Peanut Butter Balls

While growing up my mom would often make these and they would make a great protein snack that would always hit the spot after school. Plus being a healthy snack made Momma happy. One day mom passed down many recipes to me in February 2012. I decided I had to try them for my own family now. They are very simple and easy to make. Here is all that you will need:

1 Cup Honey

1 1/2 Cups Peanut Butter (Chunky or Creamy)

9 oz (3 cups) Nonfat Milk Powder

2 Teaspoon Vanilla

Oil your bowl first then add the honey, peanut butter, and vanilla

Then add the powered milk on top

 Using a dough hook mix until well mixed

The dough will look dry and grainy once you finish mixing with the dough mixer

  Continue to kneed together with your hands like you would when making dough.

 If your worried about it being to dry you can add a small squeeze of honey and a tad more peanut butter.

Scoop a tablespoon size amount into hand and kneed slightly like you would dough

 and then roll into a small to medium size ball and place on parchment lined container.

Cover and store in refrigerator.

For added fun and flavor try rolling them in coconut, Toasted Sesame Seeds, or even Wheat Germ.

(Mom Tasted and Approved)

 Family approved too!! 

(Well except for Emma: who say WOW peanut butter smell, you know I don't do peanut butter!)

 

Pasta Pizza Soup

1 pound ground beef
4 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
2 medium carrots, sliced
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups cooked tricolor spiral pasta

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook beef, mushrooms, onions, and celery until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.

2. Stir in the water, tomatoes, carrots, bouillon, bay leaf and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender. Stir in pasta; heat through. Discard bay leaf.

Yields 8 servings (about 2 quarts)

Cheesy Cream Corn Puffs

ActiveTime:30 min/TotalTime: 1hr10min
Makes: About 24

Ingredients:
1 cup canned cream corn
4 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese, plus some extra for topping
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees- line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring corn, butter, salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

2. Scrape dough into a bowl; let cool slightly. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well between each addition. Stir in the cheese and chives. Chill the dough for 15 minutes.

3. Scoop tablespoon size mounds of dough onto prepared cookie sheets. About 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with additional cheese. Bake in oven until golden brown and puffy. About 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Quick Carrot Cake with Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting.

Here is what you will need:
1 pkg (2 layer size) Carrot Cake
3 large carrots, shredded about 2 cups
1 can (8oz) Crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped pecans (divided)
2 pkg (8oz each) Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed

Now to make it:
Prepare: cake batter as directed on package; stir in carrots, completely drained pineapple, 3/4 cup of pecans. Pour into 2 (9 inch) square pans sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake: 25 to 30 min. Or until toothpick inserted in centers come out clean. Cool in pans 10 min; invert onto wire racks. Remove pans. Turn cakes over, cool completely.

Beat: cream cheese, and sugar until well blended. Whisk in cool whip.

Stack: cake layers, spreading frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Top with remaining nuts. Keep refrigerated.


This cake came out great and the frosting wasn't that thick heavy and overly sweet cream cheese frosting!!

Limoncello Cheesecake Squares Recipe

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces purchased biscotti
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 (12-ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta, drained, at room temperature
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar1/2 cup limoncello liqueur*, store bought or homemade, recipe follows
2 teaspoons vanilla extract4 large eggs, at room temperature
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.
Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
Transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve.
*Limoncello liqueur can be found at most liquor stores and in the liquor department of some specialty markets. If limoncello liqueur is unavailable at stores near you, use the following recipe to make your own limoncello liqueur.
Limoncello:
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.
Makes: 7 cups
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 4 days and 4 hours

Limoncello

Ingredients
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar


Directions
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.