Ham Rolls with Apricot-Pineapple Sauce

Don't let the long name fool you.  This recipe is quick, simple and delish!  I got it from a great little food blog called All Things Delicious.  Go there for more great recipes and for step by step pictures!

This is Hannah's picture, by the way.

Here's what you'll need:

Thick sliced ham lunch meat (I used a whole 1lb. package which had 16 slices in it)

Sliced Swiss cheese (one slice per slice of ham, so I needed 16 slices of cheese)

1 box Stove Top Stuffing

Apricot-Pineapple Sauce:

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 C. water

1 C. pineapple juice

1/4 C. apricot-pineapple preserves

1 Tbsp. butter

Mix cornstarch and brown sugar in a saucepan. Add water and juice.  Bring to boil, then boil for 2 minutes.  Take off heat and stir in butter and preserves. (mine was thin. I guess it was supposed to be)

Prepare the stuffing as directed and set aside.

Place the ham on a plate and top with a slice of cheese.  Then put about 1/3 cup stuffing on top of that.  Roll it up and secure with a toothpick.  Put the rolls in a pan with sides.  Pour the sauce over rolls and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.  

So quick.  So easy.  So good!  Got rave reviews from the whole fam.

Easy, Yet Delicious Chocolate Pudding

I got this from America's Test Kitchen.  Sometimes their stuff is too complicated or time consuming and not necessarily better, but this is definitely delish!  It's easy, too.  No tempering eggs. Enjoy!

Combine 2 teaspoons vanilla with 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder; set aside. (I don't have this on hand, but I do have Folgers crystals frozen in my freezer for the yummy brownies, so I just used that)

1/2 C sugar
3 T cocoa
2 T cornstarch
1/4 t salt
1/2 C heavy cream
3 egg yolks
2 1/2 C whole milk
Bring above ingredients to a strong simmer(this should be about 5 min). Cook 30 seconds.  Remove from heat.  Add 5T butter, 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped and vanilla mixture. (I just used semi-sweet chocolate chips cuz I didn't have bittersweet on hand).  Stir until blended.  Cover with parchment or waxed paper. (push it onto the top of pudding so a skin doesn't form) Refrigerate til completely chilled.  Whisk thoroughly and serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Or you can serve it warm over ice cream. (my personal fav)

Baked Oatmeal

If you love oatmeal, you have to try this! Like a warm oatmeal cookie in a bowl.

3 cups oats ( old fashioned )
1 cup brown sugar
1 cube melted butter
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients well using a spoon. Spread into a greased 9 x13 pan. Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 mins till golden brown. Serve immediately in a bowl with milk poured over it. Awesome with fruit too.

Beef Teriyaki

This is just plain good.
14 oz package rice noodles (Asian isle, I used about 2/3 the package)
2 T oil
2 lbs boneless beef sirloin, cut in thin strips
Salt
1 onion, sliced or chopped
1 -2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, pressed or sliced
1T cornstarch
1 can beef broth
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce( Soy Vay brand is good)
2 T rice vinegar ( I didn't use)
Boil 8 cups of water. Remove from heat and add noodles. Stir to separate and let stand 10 mins. in large skillet add oil and meat, season with salt and  cook stirring over med-high heat till done. Set meat aside on plate. To hot skillet add onion, bell pepper, mushroom and garlic. Cook 5-8 mins. Combine broth and starch add to veggies, simmer 1 minute till thickened. Stir in beef, drained noodles, teriyaki and vinegar. Simmer a few mins more, stirring till hot. Serves 4-6. Optional: sprinkle servings with sesame seeds.

Nikki's Chicken Pot Pie (with holly's two cents)

This ones for you Emily Miskin! Enjoy. Nikki I will always love you for giving me this recipe! *this can easily make 2 pies, so freeze one!*
1 pie crust(store bought is great)
2 T butter
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tsp dried thyme
1 pint whipping cream
1 cup chicken broth
2T flour
2T corn starch
1 tsp paprika
1 cup frozen peas
4 potatoes, peeled and diced to bite size
2 cups sliced carrots, peeled
4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
Heat oven to 400. In large skillet heat butter and cook onion and thyme till tender. Whisk together cream, broth, flour, corn starch and paprika then add to skillet. Whisk till bubbly and thickened. Meanwhile, cook carrots and potatoes in a pot covered with water till tender. Drain and add to thickened sauce. Add cooked chicken and peas. Mix and pour into a large pie plate or 2 qt baking dish. Roll out crust and place over the top. Bake for 30 mins or so till bubbly and golden.

Key Lime Cheesecake

A friend of mine kept talking about a key lime cheesecake that Costco makes.  She never could get one when they were in stock.  I decided to find a recipe and make one! I went with this one after looking at several. It is light and moist.  I hope you enjoy!  I got very positive reviews when I served it at a party.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 T sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

Filling:
3-8 oz packages cream cheese, softened to room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 T flour
4 eggs
1/3 cup key lime juice (about 12-15 key limes) I used more like 1/2-2/3 cup.  Just do it to taste.
1 T key lime rind
1 t vanilla extract

Extract juice from key limes. (You can use bottled juice.  They said Trader Joe's has a good one. I actually couldn't find key limes (found them last week.) so I used regular limes about 6 of them. It doesn't taste quite the same, but it was still fab!)  Zest limes.

Preheat oven to 375.  Butter a 10 inch springform pan.

In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar.  Add the melted butter & mix well.  Pat mixture into bottom of pan and about 1/2 inch up the side.  Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sugar.  Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the sour cream and flour.  When mixture is smooth, add eggs one at a time.  Mix after each addition.  Add the vanilla.  Add key lime juice and zest.  Mix well.

Pour cheesecake batter into the springform pan.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Turn oven down to 250 (don't remove cheesecake from oven).  Continue baking for another 50 minutes.

Remove from oven and col on a wire rack.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Take cheesecake out of fridge and remove the outer ring of pan.

Garnish with fresh whipped cream and key lime zest.

Apple Cinnamon Waffles

I got this from my Pillsbury Cookbook.  They are sooo good!  Everyone loves them and they have apples sneaked in them!  No one will ever know.

2 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all purpose flour, I use whole wheat
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted, or oil
1 peeled shredded apple
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat waffle iron. Place egg yolks in large bowl; whites in small bowl.  To yolks add buttermilk;beat well.  Add flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; beat until smooth.  Stir in melted margarine. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.  Bake in hot waffle iron until steaming stops and waffle is golden brown.  Serve with syrup of your choice.  I like real maple and you only need a little bit!

Side note:  If you don't always have buttermilk in your fridge, powdered buttermilk is a great alternative.  It is actually the real buttermilk.  The stuff we have now is like thin yogurt, which isn't really buttermilk.  I got my stuff at Walmart, so you can find it almost anywhere.  And isn't expensive.  Mine takes 4 tsp powder and 1 c water to make 1 cup buttermilk.  Mix the powder in with the flour then add your liquid.