Homemade Apple Pie Spice

As we head into Fall baking, there is no need to spend $2-$3 on a store bought jar of Apple Pie Spice, when you probably  have the 4 ingredients in your kitchen! Thank you $5 Dinners 

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Dash of cardamom (optional)

• Place all ingredients in small, sealable container and mix together. Use as directed in recipes that call for apple pie spice.
• Store in a dry place, up to 6 months.

Easy Peasy Pumpkin Spice Latte

Just how simple is this? Too easy for a recipe...but I was asked. Plus it is rather delicious. Thank you A Joyfully Mad Kitchen

4-6 cups of brewed coffee (espresso roast or dark roast)
International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
Whipped Cream
Pumpkin Pie Spice

• Brew coffee per instructions on bag
• Place coffee in fridge for an hour if you’re making an iced coffee
• Pour coffee over cup of ice above 3/4 of the way
• Fill the rest of the cup with International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
• Top with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

A fun twist on the traditional cake... amd only 184 calories each. Thank you The Comfort of Cooking

Nonstick cooking spray
2 (20 ounce) cans sliced pineapple
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
12 maraschino cherries

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Spray the cups of a standard-sized 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. (Do not use paper muffin cup liners.)
• Drain cans of pineapple into a measuring cup reserving 1 1/4 cups of pineapple juice.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil and pineapple juice. 
• Mix well.
• In a separate small bowl mix brown sugar and butter. 
• Spoon 1/2 Tbsp. into each muffin cup. 
• Press one pineapple ring to fit inside each muffin cup. 
• Press a maraschino cherry into the center of the pineapple. 
• Spoon cake batter over top, filling each cup 2/3 full.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
• Immediately invert onto wire racks to cool.

Skillet Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy

Filling, pretty healthy, veggie-packed and delicious. Thank you 12 Tomatoes

4 boneless pork chops
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
3/4 cup beef stock
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
Fresh thyme, garnish, optional
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• Season pork chops with garlic powder, then generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Once hot, sear both sides of pork chops until nicely browned. 
• Remove pork chops to a plate and cover to keep warm.
• Drizzle another 1/2 tablespoon olive oil into skillet,
• Add mushrooms and onion and sauté for 6-7 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned. 
• Season with salt, pepper and dried thyme, if using
• Sprinkle flour over onion and mushrooms and stir until everything is evenly coated. 
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until flour has a chance to cook and be absorbed.
• Stir in chicken and beef broths, stirring to scrape up burned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until gravy has reduced and thickened.
• Return pork chops to skillet and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.
• Remove from heat, spooning gravy over pork chops and garnishing with fresh thyme, if desired.

Patriotic Ripple Ice Cream

An easy, no-churn recipe perfect for the Fourth of July. Thank you Love Bakes Good Cakes

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
½ cup cherry pie filling (from a 21 oz. can - reserve the rest for another use)
½ cup blueberry pie filling (from a 21 oz. can - reserve the rest for another use

• In a large bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. 
• Fold the vanilla and sweetened condensed into the whipped cream. 
• Pour the mixture into a 9x5-inch bread loaf pan (or similar size container).
• Process the cherry pie filling in a food processor until smooth. 
• Drizzle the cherry pie filling over the top of the whipped cream mixture. 
• Rinse out and dry the food processor bowl and blade. 
• Process the blueberry pie filling in the food processor until smooth. 
• Drizzle the blueberry pie filling over the whipped cream mixture. 
• Use a knife to cut through the pie filling and create swirls.
• Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and freeze 8 hours or until firm.

Wave The Flag Cupcakes

Perfect cupcakes for the Fourth of July or Memorial Day. Thank you The Blueberry Council

1 package (18- to 19-ounces) yellow cake mix
1⁄3 cup applesauce
3 egg whites
3 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 roll red-colored rolled fruit snack (from a 4.5-ounce box)

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix with applesauce, egg whites and 1-¼ cups water for 30 seconds on low speed, then 2 minutes on medium speed
• Spoon batter into 24 (2½-inch) aluminum or paper lined muffin cups
• Evenly divide 1 cup of blueberries onto tops of batter
• Do not stir
• Bake cupcakes following package directions
• Remove to a wire rack and cool completely
• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth
• Spoon onto cooled cupcakes
• Spread to the edges
• Unroll fruit snack and, with a sharp knife, cut into strips 1⁄8-inch wide by 2-inch long
• On half of each cupcake, arrange strips, trimming each to fit
• Arrange remaining 2 cups blueberries on the frosting on other halves of the cupcakes, about 10 blueberries per cupcake

American Flag Cheesecake Bars

 A great make-ahead dessert for summer entertaining. Thank you My Recipes

Crust:
1/2 cup whole almonds
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
80 fresh ripe blueberries (about 1 cup
1 cup seedless raspberry jelly

• Preheat oven to 325°F. 
• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. 
• Mist foil with cooking spray.
• Make crust: Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. 
• Add flour, brown sugar and salt, and process until well combined. 
• Add butter and pulse just until mixture begins to come together; it should not form a ball. 
• Press mixture evenly over bottom of prepared pan. 
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until set. 
• Let cool on a wire rack.
• Make filling: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
• Scrape down sides of bowl. 
• Reduce speed to medium-low and add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined. 
• Beat in lemon juice, vanilla and salt.
• Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over crust. 
• Tap pan on counter top 3 or 4 times to burst air bubbles in filling. 
• Place pan on a large roasting pan and put in oven. 
• Pour hot tap water into roasting pan until it comes up about an inch around baking pan. 
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until filling is just set. 
• Cool completely on a wire rack, then cover with foil 
• Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Use foil overhang to transfer bars to a serving platter. 
• Decorate each bar with 5 blueberries in upper left corner to resemble stars on the American flag. 
• Place jelly in a ziplock bag, seal bag and snip off about 1/6 inch at one bottom corner. 
• Pipe jelly in thin lines on each bar to resemble stripes on flag.
• Lift cheesecake out of pan and onto cutting board. 
• Heat a large sharp knife under hot water; dry knife. 
• Trim off edges of cheesecake. 
• Carefully cut into 16 bars, rinsing knife under hot water and drying thoroughly between each cut.