Peanut-Butterscotch-Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

1 (12-oz) package butterscotch chips
1 cup peanut butter
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 (12-oz) package chocolate chips
8 cups Rice Krispies cereal


Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter in large pan over low heat. Remove from stove and add Rice Krispies. Press half of mixture in greased 9 x 13 pan. Place in refrigerator until chocolate mixture is ready. Melt butter, chocolate chips and powdered sugar over low heat. Press over bottom layer of cereal mixture and press remaining cereal mixture over chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.

Cranberry Bars

Cake

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup diced dried cranberries
4 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup diced dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, ginger, vanilla, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in flour and baking powder until smooth. Mix 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand. Pour batter into a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake is light brown on top. Allow cake to cool.

Combine frosting ingredients in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake. Sprinkle 1/4 cup diced cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

Cherry Almond Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries, drained and halved

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in coconut and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2" apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Place a cherry half in the center of each. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus additional for coating)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Blend well butter, sugar and vanilla. Sift together and stir in flour and salt; add nuts. Chill mixture for 1-1/2 hours. Roll into 1" balls and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until set but not brown. While hot, roll in powdered sugar. Cool and then roll again.

Brownies

These brownies have a light, cakey texture - not a fudgy one.

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 stick butter
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda

Frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash salt

Bring to boil cocoa powder, water, oil and butter. Pour over flour, sugar and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs, soda and vanilla. Pour into greased jelly roll pan (or 9 x 13" pan). Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. Combine frosting ingredients and frost brownies while hot.

Brie Cherry Pastry Cups

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup cherry preserves
4 ounces Brie or Camembert cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tablespoons minced chives

Unfold puff pastry; cut into 36 squares. Gently press squares onto the bottoms of 36 greased miniature muffin cups. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 1/2-in.-deep indentation in the center of each. Bake 6-8 minutes longer or until golden brown. With spoon handle, press squares down again. Spoon a rounded 1/2 teaspoonful of preserves into each cup. Top with cheese; sprinkle with nuts and chives. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 3 dozen.

Asiago Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
2 sliced green onions
1 cup grated asiago cheese (divided)
8 oz. sour cream
dash of Mrs. Dash original seasoning

Mix all except 1/4 cup of asiago cheese and put into oven-ready dish. Top with remaining asiago. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve hot with bread or crackers.

Nutty Gorgonzola Roasted Potato Slices

10 small red potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 oz (1 cup) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice off each end of each potato; discard. Cut potatoes into 3/8-inch slices (about 3 per potato). In medium bowl, combine potato slices and oil; toss to coat. Arrange slices on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine cheese, walnuts and chives; mix well. Top each roasted potato slice with scant 1 tablespoon cheese mixture. Serve warm.

Savory Herb Shortbread

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 oz. (1/2 cup) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
2 oz. (1/2 cup) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on small cookie sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool 5 minutes or until completely cooled. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. In food processor bowl with metal blade, combine cheeses and butter. Process with on/off pulses until mixture is crumbly. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, cooled toasted walnuts and all remaining ingredients; process until dough forms. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. On lightly floured surface, pat or press each part into disk. Roll each to form 5-inch round. Cut each round into 6 wedges. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Remove from cookie sheet; place on wire rack to cool.

Brown Sugar Smokies

1 (16 ounce) package little smoky sausages
1 pound bacon
Brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a little sausage. Place the wrapped sausages on wooden skewers, several to a skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle them liberally with brown sugar. Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.

Vegetable Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1-1/2 teaspoons each - marjoram, basil, thyme, rosemary

Blend thoroughly mayonnaise and sour cream. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pesto Provolone Terrine

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup basil pesto or dried tomato pesto
6 slices thinly sliced provolone cheese
Thin Baguette slices or crackers

Line a 7-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, extending wrap over edges of pan. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and pesto until smooth. Lay 2 slices provolone cheese in bottom and slightly up sides of pan. Spread half of the pesto mixture on cheese layer. Repeat layers, top with remaining two slices of cheese. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Weight terrine down with a can of soup or vegetables and chill overnight.

To serve, remove plastic wrap and invert onto serving plate. Cut lengthwise in half. Cut crosswise into slices. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Pineapple Nutty Cheese Ball

2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese
1 small can crushed pineapple (drained well)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 tablespoons parsley
2 cups chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts or a mixture of both)

Soften cheese and combine all ingredients except 1 cup nuts and parsley. Form into ball and chill. Roll in remaining nuts mixed with parsley.

Ginger Snaps

Mix:

1-1/2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses

Then add:

4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form dough into 1-1/4" balls and roll in sugar. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Keep dough in refrigerator between batches for best results. Makes 6-8 dozen.

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. ~Author Unknown

Miniature Cheese Cakes

1 lb. 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat cream cheese and gradually add sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and beat to mix.

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Mix cracker crumbs and sugar, add melted butter and toss to mix. Line muffin tins (either regular sized or miniature) with cupcake liners. Place 1 tablespoon crumb mixture in bottom of each miniature cup (more in regular sized cup) fill remainder of cup with batter. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Top with cherry pie filling when cool.

Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake. ~ Hedy Lamarr

Buttermilk Pancakes

1-1/4 cups flour
1 egg
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour batter onto the griddle to form 5 pancakes. Flip pancakes when edges appear to harden and bubbles in pancakes pop. Cook pancakes on other side for same amount of time until golden brown. I usually double this recipe – but it won’t fit in a blender very well when doubled and you’ll have to use a mixer.

Never work before breakfast; if you have to work before breakfast, eat your breakfast first. ~Josh Billings

Mousse Chocolate

5 egg whites
7 ounces milk chocolate
7 ounces dark chocolate
1 pint heavy whipping cream, whipped

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Beat egg whites until stiff. Pour melted chocolate slowly into egg whites, stirring gently with whip until blended. Add whipped cream, about a cup at a time, stirring until blended. Refrigerate at least two hours, but no longer than 24. Once the mousse has been spooned out of the bowl, it must all be eaten, so if you intend to only serve part of it, refrigerate in separate bowls. You shouldn’t have trouble getting the entire batch eaten though! YUM!

Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate! ~Sandra J. Dykes

Chocolate Éclair Dessert

1 cup water
1 stick margarine
1 cup flour
4 eggs
3 cups milk
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 packages (3-1/2 ounce) instant vanilla pudding
1 carton (12 ounces) whipped topping, thawed
Chocolate syrup

Bring water and margarine to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add flour. Stir until it forms a ball. Add eggs one at a time, stirring until well blended after each. Spread dough in a greased 9 x 13” pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool. Blend milk with cream cheese. Mix in the dry pudding, stirring until thick. Spread over crust (press crust down smooth). Spread whipped topping over top and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Refrigerate until serving time.

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not! ~Author Unknown

Old Fashioned Brats in Beer

(I usually double or triple this recipe, since the brats keep nice in the refrigerator and are easy leftovers. They are also great to take camping, since you can precook the brats and just reheat and brown them over a campfire.)

1 (12-oz.) can beer
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
4 fresh bratwurst
8 oz. sauerkraut, drained (best to use refrigerated sauerkraut, not canned)
1/4 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
4 brat or hot dog buns

Heat grill. In medium saucepan or skillet, combine beer and caraway seeds. Prick bratwurst with a fork several times; add to beer mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until bratwurst are no longer pink. Remove bratwurst from beer mixture. Add drained sauerkraut and bell pepper to beer mixture; heat until hot. When ready to grill, place bratwurst on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals; cover grill. Cook 4 to 65 minutes or until golden brown, turning frequently. Place buns, cut side down, on grill. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until buns are lightly toasted. Place bratwurst in buns. Using slotted spoon, spoon sauerkraut on top of bratwurst. (Bratwurst and buns can also be broiled on a broiler pan, 4 to 6 inches from heat, using times above as a guide.)

Nobody seems more obsessed by diet than our anti-materialistic, otherworldly, New Age spiritual types. But if the material world is merely illusion, an honest guru should be as content with Budweiser and bratwurst as with raw carrot juice, tofu and seaweed slime. ~Edward Abbey

Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot Pie!

2-3 chicken breasts
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 cans Cream Of Chicken Soup
1 can of milk (do not use more milk, it will make the casserole too runny)
1 can canned biscuits
Flour (for rolling the canned biscuit)

Cook chicken breasts in water until done. While chicken is cooking, use a separate pot and cook the mixed veggies and potatoes together in water until done. Skin and debone the chicken. Break into bite-size pieces. Drain the veggie mix. Add the chicken to the veggie mix. In a separate bowl, mix the soup and milk together. Add to the chicken and veggie mix. Pour into a casserole dish. Cover the canned biscuits (1 at a time) in flour, and roll flat with a rolling pin. Place the rolled out biscuits on top of the chicken, veggie, and soup mix. Continue until the casserole is covered with biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees until the biscuits are browned.

Food is the most primitive form of comfort. ~Sheila Graham

Baked Fish Dijon

1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 pounds Dover sole filet
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Juice lemon and add next five ingredients to juice. Brush over both sides of fish. Arrange fish, overlapping thinner portions, in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Drizzle remaining mustard mixture over fish. Layer carrots over top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.


Fishing is boring, unless you catch an actual fish, and then it is disgusting. ~Dave Barry

Croutons

Butter
Garlic
Bread
Italian Seasoning
Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut crusts off of bread and cut into cubes. I have used old hot dog buns, old hamburger buns, French bread, thick sliced sourdough bread – you can use just about anything. You can use fresh bread, but firmer bread works best. Sprinkle Italian seasoning liberally over bread and mix well.

Melt butter (lots, but the amount really depends on the amount of bread you use – I typically use 1 stick butter per loaf of French bread) with garlic (pressed through garlic press – again, this is to taste – I usually use about 2 large cloves of garlic per stick of butter). Cook over low until butter is really garlicky. Yum! Pour butter over bread cubes and mix well. I like to pour a little, mix, then pour some more and mix again, etc., until the butter is well mixed into all of the bread. You can also mix in some Parmesan cheese if desired. Spread on cookie sheet (line sheet with foil for easy cleanup, especially if using cheese) and bake 15 minutes or so until browned.


I don't think America will have really made it until we have our own salad dressing. Until then we're stuck behind the French, Italians, Russians and Caesarians. ~Pat McNelis

Chicken in Wine Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 tablespoons butter
1 package dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
6 ounces white wine

Cut chicken in large pieces. Melt butter in crock pot (on low heat). Sprinkle salad dressing on chicken and cook in crock pot approximately 3-1/2 hours. After chicken is done, mix cream cheese and soup in separate pan over low heat until creamy. Add wine. Remove chicken from pot. Mix creamy sauce with liquid in crock pot. Return chicken to pot and cook 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly. Tuna fish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock. ~Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Decadent Fudge Cake

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate mini-morsels - divided
2 (4-oz) bars sweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled
1/3 cup chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons shortening - divided
4 oz. white chocolate, chopped

Cream butter in large bowl; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Dissolve soda in buttermilk. Add to creamed mixture alternately with flour. Add 1 cup mini-morsels, melted chocolate, chocolate syrup and vanilla, stirring just until blended. Bake in heavily greased bundt pan at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 25-35 minutes. Invert immediately onto serving plate. Let cool completely. Melt white chocolate and 2 tablespoons shortening in double boiler. Drizzle over cake. Melt 1/2 cup mini-morsels and 2 teaspoons shortening in small saucepan over low heat. Drizzle over white chocolate.

Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart. ~Erma Bombeck