Simple "Cheesecake" Trifle

I recently won a contest to host a Philly Cooking Creme Party.  It's where I invite my friends over and make foods with the 4 new awesome flavors of Philly Cooking Creme-yay!  In case you don't know, the Cooking Creme is sort of like a softened brick of cream cheese with delicious flavors-Santa Fe, Italian Herb and Cheese, Savory Garlic, and Original.  I decided to make an appetizer, 2 entrees, and a dessert (obviously using the Original because a Santa Fe dessert just sounds gross!)

The original can be used just like softened cream cheese, so I decided to make a mock cheesecake-with pudding! This dessert is absolutely simple to make, terrific if you cook with your kids, or are short on time!

• 1 container Philly Cooking Creme-Original Flavor
• 1 box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 box instant chocolate pudding
• 1 can Lite cherry pie filling-drained except for 2 Tbsp of "goop"
• 1 tub Lite or Fat Free Cool Whip  (you could go for "full fat" but you can't even taste the difference in this!)
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 16 broken up Oreos
• 2 cups cold milk, divided

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dump 1 cup cold milk, vanilla pudding mix, and 1/2 container of Cooking Creme (just estimate, no need to measure)
2. Mix on medium-low speed for about 2-3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed until thickened
3. Pour vanilla cheesecake-like mix into trifle bowl

4. Repeat procedure with chocolate pudding, leftover milk and Cooking Creme (no need to clean out mixer, chocolate pudding is darker and you won't see it)
5. Set chocolate cheesecake-like mixture aside
6. Layer crumbled Oreos on top of vanilla layer, followed by cherries (you need that 2 Tbsp "goop" so the cherry layer isn't TOO dry...if you like all of the goop, go ahead and use it; I'm just not a fan)
7. Smooth layers out and top with chocolate layer
8. End with Cool Whip and sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top
9. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but up to overnight

Soft Pretzels

Who doesn't love soft pretzels?  I don't eat them very often, but when I do I love them dipped in spicy mustard!

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt

1. Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top
2. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam
3. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined
4. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes
5. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil
6. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size
7. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
8. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil, set aside
9. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan
10. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces
11. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope
12. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel
13. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan and let rest for 15-20 minutes
14. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds
15. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula
16. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt
17. Bake until medium golden brown in color, approximately 10 to 12 minutes
18. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving

Cranberry Cherry Pork Tenderloin

This is an easy crock pot dinner that is made with pork tenderloin (or pork loin if you have it).  The best part-you don't even need to thaw the meat!

• Pork tenderloin (or loin), frozen-if thawed just adjust recipe by 1 1/2-2 hrs less
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbls mustard
• salt/pepper to taste
• 2 Tbls cornstarch
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup cranberry juice
• 1 can cranberry sauce (if cranberries are in season, use a 10 oz bag)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup dried cherries (or Craisins)
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

1. Place pork in crockpot
2. Combine next 6 ingredients, dump over pork  (if pork is thawed, you can rub it over the meat like a wet rub)
3. Pour in rest of ingredients, no need to stir
4. Cook on Low for 9- 10 hours or High 4-5 hours  (if thawed, 8-9 on low or 3-4 on high)
5. Slice meat (will be very soft) and serve with juices ladled on top

*Great with cous cous with some of the liquid from the meat replacing some of the water

**Also great as "pulled pork" mixed in with the juices and served on potato buns or over rice

Chicken Crepes

Here's a quick and easy weeknight dinner that feels fancy!

• 6- store bought crepes (or make your own if you'd like)
• 1/2 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 bag spinach leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 container mushrooms, sliced
• 4 ounces chevre (goat cheese)
• pinch red pepper

1. Carefully spread goat cheese on all crepes-either all over or a stripe down the middle, set aside
2. Saute mushrooms and garlic until golden, add chicken
3. Add spinach, cook quickly until wilted
4. Add pinch of red pepper, mix and turn off heat
5. In a crepe pan (or omelet, or just a shallow pan), heat over medium-low until pan warms
6. Place a crepe cheese side up in the pan, add chicken mixture in stripe down center
7. Fold both sides of crepe in-like a business letter and quickly put on plate
8. Continue with remaining crepes and filling

Baked Falafels

Falafels are delicious, especially when served in warm pita bread with Israeli Salad, hummus, and/or tzatiki

Frying foods is not my thing however, so I usually buy premade falafel balls and heat them up in the microwave (sounds weird, but it's awesome)...I decided to try and make my own.  It was a little tricky, even with my huge food processor, but it was fun to try.  I think I prefer store bought falafels--Far East has a great dry mix.

1 onion, chopped

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked 18-24 hours

1 large handful chopped fresh parsley

2 large handfuls chopped cilantro

3 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Soak dried chickpeas 18-24 hours, covered, in 4 cups of water
2. Preheat oven to 375F
3. Drain and rinse chickpeas and combine all ingredients except flour in a food processor
4. Pulse until smooth and well-combined, then add flour and pulse 3-4 more times
5. Spray foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray.
6. Shape into large, round tablespoonfuls and place on baking sheet
7.  2 options- bake for 15-20 minutes, or until dry and a bit firm to the touch (will firm up more as they cool)  OR  add olive oil to oven proof skillet, lightly saute until golden brown (3-5 minutes), then transfer pan to oven and continue cooking 10-15 more minutes

Spaghetti and Meatballs Cake

No this isn't what it sounds like.  I may like trying different food combinations, but I would NEVER put meatballs on a cake! 

This is instead a delicious cake topped with what LOOKS LIKE spaghetti and meatballs.  Perfect for an Italian themed dinner, or in my case April Fools Day for 27 4th graders!  :)

This was orginally a Food Network recipe, but I modified it, one- because I had to feed 27 fourth graders (plus teachers because you KNOW the rumor  of free food at a school flies faster than Superman), two-because I love to doctor things up!

This makes 1 layered cake, and one plain chocolate cake

• 2 boxes chocolate cake mix (2 layer kind)  (plus ingredients necessary)
• 16 oz cream cheese-room temp
• 1 1/2 sticks butter-room temp
• 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
• tub of Lite or Fat Free Cool Whip
• 1/2 cup Nutella, seperated
• 1 carton fresh strawberries
• 1 bag frozen strawberries (or raspberries)-thawed
• 2 tsps vanilla
• 2-4 drops yellow food coloring

1. Make both boxes of cake mix, cool completely
2. Microwave 1/4 cup Nutella for about 15 seconds, just until it is slightly soft-not hot
3. Fold Nutella into Cool Whip container, spread onto one layer of chocolate cake
4. Slice fresh strawberries, layer on top of Cool Whip mixture
5. Top with 2nd layer of cake
6. Mix cream cheese and butter on high speed until combined and very soft (NO lumps!)
7. Add in vanilla, blend
8. Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar, adding the remaining amount in small increments until you achieve desired sweetness
9. Frost top and sides of cake (I spread a very thin "crumb coat", then refridgerated the cake for 15-20 minutes while I cleaned up before frosting the rest) 
10. Frost 3rd cake layer (for people who just like plain chocolate cake) There WILL be frosting left over!
11. Crumble remaining cake in bowl, mix with remaining Nutella
12. Roll into 5 balls (you may need to squeeze a bit)
13. Roll each ball in the remaining cake crumbs to get a coating on the outside (this makes them look more "meatball-like"
14. Place the meatballs on the cake-3 on the layered cake, 2 on the plain cake
15. Tint the remaining frosting with the food coloring until it is a pale yellow
16. Transfer to piping bag with round tip or Ziploc bag with corner snipped
17. Pipe in figure-8 motions around the meatballs  on both cakes to look like spaghetti
18. Empty the thawed berries into the food processor (or blender) and whir until only a few small chunks remain
19. Spoon the "sauce" over the "meatballs" and let it drip down the "spaghetti" free form  (if not serving cake right away-wait to do this until right before serving)
20. Serve cake with leftover sauce