Holiday Snack Mix

1 package almond bark (16 oz)
12 cups popped popcorn
2/3-3/4 cup M&M’s
Sprinkles

Place popcorn in a large mixing bowl. Melt almond bark in microwave 1 minute on high. Stir and continue heating in 30 second intervals until smooth. Pour over popcorn and mix until popcorn is coated. Spread mixture out on aluminum foil or waxed paper. Immediately sprinkle with M&M’s and sprinkles before it cools. Let sit until it is completely dry. Break into clumps.

You can make this for any holiday or occasion by changing the color of M&M’s and sprinkles!

Delicious Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter (1 cube) softened
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup butter flavored Crisco
2 cups sugar
Zest of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 tsp milk
4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in orange zest, vanilla, eggs and milk. Sift dry ingredients and add a cupful at a time until dough comes together. Refrigerate for an hour or freeze for 30 minutes. Roll to 1/8-1/4 inch thick on a floured board. Cut into desired shape. Place in cookie sheet that has been very lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes just until tops look set. Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes. Remove to cooling rack, cool, frost and enjoy!

You can use all crisco if you prefer.

I baked them on the upper middle rack in my oven and they took about 11 minutes to bake. They do spread a little but are good enough to eat without frosting!

Pioneer Woman's Pecan Pie

1 pie crust (deep dish)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup light Karo syrup
4 eggs
2/3 of a cube of melted butter

Sprinkle pecans in bottom of pie crust. Mis remains ingredients and pour overbpecans. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 25-30 minutes more until pie is set. Cool and refrigerate.

Homemade Creamed Corn

From Brian & Brandy


20 oz. frozen corn thawed
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
2 TBLS sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TBLS butter
1/2 cup milk
2 TBLS flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese


Heat first 6 ingredients together in a large pot.
In a separate small bowl, wisk the 1/2 cup milk and 2 TBLS of flour (this is what will help thicken the cream).
Stir into corn mixture and cook over medium heat (Stir often so the cream doesn't burn) until mixture is thickened and corn is cooked through.
If you don't cook it until it's thickened, it will be runny.
Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!


This is amazingly delicious! Just make sure to get your cream nice and thick before you put it in a slow cooker to stay warm if you are taking it to a party. Can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd.

Pressure cooker version: put first 6 ingredients into pot. Cook on low pressure for 10 minutes. Natural release for 10 minutes then quick release. Dissolve 1 Tbls cornstarch in 1/4 cup milk. Add to corn mixture. Sauté until mixture becomes thick and creamy. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Bacon Cheeseball

1 (8 oz) cream cheese softened
1/2 cup mayo
5 slices bacon crumbled
4 sliced green onions
1 dash dill weed
1 sprinkle pepper
1/2 cup chopped nuts (inside)
1/2 cups nuts (outside)

Mix cream cheese and mayo until smooth. Add in rest of ingredients except for the 1/2 cup of nuts for the outside of the cheeseball. Form into a ball and roll in remaining nuts. Chill. Serve with crackers. Almonds or pecans work well in this cheeseball.

Nut Clusters

1 (12 oz) pkg milk chocolate chips
1 (12 oz) pkg butterscotch chips
12 oz nuts (can use mixed nuts, cashews, peanuts, dry roasted nuts, honey roasted peanuts etc...)

Melt chips in the microwave stirring every 15-30 seconds. Stir in nuts and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet. These take a few hours to set completely. You can put them in the fridge but turn out much better when left at room temp to set up. They look prettier too.

Pecan Pie Surprise bars

CRUST
1 pkg yellow cake mix (reserve 2/3 cup)
1/2 butter or margarine melted
1 egg

Grease bottom and sides of 9x13 pan. Combine above ingredients until crumbly. Press into pan. Bake @ 350 for 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven.

FILLING
2/3 cup reserved cake mix
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups dark corn syrup

Mix all ingredients, pour over crust. Return to oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is set. cool and cut into squares.

Pumpkin roll

Beat 3 eggs for 5 minutes. Gradually add 1 cup sugar. Stir in 2/3 cup pumpkin and 1 tsp lemon juice.

Add:
3/4 c. Flour
2tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Ginger
1/2 tsp. Salt

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Pour onto waxed paper and bake @ 375 for 13 minutes. Powder sugar a dish towel (a sifter works great) and turn cookie sheet over on towel. Peel off paper and powder sugar other side of roll. Roll up long ways in towel and let cool. When cool, unroll and spread with filling. Roll up again without the towel. Cover with waxed paper and plastic wrap and refrigerate. Can be frozen also.

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar
6 oz. cream cheese (softened)
4 Tbsp. margarine or butter (softened)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

This is an all time family favorite! I got this recipe from a good friend of mine, Kathy Karren. We have been making it for years!

Note: I always make 3 rolls when I make them. Still mix the batter one at a time but for the filling, I use:
3 8 oz cream cheese
2 squares of butter or margarine
4 cups of powdered sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla

 This makes a little more filling than the original recipe but we like more filling 😊. Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

• 12 ounces cranberries (1 bag)
• ½  cup brown sugar
• ½  cup white sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• Pinch cinnamon
  
  
  In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Sweetened Colored Popcorn

2 Tbls. Butter
1/4 c. Water
1 c. Sugar
6 c. Popped corn
Bring butter, water, sugar to a boil. Boil for 4 minutes. Add 1 drop of food coloring. You can add more if the color is too light. Stir into popcorn until syrup has coated most of the corn. Pour out and spread onto waxed paper. Let dry. Enjoy!

You can substitute 1/2 c brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar in place of the 1 c sugar.

Swedish Pancakes

6 eggs
4 1/2 cups milk
6 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder

Mix in blender until smooth. Fry in a thin layer (same as you would crepes) on a greased griddle or fry pan. Cook on each side until golden brown. Spread with butter, sprinkle sugar, fold over and roll up. Enjoy! Serves 6 people.

Pineapple cheese ball

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (softened) 1 (8 and 3/4 oz.) crushed pineapple (drained) 1/4 c. chopped bell pepper 2 tbsp. chopped onion 1 tbsp. seasoned salt 1 to 2 c. chopped pecans (add half to cheese ball and roll ball in remainder) Mix cream cheese, pineapple, bell pepper, onion, salt and pecans. Roll in remaining chopped pecans. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.

Cheese Ball

8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
5 oz. jar Kraft Old English
5 oz. jar Kraft Roca Blue
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 green onion

Mix ingredients together and form into a ball. Roll in chopped pecans.

Pumpkin Crunch Dessert

1 (15 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix ingredients together and pour into greased 9x13 pan.

1 cake mix (dry) white, yellow, spice all work well
1 cup butter (2 cubes) melted

Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Drizzle melted butter over all. Bake in 350 oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold with sweetened whipped cream or ice cream.

Banana Sour Cream Pie - Joan's Recipe

2-3 bananas, cut into rings
1 6 oz. pkg vanilla (NOT banana) instant pudding
2 c. cold milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1 prepared pie crust (Nilla Wafer if you can find it!)
Whipping cream or Cool Whip

Make pudding using the 2 cups cold milk.  Fold in sour cream. Blend until smooth.  Layer bananas and pudding 2 to 3 times, ending with pudding.

Chill for at least 1 hour.  Top with whipped cream.

Joan brought this for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago (along with pumpkin pies).  I have lost track of how many times I have made this since.  All the boys LOVE it!  I usually use a shortbread pie crust because I can't find Nilla Wafer ones.

Snickers Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
60 minature (bite size) Snickers candy bars (these are the smallest size ones – NOT the fun size)
chocolate glaze (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 . Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to peanut butter mixture. Take 1 Tbsp. of dough and flatten into round shape in palm of hand. Place Snickers bar in center and fold dough around it. Roll in palms of your hand to form a smooth ball with the Snickers bar totally covered with the dough. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and place on a wire rack to cool. Drizzle top of cookies with chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 Tbps. milk

Mix powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa and milk. Add additional as needed to thin mixture enough to drizzle from spoon.

Chex Mix

1 large box of Rice Chex
1 small box of golden grahams
1 1/2 c. (3 cubes) margarine
2 c. light karo syrup
2 c. sugar
1 pkg. sliced almonds
1/2 pkg. coconut

Mix margarine, karo syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to dissolve sugar. Mix cereals, almonds and coconut in large bowl. Pour mixture over cereals and gently toss with a spoon from the outside of the bowl to the bottom to coat all pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Tips: I use my large tupperware bowl and pour the rice chex in... probably 2/3 or so of the bowl is rice chex. Then I just add the golden grahams on top (I always buy them in bulk so I have to guess how much:). You can also add as many almonds and as much coconut as you want. But when you get the dry ingredients in, the ingredients before the syrup should be about an inch from the top is all. Enjoy!!! It is one of our most favorite treats!

Cheesy Potatoes

2 pkg. shredded hashbrowns
1 cube butter
2 c. sour cream
2 cans. cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. minced onion
salt
pepper
4 c. shredded cheddar cheese (or more)
crushed potato chips (optional)

Thaw hashbrowns in microwave. Approx. 5 min. per package. Melt butter in large bowl. Add hashbrowns, sour cream, soup, and about 3 cups of cheese. You can add more cheese if desired. I like alot:). I never measure my onion, salt or pepper. I just sprinkle a thin layer before I add the cheese. Stir it all together and spread into a greased 10x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with cheese and crushed potato chips. Cover with foil and bake at 325° for 1 1/2 hours or until heated through.

Tip: For best flavor include 1 c. sharp shredded cheese in with the cheese.
You can also bake at 350° for 1 hour. If I have time, I prefer the lower temp though.

Blueberry Muffin French Toast

6 1/4 c. All Purpose flour
1 Tbl. + 1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
20 oz. Unsalted Butter
3 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 Whole Eggs
1 1/2 c. Fresh Blueberries

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Adds eggs and vanilla. Beat until incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add dry ingredients. Beat until well combined. Add blueberries. Mix briefly. Spread into a greased 9x12 pan. Bake 350 degrees for about an hour. Cut into squares and dip in an egg wash just as you would with french toast. Fry in butter on a griddle to 'toast' each side. Serve with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 lbs cream cheese
3 cups sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

whip it up and serve on top

Individual Cherry Cheesecakes

24 cupcake liners
24 vanilla wafers
3 8-oz. packages of cream cheese
1 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 Tbl. lemon juice
1 can cherry pie filling

Mix sugar, cream cheese, eggs and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Line muffin tins with the cupcake liners. Drop 1 vanilla wafer in the bottom of each liner. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of vanilla wafer, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Chill. When cool, spoon pie filling on top. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Makes 24 individual cheesecakes.