#3660 - Oreo Pretzel Sandwiches

(by Shirley McNevich)

4oz. Baker's white chocolate baking squares
18 original Oreo cookies
4oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 bag salted waffle pretzels

Using a blender or a rolling pin, crush the Oreos. In a bowl add softened cream cheese and crushed Oreos--mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll the Oreo mixture into 1 tsp. sized balls, then make a sandwich using two waffle pretzels as the top and bottom (with the Oreo mixture in between). Squeeze gently. Repeat until you've used up the Oreo mixture. Melt the baking chocolate according to box directions, then dip each sandwich and coat it in the white chocolate. Place completed sandwiches on wax paper--cool completely, then refrigerate. Keep them refrigerated.

#3659 - Crispy Ravioli

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup 4C Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 - 14oz. bag frozen cheese ravioli
warm marinara sauce

In one bowl add the eggs--beat with a fork. In a second bowl add the breadcrumbs. Grease cookie sheets with Pam. In a large pot of salted boiling water add the frozen ravioli--cook about 5 minutes or until softened. Drain ravioli but DO NOT RINSE. Let the ravioli cool just enough to handle. Dunk one ravioli into the beaten eggs, then into the bread crumbs, then place it on the greased cookie sheets. Repeat with all ravioli. Lightly spray the tops of the ravioli with Pam. Bake at 425 degrees 10-12 minutes (turning once during baking) until ravioli are crisp and golden brown. Cool slightly, then serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping. If you haven't made these before, bake just one ravioli to start to get the correct baking time for your oven.

#3658 - Easy Basic Hummus

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can garbanzo beans (drained but save the liquid)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP olive oil
1-3 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt

In a blender or a food processor add drained beans, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and salt--mix well (it will be dry). Add a little of the reserved bean liquid at a time and blend again until you get the thickness that you like. Taste--adjust and add seasonings to your taste.

#3657 - Shredded Chicken Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
4oz. mayo
4oz. Breakstone's sour cream
8oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 4oz. can diced green chile peppers (drained)
1 jalapeno pepper (diced)

Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Line a glass baking dish with foil and spray it with Pam. Place the chicken on the foil. Bake at 350 degrees until chicken is fully cooked. Cool chicken completely. Into a large bowl use two forks to shred the chicken. Add the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, drained/diced green chile peppers and diced jalapeno peppers--stir well to mix. Spread the mixture into a greased glass baking dish or casserole. Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes or until edges are browned and mixture is hot. Serve hot with good quality crackers.

#3656 - Cajun Gumbo Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup butter
6 green onions (sliced)
2 ribs of celery (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped orange bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
1 1/2 lbs. large raw shrimp (peeled and chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 1/2 tsp. creole seasoning
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened and cubed)
3/4 cup sliced pickled okra
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
good quality crackers

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add butter--melt. Add sliced green onions, chopped celery and all four colors of chopped bell peppers--cook/stir until tender. Add chopped shrimp, minced garlic and creole seasoning--cook/stir for 2 minutes. Turn heat back to low and add cream cheese--cook/stir until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat--add sliced okra and 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese--stir to mix. Pour the mixture into a greased 2qt. baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then sprinkle more grated Parmesan cheese over the top and return to oven 5-10 minutes longer or until hot and bubbling. Serve hot with good quality crackers.

#3655 - Crispy Caramel Mix

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 12oz. box Crispix corn and rice cereal
1 1/2 cups nuts (one type or mixed)
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup Kayro lite corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 cups chocolate covered peanuts

In a foil roasting pan add the cereal and nuts--toss to mix. In a saucepan over medium heat add brown sugar, lite corn syrup and butter--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Drizzle the butter mixture over the cereal mixture while stirring the cereal, then toss to coat. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes (stirring every 7 minutes). Spread the cereal mixture over a large sheet of buttered foil. Cool completely. Wash and dry the foil roasting pan. Place the cereal mixture into the foil pan (breaking up any clumps) and add the chocolate covered peanuts--toss to mix.

#3654 - Multi Colored Pasta Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 16oz. box multi-colored rotini pasta
1 zucchini (washed and sliced, peeled before slicing if you wish)
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/2 lb. cooked ham (cut into bite sized pieces)
6oz. pepperoni slices (quartered)
1/2 of a red bell pepper (chopped)
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper (to your taste)
1 cup Italian salad dressing (more if necessary)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small container cherry tomatoes (quartered)

Cook and drain pasta in salted water but DO NOT RINSE. In a large bowl add sliced zucchini, sliced black olives, ham pieces, pepperoni pieces, chopped red bell peppers, chopped celery, sliced green onions, oregano, salad dressing and drained pasta--toss well. Taste--adjust seasonings and add salt/pepper as necessary. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, add cherry tomato pieces and shredded mozzarella cheese--stir well. Sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the top before serving. If salad is too dry, add a little more Italian salad dressing.

#3653 - Pepperoni Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

16oz. uncooked shell pasta (or other shape)
1lb. ground Italian sausage (casings removed)
28 to 32oz. pasta sauce
24oz. ricotta cheese (less if you wish)
1 can sliced black olives (drained)
12oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
12oz. pepperoni slices (more if you wish)

Cook and drain pasta in salted water--drain but DO NOT RINSE. In a skillet over medium heat crumble the Italian sausage--cook/stir until browned. Chop all of the pepperoni slices into small pieces. In a bowl add drained pasta, browned sausage, HALF of the pepperoni pieces and the pasta sauce--stir well. In a separate bowl add ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and sliced black olives--stir to mix. Pour the pasta mixture into a large greased casserole dish. Spread the cheese mixture over the pasta mixture. Sprinkle the other half of the chopped pepperoni pieces over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 25-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let it sit a few minutes before serving.

#3652 - Hot Monterey Jack Cheese Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup mayo
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 green onions (finely chopped)
8-12 Ritz crackers (crushed)
8 slices of bacon (fried, dried on paper towels and crumbled)

In a bowl add mayo, softened cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and finely chopped green onions--mix well. Spread the mixture into a greased glass pie plate. Sprinkle the crushed Ritz crackers evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Spread the crumbled bacon evenly over the top. Serve with good quality crackers.

#3651 - Sour Cream Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups Breakstone's sour cream
4 tsp. canola oil
melted butter

In a bowl add self-rising flour and baking soda--stir to mix. Add sour cream and canola oil--stir just until combined. Flour your counter. Place the dough on the floured counter and knead the dough 6 times. Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 equal pieces (or you can use a biscuit cutter). Place the dough pieces on a greased cookie sheet. Brush melted butter over the top of each biscuit dough. Bake at 425 degrees 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

#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.