Apple Struesel Cheesecake Bars

Orgasmicly delicious! Yes, I said it. I add some sliced up fresh apple into the mix as i go too. a few bits in the cheese, some on top of the cheese, and the rest on top. yum yum.  Pretty easy to do as well! I challenge you to give it a try!

Ingredients:
1  pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz)  oatmeal cookie mix
1/2  cup firm butter or margarine
2  packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2  cup sugar
2  tablespoons all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon vanilla
1  egg
1  can (21 oz) apple pie filling
1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 apple, sliced thin


Method:
1.  Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

2.  Place cookie mix in large bowl. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. add some of the apple slices.

4.  Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust.

5.  In medium bowl, mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Drop some more slices.

6.  Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top.  finish with remaining slices.

7.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool about 30 minutes.

8.  Refrigerate to chill, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Banana Muffins!!!

Some amazing muffins, if you are into muffins! If you got some old 'naners lying around and want a more portable snack, try these banana muffins! they are low-fat and sit nicely for breakfast or a crazy day adventure. I added a couple heaping spoons of pineapple preserves ('cause that is how i roll).  If they brown on top too quickly, place some foil, shiny side down, over the pans to slow it down.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
4oz. Applesauce (about half a cup. i use cinnamon apple sauce )
1 tsp vanilla

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease or line 10 muffin cups.

2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs and bananas.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda.

4. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture.

5. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.(generally 1/4 cup per muffin cup, i dont use liners. you are looking to fill em 2/3 up)

6. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

7. Enjoy!

Chicago Shredded Italian Beef

Alrighty! I am from the Chicago area, and i can tell you with some certainty, that this really does taste like home. I used a Chuck roast, but round should be fine. you can thicken the juices for a nice sauce. Serve over home-made rolls!


Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper (white pepper has an extra kick)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp onion powder (minced works too)
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 (.7 oz) pkg italian-style dressing mix
1 (3 to 5 pound) rump roast or chuck roast

Method:
1. Combine the water and the dry ingredients in a saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil.

3. place roast in 3-5 qt slow cooker.

4. pour the boiled mixture over the meat in the slowcooker.

5. Cover, cook on low for 10-12 hours, or high for 4-6 hours.

6. when done, pull out the bay leaf, and shred the meat with a fork.

(i pulled the meat out to a plate and let it rest while i thickened the sauce in the cooker. shred with two dorks, like pulling pulled pork.)

7. Prepare for food coma :-)

Buns of Awesome

So, with these, proofing the yeast makes for a nice light bun. I sometimes add shredded cheese or parmesean, or some herbs to the dough, depending on what i am making them for. regardless, they are yummy in all ways. One fun modification: if you have muffin tins, pull pieced off the dough, and drop three balls into each muffin cup. no liners!! rise as usual, and bake till golden brown. and voila! cloverleaf rolls!


Ingredients:
2 cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 (.25 ounce) packages instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed


Method:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the milk, margarine, warm water, sugar and yeast.

2. Let stand for about 5 minutes.

3. Mix in the salt, and gradually stir in the flour until you have a soft dough.

4. Divide into 25 pieces, and form into balls.(for hotdog buns, make balls, then roll em in your hands till they are little elliptical spheroids) Place on baking sheets so they are 2 to 3 inches apart.

5. Let rise for 20 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

7. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly, serve as hamburger buns, dinner rolls, hot dog buns, whatever you like!

Moist, Foodgasm-inducing Apple Cake

I used a big pacific rose apple, a granny smith, and a golden delicious. Sooooooooo yummy.



Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
3 medium apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
couple dashes of nutmeg


Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the melted butter, sugar. Beat in egg until fluffy.

3. Fold in the apples. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon n' nutmeg.

4. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture until just blended.

5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.

6. Bake 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.