Yummy appetizers

Jalapeno popper pizzas

Ingredients
1 (13 7/8 ounce) package pizza crusts (pillsbury refrigerated)

4 slices bacon, sliced
1/2 cup red pepper, finely chopped (aprox. 1 small pepper)
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup corn chips, crushed

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Open the crust. DO NOT UNROLL. Place the pizza dough on a lightly floured cutting board.
3. Gently roll the log shape into a thinner cylinder measuring aprox. 11 1/2 inches.
4. Using a sawing motion, cut the dough into 24 pieces.
5. Place on a baking pan; press the dough pieces slightly (helps prevent them from rising too much).
6. Bake 11-13 minutes until golden brown.
7. Fry the bacon & remove once cooked.
8.Using 1 tsp bacon drippings, saute the red pepper & jalapenos until tender.
9. Combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, sauteed peppers & bacon; mix well.
10. Divide evenly over the crusts.
11. Combine remaining cheese w/ corn chips.
12. Sprinkle on top.
13, Bake 4-6 minutes until cheese is melted.

Brie Wheel

1 brie wheel
1 package crescent dough
3 tbsp fruit preserves
...
Divide crescent dough into 2 squares. Place brie on top of one square. Spread preserves over brie & lay remaining dough on top. Trim excess dough; seal edges. Bake on parchment paper on baking sheet at 350 for 30 min.

You can also vary with different typ of preserves, adding nuts, sprinkling sugar...you name it , it will be tasty.

Sheet cake and Meghan's party yummies

I got the first recipe from a friend at work. I had the recipe sitting on my counter all last night and today waiting to be made. I go to make it this evening....GONE!! I googled it and found it...where there is a sweet tooth, there is a way. The rest are from my friend Meghan who had a party last week. Everything was so delicious. She was nice enough to post the recipes:) Thanks Meghan!!!

I halved this recipe and put it in a casserole dish.

Savannah Sheet Cake by Paula Dean

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

chocolate pecan Icing

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
6 tbsp. milk
16-oz. box confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.
In a small saucepan, measure 1 cup water. Add the butter, oil and cocoa and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat.
Stir together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, sour cream and cocoa mixture. Add the vanilla. Mix until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the center appears firm and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool 12 to 15 in the pan before frosting.
To make the icing, boil the butter, cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the sugar and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and pecans. Pour warm icing over warm cake. Spread evenly.
Let cool about 2 hours before cutting.
YIELD: Makes 28 pieces.

Meghan's goodies!!

Baked Brie

1 brie wheel
1 package crescent dough
3 tbsp fruit preserves
...
Divide crescent dough into 2 squares. Place brie on top of one square. Spread preserves over brie & lay remaining dough on top. Trim excess dough; seal edges. Bake on parchment paper on baking sheet at 350 for 30 min.

Fruit Salsa
Meghan said she halved the sugar and it was still too much. She will try without next time.

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar
Directions
1.In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3.Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4.Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Sea-salted Chocolate Almond Bark

these were ridiculous!!

1 bar (8 oz.) Nestle Chocolatier 53% Cacao dark chocolate Baking Bar, broken into pieces
1/2 cup smoked-flavored almonds, coarsely chopped, divided (but I use more)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt (preferably large crystal) (I also use more than this)

LINE 8-inch baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
Microwave the chocolate in uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 minute, then stir. The chocolate may keep some of it's shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until smooth.
Stir in 1/4 cup almonds.
Pour into the lined pan.
Sprinkle with remaining almonds.
Tap pan several times to spread the chocolate and settle the nuts.
Sprinkle with sea salt. They call for 1/8 tsp, but I give a good sprinkling of the salt, so there's some in every single bite.
Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until firm.
Break into pieces.
Store in air-tight container at room temperature


Chicken salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 cups diced, cooked chicken breast meat
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 1/2 cups diced Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups halved green grapes
Directions
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, salt, poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and lemon juice.
2.In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, green onions, water chestnuts, Swiss cheese, and grapes. Add the mayonnaise mixture, and stir to coat. Chill until serving.

Chocolate peanut butter lovers

In the quest for the perfect chocolate and peanut butter brownie I came across several great recipes. I made the one below tonight and it was RIDICULOUS!!!! I was a little scared to make it because it seemed like there was a lot of room for error but they turned out great...a little too great. Hopefully they make it to book club tonight.



Chocolate peanut butter swirl brownies
I halved this recipe and baked in a 9x12 dish. I didnt have instant coffee so I just used regular coffee grounds but only used 1 tablespoon. I also microwaved the peanut butter so it was easier to pour over dish. And, didnt have unsalted butter so I used regular butter and omitted the extra salt called for in the recipe.



Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the prepared sheet pan. Spoon the peanut butter over the top of the chocolate mixture and using a knife, swirl it through the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes more or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into large squares.

Tiffany posted this one...

Cookie Base
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
Topping
1 cup hot fudge topping
1 cup Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 bars (2.1 oz each) chocolate-covered crispy peanut-buttery candy, unwrapped, finely crushed


Print these coupons...





About Concordance™


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
2. Spread hot fudge topping over cooled cookie base. In large bowl, combine frosting and peanut butter until well mixed. Add whipped topping and candy; gently fold until well blended. Spoon mixture over hot fudge topping then carefully spread to evenly cover. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.


Julie posted this one...

Brownie Cupcakes with Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
Printable Recipe




-Brownie Cupcakes-
You will need:
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
1 1/4 cups cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt



Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.



In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.



Pour the batter into foil cupcake tins till 3/4ths full in a cupcake pan and bake for 17 minutes (my oven took 17 minutes, but ovens can run very differently so make sure and keep an eye on them). Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake should come out clean. When they are done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to stuff your face until they are mostly cool.



Source: Alton Brown





- Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting-



You will need:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
2 cups confectioners’ sugar


Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy. Then pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Lauren posted this one...
PB cheesecake brownie bites

Preheat oven to 350
1 pkg brownies
1 pkg cream cheese
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
1/4 c peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Prepare brownies according to pkg. Spoon into muffin cups (or spread in pan). Beat cr cheese, sugar, egg, p.butter and vanilla until blended. Spoon one Tbsp of mixture into center of batter in each cup (or mix into batter accordingly). Bake 30 min. or until the center is set.

Samantha sent this one...

Peanut butter brownies

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl combine 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/3 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar; beat until creamy. Gradually beat in 2 eggs and 2 tsps of vanilla extract(i use regualr vanilla and works just fine). In small bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt; blend into peanut butter mixture. Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips over brownie batter and place in oven for 5 minutes then remove from oven and swirl with a knife. Return to oven and bake for 17 to 20 more minutes. Enjoy!


Thanks for everyone's input and suggestions!!!

Chocolate peanut butter swirl brownies

Pic taken before baking.
Chocolate peanut butter swirl brownies
I halved this recipe and baked in a 9x12 dish. I didnt have instant coffee so I just used regular coffee grounds but only used 1 tablespoon. I also microwaved the peanut butter so it was easier to pour over dish.

Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the prepared sheet pan. Spoon the peanut butter over the top of the chocolate mixture and using a knife, swirl it through the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes more or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into large squares.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

The Bellante Yummies

Meatballs
1lb of ground beef
1lb of italian sausage
3/4 cup of grated parmesan
1 cup of bread crumbs
1 clove of garlic minced
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of dried parsley
warm water
Mix all ingredients except water with your hands. Use the warm water to help form the balls. Bake on 350 for 45 minutes.
Sauce
1 large can of tomato puree
3 small cans of tomatoe paste
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 chopped onion
olive oil
2 TBS sugar
1tsp of basil
6 cups of water(rinse out tomato cans)
Dash of red pepper(optional)
salt and pepper to taste

In large sauce pan cover bottom of pan with thin coating of olive oil. Warm oil and saute onions till clear and then add garlic for another minute or two. Then add sauce, paste, sugar, basil, peppers and salt. Simmer on low for 2-4 hours. Then add baked meatballs and simmer for another hour or so.