1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, softened
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer on medium until blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.
Banana-Sour Cream Cake
Another recipe from Kraft's website.
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 C. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 C. sour cream
1/4 C. oil
Cream cheese frosting
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream, and oil with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl often. Beat on medium for two minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9x13-inch pan.
Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on wire rack.
Remove cake from pan. Carefully cut cake crosswise in half using serrated knife. Place one cake half, top side down, on plate; spread top with frosting. Top with remaining cake half, top side up. Frost top and sides. Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes: The cream cheese frosting recipe makes A LOT of frosting. A half recipe would probably be sufficient. I was not a big fan of the cream cheese frosting, but others liked it. Next time I make this recipe I want to try baking it in a bundt pan and drizzling the cake with a vanilla glaze. I also want to try substituting a devil's food or chocolate fudge cake mix and drizzling the cake with a chocolate glaze or ganache.
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 C. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 C. sour cream
1/4 C. oil
Cream cheese frosting
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream, and oil with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl often. Beat on medium for two minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9x13-inch pan.
Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on wire rack.
Remove cake from pan. Carefully cut cake crosswise in half using serrated knife. Place one cake half, top side down, on plate; spread top with frosting. Top with remaining cake half, top side up. Frost top and sides. Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes: The cream cheese frosting recipe makes A LOT of frosting. A half recipe would probably be sufficient. I was not a big fan of the cream cheese frosting, but others liked it. Next time I make this recipe I want to try baking it in a bundt pan and drizzling the cake with a vanilla glaze. I also want to try substituting a devil's food or chocolate fudge cake mix and drizzling the cake with a chocolate glaze or ganache.
Mango Chicken
I have been blog stalking some recipe blogs. I found this one, tried it, and liked it.
2 C. tomato-based mango salsa
2/3 C. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Place salsa, brown sugar, and salt in slow cooker. Mix well. Add chicken to slow cooker. Spoon sauce over tops of chicken breasts. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Use chicken in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, nachos, salads, etc.
Note: You can find tomato-based mango salsa at Costco in the refrigerated section. It is the Mango with Peach Salsa by Santa Barbara and comes in a 48-ounce container.
2 C. tomato-based mango salsa
2/3 C. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Place salsa, brown sugar, and salt in slow cooker. Mix well. Add chicken to slow cooker. Spoon sauce over tops of chicken breasts. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Use chicken in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, nachos, salads, etc.
Note: You can find tomato-based mango salsa at Costco in the refrigerated section. It is the Mango with Peach Salsa by Santa Barbara and comes in a 48-ounce container.
Cilantro-Ranch Salad Dressing
My sister-in-law emailed me this recipe. The dressing tastes just like the dressing from Cafe Rio or Bajio's. Thanks, Melissa, for sending this recipe.
1-1/3 C. sour cream
3/4 C. mayonnaise
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
4 Tbsp. salsa verde
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. Tabasco or hot sauce
Juice from one lime
Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Refrigerate until set.
Note: I pulsed the cilantro in the food processor and then added the remaining ingredients and mixed until combined.
1-1/3 C. sour cream
3/4 C. mayonnaise
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
4 Tbsp. salsa verde
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. Tabasco or hot sauce
Juice from one lime
Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Refrigerate until set.
Note: I pulsed the cilantro in the food processor and then added the remaining ingredients and mixed until combined.
Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars
A cousin to these gems.
2 C. quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
2 C. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. butter, softened
1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 jar (17 oz.) Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel Topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Stir in butter until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown in color. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Drizzle caramel topping to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars.
Notes: The recipe originally called for 1-1/2 C. butter. I don't like butter very much, so I reduced the amount by 1/2 C. and I thought it tasted better. I recommend NOT substituting another brand for the Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel topping called for in the recipe. I attempted this and it was disastrous. The other brand I used was VERY sweet, had a more runny consistency, and just didn't have the same buttery goodness that Mrs. Richardson's has. The other brand didn't make the bars inedible, just not as good. I also used exam gloves to mix spread the crust in the pan. The mixture didn't stick to my fingers and cleanup was so easy!
2 C. quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
2 C. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. butter, softened
1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 jar (17 oz.) Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel Topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Stir in butter until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown in color. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Drizzle caramel topping to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars.
Notes: The recipe originally called for 1-1/2 C. butter. I don't like butter very much, so I reduced the amount by 1/2 C. and I thought it tasted better. I recommend NOT substituting another brand for the Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel topping called for in the recipe. I attempted this and it was disastrous. The other brand I used was VERY sweet, had a more runny consistency, and just didn't have the same buttery goodness that Mrs. Richardson's has. The other brand didn't make the bars inedible, just not as good. I also used exam gloves to mix spread the crust in the pan. The mixture didn't stick to my fingers and cleanup was so easy!
Boston Cream Pie
From kraftfoods.com. Super easy.
1 round yellow cake layer (8 or 9 inch)
1 C. cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Jello Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-1/2 C. thawed Cool Whip
1 square unsweetened chocolate
1 Tbsp. butter
3/4 C. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. cold milk
Cut cake into two layers with serrated knife. Beat 1 cup milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in Cool Whip. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Stack cake layers on serving plate, spreading pudding mixture between layers.
Microwave chocolate and butter on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is melted. Add sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk; mix well. Spread over cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Refrigerate leftovers.
Note: Use a 2-layer cake mix to bake 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake layers. Cool completely. Use 1 of the cake layers as directed. Wrap remaining cake layer tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Store in freezer up to 1 month.
Variation: I hated having the extra layer of cake. I modified the recipe to use cupcakes. Just make cupcakes instead of round cake layers. When the cupcakes are cool, cut them in half. Spread pudding mixture on the bottom layers of the cupcakes. Replace tops and spread chocolate over the tops. Refrigerate. Yum!
1 round yellow cake layer (8 or 9 inch)
1 C. cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Jello Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-1/2 C. thawed Cool Whip
1 square unsweetened chocolate
1 Tbsp. butter
3/4 C. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. cold milk
Cut cake into two layers with serrated knife. Beat 1 cup milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in Cool Whip. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Stack cake layers on serving plate, spreading pudding mixture between layers.
Microwave chocolate and butter on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is melted. Add sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk; mix well. Spread over cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Refrigerate leftovers.
Note: Use a 2-layer cake mix to bake 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake layers. Cool completely. Use 1 of the cake layers as directed. Wrap remaining cake layer tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Store in freezer up to 1 month.
Variation: I hated having the extra layer of cake. I modified the recipe to use cupcakes. Just make cupcakes instead of round cake layers. When the cupcakes are cool, cut them in half. Spread pudding mixture on the bottom layers of the cupcakes. Replace tops and spread chocolate over the tops. Refrigerate. Yum!
Chicken and Rice Casserole
This is another recipe from Natalie's blog, but was originally from Food Network's website (minus the onions that Natalie hates and the pimentos that I hate).
1 13-oz. can chicken
2 cans french-style green beans, drained
1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (10-3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 C. mayonnaise
1 (6-oz.) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package instruction
1 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in bowl until thoroughly combined. Pour into greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
1 13-oz. can chicken
2 cans french-style green beans, drained
1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (10-3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 C. mayonnaise
1 (6-oz.) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package instruction
1 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in bowl until thoroughly combined. Pour into greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand a few minutes before serving.