise on both pieces of bread. Layer the bacon tomato and lettuce between the two slices of bread. Cut diagonally for ease in eating

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 lbs baby spinach cleaned
12 strawberries sliced
½ c toasted almonds
8 oz soft goat cheese
½ c panko bread crumbs (found in Asian section)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
2 c balsamic vinegar
4 c canola oil
½ c honey
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon, garlic and salt and pepper in blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes, slow add oil while blending on high until emulsified (about 5 minutes.)
Prepare goat cheese using a piece of plastic wrap, create a log from the soft goat cheese. Remove from plastic wrap and roll in panko bread crumbs until coated. Cut into 1/2 slices.
Toss baby spinach with balsamic vinaigrette. Top with almonds, sliced strawberries, and goat cheese slices. Serves 4.

Chicken Quesadillas

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 package fajita seasoning
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Bag cheddar cheese

Chop veggies. Combine veggies, seasoning and oil in large pan. Stir. Cut chicken while veggies are sauteeing. Add chicken to pan and stir. Cook until chicken is cooked through. Let veggies cook for about 5 minutes before putting chicken in.

Place a tortilla on tortilla press. Top tortilla with meat/veggie mixture (about 1/2 cup). Top with lots of cheese and bacon bits. Close quesadilla press. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes.

**Can also be cooked with a panini maker or in a pan. Cook on one side and flip!**

Cake Mix Cookies

For the Cookies:
1 Box Cake mix
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup Oil

For the Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all three ingredients, use a cookie scoop and drop on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Makes a little more then 2 dozen!!

I always have all the ingredients on hand...they are super delicious, chewy and bake up super quick!! Make a simple {fast} visiting teaching gift too!! Other variations I have done before:

Yellow {or white} mix...add chocolate chips!!
Chocolate mix...add peanut butter chips!!
Lemon mix...dust with powdered sugar!!

Key Lime Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

I just made these for a baby shower...they were delicious!! Instead of regular size cupcakes though I did mini's instead, it makes 48 mini out of this batter recipe!! Very simple and as you can see, present very well!! Try them you wont be disappointed!!

For the Cupcakes:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 heaping teaspoon grated key lime zest
1 1/2 tablespoons key lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cups loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (3.5 ounces)

For the Frosting:
5 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small chucks
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon key lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup sour cream
Finely grated key lime zest, for garnish

For the Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated.

Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest. Enjoy!

Spinach Salad

I recently rediscovered this super delicious salad that my mom makes. I made it over Easter weekend up in Utah while visiting the Tucker family and totally loved it! Some people were wanting the recipe so here it is...

2 bunches of spinach washed and stems removed
1 head of red leaf lettuce ripped into bite size pieces
3/4 lb. grated swiss cheese (I substitute mozzarella)
1 lb. bacon fried and crumbled
1 1/2 table spoon poppy seeds
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 table spoon white onion minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon wet or dry yellow mustard
1 red onion sliced into rings
1 lb. fresh mushrooms (the whiter the better)

To make the dressing:

Combine: sliced mushrooms, minced white onion, sliced red onion rings combine with poppy seeds, red wine vinegar, veg. oil, sugar, salt and mustard. Mix in Ziploc bag and let marinate in for at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve:

Combine spinach, red leaf lettuce pieces, fried and crumbled bacon and cheese with the wet dressing ingredients. Toss and serve.

Serves 15