Paula Dean's Pumpkin Cheesecake

DE-LIC-IOUS is all I have to say...

Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

AMAZING Garlic Mashed Potatoes!

I wish I had a picture of my new creation but I don't because they were gone with in a blink of an eye. These are really garlicky which means that Josh and I LOVED them. Here are the ingredients:

5 Large potatoes peeled and steamed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon salt
pepper (pinch)

After the potatoes are steamed well, beat them in the kitchen aid till they are mashed up well. Make sure you scrap the sides of the bowl to get them all. Mean while, in a microwave safe bowl, melt butter, sour cream, and salt then mix into mashed potatoes. Add the garlic and Mix Away! Poof! You have the BEST GARLIC MASHED POTATOES EVER!! Then... Call me up on the phone and invite me over for dinner so I can enjoy them too. hehe. But make sure you make two batches cause I will need one for myself. :)

Vegetable Stir-fry

Vegetable Stir-fry is one of Josh and I's favorite meals. We eat this at least once or twice a month. Its yummy, and pretty easy to make.

Ingredients

Rice noodles
Brocolli
Cauliflower
Tomatoes
Carrots
1/4 cup Teriyaki stir fry sauce

I don't even measure when making this. Just eye ball it and go to town! Cook your rice noodles and as those are cooking drizzle some olive oil on a large skillet and start steaming up those vegetables. When they are almost done add your noodles and sauce and mix them all together. Before I stopped eating meat, we used to add pepper bacon which added SO much flavor to this. Try it either way and I guarantee you will be satisfied. Plus you can add whatever vegetables you like, we add green pepper sometimes too.

Healthy Shrimp Tacos

These were TASTY! And easy to make.

Ingredients

Corn tortillas
2 Cups coleslaw mix
1/2 cup salsa
freshly chopped cilantro
grilled shrimp
Mrs. Dash Chicken seasoning
Olive oil

Mix coleslaw with salsa and add fresh cilantro. Drizzle a little olive oil on a skillet and heat it up. Cook the shrimp in the skillet with plenty of Mrs. Dash seasoning. Then make your tacos! We heated up the corn tortillas. SO easy and yummylicious!

Our Favorite SuMmEr CoRn!!

EASY EASY EASY!!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons finely minced fresh parsely
4-5 ears of corn
salt and pepper, to taste

On the bbq: Melt the butter with ingredients. Cut some foil long enough to wrap the corn with. Drizzle butter over each ear of corn evenly. Then wrap foil around corn tightly. Place on bbq for 15 minutes, make sure you turn it at least once.

In crockpot: Do the same as above by drizzling the butter ingredients on corn and then wrapping tightly with the foil. Then in crock pot place an inch of water and put corn in crockpot and cook on high for 2-2 1/2 hours. or On low for 4-5 hours.

SCRUMPTIOUS!!

Healthy & Yummy Strawberry Smoothies

Yummy! This picture makes me want another one RIGHT NOW!

Blend the following ingredients:

2 cups fresh strawberries
1/2 cup ice or more, your choice
1 packet Truvia sweetner

*Truvia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia plant. DONT USE SPLENDA, it was created as rat killer. Truvia is the best 0 calorie NATURAL sweetener out there for you. Also if you cant stop drinking those sodas, try switching to SOBE Lifewater, all flavors are delicious and its zero calories!

Creamy Italian White Bean Soup

I Loved this soup!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 medium stalk celery chopped
1 garlic clove
2 cans white kidney beans (15 oz each)
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups water
1 bunch spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
fresh parmesan cheese

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion, and celery till tender. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds while stirring. Add beans, broth, pepper, thyme, and water. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim stems from spinach.

With a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups bean and vegetable mixture from soup and blend in blender. Put back into soup when blended and bring back to a boil. Place spinach in soup and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve with cheese on top if you like.

each serving is 1 1/2 cups. Each serving has 295 calories, 18 grams protein, and 5grams total fat and 945 mg sodium.