Mini Cheesecakes

That cheese ball recipe? I was making that and this was on the inside of the cream cheese package. These are awesome - I've brought them into school and made them at home. Don't freak out if they aren't fluffy on the tops; they cave in at the middle, but that's just more space for whipped cream ;)

Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Serves: (makes) 18

Difficulty: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Honey Maid graham crackers, crumbs	3 eggs
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided	1 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp butter or margarine, melted	2 cups blueberries
3 8-oz. Philadelphia Neufchatel cheese	1 tbsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla

Supplies:

Mixer	18 paper-lined muffin pan cups
Spoons	Muffin pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. Mix the crumbs, 2 tbsp. sugar, and butter until they are blended well. Press the mixture into the bottoms of the muffin paper cups; this is the crust on the bottom.

Beat the cream cheese, remaining sugar, and vanilla with the mixer until blended. Add the eggs one at a time and mix on low speed after each one, just until they’re mixed in. Pour this into the cups.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the centers are completely set. Let cool and refrigerate for two hours.

Beat the whipping cream with the mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread it onto the cheesecakes. Top each with blueberries and lemon zest.

Allergy Information: Contains dairy and eggs.

THIS IS NOT A RECIPE...

Hey guys, just a reminder that if you want to add me to your Google + Circles then please add Unicorn Kitchen and not my own page. I think a few of you have done that but no prob ;)

The Best Brownies You'll Ever Eat

For each recipe, make a batch of brownies beforehand; they can be out of a box or from scratch (click here for a recipe!).

Mint Brownies:

Unwrap a few candy canes and put them in a plastic sandwich bag. Use a rolling pin to crush them into small pieces, but make sure that they are chunks and not just an obliterated dust. Sprinkle the topping onto the brownies when they are fresh out of the oven.

Snow Brownies:

Let your batch cool and lightly dust it with powdered sugar.

CRAZY AWESOME MEGA CHOCOLATE BROWNIES:
Before baking the brownies, break up your favorite Hershey's bar and stir it into the batter. (Optional: Make 2 batches and layer them with chocolate or vanilla frosting inbetween.) When it has cooled, coat the top in an even layer of chocolate frosting. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Comment more ideas!!! :)

Chicken Alfredo Sauce

Thanks to our friend Carolyn Z. for this recipe! :)

Time: 10 minutes, plus time for noodles to cook depending on box directions

Serves: 3-4

Difficulty: 5; may need adult

Ingredients:

2 cups hand-shredded rotisserie chicken	½ cup milk
¼ cup butter	1 ½ cups Parmesan or Gruyere cheese
Any type of noodle

Supplies:

Saucepan

Wooden spoon

Directions:

(Make your favorite kind of noodles beforehand to use with the sauce.)

Melt the butter in the saucepan. Add the milk and stir vigorously until it reaches a boil.

Add the cheese and continue stirring at a simmer for 3 minutes or until the cheese has been completely dissolved and has been simmering for a full minute.

Take off the heat and toss in the chicken, then mix the sauce with the noodles.

Allergy Information: Contains dairy.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Thanks to our friend Carolyn Z. for this recipe! :)

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 2

Difficulty: 4; also get help from adult if needed

Ingredients:

2 medium tomatoes	2 teaspoons olive oil
½ small carrot	1 tbsp vegetable broth
½ celery rib, sliced	⅓ cup dry bread crumbs
½ small onion, peeled	2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 small garlic clove, peeled	3 or 4 thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Supplies:

Knives	Large skillet
Spoon	Shallow glass baking dish
5-7 paper towels	Cooking spray
Food processor

Directions:

Cut the top off of each tomato. Scoop out the pulp and save it. Make sure that the shell is still about ½ inch thick. Place the tomatoes upside down on the paper towels so that they can drain.

Use the food processor to finely chop the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and tomato pulp.

In the skillet, saute the oregano and vegetable mixture until tender, then add the broth. Simmer for 2 minutes or until only half of the liquid remains.

Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly. Stir in the bread crumbs, cheese, and basil.

Stuff the tomatoes and replace the tops. Coat the dish with cooking spray and place the tomatoes in the dish. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until fully heated.

Allergy Information: Contains dairy.

Cakeballs

Time:2 ½ hours

Serves: makes 30 cake balls

Difficulty: 5

Ingredients:

1 box of chocolate cake mix	Lots of chocolate chips!!!
½ can of chocolate frosting

Supplies:

Spatula	Optional: popsicle sticks
Double Boiler

Directions:

Make the cake mix according to the directions on the box, including given ingredients. After you bake, let it cool enough to touch. Crumble with hands (have fun with it and get messy!) Mix about half of the cup of frosting with crumbled cake. Form into balls . Put in fridge for about 20 minutes or until solid. 

Melt some of the chocolate chips in a double boiler, to drizzle on or cover cake balls.

Optional: Use the popsicle sticks as a handle by pushing them gently into the cake. Or just jab them in there like a viking :)

Then put in fridge until ready to enjoy!

Allergy Information: Contains dairy and eggs.

Frozen Cream Cheese Brownies

Time: 4 ½ hours

Serves: 12-16

Difficulty: 4

Ingredients:

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter	4 large eggs
1 ½ cups (12 oz) bittersweet chocolate chips	2 tsp vanilla extract
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature	1 cup unbleached flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar	¼ tsp salt

Supplies:

9” by 9” baking pan	Wooden spoon
Egg beater	Butter knife
Forks and spoons for mixing and beating	2 mixing bowls

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour the baking pan evenly.

Melt butter and chocolate together on low heat (a microwave will work just fine). Let cool.

Separate from the first mixture, beat cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and set aside.

Beat remaining sugar and eggs (one at a time) until smooth. Add the chocolate and butter mixture and the vanilla. Mix well. Combine the flour and salt, then sift into chocolate batter. Blend gently until smooth and even.

Spread about ¾ of the mixture into the pan. Pour the cream cheese mixture over top, then coat with the remaining chocolate mixture.

Dip the knife into the pan and lift straight up, creating a marbled effect. Repeat throughout.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for two hours, then freeze for 45 minutes. Serve right away (with a fork). Wrap any leftovers in foil and store in the freezer.

Allergy Information: Contains dairy and eggs.

TMB Sandwich

(TMB= Tomato Mozzarella Basil)

Time: ½ hour

Serves: 8

Difficulty: 2

Ingredients:

3 fresh tomatoes	1 flat loaf focaccia bread
About 25 fresh basil leaves	Balsamic vinegar
1 package mozzarella cheese	Olive Oil

Supplies:

1 cutting board	2 or 3 paper towels
1 or 2 serrated kitchen knives

Directions:

Wash the tomatoes and basil leaves with cool water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

Take the mozzarella out of the packaging. Set it on the cutting board and use a knife to cut it into about ¼ inch slices.

Cut the middle out of the tomatoes, then take off a bit at each end. Make even slices on all three tomatoes.

If the focaccia is not already separated like two loaves of bread, cut it carefully through the middle. Layer on the cheese, basil, and then tomato. If the tomato is on the bottom it will soak through the bread., and no one wants a soggy sandwich.

OPTIONAL: Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar onto the bread for added flavor.

Cut the sandwich into eight equal sections. Keep refrigerated if not eaten right away.

Allergy Information: Contains dairy and wheat.

Cheese Ball

(TMB= Tomato Mozzarella Basil)

Time: ½ hour

Serves: 8

Difficulty: 2

Ingredients:

3 fresh tomatoes	1 flat loaf focaccia bread
About 25 fresh basil leaves	Balsamic vinegar
1 package mozzarella cheese	Olive Oil

Supplies:

1 cutting board	2 or 3 paper towels
1 or 2 serrated kitchen knives

Directions:

Wash the tomatoes and basil leaves with cool water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

Take the mozzarella out of the packaging. Set it on the cutting board and use a knife to cut it into about ¼ inch slices.

Cut the middle out of the tomatoes, then take off a bit at each end. Make even slices on all three tomatoes.

If the focaccia is not already separated like two loaves of bread, cut it carefully through the middle. Layer on the cheese, basil, and then tomato. If the tomato is on the bottom it will soak through the bread., and no one wants a soggy sandwich.

OPTIONAL: Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar onto the bread for added flavor.

Cut the sandwich into eight equal sections. Keep refrigerated if not eaten right away.

Allergy Information: Contains dairy and wheat.