Peanut Butter Fudge

Every year Colin and I do the crazy Christmas run-around to see my dad and both of our moms and stepdads. I always like to bring some kind of Christmas treats with us so I usually spend a couple days making various cookies and such. I wanted to do the same this year, but now that we have the baby, I knew I would need to simplify a bit. When I saw this recipe for peanut butter fudge, which sounded delicious, indulgent, and easy, I knew I had found a winner! I whipped up a couple of batches during Theo's morning nap, then let them cool and packaged them up in some festive holiday wrap during his afternoon nap--done!

Peanut Butter Fudge

8 oz. (2 sticks!!) unsalted butter

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

16 oz. confectioners sugar

Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper. Combine the butter and peanut butter in a large microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, stir, recover and microwave an additional 2 minutes. Carefully remove plastic wrap and use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir in vanilla and powderco fectioners sugar. Stir until evenly combined. The mixture will lose it's sheen and become difficult to stir. Poor mixture into prepared pan and smooth out the top. Place another piece of parchment paper directly on top of the fudge. Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours. Use a sharp knife to cut into approximately 64 pieces one-inch pieces.

Source: annies-eats.com

Jalapeno Popper Quiche

We just had this for dinner tonight and Colin loved it so much that I wanted to make sure to post it before I forgot because this will definitely be one I'm making again! It's really easy (although all of the cooking time means it's not the world's quickest thing to throw together) and so delicious. The blog that I originally got the recipe from mentioned that this was served for breakfast, but I thought it worked equally well for dinner. Make this and you won't regret it!

1 9-inch pie shell, pre-baked (I'm sure homemade crust would be even better, but store bought worked just fine)
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 jalapeno, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350. Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of the pie crust and sprinkle with the diced jalapenos. Heat the milk and cream over medium heat until just before it boils, about 5 minutes, and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the eggs into the heated cream mixture, stirring constantly. Mix in the paprika and salt. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with the cheddar cheese, arrange the jalapeno slices on top and bake until the cheese has completely melted and turned golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Source: closetcooking.com

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

I brought these for our cookie exchange that we had at work today and they were quite a hit. They were really yummy and something about the "mini" thing makes for a fun presentation. I got tons of compliments on them, and lucky for me they were also super quick and easy to make. Perfect!

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

Makes 12

12 Oreos
8 oz. cream cheese (I used light and it worked out just fine)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
Mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with liners. Put an Oreo in the bottom of each liner. Mix together the cream cheese and sugar. Add in the egg and mix well. Pour cheesecake mixture over each Oreo (so that each one is about 2/3 full). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and let cool slightly. Sprinkle with a few mini chocolate chips.

Source: sparkpeople.com

Banana and Chocolate Upside Down Cake

This recipe caught my eye for two reasons: 1. it simply sounded good and 2. I seem to always be looking for ways to use up a few ripe bananas before they have to be tossed. I made this for dessert one night, served with a little vanilla ice cream on the side and it was so good! And even better, there were enough bananas in it that I was able to convince myself that it was an appropriate breakfast food, too, and it was just as delicious the next morning (sans the vanilla ice cream since that would probably be a little bit harder to justify!).

For the topping:
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2-3 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 bananas
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons low fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the topping, place the brown sugar and butter in an 8-inch square baking pan (I used a round pie pan and that worked out just fine). Set the pan over a burner set to medium-low heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until the butter melts and the brown sugar is thoroughly moistened. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Arrange the banana slices over the bottom of the pan, overlapping them slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, banana puree, sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Stir until just combined, then gently fold in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the cake pan, being careful not to disturb the banana slices. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the center is just set and firm to the touch, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cake pan, and invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: pink-parsley.com

Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches

Ok, there's really not an actual recipe here, but these were just too good not to share. Once again, it was so clear to me how much better homemade anything is. This was pretty much inspired by the classic McDonald's egg McMuffin, but it was a million times better and so easy! We just made some biscuits (ok, full disclosure, I used the store bought refrigerated biscuit dough, so I'm not sure this can even really qualify as "homemade"!), fried a couple eggs, cooked some bacon, put it all together and then popped them in the oven long enough for a slice of cheddar cheese to melt on top. Seriously couldn't be easier or more delicious!

Cranberry, Carmelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Dip

Ok, once again I know that I'm very behind on my blogging because I made this as an appetizer months ago for Thanksgiving. It was really yummy and kind of Thanksgiving-y due to the cranberry factor, but since you can use fresh or frozen cranberries this can easily be made any time of year.......like, say, March!

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
4 oz. package goat cheese, room temperature
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

In a mixer, combine the cream cheese and goat cheese. Beat until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and mix until well incorporated. Spread into the bottom of a baking dish. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute until softened. Add sugar and mix well. Continue cooking to carmelize the onions. Lower the heat slightly and stir every few minutes. This should take about 10 minutes. Once the onions are carmelized, remove them from the skillet and set aside. Add the cranberries, water and sugar into the same skillet. Stir to dissolve sugar. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until cranberries pop open and are softened, about 5 minutes. Once mixture thickens, add the balsamic vinegar and return the onions to the skillet. Stir well, add the pecans, and then let cool. Just prior to serving the dip, spoon the cranberry mixture on top of the cheese mixture. Serve with crackers for dipping.

Nutter Butter Truffles

I'm sure you've guessed based on the name alone that these are DELICIOUS! Luckily they're so rich I can only have one (or maybe two!) at a time because otherwise I would be tempted to eat the entire batch in one sitting!

1 package cream cheese, softened
1 package Nutter Butters (less about 5)
Semi-sweet bakers chocolate, melted

Place Nutter Butters in a food processor and crush finely. Mix with cream cheese. Form into 1-inch balls and dip in melted chocolate. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Cool completely in the fridge.

Feta Walnut Dip

I've served this now at several get togethers--it's the perfect food for entertaining because it's very easy, can be made in advance, and is super flavorful and delicious!

1 large clove garlic
1 cup walnut halves
1 1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Serve with pita wedges or pita chips.

BEVOrzo Salad

This was another recipe from the Star-Telegram article on tailgating foods (hence the UT inspired name) and it was so good! It's not really your standard "tailgating" food, and it takes a little more time and effort than my usual football foods, but it was delicious and I'll definitely be making it for dinner again soon (no football watching required)!

1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1 inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1 inch diced
1 red onion, 1 inch diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2/3 cup olive oil, divided
Zest from 1 lemon
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
8 oz. orzo
1 small bunch green onions, thinly sliced white and part of green
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 oz. crumbled feta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 425. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with 1/3 cup olive oil; coat evenly. Place mixture on a large sheet pan and roast for 40 minutes, turning once with a spatula. Make the dressing by combining the remaining olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and add hot orzo to the dressing. After roasting, add the vegetables to the pasta. Let cook to room temperature. Add green onions, pine nuts, feta and tomatoes. Check the seasonings. Keeps well in the refrigerator. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Green Dip

I found this recipe in an article the Star-Telegram did during college football season on favorite tailgating recipes. It's definitely easy to make and yummy, so it gets the football snack seal of approval at our house too.

1/2 cup Mrs. Renfro's Hot Green Salsa
1/2 cup milk
4 oz. low-fat feta
Brick of cream cheese, softened
4 or 5 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy. Pour into a bowl and garnish with more cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips and veggies for dipping.

Lime Meltaways

We recently had an unprecedented FOUR straight snowdays--and these were legitimate snowdays where the roads really were terrible and we were pretty much trapped in our house. I had to do something to entertain myself, so I spent a lot of time cooking and baking (and then eating, and eating some more!). These were one of my snowday treats and I think they're perfect because they even kind of look "snowy"!

12 tablespoons ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar
zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup powdered sugar

Cream the butter with the powdered sugar. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla. Mix the flour, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet (it took a while for this to really start to resemble dough). Roll the dough out into a 1 1/4 inch log. Wrap in plastic and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the dough into 1/4 inch thick slices and place them onto a baking sheet, 1 inch apart from each other. Bake until just lightly golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 4 minutes. Dredge the cookies in powdered sugar to coat.

Source: closetcooking.com

Chili Frito Pie

Frito pie is probably the kind of thing that some people wouldn't put on their food blogs. For one thing, it's not exactly the "classiest" of food items and for another, it's pretty much impossible to get a picture of a Frito pie that really looks all that appetizing. But I thought that anyone who knows the deliciousness of Frito pie could easily over look these issues, so when I was struck by a random craving for some, so I tracked down a really simple chili recipe (which is something I should really have in my cooking arsenal by now anyway!), bought some Fritos, and enjoyed every last bite!

To make the chili:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans
1 pinch chili powder
1 pinch garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
(this is a really basic chili recipe, so it's perfect for tweaking to your liking--I added way more spices than it called for and I think it definitely would've been on the bland side otherwise)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the beef and onion and saute until meat is browned and onion is tender. Add the stewed tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and beans. Season with the chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Source: allrecipes.com

I topped a bowl of Fritos with some chili, chopped white onion, shredded cheddar cheese and a little bit of sour cream and it was perfect!

Butternut Squash Soup

Somehow I've gone all my life without ever cooking with butternut squash. I always see recipes using butternut squash, but for some reason I've been a little intimidated to try it. When I finally decided to try this soup I started by Googling how to cut a butternut squash--and good thing I did, because I had no idea where to start and I learned some very handy tips! I'm glad I ventured into a new territory because this soup was so good and was the absolute perfect thing to have on a chilly winter night!

1 tablespoon butter
3 1/2 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup half and half
1/8 teaspoon salt

To prepare soup, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, carrot, and onion; saute for 12 minutes. Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in half and half and salt. Place squash mixer in a blender (or use a hand blender) and blend until smooth.

I also made some homemade crutons to add to the soup and served it with a simple salad and cheesy toasts---soooooo good!!

Source: Cooking Light

Homemade Bagel Chips

Somehow I fell for the allure of the mini bagel (I think it was an attempt to enjoy a bagel while not going totally carb crazy), but those suckers seem to come in a bag of about 300, so I was trying to find something to do with all of those darn mini bagels. I needed an appetizer to take with me to a get together, so I decided a dip with homemade bagel chips was the perfect solution! Obviously these are really easy, but they were also quite yummy!

Heat oven to 425. Slice bagels (mini or regular) into very thin slices and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the bagel with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with seasonings of choice (I used salt, pepper, garlic powder and a dash of an Italian seasoning mix). Bake in oven for about 10 minutes, or until both sides are browned and crispy.

Pork with Pomegranate Pan Sauce

Now that I feel like I've moved slightly past the novice cook stage, I've been trying to expand my cooking repertoire, so pork it is! I've actually had this recipe for over a year--we planned to have Colin's parents over for Christmas Eve dinner at our house last year and I wanted to try something new and kind of "fancy" for the occasion. Unfortunately, Mother Nature disrupted our plans, delivering a serious Christmas Eve snowfall and my in-laws couldn't safely make the drive to our house. Somehow, I've never actually gotten around to making this recipe until now--and I'm actually kind of glad I didn't try it out when we were hosting guests! Since I'm not a pork pro, I definitely overcooked these. It was still decent and had good flavor, so I definitely think it's a recipe I want to try again and hopefully I can improve my pork cooking skills!

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4 oz.) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup chopped shallots
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle over pork chops. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops; cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. Add shallots to pan; cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add juice, sugar and vinegar; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Serve pork with sauce.

Source: Cooking Light magazine

I served these with a spinach and arugula side dish that was so good, so thankfully the whole dinner wasn't a bust!

Sauteed Spinach and Arugula with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese

4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb. fresh spinach
1/4 lb. fresh arugula
Salt and pepper to taste
A few spoonfuls of goat cheese (around 1 oz. per serving)

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a very small pan (so there's some depth to the olive oil) on medium heat. Once hot, add in pine nuts and let fry for a couple of minutes until golden brown. Then transfer them using a slotted spoon to a separate bowl. Once cooled a bit, lay them out on a paper towel to soak up some of the excess oil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add in spinach and arugula and saute until wilted. Add in salt and pepper to taste. To serve, toss spinach mixture with pine nuts and add in a few spoonfuls of goat cheese.

Orange Pound Cake

This is one of Colin's favorite things for his mom to make, so my mother-in-law so very nicely gave me the recipe so that I'd be able to make it for him too. As Colin's 31st (yikes!) birthday was approaching, I asked him what kind of cake he wanted and this was his request. It didn't turn out exactly like his mom's version, of course, but he seemed happy with it and my MIL gave it her stamp of approval!

Orange Pound Cake

1 package Duncan Hines Orange Supreme cake mix (this was the biggest issue I had--apparently orange cake mixes of any kind are not easy to find, so after my second grocery store with no luck, I went with a spice cake mix and it worked out just fine!)
1 3.5 oz. package vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup Crisco oil
1 cup water
4 eggs

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice OR 2 tablespoons milk (since I didn't use the orange cake mix, I went with the milk option)

Preheat oven to 350. Blend all ingredients through eggs together in a large bowl at medium speed for 2 minutes. Do not overmix. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Pour batter into pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until center springs back when touched lightly. Cool in pan for 25 minutes. Invert on cooling rack and allow cake to finish cooling. Meanwhile, to make glaze blend powdered sugar with either orange juice or milk. After cake has cooled, drizzle glaze over cake. (I also added some chopped pecans and served this with classic Blue Bell vanilla ice cream--delish!)

Avocado Hummus

I love avocados and I love hummus, so when my friend Amanda told me she was bringing this for an appetizer, I knew already that I would love it. Yep, I was right! I ended up Googleing some of the ingredients that I knew were in it so that I could make it myself a few days later and found (I think!) the recipe on the Food Network website. Yum!

2 avocados, peeled and diced
1/2 jalapeno, chopped
7 oz. hummus (I went easy and used store bought, but homemade would work too!)
Salt
Lemon juice
Cilantro, chopped
Veggies, pita chips and/or tortilla chips for serving

Puree avocados and jalapeno in a food processor. Stir in hummus, a pinch of salt and squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I can't remember which blog I found this recipe on, but the full name is actually THE BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, so I had pretty high expectations going into it. Earning the title of "Best" is pretty serious business, but these were definitely good! I made a few changes based on what ingredients I had on hand, so next time I'll probably try the standard version just for the sake of comparison.

2 cups plus 2 T. all-purpose flour (I used about half whole wheat flour)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used white chocolate chips)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I added these because I thought they would go well with my other changes)

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare an 8x8 baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chips (and nuts, if using). Pour into baking dish and lightly pat to even out mixture in pan. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until light golden brown and outer edges start to harden, yet center is still soft and puffy. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Homemade Mac and Cheese

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before my undying love for macaroni and cheese. I really love any version of mac and cheese--fancy cheese restaurant-style, old school Kraft blue box style, even the Lean Cuisine kind is one of my preferred workday lunches. But my absolute favorite is my mom's baked macaroni and cheese with a buttery, crunchy breadcrumb topping. I don't know why I haven't just asked her for the recipe already, but this version is a pretty darn close substitute--meaning delicious, and I highly recommend it!

8 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (sharp is important to really get the best flavor)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 pinch paprika

Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses and cook over low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in a large casserole dish and pour sauce over macaroni (it may seem a little too "sauce-y" at this point, but it will really thicken up and be the perfect amount after cooking). Stir well. Melt remaining two tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni to cover and sprinkle with a little paprika. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Dijon Salmon Cakes

I love, love, love crab cakes so I had a feeling that I would like these salmon cakes. They didn't have quite as much flavor as I was hoping they would, so next time I make them, I'll probably play around with the seasonings a bit and maybe come up with some sort of yummy dipping sauce.

1 lb. skinless salmon filet
2 scallions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Panko break crumbs
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place salmon, scallions and salt and pepper in a food processor and chop. Mix in bread crumbs and Dijon mustard. Form into eight patties. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and cook patties until opaque, about 2 minutes per side.

Source: Real Simple

Spicy Beef Kebabs with Lime

I typically don't eat or cook with a lot of red meat, so this was really out on a limb for me, but I knew my lovely husband would appreciate a yummy dinner that included beef for once! I'm glad I tried something new because these ended up being so good! We served these with Colin's delicious spicy grilled corn on the cob and it was quite the excellent dinner.

1 1/2 lbs. tri-tip or sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
8 red jalapeno peppers, cut into 1 inch thick rings (I subbed in bell pepper and purple onion pieces)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 limes, cut into wedges

Thread meat and veggies onto 8 skewers. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, turning frequently, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Serve with lime wedges.

Source: Real Simple

All American Meal--Buffalo Style

I'm not the world's biggest meat eater, but every once in a while I have a serious craving for a hamburger. I decided that I would go with a classic American meal--hamburgers, french fries and coleslaw. I don't typically like coleslaw, but I've learned over time that just about anything is better when it's homemade, so I decided I would try a coleslaw recipe myself and it was actually really good! The burger and fries both have a "Buffalo" twist (shout out to the Malchoffs!) for an extra kick and everything turned out really yummy. Craving satisfied!

Buffalo Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey
Blue cheese crumbles (I don't love blue cheese, so I subbed in a slice of provolone instead)
Frank's Hot Sauce
Breadcrumbs
Cayenne
Hamburger buns

Mix first 5 ingredients to taste (I like a lot of Buffalo sauce flavor, so I put in a ton of Frank's!) in a medium size bowl. Form mixture into 4 burgers. Put on the grill and leave until cooked through. Assemble burgers and top with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Buffalo Fries

2-3 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
1/8 cup butter
1/8 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for dipping

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange potato wedges on sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, until tender. Remove pan from oven. Combine hot sauce and butter in a bowl and microwave until melted. Stir to combine. Drizzle mixture over fries and return to oven for additional 15 minutes. Serve with dressing for dipping.

Classic Coleslaw

2 1/2 lbs. green cabbage, shredded
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Toss all veggies in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Whisk together mayo, vinegar and sugar. Toss with veggies. Chill, covered, stirring occasionally, at least 1 hour.

Source: bigcitycooking.blogspot.com

Lemon Cheesecake Ball

Once again I've managed to get super behind on recipe blogging--I know that because I last served this at a baby shower I hosted in OCTOBER! It's almost February, so I am seriously slacking! As far as the recipe goes, this was absolutely perfect for a baby shower since it's a little bit of a "girly" food. It's also really yummy and can easily be made in advance.

10 oz. cream cheese
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Zest of 1 large lemon
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 Graham crackers

Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir together with a spoon or spatula until well combined and smooth. Mix in the lemon zest and juice until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball wrapped tightly in the plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours. Reshape if necessary once firm. Coarsely crush the graham crackers and transfer to a plate or bowl. Roll the cheese ball in the crumbs until evenly coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with fruit (I especially like it with green apple slices and strawberries) and/or crackers.

Source: annies-eats.com