Apple Dumplings

Pin It I think by now, you all know how much I love dessert. So when I found this recipe, I just had to make it. The ingredients seem strange, but I guarantee it is delicious. You can't tell at all that there is Mountain Dew in the sauce. I think it would probably work just as well if you use any type of citrus soda, diet or regular. This is one of those simple recipes that you can bring to a potluck, and everyone will think you slaved all day. Your secret is safe with me ;) I hope you'll try this, I know you'll love it!

Apple Dumplings

Ingredients:

2 Granny Smith apples

2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough

1 1/2 cup sugar (I like to use half brown/half white)

1 cup butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1 12 oz can Mountain Dew (I used diet)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices. Unroll the crescent roll dough, and roll each apple slice in one dough triangle. Pinch together the edges to make a bundle. Grease a baking dish, and line up the little bundles. Combine sugar, butter and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour this over the apple bundles. Pour the Mountain Dew over everything. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 45 minutes, until top is golden brown and crispy. Enjoy with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

Tres Leches Cake

Pin It Tres Leches cake is a sweet and delicious cake. It is made with, as you may have guessed, three milks. There are many recipes out there for this wonderful treat, most of which involve making the cake portion from scratch. That is wonderful, but in this recipe, I wanted to keep things simple. I purchased a box cake mix, and went from there. This is proof that you can make a stellar dessert, which will impress family and friends, without a lot of slave labor :)

Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix, prepared following package directions.
1 cup half-and-half
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
sugar

Preparation:

Allow baked cake to cool for 30 minutes. Using a sharp knife, poke holes all over top of cake. (Literally all over. You don't want any surface area not covered by holes. This is how the milks soak into the cake) Let cake cool completely. Mix the half-and-half, condensed milk, and evaporated milk with a whisk. Pour over the cake, making sure to cover the whole surface of the cake. This is the hard part: cover and put cake in fridge for 8 hours, or over night. I promise it's worth it! An hour before serving, whip heavy cream and vanilla (using stand mixer or beaters) to stiff peaks, adding sugar for taste. (I added 4 Tbsp, as this doesn't need to be overly sweet. The cake is plenty sweet on it's own). Smooth whipped cream over surface of cake. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Poppy Seed Chicken

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Poppy seed chicken is the perfect comfort food. It is creamy and savory with a crunchy, buttery topping. This recipe is also incredibly easy to make, and a great way to use up left over chicken. Fantastic served with a green salad and corn-on-the-cob.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery round crackers
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken chunks in 9x9 square baking dish. Mix together the sour cream and the soup. Pour over chicken. Combine crushed crackers, poppy seeds, and butter. Sprinkle over chicken and sauce. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Yummus Hummus!!

Pin It Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip typically made from chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. The recipe I make does not include the tahini, as it it both expensive and hard to find. It still tastes delicious! This particular recipe is very easy, and can be made using either dried (I did this, it takes longer) or canned chickpeas. You can use hummus as a spread on pita, dip veggies in it, or even chips! (I like it on tortilla chips)

Yummus Hummus!

Ingredients:

1-15 oz can chickpeas (drained, with 1/4 cup liquid reserved)**
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
olive oil

Preparation:

Place chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, pepper, and salt in a food processor. Blend together until smooth, adding reserved liquid. Add olive oil as needed to achieve desired consistency. Enjoy!

**If you are using dried chickpeas, follow package directions for soaking and cooking. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid to add to mixture while processing. Prepare hummus as directed above.