#3831 - White Chocolate Oat Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Quaker quick oats
2 cups Nestle's white chocolate chips (more if you wish)
1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer add softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar--beat. Add eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add oats, white chocolate chips and chopped pecans--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 9-12 minutes. Cool slightly, then place them on paper towels to cool completely.

#3830 - French Onion Chicken

(by Sue [Boardman] Crotts - friend)

6-8 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 envelope Knorr's French onion soup
1 - 8oz. bottle French salad dressing (orange in color)
1 - 14oz. can Ocean spray whole cranberry sauce
salt
pepper

Salt/pepper both sides of each chicken breast and place them in a greased glass baking dish. In a bowl add the French dressing, whole cranberry sauce and French onion soup mix--mix well. Spread the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

#3829 - Cinnamon Ball Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter
3/4 to 1 cup cold milk
1/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 stick butter (melted)
Glaze: 1/3 cup Domino's powdered sugar; 1-2 TBSP milk

In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--whisk to mix. In a separate bowl add brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon--stir to mix, then set aside. Cut the 1/2 cup cold butter into cubes and add to flour mixture--mix with a pastry blender until crumbs form. Slowly add the 3/4 to 1 cup cold milk and mix with your hands until dough forms (only add enough milk to make a good dough ball). Grease a 10" pie plate. Pinch and roll the dough into 1" dough balls. Spread 4 TBSP of the melted butter into the bottom of the greased pie plate, moving the plate around so the whole bottom gets coated with melted butter. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon mixture, then place them in a single layer in the pie plate (on the bottom and up the sides). Drizzle the remaining melted butter all over the dough balls. If you have any cinnamon sugar mixture left over, sprinkle it over the tops of the dough balls. Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes or until browned and bubbling. In a bowl add the powdered sugar--add just enough of the 1-2 TBSP milk to stir and make a thick glaze. Let the cinnamon balls cool slightly, then drizzle the glaze evenly over the cinnamon balls just before serving.

#3828 - Leftover Baked Mashed Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 cup bite sized cooked ham pieces
4oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream OR 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped)

In a bowl add mashed potatoes and garlic salt--stir to mix. Spread the mashed potatoes into a greased 2 qt. baking dish. Sprinkle the ham pieces over the potatoes. Fold the shredded cheddar cheese into the sour cream (OR fold the cheese into the whipped whipping cream). Spread the cheese mixture over the top of the ham. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

#3827 - Gooey Caramel Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines white OR yellow cake mix
1 cup water
14oz. Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
14oz. bag Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup Parkay margarine (melted)
1lb. Domino's powdered sugar
6 TBSP milk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add cake mix powder, water, 1/2 of the condensed milk, the canola oil and eggs--beat until mixed. Pour HALF of the batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes. In a saucepan over low heat add all of the unwrapped caramels and the remaining half of the condensed milk--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add chopped pecans--stir. Spread the caramel mixture over the warm cake. Pour the remaining cake batter over the caramel layer. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Frosting: in a mixer add melted butter and slowly add powderd sugar while beating. Add milk and vanilla--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. If frosting is too thick, add a little more milk and beat again. If frosting is too thin add more powdered sugar and beat again. Frost the cooled cake.

#3826 - Cashew Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup softened butter
3 eggs
3oz. Baker's UNsweetened baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions)
1 TBSP vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped cashews
16 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
3 TBSP milk

In a bowl add brown sugar and butter--beat with a spoon. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add cooled unsweetened melted chocolate and salt--beat. Add flour and chocolate chips--stir just until mixed. Pour the batter evenly into 2 - 9" square cake pans (lined with foil and sprayed with Pam). Sprinkle the chopped cashews evenly over the batter in each pan. Bake at 325 degrees 20-25 minutes just until brownies are firm to the touch--do NOT overbake. Cool for 30 minutes. In a saucepan over low heat add the unwrapped caramels and the milk--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted caramel mixture evenly over the cooled brownies in each pan. Cool completely. Use the foil to remove the brownies from each pan and cut them into squares.

#3825 - Turtle Pecan Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
12oz. Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 TBSP Crisco shortening
30 Kraft caramels (unwraped and each cut in half; caramels MUST be fresh)
chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the unwrapped/halved caramels on a cookie sheet and set them on TOP of the oven (so they will soften a bit). In a mixer add butter and brown sugar--beat. Add vanilla and baking powder--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes, then scoop a teaspoonful of dough at a time and roll it into a 1" ball. Place the dough balls on greased cookie sheets 2" apart. Use the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each dough ball. Bake at 325 degrees 13-15 minutes. Place cookies on paper towels and cool them completely. In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate chips and Crisco--microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Use your fingers to flatten one caramel half to almost the same size as one of the cooled cookies. Place a dab of melted chocolate in the center/top of the cookie and place the flattened caramel on top of the cookie. Place the cookie on wax paper. Use a small spoonful of melted chocolate and spread it so it covers the top and sides of the cookie. Sprinkle some chopped pecans over the melted chocolate on the cookie and LIGHTLY press the chopped pecans into the melted chocolate. Repeat with all cookies, caramels and melted chocolate. Cool completely.

#3824 - Caramel Brickles

(by Shirley McNevich)

100 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
2 - 12oz. bags Nestle's MILK chocolate chips
3 - 8oz. bags Heath Bits o' Brickle

Open all of the brickle bags and dump them into a bowl. In a double boiler over low heat add all of the chocolate chips--melt. Use a toothpick to stab one unwrapped caramel and dip it into the melted milk chocolate. Dip the chocolate coated caramel into the brickle, turning it so all sides get covered with brickle, lightly pressing on the brickle (if necessary) to get the brickle to stick to the chocolate. Place it on wax paper to cool. Repeat with all caramels.

#3823 - Caramel Toffee Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 TBSP softened butter
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits (chopped)
1 cup Nestle's white chocolate chips (chopped)
18 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup Heath Bits 'o Brickle toffee chips

In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--whisk to mix. In a mixer add butter and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add HALF of the mini marshmallows, HALF of the semi-sweet chocolate chips, HALF of the white chocolate chips, and HALF of the toffee chips--stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Spread the batter evenly into a buttered 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle the rest of the mini marshmallows, semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and toffee chips evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes--test wth a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Melt the unwrapped caramels according to bag directions, then drizzle the melted caramel evenly over the top. Cool for another 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into bars or squares.

#3822 - German Chocolate Caramel Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines German chocolate cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup + 1/2 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
3/4 cup butter (melted)
60 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a bowl add the dry cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and the melted butter--stir to mix. Spread HALF of the batter into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. In a double boiler add the unwrapped caramels and 1/2 cup evaporated milk--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Spread caramel mixture evenly over the baked crust. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the caramel. Spread remaining batter over the top. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees 18-20 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars or squares.

#3821 - Caramel Macadamia Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 beaten egg
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup cold butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 cups flour
25 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)

In a bowl add flour, brown sugar, beaten egg and 1/2 cup of the cold butter--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Add the chopped macadamia nuts--stir to mix. Reserve 2 cups of the crumbs mixture, then press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. In a saucepan over low heat add the condensed milk, remaining 1/2 cup butter and the unwrapped caramels--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Pour the caramel mixture evenly over the hot crust. Sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars or squares.

#3820 - Milk Chocolate Peanut Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup Kayro lite corn syrup
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 TBSP vanilla
1/8 cup Jif smooth peanut butter
1 dash salt
3 cups Domino's powdered sugar
35 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1 cup dry roasted peanuts (your choice if salted or unsalted)
12 oz. Nestle's milk chocolate chips

In a mixer add lite corn syrup, softened butter, vanilla, peanut butter and salt--beat well. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat until it forms dough. Remove dough from mixer and press it evenly into a greased 9" square pan. Refrigerate until cold. In a saucepan over low heat add the unwrapped caramels--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add peanuts--stir to mix. Remove pan from refrigerator--spread the caramel mixture evenly over the dough mixture--cool to room temperature, then refrigerate a few hours until firm. Remove from refrigerator--cut the whole thing into 1" wide squares. Melt all of the milk chocolate chips according to bag directions. Stab a square with a toothpick, dip it into the melted chocolate to coat and set it on wax paper. Use the toothpick to smooth a little chocolate to cover the hole. Repeat with all squares.

#3819 - Italian Eggs

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup sliced pepperoni
1 large onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 TBSP oregano
1 - 28oz. can diced tomatoes
4 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 loaf baguette bread

In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil and pepperoni slices--cook/stir until pepperoni is cripsy. Place pepperoni on paper towels. In the same skillet add the chopped onions--cook/stir over medium heat until onions are tender. Add minced garlic and oregano--stir. Add the diced tomatoes--cook/stir until simmering. Use the back of a spoon to make 4 "nests" in the tomato mixture, then crack one egg into each of the nests. Cover the skillet and cook until egg whites are done but yolks are still runny (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle the pepperoni and shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top and let in on the stove for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Serve mixture over crispy baguette bread. It's messy but it's good!

#3818 - Snickers Fudge

(by Shirley McNevich)

Note: it's very easy to make--just has a lot of steps and waiting in between (but totally worth it).

Layer One: 1 cup Nestle's MILK chocolate chips; 1/4 cup Nestle's butterscotch chips; 1/4 cup Jif creamy peanut butter

Layer Two: 1/4 cup butter; 1 cup white sugar; 1/4 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed); 1 1/2 cups Fluff marshmallow creme; 1/4 cup Jif smooth peanut butter; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/1 2 cups chopped salted peanuts

Layer Three: 14oz. Kraft caramels; 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Layer Four: 1 cup Nestle's MILK chocolate chips; 1/4 cup Nestle's butterscotch chips; 1/4 cup Jif creamy peanut butter

Directions for Layer One: in a saucepan over low heat add 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup Jif smooth peanut butter--cook/stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Layer Two: in a saucepan over medium heat add butter--melt. Add white sugar and evaporated milk--cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat--add Fluff marshmallow, 1/4 cup Jif peanut butter and the vanilla--stir well until mixed and smooth. Add chopped peanuts--stir to mix. Remove pan from refrigerator and evenly spread the marshmallow mixture over the cold layer one mixture. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Layer Three: Unwrap the caramels. In a saucepan over low heat add the unwrapped caramels and the heavy whipping cream--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove pan from refrigerator--spread the caramel mixture over the cold layer two mixture. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Layer Four: In a saucepan over low heat add 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup Jif smooth peanut butter--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Spread the chocolate mixture over the set layer three mixture. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until set. Cut the fudge into squares using a sharp knife.

#3817 - Oreo Cheesecake Bites

(by Shirley McNevich)

36 regular Oreo cookies
1/2 cup butter
4 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
4oz. Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate

Finely crush 24 of the Oreo cookies (you can use a food processor, or place the cookies in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin). Melt 1/4 cup of the butter. In a bowl add finely crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter--stir to mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a foil-lined 9 x 13 cake pan. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add white sugar--beat. Add sour cream and vanilla--beat. Add eggs--beat. Remove bowl from mixer. Finely crush the remaining 12 Oreo cookies and add the finely crushed cookies to the batter--stir to mix. Pour the batter evenly over the cookie crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool to room temperature. In a microwave safe bowl add the baking chocolate and 1/4 cup butter--microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until mixture is melted and smooth. Cool the melted chocolate for a few minutes, then spread it evenly over the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. The next day use the foil to remove the whole thing from the cake pan and place the whole thing on a cutting board. Cut the cheese cake into fudge-shaped squares and peel off/discard the foil. Keep squares refrigerated.

#3816 - Caramel Surprise Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
2 cup flour
2 cups BREAD flour
4 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Nestle's chocolate chunks
1/2 cup dark chocolate (finely chopped)
18 Kraft caramels

Unwrap each caramel. Using a sharp knife, cut each caramel in half. In a bowl add regular flour, bread flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt--whisk to mix. In a mixer add butter, brown sugar and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour mixture--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chocolate chunks and finely chopped dark chocolate--stir with a wooden spoon. Take a spoonful of dough and roll it into a ball. Use your thumb to press a well in the dough ball. Place one of the sliced caramels into the well, then wrap the dough around the caramel and roll the dough into a ball again (so the sliced caramel is hidden in the center of the dough ball). Repeat with all dough and all sliced caramels. Place the balls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 11-13 minutes. DO NOT REMOVE the cookies after baking--let them cool completely on the cookie sheets.

#3815 - Puff Pastry Cheese Puffs

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sheets of puff pastry dough (thawed according to box directions)
1 egg
1 TBSP water
grated or shredded cheese (your choice of flavor)

In a bowl add the egg and water--beat with a whisk and set aside. Use any shape cookie cutter to cut out shapes from both pieces of puff pastry dough and place them on parchment paper covered cookie sheets (if you don't have parchment paper, you can spray Pam on the cookie sheets). Use a pastry brush to brush the egg mixture evenly over each dough shape. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over each dough shape. Bake at 350 degrees 9-10 minutes or until pastry is puffed and cheese is melted to golden brown. Serve warm.

#3814 - Frozen Cucumbers and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

4lbs. cucumbers
8 cups sliced onions
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup water
4 cups white sugar
2 cups cider vinegar

Wash and slice the cucumbers. Place HALF of the sliced cucumbers into a large bowl, and the other half in a second large bowl. Place HALF of the sliced onions into each bowl with the sliced cucumbers. Pour HALF of the water into each bowl over the onions. Sprinkle HALF of the salt over the onions in each bowl. Cover each bowl with a tea towel and let them sit for 2 hours--do NOT drain. Add HALF of the white sugar and HALF of the cider vinegar to each bowl--stir the mixture in each bowl until the white sugar is dissolved. Taste the juice--if too sweet add more cider vinegar to each bowl and stir again. If too sour add more white sugar to each bowl and stir again. Divide both bowls of cucumber mixture into 2 cup size plastic containers with lids (leave a little empty space at the top of each container to allow for expansion during freezing). Place the lids on the containers and freeze them. After frozen, place one container in the refrigerator overnight to thaw and they will be ready to eat. Repeat when needed.

#3813 - Chicken Bacon Spaghetti

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. raw spaghetti
1 TBSP olive oil
1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
6-8 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups diced tomatoes
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti in salted water according to box directions--drain but DO NOT RINSE and save 1 cup of the pasta water. In a Dutch oven over medium heat add the olive oil--add the bacon and cook until bacon is crispy. Place the bacon on paper towels but leave the drippings in the Dutch oven. Salt/pepper both sides of the chicken--place it in the bacon drippings and cook chicken on both sides until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken, place it on a cutting board and cut it into bite sized pieces. Add the minced garlic, diced tomatoes and baby spinach to the Dutch oven (and add salt/pepper to your taste). Add the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese and the reserved 1 cup pasta water--stir to mix and turn heat back to simmer and let the mixture simmer until mixture thickens (while stirring). Turn heat back to medium and add the drained pasta to the sauce mixture--toss to coat/stir until hot. Crumble the bacon. Add the crumbled bacon and chicken pieces to the spaghetti mixture--toss to coat/stir until hot enough to serve.

#3812 - Warm Raspberry Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar + 2 TBSP white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 - 12oz. can Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup fresh raspberries (more if you wish)

In a bowl add flour, 1/4 cup white sugar and the salt--whisk to mix. In a separate bowl add Carnation milk, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla--whisk to mix. Add flour mixture to egg mixture--whisk until smooth. Pour batter into a greased 9" deep dish pie plate. Spread the raspberries evenly over the top of the batter. Sprinkle the 2 TBSP white sugar evenly over the whole top. Bake at 450 degrees 17-22 minutes or until puffed up and light brown in color. Serve the pie warm.