Peanut Butter Truffle Swirled Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Picky Palate

1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter 
1-1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 TBS vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp  salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips


1. Place peanut butter and powdered sugar into a large bowl and mix to combine. ( I used my hands.) Press into an 8×8 inch baking pan that has been lined with foil, sprayed with cooking spray. Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or use a Silpat. 

3. Place butter and sugars into the bowl of a stand or electric mixer, mix to combine. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.

4. Place flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl, mix to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips, just mixing until combined.

5. Remove peanut butter truffle pan from freezer and cut into cubes. They don't need to be perfect. Once cut up, put back in freezer for about 10 minutes.

6. Add peanut butter truffle chunks to your cookie dough, mix on low for just a couple turns of the mixer.  You want chunks and swirls throughout the dough so you bite into nice bits of peanut butter truffle.
 
7. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 10-13 minutes, until cooked to your preference. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

Funeral Potatoes

from Our Best Bites

1 small-medium onion, diced small
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS butter
1 (28 oz-30 oz) bag shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups sour cream
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup
2-1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Optional:  Crushed potato chips, butter crackers, seasoned bread crumbs, crushed corn flakes, etc.

1.  Preheat oven to 350℉.  In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until transluscent.  Remove from heat.  Add the thawed hashbrowns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt, and pepper.  Combine well.

2.  Spread the mixture in a greased 9x13 inch pan.  If using topping sprinkle on now.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is hot in the center and the cheese is bubbly throughout.

Serves 10-12 as a side dish.

Easy Parmesan Garlic Rolls

from Our Best Bites

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh or canned)
20 rise and bake frozen rolls (like Rhodes)

1.  Place the butter, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a microwave-safe dish and heat until melted. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese.

2.  Place the frozen dough balls in a large bowl. Drizzle the butter/cheese mixture over the dough and then toss quickly to evenly coat the dough in the butter and cheese.

3.  Place the dough in a 9×13inch  pan and allow to rise until doubled (follow the package directions).

4.  Bake according to package directions until the rolls are evenly golden on top and serve warm.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

from Your Cup of Cake

Cheesecake Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Pumpkin Cakes:

½ cup oil

1/3 cup applesauce

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2-1/3 cup flour

1 TBS pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ cup milk

1-¾ cup pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Buttercream:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. cinnamon (optional)

milk, if needed

 1.  For Filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar until evenly combined.  Add egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.  Place in a small container and put in freezer while you make the cake batter.  (If you do this part overnight, put it in the refrigerator.) 

2.  Preheat oven to 350℉ and line pans with 20-24 cupcake liners.  Spray liners.

3.  Mix oil, applesauce, sugar and brown sugar together until smooth.   Add eggs one at a time and mix well (do not over beat and do not beat on high.)

4.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

5.   Add half of the dry ingredients to the oil mixture and mix.  Add milk.

6.  Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients. Mix in pumpkin puree.  Fill cupcake liners ¾ full.

7.  Take the filling out of the freezer and place small spoonfuls (between 1 ½ -2 teaspoons) on the top of each unbaked cupcake.  Slightly swirl into the batter.**

8.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until and inserted knife comes out with no orange batter on it.  The cream cheese will leave a little white on the knife, but that is normal. Let cool completely

9.   For Buttercream: Beat cream cheese and butter for 3-4 minutes.  Scrape the bowl as necessary.  Slowly add powdered sugar until combined.  Add vanilla extract and cinnamon.  Use milk to thin out the buttercream if needed. 

10. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.  Top with cinnamon sugar if desired.

**Next time I will fill half full then put cheesecake filling and top with more batter.

Yummy Pancakes

from Coleen's Recipes

3/4 cup milk
2 TBS white vinegar **
1 cup  flour
2-3 TBS white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 egg
2 TBS melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

1.  Combine the milk and vinegar in a small bowl for 10 minutes to "sour".  Set aside.

2.  Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the soured milk, egg and melted butter together. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk until most of the lumps are gone, but don't over beat. 

3.  The batter will be thick, don't add any more liquid. Let the batter sit, undisturbed for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you will see bubbles in the batter, DON'T STIR.  Gently dip out a ¼ cup of batter and place it on a buttered grill or frying pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake and then flip with a spatula and brown the other side.

This recipe only feeds about 3 or 4 people, but doubles or even triples nicely.

**Don't skip the soured milk part of this recipe, you will not taste the vinegar in the pancakes. The vinegar super-activates the baking soda.

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

brownie batter for a 9x13 inch pan (box mix or your favorite)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 cups sweetened coconut
48 almonds
chocolate candy melts or almond bark

1.   Grease 2 mini muffin pans.  Fill 1/2 full with brownie batter. (You should get about 48) Bake according to directions.  When done remove from oven and let cool completely.  Remove brownie bites from pan.

2.  In a medium bowl, mix sweetened condensed milk and coconut together.  Use your hands to roll coconut mixture into balls.  Press a coconut ball on top of each brownie bite.  Top with an almond.  Place brownie bites in freezer for about 15 minutes to harden.

3.  Melt candy melts or almond bark.  Remove brownies from freezer and dip the top in the chocolate candy melts.  Place brownie bites on a lined cookie sheet and put in fridge to let set.

Cinnamon Pumpkin Sheet Cake

from Picky Palate

1 box yellow cake mix (or white)
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
1 box (3.4 oz) Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1/2 cup sour cream
15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream or milk (start with 1/4 cup and add a little more if needed)

1. Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray a jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream and pumpkin into a stand or electric mixer, beating until well combined, about 1-1/2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

3. Place butter into a microwave safe bowl and melt, about 30-40 seconds. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to bowl and mix until combined. Drizzle mixture evenly over cake.  Then take a knife and run it through to swirl.

4. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through and remove.  In a bowl add powdered sugar and cream or milk and mix until creamy and smooth. Drizzle over warm cake.   Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Refrigerate if not serving same day.