Fudgey Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

1/2 C butter, melted
2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 8 oz. bag toffee bits
1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 12oz. bag chocolate chips
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 T butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Grease 13x9 baking dish and heat oven to 350.

Have the roll of cookie dough sitting out for around 10 minutes to soften up.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup of melted butter, 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and 3/4 cup of toffee bits. Pour mixture into the greased pan and press evenly until mixture covers bottom of pan. Refrigerate for around 15 minutes.

In a 2 qt saucepan, heat the milk, chocolate chips and the tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Stir frequently until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Spread the mixture over the graham cracker crumb mixture.

In another medium mixing bowl, break up the cookie dough and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs until blended. Crumble the mixture evenly over the chocolate layer and the sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup toffee bits on top.

Bake for about 25-35 minutes or until it's golden brown. Cool completely before cutting, probably around 2 or more hours.

Pretzel Hugs

2 bags of Hershey’s Hugs
1 “Pounder” bag of Pretzel Snaps

Preheat oven to 300

1. Unwrap Hugs
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or use a non-stick baking sheet (strongly recommend parchment paper)
3. Lay one pretzel down for every Hug and top each pretzel with a Hug. 4. Pop in the oven for 2 min, just until they are glossy and softish.
5. Remove from oven and let sit for 1 minute, to continue the softening process.
**Don’t leave in the oven too or candy will completely melt. Candy needs to only soften
6. Top each hug with another pretzel pushing down gently, so it sticks together.
7. Allow to cool and enjoy,

Charlotte McCarty's Taco Soup

This is the best taco soup I have ever eaten!

3 lbs. ground sirloin (90/10)
1 large onion cut into 16ths (half, then half, then slices…not chopped)
2 cans of Trappey's Pinto Beans with Jalapeno peppers (best), or any brand with jalapenos
2 cans whole kernel corn, any brand
1 can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
1 sm 8 oz can Rotel Zesty Tomato & Green Chili Sauce (Original)
1 can beef broth
1 package of Taco Seasoning Mix
½ pint of heavy whipping cream
Salt and Pepper & a little Tony’s Seasoning to taste (if you do use Tony’s, you may not need salt…salt last to taste.)
1 can of water…or more to suit you if too thick

Serve with broken up Taco Chips and shredded cheese on top.


1.In a large 6 quart pot, cook 3 lbs ground sirloin (90/10) with onion until the color has left (not brown)
2.Dump in everything else
3.Season
4.Let simmer 30 to 45 minutes (or ‘til you are ready to serve)

Baked Apples & Pork Chops

3-4 apples
4 tsp. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
4-6 pork chops

Grease a casserole dish. Slice apples into 1/2 to 1 inch round slices. Place sliced apples in baking pan. Melt butter and drizzle over apples. Mix cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over apples. Place pork chops on top of apples and cover pan with foil. Bake 1 hour in preheated 350 degree oven. Serves 4-6.

Apple Sweet Potato Bake

3 cups sliced peeled cooked sweet potatoes
3 cups sliced peeled tart apples
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
3 tablespoons butter or margarine

In a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer half of the sweet potatoes and apples. Combine brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper; sprinkle half over apples. Dot with half of the butter. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer or until the apples are tender.

Fudge Krinkles

1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil's Food cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350°.

Stir (by hand) dry cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl until dough forms. Dust hands with confectioners' sugar and shape dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in confectioners' sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until center is JUST SET. Remove from pans after a minute and cool on wire racks.

Sausage & Hash Brown Casserole (eggless)

2 lbs mild Tennessee Pride Country Sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
10 ¾ oz can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
8 oz container French onion dip
Minced Onion to taste
¼ cup each green & red bell pepper, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
30 oz pkg frozen hash brown shredded potatoes, thawed

In a skilled cook sausage until browned and crumbled. Drain well. In a large mixing bowl combine cheese, soup, sour cream, dip, onion, peppers, salt and pepper. Fold in potatoes. Mix well. Spread 1.2 of the hash brown mixture into bottom of a 9x13 greased baking dish. Spread ½ of the sausage over potato mixture. Repeat layering potato mixture and then sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for approx 1 hr or until casserole is golden brown.

Texas Brittle

1 bag Pretzel sticks
2 cups Pecan pieces
1 regular size bag Frito's
1/2 pkg chocolate almond bark

Mix pretzels, pecans, and Frito's. Pour onto waxed paper, spreading thin. Melt almond bark. Drizzle over snack mix. Allow to cool and dry. Separate and store in airtight container.

Best Ever & Easiest Mac & Cheese

12 oz large elbow macaroni
1 lb Velveeta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 tall cans evaporated milk
1 can of water
2 sticks of butter

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add salt and stir in macaroni. Return to a boil and cook only until noodles change in size or color (you want them to remain very undercooked). Drain at once and pour over sticks of butter in crock pot. While macaroni is cooking, heat water and milk. Pour water/milk mixture over noodles. Add Velveeta cheese. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hrs stirring occasionally.

Simple Toffee Brownies

3 (6-ounce) candy bars with almonds and toffee chips (Symphony brand is best)
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (17.6-ounce) package brownie mix with walnuts

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.

Line a 13 by 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the candy bars side by side on top of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter.

Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely, then lift from the pan using the edges of the foil. This makes it easy to cut the brownies into squares.

Carrot Souffle

This is a wonderful side dish. It was served at a minister's/wives banquet we attended this year. Everyone raved over it. It tasted more like a very delish sweet potato dish. Try it this year. You will love it :)

3 lbs carrots
2 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. plain flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 Tbs. vanilla
9 oz. margarine (melted)
4 eggs (separated)

Boil carrots until tender, drain, & mash. Blend carrots, egg yokes, vanilla, and margarine until smooth. (Use a blender to ensure smoothness) In a large bowl, mix carrot mixture, sugar, flour, and baking powder until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff, then fold into carrots. Pour mixture into a baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes. Baking time depends on the oven & size of baking dish. Souffle is done when a knife comes out clean. This dish can be mixed and frozen to bake later.

Creamy Hash Brown Casserole

1/4 cup butter, plus more for dish
1 onion, chopped
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of celery soup
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (30-ounce) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a casserole dish.

In a small skillet, melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add the sour cream, cream of celery soup, cheese, garlic powder, hash browns, and salt and pepper. Combine until well blended.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Top evenly with crushed potato chips and bake for 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Carmel Pretzel Snacks

15 ounces mini twist pretzels
2 cups mixed nuts
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). In a 9x13-inch baking dish, combine the pretzels and nuts. Set aside.

In a large saucepan combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir together over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook until very thick and at the 'firm ball' stage (260 degrees F, 125 degrees C). Remove from heat, pour over pretzel/nut mixture and mix all together. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread out on wax paper to cool.

Nuts and Bolts

2 pounds salted nuts and cashews
1 box Wheat Chex
1 box Rice or Corn Chex
1 box Cheerios
1 bag pretzel sticks
2 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Heat oven to 250 degrees F.

Mix nuts, cereals and pretzels and divide between 2 large foil roasting pans. Mix oil, sauce and salts together. Pour 1/2 in each pan over the nuts, cereals and pretzels. Bake for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on paper towels. When cooled, store in airtight containers.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

16 oz can vanilla frosting
18 oz jar creamy peanut butter

Empty jar of peanut butter into mixing bowl. Remove lid and foil from frosting. Heat frosting in microwave for 60 seconds or until completely melted. Pour melted frosting over peanut butter. Mix well. Pour into 13x9x2 pan. Allow fudge to set and cut into small squares.

Variation:

Make the above recipe as stated. Then make another batch using chocolate frosting and pour over the first batch.

Snickers Salad

6 SNICKERS candy bars
6 Granny Smith green apples
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1/2 can Condensed Milk

Chop candy bars into small squares. Core and chop apples into small bite size pieces. Mix all ingredients and chill. Enjoy!

Gooey Butter Toffee Cake Bars

1 18.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 16-ounce box confectioners’ sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup almond toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits


Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners’ sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.
Fold in toffee bits.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don’t be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don’t bake it past that point!

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.

Southwest Soup

2 lbs ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
1 – 16 oz ranch style beans
2 – 15.25 oz cans corn
1 – 10 oz can Ro-Tel Tomatoes with green chilies
2 – 10 oz cans minestrone soup
1 – 16 oz can beef broth
Shredded cheese
Cornbread

Brown meat with onion, stirring until done & crumbly; drain. Add beans, tomatoes, soup & beef broth; mix well. Simmer for 45 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese and cornbread. Serves 8 – 10.

Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

2 C Velveeta, cubed
2 C Whole Milk
2 T Flour
2 T Margarine
2 C Dry Macaroni

Cover Macaroni with water and cook until almost done, drain well. In bowl, melt margarine in microwave. Stir in flour. Stir in milk. Salt and Pepper to taste. Pour cubed cheese into milk mixture and microwave at 30 second intervals until melted, stirring often. Stir in cooked macaroni. Place in oven safe dish and bake, uncovered, at 350 for twenty minutes.

Creamy Chicken Enchilada

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
8 ounces cream cheese, chopped, softened
3-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups heavy cream

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the green chilies. Saute for 1 minute. Stir in the cream cheese and chicken. Cook until the cream cheese melts, stirring constantly. Spoon 2 to 3 Tablespoons chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Drizzle with the heavy cream. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

NOTE: To lighten this rich sauce, use picante sauce instead of the heavy cream.

SERVES: 4 or 5