Chocolate Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Beautiful… Delicious… Everyone screams for more!! THESE strawberries are to die for!!

And it’s FRUIT… for dessert or an appetizer… or for dinner… I don’t judge… and fruit is healthy… like diet food… SERIOUSLY!!

Ingredients:

1-2 pints strawberries
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBS butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup Cool Whip

For bases:
2-3 TBS chocolate chips
2-3 TBS chocolate cookie crumbs * I used about 10 Oreos in my processor

Instructions:

Prepare Strawberries:
Wash strawberries and pat dry.

Cut the tops off the strawberries and hollow them out using a small spoon.

Slice a thin piece of the bottom of each strawberry so it can stand up – save these cuts for a cute top!

Create bases:
Melt the 3 TBS chocolate chips @ 50% power for about 20 seconds… continue in 15 second intervals until the chocolate is melted.

Process the cookies to make a crumb base.

Dip the bottom of each DRY strawberry into chocolate and then into the cookie crumbs. Place on a lined cookie sheet. (Parchment, wax paper or even foil)

Make the Filling:
Place the 3/4 cup chocolate chips in a small dish and melt on 50% power for about 40 seconds.. continue in 20 second intervals until the chocolate is melted.

Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla, cocoa powder and sugar until fluffy. Add in the slightly cooled chocolate and mix on low until incorporated. Add in whipped topping and stir/mix just until combined. (At this point you have a super yummy chocolate fruit dip – but that is a whole ‘nother recipe!!)

Place the filling in a baggy or a decorator. Pipe into the strawberries.

Top with the small bottom piece you cut off to stabilize the berry and sprinkle any remaining cookie crumbs across the top.

Oooh la la… aren’t we fancy now… and oh sooo delicious!! REJOICE!!

Sunday Funday, Weekly Menu ~ Meal Plan

Sunday Funday…

I made some soup… Stuffed Pepper Soup (here)… with lots of extra for the week…  TRULY DELICIOUS!!

I actually matched up some Tops Deals (here)

I posted a recipe for Banana DREAM Cake (here) which was a HUGE hit at a weekend get-together!!

and now our Weekly Menu – Meal Plan… It helps so much to prep and plan on Sundays…check it out!

Sunday – Today while shopping, I stopped at a farm stand…I got corn on the cob and some fresh peas, green and yellow beans, and a cantaloupe. We ate the peas and beans as an appetizer and then grilled chicken breasts, marinated in Chiavettas, and made the corn on the cob. Have you heard of the best way to boil corn?? 1 TBS salt and 1TBS sugar in the boiling water…. Then 1/2 stick of butter thrown in the boiling water just before corn is done… AMAZING!!!

Monday – Stuffed Shells (from a freezer meal workshop) and the fresh cantaloupe

Tuesday – Chicken Salad Wraps (see recipe HERE)

Wednesday – Smoked Sausage and Potatoes (a favorite freezer meal)

Thursday – Banquet Pot Pies… Cheap this week at $1 each and everyone loves them…. (YUCK..LOL!!)

Friday – Crockpot Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions and Baked Ziti (all from the last freezer meal workshop)

Saturday – It’s our first official football scrimmage and we shall CELEBRATE with pizza out!

What are you having this week? Do tell!!

Banana DREAM Cake

So I made a BANANA Pudding Poke Cake…. And life will never be the same!  It has been aptly upgraded to Banana DREAM Cake!!

Sometimes the very simplest recipes can make the absolute best stuff… and this recipe is proof positive that this is true! I took it to a get- together and everyone gave it rave reviews, and the one I made for home (1 of 2 pie plate size) was gone before I got back. A good banana cream pie is my favorite and SERIOUSLY, this Dream Cake topped any pie I have ever had!

Minimal ingredients, easy instructions and tastes delicious….make it now!!

INGREDIENTS:
White or yellow cake mix – make cake as directed
• I have begun adding an extra egg and 2 TBS melted butter to my mixes
2 boxes instant banana pudding mix
4 cups milk
2 large bananas
8 Oz. (regular container) Cool Whip
• If you are FANCY and want a decorative topping, crush about 6 Nilla Wafers, Golden Oreos or even graham crackers…

INSTRUCTIONS:
Bake the cake as directed… then allow to cool while you prepare the pudding.

Make both boxes of pudding by adding the 4 cups of milk and whisking until there are no lumps.

Now that the cake has cooled while you made the pudding, Take a wooden spoon and using the handle end poke holes in the cake – all the way to the bottom – everywhere! The closer the better – I did every 1/2” or so….

Slowly pour the pudding over the cake and make sure all the holes get filled, then smooth the pudding over the cake.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap and set in fridge for an hour or so… I make them the night before and leave in the fridge overnight.

Uncover cake, chop bananas into 1/4 “ slices and lay all over top of pudding.

Spread cool whip on top and smooth out.

Crush wafers ( I used my mini chopper) and sprinkle on top!

Serve this cake to anyone, at anytime, and be ready for the LOVE!!!

TOPS deals this week…

My FAVORITE Tops deals this week….

 

Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Big Pack – $1.99/lb — STOCK UP PRICE!!!

Italian Sausage $2.99/lb big pack

 

Foxy Iceberg Lettuce $.99/head

Peaches $.99/lb.

 

SUPER COUPONS IN AD – all GREAT deals!!

Tops Orange Juice from Concentrate 64 oz – $1.49 (with in-ad Super Coupon)

D’Italiano Italian Bread 20 oz loaf – $1.69 (with in-ad Super Coupon)

Jumbo Signature Cinnamon Buns 4 count – $1.99 (with in-ad Super Coupon)

Nabisco Ritz Crackers $1.77 – (with in-ad Super Coupon)

Poland Spring 24ct water $2.99 – (with in-ad Super Coupon)

Tops 100ct cooked shrimp $7.49 – (with in-ad Super Coupon)

 

Nescafe Taster’s Choice Single-Serve Instant Coffee 6 ct – $1.00

– $0.50 off ONE Nescafe Taster’s Choice single-serve coffee (RP 8/23/15)

= FREE  🙂

 

Ken’s Salad Dressing 16 oz – $2.00

–        $1/2 or $0.75 off ONE Ken’s Salad Dressing (SS 8/9/15)

 

Old El Paso Salsa Seasoning Mix Packet – $0.89

– $1.00 off THREE Old El Paso products – Tear pad… or printable

– Earn $1.00 SavingStar Credit when you buy THREE Old El Paso products

= $.22 cents each after coupon and SavingStar Credit

 

Nature Valley Granola Bars – $2.00

– $1/2 coupon in the 7/12 Smartsource

= $1. 50

 

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars – $2.00

– $0.55 off ONE Quaker Chewy Bars (RP 8/23/15)

= $.90 cents after doubles

 

Fiber One bars – $2

-$.50/1 Fiber one printable or use the $1/2 coupons in the 7/12 or 8/2 Smartsource

= $1.00

 

Ten for Ten / 100 GAS POINTS WHEN YOU BUY 10 ITEMS LISTED BELOW

Gatorade or Propel Fitness water/ Glaceau Smart water or Vitamin water $1

Banquet Brown and serve sausages $1

Hunts Pasta Sauce $1

Knorr Pasta sides $1

Banquet Pot Pies $1

Tops Soft cookies $1

 

Tops Chicken Noodle Tomato and condensed soups $.50

Tops Canned Vegetables $.50

 

Happy Shopping!!!