Azoresgal~Life on an Island

A simple, no-bake pie that is perfect for the butterfinger lover in your family! This creamy butterfinger pie comes together in a snap with just a few simple ingredients.  Peanut butter, cream cheese and a butter finger filling poured into a delicious cookie crust, make this pie a winner! Ingredients 1 9 oz prepared graham cracker crust ( I made a cookie crust see below) 1 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 8 oz tubs Cool Whip thawed, ( I used 2 cups cream, whipped) 3 full size Butterfinger candy bars, crushed (I used 4) Using an electric mixer, whip together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until fully combined. Fold in containers of thawed cool whip and crushed candy bars into the filling by hand. Reserve 1/3 cup of crushed candy bars for the top. Spread into the crust. Top with the remaining crushed candy bars. Chill for ...

This rich and creamy cheesecake is all sorts of decadent,all the flavors of pumpkin pie, in a cheesecake.The texture is absolutely perfect – creamy, thick, smooth and it slices beautifully. Don’t let the idea of making a cheesecake scare you, it is simple to make, just be sure to make it a day before you need it! A delicious sweet treat for just about any occasion, I hope you love it as much as we did! Ingredients Crust 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted ( 3/4 cup for a moist and dense crust) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided Pumpkin Cheesecake 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 2 lb (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened (900 gr.) 1/4 cup sour cream/Greek yogurt, room temperature 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. ground cloves Whipped cream Chopped pecans, optional Crust Preheat oven to...

 These delicious pinwheels  are super simple to make, the filling is a classic combo of spinach and feta! Oh and did I mention the other ingredients, puff pastry and cream cheese...just remember the spinach makes them  really healthy, wink..wink . With the holidays just around the corner,  served hot or cold these are the perfect party food. They are a huge hit every time I make them, I hope you give them a try! 300 g frozen spinach , thawed and drained (  I used canned spinach 380g) 200 g feta cheese 1 package cream cheese (200g)  olive oil 2 tablespoons (or more) 1 small bag of shredded mozzarella cheese (240g) 2 store – bought puff pastry ( 230 g) salt and pepper, to taste 1 egg Preheat oven to 220C/ 425F. Line two baking sheets with baking paper and set aside. Place the defrosted spinach into a sieve and strain out any remaining liquid. Use paper towel to remove any remaining moisture from the spinach. In the meantime put ...

If you’re looking for a dessert that is quick and easy to make, you should give this a try. It's light, lemony, sweet and tart! It's a great dessert for lemon lovers!  Now it is no-bake, but you do need to make it ahead of time, so it will set up. The lemon juice is what thickens and sets the cheesecake. I topped mine with a lemon curd , but many other toppings would be great too, blueberry, strawberry, or just some whipped cream! My family loved it, I hope your family will too! Crust 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (I use digestive cookies) 1/4 cup sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted Filling 2 packages of cream cheese, softened 1 can  sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice/ about 4 lemons (or lime juice) 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 1 In a medium bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press evenly into ungreased 9-inch pie plate or a        springform pan, and chill in the fridge. 2 In large bowl, beat filling ingre...

This makes a big 13x9 pan of brownies, using a cake box mix, that's right a cake box mix!  Super easy and oh so very delicious, a really decadent dessert! 1 chocolate cake mix 1 egg 1 stick of melted butter (1/2 cup) 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) 1 8 oz. softened cream cheese (200 gr.) 2 beaten eggs 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Mix together in a bowl the chocolate cake mix, 1 egg, 1 stick of melted butter,1 c. chopped pecans. Line a 13x9 pan, with baking/ parchment paper, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Next combine the softened cream cheese, 2 beaten eggs and 3  1/2 c. powdered sugar. Spread over cake mix. Bake in 180/350' oven for 40 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars/squares **** I added a chocolate drizzle, I melted 200 grms, of chocolate in the microwave, then poured it into a piping bag, and drizzled over the brownies.

These cupcakes are so moist and delicious, like eating a slice of carrot cake. I like to pretend the two cups of shredded carrots make them healthy.  Maybe if I called them muffins they would be healthier? I think if you omit the frosting, they are muffins ! The recipe only makes a dozen, so they are great for breakfast or an after school snack or a snack for you...while the kid's are at school ! In honor of Remembrance Day.....Lest We Forget For the muffins:  1 cup pecans 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup canola oil ( I used butter) 1 large egg  2 cups  coarsely grated carrot For the frosting: 8 ounces bar cream cheese, at room temperature 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extr...

 This recipe is so easy to make and it only consists of 3 ingredients; fresh jalapenos, cream cheese, and bacon. Did I tell you how delicious these are ? The jalapeno peppers are first sliced in half then seeded, stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped with bacon and grilled.  Seriously are you still with me, or did I loose you at "wrapped with bacon"?  These are such a great side dish to any meats you might be grilling, or a fantastic appetizer for a party. You really should wear gloves when slicing and seeding the jalapenos, because they can burn your hands. 20 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded 1-2 boxes cream cheese, softened 1-2 packages  bacon, cut into halves  Halve and seed the jalapenos. Please wear rubber/latex gloves when doing this to prevent burns. Stuff each half with cream cheese and wrap with a half piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Grill on the BBQ or cook in pre-heated oven at 350/180 until bacon in done. **You ...

 Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.   I think that´s reason enough to make some, Strawberry Margaritas, and some Chili Cheese dip. So here goes...... Strawberry Margaritas 3 1/2 cups sliced strawberries 2 1/2 cups crushed ice 1/2 cup tequila 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup sugar 3 Tablespoons Cointreau extra strawberries for garnish sugar for dipping the glasses Pour the sugar out into a shallow bowl . Dampen a thick paper towel, folded in quarters, with water. Press the rims glasses onto the wet paper towel and then lightly dip them into the sugar. Combine strawberries, ice, tequila, lime juice, sugar, and liqueur in a blender, and process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the margaritas into 4 large glasses. Garnish margaritas with a strawberry, if desired. Serve immediately  everything in the blender  dampen, some paper towels, and s...

  This flan is out of this world, it is rich and creamy, and oh so very easy to make. I like to throw everything into my blender :) I used a vanilla bean......split it in half ta-dah.....it´s filled with tiny little black specks.....the vanilla scrap out gently with the tip of a knife, save the pod, place it in a jar of sugar for vanilla sugar caramel in the pan (store bought-I cheated) Ban-Marie (fancy talk for a hot water bath) Ingredients 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons water ( I used store bought caramel ) 8 ounces cream cheese 8 large eggs 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 12-ounce can nonfat or low-fat evaporated milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ( I used a vanilla bean ) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Cook sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture turns golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately, pour the caramel carefully into a 9...