recipe blog #2

Okay, I have an unhealthy obsession with finding dessert recipes.  I love to find them ... think about how tasty they would be ... and then not make them until we have company, because I would, probably, eat it all up, myself!  This chocolate lasagna recipe I found on Facebook.  A friend of mine "liked" it on a page, and it just popped up on my newsfeed.  How did they know I would want this recipe, too?  Crazy!  Anyway, I couldn't figure out how to pin it, so I decided another blog of recipes was my answer.  Here are a few more recipes that I just love ... and one that I hope to try soon!  Someone come visit me, so I can make this delectable dessert!

Chocolate Lasagne

Ingredients
1 package regular Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff) – about 36 cookies
6 Tablespoon butter, melted
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cold milk
1- 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided
2 – 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding.
3 1/4 cups cold milk
1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Directions
1. Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies.You can use a food processor or just crush them in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin. When the Oreos have turned into fine crumbs, you are done.
2. Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers
3. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust.
4. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.
5. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. 

Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.


Billy said that this next recipe was the best thing I made for dinner all week!  I guess that could be saying something about my cooking ... or it just means that he really liked it!  He ate almost all of it himself.  It is super tasty, and it is really healthy.  You can't beat a meal like that!  I got it off of Pinterest, but I had a very similar dish at a friend's house.  I thought it was so delicious, so I had to scour the internet for the recipe to make it for my family at home.  I think I found a winner!

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (16 ounce) can Garbanzo Beans, drained
1/2 cup tomato, chopped1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 rib celery, sliced
1 cucumber, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 lime, juiced
cracked black pepper and sea salt, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Procedure
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in beans, cover and turn off heat. Set aside.
2. Gently toss all remaining ingredients in a large salad bowl. Add beans.

Serve topped with additional parsley, if desired.

I was watching the Food Network when I found this next recipe.  I like to watch the cooking shows, because I can get good tips and tasty ideas.  I like certain shows, especially.  One afternoon, I caught Trisha Yearwood's show.  It was pretty good!  So, I watched it again, and I saw her make this tasty dish ... chickless pot pie.  Basically, it's vegetarian pot pie.  I love pot pie, but you can never get it at a restaurant or at the grocery store without meat.  I decided to try her recipe, and I loved it!  So, I'm going to share it with you.  I suppose anyone could add any kind of meat to this recipe, too.

Chickless Pot Pie

Ingredients
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup small diced potatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup butter substitute, such as Earth Balance
1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup almond or soy milk
Two 9-inch deep dish, unbaked pie crusts, lard free (I prefer to make my own ... see recipe below.)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions in the butter substitute until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, celery seed and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes to get the flour taste out. Slowly stir in the broth and then add the milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the drained vegetables.

3. Roll out one of the unbaked crusts and place in a 9-inch-deep pie plate. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top. Seal the edges and cut small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Note: Line a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with foil and place the pie on that before cooking. It will keep any filling from dripping into the oven and burning.

I use this pie crust for everything!  It is amazing!  I love it, and I got it from Martha Stewart.  I think it turns out wonderfully ... and it's super simple.  The thing I learned about pie crust ... besides making it super cold ... is that you need a cutter!  My mother-in-law gave me a pie crust cutter after Christmas, and I think my crusts have never been flakier.

Perfect Pie Crust

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

Procedure

1. Cut each stick into small pieces.  Keep the butter very cold (minimal touching with hands). 

2. Mix dry ingredients.

3. Add cold butter ... cut with cutter ... should resemble crumbly meal.

4. Drizzle 2 TBLSP. ice water.  Add more, if needed.

5. Cut until dough easily forms into a ball ... no more.  Do not over mix.

6. Cut ball into two (makes two crusts).  And wrap each with plastic wrap and place in fridge for, at least, one hour.