Peppermint Crunch Cream Cheese Cookies

Peppermint Crunch Cream Cheese Cookies Meg Freebairn 2007

Cookie Ingredients:

2 boxes Devils cake mix

1 ¼ cups shortening

4 eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

Frosting ingredients:

8 oz. Cream cheese –softened

1 cube butter –softened

1 tsp. Vanilla

4 ½ -5 cups powdered sugar

6 drops Red food coloring

*12 pack Peppermint candy canes –crushed up

Cookies: Mix together all of the above cookie ingredients in a mixer. Mixture will be stiff. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 6-8 min. at 350 degrees.

Frosting: Cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until the desired consistency. (Not too runny. The stiffer the better.) Add 6 drops of food coloring. May need more for desired color. I like a rich pink color.

Putting it all together: After cookies have cooled on a cookie sheet, spread frosting on the bottom side of the cookie and place another cookie bottom side down on the frosting. Make sure to spread enough frosting on the cookies till overflowing. Roll the edge of the cookie in crunched up peppermint candy canes. The Frosting will hold the peppermint candy in place.

Makes approx. 2-dozen sandwich cookies.

Jessica's Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Jessica's Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake from Beth McNaughton

Combine:
    1 box yellow cake mix
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 (4oz) package INSTANT chocolate pudding
Add and mix:
    3/4 cup oil
    3.4 cup water
Add and mix:
    4 eggs, one at a time
Stir in:
    1 cup sour cream
    2 cups chocolate chips
Spread in a greased and floured bundt cake pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes
Spread strawberries and powdered sugar on top

White Texas Sheet Cake

White Texas Sheet Cake from Merlene Betteridge
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. baking soda

FROSTING
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup milk
4-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring butter
and water just to a boil. Immediately
remove from the heat; stir in the flour
sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking
powder, extract and baking soda until
smooth.

Pour into a greased 15x10x1 inch
baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for
18-22 minutes or until golden brown
and a toothpick inserted near the center
comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for
20 minutes.

For frosting, in a large saucepan, bring
butter and milk just to a boil. Immediately
remove from the heat; stir in confectioners'
sugar and extract. Stir in walnuts; spread
over warm cake. Cool completely. Yield:
20 servings.

Healthy Snack ideas

Healthy Snack ideas

*Veggies- carrots, veggie trays, celery (w/or w/out peanut butter), cucumber, pepper slices, cherry tomatoes, snap peas
*Fruits- apples, pears, strawberries, banana, mandarin oranges, oranges, melons, kiwis, pears, pineapple, grapes
*Pita chips (still not great, but better than cookies or other chips!) -great with hummus dip, bean dip
* Apple slices with yogurt dip or peanut butter dip (Great little snack packs they have at most grocery stores)
* Fruit cups- little cups with mandarin oranges, or peaches, mixed fruit
* Veggie cups- they have little servings of veggies too in the cups
* Frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries (love to pull these out when I have a sweet tooth- sweet, but still nutritious and sweet)
* Dried fruit
* Natural (no sugar added) applesauce (in individual cups or large jar)
* Fruit Leathers- natural is key- go for no added sugars
* Fruit Popsicle- look for the no sugar added kind
* Smoothies- throw yogurt in with frozen fruit, and milk- yum!
* Soy beans (easy to fix and so delicious!)
* Raisins
* Whole grain crackers
* Granola bars- chose low in sugar and high in fiber
* Apple chips
* Yogurt
*Whole grain granola
* Pop chips
* Oatmeal
* Home popped popcorn without all the butter/salt
* Unsalted nuts- not too many though! They are full of healthy fats, but higher in calories

Chocolate Banana Bread/Muffins‏

Wow, yum yum YUMMM! Found this recipe at http://foodbringsfamiliestogether.blogspot.com/. It made a bunch that we're going to keep around to snack on for a few days- Loved that it has whole wheat flour and flax seed that you completely couldn't tell! They tasted like a yummy treat! Hope you enjoy them!! It made 20 normal sized muffins for me....

Chocolate Banana Bread/Muffins adapted from Coleen's Recipes
1 1/2 -2 cups mashed bananas(about 4 bananas)
3 T. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
8 T. milled flax seed(can find at walmart by the flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips(Coleen used mini one but I only had regular)
1 cup pecans( I didn't add these)

Beat all of the wet ingredients and sugar together until well combined and smooth. Beat in dry ingredients just until combined then stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Bake the bread at 350 in a greased loaf pan-(60-70 min), lined muffin tin-(20 minutes), or mini loaf pans-(25-30 min.) Mine made 12 regular muffins and 6 jumbo muffins.

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars by Cathrine Dokos Morris

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

4 eggs

1 sm can pumpkin or 2 cups

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda in UT I add 2 1/2 teaspoons

mix dry and add to wet mixed bake @ 350 20-25 min in a jelly roll pan or lg cookie sheet

Frosting

1 box cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Rolo Cookies

Got this recipe and picture from http://jbeanrecipes.blogspot.com/. These were WAY easy to make and really yummy!

Rolo Cookies from http://jbeanrecipes.blogspot.com/

There are many recipes for these cookies floating around. These are my own version and I think they're the most moist and easy to make. You'll just have to make sure you don't eat all the Rolos before you make the cookies. :)

2 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter/margarine softened
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding
2 eggs
Approximately 36 Rolo pieces, unwrapped

Mix flour with baking soda in separate bowl. In large bowl, combine butter, sugars, vanilla, and pudding. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add eggs. Gradually add flour mixture. Let chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Roll medium to small amount of cookie dough around each Rolo. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350. Let sit on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes to let the caramel set up. Then place on wire rack to cool.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Jessie’s Sugar-Coated Popcorn

Jessie’s Sugar-Coated Popcorn by Jessie McNaughton

4 quarts of popcorn

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1/4 cup karo syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Pop popcorn and set aside. Melt butter, sugar and syrup in pan. Take off heat and add vanilla, soda and salt. Mix with popcorn and cook in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Set out on wax paper to cool then cover and seal in an airtight container.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Chocolate Pudding Cake by Kierra Dyer

1 box white cake mix
1 6oz instant choc. pudding
1 egg 2 egg whites
2 cups water

Beat for 2 mins. Bake @ 350 in greased 9x13 pan for 30-35 mins. Cake will shrink and pull away from sides after cooled.

Topping:
Mix 8 oz cool whip with 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 cup softened butter then add 1 cup powdered sugar, mix well.

Chop one Almond and Toffee Symphony chocolate bar coarsely and add to top of cake. Keep refrigerated.

Chocolate Chip KISS Cookies

Chocolate Chip KISS Cookies

1 bag (9oz) Hershey’s Kisses
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup mini semi-sweet baking chips

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Mold scant TBS dough around Hershey’s kisses, covering completely. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Chocolate Drizzle for top:
Melt ¼ cup semi-sweet chips and 1 tsp. shortening. Drizzle over cooled cookie

Crème Brulee

Crème Brulee by Merlene Betteridge

1 pint whipping cream
½ cup sugar
sugar for topping
4 egg yolks
1 TBS vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Heat cream over low heat until bubbles form around the edge of pan. Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat cream into egg mixture. Stir in vanilla and pour unto 6 or 8 custard cups. Place cups in baking pan with ½ inch of hot water on bottom. Cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes. Remove cups from water and chill. Sprinkle with 1-2 tsp sugar. Place under broiler on top rack until topping in medium brown. Watch closely – chill and serve.

Refreshing Fruit Pizza

Refreshing Fruit Pizza by Marie Bateman

1 batch sugar cookie dough
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¾ c. chilled whipped cream
assorted fruit

Preheat oven to 375. Press dough into lightly greased pizza pan, 1/8 inch thick. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Whip whipping cream and combine with cream cheese mixture. Spread over crust. Arrange fruits on top. Chill for 2 hours.

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread by Lee Betteridge

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 tsp cinnamon
1 c. oil
1 c. raisins
2 c. zucchini, grated
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c. nuts, chopped
3 c. sifted flour
1 c. crushed pineapple

Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Sift dry ingredients. Combine all. Bake 1 hour at 350. Makes 2 large loaves. (smaller loaves will take less time)

Chocolate Hello Dollies

Chocolate Hello Dollies by Tiffany Roderick

1 package (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix w/pudding
8 TBS butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. sweetened flaked
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 can (14 oz.)sweetened condensed milk

Place the cake mix and butter in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter
into the cake mix until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over the bottom of an ungreased 15X10 jelly-roll pan and
press it into the pan to form a crust. Sprinkle the top of the crust evenly with the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over all the ingredients. Bake the bars at 350 until they are lightly browned and bubbly all over, 25
to 30 minutes, cool for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

Double Chocolate Snack Cake

Double Chocolate Snack Cake by Sherry Smith

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup Cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vinegar
¾ tsp vanilla
½ cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour square pan, 8X8X2 inches. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. 6-8 servings.

Slushy Punch

Slushy Punch by Rachel Betteridge

1 cup sugar
2 ripe bananas
3 cups pineapple juice, unsweetened
1 - 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
2 TBS lemon juice
1 1-L Sprite

Stir sugar and 2 ¾ cup water till sugar dissolves. In blender, combine bananas, ½ pineapple juice and OJ till smooth – add to sugar mixture. Stir in remaining pineapple juice and lemon juice. Freeze till firm. To serve, let sit out for 20-30 min., slush and pour sprite over.

Scotch-A-Roos

Scotch-A-Roos by Margaret Tatarka (BMC-KU Med.)

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies

Frosting:
6 oz. Chocolate chips
6 oz. Butterscotch chips

melt syrup, sugar, butter and peanut butter in large saucepan. Remove from heat and add rice krispies. Butter 9X13 pan and add mixture. Melt chips and spread over mixture while still warm. Refrigerate until set.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Hot Fudge Sauce by Merlene Betteridge

½ cup butter
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 – 13 oz can evaporated milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Boil at a low boil for 6-7 minutes; remove from heat and add vanilla. (yields about 3 cups)

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach Artichoke Dip by Bill Freund (KU Med.)

3 squares cream cheese
2 cans artichoke hearts, chopped
2 sm. Boxes frozen spinach, drained
1-2 tsp. Garlic powder

Put ingredients in a crock-pot on high until stirrable, then low to serve. Serve with roasted garlic Parmesan bread or crackers. This makes a lot!

Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Buckle

½ cup shortening
½ cup sugar
1 well-beaten egg
2 cups sifted flour
2-½ tsp. Baking powder
¼ tsp. Salt
½ cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup sugar
½ cup sifted flour
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup butter

Thoroughly cream shortening and ½ cup sugar; add egg and mix well.

Mix 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternating with milk. Pour into a well-greased 11-½ X 7 ½ X 1 ½ “ pan. Sprinkle blueberries over batter.

Combine ½ cup sugar, ½ cup flour, cinnamon, and butter till crumbly; sprinkle over blueberries. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve warm.