My latest....

A friend asked for these recipes so I thought I might as well post them here seeing as it took sssooo long to type them up!!!


Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip (Our Best Bites)

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (you can use light cream cheese)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (you can add more to taste)
Toffee bits (look by the chocolate chips and try and find the chocolate covered ones if you can! Your dip won’t be pretty, but it will sure taste good!)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. (about a pinch) nutmeg



Blueberry-Pineapple Pina Colada Pie


Preheat oven to 400

Place 1 single crust pie shell into the freezer


3 cups blueberries, canned (drained), frozen (partially thawed), or fresh

1 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained

1/3 cup thawed frozen pina colada concentrate

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon coconut/vanilla extract

pinch of salt


Topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into quarter inch pieces


Combine the blueberries, pineapple and pina colada concentrate in a large bowl. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then stir the mixture into the fruit. Stir in the coconut extract and salt. Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell and smooth the top with a spoon. Place the pie in the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the crumb topping. Put the flour, coconut, sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse briefly to mix. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse until the mixture starts to form gravelly crumbs. Dump the crumbs in to a large bowl and rub between your fingers to form large, buttery crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the pie from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375. Carefully dump the crumbs in the center of the pie, spreading them evenly over the surface with your hands. Tap them down lightly. Return the pie to the oven, placing it so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward. Just in case, slide a large aluminum foil-lined baking sheet on to the rack below to catch any spills. Continue to bake until the juices bubble thickly around the edge, about 30 minutes. If it to starts to get too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.



Blueberry Sour Cream Pie


1 graham cracker crust OR baked pie shell


A one pound bag individually frozen blueberries (not packed in syrup)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Cream Cheese Sour Cream topping:


one 8 oz. package full-fat cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 cup full-fat sour cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla


Combine the frozen blueberries and lemon juice in a medium-sized nonreactive saucepan. Cover and cook over medium to low heat until the blueberries are almost simmering in their own liquid. Mix the granulated sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then stir the mixture into the blueberries. Bring the fruit to a boil, stirring. Once the fruit starts to boil, reduce the heat a little and cook, stirring nonstop, for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Scrape the fruit into a shallow bowl and let cool for 15 minutes. Spoon the partially cooled filling into the cooled pie shell and smooth with a spoon. Refridgerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugars, and lemon zest together in a medium-sized bowl until smooth. Add the sour cream and vanilla and blend briefly until smooth. Spoon the filling over the chilled pie and smooth the top with a spoon. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and refridgerate for at least 2 hours.



Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball


one 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup milk chocolate chips (divided)

1/2 cup diced almonds


In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Mix together until fluffy. Gradually add the sugars, mixing only until the sugars are combined with the mixture. Chop 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips into very small pieces. (I use my food processor to do this.) Carefully fold the small pieces into the cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill for about 2 hours. Toast the almonds for 5-10 minutes on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 oven. Stir almonds often while roasting. Place the remaining chocolate chips in a blender/food processor and chop into a fine powder. Mix the fine powder with the almonds. After the cream cheese mixture has cooled for the 2 hours remove it from the fridge. Place the mixture in plastic wrap/wax paper and form into a ball. Set the wrapped ball into a bowl and place back into the fridge to chill for another hour. Immediately prior to serving, remove the cheese ball from the wrapping and roll in the almond and chocolate mixture.

Serve with a variety of honey, cinnamon, and chocolate graham crackers OR fruit!!!


(I have never used almonds when I make this, I just roll in the chopped swirled chocolate chips. I have also used flavored cream cheese, strawberry)