Peanut Butter Bars

For those of you who went to school in Shelbyville....you may remember the famous Peanut Butter Bars served in the school cafeteria. Well here is the recipe. Courtesy of Robin Yockey and Sue Leach. These bars are Yummy and Gooey!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 TBS vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Cream butter,peanut butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs. Beat until fluffy. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Put in a greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Ice with white icing. I used a glaze.

Marney

Champagne Salad

This recipe is from Mom's college roommate Patty....It is great for a dessert or a brunch.
Champagne Salad
Cream together:
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
Add:
1 10 oz. pkg frozen strawberries, with juice --thawed
Beat strawberries into cream cheese mixture until well blended.
Fold in:
8 oz. can crushed pineapple - drained
2 bananas - chopped
1 c. choppped pecans
1 med. Cool Whip
Blend well
Pour mixture into a 9" x 13" pan, cover well and freeze. It needs to sit out for a while when you are ready to serve to making cutting easier. I usually use a glass pan, but have used foil pans and it works well. I love this recipe and have kept leftovers in the freezer for weeks. Most recently I froze the salad in foil lined muffin cups which makes in easy to thaw just one cup for a quick snack.

Snickers Popcorn

I made this yummy popcorn for Halloween! The kids really liked it! How could you not like caramel popcorn with snickers!!! I found this recipe on pinterest. The original source is from Cookies and Cups.

Ingredients:
8 quarts air popped popcorn (about 2 cups kernels, i used about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup salted butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup salted peanuts (i omitted because i didn't have any, but will add next time)
30 fun size snickers bars, chopped
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate (optional, i did not add)

Directions:
While popcorn is popping combine butter, brown sugar, salt, and corn syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Pour over popcorn, stir, and then sprinkle with peanuts. Bake in a large roasting pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 200 degrees. Stir every minutes. Add snicker bars for the last few minutes of baking. Allow to cool on wax paper. Drizzle with melted chocolate if you so desire. I did not, but more chocolate could never hurt!

Jill

Indoor S'mores or Golden Graham Bars

8 cups Golden Grahamscereal
5 cups marshmallows
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup light corn syrup
5 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup miniature marshmallow, if desired
Measure cereal into a large bowl. Butter a 9x13 pan. In a large microwavable bowl, microwave 5 cups marshmallows, chocolate chips, corn syrup, and butter uncovered on high 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute, until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in vanilla.
Pour over cereal; quickly toss until completely coated. Stir in 1 cup marshmallows. Press mixture evenly into pan, using buttered back of spoon. Let stand 1 hour or refrigerate if you prefer a firmer bar

Homemade Marshmallows

I decided to try these out for Valentine's Day this year. I'm still not sure why I made these since no one in my immediate family enjoys marshmallows, but it was fun. Did I say fun?? Maybe I should say interesting or messy. I complained a lot while making them, but I actually think I would try them again (oil hands while handling would make things much easier). The recipe came fom Taste of Home Dec/Jan 2010.

Ingredients:
2 tsp butter
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp clear vanilla extract

Optional toppings: melted chocolate (I did this - my favorite), hot fudge, carmel topping.
Optional garnishes: baking cocoa, crushed candies, chopped nuts, colored sugars/sprinkles (I also did this - red and pink for Valentine's Day)

Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil and grease the foil with butter; set aside. In a large metal bowl, sprinkle gelating over 1/2 cup water; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar corn syrup, salt, and remaining water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer reads 240 degrees (soft ball stage). Yeah - I didn't have a candy thermometer so i used a meat one (ha ha, seemed to work) and no idea what soft ball stage means, but maybe you do! Remove from heat and gradually add to gelatin. Beat on high speed until mixture is thick and the volume is doubled, about 15 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Spread into prepared pan. They make this part sound easy - uh no!! Grease up your spoon, hands, and everything or you will turn into a giant marshmallow like I did. Scared yet?? Cover and let stand at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight. Using foil, lift marshmallows. With a knife or pizza cutter coated with cooking spray, cut into 1 inch squares. Dip or drizzle with toppings or garnishings.

Jil

Fruit Pizza

I made this last night for my PEO meeting and it was a hit. I used strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and mandarin oranges.

Ingredients:
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I did not use vanilla and still great, but may try it next time)
whatever fruit you choose!

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-inch pizza pan or spray with cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough; press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. I used a jelly roll pan.
2. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese.
4.Add fruit
5. It is that simple and is oh so pretty!

Jill

Carmel Puff Corn

This is a great fall treat. I love to make it on a cool morning and then put in treat bags for friends/neighbors. Believe me, you will want to give it away for you gobble it all up. It is that good!

Ingredients:
10 oz. bag hull-less plain corn puffs
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda

Combine butter, corn syrup and brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
Boil for one minute. Take off heat and add baking soda; stir until foamy.
Pour over the corn puffs and stir.
Bake on baking sheet for 45 minutes at 250 degrees F, stirring every 15 minutes.
Dumps puffs onto wax paper. Let cool.
Break apart clumps into bite-size pieces.
Store in an air tight container.

Jill