#3416 - Microwave Pickles and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cucumber
1 large onion
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. mustard seed

Wash the cucumber and cut it into thin slices. Wash and peel the onion, then slice thinly and separate into rings. In a bowl add white sugar, white vinegar, salt, celery seed and mustard seed--stir to mix. In a microwave safe bowl add the cucumber slices and onions--pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumber mixture and stir to coat. Place the bowl in the microwave--microwave on high for 3 minutes, then stir the mixture. Microwave on high for 3 more minutes or until cucumber slices are tender but still crisp. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.

#3415 - Cream Cheese Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups flour
3/4 cup white sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
colored sugar (the kind you sprinkle on holiday cookies)

Melt the 1/2 cup butter and let it cool slightly. Place cupcake liners in muffin tins. Into a bowl sift the flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add milk and vanilla--beat. Add melted butter--beat. Pour cream cheese mixture into flour mixture--stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle some colored sugar over the top of each muffin. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

#3414 - Microwave Potato Chips

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 potato
1 TBSP canola oil
salt
Pam cooking spray

Wash the potato, then slice it into paper thin slices. Place the potato slices into a plastic bag and drizzle the canola oil over them--close the bag and shake to coat. Spray a large plate with Pam. Arrange some of the potato slices in a single layer on the plate. Microwave on high for 3 minutes--if browned after 3 minutes, they are done. If they are not browned yet, continue in 30 second increments until potato slices are browned. Lightly salt the potato chips, then place them on paper towels. Repeat with remaining potato slices.

#3413 - Coconut Milk Pudding

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 qt. coconut milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup white sugar

In a bowl add the cornstarch--slowly pour the water into the cornstarch while whisking. Use the whisk to break up any lumps. In a saucepan add the coconut milk, salt and white sugar--place saucepan over medium heat. Cook/stir until the sugar dissolves completely, then turn the heat back to medium low and add the coconut--cook/stir for 5 minutes. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the coconut mixture while stirring--keep cooking/stirring until mixture thickens to pudding consistency. Remove from heat--pour mixture into a glass serving bowl. Cool to room temperature, press a piece of Saran wrap over the whole top (making sure the wrap is touching the pudding) and refrigerate until cold.

#3412 - Parmesan Pretzels

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. broken sourdough pretzels OR pretzel nuggets
1/2 cup canola oil
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling if you wish)
2 tsp. dried dill
2 tsp. garlic powder

In a bowl add canola oil, Parmesan cheese, dried dill and garlic powder--stir well. Place the pretzel pieces in a large bowl and drizzle the canola oil mixture over the pretzels--stir well to coat. Spread the pretzels in a single layer on a jellyroll pan. Sprinkle more grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the pretzels if you wish. Bake at 225 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Cool completely.

#3411 - Chocolate Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
4oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the chocolate chips according to bag directions. In a bowl add softened cream cheese--beat with a spoon until smooth. Add melted chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the Cool Whip--stir until mixed, then cool for 6 minutes. Add the rest of the Cool Whip--stir until smooth. Use as a dip for sliced fresh fruit.

#3410 - Fried Tortilla Chips

(by Shirley McNevich)

12 plain corn tortillas
canola oil for frying
salt for sprinkling

Place the tortillas in a single layer on your counter and leave them out overnight so they get stale. The next day, place one stale tortilla at a time on a baking sheet and use a pizza cutter to cut the tortilla into 6 pizza shaped wedges. Repeat with all tortillas. Pour canola oil into a cast iron skillet (about 1 1/2" deep). Heat the oil over medium heat. Once oil is hot enough for frying, drop a few tortilla wedges at a time into the hot oil. When the bottoms are browned, flip them over and fry until the other sides are browned. Place finished tortilla chips on paper towels and use a salt shaker to sprinkle salt on them. Repeat with all tortilla wedges.

#3409 - One Skillet Breakfast

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 slices bacon
2 Yukon gold potatoes (washed, peeled and diced)
garlic salt
Lawry's seasoning salt
fresh ground black pepper
3 beaten eggs
shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet over medium heat cook the bacon. Place cooked bacon on paper towels but leave the bacon grease in the skillet. Add the diced potatoes to the bacon grease--cook/stir until softened. Add garlic salt, Lawry's seasoning salt and fresh ground black pepper--stir. Crumble the bacon evenly over the potatoes, then pour the beaten eggs evenly over the top. Cook until eggs are done. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese all over the top. Place a lid on the skillet until cheese is melted.

#3408 - Baked Chicken Penne Pasta

(by Shirley McNevich)

24oz. raw penne pasta
2 TBSP olive oil
2lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt/pepper (for the chicken)
12oz. frozen broccoli (thawed and drained)
32oz. Alfredo sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the penne pasta according to box directions, then drain the pasta and put the drained pasta back in the pot. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken, then cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. In a skillet over medium heat add the olive oil and the chicken pieces--cook/stir until chicken is done. Add the chicken pieces and drained broccoli to the drained pasta. Add the Alfredo sauce to the pasta mixture--stir to mix. Spread the whole mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until mixture is hot and cheese is melted.

#3407 - Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP olive oil
1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts (more if you wish)
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (thawed--more if you wish)
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream
12oz. chicken gravy
2 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 - 12oz. tube Pillsbury Grands biscuits
5-6 slices bacon
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt/pepper to your taste (for the chicken)

Fry the bacon, drain it on paper towels to soak up the grease, then crumble the bacon. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken breasts to your taste, then cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. In a skillet over medium heat add the olive oil, chicken breasts and chopped onions--cook/stir until chicken is done. In a bowl add sour cream, gravy, cornstarch, 1/4 tsp. pepper and thawed mixed vegetables--stir to mix. Pour the gravy mixture into the skillet with the chicken--cook/stir until mixture is hot. Spread the whole mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Open the biscuit can and place the raw biscuits in a single layer over the top of the chicken mixture. Generously sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are done. Sprinkle crumbled bacon all over the top before serving.

#3406 - Italian Lemon Ice

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 cups boiling water (use either filtered water or bottled water)
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 TBSP lemon zest

Place a 9 x 13 aluminum cake pan in the freezer (just the pan, not the lid). In a large bowl add the white sugar--slowly pour the boiling water over the white sugar, then keep stirring the mixture until all of the white sugar is dissolved. Cool the mixture to room temperature. Add the fresh lemon juice and the lemon zest--stir to mix. Remove the cake pan from the freezer and pour the mixture into the cold pan, then return it to the freezer. Every 30 minutes use the tines of fork to scrape the whole frozen mixture (this is what adds the air), break up any large crystals, then place it back in the freezer. Once you have the consistency you like, serve it immediately. If you want to save some for later, scoop leftover mixture into empty yogurt cups, cover them with foil and keep them in the freezer. When you want to serve them, let them sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften before serving.

#3405 - Scrambled Egg Breakfast Pizza

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust
olive oil
6 eggs
2 TBSP water
6-8 slices bacon (fried and crumbled)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
salt
pepper
oregano (optional)

Grease a large cookie sheet with Pam. Roll the pizza dough out to a rectangle and place it on the cookie sheet. Use your fingers all around the edges to make the edges slightly higher than the rest of the dough (so your toppings won't fall off). In a bowl add 1 TBSP olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush the olive oil all over the top of the pizza dough. Use the tines of a fork and genrously poke the whole pizza dough with the fork tines. Bake at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. While the crust is baking, in a bowl add the eggs and the water--beat with a whisk. In a greased skillet over medium heat add the egg mixture--cook/stir until you have scrambled eggs. Once the pizza crust is lightly browned, remove it from the oven. Spread the scrambled eggs evenly all over the top, salt/pepper the whole top to your taste and sprinkle some oregano over the whole top if you wish. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the whole top of the pizza. Sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese all over the top. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese all over the Monterey Jack cheese. Return to oven and bake 6-8 minutes longer or until cheeses are melted. Cool slightly before cutting and serving.

#3404 - Powdered Sugar Cookie Balls

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
2 cups flour
1 cup pecans (finely chopped)
1/4 cup Domino's powdered sugar + extra for rolling
2 tsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add butter--beat. Add flour, chopped pecans, powdered sugar and vanilla--beat on low until well mixed. Shape the cookie dough into 1" balls and place them on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool them for 5 minutes. While they are cooling, place some powdered sugar in a bowl. Roll each warm cookie ball in the powdered sugar and place them on wax paper to cool. Once cooled completely, roll each cookie ball in powdered sugar again.

#3403 - Italian Grilled Cheese

(by Shirley McNevich)

Italian bread
garlic powder
Kraft mozzarella cheese slices
your favorite pasta sauce or pizza sauce
butter
pepperoni slices (chopped)

Butter one side of each piece of bread (two slices for each sandwich). Spray a skillet with Pam--place skillet on burner over medium low heat. Working quickly, place one slice of bread (butter side down) into the skillet, place two unwrapped mozzarella cheese slices on the bread, drizzle 2-3 tsp. of pasta sauce over the cheese, sprinkle some garlic powder over the pasta sauce, scatter some chopped pepperoni pieces over the sauce and place a second piece of bread on top (buttered side up). Once the bottom bread is browned, carefully flip the sandwich and cook until other side is browned.

#3402 - Double Tangy Coleslaw

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 cups shredded cabbage
2 TBSP malt vinegar
2/3 cup mayo
2 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. French's yellow mustard

In a bowl add vinegar, mayo, white sugar and mustard--stir to mix. Taste--if too sweet add more vinegar and stir again. If too sour add a little more white sugar and stir again. In a large bowl add shredded cabbage and vinegar mixture--toss to coat. If you like your coleslaw more juicy, make a second batch of the vinegar mixture--pour it on the cabbage and toss again.

#3401 - Valentine Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup canola oil
3 cups white sugar
5 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
Frosting: 1/2lb. Domino's powdered sugar; 1 stick Parkay margarine (softened); 2 tsp. vanilla; 1-2 TBSP milk (if necessary); red food coloring

In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and canola oil--beat. Add baking powder, salt, buttermilk and 2 tsp. vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Place cupcake liners into muffin tins. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-20 minutes. Cool completely. Frosting: in a mixer add Parkay and 2 tsp. vanilla--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until creamy. If frosting is too thick, add the milk--beat again. If frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar and beat again. For pink frosting, add 1 drop of red food coloring and beat again. Add more food coloring for darker pink or red. If you want two colors of cupcakes, reserve half of the white frosting and make remaining frosting. Clean the mixer bowl, add the reserved frosting, and make the second color of frosting. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

#3400 - Easy Peanut Butter Cups

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 12oz. bag Nestle's MILK chocolate chips (do NOT use candy melts)
1 cup Jif smooth peanut butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1/4 cup crushed graham crackers
a dash of vanilla
butter (optional)

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with Pam. Melt 1/2 of the chocolate chips according to bag directions. Divide the melted chocolate evenly in the 12 muffin cups and use a spoon to draw the chocolate halfway up the sides of each cup. Refrigerate until firm. In a bowl add peanut butter, salt, powdered sugar, crushed graham crackers and vanilla--stir to mix. Divide the peanut butter mixture evenly in the center of each of the chocolate cups. Melt the other half of the chocolate chips and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top of each cup, drawing chocolate with a spoon to cover the whole top of each cup. Refrigerate until firm. Place a piece of wax paper over the whole top of the muffin tin, flip the tin over and gently tap the bottom to remove the peanut butter cups. Optional: if you want, you can add a little butter each time you melt the chocolate chips to make the chocolate creamier.

#3399 - Double Chocolate Fudge

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 7oz. jar Fluff marshmallow
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups Nestle's MILK chocolate chips
1 cup Nestle's SEMI-SWEET chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 or 2 tsp. vanilla

Line an 8" fudge pan with foil. In a saucepan over medium heat add fluff marshmallow, white sugar, Carnation milk, butter and salt--cook/stir until full rolling boil, then turn heat back slightly and continue cooking/stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and quickly add milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips--stir quickly until melted and smooth. Add chopped nuts and vanilla--stir quickly, then pour fudge into pan. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold before cutting. Keep fudge refrigerated.

#3398 - Breadstick Pretzels

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 11oz. can refrigerated breadstick dough
1 beaten egg
coarse salt

Open the breadstick dough and separate along the lines--you should have 12 breadstick doughs. Cut each breadstick dough in half LENGTHWISE. Twist each dough into a pretzel and set it on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with all dough (you will need a second cookie sheet). Brush the beaten egg over all of the pretzels and sprinkle course salt over the tops of the pretzels. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

#3397 - Killer Butterfinger Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 18 Oreo cookies; 1/4 cup butter (melted)

Batter: 3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1 cup white sugar; 3/4 cup Breakstone's sour cream; 1/2 cup Jif creamy peanut butter; 2 tsp. vanilla; 3 eggs

Topping: 5 regular size butterfinger candy bars (some for batter and some for topping)

Grease a 9" springform cheesecake pan with Pam. In a blender or food processor add the Oreo cookies a few at a time and beat them until you have crumbs. In a bowl add Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter--stir to mix. Press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the greased cheesecake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, then set aside. Unwrap all of the Butterfinger candy bars, break them into smaller pieces and place them in a blender or a food processor a few at a time--beat until they are chopped. Batter: in a mixer add cream cheese and white sugar--beat. Add sour cream, peanut butter and vanilla--beat. Add eggs--beat just until mixed. Remove bowl from mixer. Measure the chopped Butterfingers in a measuring cup--add 3/4 of the chopped Butterfingers to the cream cheese mixture--stir to mix. Pour the batter into the Oreo crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle the remaining chopped Butterfingers all over the top of the cheesecake. Optional: drizzle caramel ice cream topping over the top of the cheesecake before sprinkling the chopped Butterfingers over the top of the cheesecake.