Butterfinger Lush

Ingredients

• 32 Oreo cookies
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 bag mini Butterfingers
• 1 (16-ounce) container Cool Whip, divided
• 1 (5.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups milk

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together crushed oreo cookies and melted butter. Transfer to a 9X13-inch baking dish and press firmly all along the bottom. Refrigerate.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese. Gradually add confectioners' sugar. Beat in peanut butter. Fold in 1 cup of Cool Whip. Crush 6 mini Butterfingers and fold them into peanut butter mixture.
3. Spread peanut butter mixture evenly over oreo crust.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the pudding mix and milk together. Let sit to thicken for a minute or two and then pour over peanut butter layer.
5. Spread remaining Cool Whip on top. Crush remaining Butterfingers and sprinkle on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

The Butterfingers are really easy to crush while they are still in the wrapper. Just use a rolling pin to tap them a few times.

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Ingredients

• 12 slices day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (Italian bread works best I have found)
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 12 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

1. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish, and top with cream cheese cubes. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the cream cheese, and top with remaining bread cubes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and syrup. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes. Press down the cubes a bit to sort of “soak” them and make them “French toast-like”. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove the bread cube mixture from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Cover, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking 25-30 minutes, until center is firm and surface is lightly browned. Enjoy warm!
7. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1 cup blueberries.
8. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, until the blueberries begin to burst. Stir in the butter, and pour over the baked French toast. Enjoy!

Uncle Mike's Bolognese Meat Sauce

6 Tbls. Butter
2.5 Tbls. olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped carrot
1 stalk finely chopped celery
1 finely chopped bell pepper
2/3 c. finely chopped bacon
3/4 cup ground pork
3/4 cup ground beef
1/4 cup sausage meat
2-3 chicken livers (optional)
2/3 cup dry white wine
fresh garlic, salt and pepper & Italian seasoning to taste
4 tsp. tomato paste
1.25 cups beef stock
4 Tbls. cream or milk

Heat half the butter and all the oil in a deep frying pan.  Add onion, carrot, pepper, celery and bacon and fry until veggies soften.  Add remaining meat and fry until browned.  Moisten with wine and cook until it evaporates, then season.  Dilute tomato paste with some stock.  Stir into sauce, cover & cook slowly, gradually adding remaining stock. 

After sauce has simmered for 1.5 hours, add cream and cook until reduced.  Add remaining butter.

At the last moment another option is to add 1/4 lb sauteed finely chopped mushrooms. 

Amy's Cinnamon Bun Caramel Popcorn

https://ourbestbites.com/cinnamon-caramel-corn-with-pecans-white-chocolate-aka-cinnamon-bun-popcorn/

Description

A delicious twist on our regular caramel corn, this Cinnamon Bun popcorn embodies all that is heavenly about fall! When it bakes, the pecans get toasted and the creamy white chocolate just makes it food-gasmic.

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Ingredients

• 12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)*
• 1 C roughly chopped pecans
• 1 C brown sugar
• 3/4 t cinnamon
• 1/4 C Karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
• 1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 squares almond bark

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a very large bowl and set aside.
3. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a big, microwave-safe bowl. Like a 2-quart bowl or Pyrex measuring bowl. Use a bowl larger than you think you need.
4. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup (or honey) over the top of everything.Microwave on high for 30 seconds (just to soften the butter a bit) and then stir to combine.Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.
5. Remove from the microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. When combined, pour over popcorn and stir until it’s coated. Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.**(See baking note at end of post)
6. After 30 minutes, take a piece out and let it cool. “Sample.” If it’s not crunchy enough, bake for another 5 minutes. When it’s done, give it a final stir and let it cool off for a bit while you melt your almond bark (just nuke it in the microwave according to the package directions) If you want, you can spread out your caramel corn on a clean piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil. I always do this because sometimes it sticks to the hot foil if I leave it on the original pan. Use a fork and drizzle the melted almond bark over the popcorn mixture.
7. When it’s hardened (pop it in the fridge to speed that process along) break into chunks and enjoy!

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Notes

IMPORTANT NOTE

• *You can use air popped or microwave popcorn. If using microwave, anything works, but I prefer a “natural” flavor that’s low in butter and salt.

GREAT TIP

• I’ve experimented a lot with baking, and found that baking at 300 degrees for about 13-15 minutes works just great as well. Much faster!

Royal Icing from Penny Knapik

Penny's Royal Icing

3/4 c warm water
5 Tbls. meringue powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract or almond extract
2 1/4 lbs powdered sugar
3 Tbls. corn syrup

In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and meringue powder.  Whisk for about 30 seconds.  Add the cream of tartar and whisk 30 seconds more.  Add flavors and whisk again.  Add powdered sugar and start mixer on low.  After one minute, add corn syrup and mix on low 4-5 minutes until icing is thick and creamy.  Tint with food coloring or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency. 

Icing tips:

Keep bowl covered with damp towel to prevent crusting.
Don't overmix when adding colors.
Let icing sit overnight for brighter colors. 
Icing can be stored in airtight containers for several weeks or can be frozen for several months. 

Annie's Sausage Bread

Sausage Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 pound breakfast sausage
• 8 oz. mozzarella cheese
• Garlic salt to taste
• Fresh dough ball (modified recipe below)
• 1 egg

Prep Instructions (night before is best):

1. Brown sausage in cast iron pan and let cool 
2. Make dough:
   • 2 cups AP flour
   • 2 tsp. active dry yeast
   • 2 tsp. salt
   • 1 tsp. brown sugar
   • 2 tsp. olive oil
   • 3/4 c. very warm water 
     • Add all dry ingredients to mixer with dough hook and incorporate. Slowly add water and let a dough ball form (3-5 minutes) cover and rest for an hour then keep in fridge overnight.

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Roll out dough in a rectangle shape
3. Sprinkle meat and cheese evenly
4. Sprinkle garlic salt
5. Starting at the top, roll the dough toward you evenly tucking in the ends as you go
6. Place rolled up dough seam side down and whisk egg then brush top of bread
7. Bake 30-40 minutes until brown

Nathalie's Vegetarian Chili

3/4 cup of olive oil

2 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch diced pieces

2 onions, cut into 1/2 inch diced pieces

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 large red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1/4 in diced pieces

1 can (35 oz) Diced tomatoes (I get them with Italian spices added)

1 1/2 pounds of ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1 inch diced pieces

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, drained

1 cup canned chick-peas, drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (chopped)

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

 

Sour cream, grated Monterey Jack cheese, chopped green onions for the top

Serve over brown rice

 

1) Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the zucchini and saute until just tender, 5-7 minutes.  Transfet the zucchini to a large soup pan/dutch oven.

 

2)Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil in the skillet over low heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers.  Saute until just wilted, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to the casserole, along with oil remaining in the skillet.

 

3) Place the soup pot over low heat.  Add canned tomatoes and their juice, the fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, fennel seeds, and parsley.  Cook uncovered stirring often for 30 minutes.

 

4) Stir in the kidney beans, chick peas, dill, and lemon juice.  Cook for another 15 minutes.  Stir well and adjust the seasonings to taste.  Serve on brown rice with sour cream, grated chees, and sliced green onions (if you want).

 

Laura's Sausage Cheddar bisquits

1 c. Bisquick mix
1 lb. cooked sausage
4 eggs
1 c. shredded cheddar

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Gail's Brownies

Gail's Brownies

1.5 c. flour
1/2 c. + 2 Tbls. cocoa
1 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together for 3 minutes.  Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees in a greased 9x13 pan.

Cookie Dough Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c packed light brown sugar
• 1 c (2 sticks, 226g) butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. McCormick vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. salt
• 16 tbsp. (1 cup) whole milk
• 1 c semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Beat brown sugar and butter together in stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
2. Add in flour, vanilla extract, and salt into creamed butter until fully combined.
3. With mixer on low speed, and in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated.
4. Remove bowl from mixer and add in mini chocolate chips. Stir by hand until incorporated.

Rhubarb Custard Pie from Amy Wilkinson

Grandma Ridenour's Rhubarb Custard Pie: Ingredients: 2 eggs (beaten), 2 T flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 c. rhubarb, 1 1/2 c. sugar, 2 T melted butter, 1 c. whipping cream / Method: Cut rhubarb into small pieces and place in unbaked 9 inch crust. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over top. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until custard is set.

Scones from Deb Hervey

Scones 

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c mix-ins

Mix together with a whisk.

 

Add 1 1/4 c heavy whipping cream.

Mix together with a fork. Knead mixture on wax paper, then divide in half. Make 2 circles about 1/2” thick. Melt butter and brush it on top. Then sprinkle with sugar. Cut circles in to 8 triangles each put triangles on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425 for about 11-15 min.

Mix In Ideas:

Chocolate chips

Butterscotch chips

Dried cherries & white chocolate chips

Craisins & drop of orange extract

Dried or fresh blueberries

Cinnamon chips

Ermine Frosting

Ermine Frosting (aka Boiled Milk Frosting) (Mary & Gail)

5 Tbls.  flour
1 cup milk
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook flour with 1 cup milk until thick.  Cool.  Cream butter/sugar/vanilla until fluffy.  Add cooled flour mixture and beat until smooth and fluffy.  Spread on cake. 

Chocolate Mint Andes Cookies - 2016 Cookie Contest Winner

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 (4.5 ounce) packages Andes Mints

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, be careful not to overbake. When cookies come out of the oven, Press one mint candy into the top of each cookie and let sit for 1 minute. When the mint is softened, swirl with the back of a spoon or toothpick to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint wafer. For smaller cookies, break mints in half.

Debbie's Yorkshire Pudding

5/8 cup flour
4 eggs
7/8 c milk
sunflower oil or bacon grease or pork/beef drippings
salt & pepper for seasoning

Heat oven to 446 degrees.  Drizzle oil/grease/fat into each hole of a 12 muffin tin.  Place in oven to warm up. 

Mix ingredients together and pour batter into heated holes.  Place tins back in oven and leave undisturbed (do not open oven door) for 20-25 minutes. 

Brittany's Shrimp Dip

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup chives, or minced green onions
• 1 red bell pepper, minced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 12 ounces SeaPak Shrimp Scampi
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 sourdough bowl

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Defrost the shrimp and chop the shrimp into 1/2 inch dice.
• In a large bowl add the chives, bell pepper, mayonnaise, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, shrimp, lemon juice and zest, cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and stir until combined.
• Cut the top of the sourdough loaf off the bread.
• Scoop out the insides until the walls of the bread are 1/2 inch thick.
• Put the dip into the bread bowl.
• Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the bread is nicely browned.
• Serve with crackers or baguette slices.

Brittany's Frito Corn Salad

Frito Corn Salad

Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup green pepper , chopped
• 1 ⁄2 cup red onion , chopped
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) bag coarsely crushed regular Fritos corn chips or Fritos chili cheese corn chips
• Fritos Scoops for serving

Mix first 5 ingredients and chill. Stir in corn chips just before serving. You may not want to add all of the corn chips. Add a little at a time. Some people prefer to just serve the Fritos on the side or crumbled on top. You can eat this with a spoon or as a dip with Fritos Scoops for serving.

Sharon's Cabbage Ramen Salad

Sharon's Cabbage Ramen Salad

1 3 oz package of ramen noodles (any flavor)
1/4 c sliced almonds
1/3 c canola oil
1/4 c cider vinegar
2.5 Tbls. sugar
1 bag shredded cabbage/carrot mixture
3 green onions, sliced

Remove flavor packet from soup mix.  Break noodles into pieces and place them and the almonds on a lightly greased baking sheet at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally until toasted (5-10 minutes).

Whisk together flavor packet, oil, vinegar and sugar until well blended.  Chill for 1 hour.

Toss together last two ingredients and dressing.  Top with noodles/almonds.

Gina's World Famous Cookie Cake

Cookie Cake:

1.5 cup (3 sticks) butter, softened
1.25  c. sugar
1.25 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4.25  c. flour
1 full bag chocolate chips (plus 1 extra cup if desired)

Bake in greased 9x13 pan for 32 minutes.  It will still be very soft in the middle -- it will harden.  Don't overcook or the edges will be too hard to enjoy.


Frosting:

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbls. milk
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat together for 5 minutes.  Spread atop cookie cake.  

Beer Beef Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

Ingredients
3-pound beef chuck roast
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 garlic cloves
1 red onion, sliced
1 cup Italian dressing
1 cup beer (use your favorite!)
2 bay leaves
Hawaiian slider buns
Sliced colby jack cheese

Directions
1. Place the chuck roast into a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle the roast with the salt and pepper. Place the garlic cloves on top of the roast. Add the red onion, then pour in the Italian dressing and beer. Place the bay leaves on top.

2. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10. Don’t open the lid during the cooking time.

3. Discard bay leaves and shred the meat with two forks. Smash the garlic with the back of a fork, and stir the garlic into the shredded meat. Discard any fat, and drain off the grease. Serve the shredded meat on Hawaiian slider buns with the colby jack cheese. Melt the cheese under the broiler in the oven if desired. Enjoy!

Instant Pot: Honey Sesame Chicken

PRESSURE COOKER HONEY SESAME CHICKEN

yield: 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced (about 2 lbs.)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/2 cup honey*
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 green onions, chopped
• Sesame seeds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

Salt and pepper chicken. Preheat pressure cooking pot using the saute setting. Add oil, onion, garlic, and chicken to the pot and saute stirring occasionally until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.

Add soy sauce, ketchup, and red pepper flakes to the pressure cooking pot and stir to combine. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. When timer beeps, turn pressure cooker off and do a quick pressure release.

Add sesame oil and honey to the pot and stir to combine. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water and add to the pot. Select Saute and simmer until sauce thickens. Stir in green onions.

Serve over rice sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup slightly softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

2 extra large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

4 (or 4 1/2 cups) flour

Cream the butter and both sugars together. If you have any brown sugar lumps, you should crush them up or pull them out. They make weird dents in your baked cookies. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add the salt and baking powder and again with the mixing of the dough. 

Before you add the flour, let's have a little chat. Different altitudes need different amounts of flour. Differences in humidity will the change the amount of flour you should add. Is there a storm coming? That changes things. Add only 3 cups to begin with. Then add additional flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. (This happens at about 4 cups of flour for me...except in the winter time when it happens at 3 1/2 cups flour.) That's when you should stop if you are going to chill the dough, or just wait for another day to bake it. If you are going to roll it out right away, add another half of a cup of flour so it will be thick enough to move from rolling out surface to your baking sheet. 

Bake at 350F. If you roll to 1/4" thick, bake for about 7 minutes. If you roll to 3/8" thick, bake for about 10 minutes.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1.5 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2.75 c. flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbls. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix dough, roll balls in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Curried Summer Squash Soup

Curried Summer Squash Soup

2 large yellow squash and/or zucchini, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp. curry powder
salt & pepper
4 cups chicken broth
3 Tbls. vegetable oil


Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add squash, onion, and curry powder; season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, 8–10 minutes. Add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until very tender, 25–30 minutes. Purée until smooth. Serve soup warm or chilled.

Optional:  Add cooked noodles (I used egg dumpling noodles) and chicken.  An entire bag of noodles and one rotisserie chicken was enough for making a quadruple batch of soup.

Carrie's Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

9 cups fresh broccoli (about two heads)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/3 cup red onion (I don't use this)

8-10 slices of bacon (add last)

Dressing:

1 cup mayo

3 T sugar

2 T vinegar

1/4 tsp. Salt and pepper

I make a batch and half of the dressing, otherwise it seems too dry. Other things you could add: raisins and sliced almonds!