Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Poppy Seed Ham Sandwiches

These are perfect for a party!
 Ingredients
24 rolls (I used two different kinds)
24 pieces honey ham (I used one package)
24 small slices Swiss cheese (I used one package of 2% Swiss)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I omitted)
1/3 cup miracle whip (I omitted)


Poppy Seed Sauce
1 tbsp poppyseeds
1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 stick butter, melted
1 tbsp minced onion (I used onion powder instead, just a sprinkle)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes. Serve warm.

** sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

 This is SOOO delicious! Definitely worth trying!

Fruit Salsa
 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
3 types of apples (I used Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Pink Lady) - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 carton of blackberries
1 (16 oz) carton of strawberries, diced
2 tablespoons white sugar (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (more or less to taste)
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used strawberry)

Directions
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. 

Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips
(Tip: If your grocery store sells Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita chips, just buy those! Mine doesn't, so I made my own! :) They were good, though!)
Ingredients
Plain Pita Chips
Cinnamon (to taste)
Sugar (to taste)
1 tbsp melted butter

Directions
Heat oven to 350. Place chips in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

 Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter
3-3 1/2 cups oats (I used old fashioned, which I worried would not work, but they did! So, either old fashioned or quick oats.)
2 tsp Vanilla

Directions
Add the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Stir in the next 3 ingredients and drop spoonfuls onto wax or foil paper. Let cool until set.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Monster Cookies

These just might be my new favorite cookie! They are ridiculously good!
You will need:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups oats (quick cooking or old-fashioned)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&M’s chocolate candies

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together butter and sugars.  Add eggs, vanilla extract, and baking soda, and mix well.  Mix in peanut butter until well-blended.  Add oats and stir until combined.  Mix in chocolate chips and M&M’s.

Drop cookies by ice cream scoopful to make monster-sized cookies about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cookies cool on baking sheets before moving to wire racks.  Store in an airtight container.
I got about 27 monster-sized cookies out of this batch!
These would be fun for Halloween or any holiday, really. You could use different colored m & m's to match your theme. For example, red and green for Christmas, pink for Valentine's, etc.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Cream Cheese Lemon Bars

 Ingredients
1 box lemon cake mix
1/3 cup butter or margarine-softened
1 egg
8 oz cream cheese-softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 lemon-grated
2 tbs lemon juice or 1/2 squeezed lemon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
In a mixing bowl, blend dry cake mix, butter, and 1 egg.
Press into a 9 x 13 pan, ungreased.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Gradually blend in the powdered sugar.
Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth.
Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture and refrigerate it for later use.
Beat the remaining 2 eggs, add the vanilla, and then beat this mixture into the remaining cream cheese mixture until well blended.
Spread over the cake mixture.
 
Bake at 350° until set, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool completely.
Spread the reserved cream cheese mixture onto the bars.
Refrigerate until firm; then cut into squares and serve.
 These were SOOOOO good! You have to try them.