Sopapilla Cheesecake

Over the summer, my sister-in-law, Heidi, had a shindig for some occasion that I can no longer remember.  Her mother-in-law, Jackie brought a heavenly dessert called Sopapilla Cheesecake.  Well...I guess it was heavenly by everyone's reaction to it.  I got up to partake in the experience, only to find the entire dessert was eaten.  Not a tiny smidge left!  What?  Are you kidding?  You PIGS!  Well, as the saying goes..."You snooze, you lose!"

I knew that I would have to make this dessert, so when I came across it on Pinterest, I got excited.  Now I could finally see what all the hubbub was about.  I am not sure if this is the exact recipe that Jackie used, but I've seen it on Pinterest more than a few times, and they are all the same recipe.  It is so super easy, and truly yummy!  I know this is not the last time I will make this little delight. 

If you are in need of a new dessert to make for company or take somewhere, make this!  Like I said, it is very easy, and it will impress a crowd.  Oh, and if it is a bigger crowd, make two...just in case!

Sopapilla Cheesecake
 from Chef in Training

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
2 8oz packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
cinnamon-sugar mixture

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll 1 can of crescent rolls (I used the sheet of crescent rolls--this eliminates having to press the seams together) and lay it on the bottom of a 9x13 pan (no need to grease). 

Combine softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla (I added a couple shakes of cinnamon to this mixture, also).  Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bottom crescent roll layer.  

Lay the second layer of crescent rolls over the cream cheese layer and pour melted butter over the top.  Then sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over that (to your liking).  Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Let this cool for a bit before eating so the cream cheese mixture can set a bit.  

This dessert can be easily cut in half and made in an 8x8 dish.  That's what I did.  Otherwise I would have spent the next several days eating and eating, and gaining about 3-4 pounds!   Enjoy!

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bites

We are a granola bar eating family around here.  I have been making these granola bars for a little over a year now, but recently I bought a box of the Quaker chewy granola bars because we were in the process of moving, and making my own was out of the question.  I was so surprised when I took a bite of one.  I didn't like it.  In fact, I stopped eating it!  Mine are so much better! 

So, when I came across these chocolate chip granola bites on Pinterest, I just had to try them.  I chose to replace the oil, however, with peanut butter.  This recipe is very similar to the granola bars I already make, but I liked the idea of putting them in cupcake liners in a muffin tin.  I don't have a mini muffin tin, but the regular muffin tin produced perfectly sized single servings. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bites
adapted from another lunch

2 1/2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. crisp rice cereal
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
* optional: ground flax seed and/or wheat germ (3 heaping Tbs. of each)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the oats, rice cereal,  and salt (and ground flax and wheat germ if using) in a bowl.  In a large glass measuring cup, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, and honey.  Heat in microwave for 1 minute.  Then stir to combine and add the vanilla.  Add the honey mixture to the oat mixture and combine really really well.  It may take some work, but the mixture should stick together.  Then add the chocolate chips and continue to stir.  

Using a cookie scoop, fill paper lined muffin cups about half full, and then press the mixture really well into each cup (they will end up about 1/3 full).  The more packed you can make them, the better they will stay together.  I was able to fill 18 muffin cups (regular sized).  Then bake them for about 10 minutes (I'm not sure how necessary this step is, but it didn't hurt).  Allow the granola bites to cool COMPLETELY before messing with them.  Otherwise, they may fall apart on you.
 

 
These were easy to store in the freezer, and when packing lunches, I simply placed the granola bar bite, paper liner and all, into a sectioned  lunch container with a lid.  I imagine you could make these without the paper liner to eliminate packaging material, altogether--so earth friendly!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins w/ Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

I needed to use up several very ripe bananas, but banana bread takes up to an hour and fifteen minutes to make.  It was already a late Saturday morning, and I didn't want banana bread that badly.  My already lazy Saturday would have become even lazier!  So, I decided to look for a quicker banana muffin recipe to make instead.  I found a recipe here that used applesauce instead of oil, which is good because we had lost our oil in our move, and it hadn't been replaced yet.  It also makes the muffins a little bit healthier.

I changed the ratio of whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour just a bit.  I then changed up the recipe even more by adding chocolate chips (YUM) and a cinnamon-sugar topping!  The result...a yummy, moist, chocolate-y muffin.  The cinnamon-sugar topping was just the right touch to make this weekend breakfast special.  I think the next time I make these, I may try using all whole wheat flour.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
 adapted from SparkRecipes (SERENITY)

1/2 cup all whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
1/4 cup sugar (I used brown sugar)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Topping:
4 Tbs butter, melted
cinnamon-sugar mixture (2 tsp cinnamon to 4Tbs sugar)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tin or use paper muffin liners.  Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate bowl, beat banana, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir in applesauce.  Stir in flour mixture. Once combined, add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Pour batter into muffin cups, about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (mine took the full 20 minutes).  If you use paper liners, the muffins stick to the paper until they have set awhile.  While the muffins are still warm, dip the tops in the melted butter, and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Makes 12 muffins.

Monterey Chicken

Whew! I never meant to go so long between posts.  We've been a bit busy moving our family across the country.  It's been quite the adventure.

Anyway,  I found this dish on Pinterest, and I just had to try it.  I actually made this several weeks ago, before we moved.  It reminds me of an entree from a restaurant.  It was quick, easy and really yummy.  Make this when you get into a 'What else can I do with chicken?' funk.  You won't be sorry.

Monterey Chicken
from All Things Simple

4-6 chicken breasts
1/4 cup bar-b-que sauce
1 14 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (with green chilies)
1 cup shredded colby/jack cheese
4-6 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
sliced green onions 
pepper

For the marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T  soy sauce
2 tsp McCormick Montreal Chicken Seasoning

Pound the chicken breasts to flatten.  Marinade the chicken for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with pepper and grill the chicken breasts until no longer pink.  You could also saute the chicken in olive oil if you prefer.  Place the chicken on a foil covered baking sheet. Top each chicken breast with 1 tablespoon bar-b-que sauce, 1/4 c. cheese, 1/4 c. Rotel tomatoes, green onions and crumbled bacon.  Bake in oven until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).