Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

1-12oz  jar crunchy peanut butter
1-8oz frozen cool whip, thawed
1 qt. vanilla ice cream, softened
4 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped
2 (9in) pie crust of your choice, pre- baked
Redi Whip, to decorate

Combine first 3 ingredients. Stir until blended. Add peanut butter cups, to bottom of the two cooled pie crust. Spoon ice cream mixture into both pie crusts.  Freeze at least 8 hrs.

Garnish pie with whipped topping before serving.

Lemon Cookies

Chewy, Lemony Goodness!

1 Lemon Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/3 oil
1 T lemon juice
¾ c flaked coconut

Combine all ingredients until blended. Place 1” balls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 375^o for 6-7min. Cool on a wire rack and dust with Powdered Sugar for garnish.

The Best Cheesecake EVER!

Crust
¾ c bisquick biscuit mix
¾ c flour
¾ c brown sugar
1 c chopped pecans
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
~Combine all dry ingredients until well blended. Add pecan pieces and melted butter; mix thoroughly. Press mixture evenly into a 10 inch spring form pan. Place in a 350^o oven for 13 min. Allow to cool at room temperature.

Cheesecake Filling

5- 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 c sugar
2 T vanilla
2- 8 oz containers whipped topping
~Cream together softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Approximately 5 minutes on high speed. Scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Fold in whipped topping gently until mixture is smooth. Using spatula scoop into pre-baked pie shell and smooth the top.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze over night or at least 8 hrs.

At least 30 minutes before serving remove from freezer and place at room temperature. Cut and serve with your favorite topping or plain.

Toppings

Caramel Sauce with Pecans
Strawberries, slightly smashed with a touch of sugar
Chocolate Sauce

Pecan Caramel Cheesecake

2 boxes real cheesecake dessert mix, Jello-No Bake¾ c butter, melted
¼ c granulated sugar
2 T water
2 ½ c milk
1 c butterscotch caramel sauce
1 c pecans, toasted and chopped
½ c brown sugar, packed

Line bottom of 9 inch diameter springform pan with wax paper.

Mix 2 packages of crust, melted butter, sugar and water in large bowl until well blended.
Reserve 1 c of crumb mixture for topping.
Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared pan (not up sides)

Combine 2 packages of cheesecake filling and milk in a large bowl.
Beat for 3 min., or until smooth and thick.
fold ½ c of caramel sauce into cheesecake mixture.
Pour mixture into crust-lined springfrom pan.

Mix reserved crumb mixture with ¼ c caramel sauce, pecans, & brown sugar.
Sprinkle atop cheesecake

Refrigerate cake at least 5 hrs, or until set.
Run warm knife around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides.
Transfer cake to serving platter and drizzle with remaining ¼ c of caramel sauce.

Garden Casserole

½ onion, sliced
2 medium peppers of your choice, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T butter, melted
¼ c flour
6 small baking potatoes, thinly sliced
1 (10) package frozen cut green beans, thawed
2 c Colby-Jack Cheese, Shredded
½ c half- and- half
½ c chicken broth
½ tsp. dried rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
¼ tsp. pepper

Saute onion, pepper and garlic in butter until crispy-tender.
Add flour; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon half of the onion mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 pan or crockpot.

Layer half the onion mixture, potatoes, half the green beans, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with half the cheese. Repeat layering. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine half-and-half, broth, & salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables.

Cover and bake at 375o for 1 hr. or until the potatoes are tender. Or cook in crock pot on low for 6 hrs and high for 4hrs.

Calzone!

Inspired by my friend, Callie, I set out determined to come up with a good calzone recipe and what do you know....a new family favorite! I have made it twice this week on request from Claira, the picky eater of the family!  

Pizza dough (I double this recipe)

1 ½  tsp. dry yeast
¼ c warm water
1 ½ T olive oil
½ c cold water
1 ^2/3 c flour, plus extra
¾ tsp. salt

In a large mixing bowl, stir the yeast into lukewarm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10min. Stir in the olive oil and the c old water, and then whisk in ½ c of the flour and the salt stirring until smooth. Stir in the remaining flour, ½ c at a time, until the dough comes together in a rough mass.

On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until smooth and velvety, 8-10 min. It will be soft. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

Divide into tow equal portions, knead briefly, and then roll each portion into a smooth, tight round ball. To use the dough immediately, sprinkle a little flour on the work surface roll dough into the size of pizza you wish. Move dough to pizza pan or cast iron skillet top with your favorite toppings and bake at 450^o for 20 min.

Divide dough into 4 sections for 1 recipe and 6-8 sections if dough recipe was doubled.

Roll each section into an 8" circle on a floured cutting board

Layer on one side of dough:

•  veggies- onion, peppers, mushroom & garlic (any you like)
•  Fresh Spinach
•  Pepperoni or Cooked It. Sausage etc...
• Top with slice or shredded mozzarella cheese

Fold dough in half and crimp edges.

Move with a large spatula to a greased cookie sheet.

Continue process until all calzone are assembled.

Bake at 450 for 20 min. or until golden brown.
Brush with olive oil when you remove them from the oven.

Best Marinara Yet

By Callie Granderson

6 Tbsp. olive oil

1/3 c. finely chopped onion

2-3 garlic cloves minced

(2)  14 oz. cans of stewed tomatoes

(1)   6 oz. can tomato paste

½ c. chicken broth or sweet white wine

1 (rounded) tsp. of brown sugar

1 tsp. fresh oregano (chopped)

1 tsp. fresh basil (chopped)

1 tsp. fresh parsley (chopped)

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

Instructions:

1.     In deep skillet add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

2.     Add the rest of the ingredients to the skillet and simmer for 30+ minutes.  Use a potato masher to stir occasionally and to press the stewed tomatoes.  (this makes for a nice chunky marinara.)

I like to blend all ingredients in the blender for a smoother marinara.

Mexican Black Bean Salad

1 (8oz) carton sour cream
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro
1 T taco seasoning
1 large head green leaf lettuce, torn
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
½ c chopped purple onions
2 (15oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large tomatoes, chopped
Tortilla chips, crushed

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, Add lettuce and next 4 ingredients; toss well. Sprinkle with crushed corn chips and serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings

Caramel Corn

6 quarts popped corn
2 c brown sugar
1 c butter
½ c light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. soda
1 tsp vanilla

Keep popcorn hot in 300^o oven. Melt butter, stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring without stirring to a boil. Boil 5 min on medium low heat. Don’t stir. Remove from heat, stir in soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and mix well.  Pour greased cookie sheets. Bake 1 hr@ 250o. Stir every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, break apart and store in an air tight container.

Why do we make our favorite things only at Christmas? When I bite into this caramel corn I feel 10 again sitting around the family Christmas tree! Thanks Mom for homemaking my favorite.

Chicken Enchiladas

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2T olive oil
1- 4oz can diced green chilies, drained
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped without seeds
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 package cream cheese
2 c shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided
½ c water or broth
8 inch flour or corn tortillas (if using corn warm each tortilla in a
skillet over low heat to soften before you add chicken mixture and roll)
1 c heavy cream or half & half

Preheat the oven to 375^o. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green chilies, jalapeno, garlic and cumin. Cook and stir for a few minutes, until fragrant, then stir in the cream cheese and half of the Monterey Jack. As the cheese begins to melt, gradually stir in the water. Chop the chicken meat, and stir into the skillet. Remove from heat.

Spoon the chicken mixture into tortillas, and roll up. Place them seam down in a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and then pour cream over all. Sprinkle with chili powder.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the enchiladas are golden brown on top.

I have made this as a dip before. I added corn to the cream cheese/ chicken mixture and served with tortilla chips.

The Rub

Throw the following into a jar and shake:

1 T ground cumin

1T ancho chili powder

3T salt

2T black pepper

3 T dark brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. cayenne

Rub this on any meat and grill.

Laundry Detergent

3 T Borax
3 T Washing Soda
2 T Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid

Line up 3 one gallon jugs. Then add the ingredients assembly line style.  

Once all trhee jugs have the 3 ingredients inside, pour in 4 cups of VERY HOT water into each one. Then fill the jug the rest of the way with tap water. Place the lid on and shake. 

Use 1 c of liquid per load.

This saves me a ton of money!! I spend around $20 a year on laundry detergent now!