Holiday Pretzel Treats!

I found this recipe years ago on the Family Fun website. Since then I have seen it done every which way possible. Some make it with Rolos and press a pecan on top . . . although I'm not a big caramel fan. You can also make it with Hershey Hugs, Reeses Pieces, Peanut M & M's and well, you get the picture. Let your imagination run wild and have some fun with the kids with this one!

Holiday Pretzel Treats

Ingredients:
Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (Snyder's Snaps)
Hershey Kisses or Hugs
M & M's candy

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 170 degrees. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey Kiss or Hug.

2. Bake 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M & M's candy in the center of each Kiss.
3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Southern Banana Pudding!

I saw this recipe on a blogging buddy's blog today and had forgotten all about it. I had it years ago at a picnic. It was so good that I told myself that I would make it someday. Well a ton of years later and thanks to Darlene for the reminder, today is the day! I dropped Allison off at school and went directly to the store for the ingredients.

It is so easy and the recipe is right on the large box of JELL-O Banana Cream Pudding!

I noticed that Darlene didn't put the Cool Whip on the pudding which is a great idea if you have some people that don't care for it. I'm not a big fan of it on pie but I'm okay with it in a dessert like this. I followed the directions on the box and knowing my family is fine with Cool Whip, I went ahead and put it on top.

Southern Banana Pudding

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1 large pkg. (5.1 oz) of JELL-O banana cream instant pudding
30 vanilla wafers (I used generic and they were a little smaller so I ended up using more)
3 bananas, sliced
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip topping, thawed

Directions:
~Beat milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
~Arrange layer of wafers on bottom and up side of 2-quart bowl.
~Top with layers of 1/2 each of the bananas and pudding.
~Repeat layers.
~Cover with Cool Whip and refrigerate for 1 hour.

**I added some crushed up vanilla wafers on top for garnish. You could also decorate the top with sliced bananas dipped in lemon juice. The crushed wafers were easier and I like things easy peasy!

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Better Than S** Cake!

If you are a reader of my other personal blog, you've seen this recipe a couple of years ago. I'm trying to move all of my recipes over to here so they are in one convenient place.

This cake is so yummy and so not good for your hips. It is one of those cakes that when you take it somewhere, you will be asked for the recipe so make sure you have it with you.

Yes. This is the name of the cake but I call it "Better Than Love Cake" because I really don't want to teach my 8 year old about the birds and the bees just yet!

Enjoy!

"Better Than S** Cake"

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cake mix (I use Devil's Food)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar of caramel ice cream topping
1 small container of Cool Whip
Heath candy bars (I use one pack of 6) or Butterfinger candy bars

Directions:
~Bake cake as package directions in a 9 x 13 pan.
~As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use the handle from a wooden spoon and poke holes all over the cake.
~Pour the can of condensed milk and the caramel ice cream topping over the cake. The cake will absorb both.
~Cover with foil and put in the refrigerator overnight. It must sit at least for 4 hours.
~When ready to serve, frost the cake with cool whip and chop the candy bars into small pieces and sprinkle over the top of the cake.

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Ice Cream Sandwich Cake!

I found this recipe as I was surfing through blogs one day. I do not remember where I found it and now I can't find it again. If this is your recipe, please let me know and I'll give you proper credit.

This is another one of those recipes that is perfect for me. It's easy but packs a big "WOW" amongst your family and friends.

Allison loved it so much, she requested it as her birthday cake this year. And with Labor Day just around the corner, it would be the perfect end of summer dessert. But then, isn't ice cream good all year round?

Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:
19 Ice Cream Sandwiches (I use the store brand)
1 Bag of Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits or Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits
1 Jar of Caramel Ice Cream Topping (I use Smuckers)
1 16 oz. (Big Tub) of Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:
~In a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, place 9 1/2 ice cream sandwiches on the bottom. 2 rows of 4 and 1.5 to finish the end.
~Sprinkle about 1/3 bag of the toffee bits over the sandwiches.
~Next drizzle almost 1/2 the jar of caramel over the sandwiches and bits.
~Next spread 1/2 the tub of Cool Whip over the the first layer.
~Repeat the previous steps to create another layer saving some of the bits and caramel to garnish the top layer.
~Drizzle the remaining caramel in a decorative pattern and then sprinkle with the remaining bits.
~Place uncovered in freezer for at least two hours to set up.

Other variations: Chocolate sauce with peanut butter chips, or mint chocolate chips or Butterfingers candy bars crushed up on top. With all the toppings and chips out there, your possibilities are endless!

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Philly Cheesecake Brownies!

If you haven't ever had or made Philly Cheesecake Brownies, you have to try these. They are so easy and offer up the "Wow" factor. I found this recipe years ago on a box of brownie mix and cut it out. I love cream cheese so I knew this was a must try. I don't know why but I kept it in my recipe box for years before making it. I now regret that decision. I can't believe I deprived myself of these yummy brownies for all those years! Anyway, the recipe is below and as you can see in the picture, I also sprinkle chocolate chips on it if I have them in my cupboard. You could probably stir them in if you like but I like picking them off the top when I eat the little square of deliciousness!

Philly Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients:

1 pkg of brownie mix (I used the basic Betty Crocker mix.)
1 pkg (8 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package. Pour into greased 13 x 9 in baking pan.
2. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, mixing until well blended. Ad egg and vanilla and also mix until well blended.
3. Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie mixture; cut through batter with knife several times for marbled effect.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned.

Cool and cut into squares. Makes 24.

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Outrageous Cookie Bars!

One of the girls at work brought these in a few years ago. They were so good that I knew I had to get the recipe. They even have coconut in them and as a general rule, I avoid coconut. I actually like the flavor of coconut but I don't like the texture. I don't like the sound it makes when you bite it and I definitately don't like how you can't seem to bite through it. I know. I'm odd. I've never denied it and now you have proof.

Many of you probably already have this recipe. It seems to be a holiday favorite on cookie trays. I guess I never noticed it before since I usually avoid all cookies with coconut in them. After these cool, I cut them into squares and put them in decorative cupcake papers. It just adds a special touch to the cookie tray.

I made these a couple of weeks ago for one of Curtis's bosses at work as a thank you for letting us park at his house for Allison's Open House at school. There is seriously not enough parking at the school. We are told to park down the road at a grocery store and they shuttle us back and forth. Fortunately his boss lives several houses down from the school so he lets us park there. I wanted to make sure he knows we appreciate our own private parking space and what better way to do that but with home baked goodies?

Outrageous Cookie Bars

Makes 48 bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed Milk
1 (14-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Melt butter in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan in the oven. Remove the pan from oven and sprinkle with the graham cracker crumbs over butter. Stir the two together well and press it onto bottom of the pan.
3. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the crumbs evenly
4. Next sprinkle with the crust with the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown.
6.Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

The picture below shows you how I packaged them up for delivery. I had purchased some take-out containers from work a couple of years ago for a bake sale I did. I still had some in my stash and it worked perfectly for 2 layers of 9. I matched the ribbon to the holiday papers and ended up with a festive thank you. As you can see, it doesn't take a lot of money to show someone they are appreciated.

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Banana Brownies!

Okay, I had a complete recipe typed up and ready to go and then it went bye-bye! So since I don't have the time to redo the entire entry today, I thought I would share a sweet treat with all of you today. I got this recipe from Stacy Julian's blog. I thought it was sounded interesting so I thought what the heck! I'll try it. Oh. My. Goodness! They are so moist and so delish! You'll have to try them when you have some mega ripe bananas sitting on your counter!

Banana Brownies

3/4 cup butter (soft)
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
chocolate chips (I use about 1 cup?)


~Mix everything together, spread into a 9"x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
~Let cool and enjoy (don't over bake -- they look a bit "undone" sometimes, but will firm up.)

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