Santa's Surprises

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

24 Snickers miniature candy bars

Directions

1.) Preheat oven to 325°F.

2.) In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.

3.) In a large bowl, mix together butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy.

4.) Add eggs and vanilla and combine thoroughly.

5.) Then mix in flour mixture.

6.) Cover and chill dough 2-3 hours.

7.) To form cookie, scoop a tablespoon of chilled dough and flatten.

8.) Place a miniature Snickers in the center and form the dough into a ball around the Snickers.

9.) Place on a greased cookie sheet.

10.) Bake for 10-14 minutes.

11.) Cool cookies on a rack.

12.) Optional: Decorate cookies with powdered sugar or drizzled melted chocolate or both.

Ryan and Corey gave these cookies a GIANT thumbs up!!!

Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

Though I enjoy burning marshmallows, these are actually my favorite sweet potatoes.

14 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 5 pounds)

• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place potato in a Dutch oven, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Combine the half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (half-and-half through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add potato to egg mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine flour and sugar in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over potato mixture.

Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until the topping is browned and the potatoes are thoroughly heated.

Chalupas

This is my sister in law Angela's recipe that Tracy's mom made a couple weeks ago. Its so good. And I love anything Mexican and crockpot.

2-3 lb pork roast (can use beef or chicken)
1 lb pinto beans
2 cloves garlic
1 can green chilis
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS cumin

Wash beans and put on bottom of crockpot. Place meat on top and then add spices. Fill with water to top of meat and cook overnight on low. When meat is done, removed and shred, then put back in with bean on high until beans are tender.
Serve over corn chips with cheese, salse, sour cream, tomatoes, and avocados.

Cherry Cheese Tarts (or cheesecake cupcakes, whatever you want to call them)

2 8oz packages of cream cheese
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 package Lorna Doone cookies
can of cherry or rasp pie topping

Blend cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Line cupcake pan with Aluminum liners and one cookie. Fill 1/2 full with cheese mixture and back for 12 minutes at 375. Cool, then add topping.

Pumpkin Waffles

We got this recipe from Donna while we were in Star.

2C. flour

2T. baking powder

1T. cinnamon

1T. sugar

½ t. nutmeg

½ t. coriander

¼ t. salt

4 eggs separated

1 ½ C. milk

1 C. pumpkin

¾ C. margarine or oil

1 T. vanilla

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, coriander, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, with milk, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Beat 4 egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into pumpkin mixture. Bake in waffle iron, Serve with Buttermilk syrup.

Buttermilk syrup

8T. butter

1C. sugar

½ C. buttermilk

1t. corn syrup

1t. baking soda

1t. vanilla

Heat butter, sugar, buttermilk, and corn syrup in medium sauce pan. When sugar dissolves remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Syrup will fizz, let die down and serve.

Golden Mushroom Chicken

I think these next 4 are from Kamae (we all know I wouldn't submit anything with mushrooms)


1-1 ½ cans Golden Mushroom soup
½ bottle favorite bbq sauce
chicken (4-6 chicken breasts or equivalent tenderloins)

Put frozen chicken in crock-pot. Cover with soup and bbq sauce. Cook on high 4-6 hours.

Harvest Hamburger Soup

From the Essential Mormon Cookbook

1 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey.)
2 10.5-oz. cans beef consommé (I use beef broth.)
2 cups water
1 12-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 Tbs. sugar
1 11-oz. can corn
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 packet taco seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Brown meat. In a large saucepan combine all ingredients except cheese. Cook uncovered until vegetables are tender. Add grated cheese to individual servings. Makes 6 servings. I usually serve w/ sour cream and Fritos or tortilla chips, and corn bread.

Chicken and rice

White Sauce:
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 small chicken bullion cubes

1 can cream of chicken soup
4 Tbs. cream cheese, softened

Melt butter and flour together in large saucepan. Add milk, salt, pepper, and bullion cubes. Simmer, stirring often until thickened. Add soup and cream cheese to white sauce. Stir until smooth (may need to add a little more milk). Add boiled, shredded chicken, OR put frozen chicken in crock-pot and cover with sauce. Cook on high about 5 hours. Serve over rice.

Tarragon Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I use tenderloins b/c they cook faster.)

1 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon

½ cup heavy cream

Fresh lemon juice, to taste

In a large pan, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken, season with salt and pepper and sauté gently, turning until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate. Add tarragon and cream to pan. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping any browned bits from pan bottom and blending well. Cook, stirring, until bubbling and thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes, season with lemon juice. Return chicken to pan and turn each piece several times in sauce until well coated and hot.

I serve with wild rice and a vegetable.