Wednesday, December 31, 2008

3 MINUTE PEANUT BUTTER MARSHMALLOW FUDGE

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
8 oz. jar peanut butter
8 oz. jar marshmallow creme

Cook sugar and milk on stove until boiling. Boil exactly 3 minutes.
Add peanut butter and marshmallow to sugar-milk mixture immediately.
Fudge will start to harden quickly.
Mix well and pour in greased pan.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Baked Crab Rangoon

Makes: 12

1 can (170 g) chunk crab meat, drained, flaked
4oz PHILADELPHIA light Cream Cheese Spread, softened
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup MIRACLE WHIP CALORIE-WISE
Dressing 12 won ton wrappers

HEAT oven to 350°F. Mix crab meat, cream cheese spread, onions and dressing.
SPRAY 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each cup, allowing edges of wrappers to extend above sides of cups. Fill evenly with crab meat mixture.
BAKE 18 to 20 min. or until edges are golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve warm. Garnish with chopped green onions, if desired.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
1-1/4 cups raspberry jam

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add flour, baking soda and pecans (optional); mix well. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Indent centers.
3. Bake 10 minutes. Fill each cookie with about 1 tsp. preserves. Bake 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. (Makes 5 dozen.)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients:
2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Ranch dressing (generic is super cheap & works great)
1/4 to 3/4 cup hot sauce (depending on how hot you want it) , such as Red Hot® ( I use OTT'S hot sauce)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (Optional)
In a large bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese, ranch, hot sauce, and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly. Microwave for 1 minute stir and microwave for 1 more minute if needed. Serve warm with tortilla chips or Ritz crackers.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Low-Fat Cheesy Potato Soup

1 3/4 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (12 fluid ounce) can non-fat evaporated milk, divided
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, onion, celery, broth and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk until smooth; stir into potato mixture. Add the remaining milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Serves: 5.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Pumpkin-licious Nog

This is a great weight watchers recipe for eggnog

Nog Heaven!
Pumpkin-licious Nog is creamy, delicious, and (duh) guilt-free. Even if you don't like eggnog, chances are you'll LOVE this stuff. And if you want to make an alcoholic version of this drink, nix the rum extract and add 5 oz. rum to the recipe. Each serving of the spiked stuff has 174 calories and a POINTS® value of 3*. Break out that blender!

Ingredients:
5 cups light vanilla soymilk
One small (4-serving) package sugar-free fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix
6 no-calorie sweetener packets (we highly recommend Splenda)
2/3 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Optional Topping: additional cinnamon

Directions:In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend on high until mixed thoroughly. R efrigerate for a few hours to allow it to thicken. If you like, top each glass off with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Enjoy!MAKES 5 SERVINGS
Serving Size: 1 cup Calories: 110 Fat: 2g Sodium: 344mg Carbs: 16g Fiber: 2g Sugars: 6.5g Protein: 6g POINTS® value 2*

Honey Pecan Triangles

Boy do these sound good (sorry Ali)


2 teaspoons plus 1/2 cup butter, softened, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
TOPPING:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cups chopped pecans

Line a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with foil; butter the foil with 2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream remaining butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk until blended. Gradually add flour. Press into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and honey. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in cream and pecans. Pour over crust. Bake for 30 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Cool completely on a wire rack. Use foil to lift the bars out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Carefully remove foil. Cut into 24 bars; cut each in half diagonally. Yield: 4 dozen.

Wake-Up Casserole

This sounds yummy for Christmas breakfast!!

"You'll find everything you want for breakfast-potatoes, eggs, cheese and ham-in this satisfying casserole. It can be made the night before and kept in the refrigerator, then pop in the oven in the morning."

• 8 frozen hash brown patties
• 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 pound cubed fully cooked ham
• 7 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1. Place hash brown patties in a single layer in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and ham.
2. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and mustard. Pour over ham.
3. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until edges are golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Almond Toffee Crunch

1 cup finely chopped toasted almonds ***to toast almonds put in pan in 350degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes stirring once or twice til golden brown***
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4cup water
1 cup margarine
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pkg milk chocolate chips

In heavy 2 qt saucepan stir together sugar, syrup, water. Stirring constantly cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.Cover,cook 1 minute. Stir in margarine til melted. Stirring constantly continue cooking until 290 degrees. Remove from heat. Stir in soda, salt and almonds til blended. Pour immediately into ungreased 10x15 pan. Spread quickly!! (I use a silicone spatula,its a little easier to smooth out) Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle choc pieces over and let sit. When melted, spread over toffee. Break into pieces when cooled. Makes 2 lbs.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Mexican Hot Chocolate Balls

1c.butter,softened
1 ¼ c. powdered sugar
½ c.unsweetened cocoa powder
1tsp.vanilla
2c. flour
1tsp.ground cinnamon
1c.toasted pecans,finely chopped

350°oven.Beat butter in large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.Beat in ½ c. of powdered sugar, ¼ c. cocoa powder & vanilla until combined.Beat in flour with mixer.Stir in ½ tsp. cinnamon & the nuts.
Shape dough into 1inch balls.
Place balls 2inch. Apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 18 to 20 min.or until bottoms are lightly browned.
Cool to wire rack.
Combine remaining ¾ c. powdered sugar & remaining ¼ c.unsweetened cocoa powder & ½ tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl.Roll cooled cookies in the sugar mixture.
Makes about 48.

Brandy Cherry Balls

Brandy Cherry Balls
1/2 Cup maraschino cherries, quartered
2 Tablespoons Brandy
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 Cups flaked coconut

Marinate cherries at least 4 hours or overnight in brandy Melt Chocolate chips and butterscotch chips and add cream cheese. Stir in cherries, marshmallows and walnuts and refrigerate until cold enough to roll into balls. Roll in coconut. Refrigerate. The longer the better. The flavors intensify.

Holly Cookies

30 large marshmallows
1/2c.marg. Melt and stir over low heat
add 1 tsp. green food coloring,
1 1/2 tsp vanilla and
4 c.corn flakes.
Drop TBSP.on wax paper
add 3 to 4 red hots. cool.
These look like Holly Leaves. Enjoy!

Mound Bars

2 c. crushed graham crackers
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted

Mix together and bake in 9x13 inch pan in 350 degree oven for 7-8 minutes.

Mix
2 cups coconut with
1 can sweetened condensed milk.

Spread on top of baked crust.
Bake 15 minutes.
Remove from oven.

Melt
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips .
Spread on top.
Cool then cut into bars.

Toffee Cookies

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
1 c.Butter
1c. finely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 400*.
Cover a small cookie sheet with sides with foil; spray with Pam.
Melt butter & brown sugar in a med. saucepan bring to a rolling boil and cook approximately 3 minutes, stirring often. Place all crackers on foil.
Pour sugar mixture on crackers and spread evenly.
Bake 5 minutes.
Mixture should boil but not burn.
Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top.
Cover with foil and let set 3 min.
Remove foil and Spread choc.chips with spatula as frosting a cake.
Sprinkle Nuts on top ,press slightly.
Place in refrg.
About 1 hour.
Break into pieces.Store in refrg.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Cake Mix Cookies

Quick and Very EASY...and so good!

1 cake mix Lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Mix together. Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350* degrees for 8-10 mins. Cool on rack. Makes 12-15 cookies. Many variations; white cake with choc. Chips, chocolate cake with white chips, etc. (you can frost these with lemon and putting sprinkles on them)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Almond Joy Cocktail

I haven't tried this because I'm not a drinker...but it does sound good.

1/2 oz Amaretto
1/2 oz White creme de cacao
1/4 oz Coconut cream
2 oz Cream

Pour ingredients together and shake.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Twix Bars

I hear this is very good! almost better than the real thing.

35 unwrapped kraft caramels
1/4 cup water
1 box Lorna Doone shortbread cookies (40 cookies)
2 12 oz. bags milk-chocolate chips .

1. combine caramels with water in small pan, melt over low heat.
2. place the cookies side by side on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. spoon a dab of caramel onto each cookie, then place all the cookies in the refrigerator until the caramel firms up.
4. in the meantime, melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave heating 1 min on high, stir, then 1 more min.
5. remove the cookies from frig. resting each cookie on a fork, dip into chocolate. tap the fork on side to knock away excess chocolate. place on wax paper and cool at room temp. this will take several hours but the bars will set the best this way. putting in the refrigerator for 30 min will speed up the process.

One Bite pecan Pies

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cups finely chopped pecans
3 oz semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

Beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour; mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until chilled. Preheat oven to 375°F. Divide dough into 24 balls. Place 1 ball in each of 24 greased or sprayed miniature muffin pan cups; press onto bottoms and up sides of cups to form shells. Beat egg lightly in small bowl. Add brown sugar and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spoon evenly into pastry shells, filling each shell 3/4 full. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 min. remove tarts from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let stand until set.

Kit Kat Bars

very rich, can cut into small pieces

Ritz crackers ( 3 sleeves)
1 1/2 c. graham crackers, crushed
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butter (must be real)
1/3 c. milk
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. peanut butter

Put graham crackers, brown sugar, white sugar, butter and milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Spray a 9"x13" pan with butter flavored cooking spray. Put a layer of crackers in the bottom of pan and pour 1/2 of the mixture over it. Put another layer of crackers and pour the remaining mixture. Add one last row of cracker.
In microwave melt butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and peanut butter together, stir every 1 (one) minute until nice and smooth. When melted, spread evenly over the top.
After it has cooled a bit, score the bars. Then let cool completely. Put in the refrigerator. After set up, cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

Payday Bars

1 cup sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1 teasp vanilla
6 cups Rice Chex
1 cup peanuts

Put Rice Chex and peanuts into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
mix sugar and syrup in a pot...Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over Rice Chex and peanuts, Mix together. Pour into a buttered 9x13" pan. Cut into squares while still warm.
Makes 24 squares

Easy Snowman Cookies

These sound easy - and just adding a few to a cookie plate would be really cute

White chocolate covered oreos (available now at Holiday time)
1 tube black icing (NOT GEL)
1 tube orange icing (NOT GEL)
1 tube of another color icing, red, blue, green -whatever, just not a GEL icing.
Plain M&M's

Onto the flat top of the oreo, pipe on black dots for eye's and mouth. Pipe on an orange nose.
On the side use a small dot of icing to "glue" on M&M's, one on each side, as "ear muffs"
Use the colored icing to go across the top to connect the "ear muffs"
Let the icing dry - and you have an easy cute snowman head!!
You can make your own icing, but black is hard to get really dark, unless you use Wilton cake color. Buy the black in the little tube - and make the other colors.

Friday, December 5, 2008

TEMPTING TOFFEE CRISPS

12 whole graham crackers
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter ( do not use margarine )
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange graham crackers side by side in single layer in Stoneware Bar Pan. In saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with Bamboo Spoon until mixture comes to a full boil across the surface.
Continue boiling 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat and immediately pour mixture evenly over crackers. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate morsels. Allow to soften then spread evenly over baked crackers using Large Spreader. Chop almonds using Food Chopper. Sprinkle over chocolate. Cool completely. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Break or cut into pieces.

Yield: about 2 dozen pieces

Microwave Peanut Brittle

I know I said that Grandma Solomon's peanut brittle was the best I had ever tasted...Well this tastes just like hers but oh so much easier to make....I'm sure if she was still with us, this is how she would make it...I don't remember her having a microwave.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/4 teasp salt

1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 tblsp butter
1 teasp vanilla
1 teasp baking soda

In a 4 cup glass Pyrex measuring cupc, stir together sugar, syrup, and salt. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, remove and stir in peanuts. Return to Microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and stir in Butter, vanilla and baking soda (it will foam up). Pour onto a greased cookie sheet or foil (or if giving as gifts spray pie 3 pans with pam and divide into pans. Spread with a greased spoon WORK FAST. the thinner you can spread the easier it is to eat.

do not double this recipe.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Eggnog Bread Pudding

Serves 8.

1 loaf stale French bread ----- betting cinnamon raisin bread would do great
1 quart eggnog
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x13x2-inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, crumble the bread and pour the eggnog over it, letting it sit until bread is soft, at least 20 minutes and even overnight.
3. In a smaller bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla and stir into the bread and eggnog mixture. Add the raisins and mix well.
4. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Let cool before cutting.
. Serve with a little whipped cream, if desired.

S&S TREATS (sweet 'n salty)

1 cup light corn syrup 1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 10.5oz. bag Fritos (or pretzels)
10 Hershey bars 1.55oz. size

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and pour the Fritos (or pretzels) into the bottom of the pan. Boil the corn syrup and sugar over medium heat. After they come to a boil, stir in the peanut butter. Pour the hot mixture evenly over the pretzels or Fritos.
Layer the Hershey bars** on top of the hot mixture and spread chocolate as it melts. Cool and cut in squares or break up. (put the pan in the fridge to harden the chocolate and cool the mixture, it cuts better and sets the chocolate.)

Triple Chocolate Peanut Clusters

2 lb's almond bark (or white chocolate)
1 12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 12 oz. milk chocolate chips
1 24 oz. jar unsalted dry roasted peanuts
Melt choclates in electric skillet on lowest setting or in double boiler.
Stir in peanuts and drop by spoonsfull on waxed paper.
Let cool completely.
Get ready for rave reviews

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Raisin Cashew Drops:

2 cups (12 oz.) semi sweet choc. chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 tblsp. light corn syrup
1 teasp. vanilla extract
2 cups coarsely chopped cashews
2 cups raisins

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt ch. chips with milk and corn syrup for 10 -12 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, stir in vanilla until blended. Stir in cashews and raisins. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Store in the refrigerator. Yield 2 1/2 pounds.

Crustless Buttermilk Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup biscuit mix
1/3 cup melted margarine
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix ingredients with electric mixer. Pour in well-greased 9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until firm.

FROZEN VELVET

this sounds really yummy....kind of like peaches and cream

1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 cup mayo(I use Hellmans)
1/4 cup icing sugar
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 14 oz can peaches chopped in small pieces
8 marachino cherries chopped
whipped cream or 1 envelope dream whip prepared

Mash cream cheese in a mixing bowl Add mayo and icing sugar...beat to combine. Stir in marshmallows,well drained peaches and cherries Fold in whipped cream or dream whip Pack into a mold or empty cans(I use empty hunts tomato sauce cans,but whatever size you have on hand. Cover with plastic wrap and put in freezer at least overnight. Just before serving run warm water over can for just a second,remove other end from can and slide onto serving plate. Cut into 1 in slices...top with a dollop of whipped cream or dream whip and top with a cherry. I promise you this is smooth and creamy and not overly sweet. Keep a couple cans of this in the freezer for unexpected company. It sounds like a lot of work,but makes up in a couple of minutes.

Strawberry Magic Cake

ooooooooooo this sounds good....This would be really good in the summer but I don't think I can wait that long....

1 10oz pkg. miniture marshmallows
1 box yellow cake mix prepared as directed on package
1 3oz box strawberry jello
1 16oz. box frozen sliced strawberries, slightly thawed, but do not drain
2/3 cup cold water

Spread marshmallows evenly over the bottom of a greased 10x13 baking pan. Spread prepared cake batter evenly over marshmallows. Sprinkle dry jello powder evenly over the cake batter. Spool slightly thawed strawberries here and there over jello powder and then drizzle evenly with 2/3 cup water, but do not stir. Slip cake carefully onto center rack of a 350o oven, and bake 55-60 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool in pan at least 30 minutes before cutting. Serve with Cool Whip or whipped cream. Refrigerate leftovers. Freezes well

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheddar cheese 12-14 corn tortillas 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup sour cream 1 4 oz can of diced gr...