Texas Tumbleweed Bark

Texas Tumbleweed Bark
24 oz white almond bark
18 oz peanut butter chips
6 oz peanuts, chopped (1 1/2 c)
4.5 oz potato sticks

1. Melt the bark in the microwave or a double boiler. Mix in the other ingredients.
2. Pour over wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened. Break into pieces, enjoy.

Tiger Bark

Tiger Bark
peanut butter chips
chocolate chips
24 oz white almond bark

1. Melt the bark in the microwave or a double boiler. Mix in the chips.
2. Pour over wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened. Break into pieces, enjoy.

M & M bark

M & M bark
1 c M & Ms
24 oz package bark

1. Melt bark in microwave or a double boiler. Add M&Ms. Don't stir too much.
2. Pour over wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened. Break into pieces, enjoy

Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark
24 oz package white almond bark
1 package candy canes

1. Pick a day where you need to release stress. Pound the heck out of the candy canes.
2. Meanwhile melt the bark either in the microwave or a double boiler. Mix them together. Pour onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened. Break into pieces, eat!

Texas Tumbleweeds

Texas Tumbleweeds
1 lb almond bark
12 oz peanut butter chips
12 1/2 oz peanuts
2 cans shoestring potato sticks

1. Combine bark & PB chips in 1 qt microwavable dish.
2. Microwave 50% 2 minutes, stir. Repeat until melted.
3. Stir in nuts and sticks.
4. Drop by teaspoonful onto wax lined sheets. Chill until set. About 4 dz.

Cereal Bark

Cereal Bark
1 lb. white almond bark
3 c salted peanuts
2 1/2 c Captain Crunch Peanut Butter Cereal
2 1/2 c Rice Krispies
2 c mini marshmallows

1. Melt bark in microwave. Combine peanuts, cereals, and marshmallows in a large bowl.
2. Pour bark over cereal mixture and stir until well blended.
3. Pour out over waxed paper. Let set (in fridge) until hardened. Break into pieces. Enjoy!

Texas Pralines

Texas Pralines 20 minutes
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c milk
1 T butter
1 c pecan pieces (or halves)
1 t vanilla

1. Mix first 5 ingredients and bring to a boil in a small stockpot.
2. Boil by the clock for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
3. Beat with electric mixer until thickened and creamy (3-4 minutes).
4. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. I used a teaspoon and made 24.

Oreo Surprise

Oreo Surprise
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed
8 oz cream cheese, softenend
16 oz chocolate morsels

1. Mix Oreo cookie crumbs and cream cheese.Meanwhile, start melting chocolate in a double boiler.
2. Roll into balls.
3. Dip in chocolate. Set on wax paper lined pan. Chill.
Also try with Mint Oreo Cookies

Martha Washington's

Martha Washington's
My mom made these when I was a kid and every now and then I hear someone (usually older than me) talk about them. They are delicious and one recipe makes about 90-100 (small) pieces of candy. Have you ever heard of them?
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 lb pecans, chopped
32 oz powdered sugar (6 cups)
1 stick butter
1/2-1 t vanilla
1/2 c coconut
16 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/2 stick parafin wax (where the canning supplies are)

1. Mix 1st 6 ingredients and chill at least 2 hours in an airtight container.
2. Start melting wax in double boiler.
3. Meanwhile, roll mixture into 1-2" balls. 1" is the perfect bite-sized treat for kids and adults. 2" makes pretty big candy, especially after it has been dipped.
4. When paraffin is just about melted, add chocolate and mix well.
5. Dip balls into chocolate and set on a wax-lined tray. Chill.

Note: My husband does not like chocolate so I dip them in white chocolate and call them George Washingtons.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

AYE, AYE, AYE This is muy delicioso!

Sopapilla Cheesecake
2 cans crescent rolls
3 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick melted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Roll out 1 can of crescent rolls into 9x13 pan.
2. Mix cream cheese and 1 1/2 c sugar together. Mix in vanilla. Spread mixture over crescent rolls.
3. Layer second can of crescent rolls on top. Pour melted butter over the top.
4. Mix remaining sugar with cinnamon. Sprinkle on top. Bake 30 minutes at 350.

Raspberry Laced Vanilla Cake

Raspberry Laced Vanilla Cake by Gold Medal Flour
2 1/3 c flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
2/3 c milk
1 1/2 t vanilla
4 eggs
1 c raspberry jam
Raspberry Buttercream frosting (recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease 3 9" round pans. Mix flour through baking soda; set aside. Beat butter & sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on high, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. Beat in flour mixture, milk, vanilla, & eggs on medium until blended. Beat 2 minutes longer. Pour into pans.
2. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick....comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut each cake horizontally to make 2 layers.
3. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread with 1/3 c raspberry jam to within 1/4" of edge. Top with another layer, cut side down; spread with 1/3 c Raspberry Buttercream frosting. Repeat. Frost sides & top of cake. Store loosely covered.

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting by Gold Medal
1 c butter, softened
3 c powdered sugar
1/2 c raspberry liqueur or syrup
1/2 t vanilla

Beat butter and powdered sugar in medium bowl on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in liqueur and vanilla until smooth and spreadable.

Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake

Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia by Paula Deen (easy, few dishes)
butter for pans

2 c sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 c veg oil
1/4 c orange juice
3 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 T ground cinnamon
1 T vanilla extract
3 c peeled & chopped apples
1 c shredded coconut
1 c chopped pecans


Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 c sugar
1/2 c buttermilk (what do you do with the rest?)
1/2 t baking soda
1. Prehet oven to 325. Generously butter tube/bundt pan.
2. In mixing bowl, combine sugar through extract & mix well. Fold next 3 ingredients in well.
3. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick..... 1 1/2 hours.
4. Shortly before cake is done:
melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in sugar, buttermilk, & baking soda and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly.
5. Boil 1 minute & pour over hot cake in pan as soon as it comes out of oven.
6. Let stand 1 hour, turn onto rack to cool completely.

Chai Cake with Chai Glaze

Chai Cake with Chai Glaze by Gold Medal Cake
2 tea bags (orange & spice)
2/3 c boiling water
1 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cardamom
1/4 t salt
3/4 c granualted sugar
1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
Chai glaze* recipe follows
1. Heat oven to 350. Line bottom and side of round pan 8x1 1/2", with cooking parchment paper. Grease paper with shortening; lightly flour.
2. Place tea bags in boiling water in measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing liquid into measuring cup. Add enough water to tea to measure 2/3 c. Measure 1/2 c tea for cake, reserve 2T for glaze.
3. Mix flour through salt, set aside. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with 1/2 c tea until smooth. Pour into pan.
4. Bake 28-33 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove to a wire rack. Cool completely, about an hour.
5. Spread glaze over top of cake, allowing some to drizzle down side. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon.
GLAZE: 2 T butter 1 1/2 c powdered sugar 2 T reserved prepared tea 1 t vanilla 1/4 t ground cinnamon
GLAZE: Melt butter in 1 qt saucepan over medium heat. Stir in remaining ingredients until smooth.

Crock Pot Enchiladas

I am really into trying new Crock Pot recipes for when baby #3 arrives.
I bloglifted this one from http://iwantthatrecipeblog.blogspot.com/
We had it last night and it was wonderful. It does not need anything more but you could jazz up the leftovers by sprinkling a little cheese and tomatoes over the top. Timesaver: have the meat already browned and in the freezer.

Crock Pot Enchiladas
1 1/2 pounds of hamburger meat
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 can of cheese soup (any flavor)
1 can of golden mushroom soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of red enchilada sauce (mild or hot)
1 tsp. of ground cumin
1 four ounce can of chopped green chilies
12 corn tortillas

1. Brown hamburger meat and onions. Drain and put into a Crockpot you have sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the tortillas. Cook for four hours on low.
3. One hour before you serve it, tear up the tortillas and add to the soup mixture in the crock pot. Cook an additional hour and serve.
From Laura......I browned the meat and added the soups and seasonings, and then put the crock in the fridge Friday night. Sunday morning, I put the crock in the "pot" and heated it for about 4 hours and it turned out great.

Funny story...Laura lives in the same town I do, though we had never met...until Friday night. She was walking in a door at the mall and I was walking out. I recognized her from her blog picture and we hugged as if we had just run into a long lost friend.

Creamy Chicken and Ham Medley

Creamy Chicken & Ham Medley by Crock Pot
4 oz sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 c butter
1/3 c flour
2 1/2 c milk
1 c grated parmesan (I use fresh)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t nutmeg
dash ground pepper
2 c cooked chopped chicken (I pre-cook chicken and keep in freezer)
2 c cooked chopped ham
2 pk (10 oz ea) frozen puff pastry shells, baked (I don't use shells, I use sheets)

1. Melt butter in Crock; stir in flour. Stir in remaining ingredients except pastry. Cook on low until thickened, stirring every hour. It's ready to serve after 2 1/2 hours.
2. Bake shells as directed. Spoon medley into shells. Sprinkle with paprika, serve.

This is just wonderful! We don't always have ham in it and it's just as good. Don't forget, you can always use leftover Thanksgiving/Christmas turkey.