"Thin Mint" Mini Cheesecakes

"Thin Mint" Mini Cheesecakes

One of my co-workers brought thin mints into the office this week and they reminded me of this yummy treat. Then when I gave Andrew a choice between tiramisu and mini cheesecakes.... Cheesecakes it is. 

Ingredients

1 box Thin Mints (or Keebler Grasshoppers)

2 tbl butter (melted)

2 8oz packages of cream cheese (softened)

1/2c powdered suger

2 eggs (room temp)

1tsp peppermint extract

1tsp vanilla

Whipped cream for garnish

The Steps

Preheat oven to 325

Line muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Pulse cookies in food processor until ground.

Mix half of the ground cookies with melted butter.

Press about a tablespoon of cookie mixture into the bottom of each liner. 

Cool for at least 15min.

Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

With mixer on medium at eggs one at a time until combined.

Mix in the mint and the vanilla extracts then combine thoroughly.

Mix in the rest of the cookie crumbs (leave a little for garnish if you want).

Spoon batter into the muffin cups. 

Bake for 25-28 min or until set.

Remove and cool completely.  Then refrigerate for several hours or until thoroughly chilled.

Serve topped with whipped cream and cookies crumbs.

Makes 12 mini cheesecakes.

Recipe inspired by "Sticky*Gooey*Creamy*Chewy."

Notes

*When you don't have a box of thin mints stored in the freezer, a box of Grasshoppers from Keebler do the trick.  I think they taste the same.

*No food processor? No problem! Use a plastic bag and a hard kitchen tool (meat malet, rolling pin of bottom of a pot.

*Original recipe calls for mini chocolate chips.  I felt the cookies were enough for me but I could be missing out.

*If you want to eat them sooner stick them in the freezer!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

We love this pizza!  Andrew suggested it a few weeks ago and not we are hooked.  I'm not even a huge BBQ sauce kinda person but this my friends is tasty.

Ingredients

Pizza dough (enough for one pizza)

2/3 cup BBQ sauce

1-2c chicken (shredded)

2c mozzarella cheese (shredded)

1/4c red onion (thinly chopped)

1/3c green onion (chopped)

The Steps

Preheat to 350°

Stretch the dough to fit your pan. 

Use about 1/2c BBQ sauce to lather the dough.  (This is instead of marinara sauce.)

Spread most of cheese evenly over the dough.

Shred chicken and mix remaining BBQ sauce. Then add evenly to pizza top.

Sprinkle red onions evenly over the pizza.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over the pizza.

Place pizza in the oven for about 15 min.

Sprinkle the green onions over the top for the last 2 min of cooking.

Notes:

*I usually use the Trader Joe's dough.  Its easy and delicious but any dough works.

*Use whatever cheese you want.  We did not have enough mozzarella this time so we used a little parmesan and mexican blend. 

*I do not use a ton BBQ sauce because I am not a saucy person. You can always add more to your own pizza pie!

Jambalaya

Jambalaya

There is nothing more stick to your bones good than Jambalaya.  This dish has spice, rice, peppers, onions, chicken and sausage.  It is meaty and hearty.  I love that you can change up the spice levels and substitute different sausages to mix up the flavor. 

Ingredients

1-2 tbs. olive oil
1.5 lb chicken

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 large onion (chopped)
1-2 red peppers (chopped)
1 1/12 tbs. dried parsley

1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/8 clove

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cup rice

3 cup vegetable broth
16oz of sausage (sliced)

salt and pepper to taste

The Steps
Use a heavy giant pot for this one.
Heat olive oil on med/high heat and brown the chicken.  Does not need to be cooked through!
Place chicken  asaide but use the juices in the pot
Reduce heat to med heat and add garlic, onions, peppers and parsley.
Cook down for a few minutes.
Add all the spices and incorporate.
Add rice. Make sure rice is fully coated. Cook for 3-5 min.
Add broth, sausage and chicken.  Bring to a boil for 2-3 min.
Reduce heat to low (very low or it will burn the bottom), cover and cook for 25-20 min.

Notes:
*I have use whatever broth I have on hand chicken or veggie.
*Sometimes I turn the heat all the way off toward then end of the 25-30min to let the juices absorb into the rice without burning the bottom.  It really depends on your cook top.
*I usually use half italian sausage and half turkey kielbasa but its up to you.
*If you do not have time to cook the chicken or you already have chicken on hand, use it!
Just shred it and add it with the sausage.
*If you like shrimp go for it!  I do not, so I do not use it.