Cookie Dough Truffles

The verdict is still out at our house on whether the cookie dough or the cookie itself is the best part. These truffles take that debate to a whole new level. Yummo! Thanks Paula Dean.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark candy coating, melted

Directions

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.

*Cook's Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 our.

Letter Pretzels

These are such a fun and easy snack to make after school. The kids love making them into their initials. You can eat them with plain salt or go the cinnamon sugar route, both are super yummy.

1 T yeast

1 ½ c warm water

1 t salt

1 T sugar

4 c white flour

Egg

Coarse salt

Dissolve yeast in water and add sugar and salt. Stir flour into mixture. Knead and roll dough and cut into small pieces. Shape into letters.

Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with coarse salt and place on foil lined cookie sheet. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I am constantly trying to find ways to use my abundance of zucchini (or yellow squash this year) this is one sweet way to use them.

1/2 C. Butter
1/2 C. Oil
1 3/4 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Sour Milk or Buttermilk (I used sour cream and added some milk to make it thinner)
2 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 C. Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 C. Shredded Zucchini
1 1/2 C. Chocolate Chips
1/2 - 1 C. Chopped Walnuts (optional)

In a mixer, cream Butter, oil and sugar. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and sour milk. Then add the Zucchini and dry ingredients along with 1/2 C. chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased 9X13 pan. Sprinkle chopped walnuts and remaining 1 C. of chocolate chips on top of the cake. Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes.

Personally I prefer it without the chocolate chips and without any glaze, but you could easily make a glaze out of powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. It really just tastes the best with vanilla ice cream, that's not just my opinion that is a fact :)

Ginger Snaps

These are fabulous, and easy to make, not to mention they will make your house smell great! I love how soft these are compared to the store bought kind. This is one recipe you won't be sorry you tried. Thanks mom for yet another great recipe!

3/4 C. White Sugar
2 1/4 C. Shortening
3/4 C. Molasses
3 Eggs
6 C Flour
1 tsp. Salt
3 Tsp. Cinnamon
3 tsp. Cloves
3 tsp. Ginger
6tsp. Soda

Cream Sugar and Shortening and Molasses well. The mix in remaining ingredients and mix well. Mold into balls approximately 1 inch around, then roll in sugar. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Mountain Man Omelete

We made this Tuesday morning for breakfast and it was delicious. I did precook the bacon and sausage at home so I only warmed them when I got the veggies soft, it just made for quicker prep and with small children that is essential. We had enough left overs to throw in the cooler and reheat the next morning.

1	lb. country sausage	2	cups chopped; mushrooms
1	lb.bacon	18	eggs
1	large yellow onion; diced	3/4	cup milk
3	cloves garlic; minced		salt and pepper to taste
1	green bell pepper; chopped	3	cups grated Cheddar cheese
1	red bell pepper; diced		picante sauce

Heat a 12" Dutch oven using 20-22 briquettes bottom until hot. Add sausage to oven and fry until brown. Remove sausage from oven. Cut bacon into 1 inch slices. Add to Dutch oven and fry until brown. Add sausage, onions, garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Saute until vegetables are tender. Whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs over vegetable mixture. Cover and bake using 8 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 20 minutes until eggs are set up. Cover top with cheese and replace lid. Let stand until cheese is melted.

Serve topped with picante sauce.

Pocket Bread

My mom used the make these when I was a kid. They are great with almost any sandwich fixings and sooo much better than anything you can buy at the store.

2 Pkgs Yeast

1/2 C. Warm Water

4 C. Warm Milk

1/3 C. Oil

1 Tbsp. Salt

1 Tbsp. Sugar

10 C. Flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water, add all ingredients to mixer along with 6 of the cups of flour and beat until smooth. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until you get a good consistency. Raise for 1 hour then divide into 16 balls. Allow balls to rise on counter for 30 minutes more. Roll each ball out into a 8-9" circle and place on cookie sheets 2 at a time and allow to rise for 30 minutes more then bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

Campfire Eclairs

The pictures are rough but it was dark outside around a campfire this week. The eclairs were delicious, we enjoyed them two nights we were there.

2 cans croissant rolls
1 package(4) pre-made vanilla pudding
1 container chocolate frosting
1 can whipped topping

You will need a 1 inch wood dowel. Rub the end of the dowel with cooking oil or spray with pam. Wrap croissant around the end of the dowel and cook over coals/campfire for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and no longer gooey. Let cool for a minute or two then gently pull off the dowel. Fill 3/4 full with vanilla pudding then squirt whipped topping in open end. Spread chocolate frosting on the outside of the eclair, enjoy!!

Chex Treat Mix

One handful is never enough of this good stuff.

3 cubes of butter - 1 1/2 cups (no margarine)

2 cups sugar

2 cups light Karo Syrup

Place all ingredients into a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil for 4-6 minutes.

1 large box of Golden Grahams Cereal

1 large box of Corn Chex

1/4 package coconut (optional)

1 package sliced almonds (optional)

Mix all dry cereal, nuts and coconut in large bowl. Pour cooked butter mixture over cereal. Gently mix and pour onto 3-4 lightly greased jelly roll pans. When completely cooled, place in cellophane bags to give away, or put into serving bowls.

Won Ton Salad

This salad is a light and delicious. My mom made it for us growing up. It's perfect for a girls night in.

1 lb. Chicken, cooked & diced
1 head lettuce-chopped
4 green onions-chopped
1/2 C. sunflower seeds or 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 cucumber-diced
1 avocado-diced
1 pkg won tons-fried

Dressing
1/4- 1/2 c sugar (to taste)
4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. Olive oil
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1/4 c. cider vinegar

Assemble salad, right before serving pour dressing and toss. Add won tons. Serve.

Fruit Pizza

It was raining outside today so the kids and I made a treat together.
I've never done fruit pizza before, but we will definitely do it again! That bite I took was as good as it looks, trust me!

Crust:
Depending on the size pan you're using and how thick you like your crust you'll need 1-2 rolls of sugar cookie dough. We used a cookie sheet and 1 large roll was perfect, two smaller 16 ounce would work as well. Press the dough onto your baking pan. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Mine was done at 11. Let cool completely.For the "sauce" as the kids called it, mix one 8 ounce package cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, one 8 ounce carton whipped topping and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Make sure the cream cheese is softened, beat it first then slowly add sugar and whipped topping.Decide what fruit you want to decorate with. We chose grapes, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, kiwi & mandarin oranges. I cut our pizza into pieces, slathered on some "sauce" and let the kids go to town. They all agreed it was delicious.Crust:

Two 16 ounce pre-made rolls of sugar cookie dough.
Bake in preheated oven @ 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes.

Sauce:
One 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
One 8 ounce container whipped topping
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese and slowly add sugar and whipped topping so the sauce is smooth.

Toppings:
Your favorite fruit

Grapes
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Bananas
Kiwi
Mandarin Oranges