Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies

PEANUT BUTTER PUDDING COOKIES

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup reese's pieces
1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 35o°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and pudding; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and honey and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beat to combine. Add chocolate chips, reeses pieces and peanut butter chips and mix until incorporated. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball between your palms and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart (you should be able to fit 12 cookies on each sheet). Using your palm, gently flatten the dough balls until they are about ¾ inch thick. Bake 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets for 2 minutes before transferring cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 3 dozen.

Caramel Cheesecake Bites

CARAMEL CHEESECAKE BITES

19 ounces cream cheese
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

caramel:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk

crust:
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 cup melted butter

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Crush your slivered almonds. In a mixing bowl whisk together the almond flour, almonds, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the butter and combine with a spoon. Line a muffin tin with liners. Push the almond mixture into the bottom of the liners. Bake for 10 minutes to set. Turn oven down to 300 degrees. In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy. Spoon mixture into the muffin tins with prepared almond crust. Bake for 40 minutes. While cakes are cooking, start on the caramel. Combine granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently for 3 minutes. Stop stirring and continue cooking 10 minutes or until the color of light brown sugar. Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter and milk. Place pan over medium-high heat until caramelized sugar melts. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; cool caramel to room temperature. Cover and chill 1 hour or until slightly thickened. Take cheesecakes out of the oven when they are done. Once cool, the middle will slightly fall and this is the perfect indent for the caramel. Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel over each cheesecake.

Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

MILLION DOLLAR SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE

1 lb. of Lean Ground Beef
28 oz spaghetti sauce
8 oz of Cream Cheese
1/4 cup of Sour Cream
1/2 lb. of Cottage Cheese
Whole Stick of Butter
1lb pasta such as elbow noodles or rotini
Bag of shredded cheese (I use pizza blend)
Optional: sliced mushrooms, diced bell pepper, diced onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil the noodles. Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese in a mixer to thoroughly mixed together. Set aside. If you have chosen to use the bell pepper or onion saute them for 3 minutes then toss in the hamburger meat. Brown hamburger meat in a skillet and drain. Add spaghetti sauce and mix together. Put a few slices of butter in bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Then layer half of the noodles in the bottom of the dish. Spread the cheese mixture over this layer. Then add the rest of the noodles on top of this with a few pats of butter. Now pour the red sauce and meat on top and spread. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and spread cheese on top and return to oven for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Orange Cream Cheese Bread

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE BREAD

1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c shortening
1 2/3 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 c milk
1/2 c chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp grated orange peel
1/4 c orange juice

Combine cream cheese and shortening, creaming well. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in walnuts and orange peel. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 3 inch loaf pans. Bake at 375 degrees F for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle orange juice over loaves. Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Tortellini Crockpot Meal

TORTELLINI CROCKPOT MEAL

1 bag of frozen tortellini
1 small bag of fresh spinach
2 cans of Italian style diced tomatoes
1 box or 4 cups or vegetable broth
1 block of cream cheese

Put all ingredients in crockpot, chunking up the cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-6 hrs.

Sausage Hash Brown Bake

SAUSAGE HASH BROWN BAKE

2 pounds bulk pork sausage
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup (8 ounces) Daisy Brand® Sour Cream
1 carton (8 ounces) French onion dip
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (30 ounces) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine 1-3/4 cups cheese and the next seven ingredients; fold in potatoes. Spread half into a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Top with sausage and remaining potato mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 10-12 servings.

German Vegetable Soup

GERMAN VEGETABLE SOUP

1-1/2 lb. ground beef
2 med. onions, diced
2 Tbsp. beef bouillon granules
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp. garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 can (46 oz.) tomato or vegetable juice
3 celery ribs, diced
6 med. carrots, sliced
3 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 can (15-1/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (8-1/2 oz.) peas, drained
1 can (8 oz.) cut green beans, drained

In a Dutch oven, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Dissolve bouillon in water; add to the beef mixture. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaf, tomato juice, celery, carrots, potatoes, cabbage and green pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the corn, peas and beans; heat through. Discard bay leaf before serving. Yield: 16 servings (4 quarts).

Pretzel Crusted Chicken

PRETZEL CRUSTED CHICKEN

2 cups sourdough pretzel nuggets
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp. pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 pkg. (5 oz.) spring mix salad greens

Place pretzels in a food processor; process until finely crushed. Place pretzels and flour in separate shallow bowls. In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, garlic and pepper. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/4-in. thickness. Dip both sides of chicken in flour, egg mixture and then pretzel crumbs. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook for 4-6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and mustard. Remove 2 Tbsp. to another bowl for dressing; whisk in remaining oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Place salad greens in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. Serve with chicken and remaining mayonnaise mixture. Yield: 4 servings (2/3 cup sauce).

Potato Beef Lasagna

POTATO BEEF LASAGNA

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 can (19 oz.) ready-to-serve tomato-basil soup
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. (20 oz.) refrigerated sliced potatoes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in soup and tomatoes; set aside. Place half of the potatoes and onion into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Layer with remaining potatoes and onion. Top with mozzarella cheese and meat mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Uncover; sprinkle with Gruyere cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 8 servings.

Favorite Creamy Chicken Casserole

FAVORITE CREAMY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

4 cups uncooked egg noodles
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen peas and carrots
2 cups milk
2 cans (10-3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
2 cans (10-3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Drain noodles; add to chicken mixture. Transfer to two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 2 casseroles (5 servings each).

Chinese Beef Casserole

CHINESE BEEF CASSEROLE

2 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cans (10-3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can (14 oz.) bean sprouts, undrained
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 can (5 oz.) chow mein noodles

In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and celery over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, bean sprouts, soy sauce and pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour into a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Stir in rice and water chestnuts. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; stir in peas and sprinkle with noodles. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 8 servings.

Butterfinger Dessert

BUTTERFINGER DESSERT

1 (10") prepared angel food cake, cut into 1' cubes
1 ( 1 oz.) package butterscotch pudding mix
1 1/2 cups milk
2 ( 8 oz. ) containers of cool whip, thawed
10 fun-sized butterfingers candy bars, crushed

Spray 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray. Arrange half the angel food cake cubes in bottom of pan. In large bowl, combine the pudding mix with milk. Whisk until starting to thicken. Fold in both containers of cool whip. Pour half the "fluff" mixture over the cubed angel food cake in pan. Top with half the crushed butterfinger candies. Repeat with rest of cake, fluff and candy. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, or overnight. 15 servings.

Granny's Grand Cinnamon Rolls

GRANNY’S GRAND CINNAMON ROLLS

1 cup warm water
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
1 tsp. + 2/3 + 1 1/2 + 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp salt
2/3 + 1/2 + 1/2 + 2/3 cups butter, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
8 cups flour
3 Tbsp cinnamon
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp hot water
Walnuts

In a small bowl mix together warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar and set aside. In a large bowl, mix milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, and eggs, stir well and add to yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff (dough will be sticky). Turn onto well floured board and knead 5-10 minutes. Place in well buttered bowl, cover and let rise in warm place, free from drafts, until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When doubled, punch down dough and let rest 5 minutes. Roll onto floured surface into a 15x20 rectangle. Spread dough with ½ cup melted butter. Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and cinnamon, next sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts, and roll up jellyroll-fashion and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices. Coat bottom of 9x13 and 8” square baking pans with 1/2 cup melted butter, next sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in pans. Let rise in warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until rolls are nicely browned. Cool rolls slightly. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix 2/3 cup melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Add hot water 1 Tbsp at a time until glaze reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls and serve warm. Makes 12 to 15 large cinnamon rolls.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

TWICE BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

5 lb bag of potatoes peeled.
1 box cream cheese softened
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese (You can use your favorite kind of cheese)
1/2-1 cup of sour cream
Bacon cooked and crumbled (1/2 package)
Green Onion diced (Optional)
Milk as needed for mashing consistency.

Peel and boil your potatoes for faster cooking but you can also bake them and scoop out the insides, however you prefer. Drain potatoes when ready to mash and add the cream cheese, butter, shredded cheese, sour cream, and milk (as needed). When you get your right consistency, add 3/4 of the bacon and 3/4 of the green onion. Place in a greased casserole and garnish with the remaining bacon and onion. You can also add more shredded cheese to the top for garnish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Sausage Roll

Beer Dip

BEER DIP

4 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup beer
2 envelopes ranch salad dressing mix
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Pretzels

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, beer and dressing mix until blended. Stir in cheese.
Serve with pretzels.

Crack Rolls

CRACK ROLLS

1 loaf (16 oz.) thinly sliced white bread, crusts removed
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted

Flatten bread with a rolling-pin. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. In another bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Spread about 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Roll up, jelly roll style. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon-sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 16 roll-ups. Good warm or cold.

Crab Cakes

CRAB CAKES

1 large egg
2 1/2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
11/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (not sure we have this in Canada)* see note
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup finely diced celery (you’ll need one stalk)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. lump crab meat*
1/2 cup panko
Canola oil

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the egg, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; gently fold mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 crab cakes (about 1/2 cup each) and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with canola oil. When oil is hot, place crab cakes in pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve immediately with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon.

Quick Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. minced red onion
1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve

Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole

EASY CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

3-4 chicken breasts, chopped and cooked or 1 (14 oz.) can chicken
16 oz. egg noodles, cooked
24 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/4 c. margarine, melted
2 Tbsp. Poppy seeds (optional)

Combine chicken, sour cream, soup & cheeses in a large bowl; stir to combine. Add the noodles and gently stir till coated. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Mix crackers and margarine; sprinkle over the top. Sprinkle with Poppy seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or till crackers are crispy and golden brown and cheese is melted.

Oreo Frogs

OREO FROGS

Candy Eyes balls
Package of Green Candy Melts
Oreo Cookies
Pretzels
Red Candy for your tongue
Green Sprinkles

Melt the chocolate following the directions of the bag. Cover the pretzels and oreos in the chocolate. Place pretzels together( bottoms side by side) Place oreo cookie on top of pretzels. Place the tongue, eyes and sprinkles on the cookie!

Mini Sausage Wreath

MINI SAUSAGE WREATH

Mini Sausages
Refrigerated Crescent Dough Rolls
Red Bell Pepper
Diced Rosemary
1/3 cup Butter
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Preheat the oven to the temperature specified on the package of Refrigerated Crescent Dough Rolls. Drain the liquid off of the mini sausages. Unroll the crescent dough and separate at the perforations to create 4 rectangles. Press together the remaining perforation in each rectangle. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 8 strips making a total of 32 strips. Wrap one strip of dough around each mini sausage. Lay out the crescent-wrapped sausages with their sides touching on an ungreased cookie sheet in a circle forming a wreath shape. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown. Melt 1/3 cup of butter and brush the butter on top of the crescent-wrapped sausages. Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the butter. Cut a red bell pepper into a bow shape for garnish. Combine the BBQ sauce and cranberry sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until heated through. Serve with wreath for dipping.

Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

BACON CHEESEBURGER DIP

1/2 lb. ground beef
8 bacon strips (cut into chunks)
1/2 diced onion
1 clove garlic – chopped
4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees degrees. Cook ground beef then drain. Cook bacon until crispy (drain but keep 1 1/2 Tbsp. grease in pan). Saute onion and garlic in grease. In a large bowl mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese, Worcestershire and ketchup Add beef, bacon, onions and garlic to mixture above and stir until combined. Pour into baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes

Min Upside Down Pineapple Cake

MINI UPSIDE DOWN PINEAPPLE CAKES

Cake Ingredients:

2 eggs
2/3 cup white sugar
4 Tbsp. pineapple juice
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Topping:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick or 4 Tbsp)
2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 can pineapple rings
6 maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, add eggs, white sugar, and pineapple juice. Beat for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and turn mixer back on for 2 minutes. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and add the brown sugar. Stir on low heat for one minute. Spoon a layer of the warm brown sugar mixture into the bottom of each muffin tin, then place a pineapple ring on top. Add a cherry in the middle of each pineapple. Pour cake mixture over to fill muffin tin 3/4 of the way full. If you are using regular muffin tins, you will need to cut down the rings to fit or just use pineapple tidbits. Bake jumbo cakes for 25 minutes. Bake regular cakes for 20 minutes. If you choose to make a large cake, bake for 22-25 minutes in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. The cake is done with a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. This is the hard part...waiting for warm cakes to finish baking. Remove from the oven. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake to help loosen in case it sticks a little. Place a wire cooling rack on top, and quickly flip over on top of sheet tray to catch extra drippings. Place wire rack of cakes on sheet tray to cool. Now it's time to Enjoy!

Ritz Crackers

RITZ CRACKERS

1 stick melted butter,
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup grated Parmesan,
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder.
1 box Ritz crackers

Toss box of Ritz crackers with all 5 ingredients. Bake in 300 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Queso Dip

QUESO DIP

1 block (32 oz. block) Velveeta Cheese
1 package (8 oz.) Cream Cheese
1 can (10 oz.) Rotel
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 lb. ground beef or sausage (or a combination of both)

Brown ground beef or sausage (or both) in a pan over medium heat and set aside. Cut up the Velveeta and cream cheese into cubes and place into a crock pot. Pour in the Rotel and the cream of mushroom soup and stir ingredients together. Place the crock pot on low setting for an hour, letting the ingredients meld. After about 30 minutes, add the browned meat and continue to let cook, stirring as needed.

Caramel Pound Cake

CARAMEL POUND CAKE

1 1/2 cup butter softened
5 eggs
2 cup brown sugar
3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup pecans
1 (8oz.) bag toffee chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 jar caramel topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a bundt pan w/pam & dust w/flour. Beat butter until creamy. Add sugars beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder & salt. Add flour mix to batter alternately with milk, beat until just combined. Stir in toffee & pecans. Spoon batter into pan and bake 1-1/2 hrs/until wooden pick comes out clean. To prevent excess browning, cover cake with foil while baking. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, cool on a wire rack. Drizzle Caramel cake.

Salted Pretzel Caramel Brownies

SALTED PRETZEL CARAMEL BROWNIES

1 box Betty Crocker fudge brownies (for 9x13 pan)
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 cups pretzels
1 jar caramel sauce
Coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, or grease with cooking spray. Prepare brownie batter according to package instructions. Pour about 1/3 of the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. Then add two even layers of pretzels, covering the entire surface. Carefully spoon the remaining brownie batter on top to cover the pretzels. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownies comes out clean. Remove and set on a cooling rack to cool. Spoon the caramel sauce onto the top of the brownies in an even layer. (If it is too thick, spoon the sauce into a small bowl first and microwave for 30 seconds to thin.) Sprinkle the caramel with a few pinches of sea salt. Serve warm, or let cool to room temperature then serve.

Squirmy Jelly Worms

SQUIRMY JELLY WORMS

2 packs (3 oz) Raspberry jello
1 pkg unflavored gelatin (for extra firmness)
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 cups boiling water
15 drops green food coloring
100 flexible straws (or enough to fill your container)
Tall container (1 quart or 1 liter carton of milk)

Combine gelatin in bowl and add boiling water. Let it cool to lukewarm and then add the whipping cream and 15 drops green food coloring. Gather your straws (don’t forget to flex them out) and put them in the container. It’s important that the straws have a tight fit so the jello stays in the straws. For this reason, a 1 liter carton may be better; you will probably get longer worms since there is a tighter fit. If you have a bigger container, a rubber band around the straws is helpful. Or you could just add more straws to fill the container. Add the gelatin mixture to the straw-filled container and let it set until firm. There are multiple ways you can remove the worms from the straws. You can roll a rolling pin over the straws and squeeze them out or you can hold the straws over warm water. The worms will slip right out!

Paremsan Upside Down Baked Potatoes

PARMESAN UPSIDE DOWN BAKED POTATOES

7 red potatoes, washed and cut in half
2-3 Tbsp. butter
6 Tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in the bottom of a 9×13 glass pan. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and seasonings over butter. Place potatoes cut side down and sprinkle more seasonings on top of potatoes. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

Creamy Bacon & Cheese Dip

CREAMY BACON & CHEESE DIP

16 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 jar (3 oz.) bacon bits
1 cup chopped green onions
1 envelope onion soup mix
Crackers
Assorted fresh vegetables (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together sour cream and cream cheese. Fold in shredded cheese, bacon bits, green onions and onion soup mix. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. To serve, place in center of platter and surround with pork rinds or celery and assorted fresh vegetables.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE BARS

3 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 16.5 oz. rolls refrigerator chocolate chip cookie dough

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until well mixed; set aside. Slice cookie dough rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange slices from one roll on bottom of a greased 9- x 13-inch glass baking dish; press together so there are no holes in dough. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over dough; top with remaining slices of cookie dough. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and center is slightly firm. Remove from oven, let cool, then refrigerate. Cut into slices when well chilled.

Monterey Chicken

MONTEREY CHICKEN

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1 cup Colby and jack cheese, shredded
1 14 oz. can tomatoes, drained (canned with green chilies added)
Sliced green onions
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pound out chicken breasts to flatten. Season with pepper. Grill chicken until no long pink and place on baking sheet covered with foil. Top each chicken breast with one Tbsp. barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, green onions and one Tbsp. of bacon bits. Place in oven and bake until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).

Easy Pecan Caramel Turtles

EASY PECAN CARAMEL TURTLES

4 oz. pecan halves
24 unwrapped Kraft Caramels
1 tsp. shortening
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cover cookies sheet with aluminum foil, shiny side exposed. Lightly grease foil with vegetable oil spray. Place 3 pecan halves in a Y shape on the foil. Place 1 caramel candy in the center of each Y. Bake just until caramel is melted, about 9 to 10 minutes. Heat shortening and chocolate chips over low heat just until chocolate is melted. Spread over candies and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cheeseburger in Paradise

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion (chopped)
1/2 tsp. of seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
Dash or Worcester sauce
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (can use 3/4 cheddar and 1/4 mozzarella)
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of Original Bisquick mix
2 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Cook beef and chopped onion in a skillet over medium about 10 minutes or until beef is brown. Drain excess fat. Stir in salt, garlic powder and Worcester sauce and then spread in pie plate. Next, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the beef. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and Bisquick. Make sure you try to get as many lumps out as you can. Pour over meat mixture.
Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. Serves 4-5 people.

Easy Big Fat Yeast Rolls

EASY BIG FAT YEAST ROLLS

1 cup warm water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. softend butter (or non-dairy equivalent)
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2-4 cups flour

Put water and yeast in large mixing bowl and add next 4 ingredients. Beat with dough hook until well blended. Add 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour and mix until soft dough forms (should not be sticky). Put out onto floured board and knead a few times until smooth. Place in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place approx. 45 minutes. Punch down and turn out onto floured board. Shape into 12 rolls and place in greased 13x9 in. baking pan. Let rise again about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with butter (or equivalent).

Oreo Owls

Mini Cornucopias

Ohhhh...you're gonna want to file this away for thanksgiving!! Using a sugar cone, dip the tip in warm water for about 20 seconds then microwave for 20 seconds. Roll the warm, moistened end around a clean pencil and hold for 20 seconds.
Voila...Mini Cornucopias:) Fill with whatever you like, use as a place card... Be creative!

Fabulous Shrimp

FABULOUS SHRIMP

Melt a stick of butter in the pan. Slice one lemon and layer it on top of the butter. Put down fresh shrimp, then sprinkle one pack of dried Italian seasoning. Put in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Best Shrimp you will EVER taste.

Cream Cheese Cookies

CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 small egg yolk (use only half a yolk if your eggs are large or extra large)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Very lightly grease cookie sheets. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together in on low speed until light and fluffy. Beat vanilla and egg yolk in on medium speed. Stir in flour until well mixed, but do not overbeat as the dough can get a little tough. And no one wants tough cookies. I use a cookie press to make these, and while it’s not necessary, it gives me the best result, and makes the prettiest cookies. If you have one, dig it out and use it. If you don’t have one, you can still make the cookies, just drop teaspoon measures onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, keeping a close eye so the cookies don’t get too dark. The cookies should still be quite pale when they’re done. To make these cookies even more special, try making a little indent in the center of the cookie and filling with jam, preserves, chocolate chips, halved cherries, or whatever floats your boat, really.

Perfect Couple Pie

PERFECT COUPLE PIE

For the pie:

1 chocolate graham cracker crust
1 cup peanut butter
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tub (12 oz.) Cool Whip, divided
1 jar (11.75 oz.) hot fudge topping, divided
1/2 cup sugar

For the topping:
2 Tbsp. hot fudge
2 Tbsp. peanut butter

In large bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, and sugar until creamy. Fold in 3 cups Cool Whip. Spoon mixture into crust and smooth to edges. Remove 2 Tbsp. hot fudge from jar and reserve in zip-loc plastic baggie for later. Heat remaining hot fudge according to package directions. Spread on top of peanut butter layer. Refrigerate pie until serving time. At serving time, carefully spread remaining Cool Whip on top of pie. Knead hot fudge in baggie with hands; cut tiny hole in corner of baggie and pipe over pie. Repeat with 2 Tbsp. peanut butter and pipe on pie in opposite direction. Serve.

German Skillet Dinner

GERMAN SKILLET DINNER

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 cabbage , chopped
2/3 cup uncooked rice (I use minute rice)
1 med onion, chopped
2 lbs hamburger
1 can diced tomatoes or rotel tomatoes (Rotel tomatoes have hot peppers in them)
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in skillet, layer cabbage, uncooked rice, onion, raw crumbled hamburger, salt and pepper, then tomatoes. Cover with lid and simmer 25-35 minutes until rice, cabbage and burger are done. Do not stir or lift lid until done.

Roasted Garlic Mushrooms

ROASTED GARLIC MUSHROOMS

16 even-sized open cup mushrooms, stalks cut level
3 tbsp olive oil
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter,
Softened 3 cloves garlic, chopped very finely
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Cayenne pepper to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly fry the mushrooms, cap-side down, in hot oil for 20 seconds. Arrange the mushrooms in a shallow roasting tin with the stalks facing upwards. Mix together the butter, garlic, thyme, lemon juice and seasoning. Spoon a little garlic butter on to each mushroom, then lightly press the breadcrumbs on top. Either refrigerate for later use, or cook immediately in the oven for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUDDING COOKIES

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup White Sugar
1 small pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 pkg ( 12 oz) Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat the butter, both sugars, pudding mix, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat until creamy and fluffy. Then slowly mix in flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls, onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for ONLY 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes before eating. Makes 36 cookies.

Reindeer Cookies

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

CRISPY CHEDDAR CHICKEN

2 lbs. chicken tenders or 4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp. dried parsley

Sauce:
1 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
2 Tbsp. sour cream
2 Tbsp. butter

Crush crackers. If using chicken breasts and not tenders, cut each chicken breast into 3 large pieces. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Then press the cheesy coated chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy. In a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

Ice Cream in a Bag

ICE CREAM IN A BAG

2 Tbsp. stevia ( more or less depending on sweet tooth) can use sugar but save those calories!!!
1 cup half & half (or light cream)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarse salt or table salt (Can use canning salt)
Ice
Gallon-sized Ziploc bag
Pint-sized Ziploc bag

Mix the stevia, half & half and vanilla extract together. Pour into a pint-sized Ziploc baggie. Make sure it seals tightly. Now take the gallon-sized Ziploc bag and fill it up halfway with ice and pour the salt over the ice. Now place the cream filled bag into the ice filled bag and seal. Make sure it is sealed tightly and start shaking. Shake for about 5 minutes (or 8 minutes if you use heavy cream.) Open the gallon-sized bag and check to see if the ice cream is hard, if not keep shaking. Once the ice cream is finished, quickly run the closed pint-sized baggie under cold water to quickly clean the salt off the baggie. Open the baggie and pop in a spoon.

Fall Dip

FALL DIP

1 15 oz. can of pumpkin
1 5 oz. box of instant vanilla pudding (unmixed)
116 oz. container of cool whip
1 – small pumpkin
1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix it all together and chill for several hours. Put the dip in the pumpkin and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve with apples, Nilla wafers or graham crackers. * do not prepare the pudding first. Just use the powder.

Cake Batter Puppy Chow

CAKE BATTER PUPPY CHOW

1 bag white chocolate chips
1 box Rice Chex cereal , about 9 cups
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup funfetti cake mix
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
2-3 Tbsp. colored sprinkles (optional)

Lay a piece of waxed paper on a cookie sheet and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and cake mix and set aside. Place the Chex cereal in another large bowl. Melt the white chocolate chips and butter in the microwave. Time depends on your microwave – I microwave mine for about a minute, stir, and see how much longer it needs. Once the chocolate is melted, mix in vanilla and gradually pour the chocolate over the chex cereal and stir until each piece is coated. Quickly add the sprinkles and stir to combine. Then gradually add the cake mix mixture and stir until all of the cereal is well coated. Pour the puppy chow onto the cookie sheet and let it cool for at least 15 minutes. Once cooled place in sealed container or ziploc bags.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

SLOW-COOKER SALSA CHICKEN

2 lbs. (32 oz.) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 cup salsa, homemade or purchased
1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes (choose low-sodium)
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 cup onions, diced fine
1/2 cup celery diced fine
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
3 Tbsp. sour cream, reduced fat

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat then layer the vegetables and salsa on top. Pour a half cup water over the mixture, set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. The meat is cooked when it shreds or reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. When ready to serve, break up the chicken with two forks then stir in the sour cream.
Makes eight 1 cup servings.

Chocolate Suicide

CHOCOLATE SUICIDE

Cookie dough on bottom
Oreo arranged in the middle
brownie batter poured over the top.
Bake until brownies are done....top with ice cream and chocolate syrup to go on over the top!!!!!!!!!!

Olive Oil & Maple Granola

OLIVE OIL & MAPLE GRANOLA

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, hulled
1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
1 1/4 cup raw pecans, left whole or coarsely chopped
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
Coarse salt

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, pecans, syrup, olive oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until granola is toasted, about 45 minutes. Remove granola from oven and season with more salt to taste. Let cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 1 month.