Whachamacalits

1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
5 ½ cups Rice Crispies
1 cup chocolate chips

Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil and remove from heat. Add 1 cup peanut butter and stir well. Combine Rice Crispies and press into a 9x13 greased pan. Immediately drop chocolate chips over the top. As the chocolate chips begin to melt, spread over the top with spatula.

Chocolate Chip Cookies-Haley Dame

Haley is my sister in law, and for Christmas she sent me a few recipes. I've been meaning to put them on here, but today I made her famous cookies and they were delicous! So I was reminded to put it up here to share with all of you. I love Haley's cute personality and it really shows through with this recipe. Here it is, word for word the way she sent it to me. Love ya, Haley!

Haley's advice for a good cookie, "never use cheap chips, never use crisco (woman, that is how your momma's momma did it!), never mix the eggs to much and if a child wants to help ALWAYS let them...the cookies taste better everytime!"

Preheat the oven to 375

ingredients:
2 sticks butter- left out in the orange kitchen aide for several hours. Do not microwave to soften, they know what you're up to!
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
Cap full of vanilla
2 Large eggs- preferably from the chicken coop outside.
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 C wheat germ
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 bag of 12 oz. white chocolate chips and a 1/2 bag of 12. oz semi sweet chips. She recommends nestle premium or giradelli.

Beat butter,sugars, eggs (beat one at a time), add vanilla and beat more. Add wheat germ, flour, soda, salt and chocolate.

*I switched it up a bit, and instead of doing 3 C whole wheat flour I added 2 C and added 1 C of oats. I also did a whole bag of just semi sweet chocolate minis and slivered almonds. I'm one of those nut and chocolate freaks. I probably would have added coconut as well, but I didn't have any in the cupboard. Oh well. Nevertheless they were delicious!

Low Fat Strawberry Dessert

Ingredients

Yellow cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup applesauce
4 egg whites

Light Cool Whip

1 pound strawberries

Mix cake, water, applesauce and egg whites as directed on cake box. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 in 11" by 15" pan (or until toothpick in middle comes out clean). Cool. Cut off crust. Cut remaining cake into 1" squares.

Slice strawberries lengthwise.

Layer 1/2 the cake, 1/2 the strawberries, and 1/2 Cool Whip (I used the small Cool Whip but would recommend either two containers or one large container). Repeat layers leaving out 2 strawberries (sliced) for garnish on top of the Cool Whip. Enjoy!

Caramel Krispies

2 bags (12 oz) marshmallows
1 cube butter
1 box (15 oz) rice krispies
1 bag (12 oz) miniature marshmallows
1 lb. caramels
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cube butter

Put 2 bags marshmallows in mixing bowl, slice butter on top of marshmallows. Put in microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes (when marshmallows start to expand, they are done). Take out and stir well (mixture will continue to melt as it is stirred). Mix marshmallow cream and cereal together. Divide in half and spread half on a cookie sheet. Place miniature marshmallows on top of first layer of rice krispie treats. Melt caramel, milk and butter in microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes. Keep checking and stirring until melted. Pour over marshmallows. Cover with remaining rice krispie mix. Note: these cut better if refrigerated but serve better at room temperature.

Just trying to fatten everyone up!

Moo Goo Mud Pie

This is a lot of work but it is SO WORTH every drop of work that is put into it!
Ingredients

½ gallon ice cream (butter pecan, maple nut, vanilla, cookies and cream, etc.)

Crust:
1 - 15 oz pkg chocolate Oreos
1 cube melted butter or margarine

Chocolate sauce (better if this is doubled):
1 oz semi sweet baking chocolate
¼ cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
5 oz evaporated milk
⅔ cup sugar
⅛ tsp salt

Optional topping:
¼ cup slivered almonds

Crush cookies in a blender (use pulse setting and only do 1/3 package at a time). Mix crumbs with melted butter and press firmly into bottom of a 9x13 pan. Soften ice cream and spread over cookie crust. Freeze. Melt chocolate. Add butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and milk (in that order). Boil slowly for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Spread over frozen pie. Sprinkle with almonds and return to freezer.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (fat free)
1 teaspoons almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, coconut and salt. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla using your hands until well blended. Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about golf ball size.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until coconut is toasted

Once cooled you can drizzle melted chocolate and even add toasted almonds.

Low Fat Chocolate Cake

1 can 12 oz. Diet Coke
1 Milk Chocolate Cake Mix

Mix diet coke with dry cake mix and bake according to box.

*Note- Since this cake has so little fat, it is a little more delicate. It should be baked in a 9x13 dish. I haven't had much luck using frosting, it weighs the cake a little too much. So I tried cool whip or chocolate cool whip, it works better. And I bet a homemade chocolate mousse would be awesome!*

Low Fat Brownies- Lindsay Conover

Ingredients
1/2 Cup Black beans (pureed in a food processor)
1/2 Cup Water
1 Brownie Mix

Measure 1/2 cup of black beans from a can then puree black beans and add water to beans, stir. Pour black beans and brownie mix into a bowl and stir by hand, bake according to box. But make sure you check on the brownies about 5 minutes before the cook time ends, they tend to cook a bit faster.

*This tastes just like regular brownies! It's amazing!*

Best Carrot Cake. Ever. And I mean it- Aunt Joni

Carrot Cake to brag about- Aunt Joni
2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
¾ C oil
¾ C buttermilk
2 C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
8 oz. Crushed pinapple (drained of excess juices)
2 C grated carrots
1 ¼ C grated coconut
1 C chopped pecans

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. In separate bowl beat eggs, add oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, pinapple, carrots and nuts. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Bake in a well greased bundt cake at 350 for 55 minutes. When done let cake cool, and spread coconut pecan frosting on top of cake and cream cheese frosting on the sides.

Coconut- Pecan Frosting
3 egg yolks
1 C evaporated milk
1 C sugar
½ C butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 C flaked coconut
1 C chopped pecans

Beat egg yolks and milk in a 2-quark saucepan. Stir in sugar, butter and vanilla. Cook over medium heat about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick. Stir in coconut and pecans. Beat until frosting is spreading consistency.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz. Package cream cheese
¼ C butter
2 C powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Symphony Brownies- Andrea Larson

ingredients:
3 symphony bars (the ones with the toffee chips)
2 brownie mixes (make according to box)

Your favorite home made chocolate frosting, or 1 can store bought frosting

directions:
in a greased, 9x13 pan spread half of the brownie batter onto pan. Place symphony bars layering over the batter, and spread the remaining batter on top of the bars. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour, give or take...until knife is inserted and comes out clean. (it's a little hard to tell due to the melted chocolate bars in the center, I have a terrible habit of undercooking these brownies). Let cool, and spread chocolate frosting on top.

Tip: This recipe is VERY rich! And could easily be reduced by half, and baking in a smaller 8 inch square baking dish. Serve with vanilla icecream.

Crack in a Bag, AKA Chex Mix Delight - Allison Williams

1 box chex cereal ( i use half rice and half corn chex for different colors)
1 box golden graham cereal
2 cups coconut
2 1/2 cups slivered almonds
2 cups chopped pecans ( pecans are optional. May use any nuts, dried fruit, etc)
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups karo syrup (the clear kind)
wax paper

Mix together 1st four ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. Boil butter, sugar, and syrup together for 2 minutes. Pour over dry ingredients, mix to coat. Pour onto wax paper to fully cool. Add different nuts, dried fruit etc.

I add my pecans to the mixture first or while mixing with the sugars. Depending on the size of your bowl, it may be easier to mix on the wax paper. You can't really go wrong with this recipe. You kinda add whatever whenever, and however much you want. I also don't know what size cereal boxes you "should" use. I get the 12.8 oz boxes of chex. And I don't remember if I get the smaller or larger box of golden grahams. Again, can't go wrong.

Eclaire Cake- Erin Johnson

2 box of vanilla pudding ( i always use sugar free)
3 Cups Skim Milk
Graham Crackers
1 container cool whip ( i use light also)
1 container of Chocolate frosting

Mix 2 boxes of vanilla pudding with 3 cups cold milk. dont let the pudding set but when it thickens fold the container of cool whip. Do it gently so you dont take the air out of the cool whip... On the Bottom of a 13X9 pan lay graham crackers down. put half the pudding/cool whip mixture down. another layer of graham crackers and the rest of the mixture. let set over night or at least for a few hours. (over night is better) One it has set take the chocolate frosting put it in the microwave for about 20 sec or so til it gets smooth. Spead over the top of the cake and let it set. Only takes a few min to hard. Eat chilled.

Caramel Oatmeal bars- Andrea Larson

32 individually wrapped caramels
5 T heavy cream
1 C flour
1 C oats
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2/4 C melted butter
1/2 C chocolate chips
1/2 C chopped walnuts or pecans.

In addition, make another 1/2 of oatmeal mixture for the top crust:
1/2 C flour
1/2 C oats
measure 1/4 C and half of 1/4 C brown sugar (technically 3/8, but I don't own that size of measuring cup)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/8 C melted butter (measure the same as you did for brown sugar)

Preheat oven to 350, in sauce pan melt caramels, and cream stirring occassionally. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, stir in melted butter until well blended. Press onto bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Make the additional oatmeal mixture in separate bowl and set aside. Remove crust and sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Pour caramel over chocolate and crumble the additional oatmeal mixture on top of caramel. Return to oven and bake for an additional 12 minutes or until the top is slightly toasted.

Sugar Cookies- Debbie Weight

1 C shortening
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 C sour cream
5-6 C flour

Cream together shortening, eggs, salt, baking powder, sugar, vanilla and sour cream. Add flour gradually. Refrigerate overnight, and roll out 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Let cool and frost with home made frosting.

Sugar Cookies- Sherrel Geilmann

ingredients:
3/4 C butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour

Cream together butter, eggs and sugar. Add baking powder, salt, vanilla and flour. Let cool overnight and when chilled roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shape and bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature and frost with your favorite homemade frosting.

Tip: I usually double this recipe.

Chocolate Trifle- Tara Hale

2 packages instant chocolate pudding
2 1/2 C cold milk
2 containers cool whip
baked brownies, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

Combine pudding mixes, cold milk and 1 container cool whip. Refrigerate until set. Layer brownies, pudding mixture, strawberries and whipped cream. Keep layering until you reach the top of trifle dish and decorate with strawberries or raspberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookies- Sherrel Geilmann

2/3 C shortening
2/3 C butter
1 C sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
2 eggs

Cream together these ingredients. Then add:

1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 C flour
1 package semi sweet chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

Yogurt Cake

1 white cake mix
2 raspberry flavored yoplait yogurts
4 eggs whites
(look on cake mix for the amount of water the box calls for)

Topping:
1 tub light cool whip
2 raspberry flavored yoplait yogurts

Mix together white cake mix, 2 yogurts, egg whites and water. Pour in a greased 9x13 pan and bake as according to cake mix box. Let cool completely. Combine ingredients for topping and spread on cake. Let cool until ready to serve.

Tip: This is really good topped with fresh raspberries, strawberries and kiwi's. Or makes a really pretty trifle layering cake, cool whip mixture and fruit.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies- Aunt Cindy

Ingredients:
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 C butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 C cocoa
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
48 caramel or peanutbutter filled hershey kisses

Cream both sugar's, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt. Add baking soda and cocoa, flour. Make small ball of dough and push hershey kiss inside ball. Make sure hershey kiss is covered completely with dough. Roll dough in white sugar and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls- Christine Weight

1 T yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
2 T honey
4 cups flour (plus additional if needed)
2 T vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt

Caramel stuff:
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. water
5 T. butter

Inside of Cinnamon Roll:
3 T butter
Cinnamon & sugar

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter
3 T. milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine yeast, warm water & honey. Let rest for about 15 minutes.

2. Add first 2 cups of flour and mix it all up to a batter like consistency. Cover and let rest for an hour in a warm area (example in front of a window).

3. Add the 2 T. vegetable oil and the 1 tsp. salt. Slowly add the last 2 cups of flour and mix until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Roll dough into a ball. Spray bowl with PAM or lightly grease with oil. Put dough ball back into bowl and roll it around so that it is lightly covered with the PAM or oil. Cover and let rise 45 minutes.

4. While you're waiting, mix up the caramel stuff. Microwave or heat up on stove. Mix it all together until butter is all melted and caramel mix is smooth and thoroughly mixed together with the butter. Dump into 13x9 pan.

5. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Roll into a rectangle about 10x15.

6. Spread 3 tbsp butter on dough and sprinkle w/cinnamon and sugar. Roll it all up tightly along the long side. Pinch off the ends. Also pinch off the long edge. Cut log into 12 equal portions. Put into caramel lined 13x9 pan and them rise ½ hour.

7. Bake 20 minutes at 350°.

8. For the frosting whip the butter and then slowly add the other ingredients and mix until you've reached the desired consistency.

9. Take the cinnamon rolls out of the oven and let cool slightly then spread frosting on top of them.