Stromboli Sandwiches

I love these! My mom used to make me these growing up and also bring them up to college as well. They freeze great so you don't have to eat them all at once :) I think they can best be described as Italian Sloppy Joes.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1.5 lb. ground beef (I use diet lean or even turkey)
• 1 T finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 T. Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (I've substituted garlic salt here before)
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 6 slices Mozzarella cheese
• 6 Kaiser Rolls ( I usually look for whole wheat buns)

Directions:

• Brown beef and onion and drain. Add tomato sauce, cheese, ketchup, garlic and oregano.
• Cook 20 min.
• Split rolls and spread with garlic spread (recipe below).
• Spread with meat sauce.
• Top with Mozzarella Cheese.
• Wrap each in foil
• Back at 350 degrees for 15 min.

Garlic Spread: 2 T softened butter, 1/4 tsp. garlic salt and 1/2 tsp paprika mixed together.

***If you melt your butter you can just brush on to bread with a pastry brush***

Pumpkin Toffee Trifle

Erin S brought this trifle to our November Girls Night. It was very good! I've been bugging her for the recipe so I can use our pumpkins and take it to Thanksgiving :)

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) box vanilla pudding mix, cooked to package instructions
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 4 bananas, thinly sliced
• 4 toffee bars, chopped
• 1 loaf pumpkin bread (about 3 cups), cut in cubes
• 4 cups whipped cream

Directions:

• Gently mix vanilla pudding with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar.
• Into a glass trifle bowl, add one half of the pumpkin bread.
• Scoop in one half of the pudding, add a layer of one half of the banana and chopped toffee.
• Smooth on one half of the whipped cream.
• Repeat layers, ending with cream and toffee.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. You can make this the night before. The longer this sits in the fridge, the better!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

I got this recipe from my friend Kim. This stuff took off and I don't think I've found anyone yet that didn't like it. I always have to make extra to leave at home for Brian if I'm taking it somewhere.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I use low fat)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened (no substitution)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 - 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS

• In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. (Optional - I just use it in the container as a dip)
• Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving. (optional)

I serve these with graham cracker sticks. Cinnamon or chocolate.

Tangy Pepper-Pecan Brie

Carrie made this appetizer for our November get together. It was very good! She got it from her Pampered Chef days. It was just the right mix of spicy and sweet.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 4-inch round (8 ounces) Brie cheese with rind, room temperature
• 1 loaf (16 ounces) French baguette
• Vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely chop pecans. Chop jalapeño. In a small bowl, combine jalapeño and preserves; mix well.

2. Cut Brie in half horizontally. Place one half of Brie, cut side up, onto center of Large Round Stone. Spread half of the apricot mixture evenly over bottom half of Brie. Top with half of the pecans and remaining half of Brie, cut side up. Spread remaining apricot mixture over Brie; sprinkle with remaining pecans.

3. Cut baguette on a bias into twenty-four 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange baguette slices around Brie; spray with oil. Bake 8-10 minutes or until baguette slices are golden brown and Brie begins to soften. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Variations:

• Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Brie: Substitute 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, patted dry and chopped for the apricot preserves. Substitute 1 tablespoon prepared basil pesto for the jalapeño pepper and 1/4 cup pine nuts for the pecans. Proceed as recipe directs.
• Brown Sugar Dijon Brie: Substitute 1/2 cup brown sugar for the apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard for the jalapeño pepper and 1/2 cup sliced almonds for the pecans. Reserve 1/4 cup of the almonds. Chop remaining almonds; combine brown sugar, chopped almonds and mustard. Assemble as directed in Step 2; top with reserved almonds.

Girls Night

I thought this might be a good idea to keep our recipes and meals together. I will try to keep it organized and up to date. I'm also going to be putting out some new recipes that I want to try or have tried as well. Let me know if you come up with any other ideas.