M&M Cheesecake Squares

Makes 16 squares

Ingredients

Crust

1/3 cup margarine

1/3 cup sugar, brown packed

1 cup flour

1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar, granulated

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup M&M

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Beat the margarine and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the walnuts and flour; mix well.

4. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture; press the remaining crumb mixture into bottom of a 8″ square pan.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

6. Combine the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla; using an electric mixer, mix at medium speed until well blended.

7. Add the egg; mix well.

8. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the M&M candies over the crust; top with the cream cheese mixture.

9. Combine the remaining 1/47 cup M&M with reserved crumb mixture; mix well.

10. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the cream cheese mixture.

11. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

12. Let cool completely before serving.

Needs to be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

OPTIONS:  Go for it – use  Reese Pieces instead of M&M.  You could even try Jr Mints or mini rolo’s.  

Chocolate Chip Awesome Cookies

Chocolate Chip Awesome Cookies - Not the ones your Mama Made!

4 dz cookies  325° oven

1 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Salt

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped nuts, optional

DIRECTIONS

In a sauce pan, melt butter & add sugars.  Stir until dissolved. Pour into mixing bowl. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes. Stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt. Add to butter mixture. Stir in chips and nuts.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
Roll by hand into walnut size balls. Place on a cookie sheet. (I line mine with parchment paper).  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown

Chocolate Meets Cracker

Julia wanted a treat...no time to bake..so I took some graham crackers and broke them in half.  I made "sandwiches" with each pair by filling with something yummy...Nutella, Peanut Butter, Caramel..whatever. After I made the "sandwiches" I coated them in melted chocolate and dipped them in sprinkles...English Toffee bits  are the BOMB! I popped them in the freezer for about 5 minutes..some had to be flipped over and out back in to set.

Boston Cream Poke Cake

For an easy, pretty light, yummy  dessert..this is an ultimate crowd pleaser....  And as usual..NO BOX MIX REQUIRED.....

For added serving, top with a scoop of fresh whipped sweetened cream!

CAKE RECIPE

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup milk

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour  9 x 13 pan.
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add 1 egg at a time; beat well after each addition. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition just until mixed.
Pour batter into pan.   Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. When cake is finished, while still warm, poke holes all over cake (about 1-inch) intervals using a wooden spoon handle or other similar size object.   

PUDDING

4-cups of milk

2/3 cup of sugar

6 egg yolks

3 tablespoons of corn starch

1/4-teaspoon of salt

4-tablespoons of butter

2 teaspoon real vanilla

Stir the egg yolks with a whisk to break them up. Whisk with 1/4-cup of the milk to help them strain through a fine-mesh strainer to get any bits of egg white. Mix this strained egg mixture into the remaining milk in a sauce pan. Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Let simmer 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in the butter and vanilla just until the butter is completely incorporated, about 30-seconds.  Let cool about 10 minutes. While cake is still warm, pour warm pudding on top of warm cake.  Using a spatula, gently spread over cake and press into holes.   Gently tap pan on counter to allow pudding to fall deeper into holes.  Place cake in refrigerator to cool completely before adding the frosting. When cake is cooled, top with glaze.

GLAZE

Bring to simmer:

1/2 stick butter

3 TB  milk

2 TB cocoa powder

Add and whisk until smooth:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Immediately pour over cake.  Spread gently over entire top of cake.  Refrigerate until set. This cake needs to be refrigerated.

NOTE:  This is best made a day in advance!

Crock Pot Amish White Bread

Crock Pot Amish White Bread

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 cups bread flour

This recipe is for a 4.5 quarter crock pot.  If using a larger crockpot…omit dividing dough and skip the SMALLER DOUGH portion of this recipe!

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar & salt  in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

Mix oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time.  For the first few cups, the paddle attachment works well.  Then change to dough hook.   When dough is slightly sticky,  place on lightly floured surface.   Divide dough.  (I do 2/3 and 1/3). Using the larger ball of dough: Form into ball.  Place in a well sprayed crock pot lined with parchment paper.   Turn crockpot on HIGH and cover.  Let cook between 2 and 2.5 hours.  Place under broiler when done on low for about 6 minutes (possible rotating half way through) if you prefer a browned top.

Smaller ball:   Place in a well oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic.  Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.  Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and shape into loaf and place into well oiled  8x5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes