Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I totally did not create this one, BUT it was so super yummy that I wanted to have it recorded with all my other recipes.  I stole this one from pauladeen.com.  During the month of October, there are several fabulous food celebrations and holidays that take place.  Three of these are national apple month, national caramel month, and national homemade cookie month. SOOO...I decided to combine all this deliciousness with these fabulous Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars from Paula Deen. For me, personally, this is the absolute BEST of everything.  I LOVE caramel, apples, and cheesecake, so for me this was heaven :D

 

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup caramel topping (I used store bought, but I think homemade would be so yummy!)
Streusel Topping
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
*****Mix all this with a fork or your fingers until it is a nice crumbly mixture.

1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2)In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13-by-9-by-2 inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3)In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4)In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping.
5)Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. (Mine was about 40 minutes)
6)Drizzle with caramel topping.

SOOOO yummy!


Sausage Corn Chowder

It is pretty much soup season again!!!! I am very excited about this.  This was a new soup for my family, and we all LOVED it! RJ, the picky 4 year-old, even ate 2 bowls.  Though the recipe is a stove top recipe and that is how I made it tonight, it can easily be adaptable for the crockpot too.

Here is what you need:
1 pound sausage
1 Cup chopped onion
3 Cups cubed red potatoes (I used 3 small Russet because that is what I had)
2 Cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 15oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14oz can cream style corn
1 12oz can evaporated milk
***I also used about 1 cup chicken broth because it needed a little more liquid for my liking.

1) Cook sausage and onion until sausage is browned.  Drain off grease.
2) Return sausage and onion to dutch oven or pot.  Add in cubed potatoes, water, salt, marjoram, and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce the heat.  Simmer covered for 10 minutes. (I had maybe 30 minutes to an hour before the hubs came home, so I just turned the burner WAY down to the lowest setting and just let it simmer until he got home.  Then I did step 3.  This is also why I think I had to add the chicken broth.  I think the water just cooked off.)
3) Stir in the whole kernel corn, cream corn, and evaporated milk.  Cook and stir until heated through.

As I said, yummy!!!

Makes 6 servings; 491 calories per serving

Beautiful Heartbreak

This is almost a follow-up post to my post titled "Food for Thought-Faith." This is a very inspirational and uplifting song. The music video features the woman that was burned in the plane crash that I mentioned in the above post as well as other individuals who have overcome struggles and trials.

Here are the lyrics is to the song. I find that even by reading the words they are just as powerful as Hillary Weeks' voice singing them.

I had it all mapped out in front of me,
Knew just where I wanted to go;
But life decided to change my plans,
And I found a mountain in the middle of my road.

I knew there was no way over it,
So I searched for a way around;
Brokenhearted I started climbin',
And at the top I found...

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights;
I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.
I never dreamed my heart would make it,
I thought about turning around;
But heaven has shown me miracles,
I never would have seen from the ground.

Now I take the rain with the sunshine,
Cause there's one thing that I know;
He picks up the pieces,
Along each broken road.

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights.

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

I would never trade...
The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights.

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

I have been listening to this song a lot the past few days as I have thought about the "mountains" in my life that have encountered in my road. I think my road can be compared to the Rocky Mountains or a roller coaster. I feel that I reach the peak of each mountain and get to realize the view and the blessings and then I get to start all over. I am not complaining. I know there are others that have trials and struggles way beyond what I have been asked to bear. I only hope that each time I climb a mountain, I am learning what Heavenly Father wants me learn.

Today is the anniversary of the death of our baby boy, Ryan. Not once in the last year have I asked why we have had to go through this loss and pain or why Ryan was needed on the Other Side. I have spent most of the last year trying to learn and grow. I am not sure if I have learned all the lessons that Heavenly Father has wanted me to, but I can pray and hope that my faith has been strengthened and that I have come lean and rely more on my Savior for help, strength, comfort, and piece.

Though I miss my angel terribly and I pray that I never have to experience this type of loss again, "I would never trade, The grace that I feel and the faith that I find through the bitter-sweet tears and the sleepless nights." I would much rather have Ryan here with us on the earth but I am very grateful for the peace and comfort that comes from knowing we are still family and NOTHING can change that.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

I needed something fast and easy for dessert the other night when we were having the missionaries over for dinner.  Now, I know that missionaries are really unpicky, BUT I take any opportunity I can to try out new recipes.  This cinnamon roll cake was the pick.  I have been wanting to try it forever and just needed an excuse.  Cinnamon rolls are by FAR by all time most favorite treat, so I was intrigued by this dessert.

I loved every bite...warm and delicious...just like a cinnamon roll!

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Originally from Life as a Lofthouse and Pinterest.

All about Fabric Strips-Girl

This blanket was totally fun to do. We wanted something different that used strips. We had several ideas but we decided for the size of the blanket and the amount of fabric, that this design would be best. There is not a "true" center.

The back of it is solid pieces of purple and teal. I top stitched along the strips' seams for the "quilted" look to hold it together. Instead of self-binding it, I used some of the charcoal/cream zebra fabric. This is also the first blanket-larger than a baby size- that I have rounded the corners for.



The finished sized is approximately 81"x81".  This blanket is going to a young lady who is turning 11 this year, and she happens to be my closest friend, Niki's daughter.

I LOVE the way it turned out!

Medium-hot Salsa

This post is the first ever "canning" or food preservation post that I have ever done, and I am not sure how many others I will share because the reality is that I don't know how much of the food I can, freeze, or dehydrate will actually taste yummy.  However, I know this homemade salsa is SO good! We tried making our own salsa last year and we just couldn't get a "mix" that we liked.  I found this one online, and I will definitely be keeping it as a permanent fixture.

8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
2 1/2 cups onions, chopped (1 large onion was about 2 cups-I just used that)
1 1/2 cups green peppers (3-4 bell peppers from the garden is what I used)
1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped (8-10 little to medium peppers from the garden)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (I used 2-8 oz cans, so I technically had 16 oz)
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

Directions:
1) Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minute.
2) Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 10 minute.
3) This is a medium salsa. This is also a chunky salsa so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.

Yields 3-6 quarts or pints.

Notes:
I didn't measure the tomatoes that I used from my garden after sending them through the food processor.  When I added everything to the pot to cook on the stove, I thought it needed a little bit more, so I added 2 cans of drained diced tomatoes.  As stated above, this is a MEDIUM to HOT salsa.  If you think it might be too hot, you can always start with fewer jalapeno peppers and then taste test as you mix it on the stove.  If I wanted to make this for little man, I would definitely use about 1/2 the amount of jalapeno peppers.  The way I made it, when all said and done, I ended up with 7 pints plus about 10 oz that I just refrigerated to eat, which is why I know this is a VERY yummy recipe. :)

Ranch/Italian Pot Roast

Another "recipe" to be chalked up as a keeper, and it is the MOST simple and amazing recipe ever! I have no idea how come I have never thought of cooking a roast with this seasoning combination before.  So simple, so delicious, and it's in the crock pot!!!!!

It is very basic.

1-roast (I am not sure on poundage.  I just unwrapped a roast and put it in)
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
1 packet dry Brown gravy mix
1/2 Cup water (I used 1 cup...1/2 just didn't seem enough)

1) Place roast in the crock pot.  Combine the 3 mixes with the water.  Pour over the roast.
2) Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

I served ours with mashed potatoes, but I think it would be delicious with noodles or rice too.

Sorry, no pics again.  When something is delicious, it disappears before I have a chance to take pictures.