Pecan Cake Bars

Marsha Withrow Wilson

Pecan Cake Bars

For crust:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt

For topping:

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, leaving enough for a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

First make the crust by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly.

Press the crust into the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a saucepan and stirring it over medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Remove the crust from the oven and immediately pour the pecan filling over the hot crust spreading it to cover the entire surface.

Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Remove the pan and allow the bars to fully cool in the pan.

Use the foil overhang to lift out the bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Peel off the foil, slice into bars and serve.

Single-Serving Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie

Jodie Shoupe

FOR THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE COOKIE! 

1 tbsp butter melted

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tbsp brown sugar

3 drops of vanilla

pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup flour

2 tbsp chocolate chips

 MICROWAVE 40-60 SEC IN A CUP OR BOWL... Single serving deep dish chocolate chip cookie!

French Toast Bake

Courtney Luper

 FRENCH TOAST BAKE 

Ingredients
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions
1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around
3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
4. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
6. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast
7. Spoon on remaining egg mixture
8. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar
11. Serve with warm maple syrup

Peanut Butter Cheese Ball

Peggy Tackett Wicker

Peanut Butter “Cheese Ball”
Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not all-natural)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
Graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, and/or apple slices for dipping

Instructions:
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until blended.
Spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap; bring up all four corners and twist tightly forming into a ball shape.
Freeze for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm enough to keep its shape. Place peanut butter and chocolate chips in flat dish. Remove plastic wrap from ball and roll ball
into morsels to completely cover, pressing morsels into the ball if necessary.
Place ball on serving dish; cover and freeze for 2 hours or until almost firm. (Can be made ahead. If frozen overnight, thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.) Serve with graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, or apple slices for dipping or spreading.

Sweet Hawaiian Slow Cooker Chicken

Solution For Every Day Problems

SWEET HAWAIIAN CROCK-POT CHICKEN

2lb. Chicken tenderloin chunks
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce

Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Bendi Cowan

Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting -

•2 eggs, slightly beaten
•3/4 cup packed brown sugar
•1/2 cup canola oil
•1/4 cup honey
•1 tsp vanilla
•1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
•1 cup shredded zucchini
•1/2 cup chopped walnuts
•1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•1 tsp baking powder
•1/2 tsp ground ginger
•1/4 tsp baking soda

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

•1 (8 oz) pkg reduced fat cream cheese
•1 cup powdered sugar
•1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1.Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey, and vanilla. Don’t worry about clumps of the brown sugar, those will dissolve as it sits while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Then fold in the carrot, zucchini, and walnuts
2.In another bowl combine add the flour, baking powder, ginger, and baking soda. Whisk to blend together.
3.Add to flour mixture to the wet mixture. Stir just until combined. Spread batter into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
4.Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
5.Once the cake is cooled prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the fosting ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled bars. Makes 36 bars.

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

At Home with Terri

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

Ingredients:
5-6 boneless chicken breasts (approx 2 1/2 lbs)
16 oz can of pineapple slices, drained
15 oz can of mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp ground ginger
salt/pepper, to taste preference

Directions:
Spray crock pot with non stick cooking spray or use liners. Place chicken in pot.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together corn starch, brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger and salt/pepper. Pour over chicken.
Next, pour in drained pineapple slices and mandarin oranges
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Server over rice and enjoy!!!

Courtesy of table for seven

Toffee Chocolate Bars

Susan Harder

Block Party?? I would like to bring dessert...

Toffee Chocolate Bars

Base:
3/4 c margarine,softened3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 c flour

topping:
10 oz tin sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp margarine
1 3/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1 1/3 c toffee bits
Base..cream together margarine,brown sugar and flour until well blended and mixture sticks together. Press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350* for 20-25 min or until light golden. Cool while preparing filling.
filling...Heat sweetened condensed milk and margarine in heavy pan,stirring constantly over med heat for 5-10 min or until thickened. Spread over cooled base. Bake at 350* for 12-15 min or until golden. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Bake for 2 min longer or until chocolate is shiny and soft. Remove from oven. Spread chocolate evenly. Sprinkle toffee bits on top,pressing lightly into chocolate. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Bacon Wrapped Smokies with Brown Sugar and Butter

Recipes Tips Tricks

BACON WRAPPED SMOKIES WITH BROWN SUGAR AND BUTTER

Warning: PARTY FOOD!I guarantee if you make these, they will be gone! I made them for a gathering and
everyone just kept eating them, and eating them …

Ingredients
1 pound Bacon, Cut Into Thirds
1 pound Lil’ Smokies (small sausages)
1 stick Butter
2 cups Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 375F.
Cut the bacon into thirds and wrap each smokie.(small sausage)
Place all the wrapped smokies in a single layer in a baking dish.
Then melt the stick of butter and then 1 cup of brown sugar and stir until mixed well.
Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture on the smokies and bacon.
Then take the other cup of brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the smokies.
Bake them for about 15-20 minutes and then turn the heat up to 400F for about 5 minutes or longer until the bacon becomes crispy.

Apple Praline Bread

Carl Barbaro

Nothing like bread...especially Apple bread...baking in the oven on a winters day. The house smells wonderful! And this bread is to die for!

It is a KEEPER!!!! So tasty!

Apple Praline Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup nuts (walnut or pecan or a combo), divided

For the praline sauce:
¼ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Set aside. (I used stoneware loaf pan for perfect cooking)

Using an electric mixer, beat together the sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla on low speed for a couple of minutes until well blended. Stop the mixer and then add in the flour, leavening agents and salt. Continue to beat on low until well combined.

Fold in the apples and half the nuts into the batter. Transfer the batter into the greased loaf pan.
Sprinkle the rest of the nuts on top and then press them lightly into the batter. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the loaf pan for about 20-30 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. So it doesn't get too dark, I suggest using a light colored loaf pan.

For the praline sauce:

In a small sauce pan, place the butter and brown sugar. Using medium heat, bring to a boil. Lower the heat and then simmer lightly for about one minute, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and then drizzle over the bread. Cool completely.