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.

Alfredo Baked Potatoes

The perfect side dish for any meal! Baked potatoes are even better when you add Alfredo sauce and two different kinds of cheese. Thank you Butter with a Side of Bread

2 large baking potatoes
1 cup Alfredo sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

• Scrub and dry the potatoes. 
• Pierce them with a fork three or four times 
• For crispy skins, brush them with olive oil and sprinkle them with a little bit of salt before baking. For soft skins to stay soft, wrap them in aluminum foil  
• Bake at 375 for an hour, or until the centers are soft when poked with a fork.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven and slice each one in half horizontally.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, garlic powder, mozzarella cheese and half of the cheddar cheese. 
• Once combined, scoop out the potato pulp and add to the sauce mixture. 
• Mix until completely combined and then put the mixture back into the potato skins.
• Sprinkle them with the remaining cheddar cheese 
• Put them back in the oven for about 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese on top is completely melted. 
• Serve immediately.

Chicken and Cabbage Enchiladas

These low-carb chicken enchiladas are so good, you won't even miss the tortilla. Thank you Delish

1 head green cabbage

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

3 c. shredded, cooked chicken

1 1/3 c. red enchilada sauce, divided

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 c. shredded monterey jack

1/2 c. shredded cheddar

Sour cream, for drizzling

• Preheat oven to 350º. 
• In a large pot, boil 4 cups water. 
• Using tongs, dip each cabbage leaf in water for 30 seconds and place on a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. 
• Add onion and bell pepper and season with salt. 
• Cook until soft, 5 minutes, then stir in garlic, cumin and chili powder. 
• Add shredded chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce and stir until saucy. 
• Turn off heat and stir in cilantro.
• Place a heaping spoon of chicken mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf. 
• Fold the short sides of the cabbage leaf in first, then roll into a cylinder — like a burrito! 
• Repeat until all chicken mixture is used.
• Spoon remaining 1/3 cup enchilada sauce over cabbage enchiladas and sprinkle with both cheeses. 
• Bake until melted, about 20 minutes. 
• Garnish with sour cream and more cilantro and serve.

Peanut Butter Dessert

How easy is this dessert? Its cold and creamy, and includes peanut butter and chocolate. Delicious!  Thank you Mari over at My Little Corner of the World

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick melted margarine
Mix together and press into a 9x13 pan.

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
16 ounces Cool Whip

• Beat cream cheese, then add powdered sugar. 
• Add peanut better and mix well. 
• Stir milk in slowly, than fold in Cool Whip.
• Pour over crust and freeze.
• Top with hot fudge sauce just before serving.

Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)

This authentic,,but lighter version.. Mexican Pulled Pork is fall-apart juicy on the inside and crisp and golden on the edges.. Thank you Cafe Delites  

4 pounds (or 2 kg) skinless, boneless pork butt (or shoulder)
3-4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano (or Mexican oregano)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 large brown or white onion , cut into wedges
8 cloves garlic , smashed
2 limes , juiced
2 large oranges , juiced (or 3/4 cup natural orange juice)
3/4 cup coke (Original or Mexican coke is ideal)*
2 bay leaves

• Rinse and pat dry pork with a paper towel.
• In the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker, add pork, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, onion, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, coke, and bay leaves.
• Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8-10 hours, or high heat for 5-6 hours (until the meat falls apart).
• Remove pork and shred with two forks (DO NOT DISCARD THE LIQUID!)
• Transfer the pork to a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking oil spray (or lined with aluminium foil or parchment paper).
• Pour 1 ladle full (about 1 cup) of the liquid from the slow cooker over the pork to season. 
• Broil for 5-10 minutes on high heat until the meat becomes golden browned and crispy on the edges.
• Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a non stick pan or cast iron skillet over high heat. 
• When pan is hot, add pork in batches of two or three, and sear until just beginning to crisp. 
• Ladle over about 1/2 cup of left over liquid 
• Continue cooking until the juices begin to reduce down and the meat is nice and crispy!
• To Serve : Season with a little extra salt and pepper if desired. 
• Pour over more of the slow cooker juices once the meat has crisped for added flavour, just before serving! 
• Serve in Tacos, Burritos, or in a salad!

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Cubes of chicken are cooked with colorful veggies and tossed in a flavorful garlic sauce for a meal that's way better than take out! Thank you The Recipe Critic

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided use
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ cup chicken broth
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

• Place 1 teaspoon of oil in a large pan and heat over medium high heat.
• Add the broccoli, mushrooms and bell pepper to the pan. 
• Cook for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Remove the vegetables from the pan; transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, then heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over high heat.
• Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until chicken is browned and cooked through.
• Lower heat to medium, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the vegetables back to the pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch,
• Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has just thickened.
• Serve immediately, with steamed rice if desired

BBQ Chicken Kabobs with Bacon and Pineapple

These are the ultimate BBQ chicken kebabs and are perfect for your next cookout! Thank you Butter with a Side of Bread

2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2″ – 2″ chunks, salted lightly
1 1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 lb bacon, cut into 1″- 1 1/2″ segments
fresh pineapple cut into 2″ chunks

• Combine chicken pieces with 1 cup of the BBQ sauce 
• Marinate for 2-3 hours. (This step can be omitted if you’re pressed for time!)
• Microwave bacon for 2-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon and how crispy you like it. 
• Let bacon cool slightly.
• Using kebab skewers, thread chicken, bacon pieces and pineapple in a pattern. 
• The larger pieces of pineapple are easier to skewer. 
• Fold thin bacon pieces over in half and arrange next to the chicken, 
• Be careful to not put the bacon pieces too close to anything else, so that they have space to heat up properly to cook.
• Grill kebabs until chicken reaches 155-160 degrees F. 
• Slather remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce on kebabs when they’re nearly cooked. 
• Cover loosely with foil and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.