Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ribbon Dessert

12 Nutter Butter cookies
2 Tbsp butter, melted
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
12 oz Cool Whip
2 squares semi sweet baking chocolate, melted

Crush 8 cookies.  Mix crumbs and butter.  Press onto bottom of foil lined loaf pan.  Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla.  Stir in 3 cups of Cool Whip.  Spoon 1/2 of cream cheese mix into small bowl.  Stir in melted chocolate.  Spoon half of the other half of the cream cheese over crust.  Top evenly with chocolate mix.  Cover with remaining cream cheese mix.  Freeze at least 4 hours.  Invert onto plate and remove foil. Then reinvert onto platter so that crumb layer is on bottom.  Coarsely break remaining 4 cookies.  Top dessert with remaining cool whip and cookies.

Serves 12

Pasta and Bean Skillet

1 pound ground beef, browned
1 cup salsa
2/3 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (2 oz)
3/4 cup water
2 tsp chili powder
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat all ingredients except cheese to boiling in large skillet; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until macaroni is tender.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 4

Oven Brunch Bake

4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp dijon mustard
3 cups cubed french bread
1 pkg (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped red peppers
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped ham

Beat eggs, milk and mustard in a bowl with whisk until well blended.  Add remaining ingredients; stir gently to mix well.  Pour into lightly greased 12x8 dish; cover.  Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  Preheat oven to 325.  Uncover baking dish.  Bake 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Serves 8

Chocolate Banana Bread

6 very ripe bananas
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup ground pecans
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 2 loaf pans.  In a small bowl, mash bananas together with vanilla.  In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oil, sour cream, and eggs, stirring until combined.  In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to sugar mixture, stirring until just combined.  Stir in banana mixture, ground pecans, and chocolate morsels.  Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pans for 15 minutes;  remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Makes 2 loaves.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth
1 cup thick and chunky salsa
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

In saucepan, heat broth, salsa and chicken to boiling.  Meanwhile, divide crushed chips among 6 serving bowls.  Spoon hot soup over chips, then top with avocado, cheese and cilantro. 

Serves 6

Spinach Lasagna

1 (32 oz) container Ricotta cheese
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (very important to drain)
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 jars (26 oz each) spaghetti sauce
12 no boil lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix ricotta, spinach, 3 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan, and eggs.  Start assembling as it fits in your pan with the following layers:  sauce, noodles, 1/2 ricotta mix, noodles, sauce, ricotta mix, noodles, sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining parmesan cheese.  Bake 45 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

Serves 9

Tex Mex Corn Chip Chili

2 Tbsp EVOO
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can rotel
salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 finely chopped jalapeno (if you like extra heat)
12 oz shredded pepper jack cheese
Fritos

Heat olive oil and add beef.  Cook for 7 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beans, with their liquid, tomatoes, and jalapeno; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in the cilantro, then top with the cheese, cover and let stand until the cheese melts.  Serves with Fritos.

Serves 6

Party Cheese Ball

2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp finely chopped onions
1 Tbsp chopped red peppers
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Wheat Thins

Beat cream cheese and cheddar cheese in small bowl until well blended.  Mix in all remaining ingredients except pecans and Wheat Thins; cover.  Refrigerate at least several hours or overnight.  Shape into ball; roll in pecans.  Serve with Wheat Thins.

Makes 24 servings.

Fabulous Fruit Bars

Base:
2 pouches Sugar cookie mix
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
Filling
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
Topping
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp almond extract

Heat oven to 350.  Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  In bowl, stir base ingredients until soft dough forms.  Press half of dough in bottom of pan.  Spread pie filling over dough.  Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling.  Bake 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 10 minutes.  In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth.  If necessary, add additional milk, 1 tsp at a time, until thin enough to drizzle.  Drizzle glaze over warm bars.  Store covered at room temperature.

Makes 24 bars

Potato Gratin with Gruyere

1 cup half and half
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 oz gruyere cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 9 inch glass pie plate.  Set aside.  In saucepan, combine half and half, cayenne pepper and salt; heat to boiling.  Add potatoes and cook 2-3 minutes or until half and half mixture thickens slightly, stirring gently with spatula.  Transfer half of potato mixture to prepared gratin dish; sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup gruyere.  Top with remaining potato mixture and remaining Gruyere.  Bake gratin 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and top is golden and bubbly.

Serves 4