Chocolate-glazed peppermint cookies

1 package (18 oz) refrigerated sugar cookie dough

3 TBSP. finely crushed hard peppermint candy

Glaze

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 tsp. shortening

Heat oven 350 F. Cut cookie dough into 1/4 tsp. peppermint candy in center of each slice.

Bake for 7 to 11 minutes or until slightly golden. Cool 1 minute, remove from cookie sheets. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.

In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

Three Ingredient Treat

1 date

1 pecan half

1 slice of cooked bacon

Remove pit from date. Fill with pecan. Wrap slice of bacon around date, and skewer with a toothpick.

Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes

Lori's Chocolate Chip Cookies from January Relief Society Meeting

mix dry ingredients together:

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix and beat (in separate bowl):
1 c. butter flavored shortening
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla

After mixing the wet ingredients, add 2 eggs and beat well. Then add the dry ingredients to the mixture and beat until blended.

Add 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir well. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes until barely browned on top.

Sabrina's Chicken Tortilla Soup from January Relief Society Meeting

4 c. chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1 can corn, drained
2 cans tomato soup
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 t. dried onion or 3 T fresh onion
2 c chicken broth
2 cans chicken and rice soup
1 can cream style corn
2 cans ranch-style beans
2 tsp. garlic salt
2 cubes chicken boullion

Combine and heat

Chopped Salad

Chopped Salad

6-8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

2 pears sliced small

1/2 to 1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 to 1 cup sugared walnuts (or any nuts you prefer)

1/2 lb to 1 lb bacon cooked, crumbled

4-6 oz. feta cheese crumbles

Poppy Seed Dressing (I prefer Briannas)

You can add a splash of Balsamic Vinegar as well

Tomato Cheese Soup

Tomato Cheese Soup

Serves 7-8

2 cans Beef Consomme Soup

2 cans Tomato Soup

2 cans water

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. marjoram

4 tsp. butter

Simmer 15 minutes

Pour over grated Swiss cheese and croutons in a cup

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix

3 eggs

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup sour cream

1¼ cups water

½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

GANACHE GLAZE:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10 inch Bundt pan with non-stick spray.

.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, melted butter, sour cream, and water. Beat for 4 minutes, then mix in 1 cup chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To make the glaze: Melt chocolate and cream together. Stir until smooth and drizzle over cake.

NOTE: for the Relief Society Christmas Dinner I made a Chocolate Buttercream Frosting rather than the ganache glaze. (RECIPE YIELDS 24 CUPCAKES).

CREAM CHEESE LEMON BARS

Shortbread or sugar cookies, finely crushed to 1¼ cups crumbs

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted

1 package lemon pie filling, prepared with egg yolks and sugar as directed on package (NOT instant)

1 eight-ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter; mix well. Press into bottom of 9” x 13” pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Leave oven on.

Meanwhile, prepare lemon pudding as package directs. Leave pudding in pan you cooked it in; set aside to cool slightly while you blend the cream cheese with the powdered sugar. Fold cream cheese mixture into warm pudding, stirring/whisking until smooth.

Pour mixture into crust. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before cutting into small squares. Serve chilled. Dust with additional powdered sugar if desired.

RS Birthday Brunch Apple Pie in a Jar

Apple Pie in a Jar makes
about 8 small individual pies
You'll need:Half pint jars (about 8) sanitized ( I used Kerr)Pie crusts ( about 4 homemade or store bought)
Pie filling (recipe as follows)7 cups apples cored, peeled, and sliced small
2tbs lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Combine apples and lemon juice in large bowl. Make sure they apples are well coated. Add remaining ingredients to apples.
Step 1: Pie Dough Use the jar lid to cut out circles of the pie dough and line the bottom of each jar with the pie cut out. Cut strips or use scraps of dough to fill the inside of jar sides. Use your fingers to smash the dough until the entire jar is lined with pie dough. Do this to each jar.
Step 2: Fill up the Jars. I used about 1/2 c of pie filling for each jar but you can play around with how much you like.
Step 3: Top it off Cut out 8 more circles using the jars lid. Place on top of pie filling and crimp edges. Make sure your “lid” has a vent so steam can escape. You can use a knive to make a couple of slits or a tiny cookie cutter to make it decorative. Brush pie tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar at this point.
Step 4: Pop em in the oven:Place jars on cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 45-60 min.Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!!! Tip: I found the lining of the jars with dough very time consuming so grab a hubby, mom, or kiddo to come help you.

Seven Week Bran Muffins

Seven Week Bran Muffins
2 c. 40% Bran Flakes
4 c. All Bran
2 c. Boiling Water
4 eggs, beaten
1 c. oil or butter
2 c. sugar, molasses, or honey
1 qt. buttermilk
5 c. white or wheat flour
5 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
add raisins, dates, cranberries, nuts, pineapple, or grated apple as desired.
Pour boiling water over Bran and let stand. Mix eggs, oil, sugar, and buttermilk, add to bran mixture.Sift flour, soda, and salt, and add. Add fruits as desired.Bake muffins for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.Batter will keep 7 weeks in the refrigerator.Makes 6-7 dozen

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto cookie sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes or until light brown.

Pumpkin Bars
1st layer:
1 yellow cake mix (1 cup reserved)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg

2nd layer:
1 large can pumpkin
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 c. brown sugar

3rd layer:
1 cup reserve cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter (softened)

Grease bottom only of 13x9 pan. Reserve 1 cup cake mix for topping. Combine remaining cake mix, butter, and egg. Press into pan. Prepare filling by combining all ingredients in layer 2 until smooth. Pour over 1st layer. For topping, combine 1 cup reserve mix with sugar and softened butter. Sprinkle over filling. Bake 350 for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting
adapted from Recipe Anatomy
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast
2 cups bread flour (you can use regular all purpose flour but bread flour makes them lighter)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
CARAMEL FROSTING
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 dash salt
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
Directions
1. In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.
2. Add half of the flour to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.
3. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Spray a surface with cooking spray or turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy enough to handle. Roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.
4. In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into twelve 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 11X17 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.
Caramel Frosting:
In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.
Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.
Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.

Mama Sumko's Original Salsa

1 can black beans-drained
1 can black eyed peas-drained
1 can corn-drained
1 can olives-drained and chopped
6-7 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 green, red, and yellow peppers, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 mangoes, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic-chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
4 TBSP. lime juice
4 TBSP. olive oil
2 TBSP. brown sugar
1/4 cup italian salad dressing
1 jalapeno and anaheim pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
mix together in large bowl and serve with chips

Apple Crumb Pie by Jeri Metheny

5-7 apples (5 cups)
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
6 TBSP. Butter

Mix 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and apples in a bowl. Pour mixture into pie shell. Mix 1/3 cup sugar with flour, cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Mama J's Tato Salad by Jamie Sartain

6 Russett Potatoes
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
1/2 cup red onions, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup cooked bacon, finely chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and dice potatoes to small but chunky pieces. Boil in salty water for 10 minutes. (Jamie puts the eggs to boil with the potatoes)
Drain and place in bowl
Dice eggs and add to potatoes
Add remaining ingredients. Chill for one hour.

Green Bean Casserole

3 cans french cut green beans

Mix these two ingredients together:
1 can mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream

Cheddar Cheese, grated
French fried onions

Squeeze out juice from green beans. Layer in pan
green beans, sauce, cheese then repeat. Top with
onions. Bake 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Strawberry Trifle by Julie Winter

1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 c. cold water
1 small package instant pudding
8 oz. cool whip
1 angel food cake, prepared
4 c. strawberries, sliced
3 whole strawberries
1/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Whisk milk, water, and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Fold cool whip into pudding mixture. Cut cake into 1/2 inch cubes. In a glass bowl, spoon 1/3 of the pudding mix, half of the cake cubes, and half of the sliced strawberries. Repeat. End with final 1/3 of the pudding, whole strawberries, and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

Bunny Munch by Jenny Downs

Bunny Munch

2 bags microwave popcorn
...
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 bag white chocolate chips (2 cups)

1/2 – 1 cup Reeses Pieces

Pop the popcorn then sift through to remove all unpopped kernels. Soften the peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir into popcorn to evenly coat. Melt the white chocolate either in a double broiler or in the microwave (over 2 minutes on 50% power, then stir chips until smooth) Pour over popcorn and gently stir to coat popcorn evenly with chocolate. Add Reeses Pieces as you stir in the chocolate. Spread out popcorn on waxed paper to eat.

Spinach, Strawberry and Romaine Salad with Honey Citrus Vinaigrette by Jeanne Young

1 ½ cups slices strawberries

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup chopped dried mangos

4-5 romaine lettuce leaves, torn in bite size pieces

8 cups of baby spinach leaves (about 8 oz.)

1 TB golden flax seed

Dressing:

Zest a small lemon and small orange. Extract the juice from each to make about 1/3 cup of combined juices.

Add 1/3 cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon of honey to juices and zest. Add dash of salt. Whisk together to blend and toss with greens and strawberries just before serving.