Blue Cheese, Honey & Walnut Spread

I was visiting a friend's home last night and she had the most delectable cheese spread!  And its incredible easy.  Just mix together blue cheese, honey, and chopped walnuts all to taste.  Serve with crackers.  Scrumptious!

Dump Cake

So easy and most likely, you'll have these items in your pantry.

Ingredients:

• Box of yellow cake mix
• 1 can of crushed pineapple
• 1 can of cherry pie filling
• 1 stick of butter

Pour the can of pineapple and cherry pie filling in a rectangular baking dish and mix.  Pour the contents of the yellow cake mix on top of the fruit and spread evenly on top.  Slice the butter into pieces and spread out evenly on top of the yellow cake mix.

Bake for an hour at 350 degrees and enjoy!

Quick Wheat Loaf or "Beer Bread"

I love this bread because it's quick and I almost always have the ingredients on hand.

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1 T baking powder
1 1/4 t salt
1 can or bottle (12 oz) beer

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease loaf pan. In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add beer all at once and stir just until blended; do not beat. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 50-55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Chicken Breasts

This chicken is incredibly easy! I usually omit the fresh thyme only because I rarely have it in my kitchen. I've also swapped the wine for chicken broth, and it works just as well. Tastes great with couscous. It's a perfect amount for Ryan, Nathan and me.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 1 lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.
Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Oreo Balls

A yummy and very easy dessert! You can also find ways to make it festive. My roommate Katey makes them a lot, and they're always a hit!

Ingredients:

1 package Oreos

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Chocolate-flavored almond bark

wax paper or aluminum

Instructions:

1. Crush Oreos using a food processor, or even by putting them in a plastic bag and using a rolling pin. Then place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add softened cream cheese and mix until smooth

3. Chill mixture in fridge or freezer until firm

4. Using tablespoon, melon-baller, etc., scoop out desired amount for each ball. Use hangs to roll into a uniform ball. Place in fridge.

5. In microwave-safe bowl, melt the almond bark. If you want a slightly thinner coat of chocolate on each ball, add about a tablespoon of shortening (non-flavored)

6. Drop Oreo balls into melted almond bark. Make sure to coat the entire surface and then use a spoon to place on wax paper or aluminum. Let almond bark harden (you can use fridge to speed this process up.

7. Enjoy

*you can also drizzle white chocolate on top, or add crushed peppermint pieces :-)

Jam-Filled Cresents

This is so easy and so yummy!

1. Open a package of Pillsbury crescents (either normal or the buttery ones)
2. Cover one side of the triangle pieces with a little bit of jam (I prefer raspberry jam myself).  Make sure not to use too much as some may leak out and burn while baking.
3. Roll each of the crescents up with the jam on the inside.
4. Bake as specified on the Pillsbury package.
5. Serve warm.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

My favorite appetizer that any meat-lover will enjoy.  All you need is a box/carton of dates. one package of bacon, and toothpicks (for eating).

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg F.
2. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil.
3. Cut all strips of bacon in half (so the length is halved).
4. Wrap each date with one of the strips of bacon and place on the baking sheet.
5. Once all dates are wrapped and placed on the baking sheet, place in the oven for about 20 minutes.
6. Serve hot with toothpicks.
7. Note: you can also stuff the dates with cheese (like goat or ricotta).

Pesto Bow-Tie Pasta w/ Sundried Tomatoes

This is probably one of my favorite quick meals.  If you would like to add protein, grill or sauté a couple chicken breasts and cut into cubes or strips before adding to the finished pasta.

1. Cook one box of bow-tie pasta to al dente (9-11 minutes).  Drain.
2. Add one tub (about 7 oz.) of pesto to the cooked pasta.  Mix.
3. Add one jar (about 8 oz.) of sun-dried tomatoes (drain before adding otherwise the pasta will be too oily). Mix.
4. You can easily add other items like pine nuts for crunch or chicken for protein.  Blake likes to add the small balls of fresh mozzarella (which then melt a little bit when mixed with the hot pasta).