S'more Treats

4 tbsp Butter
6 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips*
1 tsp Vanilla
4 c Mini Marshmallows
6-7 cups Golden Grahams


Melt butter in large pan.
Add marshmallows, vanilla and chocolate chips. Stir constantly until smooth.
Add Golden Grahams. Stir until all is mixed.
Pour onto parchment paper and smooth out to desired thickness and let cool.

*You can also use milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or carob chips

Chocolate Coconut Granola Bars

4 1/2 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2/3 cup Butter, melted
1/2 cup Honey
1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Coconut

Preheat oven to 325*. Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.

In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the chocolate chips and coconut.


Press mixture into the pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.

Red, White and Blue Cookies

1 log of Sugar Cookie Dough
Red Food coloring
Blue Food coloring


Take the cookie dough and divide it into 3rds.
To one 1/3 add 15-20 drops of blue food coloring and mix well.
To another 1/3 add 20-25 drops of red food coloring and mix well.
You now have your red, white and blue cookie dough.



Now you are going to take the colored cookie dough and take bits of it and stack it up and form it into a log.



Wrap the log in plastic wrap.



Now put the wrapped cookie dough into the refrigerator. Leave cookie dough in refrigerator 45-60 minutes.

Take cookies out of plastic wrap and slice and put on cookie sheet.



Bake at 350* for 11-14 minutes.

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

Cowboy Cookies

Here is a classic recipe for you...

1 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Rolled Oats, uncooked
1 cup Flaked Coconut
6 oz Chocolate Chips
6 oz Butterscotch Chips

Cream butter and sugars.
Add eggs and beat well.
Mix in remaining ingredients.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 350* for about 15 minutes.

Candy Bar Apple Salad

1 1/2 cups Milk
1 pkg. (3.4oz) instant Vanilla Pudding mix
1 (8oz.)carton frozen Whipped Topping, thawed
4 large Apples, chopped
4 Snickers candy bars,cut into 1/2 inch pieces

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped topping. Fold in apples and candy bars. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Peanut Butter Muffins

1 3/4 cup Flour
1 tbsp. Baking Soda
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Honey
1/3 cup Oil
1 Egg
1/4 cup chopped Peanuts
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

In a bowl combine flour and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, beat together the milk, peanut butter, honey, oil and egg until smooth.
Slowly add the flour mixture until all mixed together.
Fold in the peanuts and chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake in a 400* oven for 15 minutes

Honey Peanut Chews

1 1/2 cups Flour
2/3 cup firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, softened
2 Egg yolks
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
3 cups Mini Marshmallows
1 (10oz) package Peanut Butter Chips
2/3 cup Honey
1/4 cup Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 cups Crisp Rice Cereal
2 cups Salted Peanuts

Preheat oven to 350*
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup softened butter, egg yolks, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder,and salt. Beat the mixture with and electric mixer on low speed until crumbly.

Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven.

Immediately sprinkle the marshmallows over the surface. Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes more or just until the marshmallows begin to puff. Remove from the oven; cool while preparing the topping.

In a large saucepan, stir together the peanut butter chips, honey, the 1/4 cup butter, and vanilla. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in the rice cereal and peanuts. Immediately spread the cereal mixture over the marshmallow layer.

Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Cut into bars. Store in a covered container.

Blueberry Pound Cake

1 cup Butter (no substitutes), softened
3 cups Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Lemon Extract
6 Eggs
3 cups Flour
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Sour Cream
3 cups Fresh Blueberries

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.
Fold in blueberries.

Spray 2 9x5x3 loaf pans.
Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10-15 before removing from pans to wire racks.

Peanut Butter Bars

6 cups Rice Chex Cereal
1/2 cup Honey Roasted Peanuts
1/2 cup Honey
1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw
1/2 cup creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Grease 9 or 8 inch square pan or a 12 cup muffin tin.

In large bowl, mix cereal and peanuts; set aside.

In 3 quart saucepan, heat honey and sugar just to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour over cereal mixture in bowl; stir gently until evenly coated.

Press firmly in pan. Cool 15 minutes.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on high 30-60 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over top of bars. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes until chocolate is set.

Easter Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter with your child or children !!


1 cup Whole Pecans
3 Egg Whites
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vinegar
pinch of Salt
Zip lock bag
Wooden Spoon
Wax Paper
Tape
Bible


1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Place the pecans in a zip lock bag and let the child beat the bag with a wood spoon to break up the pecans into small pieces. Explain to the child that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. ( Read John 19:1-3)

3. Let the child smell the vinegar. Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. (Read John 19:28-30)

4. Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain the Jesus gave His life to give us life. (Read John 10:10-11)

5. Sprinkle a little salt into the child's hand. Let them taste it and then brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that the salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. ( Read Luke 23:27)

6. So far the ingredients are not very appetising. Add the sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to him. (Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16)

7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleanse by Jesus. (Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)

8. Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. ( Read Matthew 27:57-60)

9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give the child a piece of tape and "seal" the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. (Read Matthew 27:65-66)

10. Now GO TO BED!! Explain to the child that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. ( Read John 16:20 and 22)

11. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are HOLLOW!!! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. ( Read Matthew 28:1-9)

Chocolate Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 c. Vanilla Wafer crumbs
1/3 c. Cocoa
1/2 c. Powder Sugar
1/2 c. ground Pecans
1/3 c. melted Butter

Combine all ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.

Cookie Dough:
1/2 stick Butter, softened
1/4 c. packed Brown Sugar
1/3 c. Cocoa
2 tbsp. Water
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 c. Flour
1/2 c. coarse chopped Pecans

Beat butter, brown sugar, cocoa until well blended.
Add water and vanilla. Mix.
Add flour and mix well. Stir in pecans.

Filling:
3 (8oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese
1 (14oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add milk. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla.

Pour 1/2 of the filling into crust. Drop cookie dough one tsp at a time all over batter. Pour remaining filling into pan.

Bake at 300* for 55-60 minutes or until the center is set.

Orange Mocha Chocolate Cake

Cake
1 (18.25 oz) pkg Chocolate Cake with pudding mix
1 tsp. instant Coffee granules or crystals
1 1/3 c. Water
1/3 c. Oil
3 Eggs


Filling and Topping
2 c. Whipping Cream
1/4 c. Sugar
2 tbsp. Butter
1/2 tsp. instant Coffee granules or crystals
2 c. Semisweet Chocolate chips
2 tbsp. Orange Juice
1/2 c. Orange Marmalade

Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottoms only of two 8 inch pans. In large bowl, combine cake mix, coffee, water, oil and eggs. Beat with electric mixer at low speed for 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into greased pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpicks inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. run knife around sides of pans t loosen. Remove cakes form pans; place on wire racks. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.

In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the whipping cream, sugar, butter and coffee. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove for heat. Add chocolate chips; stir until melted. Stir in juice. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

In medium bowl, beat remaining 1 1/2 cups whipping cream just until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes

Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on serving plate. Spread orange marmalade and 1 cup of the chocolate whipped cream over top. Top with second cake layer, top side up. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining chocolate whipped cream.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Snowmen Cookies

1 pkg. (16oz) Nutter Butter cookies
1 1/4 lbs. White Chocolate or White candy coating, melted
Black, Orange,and Red decorating gel or Frosting
Mini M&Ms
Pretzel Sticks, Halved

Using tongs or fork, dip cookies in chocolate; shake off excess. Place on waxed paper.
Place M&Ms down middle for buttons.
For arms, dip ends of two pretzel sick halves into chocolate; attach one to each side.

Let stand until hardened. Pipe eyes, nose and scarf with gel or frosting.

Stawberry Pretzel Salad

2 cups coarsely crushed Pretzels
1 1/2 sticks Butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 (8oz) package Cream Cheese, softened
8 oz. Whipped topping
1 (6oz) package Strawberry jello mix
1 (16 oz) package frozen Strawberries, thawed

Preheat oven to 350*.

Combine pretzels, butter, and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Press into the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Let stand to cool.

Prepare gelatin mix according to the package directions, using 1 1/2 cups boiling water and 1/2 cups cold water. Stir in undrained strawberries. Chill, covered, until partially set, about 45 minutes.

Combine remaining sugar and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at high speed until fluffy. Fold in whipped topping.
Spread the whipped topping mixture on top of the pretzel crust. Chill, covered, until set, about 10 minutes.

Spread the partially set gelatin on top of the whipped topping mixture. Chill, covered, until set, about 1 hour.

Ladyfinger Cheesecake

If you want a dessert that looks and tastes amazing but is easy to make, this one is for you!!

2 (11oz) packages No-bake Cheesecake mix
2/3 c. Butter, melted
1/4 c. Sugar
1 (3oz) package Ladyfingers (25 cookies)
1 (80z) package Cream Cheese, softened
3 c. cold Milk
1 (12oz) carton frozen Whipped Topping, thawed
1 (21oz) can Cherry Pie filling

1. In a bowl, combine contents of crust mix packages, butter and sugar. Press onto the bottom 0f an ungreased 10 inch springform pan.

2. Arrange ladyfingers around edge of pan.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining milk. Add contents of filling mix packages; beat until smooth. Beat on medium for 2-3 minutes until nice a fluffy. Fold in whipped topping .

4. Pour mixture over crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

5. Top with pie filling. Remove sides of pan before serving.

Easy Danish Kringle

This is a great recipe for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. I like to bring this one to church gatherings.

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened at directed on package
2/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tbsp. butter, softened
water
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 tsp. milk
3 tbsp. chopped pecans

Heat oven to 375. Remove crust from pouch; place on large ungreased cookie sheet. Press out fold lines.

In medium bowl, combine 2/3 cup pecans, brown sugar, and butter; mix well. Sprinkle over half of pie crust to within 3/4 inch of edge. Brush edge with water; fold pie crust over filling. Move Kringle to center of cookie sheet. Press edges with fork to seal. Prick top with fork.

Bake for 17-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.

In small bowl, combine powdered sugar vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency; blend until smooth. Drizzle icing over Kringle. Sprinkle with 3 tbsp. pecans. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled. Cut into wedges.