Pizza Dip with French Bread Crisps by Katelyn Fischer

Pizza Dip with French Bread Crisps

Pizza Dip

8 oz. cream cheese - softened

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 grated parmesan

1 cup pizza sauce (or your favorite jarred pasta sauce)

2 oz. sliced pepperoni 

1. Preheat over to 350. Saute onions and garlic over medium heat in oil 6-8 minutes. 

2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, parsley, basil, and sautéed onions and garlic. 

3. Spread cream cheese mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of parmesan over the cream cheese mixture.

4. Top with the pizza sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the sauce and top with pepperoni. 

5. Bake in preheated over for 20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

French Bread Crisps

1 loaf of french bread 

melted butter or olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Slice the french bread diagonally (and depending on what size you want your crisps, cut slices in half or quarters). 

3. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the bread with melted butter or olive oil. 

4. Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars by Suzanne Teke

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Dirty Shirley Temple by Kristen Secrist

Dirty Shirley Temple

1 oz vodka
5 - 6 oz Sprite
1 dash grenadine syrup

Cherries

Dorito Chicken by Shannon DiGiacomo

• 1 cup crushed spicy doritos
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk (I use 1 or 2 %)
• 8 to 10 ounces chicken tenderloin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Put crushed chips in a shallow bowl.
3. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk egg and milk until combined.
4. Dip chicken breasts in milk mixture and then dip in chips, coating the chicken. Place on prepared baking sheet and lightly spray tops with cooking spray.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Circus Animal Cookie Truffles by Cassie DuBois

Circus Animal Cookie Truffles

      

Makes 20-24 truffles depending on the size

1 bag circus animal cookies {12 or 13 oz}
8 oz cream cheese frosting OR 6 oz plain cream cheese, slightly softened
White and pink* candy melts or almond bark
Pink and white nonpareils or rainbow sprinkles 

*Pink candy melts can be found at Hobby Lobby, Michael's craft store and some grocery stores or bakeries. If you can't find pink candy melts, simply add a few drops of pink food coloring to melted white candy/almond bark.

Place half of the animal cookies in a food processor and whirl around until finely ground. Pour cookie crumbs in a large bowl and repeat with remaining cookies. Add the frosting or cream cheese in the bowl with the cookie crumbs and mix well. Use your hands if desired because this will make mixture more consistent. Form cookie mixture into approximately 1 inch truffles and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to harden back up a bit and make for easier rolling.

 When you are ready to decorate, prepare candy melts according to package directions, one color at a time, being careful not to over heat. Dip half of truffles in the melted candy/chocolate and return them to the parchment paper lined baking sheet, pouring on sprinkles after each candy dip. Don't wait too long to add sprinkles or the candy will harden and the sprinkles will not stick. Repeat with other candy. 

Chalupas by Cherene Wang

chalupas

Yield: 4 servings (8 chalupas)

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas- or use corn if you'd like, but they should be fried first
2 cups refried beans
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend
1 cup fresh salsa
1 cup sour cream
2 cups finely chopped lettuce (optional)
1 cup guacamole (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place 4 tortillas on the baking sheet and heat on the center rack in the oven for 4 minutes.
2. Remove the baking sheet from oven and turn over the tortillas. Spread each tortilla with 1/4 cup refried beans and top with 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until the cheese is hot and bubbling and the tortillas are crisp, 5 to 7 more minutes. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
3. Serve immediately, topping each tortilla with salsa & sour cream. Add lettuce and guacamole too, if desired.

Tips:

*In Mom's original recipe, she used corn tortillas, fried lightly in oil, and proceeded with the recipe as instructed.
*Have leftover taco meat? Crumble it on top to make this meal more substantial.
*This recipe is gluten-free adaptable- use GF corn tortillas instead of flour, and make sure that the refried beans and salsa that you're using do not contain any gluten.

Source: RecipeGirl.com

Pizza Casserole by Allison Forbes

Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:

2 lbs hamburger

1 medium onion

1 medium chopped green pepper (optional)

1 large can mushrooms drained (optional)

2 large jars spaghetti sauce

3 c uncooked seashell macaroni 

1 package sliced pepperoni

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Grease 9x13 pan. 

2) Boil 3 cups of pasta according to directions on box. Drain and then spread evenly across bottom of pan.

3) Pour half the spaghetti sauce over pasta. 

4) Brown hamburger and add in onion and green pepper and mushrooms if desired. 

5) Sprinkle hamburger mixture over sauce.

6) Top with remaining sauce.

5) Layer pepperoni over entire dish. 

6) Top with the shredded cheese. 

7) Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!