Oops sorry, Shadowlander, I didn't know you liked grits. What we had was some kind of instant stuff - I think. Alas, it is a memory I try not to recall. The gravy recipe I have is pretty simple, I'm sure you could do it. Of course, if it turns out lumpy, you can always dump the whole batch in the blender for a few seconds. My sisters have rescued a few gravies and cream soups that way. Looks like Iron Chef gravy!

My sister, Scarlet_Trefoil, is the cheesecake baker at our house and for Valentine's Day, she made a raspberry cheesecake with brownie crust. It was so good. If you don't want raspberry, I'm sure you could substitute whatever berries you want. If you're interested in the recipe, SusanTheArcher, I'll ask her for it. The brownie crust is baked and the cheesecake part is made with gelatin so it's not baked, but it does have to chill overnight.

Kate, Scarlet usually makes creme de menthe squares for St. Patrick's Day. But this year, as my Dad and brothers aren't really into mint, she's making a green tinted coconut pie and probably a chocolate cream pie instead. We girls will get to indulge our mint-chocolate cravings later on.

I'm probably going to make green pancakes for breakfast on St. Patrick's Day. As anyone else ever made green eggs? I remember making them one year when I was 6 or 7, they were so ugly. Green milk sounds interesting....

SnowAngel

Could you message me the cheesecake recipe, SnowAngel? I don't normally like cheesecake but that sounds yummy!

Here's the recipe, Orious.
Raspberry Cheesecake with Brownie Crust
Crust
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter plus 2 T. (or 6 T.), melted
¾ cup flour
¼ cup cocoa plus 2 T.
½ tsp. salt

Filling
2 cups raspberries
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin dissolved in ¼ cup of cold water
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla

For crust- In mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add butter. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; stir into egg mixture and mix well. Line a 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper, pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until done. Cool completely.

For filling-
1.Place raspberries, water, and sugar in a saucepan, heat to boiling , and then cook at a boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2.Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved.
3.Add cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and vanilla, mixing until well blended.
4.Pour filling into crust and refrigerate until cheesecake is firm, approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Yield: One 8- or 9-inch cheesecake
Note: Scarlet used to 2 packages of cream cheese, instead of 1 cream cheese and the ricotta cheese.

One of my younger sisters is baking gingersnaps are now. It's smells and tastes really good.

Got to run,
SnowAngel

That sounds yummy! I think I'll take it for my collection too and do lowfat substitutions on the cheese. Thanks.

That sounds delicious, Snow Angel! I ended up making the typical NY cheesecake and it turned out pretty well. The only thing that went wrong is that I wasn't able to let it cool in the oven because my Dad was making cauliflower gratin and needed it so the cake cracked a little bit but it wasn't a big deal. Unfortunately I made a lot of cake and it turns out that my two brothers and Mom don't like cheesecake so I had to throw away about a quarter of it

SusanTheArcher, it's normal for the top to crack a little. The recipe I post is the only Scarlet has made that hasn't crack at all and that's because it is not baked. I think it takes a lot of practice to make a cheesecake that doesn't crack at all.

One of my sisters made vanilla ice cream today, it was delicious. We have a family recipe that has lots of vanilla and milk. Mummm.... I made fudge sauce to go with it, it's one of my specialties. It was dark chocolate this time.

SnowAngel

Strawberries have been on sale a lot recently, so i've been having fun with my ice cream

I was wondering if anyone here knows any simple cookie recipies? I'm already bored of all the cookie recipies that we have, and looking for them online is a hassel. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

De_De, I just made this recipe today for the second time. It's really easy and everyone likes it.

Mud Pie Cookies (crème filled)
½ cup butter 1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar 1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ¾ cups flour
½ cup cocoa

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and ; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Grease cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonful onto cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375F for 8 to 10 or until done. Cool. Spread one cookie with crème filling, then top with second cookie. Makes 16-18 filled cookies.

For the crème filling-
Cream ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup shortening; gradually beat in 1 cup marshmallow cream. Blend in 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla and 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar; beat to spreading consistency.
If you would like some more recipes, I'll post more later.

SnowAngel

Thanks for the recipe SnowAngel! I will definatly try it as soon as I get better! And I would love more recipes, thank you

Here's another recipe, De_De.
Yum Yum Cookies
1 box cake mix
1 egg
½ cup butter
Mix together and press into a lightly greased 9x13-inch pan. Mixture will be dry. Cream together the following with a mixer:
8oz. cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar
2 eggs
To this add: 1 pkg. chocolate chips
Pour over cake mixture. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, until knife slides out clean. Cut into squares and refrigerate.

Optional: when chocolate chips adding, add 1 cup chopped pecan or coconut

We have made this recipe lots of times. Little kids really like it, especially in the summertime. It’s really good with a lemon cake mix and white chocolate chips or with chocolate cake mix and mint chips.

I think I need to make Yum Yum cookies this week.
SnowAngel

Thanls alot for the Mud Pie Cookies receipe SnowAngel . I made it on the weekends and everyone here loved it! I will definatly try the Yum Yum cookies. Only I don't think they sell cake mixes where I live (in fact, I'm not really sure what it is ). Do you know if I can use something else???

Thanls alot for the Mud Pie Cookies receipe SnowAngel . I made it on the weekends and everyone here loved it! I will definatly try the Yum Yum cookies. Only I don't think they sell cake mixes where I live (in fact, I'm not really sure what it is ). Do you know if I can use something else???

I'm glad you liked them, De_De.

A cake mix is basically the dry ingredients for a cake in box. Here is a recipe for a cake mix. It's kind of a big recipe, but I'm sure it can be halved.

Cake Mix Recipe
10 cups flour
6 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
5 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 ½ cups shortening

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well mixed. Use a pastry blender or a heavy-duty mixer to blend in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal in texture. Store in a airtight container for up to 12 weeks.

Makes about 17 cups of cake mix. 3 cups of mix is equal to 1 cake mix.

SnowAngel

I had Chicken A la Fresca at a local restaurant last night. Tonight (my mom fixed the chicken 'cause I was working) I tried my hand at a homemade version.

Flaws... rice was too spicy.

Otherwise it came off fairly well. Basically, it was chicken over rice with a tad bit of salsa on top of the chicken with a small side salad.

Your chicken sounds yummy, starkat!

Yesterday, I made dark chocolate brownies for dessert. We ate them warm with vanillla ice cream and pecans. Delicious!

Right now, one of my sisters is making pizza for supper. It's smells really good.

SnowAngel