Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pinwheels

I don't actually remember where I got this one from but as always it has my own modifications.

One package Sun-dried Tomato Basil or Jalapeno Cheddar Mission Tortilla Wraps

8 oz Cream cheese (whipped or softened)

2 packages Thin sliced ham or Mesquite turkey luncheon meat

2 bags Julienned sun-dried tomatoes (I don't recommend those that come in oil, get the dry ones in a bag)

Fresh basil

1 head red leaf lettuce

Prepare each tortilla by spreading a thin layer of cream cheese across one side to approximately a quarter inch from the edges. Lay down a row of meat across the middle of the tortilla. Sprinkle sun-dried tomatoes and chopped basil across the whole tortilla (not too much or the flavor will be too overwhelming). Place red leaf lettuce across one side of the tortilla parallel to the meat with its edges extending beyond the edge of the tortilla. Starting from the side with the lettuce, tightly roll the tortilla. After preparing all the rolls, refrigerate for up to one hour and then slice into 3/4 inch pieces.

Roasted Red Pepper Feta Bites

Recipe originally from the back of a Ritz cracker box

8 oz Athenos Tomato Basil Feta Cheese
1 red pepper, roasted and diced
2 tablespoons light sour cream
24 Whole Wheat Ritz crackers

In a small bowl mix crumbled feta, diced red pepper and sour cream. Scoop onto crackers and serve promptly.

Whole Wheat Maple Snickerdoodles

Original recipes here and here.

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

3 tablespoons real maple syrup

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pre-heat oven to 350°

Cream/mix together applesauce, butter and brown sugar. Add egg and syrup, mix well.

Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix thoroughly.

Mix 1/4 cup granulated white sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Form dough into one inch balls, roll in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten balls slightly and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350°.

Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

Over the past few weeks, several people in the Thursday night community group have discussed what it would taste like to put bacon in cupcakes. One person, who shall remain anonymous, enthusiastically stated, "You couldn't go wrong, it's combining two of the greatest flavors in the world: cupcakes and bacon!" Well, after talking about these cupcakes for a few weeks, my curiosity got the best of me, and I ventured over to Allrecipes.com to see if I could find a recipe that involved cupcakes and bacon. The result that I got was Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes.

Here is the link to the original recipe: Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
I halved the recipe from the original, and made a few minor changes.

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 heaping cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup cold brewed coffee
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, and oil. Stir until just blended. Mix in 3/4 of the bacon, reserving the rest for garnish. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20-25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting and sprinkle reserved bacon crumbles on top.

Here is a link to the recipe that I used for the chocolate frosting: Chocolate Frosting

The reviews from the people in the community group who were brave enough to try the cupcakes were mixed. On scale of 1-10 (1 being awful, 10 being really good), the average was about 5. It was a fun experiment in baking. One person did mention that bacon cookies might taste better. Hmmmmm, we may have more experiments in adding bacon to desserts in the near future...

Turkey & Spinach Pinwheels

Original recipe from KraftFoods.com

Ingredients:
1 package Mission Wraps tortillas (I suggest either Spinach Herb, Jalapeno Cheddar or Zesty Garlic Herb)
1 container Philadelphia Cracker Spreads (White Cheddar with Roasted Red Pepper or Pepperjack with Jalapeno)
Sliced turkey lunch meat (3 to 5 slices per tortilla, depending on the size of the slice)
Baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

Spread a tortilla with cheese spread. Put three to five slices of turkey over the center of the tortilla, spreading from one edge to the other. Cover the spread & turkey with spinach leaves, leaving one edge bare. Starting opposite the bare edge, roll tightly. Prepare all tortillas in this manner. Rolls may be refrigerated up to two hours before serving. When ready to serve, cut rolls into 3/4 in segments and arrange on a plate.

View the whole process step by step in photos

Dress Up Plain Old Chicken Noodle...

I came across an article in Real Simple magazine about dressing up the ordinary pre-packaged things we buy and making them a little fancier. I tried this one on Chris last night, and he couldn't believe it when I told him I was feeding him Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle!

Thai Coconut Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes!!

2 cans of chicken noodle soup
1/2 cup of coconut milk
2 teaspoons lime juice
fresh lime wedges
cilantro sprigs

Bring the soup and coconut milk to a simmer in a saucepan.
Then add the lime juice, stir it all together.
Garnish with fresh lime wedges and cilantro sprigs (These really make it, so resist the temptation to skip the garnishes!)
ENJOY!! To make a complete meal, you may choose to serve dinner rolls and a salad. Chris was full on one small bowl and two rolls!

There is also a Chicken Tortilla Soup which is much the same except that you add a teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce, a cup of frozen corn kernels and cook til heated through. Then serve with avocado slices and tortilla chips on top!

The idea of dressed up store-bought stuff really appealed to me. I'm all for making things from scratch, but sometimes a little cheating is in order.
To read the rest, which include upgrades for marinara sauce, rice pilaf and pound cake, among others, go to the Real Simple website.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.