Butterfinger Dessert

The original recipe was to make an 8-inch pie, but I needed to feed quite a few people with the dessert, so I re-worked it and made it to fit into a 9x13-inch pan instead. This is a rich, creamy, delicious dessert, especially if you like Butterfinger bars:)

Butterfinger Dessert

10 whole graham crackers (about 1 package)
2 TBSP. sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
8-10 (2 1/8 oz.) Butterfinger candy bars, crushed**

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 (12 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed

1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed

 

Place the graham crackers in a food preocessor and pulse until crumbs. Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse until well mixed. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy with an electric mixer. Add 2/3 of the crushed Butterfinger mixture and mix well. Stir in the 12 oz. tub of Cool Whip until well mixed. Pour the mixture into the pan on top of the crumb crust, spreading evenly over top. Spread the 8 oz. tub of cool whip evenly over top of the Butterfinger mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the mixture over the top. Cover and chill for several hours to let it set. Cut into squares and serve.

 

**To crush the Butterfinger candy bars, place in a ziploc bag, seal and smash with a rolling pin until crumbly and no large chunks remain.

Peach Cream Cheese Dessert

This is a variation on another recipe I was given. I was limited to the ingredients in my pantry at the time so I had to improvise. It turned out delicious and well worth repeating:)

Peach Cream Cheese Dessert

1 (3 oz.) pkg. peach Jello
3/4 cup boiling water
3 ice cubes
20 large graham crackers (about 2 packages)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 (15 oz.) can peaches, drained, cubed
8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed

Pour Jello into a medium bowl. Stir in the boiling water until the Jello is dissolved. Add the ice cubes and stir until melted. Chill Jello just until thick but not set (about 35-45 minutes). Meanwhile, place the graham crackers into a food processor and process until it's all crumbs. Add the melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Pulse to mix really well. Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and lemon extract until creamy with a mixer. Add the partially set Jello to this mixture and mix until well blended. Add the peaches and stir. Fold in the whipped topping and mix until evenly distributed. Pour into pan with graham cracker crust. Spread evenly. Top with the remaining half of the graham cracker crumb mixture, spreading evenly over top. Cover and chill until set, preferably overnight. Cut into squares and serve.

Dijon Mustard Substitute

Because I NEVER seem to have Dijon mustard on hand when it calls for it in a recipe, I found this "recipe" online and it has been a total lifesaver. Or recipe saver, whatever:)

Dijon Mustard "Substitute"
 
1 TBSP. dry mustard
1 tsp. water
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 TBSP. mayonnaise
pinch sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Use as needed.
Makes: 2 Tablespoons.

***To make Chinese Mustard for dipping, drizzle a little sesame oil into the Dijon mustard & mix well.

Blueberry Peach Breakfast Pie

I stumbled across a pile of recipes I had copied off several years earlier and this one was among them. It sounded fun and I happened to have all of the ingredients, so we gave it a try. Oh my was it ever delicious! There wasn't a single bite left, every scrap of it was inhaled and exclaimed over, everyone loved it!

Blueberry Peach Breakfast Pie

1 TBSP. butter
6 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup cream (half & half or heavy cream)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 TBSP. flour
2 (15 oz.) cans sliced peaches, drained***
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375* F. Use 1 TB SP. butter to generously grease 2 (9-inch) pie plates.
Place eggs and sugar in blender. Cover and blend until well mixed and slightly frothy. Add cream, vanilla, and flour. Cover and blend until well mixed and smooth. Pour only enough batter into the bottom of each pie plate to just coat the bottom. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter the peaches and blueberries over the batter in each one. Pour the remaining batter evenly over the top of the fruit in both pie plates. Return them to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes more, until set. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes or more before serving. Cut into wedges, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Makes 2 (9-inch) breakfast pies.

***This also works using fresh peaches, peeled and sliced.

BLT Pasta Salad

Oh this one was a SMASH! Even my super picky daughter went back for THIRDS! Frankly, I think you can never go wrong with bacon, and this recipe doesn't disappoint. Enjoy!

BLT Pasta Salad

1 lb. bacon

1 lb. rotini pasta

3 medium tomatoes, diced

2 cups chopped iceburg lettuce

1/2 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 - 3/4 cup Ranch dressing

3-4 TBSP. Miracle Whip

1 TBSP. dried minced onion

2-3 tsp. sugar

salt & pepper to taste (a few generous shakes of each)

Cut the bacon up into small pieces by cutting it across the short end, basically dicing it. Place in a large skillet and cook until crips. Drain well on paper towels and set aside. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain, then run under cold water to chill the pasta. Drain well and place in large bowl. Add the cooked bacon pieces and remaining ingredients, mixing well and coating everything evenly. Adjust the mayonnaise, Ranch and Miracle Whip according to your tastes. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes about 16 servings.

Danielle's Pasta Salad

My sister Heidi brought this to a family picnic once and I made sure to get the recipe before she left, we loved it!  I have made it numerous times since and anytime I take it to a gathering I always leave with an empty bowl. Simply yummy!

Simply Pasta Salad

1 lb. pasta (rotini, bowtie, mini shells, elbow macaroni etc...)
1 (15 oz.) can black olives, drained and sliced
2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 (large) can chicken, drained and flaked (optional)
1 - 1 1/2 cups cubed cheddar cheese
1 cup Miracle Whip (more or less as needed)
salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water until totally cooled. Drain well. Pour into large bowl. Add the sliced black olives, tomatoes, chicken and cheese. Stir in enough Miracle Whip to evenly coat the ingredients without making it gloppy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill for several hours before serving.

Chicken Tortellini Bake

This is a simple, easy and truly delicious casserole that even my pickiest chicken-hating daughter ate with gusto and declared the "best supper ever!". So I'm definitely making this one again. The original recipe came from "Mel's Kitchen Cafe", a favorite spot of mine to find delicious recipes. The only changes I made to the recipe were to increase it to fit my 11x15-inch casserole dish to accommodate feeding my large family, so I'm posting the changes I made here so I can make it again.

Chicken Tortellini Bake

2 (19 oz.) pkgs. frozen cheese tortellini (I used the Wal-Mart store brand)
2 TBSP. olive oil
3 cups chicken cut up into bite size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms (opt.)
1 1/2 cups sour cream (reg. or lite)
3-4 cups shredded cheese (I used a mixture of Mozzarella, Cheddar and some Parmesan)

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes and add the onions and mushrooms, cooking until chicken is done and mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Mix in sour cream until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened. Spray a 11X15 pan with cooking spray. Pour tortellini in bottom of pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over tortellini. Put cooked chicken/sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake covered with tin foil at 350* F for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

**This can be made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge for the day until your ready to bake it, and it still tastes great:)

Delicious Chicken Marinade

A fantastic marinade for chicken that is easy to throw together, and tastes delicious:)

Delicious Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. liquid smoke
2-3 TBSP. molasses
2 TBSP. sesame seeds
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic salt
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, whisking to thoroughly combine. Place whatever cut of chicken you prefer into a large gallon sized ziploc bag and pour the marinade over top, press the air out and seal the bag. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Remove chicken from the bag and grill or bake to desired doneness.
**This recipe makes enough marinade for about 20 chicken tenders, or 16 boneless, skinless thighs, or 8 chicken breasts etc...

Cinnamon-Sugar Popcorn

This is one of our favorite movie treats, and is easy to make since the ingredients are most often in my pantry.

Cinnamon-Sugar Popcorn

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 bags microwave popcorn, popped**

Preheat the oven to 250* F. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla, and cook until thick and bubbly. Pour the popped popcorn into a large bowl. Pour the buttery mixture over the popcorn, and stir until the popcorn is evenly coated. Spread the popcorn into a large roasting pan or on a large cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes, then turn the heat off, and allow the popcorn to stay in the oven 20 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool completely before serving.
**Somtimes I use 2 to 2 1/2 bags of popped popcorn, it just depends on how much I need to fill up my big stainless steel mixing bowl.