Lemon-raspberry mousse squares

Can I just say YUMMY!!!! I saw this recipe on the Nilla wafers box and knew I had to try it! This is a perfect summer time side or dessert dish. It is so light and fluffy and I just LOVE the lemon in it!!

Lemon-raspberry mousse squares

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48 Nilla wafers, divided

3/4 cup boiling water

1 pkg. (3 oz.) lemon gelatin

1 cup ice cubes

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/3 cup raspberry preserves

1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed, divided

fresh fruit or lemon zest (optional)

Place about 16 wafers on the bottom of an 8 inch square pan. Add boiling water to the gelatin mix and stir for 2 minutes or until it is completely dissolved. Stir in the ice until it is melted.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest with a mixer until blended and smooth. Gradually beat in the the gelatin and then whisk in 2 cups of cool whip.

Pour half of the gelatin mixture over the Nilla wafers. place about 16 more wafers on top of the gelatin mixture. Microwave preserves for about 15 seconds or until melted. Pour and spread over the wafers. Top with remaining gelatin mixture.

Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Top with whipped topping and either fresh fruit or lemon zest.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake!

I LOVE cheesecake and I beleive this is my first real cheesecake recipe (I only count baked cheesecakes as real...althought the others are really good as well, there's nothing like a really good baked cheesecake!).

This recipe won me 2nd place in a Holiday cooking contest a few years ago and I've made it quite a few times since then. But not as often as I would have liked...when I make a cheesecake I tend to eat the whole thing within a few days and so I just try to not even tempt myself!! Anyway, it was Father's Day on Sunday and Tony requested a cheesecake (they are one of his favorties also) and so here it is!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Recipe from Taste of Home

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1 3/4 cups crushed choclate chip cookies or chocolate wafer crumbs (I cannot find chocolate wafer crumbs anymore...the only thing I saw was the chocolate teddy grahams but they were a little expensive so I just used regular graham crackers, but I have used chocolate chip cookies before and that is yummy as well)

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

FILLING:

3 packages (8oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup (8 oz) sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

COOKIE DOUGH:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided

In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the botoom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9 inch springform pan; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat just until blende3d. Pour over crust; set aside. In another mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add water and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls over filling, gently pushing dough below surface (dough should be completely covered by filling). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight; remove sides of pan. Sprinkle with remaining chips.

One thing I have learned over the years with cheese cake is that it is best a couple of days after you make it. It gets creamier and yummier the longer it sits...the hard thing is to wait to eat it...we usually don't so the first pieces we have are really good, but by the third day they are so heavenly!!

Don't let this recipe scare you, it really isn't hard and you will be so pleased with the results!!

Aloha-Soyu Marinade (Hawaiian Beef)

OK, so much for my promise!! I'm just barely getting back around to cooking (and just because it was Father's Day!:)). So this recipe I got from my sister-in-law Candy. They use the Aloha soy sauce straight from Hawaii, but I didn't have axcess to that so I just used regular soy sauce and I really couldn't tell a difference...it was still really yummy!

Aloha-Soyu Marinade (Hawaiian Beef)

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1/2 cup water

1 cup aloha soyu sauce (or just the regular stuff)

3 Tablespoons garlic, minced

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons ground ginger
2 lbs (or so) beef roast (any kind), sliced 1/4 inch thick

Stir together the sugar and ginger. Add the rest of the ingredients and then pour marinade over 1/4 inch sliced beef and let sit overnight.

The beef we got was sliced a little too thick, they look like steaks!! But it still soaked up the marinade really well and was still really good. This beef is perfect for sandwiches too, and I'm guessing it would make some awesome quesadillas. I'm going to have to try that! Also, I bet chicken marinaded in this would be awesome as well! (I was right...it is delicious!!!:))

I'm back!!

Sorry it's been so long since I have posted a recipe. I've been out of town the last 10 days (Dad & Mom are home from Africa!!!) and was so busy before that I haven't been doing much cooking at all!! So I'm going to get back on the band wagon this week and get a couple of recipes posted for you all. That's my promise!!:)