Striped Delight

This has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Sorry the layers don't look so great in the photo, but it tastes WONDERFUL!!!
Vera

Crust:
1 1/2 cups Graham cracker crumbs (we would place Graham crackers in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin).
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
Combine and press into 9x13 inch pan

First layer:
1 package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Beat until smooth add 1/2 container of cool whip and mix together. Spread over crust.

Second layer:
Mix 2 packages instant pudding of your choice (my favorite is chocolate, but pistachio is good also) with 3 1/2 cups cold milk. Pour over cream cheese mixture. Chill.

Before serving, top with remaining cool whip.

Homemade "Oreos" with Peppermit Frosting

Andrew and I were at walmart a few weeks ago and they had Oreos with Peppermint filling. We broke down and bought a package of them and they were sooo good. As I was eating them, I thought to myself, I have an easy recipe for Homemade oreos, but why don't I put crushed candy canes in the frosting. So, today my boys and I attemted it and they turned out yummy.

-Brenda

Homemade Oreos
1 packages Devil's Food Cake Mixes
4 Eggs
1 Cup Shortening

Combine shortening and eggs and then add the cake mixes. This mixture will be very thick. Roll into balls and put on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degress for 8-12 minutes. (Makes about 4-5 dozen.

Put icing between two cookies and enjoy!

Frosting
For the frosting, you can use any kind you like. Today I used Melissa's Fluffy Frosting Recipe. Which is:

½ c. margarine softened (Blue Bonnet is best and don’t sub butter)
½ c. Crisco (not the buttered flavored & Crisco is the best

Beat the above ingredients until very creamy; then add:
4 ½ c. powdered sugar
5-7 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together until creamy.

I then crushed up 4 candy canes and stirred into the frosting. It was very yummy this way, but I want a little more of the peppermint flavoring so I am going to go to the store today and buy some and add it in.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

This can be a great freezer meal. I will add those directions at the bottom.
-Brenda

For each meal you will need:
1 lb Turkey Kielbasa or any kind of sausage you like, cut into thin slices
1 can Rotel
1 cup cubed colby cheese
1/2 cup Italian Dressing
12 ounces rotini pasta

Brown the sausage and then toss everything together with the cooked pasta. I like to serve this with rolls or cornbread.

When I make this, I usually buy the big 3 lb package of smoked Polish Sausages. I then brown up the sausages and divide into three portions and place each portion into gallon size freezer bags (the third one we eat for dinner). Then into each bag and our dinner, I add 1 can rotel, 1 cup cubed colby cheese and 1/2 cup italian dressing. I then place the two bags into the freezer.

When I want to have one of these meals for dinner, I get out one of my bags and let it thaw. I boil my pasta then add the stuff in the bag to the cooked pasta and let it heat up.

Here are our bags ready to be frozen.

Potato Skin Poppers

I think I found this recipe in a magazine or something a long time ago. The picture I have doesn't do this yummy food justice, so I scanned in the one that came with the recipe (which of course is the top picture). We usually have this food as a dinner and just serve with with any side we are feeling at the moment, but this would be a great appetizer as well.

-Brenda

3 cups frozen, diced potatoes (or hash browns)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cups sour cream

3/4 cup cooked bacon pieces

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Salt & Pepper to taste

14 flour tortillas

2 Tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook potatoes according to package directions. In a bowl stir together cooked potatoes, cheese, sour cream, bacon, onions, salt & pepper. Spoon equal amounts of the mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll tortillas burrito-style, brush with melted butter and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with Sour cream and/or Salsa (my husband also likes to add some Tapatio to his dip).

Apple Enchiladas

When Veronica was going through my recipe box, she came across this recipe that we used to make all the time but must have either gotten tired of it or just forgot about it. She make it tonight and we all remembered why we liked it so much.

1 (21 oz) can of Apple Pie Filling
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup of pie filling down center of each tortillas, sprinkle with cinnamon and roll, tucking in edges. Place seam side down in prepared baking dish.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugars and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
Pour sauce over enchiladas and let stand for 30 minutes.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden.

*We have made this with cherry pie filling and it is good that way, too. We prefer apples, though.

Caramel Cream Cake

Another treat from the fabulous cookbook I borrowed from my mom...Southern Living (Christmas Edition).
I LOVE THIS BOOK!
Alma and made this cake together one night last week.
There are quite a few steps...so don't make it if you're rushed.
I only cooled to filling for 30 minutes, on a cookie sheet..on my back porch table (it was a freezing cold night).
The payoff it delicious!
It's dense and moist and very rich.
I also omitted the pecans in the batter and only spread a couple on the top for garnish (I'm not a fan of nuts in desserts).
Do what you will...
Enjoy.
-Matti

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 recipe Pecan Pie Cake Batter
• 1 recipe Pecan Pie Filling
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

1. Stir 1 cup finely chopped coconut into Pecan Pie Cake Batter; spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans.

2. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

3. Spread Pecan Pie Filling between layers. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top and sides with toasted pecans and toasted coconut. Garnish, if desired.

Pecan Pie Batter

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

1. Beat 1/2 cup butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well until blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

2. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in pecans.

3. Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until blended. Use immediately.

Pecan Pie Filling

• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Place a sheet of wax paper directly on surface of mixture to prevent a film from forming, and chill 4 hours. (I only did 30 minutes)
  

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

I made this especially for my brother Ryan...who LOVES red velvet cake.
It was pretty easy to make, most of the time was spent in baking and cooling.
Oh...and who knew you had to use SO much red food coloring to make your cake, well...red.
Enjoy!
-Matti

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 2 (1-ounce) bottles red food coloring
• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Beat 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300°, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. Run knife along outer edge of cheesecake. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Remove sides of springform pan. Garnish, if desired.