This year is just flying by! The summer has been busy and the fall promises to be even busier. I’ve got a few recipes for you this month that are good for that transition from summer to fall: filling, but not heavy. There’s a dish that’s great to take to potlucks or get-togethers, a quick meal that’s cooked on the grill, and an easy, cool dessert.
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UFO
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
2 c. sour cream
onion powder
1 jar salsa, divided
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 can black olives, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
tortilla chips
Cream together cream cheese and sour cream. Spread evenly over 12-inch pizza platter. Sprinkle generously with onion powder. Layer the following ingredients in order:
3/4 jar salsa
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
scallions
tomato
black olives
green pepper
remaining cheese
dots of remaining salsa
Chill until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips.
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Fig and Your-Choice-of-Cheese Pizza
4 mini flatbreads (I buy the mini naan at the grocery store)
olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
1 c. crumbled bleu or goat cheese (or any other kind of cheese you prefer–Asiago is good, too)
8 figs, sliced into sixths
salt and pepper to taste
handful arugula
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
Heat vinegar in saucepan over medium heat until it bubbles. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until vinegar is thickened and reduced by half. Remove from stove and set aside.
Preheat grill to high. Brush tops and bottoms of flatbread with olive oil. Place flatbreads, top side down, on the grill for about two minutes, long enough to get grill marks. Remove flatbreads from grill.
Rub tops of flatbreads with garlic, then discard garlic. Sprinkle flatbreads with cheese and figs, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and return to grill, bottom sides down. Cook for another two to three minutes, until cheese is melted, and remove from grill. Sprinkle with arugula and drizzle with balsamic reduction.
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Chocolate/Pistachio/Lemon Lush (recipe courtesy of my dad)
1 stick butter, melted
1 c. flour
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2/3 c. powdered sugar
Large container whipped topping, divided
2 packages instant pudding, your choice of either chocolate, pistachio, or lemon
3 c. milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter, flour, and chopped walnuts in a medium bowl. Mix well and press into bottom of 13 x 9″ pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool completely.
In another medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and one-half whipped topping until fluffy. Spread over cooled crust.
In another bowl, mix pudding and milk for two minutes. Spread over creamy layer.
Cover top with remaining whipped topping and chill until ready to serve.
Enjoy!
Until next time,
Amy
You come up with the best recipes. Old school, yet ones I’ve never heard of. UFO?? I bet that’s almost as fun to make as to eat. I can imagine how popular it is!! Fig pizza, on the other hand, is new school and probably even GOOD for us. I love that your dad has a favorite dessert menu. So sweet (literally and metaphorically). xo
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Thanks, Pam! I mentioned to another commenter that my kids call the UFO “alien pizza” because they can never remember UFO. It is fun to make, and it’s great for vegetarians. The fig pizza is wonderful. And you’d be amazed at the desserts my father makes! They’re all so good.
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Thanks Amy. That fig pizza looks delish! 🙂
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It’s SOO good!!
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I can imagine!!! I had a flashback of bacon wrapped dates in the oven. To die for! Have you tried?
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YES! They’re delicious!!
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🙂
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Yes, time is flying. I’m glad to see the heat getting behind us though. Enough already! Your recipes look great.
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Fall is my favorite season because the heat is GONE! Let me know what you think if you try any of the recipes. Thanks, Linda!
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I have a quick one for you. Make a vanilla wafer crust in your pie plate. Make two packages of pistachio pudding with heavy whipping cream. Top with plain STABILIZED whipping cream and sprinkle generously with crushed pistachios.
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Yum! My eldest daughter LOVES pistachio. I’ll have to make that for her. Thanks!!
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I like the UFO recipe
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My kids call it “alien dip” because they can’t remember UFO! It’s always a big hit when I take it anywhere. Enjoy!
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All look so good, especially the fig pizza! Happy September.
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Happy September to you, too, Darlene! I had the fig pizza for dinner last night and it was so good! I’m making it again tonight 🙂
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