Pina Colada No-Bake Tropical Dream Dessert

We had some special friends over for dinner this week and I wanted to make a dessert. Found an awesome banana pudding dessert online, but as with all the recipes I see, I find a way to tweak it to make it even better! ;) Our company was not disappointed, and I was happy to send them home with the leftovers. Let them gain weight... not us! ha! 

Ingredients:

- 1 package Golden Oreos (36 cookies)

- 1 stick of butter

- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

- 1/4 cup granulated sugar

- 8 ounces cool whip topping, divided

- 1, 3.4 ounce, box instant banana pudding mix

- 1 cup milk 

- 1/2 of a dram of LorAnn Pina Colada flavoring oil (a dram is 3.7 ml)

(No flavoring oil? No problem... just leave it out. Still a deeeelicious banana dessert!)

*Note: The picture showing only a piece of the dessert plated is not mine. I did not want to cut into mine until our company came over, so I found this picture online.

In a food processor, add the Oreos and butter and pulse until combined and crumbly. (Reserve about 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top for a finishing touch). Press Oreo crumb mixture in an 11x7 baking dish. Chill 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add 1 cup of the cool whip and combine. Spread over the Oreo crust. Whisk pudding and milk until pudding begins to thicken. Add a little of the Pina Colada flavoring oil. Combine. Pour mixture over crust. Add the rest of the cool whip on top, and sprinkle with remaining Oreo crumbs. Chill for one or more hours. Enjoy and good luck just having one piece. 

"Let whatever you do today be enough." - Anonymous

Asparagus and Bacon Frittata

My sweet neighbor just gave me a bunch of fresh asparagus, straight from her brother's garden. I gladly took it, cooked up an asparagus and bacon frittata, and gave her a piece. Happy to say I'm not the only one who really enjoyed this amazing recipe! I have a feeling you will too. 

Ingredients:

- 3 pieces of bacon, cooked until crisp and broken into little pieces

- 2 Tbs shallots or onion, diced

- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

- Fresh asparagus (about 1/2 to 3/4 pound), cut into small pieces

- 6 eggs

- 3/4 cup cottage cheese

- 3 Tbs sun-dried tomatoes, diced

- 1/2 Tbs fresh chives, diced

- 1/4 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp. Adobo seasoning

- 3 Tbs fresh basil, chopped into pieces

- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

- 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

In a cast iron skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Set aside. Break into pieces once cooled. In the same skillet, add shallots and cook for about a minute. Add garlic powder and asparagus. Let cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk eggs, cottage cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, salt, Adobo seasoning, and basil in a bowl. Pour egg mixture in the skillet on top of the asparagus. On medium heat, cook eggs about 4 to 5 minutes until set on the bottom but still runny on top. Set oven to broil on high heat while the eggs are cooking. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese on top of egg mixture. Once eggs are set on the bottom, place skillet in the oven. Let broil anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes (until the cheese is melted and the eggs are set). Remove skillet from the oven WITH OVEN MITTS!!! Garnish with more fresh basil if desired, cut into wedges, and dig in!! Enjoy! 

"Some stranger somewhere still remembers you because you were kind to them when no one else was." - Anonymous 

Yam and Russet Potato Soup

Thick and creamy yet super smooth, this soup doesn't even need a thickening agent... just mash half of the potatoes with a potato masher, leaving some of the diced pieces whole for some hearty texture. Adding one sweet potato gives this soup a sweet earthy taste that is so flavorful, it's hard to stop at one bowl. If you're looking for something super low in calories, keep on scrolling through this wonderful food blog, you'll definitely come across a dish that's delicious and healthy. But keep this recipe handy for those days you just want something a bit more substantial and filling!

Ingredients:

- 5 Russet potatoes (peeled and diced)

- 1 Large sweet potato (peeled and diced)

- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

- 2 green onions, (dice but the white and green parts are used separately)

- 1 1/2 Tbs Miso paste (soybean paste) OR 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp. pepper

- 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup half and half

- 3 Tbs butter

- diced green onions or scallions for garnish (optional)

- sour cream (optional)

- shredded cheese (optional)

In a large soup pan or dutch oven, add a little of the chicken stock to cover the bottom of the pan. Add white parts of the green onions and the miso paste. Saute' for a few minutes. Add pepper, seasoning salt, and all potatoes. Boil until potatoes are tender. With a potato masher, mash some of the potatoes until the soup is creamy. Add the half and half and butter and heat thoroughly. Spoon soup into a bowl, add a sprinkle of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a few scallions on top if desired. Enjoy! 

"A scale can never measure your worth!" - Anonymous 

Fried Cauliflower Rice with Pork and Scallops

 

One of our favorite networks to watch on TV is the Food Network Channel. From Chopped, to Worst Cooks in America, to Beat Bobby Flay, and now Amy Schumer Learns to Cook (with her husband, Chris Fischer, who is a chef). We love everything about this show! The comedy, the recipes, the cocktails, and how they beautifully display each recipe on a piece of cardboard at the beginning. HA! 

This recipe is courtesy of Chris Fischer and Amy Schumer! The only thing I did differently was used cauliflower rice instead of white rice. Fantastic! I plan to make more of their recipes real soon!

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup ground pork or sausage

- salt to taste

- 1 bunch scallions, diced (I used two green onions - white and green parts)

- 2 Tbs olive oil

- 1/4 pound fresh scallops, chopped

- 2 cups riced cauliflower

- 2 eggs

- 1 Tbs soy sauce

- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and season with a little salt. Cook until pork is no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Add the scallions and olive oil and cook for a minute. Add the scallops, toss well, and cook for 90 seconds. Add the rice. Crack the eggs over the rice. Increase the heat to high and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, drizzle with soy sauce, stir in cilantro, and serve. Enjoy! 

"If there's no struggle, there's no strength." - Anonymous

Fennel and Celery Salad with Parmesan

One of our favorite networks to watch on TV is the Food Network Channel. From Chopped, to Worst Cooks in America, to Beat Bobby Flay, and now Amy Schumer Learns to Cook (with her husband, Chris Fischer, who is a chef). We love everything about this show! The comedy, the recipes, the cocktails, and how they beautifully display each recipe on a piece of cardboard at the beginning. HA! 

This recipe is courtesy of Chris Fischer and Amy Schumer! I plan to make more of their recipes real soon! Next up... Fried Rice with Pork and Scallops! Yummo! 

Ingredients:

- 1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

- 5 celery stalks, very thinly sliced

- 1 Tbs lemon juice

- 2 Tbs olive oil (we used 3 and that was perfect)

- kosher salt (or your favorite seasonings)

- 3 Tbs grated parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients and enjoy! Isn't that easy? I believe they added the cheese after they put the fennel/celery mixture on individual plates. Mixed right in works too. Also, in the same lazy manner, instead of taking awhile to thinly slice the fennel bulb and celery, I chopped them roughly and then used my Pampered Chef food chopper to finish the job. Worked great! 

"Sometimes cutting corners works well. Except if you're driving." - Me