Oreo Truffles

Oreo Truffles

1 - 16 oz package of Oreo cookies
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
chocolate for coating
(you can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, candy melts, white chocolate)

Optional:
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 candy cane, crushed

Directions:
In a food processor, grind 2 cookies into fine crumbs and set aside. Grind the remaining cookies (including cream centers) and put them into a bowl. If you don’t have a food processor, put them in a thick tightly sealed plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment. Using your hands or the back of a spoon, mix the softened cream cheese into the crumbs in the bowl. (Add 1 tsp. peppermint extract during mixing, if desired.) When everything is fully combined, shape the dough into 1 inch balls.

Melt the chocolate according to the instructions on the package. Dip each ball into melted chocolate. Sprinkle with reserved Oreo crumbs (or crushed candy canes if you added peppermint extract) . Chill until firm and refrigerate to store (up to a week). Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe from Kristi Boretsky

Broccoli Salad

Dressing:

1 cup mayo

2 T. vinegar

1/2 cup sugar (or 1 T. THM Sweet Blend)

Mix and refrigerate.

Salad:

1-2 heads broccoli (depending on size), chopped

1/2 cup real bacon bits (or regular bacon crumbled)

1 medium red onion, chopped 

1/2 cup raisins (or unsweetened dried cranberries for fewer carbs)

1 cup cashews

2 hours before serving pour dressing over salad. Mix well. Keep refrigerated. 

Ice Cream (Sandwich) Cake

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) Chocolate Instant Pudding
16 Oreo Cookies, chopped (about 2 cups), divided
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Whisk fudge topping and 1 cup Cool Whip in medium bowl until blended. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. Stir in 1 cup cookies. Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; cover with half the Cool Whip mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sandwiches. Frost with remaining COOL WHIP; press remaining cookies into top and sides of dessert. Wrap loosely with foil. Freeze 4 hours.

Note: If your fudge topping mixture is too thick to spread easily, stir in up to 1/4 cup milk.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Eclair Cake

1 box chocolate graham crackers
2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding
1 cup peanut butter
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 can chocolate frosting

Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk and peanut butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers. Heat the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute. Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/08/peanut-butter-eclair-cake.html

Copy Cat Chick-fil-A Sauce

Super easy! Super good!

 ½ cup mayo
2 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbs honey
1 tbs smokey BBQ sauce

Whisk all ingredients together.

http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/2012/05/pinterest-daily-pin-copy-cat-chick-fil-a-sauce/

Chocolate Coconut Bars

3 cups finely ground cookies (12 ounces), such as graham crackers or chocolate wafers
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

 Preheat oven to 375º. Lightly splash a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheet evenly with water, then line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter until combined. Evenly press onto bottom and up sides of prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool, about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle cooled crust evenly with pecans and chocolate. Pour condensed milk over the top, spreading to cover completely (do not let it drip over the edges). Sprinkle with coconut. Bake until coconut is toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Trim edges, if desired, and cut into equal-size bars.

SOURCE: EVERYDAY FOOD, JUNE 2005

Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix

Wanted to make some dip to go with our chips and was out of onion soup mix. I'll never buy it again. This is just as good, maybe even better!

4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
8 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper

Mix. Use as you would onion soup mix.

Equals about one packet or 1.25 ounces.


http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-dry-onion-soup-mix-110331

Appetizer Ring

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed but still cold (I used homemade dough)
slices of your favorite cheese
cooked bacon
green onion, diced
dipping sauce of your choice

Roll loaf into a 20-22-inch rope. Form into a circle and place in the bottom of a sprayed bundt pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and then make cuts lengthwise and widthwise, about 1-inch apart, without cutting through the bottom crust. Place on a sprayed baking sheet. Insert cheese slices & bacon pieces between the cuts. Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Pull apart to eat and serve with your favorite dip in the middle.

Recipe and photo from Rhodes website: http://www.rhodesbread.com/recipes/view/2257

Soft Pretzels

Tastes just like Auntie Anne's!

1 cup milk
1 package (or 1 T.) active dry yeast 
3 T. light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 T. butter
1 t. table salt
3 T. cup baking soda
2 T. coarse salt

Warm the milk in microwave to about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into the mix. Add the remaining flour and the table salt to make a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450º and grease a large baking sheet. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.

Dissolve the baking soda in 1 cup warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then place baking sheet. Sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Optional: 
Brush with butter when they come out of the oven. 
Serve with mustard or cheese sauce.

Creamy Chicken and Bread Rings

1 can breadsticks or use homemade roll dough (that's what I do)
1/4 c. margarine
3 T. flour
1/2 t. chicken bouillon
1/8 t. thyme
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1/4 cup green onion, optional
2 cups frozen mixed veggies

Twist 2 pieces of dough together then form a ring.  Bake as package directs until golden brown.  In a saucepan melt margarine.  Add flour, bouillon, and thyme.  Add milk and mix well.  Cook over medium until mixture boils and thickens stirring frequently.  Add chicken, veggies, and onions.  Heat thoroughly.  Serve over bread rings.

Breakfast Cookies

1 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup honey (or sugar)

2 eggs

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins)

Mix butter, honey, eggs, salt, cinnamon, soda, vanilla, and buttermilk. Stir in flour and oats. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop heaping tablespoons (make BIG cookies) of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

From Heavenly Homemakers Blog