Love My Philly

Having friends over for an election night celebration? What are you going to serve for dinner? Since election night falls on a day that you’ve no doubt already packed with errands and chores, you’ll need a simple, no fuss dinner plan for your get together. I say a big fat pot of pasta is the way to go. Packed full of veggies and creamy sauce, have your guests make themselves at home and serve it up straight from the pot. This party isn’t about who you know or what fancy wine you like to drink, it’s simply about getting together with dear friends to celebrate one mighty fine election season coming to a close.

Veggie Pasta Primavera- A low fat alternative to a traditional creamy pasta. The fiber in the veggies will fill you up too!

Vegetable Fettuccine Alfredo- Creamy, cheesy, delicious home cooking. This recipe is sure to satisfy anyone and everyone.

The election is closing in on us! It sure seems like it’s been a long time coming. I don’t know about you, but I have a handful of election related parties to go to this weekend and on election night. There is a definite fever this year. I know the best way to bring people together at a party this election season is with the right food. Sometimes you need to leave your opinions and judgements at the door, let the issues lie where they may, and celebrate one heck of an election season with food and friends.

Try these super easy and extra delicious appetizers for your election night party.

Easy Turkey Tortilla Roll Ups- And they’re a healthy treat too!

Bacon Cheese and Tomato Crescents- A super easy and yummy, warm snack idea.

Turkey Cheese Pockets- Just like a homemade Hot Pocket made from convenient refrigerator biscuits.

Just a few years ago my sister entered a comical period in her life.  She was absolutely obsessed with McDonald’s McGriddle Sandwiches.  These beauties were (do they still sell them?) a combination of sweet and savory.  Think maple sweetened bread was combined with egg and savory sausage to create a taste treat that my sister just couldn’t quit.

This weekend I’m going to cook up an ode to my sister’s McGriddle obsession.  All I need is raisin bread, cream cheese and sliced ham and I’ve got the perfect sweet and savory combination without every having to pull up  to the drive thru.

Stuffed French Toast Sandwich

If you’re anything like me, than in just a matter of hours, your kitchen is going to packed with fun sized candy bars. This is far from a from a crisis. I actually welcome the chocolate overload. When I get tired of the midnight chocolate snacking, this simple recipe is a great way to combine all of my fun sized candy bars into a delicious baked treat. If you’re feeling the candy overload, bake up a batch of cheesecake candy bar squares and pawn them off on your friends and neighbors. These are just too delicious to decline.

Cheesecake Candy Bar Squares

Makes: 24 servings, 1 square each

2 cups OREO Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
4 (2.07 ounce) bars chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat bars, chopped, divided

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of 13×9-inch baking pan.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix just until blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the chopped candy bars. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with remaining chopped candy bars.

BAKE 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Cut into 24 squares to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Size-Wise Enjoy a serving of this rich and indulgent treat on special occasions.

Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bars Prepare and bake as directed. Cut into 32 bars. Place bars on wire rack. Melt 1 (12 ounce) package BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks and 2 tablespoons shortening in saucepan on very low heat, stirring constantly. Pour chocolate mixture over bars to completely cover. Let stand until chocolate is firm. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 32 servings, 1 bar each.

This sandwich idea is proof that you can make virtually anything festive enough for Halloween.  Turn the kids’ lunch box into a Halloween extravaganza with these clever ham sandwiches.  The best part is that you don’t have to do any special shopping.  Use the same whole wheat bread, cream cheese and ham as you normally would and then fashion each sandwich into two super festive coffin shapes.  Spooky but not scary and perfectly delicious.

Double Cheese Coffin Sandwiches

These cinnamon rolls are the perfect weekend treat.  In fact, they’re just what I cooked up this past weekend.  I got my hands on a still warm cinnamon roll with cream cheese glaze and before I knew it, the pan was scraped clean.  If you whip up these beauties this weekend, make sure you serve yourself  one before you even think about walking away from the pan.  They’ll be gone in no time!

Perfect Weekend Cinnamon Rolls

Bon Appetit March 2008

Dough:
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast)
1 teaspoon salt
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling:
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Glaze:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For dough:
Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 21/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

For filling:
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15×11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

For glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This festive Halloween dessert is the perfect combination of creamy and fruity.  The layered orange, white and chocolate cookie make it extra special as a Halloween treat.  Throw this Jello Graveyard dessert  together in less than half an hour, place it in the fridge to set, and forget about it until you’re ready to wow your guests!

Happy Halloween!

Graveyard Gelatin Dessert

You’ve got the perfect Halloween costume picked out. Your kids are off the wall excited about this Friday night. The house is spookily decorated. You’ve loaded your biggest bowls with fun candy, and you’re ready for the kids to come knocking. But where will you turn when you need a snack that’s not chocolate covered or super sweet?

Halloween appetizers are definitely the way to go. Have a few of these easy and savory treats on hand for you and the kids to munch on when the sugar high hits. You’ll also want to have some savory goodies on hand if the neighbors stop by to gawk and your stellar Halloween decorations.

These appetizers aren’t overly spooky, but are perfect for the occasion. Happy Halloween?

Cheese and Bacon Jalapeno Rellenos- Packed with creamy cheese, salty bacon and just a hint of spice. These chili rellenos are easy to make and a sure crowd pleaser.

Zesty Stuffed Olives- Super easy and super yummy! With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have a treat that you’ll seriously be snacking on all night long.

Easy Ham Wrapped Bread Sticks- Keep these munchies in a tall jar on the snack table. They’re sure to disappear just as fast as those mini Snickers bars. Promise.

You can’t beat the smell of chicken pot pie coming from the oven. This chicken pot pie recipe combines creamy chicken and veggies with a deliciously flakey crust. The crust is virtually food proof with its secret ingredient: cream cheese. Whip the recipe up this Sunday night and you’ll be dreaming of it all week long. Promise!

Chicken Pot Pie

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)

2 pkg. (6 oz. each) OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Cuts

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 cup flour

2 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder

1/2 cup (1/2 of 8-oz. tub) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread

1/4 cup milk

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix vegetables, chicken and soup; spoon evenly into 4 (2-cup) ovenproof bowls. Top with cheese.

MIX flour and baking powder in medium bowl. Cut in cream cheese spread until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk with fork just until dry ingredients are moistened.

DIVIDE dough into 4 balls. Pat dough into 5-inch circles on lightly floured surface. Prick tops several times with fork to allow steam to escape. Place each biscuit on top of chicken mixture. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until crust is golden brown.

Who knew that with the help of a few mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips you could make the cutest cupcakes… ever!?

Think outside the box with this unique, creative and super simple Halloween cupcake recipe.

Mini Skull Cakes