Surprise Use for Cream Cheese Frosting

I was going to take my favorite apple dip to work for a special occasion. It is so simple to make, that I waited until the last minute to put it together. Guess what? No brown sugar in the house! I can’t believe I let myself run out of something that is such an important staple in my kitchen.

Well, I started thinking about what I could use instead of brown sugar. Then I remembered I had some cream cheese frosting left over from the spice cupcakes I had made the day before. So, here’s what I did:

I creamed together 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. butter, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Then I added 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat the mixture until smooth. Then, I added the leftover cream cheese frosting. I put it in a bowl and surrounded it with slices of green apples, red apples, and pears.

Everyone loved it at work, and never guessed it was a re-use of cake frosting!

- Deb

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Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. Cream Cheese
8 Tbsp. Butter (unsalted butter is best, but margarine works okay)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Powdered Sugar

Using mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter.* Add vanilla and powdered sugar and continue beating with mixer until smooth and creamy.

*If your cream cheese and/or butter is cold, you can put it in the microwave for a few seconds (start with 15 seconds) until it is warmed up enough to blend well.

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Cheeseburger Bites

1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons grated onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
6 slices bread
24 cubes Cheddar cheese (1/2-inch cubes)

In a bowl, combine egg yolk, ground beef, onion, salt and pepper. Shape mixture by teaspoonfuls into 24 balls. Remove crusts from bread; roll flat and cut into 1-1/2-in. rounds. Place meatballs on bread rounds; make a depression in each ball and fill with a cube of cheese, making sure bread is covered with meat mixture. Place on a baking sheet. Broil in preheated oven about 6 in. from heat for 3-5 minutes or until no pink remains. Garnish with ketchup, mustard, sliced green onions or sliced dill pickles if desired. Yield: 2 dozen.

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Grilled Cheese Burgers

1 egg
1/2 cup quick oats
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup tbsp shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, sliced

In a large bowl, beat the egg. Add the next six ingredients and blend well with your hands. Form four patties. Place them on a grill and cook for 6 minutes on each side or to your desired level of doneness.

Place the burgers on buns and top with tomato and avocado slices.

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin w/ Peach Honey Mustard Sauce

1/2 medium peach, peeled
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pork tenderloin (3/4 pound)
small amount of oil for grill

Place the peach, mustard and honey in a blender; cover and process until blended. Set aside.

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the brown sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne. Add the pork tenerloin and shake to coat.

Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Prepare grill for indirect heat using a drip pan. Place pork over drip pan and grill, covered, over indirect medium-hot heat for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with peach sauce. Yield: 2 servings.

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Berry Pie

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
1/3 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved (or sliced, if large)
1 cup fresh raspberries
3/4 cup fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
Pastry for a double-crust pie (9 inches)

Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon desired, salt and water; stir until smooth. Add the blueberries and bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool slightly.

Gently fold the strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and lemon juice into the blueberry mixture. Pour into pastry; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Trim, seal and flute edges.

Bake pie at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 8 servings.

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Sweet & Spicy Grilled Chicken

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

Combine the first five ingredients; rub over chicken. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack.

Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.

To test for doneness, pierce one of the chicken breasts in the thinkest part. If juice runs clear, it is done. If the juice has any pink in it, cook a little longer.

Yield: 6 servings.

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Frito Pie

1 can (15 ounces) chili with or without beans
2 individual packages (1-1/2 ounces each) Fritos corn chips
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups chopped lettuce
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 cup salsa
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
2 tablespoons sour cream

Heat chili – either on the stove or in the microwave. Divide corn chips between two plates; top with chili. Layer with cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa, olives and sour cream. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings.

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Peach Bread Pudding

9 leftover dinner rolls
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
21 ounce can peach pie filling

Cut rolls into 1/2 inch cubes. Place cubes in a sprayed 8-inch square baking pan.

In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, almond extract and 1 cup peach pie filling. Mix well. Pour over roll cubes. Press down with a spoon to make sure all of the roll cubes are covered with egg mixture; let soak for 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F 30-40 minutes.

Heat remaining pie filling and serve over warm pudding.

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Coconut French Toast

12 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 slices bread
1 package (7 ounces) flaked coconut
Maple syrup

In a large bowl, beat eggs; add milk, sugar and cinnamon. Dip bread in egg mixture until both sides are coated. Coat both sides with coconut. Place on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 475° for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with syrup. Yield: 7 servings.

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