Spin Dip

10oz. Package of frozen Chopped Spinach

2 8oz. Packages of softened Cream Cheese

12 oz. Jar of Marinated Artichoke Hearts – Drained with Liquid Reserved

2 Tblsp Finely chopped Onion or Green Onions

3 Cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

On a paper towel in the microwave place the package of Spinach with only the outer paper removed.

Cook on High for 3-4 mins. Until thawed – Use Paper towels to squeeze the box the spinach is in to squeeze out all the liquid.

Mix Spinach, Cream Cheese and Reserved Artichoke Liquid until smooth

Chop Artichoke hearts and mix into Cream Cheese mixture. Add in Onions and 2 Cups Cheese – Mix well.

Transfer into a Oven safe dish and bake in the Oven at 375 for 30 minutes.

Take out of oven, stir well and top with additional cup of Cheese.

Serve with Tortilla Chips. Makes 4-6 Cups.

Tortilla Roll-Ups

3 8oz packages Cream Cheese (softened)

1 8oz container of Sour Cream

1 package of raw broccoli and carrots 

1 package Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

1 package of 8 10inch Flour Tortillas

Chop finely the broccoli and carrots ( I use the food processor and I use 1 - 1 1/2 cups of chopped vegetables - you can add more or less according to your taste). Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Spread mixture over tortillas about 1/4 inch from edge of tortilla. Roll tightly as possible. Place on cookie sheet and place in freezer for 30 to 45 minutes until firm. Slice with sharp knife about 1/2 inch thick. Fill in gaps with remaining mixture. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Mini Twice Baked Potatoes

1 1b. small red or white potatoes (whatever you can find)

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

4-5 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp. dried (I used dried)

approximately 2-4 Tbsp. half and half, milk or cream to thin out mixture

salt and pepper to taste

Wash potatoes and slice in half. Place in steamer basket and steam until fork tender about 20-30 minutes. (I found this took closer to 30 minutes depending on how many potatoes you have.) Make sure the skins stay in tact.Once the potatoes are fork tender, set aside to cool slightly. (You can trim off a little of the bottom of each potato so they sit nicely on a tray.)

While potatoes are steaming, combine the cheddar, cream cheese, s/p, and parsley into mixing bowl and combine.

After the potatoes have slightly cooled, scoop out the inside of each potato w/a mellonballer or teaspoon. Place the scooped out part of the potato in the mixing bowl. Add the half and half to thin it out. Blend well. (I put the bowl in the microwave to warm the potatoes a bit more.)

Pipe the mixture into the potato shells and bake at 375 for about 10 minutes or until the tops are browning. Top with chives or any favorite potato topping!

Parmesan Rosemary Pinwheels

1 can crescent rolls

½ cup cream cheese), softened

¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

4 tsp snipped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 375.  Separate dough into 4 rectangles and press edges together to seal.  Mix together cream cheese, Parmesan and rosemary in a small bowl thoroughly.  Place 2 Tbs of cheese mixture in the center of each rectangle and spread to ¼ inch of edge. 

Starting at short side, roll up each rectangle.  Cute each roll crosswise into 6 slices using a serrated knife.  Place rolls cut side down onto a baking pan or cookie sheet.  Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.  Serve warm.  Yield: 24 rolls.   

Philly Cheesy Pizza Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. each chopped red and green peppers

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Spread cream cheese onto bottom of microwaveable 9-inch pie plate.  Cover with pizza sauce; top with remaining ingredients

Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes or until heated through

Serve with Ritz Crackers

(makes 2 cups or 16 servings)

Additional serving suggestion:  Serve with assorted cut-up fresh vegetable dippers in addition to the crackers

Scottish Shortbread

1 lb. butter

4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 to 3/4 cup cornstarch

Soften butter and combine all into a thick dough.  Use large mixer.  Press into a jelly roll pan and poke lightly with a fork all over for decoration.  Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes, then at 275 for another 50 minutes.  Should stay a light color.  Cut into squares immediately after removing from oven.  This recipe is delicious with coffee and hot chocolate.

Lemon Bars

2 c. flour                                  1/4 c. flour

1 c. butter/softened                 1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. powdered sugar             dash of salt

4 eggs                                      5 tbsp. lemon juice 

2 c. sugar                                powdered sugar (to sprinkle)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup.  Level off.  Combine flour, butter 1/2 cup powdered sugar; mix thoroughly.

Press into an ungreased, 13 x 9 inch pan.   Bake for 20 minutes.  During this time, mix eggs sugar, salt and lemon juice.  Fold in 1/4 cup flour and baking powder. 

Pour onto the hot crust.  Then bake for 25 minutes and cool.  Sprinkle w/powdered sugar & cut into squares & enjoy.

Very Fast Fudge Wreaths

2 Variations:

MILK CHOCOLATE & WALNUTS:

12 oz. bag of semisweet Chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli the best)

Half a 12oz. bag of Butterscotch Chips

14 oz. Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk (save the can)

1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

8 oz. Walnuts (optional)

½ Cup Raisins (optional)

Christmas Peanut M&Ms – for decoration

Softened Butter to grease an 8 inch round cake pan

1.       Grease and 8 inch round cake pan with soften butter.

2.       In a small saucepan put in the Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch Chips, Milk and Vanilla –Turn on Low

3.       Take the Sweetened Condensed Milk can and wrap with saran wrap and place in the middle of the cake pan.

4.       Stir Chocolate and milk until all melted – it goes quick – 5-10 mins. When almost all the way melted, add in Walnuts and Raisins.

5.       Pour fudge into cake pan around the Can. Keep pushing the can to the middle if it moves around.

6.       Place green and red m&m's all over the fudge and push them down in – for decoration.

7.       Place the cake pan in the fridge and let cool until firm.

8.       Once the fudge is firm, take a butter knife around the cake pan to loosen the fudge from the pan, twist the can and pull up, the whole fudge wreath should come out together – don't wait too long or it will be harder to get out of the pan – transfer to a plate or platter.

9.       Cut fudge into thin slices to serve.

WHITE CHOCOLATE & CRANBERRIES : (my favorite!)

12 oz. bag and another half a 12 oz bag of White Chocolate chips

(I like Ghirardelli the best)

14 oz. Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk (save the can)

1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

1½ Cup Dried Cranberries

Christmas Peanut M&Ms – for decoration

Softened Butter to grease an 8 inch round cake pan

1.       Grease and 8 inch round cake pan with soften butter.

2.       In a small saucepan put in the White Chocolate Chips, Milk and Vanilla –Turn on Low

3.       Take the Sweetened Condensed Milk can and wrap with saran wrap and place in the middle of the cake pan.

4.       Stir Chocolate and milk until all melted – it goes quick – 5-10 mins. When almost all the way melted, add in the Cranberries.

5.       Pour fudge into cake pan around the Can. Keep pushing the can to the middle if it moves around.

6.       Place green and red m&m's all over the fudge and push them down in – for decoration.

7.       Place the cake pan in the fridge and let cool until firm.

8.       Once the fudge is firm, take a butter knife around the cake pan to loosen the fudge from the pan, twist the can and pull up, the whole fudge wreath should come out together – don't wait too long or it will be harder to get out of the pan – transfer to a plate or platter.

9.       Cut fudge into thin slices to serve.

Buche de Noel

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1&1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 egg whites

1/4 cup white sugar confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375. Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with one sheet of parchment paper (you might even want to spray the parchment with nonstick spray, you definitely don't want this to stick! In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners' sugar (it will take a lot...once again, you don't want it to stick to the towel!). Turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel. Cool for 30 minutes. Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge.  Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, frost with remaining filling, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. Note: It is a bit too rich for me, so I think next time I will just do a plain white filling, and then do the chocolate on the outside.  If you don't want to go to all of the trouble, you can even use Cool Whip on the inside!

Crescent Roll Danish

2 cans crescent rolls

2/3 cup sugar

2 8 oz packages Cream Cheese (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup chocolate chips

Place large piece of wax paper in bottom of 9x13 pan. Press one can of crescent dough out in pan and try to seal all of the seams. Lift the wax paper out of the pan with the dough and set aside - this will be the top layer.  In the empty pan place the second can of crescent dough and press flat.  Mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar together. Spread in pan evenly. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the cream cheese layer.  Carefully, flip the wax paper over to put on the top layer. Remove wax paper and bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

You can sprinkle powdered sugar after cooled and store in refrigerator.  You can also substitute chocolate chips for fruit filling and make a breakfast danish. This is good with a powdered sugar icing drizzled over the top after cooled.  Mix 3 Tbsp of milk with 3/4 cup of powdered sugar to make icing.

Easy Toffee

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter

1/4 cup water

12 oz chocolate chips

Line a 9x13 pan with foil and butter the foil.  Spread pecans on the foil.  Melt butter, sugar and water together in a skillet.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until caramel color (will take at least 10-15 minutes and will be frothy).  Pour over pecans.  Spread chocolate chips over mixture.  Wait to cool and then break into pieces.  Eat until you make yourself sick.