Apple Pie Cheesecake with Warm Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 18 honey graham cracker sheets
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling

Caramel Sauce

• 1 (14-ounce) package Kraft caramels
• 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk

Preparation

Process graham crackers, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter; pulse 4 or 5 times or until blended. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 10-inch springform pan; set aside.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar and 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add to cream cheese, beating just until blended.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla, beating just until blended. Pour half of batter into prepared crust.

Spoon apple pie filling evenly over cheesecake layer. Pour remaining half of cheesecake batter over fruit layer.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until almost set. Remove from oven; run a knife around edge of pan, and release sides. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Combine caramels and milk in a large saucepan; cook over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and smooth, stirring often.

Tip: Let caramel sauce cool 10 minutes before serving over your cheesecake to prevent melting.

Tip: Don't spoon too much apple filling in one area of your cheesecake batter because it will sink. To spread apple filling evenly over your cheesecake batter, dollop teaspoonfuls randomly over the batter, and then use your fingers to fan out the apples.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)

2/3 cup heave cream (or half and half)

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 (16oz) bag chopped spinach (thawed and well drained)

1 (13 3/4oz) can artichoke hearts (rinsed and well drained)

2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup salsa

In a food processor, process the cream cheese, cream, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder until a smooth and creamy mixture is created. Add the spinach and process until thoroughly mixed. Add artichokes and process until they are coarsely chopped. Add the mixture to the crockpot and smooth top. Cover and cook 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours, until the center is hot. Sprinkle the top evenly with Monterey Jack cheese and spoon the salsa around the inside edges of the crockpot. Cover and continue heating on high 15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Serve warm with crackers or tortilla chips for dipping. (I prefer pita chips)

Big Salad

3 heads Romaine, chopped

1 large head broccoli

1 bunch scallions

2 packages ramen noodles, crushed

1 cup sesame seeds

1 stick butter

*Melt butter, brown ramen noodles and sesame seeds – stir frequently

Dressing –

¾ cup oil

1 cup sugar

½ cup white wine vinegar

3 tbsp soy sauce

*Mix well and toss with all ingredients

Crowd Pleasing Punch

20 ounces frozen strawberries

1 can frozen lemonade – thawed

1 can frozen limeade – thawed

2 liter bottle of gingerale – chilled

1 liter bottle of seltzer water – chilled

Ice cubes

Lemon and limes for garnish

1. Puree strawberries in blender until smooth. Pour into large pitcher. Stir in juices. Refrigerate.
2. Just before serving, pour strawberry mix into punch bowl. Pour in gingerale and seltzer. Add ice and garnish.

Kugel

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package large egg noodles
• 6 tablespoons butter, sliced
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 (16 ounce) package cottage cheese, creamed
• 1 pinch salt
• Splash of vanilla
  

Topping:

• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and stir in 6 tablespoons sliced butter.
3. In a medium bowl beat egg yolks with sugar and cream cheese; stir into noodles and add sour cream, cottage cheese, salt and vanilla. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.
4. In a small bowl combine melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle over noodle mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.

Fudge

Ingredients

• 1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and pour in semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.

Brisket

5 lbs beef brisket
1/4c merlot
1/4c balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg onion soup mix
garlic cloves

1. Season beef with salt & pepper and marinate in wine and vinegar overnight.

2. Combine mushroom soup and onion soup mix and a handful of garlic cloves.

3. Put beef in crockpot and pour marinade and soup mixture over it.

4. Cook on low for 10 hours.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Ingredients
4c powdered sugar
1/2c shortening
5 TBSP milk
1 TSP vanilla extract
food coloring

In a large bowl, cream together shortening and powdered sugar. Gradually mix in milk and vanilla extract with electric mixer until smooth and stiff (about 5 min). Color with food coloring - as desired.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C ).
2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar, butter, and oil. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar; stir into the creamed mixture. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls onto ungreased sheet. OR you can cut them into shapes using cookie cutters.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 5 1/2 pounds pot roast

Directions

1. In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
2. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Cheesy Onion Dip

Ingredients

1 loaf Hawaiian bread (bowl shaped)

2-3 medium Vidalia onions, diced

4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups Hellman's mayonnaise (no substitutions)

Preparation

Hollow bread loaf to make room for dip, reserving bread pieces. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour into bread bowl. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until fully melted, about 30 minutes to an hour.

Serve warm with reserved bread pieces, additional Hawaiian bread, and/or crackers.

Monkey Bread

Ingredients

4 pkg canned refrigerated biscuits (not Grands, just plain)

2-4+ cups sugar

4-6+ tblsp cinnamon

1+ stick melted butter or margarine, room temperature

Preparation

Cut biscuits into quarters. Mix together sugar and cinnamon.

Dip biscuit quarters in melted butter and then coat in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place coated biscuit pieces into non-stick bundt cake pan, pressing down lightly.

When all biscuit pieces are quartered, drizzle remaining butter over cake and sprinkle remaining sugar on top.

Bake at 350 degrees until cake is no longer "springy" to touch.

Serve warm by pulling apart pieces instead of cutting.

Candy Bar Brownies (Aunt Karen's)

Ingredients

1 family-sized pkg brownie mix, including ingredients to prepare

1-2 extra large Hershey Symphony bars with almonds, or comparable candy bar

Preparation

Prepare brownie mix as directed. Spread half of prepared mix in bottom of 8 1/2" x 11" baking dish. Lay candy bars on top of mix, breaking apart as necessary to distribute evenly. Spread remaining brownie batter over candy bars.

Bake as directed on brownie mix package. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Nutty Ghosts

Ingredients

Nutter Butter Cookies

Almond bark or white chocolate

Black icing or mini chocolate chips

Preparation

Melt almond bark or chocolate. Dip cookies in melted bark/chocolate. Place on wax paper and pipe on two black eyes or use chocolate chips.

Source: ourbestbites.com

Cheesy Fingers

Ingredients

String cheese, cut in half to make two short pieces

Slivered almonds

Cream cheese

Preparation

Use the flat side of a knife to make knuckle marks on the cheese. Use a knife to shave off just a bit of the cheese at an angle before attaching the almond to make it look more like the tip of a finger. Attach slivered almonds with a dab of cream cheese for the nails.

Source: ourbestbites.com

Bones N' Blood

Ingredients

Pkg of refrigerated breadstick dough

Marinara sauce

Preparation

Cut breadstick dough into strips. Use scissors to snip the ends into two pieces and roll them down to make the bone shape. Serve with "bloody" marinara. For extra flavor, sprinkle with garlic and Parmesan before baking.

Source: ourbestbites.com

Mummy Dogs

Ingredients

Hot Dogs

Crescent Rolls

Mustard or ketchup

Preparation

Cut crescent roll dough into thin strips and wrap around hot dogs. Bake according to crescent package directions and use ketchup or mustard for eyes. Can cut hot dogs in half to make them bite-sized.

Source: ourbestbites.com

Witch Brooms

Ingredients

One pkg peanut butter cookie mix, prepared as directed with 2 tblsp added flour

Large pretzel rods

Preparation
Use cookie dough to form a broom shape around the end of a large pretzel rod. Use a tooth pick to make indentations in the cookies. If your cookies spread too much during baking, use a knife to trim the edges when they come out of the oven and are still warm. Decorate as desired.

Source: ourbestbites.com

Witches' Hats

Ingredients

Hershey's Kisses, opened

Keebler Fudge Strip cookies

Small tubes of ready-made frosting

Preparation

Place a Hershey's Kiss on top of a Keebler Fudge Strip Cookie and you have a little hat. Using the little tubes of frosting, pipe a ring around the outside of the bottom of the kiss and press onto the cookie. It will squeeze out and make the ring around the kiss. Then pipe on a small bow.

Source: ourbestbites.com

Fruity Candy Popcorn {AKA Jello Popcorn}

Ingredients
8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 C butter (that's half a stick)
3 T light corn syrup (honey is a good substitute)
1/2 C sugar
1 3.5oz box jello, any flavor (not the sugar free kind)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a jelly roll pan with foil or parchment. If using foil, spray lightly with non-stick spray and set aside.

Place popcorn in an extra large mixing bowl.

Place butter and syrup in a sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until butter is melted. Add sugar and Jello and stir to combine. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat so it just simmers. Continue simmering for 5 minutes. You'll start off with a mixture that's sometimes thick (depending on the flavor, see note at end) and as it cooks the sugar will dissolve and it will become a little more liquid-ish.

After the sugar mixture simmers for 5 minutes, immediately pour over popcorn in bowl. Be careful, it's super hot!! Mix right away and keep stirring so everything gets well coated. Spread mixture onto prepared pan and spread out evenly.

Pop in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Some flavors of jello have more mix than others. For example, the strawberry is usually much thicker than the lime. If you notice this, you might want to bake the mixture for a few minutes longer to make sure it gets cooked all the way.

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temp. Then break into pieces and enjoy! You can certainly eat this un-baked as well and it's just soft and gooey, but definitely bake it if you're going to pack it up for giving, or serve it as party food so it will be light and crunchy.

No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
Fudge
24 Peanut butter cookies
5 TBSP melted butter

DIRECTIONS
1. Beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Mix in peanut butter and milk. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.

2. Crush cookies in food processor. Add melted butter. Press mixture into pie tins as the crust.

3. Spread Fudge layer over the crust.

4. Spoon into two 9 inch graham cracker pie shells; cover, and freeze until firm.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Passion Bars

1/3 c Vegetable Oil
2 eggs
1 box ghiradelli triple chocolate brownie mix
1 c chopped peanuts

Filling:
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9X13 pan

2. Mix oil, eggs, brownie mix and peanuts.

3. Press 1/2 the brownie mix into the pan and reserve the other half for the topping.

4. Mix together peanut butter and condensed milk and spread evenly over brownie.

5. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the reserved brownie mixture over the peanut butter layer.

6. Bake 30 min or until top is set. Cool and cut into squares

Potato Latkes

Ingredients
2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
1 tablespoon grated onion
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup peanut oil

Directions
1. Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.

2. In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.

3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot with either applesauce or sour cream.

Popcorn Cake

Ingredients
4 quarts popped popcorn
1 pound candy-coated chocolate pieces
1 cup peanuts
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
1 pound marshmallows

Directions
1. Mix popcorn, M&Ms, and peanuts in large bowl.

2. Heat oil, butter, and marshmallows in pan until melted. Pour over popcorn and blend together with heavy spoon or hands.

3. Spray Bundt cake pan with vegetable spray. Press mixture lightly into pan and refrigerate until cool.

4. To remove cake from pan, put pan in warm water, then turn upside down until cake comes out.

Chicken Parmesan

4 chicken breasts

1/2 c bread crumbs

1/2 c parmesan cheese

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 egg

26 oz jar pasta sauce

1 c mozarella cheese

1 lb Pasta

1. Cut breasts in half so they are thin. Place (1 at a time) in a ziploc bag and pound with a rolling pin until thin.

2. Spray crockpot.

3. Mix egg in one bowl and bread crumbs, parmesan, italian seasoning in another.

4. Dip chicken in egg and then dry mixture. Place on the bottom of crockpot.

5. Cover chicken with sauce. Cook on High for 4 hours.

6. Cook pasta al dente.

7. Turn off and sprinkle mozarella over chicken. Cover and let cheese melt.

8. Serve over pasta.