No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars
From: Not sure...was a recipe I had printed out, and wanted to try.

4 cups cheerios
2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups peanuts
2 cups M & M's (I used 1 cup M & M's and 1 cup chocolate chips)
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

In large bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients; set aside. In a saucepan, bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Cook and stir just until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over cereal mixture and toss evenly to coat. Spread into greased pans (I used one 13 X 9 pan, and one 8 X 8 pan). Cool, and cut into squares.

Beef Taco Bake

Beef Taco Bake
From: Better Homes and Gardens (but not sure when and where I got the recipe)

2 pounds ground beef
2 pkgs taco seasoning mix
2 cups salsa
12 flour tortillas cut in strips
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

In a skillet, cook the beef until brown and drain fat. Add the taco seasoning and blend according to package directions. Mix 1 cup of the salsa in with the beef mixture. Grease 2 freezer/oven safe 8 X 8 pans. Spread a small amount of the beef mixture in the bottom of the pan. Cover the meat mixture with 1/2 of the tortillas (1/4 on each pan). Next layer some of the grated cheese over the tortilla strips. Spread 1/2 the meat mixture to make the next layer. Spread the rest of the salsa over the top and then some more cheese. Now the rest of the tortilla strips, then the rest of the meat mixture. Finish with the rest of the cheese. Now freeze one (or both). When you are ready to eat the meal, defrost in the fridge. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Lemon Angel Food Cake

Lemon Angel Food Cake

By: Peggy Clinton and Me

1 box Angel food cake mix

¾ cup lemon juice

½ cup water

Mix and bake according to package directions.

Creamy Lemon Glaze
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Combine butter, juice, and powdered sugar. Stir until well combined.

Drizzle over the cake. (We only used 1/2 of the glaze on the cake.)

It is definitely lemony...but that's what we were going for. Let us know what you think....this is one that we made up ourselves!!!

Cream Cheese Melts

From: Parenting.com

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1 Tbs. butter, softened

• 1 Tbs. light corn syrup

• few drops of mint oil (to taste, we used peppermint)
  

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• Red paste food coloring

Directions

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter, corn syrup, and mint extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 3 cups of the powdered sugar until combined. Turn mixture out onto a clean surface dusted with remaining powdered sugar and knead until smooth and no longer sticky.

Divide dough into 3 portions. Tint one portion pink and one portion darker pink. Leave one portion white.

Roll each portion into a 15-inch-long rope. Twist ropes together and form into a rope about 3/4-inch wide. Flatten slightly and cut into 3/4 inch pieces. Arrange pieces on a parchment-paper-lined tray. Cover and chill at least 4 hours. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

We thought these would also be good for any holiday (greens for St. Patrick's day, Blue and Red for 4th of July, Red and Green for Christmas, Black and Orange for Halloween, Brown and Orange for Thanksgiving, the ideas are endless.). These are quite tasty. They remind me of wedding mints. We did a double batch.

Perfect Pasta Salad

Perfect Pasta Salad
From: Me and All recipes

1 lb of pasta
1 gallon water
2 TBS salt
Celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions
1 cup Ranch dressing
1/2-1 cup of cheese (optional)

Cook 1 pound of pasta. Cook the pasta in a gallon of boiling water seasoned with 2 tablespoons of salt (that's right, 2 tablespoons! Don't skip this step. It does seem like a lot of salt, but it really makes a difference in the taste of the pasta) until just tender. Drain but do not rinse the pasta. Instead, dump it onto a large-lipped cookie sheet to cool and dry. Don't worry if the pasta sticks together. The dressing will break it up.

Cut up finely 2-4 cups of celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, or any veggie you want to, and then add to the salad.

Add 1 cup of Ranch Dressing (or your dressing of choice), mix it up well. Before serving you can add the cheese if desired.

You can also add bacon bits. Just add things that suit your taste.

Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cookies
From: Picky Palate

Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cookies

1 Cup creamy peanut butter

1 Cup sugar

1 egg

12 mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

36 mini marshmallows

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 Cup mini M&M’s

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place peanut butter, sugar and egg into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Scoop dough evenly into a 12 count mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin pan. Cook for 13-15 minutes until almost done. Remove from oven and press a peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie until flush with cookie top. Top each cookie with 3 mini marshmallows and return to oven for 2-3 more minutes or until marshmallows are puffed. Remove and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Place chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted smooth. Stir in 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream until silky and smooth. You can return back to microwave for 15 seconds to get a thinner consistency. Spoon chocolate over top of puffed marshmallows and sprinkle with mini M&M’s.

12 cookie cups (by the original recipe)

When I made these, they made 17. I used my Pampered Check large cookie scoop, and put them in my Demarle mini-muffin pan. I really liked them. They are rich, but VERY good!!!

Chicken Queso Soup

From: Lynn's Kitchen Adventures with my adaptations

Chicken Queso Soup

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 can rotel tomatoes ( tomatoes with green chilies)
• 1 – 14ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks, and room temperature
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3-4 cups cooked chicken

1. In a larger pan saute onion in oil until tender and lightly browned.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, cumin, and red pepper.
3. Cook on low for 10-15 minutes. Then add cream cheese, milk, and chicken. And cook until heated through.
4. Stir in shredded cheese and serve.

This was pretty good. A little spicy. Miles really liked it, the 2 bigger boys didn't care for it.