The Great Recipe Post of 2013

Here it is... the fabulous Great Recipe Post of 2013! Thanks so much for sharing your tastiness with us!

Saltine Toffee Bark (from Margaret B)

Ingredients:

• 50 saltine crackers (approximately)
• 2 sticks (1 cup) of butter
• 1 cup soft brown sugar
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup topping - M&M's, sliced almonds, sea salt, or anything you like

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 9x13 jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with cooking spray & line pan completely with saltine crackers. You may have to break some in half to fit, but try to fill the pan.

Place butter & sugar in a medium pot over low-medium/low heat. Stir until butter is melted. Once melted, bring to boil for exactly 3 minutes. Stir constantly. Once it's nice & bubbly, remove pan from heat & pour evenly over saltine crackers. Spread mixture with a knife... however, it doesn't have to be perfect. Try to move fast during this part so the toffee doesn't harden.

Place pan in oven & bake for 7-8 minutes. The toffee mixture will spread evenly over the crackers as it bakes. Remove pan from oven & then sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the toffee while it's still hot. Let the chocolate chips melt for a few minutes & then spread all over the toffee with a spatula.

Sprinkle topping on top & then place in fridge for 30 minutes. Once chocolate has hardened, break pieces off the foil & store for up to 2 weeks

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Apple & Brie Toasts (from Lauren H)

Ingredients:

• 1 baguette, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 13.2 package Brie cheese, thinly sliced
• 3 Granny Smith apples &/or Braeburn apples, cored & sliced

Instructions:

Arrange bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly toasted. Set aside. Mix together sugar, walnuts & butter. Top each slice of bread with a cheese slice, an apple slice & one teaspoon of brown sugar mixture. Bake until cheese melts. Makes 2.5 dozen.

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Taco Dip (from Anita W)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 jar Pace chunky salsa
• 1 (16oz) container sour cream
• 1 bag shredded mexican or cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Brown beef, drain, then add a little water & taco seasoning. Simmer. Spread ground beef in bottom of pan. Pour salsa over ground beef & spread. Spread sour cream over salsa. Sprinkle cheese on top. Chill for at least 1 hour.

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Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip (from Becca H)

Ingredients:

• 1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Italian shredded cheese
• 1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained very well
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease small baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except the last 3 (spinach, artichokes & mozzarella). Gently fold in spinach & artichokes.

Transfer to baking dish. Top with mozzarella.

Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly & lightly brown.

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Peppermint Punch (from Jenny M)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream
• 1 quart eggnog
• 1 liter club soda, chilled

Instructions:

Mix together in punch bowl & enjoy!

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Peanut Butter "Cheeseball" (from Casey K)

Ingredients:

• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar (you might want to sift it to get rid of lumps)
• 3/4 creamy peanut butter (not the natural kind that separates)
• 3 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• Something to dip, such as teddy grahams, graham crackers or apple slices

Instructions:

Combine cheese, sugars & peanut butter in a bowl with a spoon if you're feeling unusually energetic or a hand-mixer if you were up all last night with a crying baby. Form into some sort of shape that closely resembles a sphere & put in fridge for at least 1 hour.

Once fairly hardened, roll it around on a plate with the peanut butter & chocolate chips mixed up to hide any imperfections. Place on serving dish & serve with teddy grahams, graham crackers or sliced apples, or eat it with a spoon! Enjoy!

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Heavyset Cheese Ball (the one on the pretty wood board, from Casey K)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups whole almonds
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 3 crispy cooked bacon slices, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp dill weed
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped green onion
• sprigs for garnish, such as rosemary

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place & spread all almonds on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan & bake, pushing the almonds around until they turn color, about 20 minutes.

Mix together cream cheese & mayonnaise. Add bacon, salt & pepper, dill & onion. Chill overnight.

On a serving platter, make 2 pine cone shapes with the cheese. Begin to press almonds at a slight angle into the cheese, starting at the narrow end of the pine cone shape. Do this in rows, continuing to overlap rows until all the cheese is covered. Garnish with sprigs.

Serve at room temperature with crackers.

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Cake Box Cookies (from Heather K)

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25oz) cake mix (your favorite flavor)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of whatever else (chocolate chips, M&M's, sprinkles, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, raisins, coconut, chopped nuts, toffee bits, or a combo of these)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Mix cake mix, vegetable oil & eggs in a large bowl. Stir in additional ingredient(s). Make little balls with the dough & put on cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan & cool on wire rack.

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Smoked Cocktail Weenies (from Sara C)

Ingredients:

• pack of bacon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• smoked cocktail weenies

Instructions:

Cut bacon into thirds. Wrap around each smokie. Put in pan. Melt butter & stir in brown sugar. Pour over smokies.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Turn up heat to 400 degrees for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

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Rolo Pretzel Delights (from Abbey G)

Ingredients:

• small pretzels
• pecan halves
• Rolo Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate, unwrapped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place pretzels on prepared sheet & top each pretzel with one Rolo.

Bake 3-5 minutes or until caramel begins to soften, but not melt. Remove from oven & top with pecan halves (or additional pretzels, if you want to skip the nuts). Cool completely.

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Jalapeno Cheese Dip (from Brittany K)

Ingredients:

• 8oz sharp cheese
• 8oz cream cheese
• 8oz sour cream
• 1/4 jar jalapenos, finely chopped (mild or hot, depending on your preference)
• a little jalapeno juice

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in mixer & blend until smooth. Serve with crackers (club crackers are really good)!

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Sausage & Cream Cheese Dip (from Alisha M)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb sausage
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese
• 1 can rotel

Instructions:

Brown sausage, then add rotel & cream cheese. Stir until melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Chicken Spread (from Kristi G)

Ingredients:

• 1 12-14oz can of cooked all-white chicken breast (or fresh chicken, cooked)
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients with a mixer & chill. Serve with crackers.

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Pineapple Cheese Ball Spread (from Christa H)

Ingredients:

• 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese
• 1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
• 2/3 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 lb. dried beef, finely chopped
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients well except chopped pecans. Roll cheese mixture into ball shape, then roll in chopped pecans. Chill until serving. Serve the next day with crackers.

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Lemon Cookies (from Becky Y)

Ingredients:

• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1 small container of Cool Whip, softened
• powdered sugar in a dish where you can roll cookies

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Mix cake mix, egg & Cool Whip in large mixing bowl. Scoop teaspoon-size ball of dough & roll in powdered sugar. Drop on prepared cookie sheet. Smoosh cookie with glass cup butt... I mean bottom. Repeat steps until cookie sheet is full. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Allow to cool for 5. Makes about 2 dozenish. Try not to eat them all in one sitting.

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Green Dip (from Katie B)

Ingredients:

• 1 (16oz) container sour cream
• 1 (16oz) jar real mayonnaise
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 pack ranch dip mix
• 1 small jar of mild jalapenos, thoroughly drained (the pickled jalapeno nacho slices are really good)

Instructions:

Throw it all in the blender & blend until smooth. Serve with chips.

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Nutella No-Bakes (from Sarah R)

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup Nutella
• 2 tbsp hazelnut liqueur (optional. If you decide not to use this, substitute 2 tbsp milk)
• 2 cups rolled oats

Instructions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium/medium-low heat. Add sugar, milk & cocoa powder & mix until combined. Stir in peanut butter, Nutella & liqueur (or milk) until melted, followed by the oats. Continue mixing until all ingredients are incorporated. Reduce heat to lowest setting.

Working quickly, use a spoon to scoop & form balls of dough & place them on your prepared cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm. Store in airtight container.

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Chocolate-Covered Clementines (from Emily W)

Ingredients:

• 6 clementines
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• sea salt

Instructions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Peel & divide Clementines into sections (there are usually 10 sections per). Melt chocolate over double-boiler or in the microwave & dip the Clementine sections so that half the section is covered. Place on cookie sheet & lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Chill & enjoy!