Cherry Chip Cookies

Alysha gave me this recipe right after I had Vanessa and couldn't eat chocolate. These are easy and tasty. Really, can you go wrong with cream cheese?

Cherry Chip Cookies

¼ cup margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

8 oz. cream cheese

cherry chip cake mix
1 egg

½ cup milk
Combine ingredients. Bake @ 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Okay, I admit I'm not a professional food photographer. They may not look that great but, trust me on this one, they are yummy!

Farmers' Market Pasta Salad

2 cups rotini pasta, cooked, drained
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup carrot slices
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 c green onion slices
1 container (16 oz) cottage cheese
1/2 cup ranch dressing

Toss rotini and vegetables in large bowl. Add cottage cheese and dressing, mix lightly.

Peanut Butter Pie

Crust
1 1/3 c graham cracker crumbs
8 tbs butter, melted
1/3 c Sugar
Combine. Press mixture in bottom and sides of 9 " pie plate. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Filling
12 oz. cream cheese
1 c whipping cream
1 1/2 c peanut butter
1 1/2 c sugar
Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar together. Whip cream then fold into cream cheese mixture. Place mixture in pie plate and chill for 4 hours. Top with chocolate whipping cream (add 1-2 tbs cocoa), chocolate shavings, and chopped peanuts.

Honey-Orange Sauce for Fruit Salad

1/3 cup unsweetened orange juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1/3 tsp. ground ginger
1 dash nutmeg

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix. Just before serving, pour the sauce over mixture of fruit.

Crunchy Balls of Ice Cream

2 C. Honey bunches of oats-ish cereal- crushed
1/4 C. Peanut Butter
1 T. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
Ice Cream
Fudge Topping

Mix crushed cereal, peanut butter, sugar and cinnamon in a med. bowl. Roll ice cream balls into it one at a time. Place in an airtight container and refreeze. Serve with fudge or caramel sauce.

Yummy Cherry Salad

1 Medium Cool Whip
1 Can Cherry Pie Filling
1 C Nuts, chopped
1/2 Pkg. Mini Marshmallows
1 8 oz. Sour Cream
1 Small pkg Coconut flaked
1 Can Condensed Milk
1 23 oz Can Pineapple Drained

Mix all together and store in fridge to set.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

1-1/2 C Butter, melted
1 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 C Sugar
4 Large Eggs
2 C All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 (4.67 oz.) boxes individually wrapped chocolate-covered mints, unwrapped (andes mints)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13x9" baking pan with heavy -duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease foil. In a med. bowl, combine melted butter and cocoa, stirring well; set aside. In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 5 minutes). Slowly beat in butter mixture. Add flour, salt and vanilla beating just until combined. Spread half of the chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Place mints, side by side in an even layer over chocolate mixture completely covering chocolate mixture. Carefully spread remaining chocolate mixture over mints, sealing to edges. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool in pan completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Angel Lush

1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP
1 pkg. (10 oz.) round angel food cake
10 fresh strawberries

MIX pineapple and dry pudding mix in medium bowl. Gently stir in whipped topping.
CUT cake horizontally into three layers. Place bottom cake layer, cut-side up, on serving plate; top with one-third of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers two times.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Top with berries just before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Fruit Smoothie

I actually got this recipe because I started the HCG diet. This counts as one fruit in the diet parameters. It is super tasty. I love it.

Strawberry Fruit Smoothie

5-6 strawberries cut into slices
Juice from 1/2 an orange
1-2 Cups ice
3 Packets Truvia natural Sweetner
3-4 Tbs Water

Mix in blender until smooth.

(1) Serving

Black Beans

Scott came up with a black bean recipe that we use in burritos. We really like these beans.

2 cup black beans
Onion
Garlic
Olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground coriander

Soak the black beans in at least 4 cups of water for a few hours to overnight. Rinse the beans and set aside. Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil. Add the beans and enough water to cover the beans. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat then add the cumin and coriander. Turn down to low heat and let the beans simmer for probably over an hour until soft. After about 30 minutes, add the salt (you can decrease the salt to 1 teaspoon if you are salt conscious although I think they usually need a bit more salt). Periodically stir the beans and add water if needed. When the beans are soft add the balsamic vinegar and cook for another 5-10 minutes.