Chex PB & Chocolate Blast

Let me preface this with: This is not our Grammie's recipe for the best Chex Mix treat you will ever have. But when you want to add a little more color in for a Holiday party, these are pretty dang good too.

From Taste of Home Cooking Holiday Magazine Edition:

Ingredients:

6  cups Rice Chex Cereal

1  cup of white vanilla baking chips

1  cup peanut butter chips

1  cup green and red M&Ms

1  cup dry roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or waxed paper. Place 3 cups of cereal in a large bowl. In small microwaveable bowl, microwave white vanilla baking chips uncovered on high until chips can be stirred smooth.

2. Pour melted chips over cereal in bowl; stir gently to evenly coat

3. Spread mixture in a single layer on one of the cookie sheets. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 using the remaining cereal and the peanut butter chips.

5. Gently break up coated cereal into large bowl. Add candy and peanuts; stir gently to combine. Store in airtight container.



Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6-8



Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs

I got this recipe from the Taste of Home Cooking magazine this month. They had A TON of great ideas for Easter and about 10 different types of deviled egg recipes.

I happen to LOVE deviled eggs and decided to make the cream cheese recipe for our St. Patrick's Day potluck at work tomorrow.

Ingredients:

8-12 hard cooked eggs
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2   Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1/4   Teaspoon salt
1/4   Teaspoon pepper
3  Bacon strips, cooked and crumbled


Directions:

Peel the hard boiled eggs and cut them in half lengthwise
Remove yolks; set whites aside

In a small bowl, mash yolks.

Add the cream cheese, mustard, salt and pepper.

Beat until blended

Stuff mixture into egg whites.

Sprinkle with bacon

{These next pictures might gross you out because they make me want to gag a little bit but I added green food coloring into the mixture for the holiday party tomorrow. We'll see if the color makes people not want to try them =)  }

Refrigerate until served.

Prep Time: 30-45 minutes {including the time it took to boil the eggs}

Serves: 16-24 

Pumpkin Milkshake

I got this from a website {that I can't remember now} when I was planning our autumn party. It's an interesting taste and you really have to like pumpkins to enjoy it, but if you do then try it out!

Ingredients:

2 oz. Dark Rum

1 Can Pumpkin Puree

1 Pint Vanilla Ice Cream

4 Cups Skim Milk

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Whipped Cream

Directions:

Place pumpkin, ice-cream, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg into blender. Blend slowly until thickened.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4-6 people

I hope everyone is having a fun Halloween weekend!

Raspberry~Topped Cream Tarts

These are SOOOO good and another creation from the Taste of Home Cooking Magazine.

Ingredients:

1         Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1/4      Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/8      Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
4         Flour Tortillas (8 Inches)
Warm Water
1         Package (8 Ounces) Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese, Softened
4         Tablespoons Sugar
2         Tablespoons Fat-Free Milk
1/2      Teaspoon Almond Extract
1         Cup Fresh Raspberries

Directions:

In a bowl; combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.
Cut tortillas with a 3-1/2 inch biscuit cutter (Or use the top of a glass to cut circles)
Brush both sides of tortilla with warm water.
Spray tops with cooking spray; sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.
Press into un-greased muffin cups

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool in pans on wire racks.

In a small bowl; combine the cream cheese, sugar, milk, and almond extract; mix well.

Spoon into tortilla shells and top with raspberries.

Serves: 16

Cinnamon Chips 'N' Dip

Believe it or not but I have TWO Mexican-themed parties coming up next weekend where we were asked to bring food. So this week will be my test driving and sample baking week.

I got this recipe off of none other than the Taste of Home Cooking Magazine. Very easy to make and very delicious! (The wording in red was my own additions/subtractions to the original recipe so feel free to ignore those.)

Ingredients:

4  Flour tortillas (8 inches)
Refreigerated Butter Spray     Melted butter with cooking brush
1  Tablespoon Sugar
1  Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
4  Ounces Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
6  Ounces Vanilla Yogurt
2  Teaspoons of Sugar
1/2  Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Directions:

Spritz tortillas with butter-flavored spray (spread melted butter on both sides of tortilla with brush)
Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges

Combine sugar and cinnamon into a bowl
Put each wedge into bowl and make sure both sides are dipped into mixture
Place on un-greased baking sheet

Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 (15 minutes) or until crisp

Meanwhile for the Dip:
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar and cinnamon until smooth.

Serve with cinnamon chips.

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Fruit Shakes

2 Bananas
8 strawberries
1/2 cup milk
1 cup vanilla yogurt
7 ice cubes

Mix in blender and done! Other fruits can be mixed as well!

Caramel Fruit Dip

(Great with apples and/or strawberries.)

8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together. Serve with fresh fruit.

Cream Cheese Tortilla Rolls

1 pkg thin flour tortillas
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
1/4 onions, chopped
1/2 can chopped black olives
1 4-oz can diced green chilis
Garlic salt and pepper to taste

In bowl combine cream cheese, onion, chilis, olives, garlic salt, and pepper. Mix well.

Spread cream cheese mixture over tortilla, then roll up. Slice into bite-sized pieces. Repeat until cream cheese mixture is gone.

Grammie's Chex Mix

Another favorite from Grammie! She made this every Christmas season, and when the aroma fills my house when I make it at Christmas, I can't help but think of her.

6 cups of rice chex
6 cups of corn chex
6 cups of wheat chex
6 cups of cheerios
6 cups of pretzel sticks
2 1/2 lbs of salted mixed nuts
1 lb of butter
1/3 cup of worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp of garlic, onion, and celery salt
2 tsps minced garlic
Dash of tobasco sauce

In saucepan, melt butter. Then add worchestershire sauce, salts, garlic, and tobasco. Leave on the stove to simmer.

In a large roasting pan, mix cereals, pretzels, and nuts. Pour sauce over dry mix and gently stir to evenly distribute sauce.

Bake at 250-degrees for two hours. First hour, covered, second hour uncovered. Stir every twenty minutes; six times total.

Allow to cool overnight.