Soft & Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil’s food cake mix

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. Beat cream cheese, peanut butter and eggs in large bowl with mixer on low speed 1 min. Add dry cake mix; beat on medium speed 1 min. or until mixture pulls away from side of bowl and forms soft dough. (See Tip.)
3. Shape into 44 (1-inch) balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten each ball, in criss-cross pattern, with tines of fork dipped in sugar.
4. Bake 7 to 8 min. or just until edges of cookies are set. (Do not overbake.) Cool on baking sheet 2 min. Remove to wire rack; cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Ingredients:

BROWNIE LAYER:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

COOKIE DOUGH:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature or almost melted
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
additional miniature chocolate chips, if desired (to garnish the top)

Directions:

Prepare the brownie layer:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×9-inch pan with nonstick spray, then line with a strip of parchment paper so that it covers the bottom and comes up two sides of the pan. Spray the parchment with nonstick spray too.
In a microwave safe bowl (or in the top of a double boiler or pan set on top of a pan of simmering water), microwave in 30 second bursts to melt butter and chocolate chips together until all is melted and smooth. Whisk in the sugars, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla and salt. Sift flour into the bowl and stir that in too. Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the brownie layer is cooked through (toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Place the pan of brownies in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process (or cool at room temperature and add the cookie dough layer later).

Prepare the cookie dough layer:
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, sugars and salt until soft and creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Mix in the milk and vanilla. Sprinkle in the flour and mix in until combined. Stir in the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Scoop the cookie dough onto the top of the brownies and spread onto the brownie layer. I find that it’s easiest to do this if the brownie layer is chilled and firm. Wet your hands or spray them with nonstick spray and pat the cookie dough on top in a even layer. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top to create a nicer, visual appearance. For easy, clean cutting, chill the brownies (wrap the brownies with plastic wrap and chill until firm- 1 to 2 hours or up to 2 days).

Cut the brownies:
Run a knife along the sides of the brownie pan and then use the parchment paper to lift the brownies from the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice the brownies with a sharp knife, wiping the knife with a paper towel between cuts. If you’d like all of your slices of brownies to look clean-cut without edges, use the knife to cut the sides of the brownies off before cutting pieces. Keep brownies slices covered and chilled until ready to serve.

Original Recipe

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients

2 pints strawberries, hulled and quartered lengthwise or 1 1/2 bags (14 oz each) Cascadian Farm® frozen organic strawberries, thawed and quartered
2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed rhubarb (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
1 to 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or 1/2 to 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup whole grain pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick or butter
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Directions

1. In a 2-quart baking dish, stir together strawberries, rhubarb, tapioca, ginger, 1/2 cup of the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon.
2. Spread fruit mixture level
3. Let stand 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400°F.
5. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
6. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
7. Stir in oats until combined.
8. Drizzle honey over oat; stir until mixture is crumbly.
9. Sprinkle over fruit in an even layer.
10. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Angie’s Party Slush

Lisa Stueber – Lincoln recipe

Ingredients

3 small pkg. Jello (wild strawberry or cherry)
4 c. sugar
2 46oz. containers of pineapple juice
15 oz. Real Lemon

Directions

1. Boil 9 cups of water and mix in Jello.
2. Mix 4 cups of water with the sugar to make a sugar water mixture.
3. Combine the Jello and water mixture and bring to a boil.
4. Then set aside to cool.
5. Then add pineapple juice and Real Lemon.
6. Pour into containers to freeze (2 ice cream buckets or 1 BIG Tupperware bowl). Freeze for at least 36 hours.

To serve: mix slush with Sprite or champagne

Broccoli Raisin Salad

Grandma Schroeder

Salad

2 cups raw broccoli chopped small
1/2 cup chopped onion (small pieces)
1/2 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup raisins (soaked & drained)
1 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
2 T vinegar
2 T sugar

Directions

1. Mix dressing and set aside.
2. Mix broccoli, onion, and bacon.
3. Add dressing and stir.
4. Add raisins and sunflower seeds just before serving.

Baked Pineapple Stuffing

Aunt Bev (Matt’s Aunt)

Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, with liquid
1/4 cup milk
6 slices bread, dried out
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Grease bottom and sides of a 3 1/2 quart crock pot.
2. Crumble the bread into a bowl.
3. Add the remaining ingredients
4. Pour into the crock pot.
5. Cover, and cook on low setting for 3 hours.

Pumpkin Crunch

Suzanne Tomashewsky (Matt’s cousin’s wife)

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (not pumpkin filling)
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
6 ounces melted butter (3/4 cup) (regular salted)
1 c. chopped pecans
Vanilla Ice Cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (If using a glass dish, preheat to 325 degrees F)
2. Spray 9×13 metal pan or glass dish with cooking spray.
3. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.
4. Pour into a pan.
5. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the top.
6. Pour butter over the cake mix
7. Sprinkle pecans all over the top.
8. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Let cool completely
10. Cut into squares and serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Aunt Bev (Matt’s Aunt)

Ingredients

¼ cup margarine

½ cup sugar

¼ cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup cooked pumpkin

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

Topping:

1/3 cup flour

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cold margarine

Directions

1. Cream margarine and sugars
2. Add pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and orange peel. Mix well.
3. Combine dry ingredients separately and gradually add to pumpkin mixture just until blended

4. Fill sprayed muffin tins 2/3 filled
5. Make topping by combining flour and brown sugar, cut in margarine until crumbly, and sprinkle over batter
6. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then cool on wire rack

Soft Pretzels

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, about 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Directions
Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low-speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for about 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, about 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Peanut Brittle

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Karo syrup

1 cup peanuts

1 t butter

1 t baking soda

Directions

1. Mix sugar and Karo syrup in a heavy glass bowl.
2. Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
3. Then mix in peanuts and butter.
4. Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
5. Then mix in baking soda.
6. Pour on to a greased jelly roll pan.