Frozen Minty Chocolate Pie

Something to help with those sweet tooth cravings

What You Need

18 OREO DOUBLE DELIGHT Mint 'n Creme Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2-1/2 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate or Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1/4 tsp. mint extract (optional)
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
2 Tbsp. hot fudge ice cream topping
Make It

MIX cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of 12-inch pizza pan.

POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Stir in mint extract. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping.

SPREAD pudding mixture evenly onto cookie crust. Cover with remaining whipped topping; drizzle with fudge topping.

FREEZE 3 hours or until firm. Cut into 12 slices. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Peppermint Brownies

I love brownies.. but these peppermint brownies are the bomb!

needed to make them

Brownie
1 box (1 lb 2.4 oz) brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box (for cakelike brownies)

Peppermint Cream
1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/2 package (8-ounce size) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Dark Chocolate Ganache
1/4 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Trees
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening


Make the Yummy Brownies

1.Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line13x9-inch pan with foil, letting foil hang 2 inches over ends of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray. Make brownie mix as directed on box for cakelike brownies. Spread batter in pan. Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

2.Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In medium bowl, beat remaining Peppermint Cream ingredients on low speed until blended; beat on medium speed until smooth. Gently stir whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

3.In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup whipping cream over low heat until hot but not boiling; remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips until melted. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour or until slightly thickened.

4.Remove brownies from pan, using foil to lift. Cut brownies crosswise to make 3 equal rectangles. Trim sides if desired.

5.To assemble torte, place 1 brownie rectangle on serving platter; spread with 2/3 cup Peppermint Cream. Top with second brownie rectangle; spread with Dark Chocolate Ganache. Top with third brownie rectangle; spread with remaining cream. Refrigerate uncovered until serving.

6.Meanwhile, place a piece of cooking parchment or waxed paper on cookie sheet. Draw 1 1/2- to 2-inch tree outlines or trace around 2-inch tree-shaped cookie cutter, leaving 1/2 inch space between each tree. Center toothpick at bottom of and 1/2 inch into each tree outline. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup chocolate chips and the shortening over low heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted. Pour chocolate into decorating bag fitted with plain tip or resealable plastic bag; snip one corner. Starting at top of each tree outline, pipe chocolate over tree and end of toothpick within tree; fill center with random, squiggly lines. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens. Gently remove trees from paper; refrigerate until serving.

7.Just before serving, sprinkle torte with candies and arrange Chocolate Trees on top. Store covered in refrigerator.

"Pretzel stand" type pretzels

I love hot soft pretzels. yum! but they cost so much at those stands in the mall. I found a way to make them at home and not only do they taste just as good but you can make them for half the cost!

Needed

Pretzel Dough:
1 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

For boiling/baking process:
10 cups water
2/3 cups baking soda
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. water
Kosher salt

To spread on baked pretzels:
3 Tbsp. melted butter
Cinnamon Sugar for sprinkling pretzels

Make them!

In the bread machine pan (No bread machine? See below for traditional directions),

place the pretzel dough ingredients in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the dough cycle and press start.
After 5 minutes, check to see that the dough has formed a nice ball, not sticky or dry.
Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of water or flour if needed.

** Traditional method (no bread machine):

In a bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and sugar. Let
it sit until it is foamy. When it is foamy, add the flour
to the bowl. Form a dough and knead it on a lightly
floured surface until it is elastic and smooth (5-8
minutes). Place in a greased bowl and cover for 45-60
mins or until doubled. Then continue with the rest of the
recipe.

When the cycle is finished, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll each piece into a 24-inch “U” shape and then form into pretzel shapes.

In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cups baking soda to a rolling boil.
Drop pretzels, one at a time, into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon and place on prepared baking sheets. (I use and LOVE my Silpat Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat on my baking sheets, but you can also use parchment paper.)

Next, beat one egg yolk with one tablespoon of water. Brush this mixture on each pretzel and then sprinkle each with a little Kosher salt.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until dark golden brown.
Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.

Alternatives to try:
Leave them plain with just a little bit of melted butter
Sprinkle with garlic salt
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning
Try with a marina, nacho cheese, or ranch dip

Snickers Cookies

I love making cookies! I love making any tasty treat! Okay, I admit it. I have the worst possible sweet-tooth in the world! So when I tell you a cookie is good. You gosh darn right better believe me. And these cookies are GOOD!

Needed

1 Cup. butter
1 Cup. peanut butter
1 Cup. sugar
1 Cup. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
3 Cup. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 bags of fun sized snickers, cut in half (or you can use mini snickers)


Make them, then eat them!

Cream butter, peanut butter, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour and form into small balls (cookie scoop works great). Wrap the dough around the Snickers bar, completely covering it and making it somewhat round. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350. DO NOT OVER BAKE.

Chocolate Peanutbutter Cereal Bars

These bars are so easy that the kids could make them (with a tad of help of course) and so tasty you will be wanting to make them everyday!

Needed
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 cups cereal ( Cocoa Krispies, Cheerios, Chex, basically what ever you got in the house!)

Make them!

Melt chips and pb together. (In the microwave for 30 seconds at a time i.e. 30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Or, put it in a double boiler and stir until smooth and melted.)

Stir in 4 cups of cereal. Pour the glob into a 9 inch baking dish lined in wax paper. Put it in the fridge until it sets. Slice and eat.

Cracker Bark

Totally fattening, but good for a treat on rare occasion! This is the perfect mixture of a salty/sweet snack that we love!

NEEDED

1 sleeve of saltine crackers
2 sticks of salted butter
1 cup of packed brown sugar
12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 oz bag of Reeces Peanut Butter Chips

TO MAKE

Line a jelly roll with foil, placing a layer of saltines on it too. In the microwave, melt butter and brown sugar for 1 minutes. Stir until creamy/smooth. Pour onto cracker crust. Bake in oven for 15 mnutes on 350 degrees. When pulled from oven, immediately pour both bags of chips on top, evenly. Wait 5 minutes then spread to coat evenly. Let cool 30 minutes on stove-top, then place in freezer for 30 minutes. Break into 30 portions, about 2x3 long. Enjoy with a glass of milk or cup of coffee

Mango Salsa

This is my favorite summer time treat! Tastes great over icecream or served warm over chicken or fish!

NEEDED:

1 Cup strawberries, hulled and finely diced
1 Cup orange or baby oranges, diced
1 ripe mango, peeled and finely diced (if you can not find mango, you can use peach instead)
1 Kiwi, peeled and finely diced
1 lime

to make
Zest 1 tsp of lime. Sqeeze 1 TB of lime juice. Combine lime zest, juice, strawberries, oranges, mangos, and kiwi; stir gently.

Apple Berry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

A nice easy tasty treat! that is not only great tasting, but also pretty easy on the waist line!

Cinnamon Chips
4 flour tortillas
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Salsa
2 medium Granny smith apples
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
1 small orange
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. apple jelly

To make:
Preheat oven 400. For chips, lightly spray tortillas with water using kitchen spritzer. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over tortillas, cut into 8 wedges and bake 8 to 10 min. Cool completely.

For salsa, peel, core and slice apples and chop into pieces. Slice strawberries and chop kiwi. Place fruit in a bowl. Zest orange and juice orange and add to fruit. Add brown sugar and jelly. mix gently. Serve with cinnamon chips.

Raspberry Lemonade Pie

This is one of my favorite easy summer time pies to make! it is so simple and easy to whip out.. with a strong and unique taste it is nice pie to make for friends and family or even pot lucks



NEEDED:

1/3 cup sweetened raspberry lemonade drink mix
1/2 cup water
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 8 oz. carton whipped topping
1 chocolate crumb pie crust (9 inch)
Chocolate syrup, optional

TO Make
Mix water and drink mix. Add ice cream and beat on low until blended. Fold in whipped topping and pour into crust. Freeze 4 hours until firm. Remove 10 minutes before serving to make cutting easier. Top with chocolate sauce.
Change up the flavored drink mix and crust for any variation.
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Turtle Pudding

Anyone who knows me .. knows I have the worst sweet-tooth ever! this is a easy treat to make in the crock pot when you are craving something gooy and good!

1 21.5 ounce package brownie mix
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
13 caramel candies, unwrapped
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Place a vegetable steamer or other low rack on the bottom of a 5 quart electric slow cooker. Pour in 4 cups hot tap water and turn on the high heat setting. In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, water, oil and egg. Beat to mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Butter and dust with sugar a 2.5 quart souffle dish that fits in the 5 quart slow cooker. Turn the brownie mixture into the dish. Push the caramels partially into the top, but do not cover completely with the brownie mixture. Wrap the dish in a double thickness of foil. Tie with kitchen string to resemble a package for ease in lowering into the pot and removing. Place on the rack in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the high heat setting for 4.5 hours. Remove the dish from the slow cooker, uncover and let cool for 30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Malted Milk Pie

mmmm...this is one of my favorite easy to make frozen treats

1 pint of french vanilla ice cream, softened
1 1/2 cups of malted milk balls crushed
8 ounces of cool whip
1/3 cup of marshmellow topping
1 Graham cracker pie crust

Combine your ice cream with your 1/2 cup of milk balls. Spread the mixture into your pie crust. Freeze until firm.

Meanwhile blend your marshmellow topping with 3/4 cups of the milk balls. Fold into your cool whip and spread over the frozen ice cream layer. Freeze for several hours. Right before serving top with remaining 1/4 cups of crushed milk balls.

Drop Candy

Easy simple and ohhh so gooy and good

1 (12 ounce package) of chocolate chips
1 (12 ounce package) of butterscotch chips
2 tablespoons of peanut butter (creamy works best)
2 cups of chopped pecans

To Make:
Melt your chips in a double boiler and add peanut butter. Stir well. Add your pecans. Drop by the teaspoon onto wax paper. Allow to chill and make them gone!

Chocolate Chip Candy

I have a sweet tooth.. a really bad sweet tooth! So when it comes to easy candy to make.. this one is on the list!

1 (18 ounce package) of chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (choose your favorite, I LOVE lightly salted cashews)
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk

To Make:
Mix chips over low heat with your sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat and stir in the nuts and vanilla. Spread the mixture over a wax paper lined 8x8 inch cookie sheet. Chill for 2 hours or until firm and then break into chunks or cut into squares.

Butter Cake

Simple but fluffy and tasty cake!

Needed:
1 cup of butter, softened
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
1 regular sized egg slightly beaten

Mix items and place dough in a greased and floured round cake pan. Bake at 375 for 30 mins or until cooked and fork comes out clean. Serve warm with your favorite fresh fruit topping

Chocolate Peanut Pretzel Bars

Do you crave the combination of crunchy, sweet and salty? Then these cookie bars, topped with semi-sweet morsels, broken pretzels and honey roasted peanuts are your dream-come-true. Quick and easy too; this recipe contains only four easily found ingredients!!!!



2 1/2 cups Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, divided
1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, divided
1 cup mini pretzels, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup honey-roasted peanuts



DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Place 2 cups dough in prepared pan. Using fingertips, pat dough gently to cover bottom.
Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips, pretzel pieces and peanuts over dough. Drop 1-inch pieces of remaining 1/2 cup cookie dough over peanuts. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of chips and gently press down.

Bake for 23 to 27 minutes or until browned around edge. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Best Ever Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

One of the best things about Halloween when I was a kid was the pumpkin seeds baking while we were finishing up the details on the carving....Now I make them for my own kids and they are a huge hit! The secret to these yummy seeds is the Worcestershire sauce; I sometimes use a little more than the recipe calls for.


2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Thoroughly rinse seeds and pick out stray bits of pumpkin. Rinse off the pumpkin seeds to get off any extra pumpkin goo...Pour seeds on a cookie sheet, preferably one with sides. Combine Worcestershire sauce and melted butter.
Pour Worcestershire sauce/butter combination over seeds and stir to distribute evenly. Evenly sprinkle salt over seeds.

Bake for two hours, stirring every half hour.

Let cool and enjoy!

Store in airtight container...

Ranchy Mix

Needed:

1 Box of Crispix

1 Box of Cheese Nips (or other small cheese crackers like them)

1 Bag of Pretzle Sticks

1 Package of Ranch Seasoning

1 Bottle of Popcorn Oil Butter (I use Orville Redenbacher)

BIG Gallon Sized Zip Lock Baggies

In a LARGE bowl, mix all the items except the Popcorn Oil and Ranch Seasoning. Slowly drip a little popcorn oil over the mixture of Crispix, crackers and pretzles.. toss to coat evenly. You want not too much oil because then it will be soggy.. just a little will do. Next add the ranch seasoning and toss till everything is coated well. If it does not seem to be sticking good.. add a tiny bit more oil.
Place in Gallon sized zip lock baggies for safe keeping.

Key Lime Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Key lime juice
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, egg, and egg yolk until smooth. Stir in lime juice and lime zest. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; blend into the creamed mixture. Chill dough for 1/2 hour. The dough is sticky. I use a cookie scoop to get nice size balls or just plop on sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven or until set. Let set on sheet for 5 minutes then remove to cool on wire racks. Sift confectioners' sugar over cookies while still warm.

Chocolate-Marshmallow Sandwiches

Chocolate - Marshmallow Sandwich, from the Family Circle- February 2009 issue.....

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 Tblsp marshmallow creme (such as Fluff)
8 slices white bread
2 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted


In a glass bowl, microwave chips on 50% power for 1 minutes; stir until completely melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
On one piece of bread, spread 1 tablespoon chocolate. On another slice of bread, spread 1 tablespoon marshmallow creme. Join slices and brush top with a little of the melted butter. Repeat with remaining slices of bread.
Heat a medium - size nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place sandwich, butter-side down, in pan and brush top with butter.

Cook for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.

Very Berry Good Cobbler

This is a special treat that the whole family will enjoy! A nice twist on the classic cobbler that will leave you wanting more!

NEEDED:
1 can of sliced peaches (drain the jucie)
2 cans of Apple Pie Filling
1 Bag of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
1/3 cup WHITE sugar
2 table spoons cinnimon
2 rolls of sugar cookie dough (store bought)


In a large bowl, mix all the fruit together with the sugar and cinnimon.

Next, in a small cake pan.. take a roll of sugar cookie dough and crumble it into tiny chunks covering the bottom of the pan thickly.. (crumbs should be small).

Pour fruit mixture over the top of the crumbled cookie dough

Take the other roll of cookie dough and crumble that over the top of the mixture. Making sure it is thickly covered in crumbs..

Bake on 350 for about 30-45 mins.. till cookie dough is a little golden and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on the side....