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!

Pressure Cooker Applesauce

10-12 apples (any variety or a combination)
1/2 cup water

Peel, slice and core apples and put in pot of pressure cooker. Add water. Put valve to sealing. Set manual time on high for 7 minutes. When timer goes off, natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Turn valve to release the rest of the pressure. Open lid and pour contents into blender. Pulse to get a smooth applesauce. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or for canning, Pour into sterilized, hot jars. Wipe rims of jars. Plate hot lids and rings on finger tight. Process for 20 minutes. Applesauce can also be frozen.

Variation: I had a lot of Granny Smith apples this year and they are a little bit too tart for me unless I combine them with other varieties. But using 100 percent Granny Smith apples, I added
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1 T. Ground cinnamon in with my apples and water. It adds a few calories but still a great low calorie treat!

I have a power pressure cooker xl. It doesn’t have a manual button like the instant pot does. I use the fresh vegetables button and adjust the cook time to high and then use the time adjustment button to set it for 7 minutes. It takes 10-15 minutes to pressure up. Super easy and super delicious!!!

Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup butter
1 3/4 cups peanut butter (divided)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups oats

Frosting
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbl cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, 1 cup of the peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients just until incorporated. Mix in oats. Spread into greased jelly roll pan. Bake 15 minutes or until just golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The frosting is a 2 step process.
First whip remaining 3/4 cup of peanut butter until lightly colored and fluffy. Carefully spread over bars.

Add butter to saucepan and melt. Add cocoa and milk and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar a cup at a time. Stir until frosting is smooth. Spread over peanut butter layer. Cut into bars. Serve warm or cold. These bars freeze well.

Classic Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

For the crust...
2 sticks (1 Cup) butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt

For the filling...
6 large eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl flour
1 cup lemon juice

For the crust...
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
In a food processor mix the crust ingredients until crumbs are formed. You can also do this by hand with a pastry cutter.
Spread evenly into pan.
Bake for 20 minutes until the edges are just barely starting to turn golden brown. Let cool slightly.

For the filling...
In a bowl, whisk eggs with the sugar.
Add the flour and mix well making sure that there are no lumps.
Add lemon juice and mix to incorporate.
Pour mixture over crust.
Return to oven and bake for 25- 30 more minutes or until filling is set.
Let cool completely, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Cut into squares and Enjoy!

This makes a thick crust... everyone in my family loves that! These are the best lemon bars!

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups quick oats

Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and mix until combined. Add in oats and mix well.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake on upper middle rack for 7-8 minutes.

I always use my small cookie scoop for these cookies. They are also good sandwiched with 1/2 of the batch of buttercream frosting mixed with 7 oz. jar of marshmallow cream.

Frito-Lay Corn Salad

1 pkg dry ranch dressing
4 TBL mayo

Mix together.

2 cups frozen corn thawed (or 2 cans corn drained)
2 pounds grated cheddar cheese (or cheese blend)
1 1/2 packages regular Fritos
1/2 of a medium onion, diced

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.

Sheet Pan Nachos

1 large can refried beans (29 oz)
1 lb hamburger browned with onion, salt & pepper
1 pint sour cream
Taco seasoning
2-4 cups Shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

Spread refried beans in a jelly roll pan. Heat them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. You are just warming them up. Remove from oven and evenly sprinkle with the browned hamburger. Sprinkle the sour cream with taco seasoning to taste. I don't like a lot of the taco seasoning... I probably use 1/4 of the packet. So start out with a little. You can always add more. Drop the seasoned sour cream onto the hamburger and spread as much as you can. You can use more sour cream too. Sprinkle top with cheddar cheese. I like a lot of cheese but you can adjust according to your taste. We like mild but can use whatever you have. Colby/Jack works well too. Return to oven just until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips. Nacho cheese Doritos are our favorite! You could also top with diced tomatoes, olives or anything else you would put on nachos. This was one of our favorite meals when our kids were growing up. Enjoy!

Party Delight

1 cup spam diced
2 hard boiled eggs diced
1/2 tsp onion minced
1 Tbl sweet relish
1/2 tsp mustard
3 Tbl mayo
Butter to spread
1 c grated cheese
Hamburger buns

Mix first 6 ingredients. Spread buns with softened butter. Put a spoonful of spam mixture on top of each bun half. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake on a cookie sheet in 350 degree oven just until cheese melts and buns are slightly toasted.

My mom made this for us when we were kids. It was one of my favorite dinners when I was growing up. I love it still!

Chili Cream Cheese Dip

1 (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1 (14 oz) can chili (no beans)

Heat together and stir. This is delicious with Nacho cheese Doritos!

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.

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.

Dilly Dip

From the kitchen of Laura Smith

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayo

1 T Bon appetite

1 T dill weed

Mix together. Chill to let flavors blend. Serve with fresh veggies, chips or crackers. 

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.

Bean Dip

1 large can (or 2 small cans) Rosarita Spicy Jalepeno Beans
Put in microwave bowl and cover with cheese.
Heat in microwave for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Add one spoonful of sour cream.
Add one small dump (spoonful) of El Pato Spicy Tomato Sauce.
Mix thoroughly and taste.  Add more El Pato if not spicy enough or more sour cream to mellow.
When you like the taste, microwave for another 1 1/2 minutes.
Stir and serve with chips.

Our neighbors (the Squires) made this for just about every Scout camp their boys went on with Brian.  The spicier, the better at camp!  We love it at home, too !

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!

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

From Shaurie's kitchen:

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter or margarine
3 c. rolled oats (I used quick)
1 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt

Combine sugar, milk, butter & salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add vanilla peanut butter. Stir until peanut butter is dissolved. Add oats and mix. Cool slightly and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Chocolate Bread

4 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 (3 oz) package INSTANT chocolate pudding mix
1 c. HOT water

Mix oil and eggs until whipped. Add cake mix, pudding mix and HOT water. Mix until smooth. Spray 2 loaf pans with pan coating. Pour batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*All I had on hand was the bigger box of instant pudding (5.6 oz or something like that) so I used it and it still turned out so good! I also whipped up a powdered sugar glaze and poured it on while they were still hot in the pans. Next time I think I'll add chocolate chips! :)

Salsa

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (not drained)
3 Tbl. canned diced jalapenos
1 Tbl. lime juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 c. diced yellow or white onion

Combine all ingredients in food processor (or blender) Run on high speed for just a minute until it is nearly pureed. Be careful not to over-process. Stir well. Cover and chill overnight. Serve with chips.

We absolutely LOVE Chili's salsa... this recipe is the closest thing to it! Enjoy!!!

Strawberry Smoothie

1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
6 whole frozen strawberries
2 tsp. crystal light strawberry/orange/banana drink mix
3 tsp. vanilla
1 container light strawberry yoplait yogurt
3 c. crushed ice
1 can sprite zero

Blend until smooth. Makes at least 2 smoothies. You can also divide it into thirds. I love using the mandarin oranges... they are so versatile and blend up really well. I buy them by the case so I always have them on hand too.