PeanutButter Treats

1 6 ounce package butterscotch chips
½ cup peanutbutter
½ cup margarine
½ of a small package of colored mini-marshmallows (10 ounces)

Melt butterscotch chips, peanutbutter and margarine in a double boiler over low heat. Remove from heat.

Mix in marshmallows and pour into an 8” square pan. Chill.

Ice Box Stop and Go Cookies

4 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ cups shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup ( ½ and ½ ) red and green Maraschino cherries

Combine dry ingredients.

Cream the shortening, brown sugar and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add dry ingredients in about 4 – 5 parts, mixing well after each. Stir in cherries and nuts.

Divide into 4 parts. Roll each part into a firm log (use wax paper to lift back and forth to make the log). Refrigerate overnight or until you are ready (you can freeze the logs and thaw in the fridge).

Slice into ½” thick slices. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375° F about 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

Family Favourite Brownies

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter/margarine
1 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients and set aside.

Melt butter then stir in sugar and cocoa. Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Mix in the dry ingredients and nuts.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13” pan. Bake at 350° F about 35 minutes.

Or, make your own two bite brownies by filling mini-muffin tins about ½ to 2/3 full and bake at 350° F about 12 – 15 minutes.

Apple Crinkle

4 cups diced apples
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup melted butter

Combine first 3 ingredients well and spread in a greased 8” square pan.

Mix the rest of the ingredients into a crumbly mixture and spread over apples. Press to form a crust.

Bake at 350° F about 30 minutes, until all golden brown.

Oatmeal Pancakes

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups milk
¼ cup canola oil
2Tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup flour (I use whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Combine oats and milk in the mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or several hours so the oats absorb the milk.

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

Mix the oil, eggs, raisins and brown sugar into the oats and stir well. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Add nuts, raisins or whatever.

Spoon onto preheated griddle, lightly greased if its not non-stick (about 1/3 cup per pancake).

Cook until the bubbles are breaking but closing slowly then flip. Cook until edges are dry.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

½ cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vinegar
2 Tablespoons ketchup

Combine sugar, salt and cornstarch in small saucepan. Stir while adding water and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mix in ketchup and continue stirring until thickened.

Delicious over meatballs – just pour the sauce on and cook in the oven for ½ hour or so to infuse flavor.

Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk
½ cup canola oil
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour (I use half whole wheat, half all purpose)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional) (you could use 1 cup chocolate chips instead)

Combine oats and milk in the mixing bowl. Let stand 20 minutes so the oats absorb the milk.

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

Mix the oil, egg and brown sugar into the oats and stir well. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Add nuts, raisins or whatever.

Spoon into 12 large muffin cups or 18 medium (about ¾ full).

Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes.

Mrs. Brown’s Belgium Cookies

1 cup icing sugar
1 pound margarine
4 cups flour
1 cup cornstarch
4 Tablespoons milk
pinch of salt

Blend all of the ingredients well; add milk last, 1 Tablespoon at a time. Divide dough into 2 pieces and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough an hour or more then let it stand on the counter 15 minutes before rolling.

Sprinkle surface with flour to prevent sticking. Roll dough using enough flour to keep your rolling pin from sticking. It helps to lift the dough and make sure it isn’t sticking to the counter too. Cut with cookie cutters or a glass of the size you want (remember that the backs have to line up to make a sandwich so your cutters have to be symmetrical).

Place cookies on an UNGREASED cookie sheet with a bit of space between.

Bake in 350° oven until golden on the edges; about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

Spread strawberry or raspberry jam on one cookie and place another on top.

Ice with an icing sugar and milk mixture that will run enough to set smooth but not enough to run right off the cookie (about 1 cup of icing sugar to 1 Tablespoon of milk should do it). Place a cherry (or other decoration of your choice) on each cookie as you ice it. Let set until icing is dry.

Chocolate Balls

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 ounces unsweetened bakers chocolate
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
coconut

Melt chocolate in milk in a double boiler. Mix crumbs in well.

Roll mixture into balls; roll each ball in coconut as you go. Place on waxed paper to cool. Refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Hint: grease your palms with margarine to reduce sticking

Totally Awesome Toffee Squares

Base:
Make a 9 x 13” pan of Rice Krispie Squares

Middle:
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
4 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

Bring these ingredients to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Boil 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches the soft ball stage on a candy thermometer or forms a soft ball when dripped into a glass of cold water.

Cool for a couple of minutes then pour over the base. Cool completely.

Top:
½ cup chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon margarine

Melt chocolate chips and margarine together; mix well. Spread over toffee. Cool completely.

Almond Butter Crunch

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
½ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds

¾ cup chocolate chips
½ cup finely chopped toasted almonds

Generously spread butter on a baking sheet.

Melt butter in heavy 2 quart saucepan or metal pot. Add sugar. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add water and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, to soft crack stage (290° F), about 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and add coarse nuts. Pour contents onto prepared baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let stand a few minutes, until chips are soft, then spread evenly. Sprinkle with fine nuts. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. Makes 1 ¼ pounds.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

2 cups cooked chopped chicken
2 cups broccoli (raw)
1/2 cup red pepper chopped
1 glove pressed garlic
1 cup Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp dill weed (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
2 pkgs refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tbsp slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375. Put chicken and broccoli in a bowl. Add red pepper, pressed garlic, cheese, mayo, dill weed and salt.

Unroll 1 pkg of crescent rolls but DO NOT separate. Arrange the longest side of the crescent rolls along the width of your cookie sheet, (or should you have one, a Pampered Chef Rectangle Stone). Unroll the next package slightly overlapping the first. Press all the perferations out so you have one solid crescent roll dough base.

Spread the filling over the middle of the dough in a long thin line. Cut the remaining sides of the dough into thin strips and then cross them over top of the mixture, twisting and "braiding" them as you go. Brush egg white over dough and sprinkle with almonds.

Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a deep golden brown.

Mocha Semi-Freddo

1 ¼ cups oreo crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup sugar

Spray a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 3-inch metal loaf pan lightly with nonstick spray. Line the pan with plastic wrap. Combine the crumbs, butter and sugar well. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Refrigerate.

3/4 cup sugar
8 large egg yolks
1/3 cup brewed espresso
2 tablespoons Da Vinci’s sugar free chocolate syrup
Pinch salt
1 cup whipping cream

Whisk 1/2 cup of sugar, egg yolks, espresso, syrup, and salt in a large metal bowl to blend. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk the egg mixture until it is thick and creamy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160 degrees F, about 5 minutes (you don't need the thermometer really). Set the custard over a bowl of ice to cool completely.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another large bowl until firm peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the custard. Spoon the mixture atop the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen, at least 8 hours or up to 3 days. Unfold the plastic wrap. Invert the semifreddo onto a platter. Remove the plastic wrap. Cut the semifreddo into 1-inch slices and serve.