Pizza Dip

This is a great dip! Try it with tortilla chips or thinly sliced baguette. It's also good with crackers.
This would be a perfect appetizer or snack for your New Year's Eve party or for your Super Bowl party.

Very easy and oh, so yummy!
We had this on Christmas Eve. It was delicious. I'll try some variations and also some other possibilities for dipping into the pot.

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, cubed
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 can (3.8 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Bagel chips or garlic toast or English muffins

Place the cream cheese in a 3 quart slow cooker. Combine the pizza sauce, pepperoni and olives; pour over cream cheese. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the cheese is melted. Stir; serve warm with bagel chips or garlic toast or spread on English muffins as an open face sandwich.

I made half the recipe and used a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker. I also made my own pizza sauce. Find that recipe under pizza.
I think it would also be good with browned hamburger or sausage instead of or in addition to the pepperoni.
It might also be good as the dressing on a sub sandwich with some ham, turkey, or beef.

Oreo Truffles (Just 3 Ingredients)

I first got this recipe from a co-worker, just by word of mouth, no written instructions.  Since then I've seen the recipe in a number of places. These are truly delicious and sort of addictive. Very easy to make, especially if you've had practice dipping chocolates. Makes about 3 dozen.

1 package Oreo cookies (Don't use doublestuff, but you can use mint or any flavor.)
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
Almond bark for dipping, either vanilla or chocolate

Put the package of whole Oreos into a gallon zipper bag and pound with rolling pin until well broken up. (Or use your food processor.)
Put the cream cheese into a large bowl. Dump in the mashed Oreos and mix well.
Place a teaspoonful of the mixture into your hand and roll into a little ball. Then put it onto a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. (I use my tiny ice cream scoop.) Repeat with the rest of the mixture.  Put into the freezer for at least 15 to 20 minutes, until very cold or even frozen.
Melt the almond bark. Dip the balls one at a time into the almond bark. Then place them back onto the waxed paper. Put into the freezer until the chocolate sets, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Peppermint Fudge

I got this recipe from a guest at work. It is really good.

2 pkg vanilla chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
melt in microwave
Add
1-2 crushed peppermint candy canes

Stir until smooth. Can microwave a few seconds more if needed. Pour into a pan lined with foil and sprayed with pam. Let set. When set, lift foil out of pan and cut into squares.

Prize Winning Cheese Soup

This is the soup recipe that I made on Good Things Utah and won the runner up prize with. It is all done in the microwave. It is filling and delicious. We always have soups for dinner on Christmas Eve. This one is a tradition. It's nice to do in the microwave and free up the stove for other things.

4 cups cubed potatoes (3-4 potatoes), raw
2 cups carrots (2-3 carrots), cut diagonally
1 pkg frozen broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups milk
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp dry mustard
2 lbs(1Pkg)processed American Cheese (Velveeta), cubed
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp black pepper

Microwave:
Combine water, celery, onion, carrots, and potatoes in a 4 quart casserole dish. Cook on HIGH 15 min. until the vegetables are crisp, tender.
Stir in broccoli, bouillon, margarine, dry mustard, pepper, and Velveeta.
In a small bowl mix milk and flour. Add milk mixture slowly to the cheese and vegetable mixture and stir well. Cook on MED HIGH (70%) 20 min. until the vegetables are done.
Serves 12

Cranberry Cheese Bars

I made this for my work party, and it was gone in about 15 minutes. Everyone really liked it. I also made it for our family Christmas party. The family devoured it in just a little while also.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 Sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar and butter; mix until crumbly.

Reserving 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture, press remainder firmly on botton of greased 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth; stir in lemon juice. Spread evenly over prepared crust.

In small bowl, combine remaining 1 Tbsp brown sugar and cornstarch; stir in cranberry sauce. Spoon evenly over cream cheese layer. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 40 minutes or until golden. Cool. Chill. Cut into bars. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Delicioso Pasta

This pasta is yummy - one of my favorites. It can be done in half and hour or less. It tastes great left over and heated up. Be sure not to put too much allspice. You want just a hint. It's a family favorite.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/4 pound pancetta, thick cut, chopped into small bits (Italian cured pork, ask at deli counter)
½ pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry red wine (or substitute apple or peach juice)
1 cup prepared beef stock, paper container or canned
2 (32 ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 pounds penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Grated Pecorino Romano, as an accompaniment
Fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute. Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes.
Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves.
Toss pasta with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce. Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.

Gumdrop Cake

I've been making this cake for about 35 years. It's easy to make and better than fruitcake. It's colorful and flavorful. If you use the big gumdrops cut them in half. If you use the little gumdrops, no cutting required. You can use the orange slices instead of gumdrops and have only one flavor, but cut them up first. It's easiest to cut the gumdrops using your kitchen shears.

Cream together:
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
Add:
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1 TBS hot water
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups applesauce
1 lb raisins
½ lb dates
1 ½ lb gumdrops (no licorice)
1 cup nuts
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
Mix well. It will be thick.
Pour into greased loaf pans.

Bake at 275 degrees for 2 hours for a regular loaf pan. If using small loaf pans, cook about 1 hour to an hour and a half. Until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I line the pans with brown paper sacks. (grocery bags, cut up) I also keep a pan of water in the oven while baking to keep the cakes moist.

(Not a typo. It’s 275 degrees.)

Microwave Fudge

This is the easiest fudge ever. It's next to impossible to mess up. You can add most anything to make different types of fudge. Use any flavor of chips to make different flavors of fudge. It's great. Tastes good too!

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ bags of chocolate chips (any flavor you want)

Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir. Continue to microwave in 10 second intervals if needed until melted. Pour into buttered 9 inch square pan.

Can add nuts, marshmallow, or other ingredients if desired before pouring into pan.

Million Dollar Fudge

This is the favorite fudge at our house. Very creamy, delicious, and smooth. It's pretty much no fail and never grainy. Easy to make and great to eat.

1 can evaporated milk
4 cups sugar
Dash salt
1 cube butter (1/2 cup)

Cook to soft ball stage or boil for 10 minutes.
Pour over:
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 Hershey milk chocolate giant bar broken up
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts

Stir well and pour into buttered 7 x 11 inch pan.

Mint Creams

1/3 Cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white corn syrup (Karo)
¼ tsp salt
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp peppermint oil

Mix together all ingredients except flavorings. Add flavorings and food color if desired. Knead well. Roll into little balls and mash with a fork. Let set overnight.

(I usually make red and green. I also often roll them out with a rolling pin and cut with the inside of my doughnut cutter into little circles.)

These are also great dipped in chocolate.

S'mores Snack Mix

These are yummy and great to have any time of year. It's kind of sticky, but tastes great. It's easy to make and pretty much fool proof. You need a very large bowl.

1 box Golden Grahams cereal

4 cups Wheat Chex

4 cups Corn Chex

2 cups coconut, shredded

2 cups slivered almonds

Mix all together. Set aside.

Bring to a boil on stove:

¾ cup butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

Boil 2 minutes then pour over cereal mixture. Mix well. Let cool.

I add 1 cup chocolate chips before mixing. Also after mixing, I stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and 2 cups of miniature marshmallows.

Shaggy Dogs

These are one of my very favorite Christmas candys. They are so easy to make. So very much worth the effort, since they are easy and oh so good!
Add and melt together 1cup chocolate chips, 1 cube butter or margarine.
When melted add to 2 beaten eggs with 1 pound of powdered sugar. Mix well.
When well mixed, fold in 1 ten ounce package of miniature marshmallows and 1 cup of chopped nuts.
Spoon out with tablespoon into coconut. Roll around to coat with coconut.
Put onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet. (Takes about 1 pound of coconut.) Let set until chocolate is cooled and set. Store in airtight container.
These are messy to make and your fingers get chocolate covered, but so worth it. Just lick your fingers when you're done.
(With all of the controversy about raw eggs, I’ve started using pasteurized eggs, such as egg beaters instead of eggs.)

Cherry Chocolate Brownies

This makes a very pretty gift for neighbors or for a dessert for any dinner or party.

1 pkg brownie mix
1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries, undrained
1 1/2 pkgs (12 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1-2 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips (or any chocolate bar)

Bake brownie according to pkg instructions. Cool. Mix cream cheese with powdered sugar. Add whipped topping, mix well. Chop 8-10 cherries, add to cream cheese mixture. Spread over top of brownie. Arrange rest of cherries on top. Grate chocolate and sprinkle over top of brownie. It is really pretty if you use some red and some green cherries for a Christmas dessert.

Hot Drink

My kids have to have this every Christmas. It is so easy to prepare



Combine in 4 quart crockpot:

12 oz frozen orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp whole clove

2 or 3 cinnamon sticks

water to fill crockpot

tang to taste (I use 2 quart pkg of dry crystal light mix)

sliced lemon or orange (opt)



Heat on low until hot. Any leftovers can be stored in fridge and microwaved to enjoy later.
Each cup is 1 point.

Bavarian Mints

This is one of my favorite chocolate recipes. I love these at Christmas or any time of year.

1 pound milk chocolate (Hershey bars, chocolate chips, or dipping chocolate)
1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened baking chocolate
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
Chunk of butter the size of a walnut (about 1 1/2 TBS)
3 to 6 drops peppermint oil
1 to 2 drops of vanilla

In top of double boiler, melt milk chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, milk and butter.
Add oil of peppermint and vanilla. Pour into buttered 9 inch square pan.
Cool. Cut into 1 inch squares. May be dipped in chocolate if desired.

(You can melt the ingredients in the microwave instead of a double boiler.)