No-Bake Brownie Bits

Ingredients:

1 (1 lb) package fudge brownie mix

• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 cup miniature M&M baking bits
  
  

Directions:

1. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. In large saucepan, combine brownie mix, milk and butter. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to boil, stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2.Add peanut butter and vanilla, blend well. Stir in oats. Carefully fold in M&Ms.
3.Drop dough by tablespoonfull onto the cookie sheets. Let cool until set.

Jack Cheese Chicken and Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (we used pinto beans)

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles (we didn't use these)

1/3 cup prepared salsa, mild, medium or hot

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Flour tortillas

1 1/3 cups shredded Monterey jack and or Cheddar

Directions:

1.Heat oven to 400 degrees

2.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

3. Add onion and garlic and saute 2 minutes. 

4. Add chicken and saute 5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

5. Stir in black beans, green chiles, and salsa and simmer 5 minutes, until sauce thickens and reduces. 

6. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. 

7. Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. 

8. Top each tortilla with an equal amount of chicken mixture.

9. Roll up tortillas and place side by side in a shallow baking dish. (put cheese inside as well)

10. Top tortillas with shredded cheese (1/3 cup per tortilla). 

11. Bake enchiladas 15 minutes, until cheese is golden 

 served with rice

Carmel Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 Cup Butter (2 Sticks)

4 cups Brown Sugar (not packed)

2 cups light Karo Syrup

2 cans Sweetened Condensed Milk

*not Evaporated Milk

2 Teaspoons good Vanilla

8 to 10 quarts popped popcorn.

Directions:

1. Combine butter, sugar, karo syrup and stir well.  

2. Keep stirring over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.  

3. When mixture comes to a slow boil, add your condensed milk – keep stirring. 

4. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a soft ball stage.

5. Stir in vanilla and pour over popcorn, and stir to coat.

(Check to see if carmel is done)

Take a 1/2 cup measuring cup.

Fill it 3/4 full with COLD WATER

Take a tablespoon, dip it into the hot caramel that is boiling on the stove.

Drop that caramel into the COLD WATER.

With your spoon, try to bring all that caramel together to make a SOFT BALL.

If it won’t come together, and spreads out into the water…it’s not ready.

You might have to test it several times until it’s ready.

Brownie Pops

Ingredients:

1 pkg (18-21 oz) fudge brownie mix (plus ingredients to make brownies)

Sucker sticks

10 oz chocolate-flavored almond bark (white and dark)

Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Line Medium Sheet Pan (or 9-in. by 13-in. metal pan) with a 13-in. piece of Parchment Paper; lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions; pour batter into pan. Bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool 20 minutes or until still slightly warm.

2. Using Medium Scoop, scoop brownie into 24 rounded scoops, packing brownie into scoop using hands. (Entire brownie will be used.) Roll brownie scoops into smooth balls. Insert sticks into centers of balls, mounding brownie around each stick to secure. Pinch each brownie ball where stick and top of ball meet.

4. Place almond bark into Small Batter Bowl; microwave according to package directions until smooth. Spoon melted bark evenly over each brownie ball, turning to coat completely. Be sure to coat where stick meets brownie ball. Allow excess bark to drip off. Dip into reserved sprinkles and stand upright on a piece of Parchment Paper. Repeat with remaining almond bark, lollipops and sprinkes. Let stand until set. Place into miniature cupcake liners.

Although the edges of the brownies are crusty, they don’t need to be discarded. Simply scoop the edges along with the center, and they’ll soften as they stand.  Wrap lollipops in cellophane, tie with ribbon.

Mini Donut Bites

1.  Take a bag of regular or Texas Size Rhodes rolls from your freezer. 

2.  Place as many as you like on a greased plate or cookie sheet.

3.  Cover with saran wrap that has also been sprayed with pam, so the rolls don’t stick.

4.  Let thaw and rise ……almost until double.

5.  Pull little pieces of dough and roll into small balls – about 1/2″ in diameter.

6.  Place several balls at a time in hot oil, and fry until golden brown, then place on paper towels to drain.

     *If your balls are small, they will not be doughy inside.

7.  Now roll the little donuts in cinnamon and sugar, or prepare a Vanilla glaze.

8.  Place the glazed donut bites on waxed paper, and the cinnamon sugar bites on paper towels to set.

Vanilla Glaze

Simply take about 2 cups of powdered sugar in a small bowl.

Add a teaspoon of Vanilla.

Add enough water to make a glaze consistency.

Stir well until all lumps are gone, and it’s smooth.

Ranch Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups biscuit/baking mix

4 teaspoons dry ranch salad dressing mix

2/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. In a bowl, stir the biscuit mix, salad dressing mix and milk until combined.

2. Drop 2 in apart onto a greased baking sheet.

3. Bake at 425 for 10-15 mins or until golden brown

4. In a small bowl, combine the butter, parsley and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits

9 biscuits 

Punch Bowl Trifle

Ingredients:

1 pkg (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix

1 qt fresh whole strawberries

1 carton (15 oz) strawberry glaze

2 cartons (12 oz each) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

1 cup chocolate frosting

Shaved Chocolate

Directions:

1. Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a 13 x 9 in baking pan.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

2. Set aside five strawberries for garnish.

3. Slice remaining strawberries

4. Cut cake into 1 in cubes.

5 Place half of the cubes in a 6 qt glass punch bowl.

6. Top with half of the sliced strawberries; drizzle with half of the strawberry glaze.

7. Spread with 3 1/2 cups whipping topping.

8. In a microwave safe bowl, heat frosting on high for 20-30 seconds or until pourable, stirring often; cool slightly.  

9. Drizzle half over the whipped topping.  

10. Repeat layers of cake, berries, glaze, whipped topping and frosting.

11. Top with remaining whipped topping.

12. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

13. Garnish with shaved chocolate and reserved strawberries.

24-28 servings

Orange Cream Slush

Ingredients:

8 cups orange juice

8 scoops vanilla ice cream

8 orange slices (optional)

Directions:

1. Poor orange juice into 2-qt freezer container; cover and freeze for 2 hrs or until slushy, stirring twice.

2. To server, poor slush into eight glasses, add a scoop of ice cream into each glas.

3. Garnish with orange slices if desired.

8 servings

Strawberry Lemonade Slush

Ingredients:
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed
3/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup ice cubes
1 cup club soda

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine the strawberries, lemonade concentrate, water and ice cubes.
2. Cover and process until smooth.
3. Poor into a freezer container.
4. Cover and freeze for at least 12 hrs.
5. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hr before serving.
6. Stir in club soda.

4 servings