Peanut Blossom Cookies

Cream together:

1 cup shortening

1 cup peanut butter (I like chunky)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

Add and mix well:

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 Tbls milk

Add:

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

Form small balls of dough.  (I like to use small or medium scoop)

Roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Bake 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove from oven and push a Hershey's "Kiss" into the center of each cookie.

Cook 2 1/2 minutes more.

Cool for a couple of minutes on cookie sheet then place on cooling rack

💗Stacie McNeil Dykman

Amazing and Easy Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

 4 cups heavy cream

4 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Pour all ingredients into bowl of ice cream machine and whisk until mixed

Place bowl in ice cream shell, insert paddle, put lid on, and place motor on top

Alternate ice and rock salt in the space between the bowl and the shell.

Plug motor in and make sure the bowl turns smoothly

When motor slows down and ice cream starts to freeze, add extra ingredients for flavor if desired. (Fruit, candy, cookies, etc)

When completely frozen, serve and enjoy!

*If using less than whole milk, use 5 cups cream and 3 cups milk

💗 Six Sisters

Tropical Chicken Salad

 1 1/2 Tbls lime juice

1 1/2 Tbls honey

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 container (4 ounces) low-fat peach yogurt

1/2 tsp lemon pepper

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced, or

1-2 cans (Sams/Costco size) chicken

1 pound seedless green or red grapes

1 10 ounce can pineapple tidbits, well drained

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup diced green bell pepper

1 11 ounce can mandarin oranges, well drained

1/2 cup sliced slmonds, sugared

Mix lime juice and honey together in a small bowl.  Add mayonnaise, yogurt, and lemon pepper; mix well and set in refrigerator to blend flavors.  In a large bowl combine chicken, grapes, pineapple, celery, oranges, and green peppers.  Refrigerate.  Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss gently to mix.  Spoon filling onto cut croissaints and sprinkle with sugared almonds.

Chicken Curry Salad Sandwiches

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced, 

    or 1-2 cans chicken (Sams/Costco size)

1 cup diced celery

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbls lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp curry powder (or more, if you desire)

3 Tbls slivered almonds

1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

Mix chicken and celery together in a medium bowl.  Blend mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and curry powder.  Pour over the chicken mixture.  Add grapes, almonds, pineapple, and toss lightly.  Cover and chill in refrigerator.  Spoon filling onto a croissaint that's been cut in half.  

We had these every Super Saturday when we participated in the Mesa, AZ Easter Pageant at the LDS Temple.  It's a tasty recipe with wonderful memories attached!

💗Adapted from Lion House Recipe

Cheeseball

8 oz cream cheese

1/3-1/2 cup shredded cheese

1 bunch finely chopped green onions

1 1/2-2 Tbls Ranch dressing mix

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Set cream cheese out in a bowl and let soften for about 1 hour.  Mix all other ingredients with the cream cheese, stirring until combined.  Form into a ball and wrap in celephane wrap.  Chill.

You can also leave cream cheese mixture in a bowl and use as a dip.

Coleslaw

1 cup mayonnaise

2/3 cup sour cream

4 Tbls sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

3 Tbls white vinegar

1 large bag coleslaw mix (Sams or Costco)

1-20 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained

1 cup raisins (optional)

Finely chopped red onion, to taste (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk to combine mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, and vinegar to make dressing.  Add bag of coleslaw mix, pineapple, and raisins/red onion to dressing.  Stir well and let chill for at least 30 minutes.

*We don't use raisins but do use red onion.  I put it in a small bowl to the side so people can add however much they want to their own bowl.  If added to the large bowl, the raisins and onion turn the slaw a different color.  

💗Adapted from Lion House Recipe

Bacon-wrapped Little Smokies

1 pkg Hillshire Farms Little Smokies, Sams/Costco size

3 pkgs bacon, not thick sliced

Brown sugar

Toothpicks

Prepare baking sheet by covering with foil, shiny side down.  Heavy duty works best.

Cut bacon slices into forths and wrap each around 1 Little Smokie.  Secure with toothpick.  

Place on baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart.  Sprinkle each generously with brown sugar.

Bake at 350 until bacon is cooked, about 20-30 minutes.  I like to use Convection to cook bacon a little more evenly.

 

Korean Beef

 1 pound lean ground beef

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 cloves minced garlic

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to desired spiciness)

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes in a    small bowl.  Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown and crumble lean ground beef until no longer pink.  Drain if necessary.  Stir in soy sauce mixture, allowing to simmer until most of the liquid has reduced, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately over steamed rice or mashed/instant potatoes.  Top with thinly sliced green onions.

💗Erin

Amazing Blueberry Muffins

 5 Tbls butter

1/2 cup sugar

Finely grated zest from 1/2 lemon, or 1 tsp lemon extract

3/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt or sour cream

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

3 Tbls turbinado (raw) sugar, or regular if you don't have turbinado

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray each cup with cooking spray.  Melt butter in the bottom of a large bowl and whisk in sugar, zest, yogurt, and egg until smooth.  Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, and salt until fully combined, then lightly fold in flour and berries.  Batter will be very thick, like a cookie dough.  Divide between prepared muffin cups and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar, which will seem over-the-top but I promise, will be the perfect crunchy lid at the end.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then the rest of the way on a rack.

💗Smitten Kitchen

World's Best Rice Pudding!

 2 cups milk

3/4 cup sugar

3 slightly beaten egg yolks

2 Tbls butter

2 heaping Tbls corn starch or flour

1/4 tsp salt

Mix ingredients over medium heat stirring constantly, making sure bottom doesn't burn.  Bring to a boil.  Pudding will thicken.  Take off heat and add:

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups cooked rice

Raisins, if desired

Finish off with a good sprinkle of cinnamon and cream.  Serve warm and enjoy the deliciousness!!!

💗Thanks to Lori Flake and The Crum Sisters for the recipe!

Asparagus Bundles

 2 pounds fresh asparagus, ends trimmed

12 slices bacon

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, or 375 degrees for convection.  Divide the asparagus spears into 12 bundles.  Carefully wrap 1 piece of bacon around each bundle, starting about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the asparagus.  Secure the bacon with a toothpick if needed.  Lay the bundles in a low-sided casserole dish.  In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, garlic salt, and pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Pour the hot sugar mixture over the asparagus bundles.  Transfer the dish to the oven and roast until bacon is fully cooked, about 30 minutes.  

💗Trisha Yearwood Recipe

Hot Chocolate Bar Ideas

Colored Mallows

Mini Mallows

Mini Candy Canes

Crushed Candy Cane

Whoppers

Andes Mints

Candy Sprinkles

Lindt Chocolate Truffles

Toffee Bits

Carmel Bits

1/2 & 1/2

Torani Liquid Flavors

Whipped Cream

Flavored Coffee Creamer

Little Stir-Straws

Mini Chocolate Chips

Put in various-sized Mason Jars to serve.

💗https://littlespicejar.com/hot-chocolate-bar-party/

Cinnamon Almonds in the Crockpot

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbls cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 egg whites, divided

3 tsp vanilla, divided

5 cups plain raw almonds

1/8-1/4 cup water

Prepare your crockpot by spraying with oil and heating it on low while you prepare the almonds.  

Mix together sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

In another large bowl, beat 1 egg white and 2 tsp vanilla until it is frothy.

Put almonds in the egg white mixture and stir to coat.  This will help the sugar mixture stick to the almonds during the cooking process.

Add almonds to crockpot.  Pour the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the almonds and stir it around to coat.  

Cook for about an hour.  Prepare second egg white and remaining vanilla the same as before.  Pour over almonds in crockpot and stir until completely coated.  This second egg white will make sure more sugar will stick to almonds.

Continue cooking on low until sugar has coated almonds...3-4 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes.

Stir in water.

Pour into a single layer onto parchment paper and let it sit until dry and crunchy.

These are so tasty and make your house smell amazing!

💗Recipe adapted from "Favorite Family Recipes"