Ooey Gooey Cheesecake Bars

1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 stick of butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar (1/2 of regular bag)
1 pkg (8 0z) cream cheese, softened

Combine yellow cake mix, one egg, and stick of butter to form a crust. Smush into bottom of 13x9 pan.

Combine two remaining eggs, powdered sugar, and cream cheese and pour mixture over crust.
Bake for 35-40 min in 350° oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and allow to cool.

Comments from the cook: I got this recipe from an old roommate when I was at BYU. It's also commonly known as Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, or Ooey Gooey Lemon Cake (when made with a lemon cake mix instead of yellow). It's a tasty one, and the crust gets me every time... Mmmmm!

Originally shared by Tierra Phillips, Clover Haus roommate circa 2005

PW's Mozzarella Sticks

8 sticks mozzarella string cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 1/2 TBSP milk
1 cup Panko Japanese bread crumbs
1/2 TBSP parsley
salt
canola oil
marinara sauce

Prep:

Unwrap string cheese. Cut in half.

Put flour in small bowl/plate.

Mix egg and milk in a small bowl, stirring with fork.

Add a few shakes of salt (from the salt shaker) to a small bowl or plate holding the Panko crumbs.

How to:
Roll cheese through flour to coat.

Dip flour-coated cheese in egg/milk mixture so that egg/milk is absorbed into flour coating.

Roll through Panko crumbs to coat.

When finished coating, place prepped cheese sticks in freezer for 20-30 min (to flash freeze).

Fry in 1-2" canola oil until golden brown. Allow to dry on paper-towel.

Serve with marinara sauce.

Makes 16 mozzarella sticks.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's website, and INSTANTLY knew that these would become a favorite at our house. Brian loves cheese sticks more than most appetizers, so we gave them a try! They turned out AMAZINGLY, and we've made them multiple times since and have not been disappointed!

How-to found here, printable version here. (Special thanks to PW for a never-ending supply of amazing recipes!)

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup crushed Oreos
3/4 c chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350°.
Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar together. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla.
Add flour and salt, a little at a time, until thoroughly mixed. Fold in Oreos and chocolate chips.
Bake 11-14 minutes, until bottoms are slightly browned.

Comments from the cook: Holy Oreo cheesecake goodness! I found this recipe on a website that I love, and knew I had to try them. The original recipe called for 4 oz of cream cheese, and I accidentally threw in the entire brick (80z!). I didn't realize my mistake until the next day, when I didn't have any cream cheese for my bagel. :)

These cookies have that tart/tangy taste that cream cheese is best at creating... and would be perfect for holiday neighbor gifts. Mmmm!
I'd recommend baking these up after a night of chilling the dough in the fridge. The Oreos soften overnight and are easier to work with that way...but if you can't wait, they're still excellent immediately!
Originally found (and most text taken from) here - slightly modified (not necessarily on purpose!)

PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine butter and sugars and blend until smooth. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and egg.

Add flour, baking soda and salt (sifted together).

Mix in oats and chocolate chips.

Form tablespoon-sized balls and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Comments from the cook: This recipe came highly recommended from my mother in law, Debby. She was given the recipe by one of Brian's cousins, and I'm glad they eventually made their way into my kitchen!

These cookies reaffirm my belief that the marriage between peanut butter and chocolate is as steady and unbreakable as ever! :)

I didn't have creamy peanut butter on hand (which I usually use in recipes), but the chunky stuff worked quite well, and adds even more texture to these little darlings.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, found online here

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet ingredients:

1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 c water
2 cups solid pack pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or line with cupcake papers.

Combine dry ingredients. Then add wet ingredients. Stir until no longer lumpy.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick doneness test!

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
few shakes of salt from the salt-shaker
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Melt butter in medium bowl. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Sprinkle salt in. Add powdered sugar. Mixture will be chunky (and resemble oatmeal!).

Add milk and stir until dissolved.

Dip mostly-cooled muffins upside-down in glaze, or wait a few moments and spread on with a knife.

Makes 36-40 muffins.

Comments from the cook: Pumpkin muffins = Fall. And, I fought everything in me to hoard the solid-pack pumpkin I found the other day...but these muffins? I'm no match for them, I tell you.

This is a huge recipe, and makes a LOT of muffins. My mom usually makes loaves, and just bakes them for longer. From what I remember, she usually made some loaves with walnuts. Just smother your bread/muffins with butter before eating, and you can't go wrong. Mmmmm-hmmmm.

This glaze was my first attempt at a non-cream-cheese frosting, and it is quite sweet. A brown sugar flavor without the thickness of frosting...

Originally a recipe from my mom. I managed to misplace it (or never wrote it down in a safe place), and then found a close facsimile online, here. (Mom, if yours is different, please email me IMMEDIATELY!)

Banana Streusel Muffins

Muffins:

1 cup flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plain yogurt)
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1 lg banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:

1 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
1 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBSP flour
salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Stir in the melted butter and plain yogurt. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Add the banana and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan or into muffin tin (makes about 12 muffins).

Make topping by mashing together the tablespoon of cold butter with the tablespoon of flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Distribute the topping evening over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes for loaf or 20-25 minutes for muffins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan or muffin tin.

Comments from the cook: A.Maz.Ing. These muffins represent one of my few cooking ventures since I've been so sick and pregnant. They are fantastic, and the streusel topping is to DIE FOR.

I doubled this recipe, and it made about 20 muffins. I've always been a fan of streusel, so I actually did a little more than the recipe called for. That can't hurt anything, right??

Best served with Mylanta...or your juice of choice! :)

Originally found on this website, taken from this book. (Most text taken from website).

Jell-O Cake

1 white cake mix, made as directed
1 small pkg sugar free strawberry Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup very cold water
1 small pkg vanilla pudding
1 small tub whipped cream
milk

Cake:
Prepare cake as directed. Allow to cool 2+ hours. Using fork, poke holes in cooled cake. (I do them about 3/4" apart...)

Boil 1 cup water and stir into strawberry Jell-O until dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup very cold water until all powder is dissolved.

Pour Jell-O mixture over holes in cake, and allow to cool in fridge for a couple of hours.

Frosting:
Prepare small package of vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions. Place in fridge and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.

Fold a small container of whipped cream into pudding mixture.

Cover cake with frosting and serve chilled.

Comments from the cook: Hardly an original! A favorite that my mom always made when we were growing up, Jell-O cake is the perfect dessert for a BBQ or picnic (as long as it can stay chilled until you serve it).

Betty Crocker calls this "Poke Cake" and her recipe calls for raspberry gelatin. We've tried lots of different red flavors, and have never found one we didn't like.

A Sleight family favorite, shared by my mom since the 80s!

California Burritos

2 lbs Carne Asada (recipe below)
4-6 small potatoes
Homemade Pico de Gallo
sour cream
shredded cheese
6-8 uncooked tortillas
canola or olive oil

Carne Asada:

2 lbs steak, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 TBSP white vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

Cut steak into small pieces. Combine all other ingredients in large bowl, and add steak. Allow to marinate overnight.

Fry in skillet over medium-high heat until browned.

Potatoes:

Cut potatoes into 1/2" cubes. Add 2 TBSP canola or olive oil to pan and cook in skillet over medium-high heat until some edges are slightly browned. Add 1/2 cup warm water and cover until potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Flavor with salt to taste.

Pico de Gallo:

Prepare Pico the night before and allow to sit overnight.

Assemble:
Cook tortillas. Add sour cream to bottom of tortilla. Add Carne Asada and potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with Pico de Gallo.

Serve with Mexican rice or tortilla chips.

Comments from the cook: This recipe is our Cinco de Mayo tradition! When Brian served his mission in San Diego, he discovered the miracle that is the California burrito. Nothing fancy...just lots of steak, cheese, and potatoes. After we were married, he found a local place (called Beto's then) and managed to eat one almost every time I went out of town.

They quickly became one of his favorite indulgences, and it only seemed appropriate that we try to make them ourselves. We've enjoyed them with friends for the last 3 Cinco de Mayos and plan to eat them for many years to come!

Moment of Silence...

April was a whirlwind.

Easter.
My mom coming to town.
My birthday.
My in-laws here for a visit.
My husband's first doctoral recital.
A head-cold to end all head colds.

So, here we have May.

I'm dying to make a batch of Pink Lemonade Cookies (you'll LOVE these) and have a few things up my sleeve...

More recipes to come. Promise.

Chicken Pasta Salad

(Hello, first real food pics from my new lens. You are beautiful. The end.)

4 svgs farfalle (bowtie) pasta
3 svgs garden rotini pasta
1 chicken breast
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1/2" chunks
pasta salad seasoning, to taste

Prepare pastas as directed. Drain and run under cool water until room temperature (or cooler if desired).

Cut chicken breast into small chunks and pan fry over medium heat. Add 1 TBSP of Italian dressing to chicken chunks when chicken is almost finished cooking.

Toss chicken, cucumber, and pastas together.

Add dressing (amount is really up to you, and depends on your tastes) and pasta salad seasoning.

Best when served chilled for an hour or so. Serves 6+.

To rejuvenate the next day, toss with a bit more salad dressing and another couple of shakes of pasta salad seasoning.

Comments from the cook: I debated whether or not to post this recipe. It's not really MY recipe. It's just 6 ingredients. Nothing is really homemade (unless you call browning a chicken breast HOMEMADE). But we eat it (or some version of it) at least once a week in the summertime. And I'm the boss of this very food blog, so I can post whatever I want! :)

If you read my other blog, you'll know that pasta salad seasoning is a BIG DEAL to me. My mom found a seasoning called "Salad Elegance" long ago (made by Johnny's), we got hooked on it, and then I moved to Utah. It was hard to find there, but not impossible. And then the place I always bought it stopped carrying it. So I did what any normal person would do. I ordered a $30 2.5-lb tub of it. And I've not been happier with a purchase ever since.

McCormick makes a version called Salad Supreme (sold in the spice section), which will work, if you don't have access to the loveliness that is Salad Elegance. My observation was that McCormick's SS has more celery salt, and is not as light tasting...but we ate it when times were hard and Johnny's got the boot from our local store. Until we took matters into our own hands, that is.

Variations of pasta salad are endless. My mom has added fresh tomatoes and olives to hers before. We also do a version that is just spaghetti noodles, cut-up pepperonis, chunks of cheese, Italian dressing, and Salad Elegance (for dinner when we're trying to UP the taste and HOLD the healthy!)

Either way, this is one of our favorites. And, I tell you, I've never been happier to own $30 of a spice.

Originally made by my mom, Alane Sleight.

French Silk Pie

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate (3 - 1 oz. squares)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 TBSP sugar
1 deep-dish pie shell, prepared as directed
1 Hershey chocolate bar

Melt unsweetened chocolate and allow to cool 5-10 minutes (or use pre-melted, squeezable packets).

Cream butter and sugar. Add unsweetened chocolate and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until blended.

Add eggs one at a time, beating with electric mixer for 5 minutes after each one.

Pour chocolate mixture into fully-cooked deep-dish pie shell.

Beat whipping cream with 1 TBSP sugar until firm.

Top pie with whipped cream and refrigerate at least 4 hrs before serving.

Decorate with chocolate curls if desired. (Grate Hershey bar with carrot peeler, running peeler down the edge of the bar to form curls.)

Comments from the cook's wife: This pie. Ohhhh, this pie. French Silk Pie is one of Brian's absolute favorites, and this recipe came from a family friend of his (and now mine), Vicki Luker. While our preference is always to go with a pastry crust, Vicki's original recipe calls for an Oreo or chocolate graham cracker crust.

This pie is one of Brian's favorites to make, and I've never discouraged him! While you're at it, you may even want to make two of these babies. They are sure to disappear in the blink of an eye! Some recipes discourage doubling, but this one doubles without any problem.

Originally shared by Vicki Luker, the Minnesotan Queen of Dessert.

Teriyaki Kabobs

Marinade:
1 cup water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup sugar
1 tsp garlic
2 TBSP green onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

To be skewered:
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 small onion
1 fresh pineapple
fresh chicken breasts (frozen ok, defrosted)
steak (stew meat ok)

Potatoes:
3 russet (or red) potatoes
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 TBSP olive oil

Combine marinade ingredients in glass bowl. (Separate into 2 medium bowls if doing separate containers for chicken and beef).

Cut meat (chicken and beef) into 1" pieces and place in marinade. Refrigerate and allow to sit for 2 hrs.

In the meantime, cut potatoes into 1" pieces and boil for 4 minutes. Drain and allow to cool and dry on dishcloth for about 30 min. When cooled, toss in about 3 TBSP olive oil. Add rosemary, thyme, sea salt, and pepper.

Cut veggies and pineapple into 1" pieces.

Assemble skewers. Grease skewers slightly (dip your thumb and index finger in oil and run it down the skewer) before adding meat and veggies.

Alternate veggies, potatoes, meat, and pineapple as desired.

Heat grill to hottest temperature, and cook skewers evenly over fire. Rotate as needed.

Don't have a grill? Have one and it gives out? Broil them in the oven! Place skewers on a cookie sheet, and cook on top rack. Watch them closely and turn them every couple of minutes in order to avoid overcooking.

Comments from the cook's wife: This really is Brian's recipe, so I can't say much...beyond how much I LOVE these, and how much you need to try them!

The measurements for the marinade are not set in stone. If you don't think it's enough, double it. If you only want to make a few skewers worth, make a bit less. Brian learned to combine sugar, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, and green onions from a man on his mission, and has never been the same since! We have eaten many-a-meal with that sauce as a base, and look forward to more in the future.

We use metal skewers (we upgraded a year ago), but the inexpensive wood ones also work. We read online that they need to soak in water for about 30 minutes ahead of time. This apparently keeps the wood from burning as quickly.

Kabobs are very filling, but making a few extra might be just what you're looking for. They make for EXCELLENT leftovers. (Just push the meat and veggies off the skewer with a fork, and store them in an air-tight container. Reheat for 3-4 minutes in the microwave and enjoy again!)

A CookieSheets&CakePans original.