#3650 - Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake

 (by Sue [Hetrick] Sheaffer - friend)

1 box Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 cup Jif peanut butter
2 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
1 jar hot fudge ice cream topping
chopped peanuts

Prepare and bake cake according to box directions (in a 9 x 13 cake pan). Cool cake to room temperature. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to poke about 30 holes into the cake (all the way to the bottom). In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add condensed milk and peanut butter--beat. Add ONE of the thawed 8oz. Cool Whips--beat until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top of the cake. Keep smoothing the cream cheese mixture with a spatula so that the holes get filled with the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate the cake for at least 6 hours. Remove from refrigerator, spread the other 8oz. Cool Whip over the top of the cake. Drizzle the hot fudge topping over the Cool Whip. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the top of the cake.

#3649 - Quick Peanut Butter Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter (melted)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar
1 cup + 4 TBSP Jif peanut butter
1 1/2 cups Nestle's MILK chocolate chips

In a bowl add melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and 1 cup peanut butter--mix until well blended. Press the mixture into an UNgreased 9 x 13 cake pan. In a microwave safe bowl add 4 TBSP peanut butter and all of the milk chocolate chips--microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the crust. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. Keep refrigerated. Cut into bars or squares.

#3648 - Easy Soft Pretzel Nuggets

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 11oz. can Pillsbury refrigerated breadstick dough
1 beaten egg
kosher (coarse) salt
1 - 15oz. jar Cheez Whiz
2 TBSP milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll and separate the dough into 12 breadsticks. Brush the beaten egg over the top of each breadstick, then sprinkle the kosher salt over the tops. Use a sharp knife to cut all of the breadstick dough into pretzel nuggets shapes and place them on greased cookie sheets (not too close together). Bake at 375 degrees 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. While they are baking, scoop out about 1/3 of the Cheez Whiz (about 5oz.) into a bowl and add the milk. Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until hot/melted/smooth. Serve the warm pretzel nuggets with the melted cheese.

#3647 - Sourdough Checkerboard Bread Appetizer

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 large loaf round sourdough bread
6 slices bacon (more if necessary)
1 pack cheddar cheese slices
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 TBSP Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix powder

Cook the bacon, drain it on paper towels and crumble the bacon. With a sharp bread knife slice the bread every 1" but DO NOT cut through the bottom (leave about 1" from the bottom uncut). Once you've sliced the loaf all the way across in one direction, turn the bread 1/4 turn and do the same thing again (making a checkerboard pattern but with everything still held together by the bottom of the loaf). Sprinkle the crumbled bacon evenly into all of the slits. Cut a cheddar cheese slice into four rectangular pieces and slip the cheddar cheese pieces into the slits. Repeat with as many cheese slices as necessary. In a bowl add melted butter and ranch dressing powder--stir well. Drizzle the butter mixture evenly into the slits. Wrap the whole loaf with foil and place it on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. To serve, let your "eaters" tear off pieces as they please.

#3646 - Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 TBSP white sugar
3 TBSP butter (melted)
2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
vanilla frosting
strawberry preserves

In a bowl add graham cracker crumbs, 2 TBSP white sugar and melted butter--stir to mix. Place 18 cupcake liners into muffin tins. Spoon the graham cracker mixture evenly into the cupcake liners, then use your thumb to lightly flatten down the graham cracker mixture in each liner. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add 1/2 cup white sugar and the vanilla--beat. Add eggs--beat. Spoon batter over graham cracker mixture in each liner until each liner is 3/4 full. Bake at 325 degrees 23-27 minutes or until cream cheese batter is set. Cool completely. Frost the cupcakes with your favorite vanilla frosting, then use your thumb to make a small well in the center of the frosting on each cupcake. Place a dollop of strawberry preserves into the well in the frosting of each cupcake.

#3645 - Parsley Garlic Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 loaf Italian bread
1 stick softened butter
2 large garlic cloves (smashed and minced)
1 heaping TBSP fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a bowl add softened butter, minced garlic and chopped parsley--mix well. Slice the bread loaf into 1" thick slices. Spread the butter mixture over each bread slice and place them (butter side up) on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the buttered tops. Set oven to broil, return to oven and broil 2-3 minutes or until edges of bread are crispy.

#3644 - Hot Cinnamon Apples

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup butter
4 large tart apples
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Wash, peel and core apples, then slice them into 1/4" slices. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add butter--melt. Add apple slices--cook/stir until apples are almost tender. In a bowl add water and cornstarch--mix well. Pour cornstarch mixture into the apple mixture--stir. Add brown sugar and cinnamon--cook/stir until apples are tender and sauce has thickened. Serve warm as a side dish, or serve at room temperature over vanilla ice cream.

#3643 - Bagel Croutons

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - day old (or stale) bagels
1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Slice each bagel in half. Cut each bagel half into large crouton sized pieces. In a bowl add olive oil, salt (your choice of amount) and Italian seasoning--stir to mix. Add the bagel pieces to the olive oil mixture--toss to coat. Spread the coated bagel pieces on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

#3642 - Parmesan Wax Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/4 lbs. fresh yellow wax beans (or canned wax beans as described below)
2 TBSP butter
1/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers (more if you wish)
salt and pepper (to your taste)
grated Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling)
crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

Trim the ends of the wax beans and cut them to the size you like. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil--add the wax beans and cook/stir until beans are soft. Drain the beans. In a bowl add drained beans and butter--toss until butter is melted. Sprinkle the crushed Ritz crackers, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese over the beans--toss to coat. Serve immediately. Optional: add some crumbled cooked bacon when you add the crushed Ritz crackers. You can use canned wax beans if you cook/drain them after heating them just until hot.

#3641 - Raisin Walnut Pumpkin Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup Crisco shortening
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup Libby's canned pumpkin
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Place raisins in a saucepan, cover them with water, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil them for 5 minutes. Drain the raisins and set aside. Into a bowl sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then stir with a whisk--set aside. In a mixer add white sugar and Crisco--beat. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add pumpkin--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained raisins and chopped walnuts--stir to mix. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 10-14 minutes. Cool completely. Frost or glaze if desired.

#3640 - Italian Chili

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 rib of celery (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
1 TBSP canola oil
1/4lb. Italian sausage (loose/crumbled - more if you wish)
1 - 15oz. can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 cup canned kidney beans (drained and rinsed - more if you wish)
1 cup water
5 TBSP Hunt's tomato paste
3/4 tsp. chili powder (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
shredded cheese (your choice of type)

In a skillet add canola oil, chopped celery, chopped onions, chopped green bell peppers and chopped red bell peppers - cook/stir over medium heat until vegetables are tender, then set aside. In a Dutch oven add crumbled sausage--cook/stir until sausage is browned, then drain off any grease. Add vegetable mixture, stewed tomatoes, kidney beans, water, tomato paste, chili powder, salt and pepper to the sausage--cook/stir until mixed and boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to simmer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until thickened. Serve in bowls and sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of each bowl when serving.

#3639 - Onion Sauce Skirt Steaks

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 - 6oz. skirt steaks
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion (sliced)
salt and pepper (to your taste)

Salt and pepper both sides of each skirt steak. In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil, then place the steaks in the skillet. Cook steaks on both sides until done to your taste. Place steaks on a serving plate to rest. To the drippings in the skillet add onions--cook/stir until softened. Add red wine vinegar--cook/stir until onion mixture is tender and hot. Serve the onion sauce over the steaks.

#3638 - Burger BBQ Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Heinz ketchup
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp. French's yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

In a saucepan add ketchup, brown sugar, white sugar, honey, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, liquid smoke and pepper--stir until well mixed. Place saucepan over medium heat--cook/ stir mixture until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir well before using on cooked burgers or cooked steaks.

#3637 - Corn and Egg Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 15oz. cans cream style corn
29-30oz. chicken broth
2 beaten eggs
2 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 - 10oz. can corn kernels (drained; optional)
salt and pepper (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven add all of the cream style corn and the chicken broth--cook/stir over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat to simmer. In a bowl whisk the water and cornstarch together. Add the cornstarch mixture to the soup--stir well. Slowly add the beaten eggs to the soup while whisking. Add the drained corn kernels--cook/stir until soup is hot and thickened. Taste--add salt and pepper to your taste.

#3636 - Extra Chewy Sugar Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks softened butter (NO substitutes)
2 cups white sugar + extra for sprinkling
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--stir with a whisk to mix. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Drop heaping spoonfuls of dough on to grease cookie sheets. Sprinkle a little extra white sugar on top of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees 10-13 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown. Cool completely. Note: do a test cookie bake to get the baking time right. If you over bake them, they won't be chewy.

#3635 - M&M Peanut Butter Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups Jif creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar + extra for rolling
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bag M&M's candies

In a mixer add peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Turn mixer speed to low--add eggs, baking soda, vanilla and salt--beat until mixed. Use a teaspoon and get a heaping spoonful of batter. Place some white sugar in a bowl. Roll the batter into a ball, roll it into the white sugar and place it on a greased cookie sheet. Use a greased fork to press down on the dough ball and make a criss cross pattern. Press 5-6 M&M's into the cookie dough. Repeat with all dough. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes.

#3634 - Italian Gravy (Red Sauce)

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion (minced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
4 cups water
2 - 32oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 - 16oz. can Hunt's tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. white sugar (more if necessary)
salt, pepper and oregano (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add olive oil, minced onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are see-through. Turn heat back to medium low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped basil, baking soda, white sugar, salt, pepper and oregano--cook/stir until mixture is simmering. Tilt the lid on the Dutch oven and simmer for 2 hours or until sauce is thick. Taste--adjust seasonings as necessary.

#3633 - Cabbage and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 onion (chopped)
1 head of cabbage
1 1/2 TBSP butter
5-6 bacon slices
salt and pepper (to your taste)

Remove the cabbage core, then tear the cabbage into bite sized pieces (just enough cabbage so it will fit in your cast iron skillet). In a cast iron skillet over medium heat fry the bacon. When bacon is done, place the bacon slices on paper towels to drain and leave the bacon drippings in the skillet. Add the butter and onions to the bacon drippings--cook/stir until onions soften. Add the cabbage pieces--toss/cook until cabbage is wilted and tender. Remove from heat. Crumble the drained bacon and add it to the cabbage mixture--toss to mix. Add salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

#3632 - Chocolate Jelly Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup white sugar
2 cups sifted CAKE flour (sift after measuring)
4 TBSP Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 cup water
2 TBSP Welch's grape jelly
1 cup mayo
2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add white sugar, sifted cake flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt--stir. In a mixer add water, grape jelly, mayo and vanilla--beat on low to mix. Slowly add flour mixture--beat until mixed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#3631 - Easy Pot Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 - 10.75oz. cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained)
2 cups shredded cheese (your choice of type)
1 - 16oz. can Pillsbury Grands biscuit dough
2 TBSP butter (melted)

In a bowl add chicken, both cans of soup, drained vegetables and shredded cheese--stir to mix. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Open the biscuit dough and separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit dough into four equal pieces. Place the 32 biscuit pieces in a bowl--drizzle with the melted butter and toss to coat with butter. Spread the biscuit pieces over the top of the chicken mixture. Bake at 375 degrees 20-25 minutes or until top is browned and chicken mixture is hot.