#1262 - Cinnamon Ball Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 loaves frozen bread dough (thawed)
1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup white sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts or chopped pecans

In a microwave safe bowl add the butter--melt the butter in the microwave. In a separate bowl add white sugar and cinnamon--stir until mixed. Spray a bundt cake pan with Pam. Pinch the bread dough into walnut sized pieces, then roll each dough ball in the melted butter, then in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Once coated, place the coated dough ball in the bundt pan. Repeat with all dough balls making layers where necessary. Sprinkle chopped nuts in between dough ball layers as you add dough balls, and sprinkle remaining chopped nuts over the top layer. Cover the pan with Saran wrap and let the dough rise on your counter until it doubles in size (about an hour). Remove Saran wrap, then cover the bundt cake pan with foil. Bake (covered) at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then bake 15 minutes uncovered.

#1261 - Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Quaker quick oats
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Frosting: 6 TBSP butter; 1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed); 1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut; 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional); 1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add oats and boiling water--stir, then let it sit for 20 minutes. In a mixer add 1/2 cup butter, white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon--beat. Add cooled oat mixture--beat. Add flour slowly--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frosting: in a saucepan over low heat add 6 TBSP softened butter--stir and melt the butter. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar--stir until dissolved. Add coconut, chopped nuts and vanilla--stir and cook over low heat about 5 minutes until thickened. Spread frosting over the cake. Once it cools to room temperature, refrigerate the cake.

#1260 - Brown Sugar Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter (melt after measuring)
3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup Libby's canned pumpkin
2/3 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup good quality maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
3 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping (comes in a jar)

In a bowl add graham cracker crumbs, white sugar and melted butter--stir. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom (and slightly up the side) of a 9" springform cheesecake pan. Bake the crust at 325 degrees for 9 minutes--cool completely after baking. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add brown sugar, maple syrup and vanilla--beat. Add pumpkin--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add slightly beaten eggs to the batter and fold them in using a spoon. Pour batter on top of the cooled crust in the springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until almost set. Cool completely, then drizzle caramel ice cream topping over the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight.

#1259 - Mini M & M Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup Parkay margarine
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 bag mini M & M's

In a mixer add Parkay, white sugar, eggs and vanilla--beat. Add cocoa, salt and baking powder--beat. Slowly add flour--beat until smooth. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Spread as many mini M & M's over the top as you wish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (do not overbake). Cool completely, then cut into bars or squares.

#1258 - Cake Flour Coconut Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 1/4 cups cake flour (sift after measuring)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
Baker's angelflake coconut (for sprinkling)

Separate the eggs--in a mixer add the egg whites and 1/2 cup white sugar--beat until peaks form, then set aside. In a mixer add 1 cup white sugar, canola oil, and egg yolks--beat. Add baking powder, salt and vanilla--beat. Add milk slowly--beat. Slowly add cake flour--beat until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer and add beaten egg whites--stir until mixed. Put cupcake liners into muffin tins. Fill each liner 1/2 full with batter. Sprinkle some of the coconut on top of each cupcake. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until they spring back into shape when touched lightly.

#1257 - Peanut Butter Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Jif peanut butter
2 cups flour (measure, then sift)
1/2 cup Crisco
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs

In a mixer add peanut butter and Crisco--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add brown sugar--beat. Add salt, baking powder--beat. Add milk--beat. Slowly add sifted flour--beat. Put cupcake liners into muffin tins. Fill each liner 1/2 full with peanut butter batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes--press the tops to see if they spring back. If they spring back, they're done. Cool completely, then lightly frost each cupcake with smooth peanut butter or your own frosting recipe.

#1256 - Vanilla Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Frosting: 1/2 box Domino's powdered sugar (1 lb. size); 1 stick Parkay margarine; 2 tsp imitation vanilla; 1.5 TBSP milk

In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla, baking soda and salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Flour your counter, place the batter on top of the flour, and flour the top of the batter--roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/4" thick. Cut batter with cookie cutters. Place cookies on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove cookies from trays and place on paper towels until they are room temperature. Frosting: feed powdered sugar, margarine, 2 tsp. vanilla and milk in mixer--beat. The longer you beat it the creamier it gets. Use food coloring to make the color you desire. Frost the cookies.

#1255 - Cake Pan Cheesecake

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
3 TBSP white sugar
3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs

In a bowl add graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 3 TBSP white sugar--stir until mixed. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add vanilla and 3/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat until smooth. Pour batter into the cake pan over the graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. If you wish, you can top the cheesecake with your favorite pie filling (strawberry, blueberry, cherry, etc.).

#1254 - Rhubarb Crunch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup flour (sift after measuring)
3/4 cup Quaker quick oats
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 cups diced rhubarb
1 cup white sugar
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add sifted flour, oats, brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon--mix with your hands until crumbly. Press HALF of the crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Spread the diced rhubarb on top of the crumb mixture. In a saucepan over NO heat add white sugar and corn starch--stir. Slowly add the water and stir while adding so cornstarch doesn't get lumpy. Add vanilla--stir. Turn heat on medium and cook/stir the cornstarch mixture until it gets thick and clear. Pour the hot mixture evenly over the diced rhubarb. Sprinkle the other half of the crumb mixture over the top of the cornstarch mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve warm (with a little cold milk poured on top if you wish).

#1253 - Brown Sugar Coconut Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup Crisco shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Frosting: 3 TBSP melted butter; 4 TBSP cream; 2/3 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed); 1/2 cup Baker's angelflake coconut

In a mixer add white sugar, shortening and egg--beat. Add salt--beat. Add baking powder and vanilla--beat. Add milk--beat. Slowly add flour--beat until mixed then beat for 3 minutes. Pour batter into 9 x 13 greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Frosting: in a bowl add melted butter and cream--stir. Add brown sugar--stir until mixed. Add coconut--stir. When cake is done, remove from oven and spread frosting on HOT cake. Turn oven to broil and put cake in the oven under the broiler until frosting starts to bubble. Cool completely.

#1252 - Sour Cream Strawberry Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 6oz. box strawberry Jell-O
1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained)
2 - 10oz. bag frozen sliced strawberries (thawed--do NOT drain)
1 cup boiling water
3 bananas (peeled and sliced into coin shaped pieces--don't slice until ready to add)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 pint Breakstone's sour cream

In a large pot add Jell-O and boiling water--stir until dissolved. Add drained crushed pineapple, thawed strawberries (and juice), sliced bananas and nuts--stir until mixed. Scoop half of the mixture into a 2 qt. casserole dish and refrigerate it for 2 hours or until firm. Remove from refrigerator, spoon all of the sour cream over the top and smooth it out. Scoop the rest of the strawberry mixture on top of the sour cream. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

#1251 - Crockpot Chicken and Ramen

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts OR skinless chicken thighs
16 oz. baby carrots (washed and cut into coin shaped pieces)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 - 8oz. can sliced bamboo shoots (drained)
1 - 8oz. can sliced water chestnuts (drained)
2 - 3oz. ramen noodles (chicken flavor)
32oz. chicken broth
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 green onions (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Salt and pepper each chicken breast--add carrots, celery, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, ONE of the ramen noodles seasoning packets, chicken breasts, and chicken broth to the crockpot--put the lid on, turn heat to low and cook 7-8 hours. When ready to serve use tongs to remove the chicken breasts and cut them into bite sized pieces and return them to the crockpot--stir. Break both ramen noodles packages using your hands and put the broken noodles into the crockpot--stir. Add the sugar snap peas and the chopped green onions--turn crockpot heat on high, stir and cook ten minutes or until noodles are done (with lid on the crockpot). Add second seasoning pack if you wish.

#1250 - Zucchini Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. Italian sausage (remove the casing)
2 cups chopped celery
2lb. zucchini (do not peel--cut into bite sized pieces)
1 chopped onion
2 - 20oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 green bell peppers (chopped)
grated Parmesan cheese

Remove casings from sausage--add sausage, chopped celery, chopped onions, chopped green peppers to a greased skillet--cook until sausage is browned and other ingredients are tender, then drain off any extra grease. Pour the whole mixture into a large pot. Add zucchini, tomatoes, salt, Italian seasoning, white sugar, oregano, and garlic powder--stir. If too dry add a little water--stir. Cover and simmer until zucchini is soft and soup is hot. Once soup is in serving bowls, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of each bowl.

#1249 - Cream Cheese Lemon Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3oz. box Jell-O instant lemon pie filling
2 cups cold milk
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1 ready-made graham cracker crust

In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add milk and lemon pie filling--beat until mixed, then beat until it gets thick (about 2 minutes). Pour batter into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate overnight.

#1248 - Cheesy Green Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP (or more) grated onion
2 TBSP Parkay margarine
2 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream
32oz. cut green beans (fresh, canned or frozen-thawed and drained)
Shredded Swiss cheese (as much as you like)
1/2 cup or more Italian bread crumbs

In a skillet over medium heat add Parkay--melt. Add grated onion and cook until caramelized. Add flour, white sugar, salt and pepper--stir. Add milk--stir and cook until hot and thick. Remove skillet from heat--add drained green beans--stir. Add sour cream--stir. Spray a 2 qt. casserole dish with Pam. Make five layers in the dish--green bean mixture, shredded Swiss cheese, green bean mixture, shredded Swiss cheese, green beans. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the last layer of green beans. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot enough to serve.

#1247 - Pumpkin Spice Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups flour
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking powder
2 sticks Parkay margarine (softened)
2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 cup Egg Beaters
1 - 15oz. can Libby's pumpkin
1 1/2 cups raisins (put in water, bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes, then drain)
Topping: 1 1/2 cups Domino's powdered sugar; 2 TBSP water; 1 cup chopped pecans OR chopped walnuts

In a bowl add flour, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder--stir and set aside. In a mixer add Parkay and brown sugar--beat. Add egg beaters--beat. Add pumpkin--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Remove bowl from mixer and add drained raisins--stir. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. In a bowl add water and powdered sugar--stir. Drizzle topping over the top of the cake, then sprinkle chopped pecans (or chopped walnuts) over the top of the cake.

#1246 - Dark Chocolate Fudge

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1/2 cup clear Kayro corn syrup
1/3 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
3 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
3/4 cup Domino's powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a saucepan over low heat add corn syrup, Carnation milk, and chocolate bits--stir while melting and keep cooking until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat--add powdered sugar, vanilla and chopped nuts--stir hard with a wooden spoon until thick. Pour mixture into an 8 x 8 baking pan lined with foil. Cool completely, then refrigerate until hard--dump fudge on to a cutting board and peel off the foil before cutting into squares.

#1245 - Garlic Chicken Alfredo

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1/4 cup flour
6 - 4oz. chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
2 TBSP olive oil
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 TBSP minced onion
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper

Sprinkle salt and pepper to your taste on each side of the chicken breasts. Pound each chicken breast with a meat tenderizer until thin. In a Ziploc bag add the flour--add one chicken breast at a time and shake to coat--repeat with all chicken breasts. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat--add chicken breasts and cook/brown each side. Once chicken is browned place chicken breasts in a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. In the skillet you used add minced garlic and minced onion--cook just until tender. Add whipping cream, pepper and Parmesan cheese to the garlic/onion mixture--stir and cook until hot and thick. Spoon the sauce over the chicken in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil--bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until chicken is tender.

#1244 - Chocolate Cheesecake

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

Crust: chocolate wafer cookies (enough to make 1 cup when crushed); 1/2 stick butter (melted)
Cake: 3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1 1/4 cups white sugar; 1 - 8oz. Breakstone's sour cream; 2 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa; 2 TBSP flour; 3 eggs
Drizzle: 1/2 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips; 2 tsp. solid Crisco (NO substitutes)

Place chocolate wafer cookies in a Ziploc bag--crush with a rolling pin. Repeat until you have 1 cup crumbs. Place crumbs in a bowl with 1/2 stick butter (melted)--stir. Spray the inside of a 9" springform cake pan with Pam. Press crumb mixture into the bottom (not the sides) of the springform pan. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add white sugar--beat. Add sour cream and vanilla--beat. Add cocoa and flour--beat. Add eggs--beat. Pour batter on top of the crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes--reduce heat to 250 degrees (without opening the oven door) and bake for 40 minutes. Cool completely. Remove the side wall of the springform pan carefully. Drizzle: in a microwave safe bowl melt semi-sweet chocolate bits and 2 tsp. Crisco--heat in the microwave on high for 20-30 seconds--stir. Heat longer if not completely melted. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate mixture on the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight.

#1243 - Pumpkin Fritters

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

2 cups canned pumpkin (put in a sieve and squeezed as dry as you can get it)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2 TBSP white sugar
2 beaten eggs
canola oil for frying
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

In a bowl add flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and white sugar--stir. Add beaten eggs and pumpkin--stir well (batter will be thick). Place a frying pan over medium heat--add 1/2 cup canola oil to the pan and heat the oil. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into the oil (so they are not touching). Fry until bottom side is browned, then flip and fry other side until browned. Drain on paper towels, then sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar.