Kitchen Delights 2/14/19
Valentine’s Day, what a special day it is. It’s the day you show your love and affection for that special someone in your life; wives and husbands, boyfriends to girlfriends. It’s a day that long-stem roses are popular. Maybe a heart-shaped box of candy, and jewelry, Valentine cards with a special message written inside, are tokens for suitors to present to their sweethearts.
Whether you go out for a great meal, or you stay home and make the meal, I’ve got a delicious fudge cheesecake recipe I know your husband or boyfriend will love.
Fabulous Fudge Cheesecake
CRUST:
1 c. vanilla wafer crumbs or graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
Place the crumbs and powdered sugar in a small bowl; pour melted butter over, mix together. Press into bottom of a cheesecake pan.
FILLING:
3 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
4 eggs
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Beat in the condensed milk and vanilla, add the melted chocolate, blend well. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Spoon filling over crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Cool completely. Carefully run a knife around edges. Place on serving plate. Top each piece with whipped cream.
Your children are also loved and appreciated. So, the rest of today’s recipes are to make them a great “Valentine’s Day” meal.
Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. pepper
32 oz. carton chicken broth
8 oz. pkg. mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 oz. pkg. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 oz. pkg. smoked provolone cheese, shredded
16 oz. box Zita, cooked according to pkg. directions
1 c. shredded Colby-Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 3-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
In a Dutch oven, melt butter, add flour and pepper; cook, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in broth. Stir frequently as it’s cooking, for 6-8 minutes, or until thickened and bubbly.
Gradually stir in mozzarella, Monterey Jack and Provolone, until cheeses melt and mixture is smooth. Add cooked pasta; simmer over low heat, stirring gently to coat pasta.
Transfer to prepared casserole. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Top with Colby-Jack cheese; bake, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Yield: 8-10 servings
Souper Burgers
1 lb. ground beef
1/3 c. diced onion
10-3/4 oz. can cheddar cheese soup
2 T. ketchup
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 hamburger buns, split and toasted
In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cooked beef and onion until beef has browned and onion is tender; chop up to separate meat. Drain off fat.
Combine the browned beef, soup, ketchup ad pepper. Heat thoroughly over low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve on buns.
Yield: 6 servings
Red Velvet Brownie Hearts
1 box (family size) fudge brownie mix
1/2 c. sour cream
2 eggs
1 oz. bottle red food coloring
2 lbs. powdered sugar (8 c.)
1/2 c. water
2 T. light corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Red food coloring
Empty brownie mix into a large bowl. Add sour cream,eggs and red food coloring; mix well. Pour batter in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
Bake and cool as directed on the package. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out and place heart-shaped brownies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Combine powdered sugar,water and corn syrup in a saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat until sugar is melted, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla. Tint with desired amount of food coloring. Spoon icing over tops and sides of brownie hearts. If icing becomes too stiff, gently reheat to pouring consistency. Let stand until icing is set.
Use remaining icing to decorate or write on brownies. Pour a small amount of icing into a small plastic bag,snip off a tiny piece from a corner. Squeeze through hole in bag to decorate or write on brownies.
Yield: 5 dozen
Easy Peanut Butter Truffles
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. honey
2 c. creamy peanut butter
1-1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. honey roasted or dry roasted peanuts, chopped
Line an 8-inch square pan with foil. Grease foil with butter. In a small saucepan, combine butter and honey over low heat, stir in peanut butter; stir until well blended. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spoon and spread evenly into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm.
Place peanuts in a shallow bowl. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Remove foil; cut candy into bite-size tiny squares (about 3 dozen). Roll squares into balls; then roll into peanuts.
You can leave them plain, or melt chocolate or white almond bark (4 squares with 3/4 teaspoons vegetable oil). Melt in the microwave, it melts quickly. Drizzle over candies, decorate with red Valentine sprinkles
When my children were young, this is a treat I made for them every Valentine’s Day. Knox® Gelatin Blox. Today we will call them
Valentine Blox
3 envelopes gelatin
3 (3 oz.) pkgs. cherry or raspberry gelatin
2-1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. cold water or 1 c. heavy cream
Bring 2-1/2 cups water to a boil, add gelatin and flavored gelatin, stir cold water. For creamy look, us the cream. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Refrigerate.
Use a Valentine-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes, or cut into tiny squares. Your children will love these!
“To know God puts a song in your heart, and a smile on your face.”