Small Batch Strawberry Fig Jam

Ingredients

· 1 pound strawberries, chopped
· 1 pound fresh figs, chopped
· 2 cups granulated sugar
· 1/2 lemon, juiced

Instructions

1. Combine chopped strawberries, figs, and sugar. If you're not going to make the jam right away, funnel them into a sealable container and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.

2. When you're ready to make the jam, prepare a small boiling water bath canner and three half pint jars. Place lids in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer.

3. Scrape macerated fruit, juices and any undissolved sugar out into a 12-inch skillet. Place over high heat and cook, stirring very regularly, for 8-12 minutes. Add lemon juice towards end of cooking.

4. Jam is finished when the volume has reduced by 1/3 to 1/2. Another way to test for doneness is to drag your spoon or spatula through the jam. If the space you've created doesn't fill in immediately with jam, it is done. Before canning, taste and add more lemon juice, if necessary for brightening.

5. Funnel jam into prepared jars, wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.

6. When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool.

7. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals by gripping the edges of the lid and raising the jar up about an inch holding only onto the lid. A well-sealed jar should hold fast.

8. Sealed jars are ready for pantry storage, where they'll keep for up to one year if left unopened. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

Fruit Dip

 Ingredients:  

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 C heavy whipping cream or half-n-half

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (7 ounce) container of marshmallow fluff

 Directions: 

Cream together the cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and vanilla.

Add the marshmallow fluff and stir until incorporated.

Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle on some cinnamon if you'd like.

Serve with fruit and enjoy!

Low Fat Crinkle Cookies

This recipe was given to me by my former boss' wife.  She would bring them into OPLIN at Christmas and I would enjoy them a little more than I should.  It was embarrassing.

Mine didn't turn out as lemony as hers, as crinkled as hers, or even as yellow as hers.

Looks like I am going to have to  try again using another brand of cake mix.

Sad...sad...sad.

I am also not sure why they would be called "low fat."  Because there is no butter or milk?

Ingredients
1 box lemon cake mix (any kind - this time I used Betty Crocker Super Moist)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups Cool Whip, thawed (8 ounce container)
½ to 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, egg, and Cool Whip. The batter will be sticky!

Form dough into tablespoons and roll in powdered sugar.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are golden. Allow to cool 1 minute on baking sheet.

The Real Scoop
by Andrew
I am not normally a  lemon fan, but these are the best cookies in the world.

Note from Bobbi - If he ever tastes the REAL good ones, I will have to fight him for them.

Crock Pot Cheesecake

While this is a fantastic idea, I did not find this to be very good.  The consistency was too airy, more like a pudding.  I would like it to be more dense. If I were to make this again, I would do it with one less egg.  Time to experiment, I guess!

Ingredients

3 8oz Packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup Sugar
6 Graham Crackers (full pieces), pulverized into crumbs
3 Tablespoons of Stick Butter, melted

Instructions
1. Allow Cream Cheese to get to room temperature.
2. Open cream cheese and place in large bowl.
3. Add Sugar.
4. Mix until sugar and cream cheese are well blended.
5. Add the 3 eggs one at a time. After adding an egg, blend, then add the other etc.

6. In a separate bowl, add graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
7. Mix well as this will form your crust.
8. Choose a pan or small crock type cooking pan that will fit in the bottom of your crock-pot with room left on the side. You want to be able to pull the pan out without too much difficulty.
9. Add the graham cracker crumbs mixture to the bottom of the pan.
10. With a spoon, pat the graham crackers out til you have a smooth layer.
11. Add the cream cheese mixture to the top of the graham crackers.

12. Add 2 to 3 cups water to the bottom of the crock-pot. You need enough to last 2 hours but not too much that it will get in your pan.
13. Place the cheesecake pan in the crock-pot and place the lid of the crock-pot on.

14. Cook on high for 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes or until the center does not have a watery consistency when you stick a knife into it.

15. The cheesecake will begin to crack on the sides.

16. Let cool for 30m to 1h.

17. Remove and let set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

**  Update - I tried a second version that only used one egg and two packs of cream cheese.  It was so bad, I had to spit out the one bite I took.  I am done with this idea.  

Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Well, of course I have to mess it up...I forgot the paprika.  Not sure how much it would have changed the taste, but it was kind of bland tasting.  Everyone seemed to like it, though.

Ingredients

8 cups peeled and thinly sliced potatoes (8 to 10 medium)

salt and pepper to taste

1 medium onion, sliced thin (about 1 cup)

1-1/2 cups cubed cooked ham

1 cup grated low fat cheddar cheese

1 can (10-1/2 ounces) low fat cream of mushroom soup (I used Campbell’s Healthy Request)

paprika

Instructions

I used my 4-Quart slow cooker. A 5-Quart will work well too.

Grease your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Put half the sliced potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker, spreading them out evenly.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle evenly with half the onion, ham and cheese.

Repeat the layers one more time (potatoes, salt and pepper, onion, ham, cheese).

Pour the soup into a small bowl and stir it until it gets nice and creamy. Spread it over the top of the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

8oz pkg. cream cheese
8oz. Pepperjack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded
8 flour tortillas
cooking spray
shredded cheddar cheese
green onions, for garnish
sour cream
salsa

Stir together cream cheese, Pepperjack cheese and taco seasoning.
Fold in chicken.
Divide among flour tortillas.
Tuck in sides, and roll up each tortilla.
Lay seam side down in a sprayed 9x13" baking dish.
Spray tops of tortillas with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Turn chimi's over, and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Serve with cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream, and salsa.

The Real Scoop

by Andrew

This could have used more taco seasoning.  Mom made mine and Kobe's with ground beef.  Good stuff!

Cheerio Breakfast Cookies

I was having a Rice Krispie Treats craving and I only had Cheerios.  Checked their website and found this one...

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose or whole wheat flour

1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1 cup raisins

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups Cheerios® cereal

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F.

In large bowl, stir together sugar, butter, peanut butter, water, vanilla and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients except cereal. Gently stir in cereal. On ungreased large cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded 1/2 cupfuls (rounded 1/3 cupfuls for 15 cookies) 4 inches apart. Flatten dough to about 1 inch thick. (Bake these crispy cookies as soon as the dough is mixed. Letting the dough stand awhile or refrigerating the dough will make the cookies softer.)

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Store loosely covered.