Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

This is one of the recipes E entered into the Peanut Festival Recipe contest.

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 cups Peanut Butter
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted cocktail Peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, beat peanut butter and brown sugar until well blended. Scrape down bowl and add egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Add flour. Mix on low just until blended.

Roll the cookies into balls. Place on prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes until puffed and dry looking on top. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and place on wire rack. Allow cookies to cool completely.

Dip each end of cookie into melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Dip into chopped peanuts. Place cookies on parchment or wax-paper covered baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.

Cheesy Rice and Corn Casserole

At our recent church picnic, someone brought this yummy dish. She found it on Kraftfoods.com. Here is the recipe as listed on their website.



1/2 cup PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese with Chive & Onion
1 egg, beaten
2 cups cooked instant brown rice
1 can (15-1/4 oz.) corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

HEAT oven to 375°F. Mix cream cheese and egg in large bowl until well blended.
Stir in rice, corn, 3/4 cup Cheddar and cilantro. Spoon into greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish.
SPRINKLE with remaining Cheddar.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until Cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.

Banana Pudding

My cousin Michelle has so graciously shared another family favorite recipe with me. She used to work at a local BBQ restaurant and got this recipe from them.

Banana Pudding

1 lg. pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 1/4 c. milk
1 can Eagle Brand milk
2 (8 oz.) containers Cool Whip
1 pkg. vanilla wafers
5 to 6 bananas or desired amount

Blend pudding and milk, add Eagle Brand milk and Cool Whip. Refrigerate until set. Add bananas in mixture. In 9x13 pan, layer vanilla wafers, and pudding mixture, ending with pudding mixture on top. Top with cool whip and crushed vanilla wafers.

Chocolate Delight

My cousin, Michelle, shared with me some more of her yummy dessert recipes. I want to share them with you so you can see for yourself just how delicious they really are. Be warned, they are rich, delicious, and not figure friendly. But that's OK.....a little good stuff every once in a while is a good thing, right?


CHOCOLATE DELIGHT

1 stick butter
1 1/4 c. plain flour
1/2 c. pecans or walnuts
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1 (9 oz.) carton Cool Whip
2 pkgs. instant chocolate pudding
3 c. milk

Blend flour and butter with fork. Mix in pecans. Spread evenly in a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until brown. Let cool.

Whip cream cheese and mix in powdered sugar and 1/2 carton of Cool Whip. Spread on crust. Prepare 2 packages pudding using 3 cups milk. Spread on top of cheese layer. Refrigerate 1/2 hour. Top with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with nuts or grated chocolate.

Note: May use lemon pudding instead of chocolate, for Lemon Delight or any desired flavor of pudding...chocolate is the best!!!!

Michelle's Pound Cake

My cousin, Michelle, always brings such yummy desserts to our family functions. On Easter, she brought a fantastic pound cake. She graciously shared her recipe with me.

8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 sticks butter, softened
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Blend together the butter and cream cheese. Add sugar; mix well. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each.

Add flour slowly; mixing well. Add vanilla and salt; mix until well blended. Pour into desired pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.