Recipes

 

ARLA DOFINO CHEESES

Recently I was fortunate to get the opportunity to review Arla Dolfina Cheese.
Doing my research, I was impressed even before tasting the cheese.
They’re made with only a few natural ingredients and no added hormones and crafted in Wisconsin from local farmers’ milk  I like products that I can feel good about feeding my family.
My coupon arrived in the mail and I promptly took it to my local Kroger's to see what I had to choose from. I selected the Pesto Gouda because we love Gouda. For dinner, I brushed some italian bread squares with olive oil , some minced garlic, a small piece of sun dried tomato, and a slice of the pesto Gouda- I placed them under the broiled to melt the cheese. You would not believe the creamy yummy bruschetta-like treat that made. So simple and delicious. My family loved it. It's a great secret to moms who cook- simple can be great with the right ingredients. Arla Dofino makes cheeses that will take your dish to the next level and inspire your culinary appetite

Available in  Havarti, Edam, Gouda and Fontina
Some with added seasonings and flavors  like Jalapeño Havarti and Pesto Gouda!
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HOMEMADE SAMOA COOKIES
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 (12 oz.) bag caramels, unwrapped
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups coconut, toasted
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With an electric mixer, cream together sugar, butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add the egg and beat until fluffy.
Stir in the salt, then the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until well mixed.
Press dough evenly into the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13 inch pan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the shortbread is set and just beginning to turn golden brown. Cool completely.
Cook and stir until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the toasted coconut.
Spread the coconut caramel mixture over the cooled shortbread base.
Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until the caramel layer is completely cooled. Remove the bars from the refrigerator and cut into squares
.Melt the 2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Dip the bottoms of the cookies into the melted chocolate and set on wax paper.
Once all the cookies have been dipped, drizzle the remaining chocolate over the top of the cookies.Meanwhile, combine the caramels, milk and and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a saucepan over medium low heat. Cook and stir until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the toasted coconut.
Spread the coconut caramel mixture over the cooled shortbread base.
Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until the caramel layer is completely cooled. Remove the bars from the refrigerator and cut into squares
.Melt the 2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Dip the bottoms of the cookies into the melted chocolate and set on wax paper.
Once all the cookies have been dipped, drizzle the remaining chocolate over the top of the cookies.

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CAKE MIX RECIPES

Here's a easy time saver. I buy the mixes when I see them on sale
Kids prefer the White or Chocolate cakes

Cake Mix Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 - 18.25 ounce box cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
optional- 2 cups of  extras * see below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheet(s). Mix together cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in *. Make little balls about 1 " diameter  with the dough and put evenly spaced on cookie sheets, they spread when baking.  I make 9 cookies on a 9"x12" cookie sheet, . Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on wire cooling racks or brown paper bags.

*EXTRAS - This can be 2 cups of the following or a combination of a cup of each addition: chocolate chips, coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, raisins, coconut, toasted-coarsely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts), brickle chips, etc. Kids like multicolor sprinkles mixed in the white mix for Rainbow cookies.

Lemon is excellent, my last batch was a spice cake mix with caramel chips and it was great. If you do this on don't add the chips in the mix.. gently press dough balls and sprinkle them on top which prevents the chips from going to the bottom.
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Cake Mix Brownies

1 egg
3/4 cup water, plus more as needed
1 (18.25 ounces) box devil's-food cake mix (but blonde brownies are good too, use yellow cake mix)
1 cup of extras (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray with cooking spray a 13-by-9-inch pan. Mix the egg, water and nuts in a large bowl, then add the dry cake mix (nothing else); stir well.

If the batter needs more water, add a teaspoonful at a time. Don't add too much because the batter should be thick. Don't overmix.

Pour into the pan, making sure to smooth the top evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for chewy brownies or you can  bake a few minutes longer for drier. Cool before cutting. Chocolate chips can be added while warm, they'll melt into a chocolate layer.

You can frost if you like. You may add extras in the mix too,- see above*

Icing from a Pudding mix

 mix
1 instant vanilla pudding packet (or whatever flavor you would like)
with half of the milk called for on the package.

Whisk until it begins to thicken.
Then fold in one 8 oz container of Cool Whip.


A great frosting ....spread on cakes and piped onto cupcakes, a tasty filling in crepes or on waffles along with some fruit...way less sugar too!
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