Easter Nests

Ingredients:
8 ounces (227 grams) semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped
2 - 2 1/2 cups chow mein noodles
Garnish:
small jelly beans, speckled malted milk eggs, or other egg shaped candy

Directions:

Chocolate Easter Nests:
Line a baking pan with a piece of aluminum foil, smooth the foil, and then butter or spray the foil with a non stick vegetable spray.Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Gently fold in the chow mein noodles, being careful not to break them.Spoon six mounds of the mixture onto the prepared pan and, using your fingers, form each mound into a 4 inch (10 cm) nest shape. Make a small indentation in the center of each nest.Place the pan, with the chocolate nests, in the refrigerator to set (about 30 minutes). Just before serving, remove the nests from the refrigerator and place some small jelly beans or other egg shaped candy in the center of each nest. Makes about six - 4 inch nests.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 20oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks
1 egg
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 large green peppers
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Set the juice and pineapple aside. In a bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into meatballs.
In nonstick skillet, brown meatballs in oil; drain. Cut green peppers into chunks. Add broth, peppers and reserved pineapple to meatballs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5-7 minutes.
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Stir in the vinegar, soy sauce and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Add to meatball mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice.

Comments:

Pretzel Turtles

Ingredients

20 small mini pretzels
20 chocolate covered caramel candies - like Rolo's
20 pecan halves



Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.
Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.



Comments:

Very simple and tasty. It's also very easy to make more or less!

Pretzel Turltes

Ingredients
20 small mini pretzels
20 chocolate covered caramel candies - like Rolo's
20 pecan halves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.
Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Comments:
Very simple and tasty. It's also very easy to make more or less!

Buckeyes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners' sugar
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and confectioners' sugar. The dough will look dry. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

Press a toothpick into the top of each ball (to be used later as the handle for dipping) and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.

While peanutbutter is in freezer melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth.

Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto the toothpick. Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes. Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

Comments:
These are a very common holiday treat. Some tips, put the peanutbutter mixture in the fridge before rolling into balls to firm up the mixture a bit. Also, I used about 2 cups of peanut butter. 1/2 cup of that was regular crunch as I ran out of creamy. It still turned out fine. I wouldn't suggest extra crunchy unles you really wants the peanuts in it. Also, I used 4 cups of confectioners sugar and then added a little at a time after that until I got the consistency I needed for rolling the balls. It was probably just over 5 cups.

Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients
4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet chocolate
5 tablespoons butter
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Melt chocolate with 3 tablespoons of the butter over very low heat. Stir constantly until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Cream remaining 2 tablespoons butter with cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Cream until light and fluffy. Blend into this 1 of the eggs, 1 tablespoon flour and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Set aside.

Now beat the remaining 2 eggs until light and fluffy. Gradually beat into them 3/4 cup sugar. Continue beating until thickened. Stir in the baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup flour. Add to this the cooled chocolate mixture. Blend well. Stir in the nuts and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Spread half of the chocolate batter into an 8x8 inch greased baking pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top. Then drop the remaining chocolate batter by tablespoons over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Swirl through batter layers with a spatula for a marbled effect.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pan. Cut into squares or bars.

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup shortening (or margarine)
1/3 cup molasses
2 large eggs
1 package of butterscotch chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and spices in a bowl.

Beat sugar, shortening, molasses, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well blended. (It's thick, so using a mixer is a lifesaver!) If mixture looks a bit dry (mine did) add a splash of milk. Stir in butterscotch chips.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Fool-Proof Fudge

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup favorite chopped nuts
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:
Mix chocolate chips and sweeten condensed milk in large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes or until chips are melted. Stir in vanilla, nuts and marshmallows. Pour into wax paper lined 9x13 pan and chill for 2 hours until set

Crispy Peanutbutter Balls

Ingredients:
amounts may vary peanut butter
1 and 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup marshmallows

Directions:
Put peanutbutter and rice crispy cereal into mixing bowl and stir together (but make sure you don't crush the rice crispies.) Melt marshmallows in microwave for about 20 seconds (if not melted, repeat.) Dump marshmallows into your peanutbutter and crispies and mix. Melt chocolate chips in microve for about 45 seconds. Mix but do not put in bowl with other mixture. Spoon out small amounts of peanut mixture and dip them in the melted chocolate until they are covered with the chocolate. Place on cookie sheet and when all mixture is gone, put cookie sheet in freezer for about 15 minutes. Then enjoy!

Comments:
These were so good!

Cookie Icing

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c confectioners sugar
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanillas
mall amount of hot water

Directions:
beat the butter and vanilla together and then add the powdered sugar and mix. Then add the hot water by the teaspoon full until it is a good consistency for icing the cookies.

Comments:
You can add food coloring to the icing for different occasions. For multiple colors with 1 batch of cookies seperate the icing and color. I did red/green for christmas and just put 1/2 the ingredients in 2 bowls and mixed that way. Water was about 3 tsp. You want it to be smooth and creamy but not too thin or it will be runny.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs

Directions:
Sift the dry ingredients together. Blend butter and sugar until they are light and creamy. Next beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time. Mixing until all the flour is blended in. Next roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick between parchment paper and cut with the cookie cutters. Pull the dough from between the cut-outs and place the cookies on a baking sheets and chill in the refrigerator. While those chill roll and cut the next batch. Once they are chilled then place them on the cookie sheet to bake at 350 for 15 minutes. The dough will hold the shape much better if it is chilled. Rolling between the parchment paper keeps it from sticking and needing excess flour.

Comments:
These are very yummy. The cooking time is only a suggestion as ovens will vary. Watch them and take them out as soon as the edges turn a light brown otherwise you will end up with a crispy cookie. I topped with the icing recipe found HERE.

Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Comments:
I used 3tsp pumpkin spice and 2tsp cinnamon instead of the nutmeg. I was told that the pie had no real pumpkin flavor although it looked and held up very well. I think for future baking it needs to have actual pumpkin spice added to it as well.

Double Chocolate Pie

INGREDIENTS
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually. Add chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
Place egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl. Gradually pour half of chocolate mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly.
Whisk egg yolk mixture back into mixture in saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Press a layer of plastic wrap onto filling. Refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 48 hours. Remove plastic wrap before serving and top with whipped topping.

Comments:
This was by far the favorite pie of our holiday dinner. just a warning...it is VERY sweet. Just a small slice would do or you get a major sugar rush. The filling actually gave more than a single pie worth. Also, it really does not hold up well after 2 days.

Savory Turkey Gravy

INGREDIENTS
5 cups turkey stock
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt



DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, bring the turkey stock to a boil. In a small bowl, dissolve flour in water. Gradually whisk into the turkey stock. Season with poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and celery salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.



Comments:
This was very good and so easy to make! Definitely something we will keep on hand for future turkey meals.

The Perfect Turkey

INGREDIENTS :
1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS:
Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.
Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.
Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Comments:
We will never make a turkey another way but this again! It was so moist and delicious. Definitely more work than just using an oven bag but so worth it for the flavor.

Sweet Potato-Marshmallow Casserole

Ingredients:
3 ½ to 4 pounds fresh sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch ground mace
Pinch ground cloves
¼ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Bake the sweet potatoes on the foil-lined baking sheet until a thin, pointy knife inserted in the center meets no resistance, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Once cooled, remove the skins and mash until smooth. (If you have a potato ricer, this works well in helping to remove any stringy fibers, as does a food mill.) In a large bowl combine the potatoes (you should have about 4 cups), sugar, evaporated milk, butter, orange juice, vanilla, salt, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and cloves and beat until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Arrange the marshmallows in an even layer over the top and bake until the marshmallows are lightly browned, 35 to 45 minutes. This can be made a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated, then returned to room temperature and baked 35 to 45 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 to 10 servings

Comments:
I'm told this was very good as well. it had a nice flavor too it. Just be sure to get the sweet potato completely mashed up as having chunks throws off the texture.

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cup pureed pumpkin or 15oz can Pumpkin puree
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspon salt

3oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the pumkin mixture until thoroughly combined.
3. Spread the bater evenly into an ungreased 10x15 jellyroll pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes in preheated oven. Cool before frosting.
4. To make frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar a little at a time, beating until ixture is smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares.

Comments:
These were a big hit. I used the canned puree and baked it in a glass cake pan. It really came out more like a pumpkin cake but it was still good!

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 (12 oz.) container (4 1/2 cups) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 prepared chocolate pie crust
1 (11.75 oz.) jar Smucker's® Hot Fudge Spoonable Ice Cream Topping, divided



Directions:
1. BEAT together 1 cup peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium, until well combined. Gently mix in 3 cups whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.
2. RESERVE 2 tablespoons of hot fudge topping into the corner of a resealable food storage bag; set aside. Microwave remaining topping on HIGH (100% power) for 1 minute. Stir. Spread topping over pie, covering entire peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until set. Spread remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups), over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.
3. CUT a small corner from bag containing topping. Squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pie. Place remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter in a resealable food storage bag; cut bag corner and squeeze to drizzle in opposite direction from topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.