Scalloped Potatoes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, melt butter in large Dutch oven (or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan) over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion and saute until it turns soft and begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cream, milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a light simmer, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with some resistance), about 15 minutes.

Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer potato mixture to a 3-quart gratin dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until the cream has thickened and is bubbling around sides and the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Salad

2 bunches of broccoli.  (I use a 1/2 bag of the broccoli crowns from Costco)
1/4 c. red onion diced
1 c. golden or regular raisins
1 lb. bacon, cooked, cut into small pieces  

Dressing:
1 c. Mayonnaise
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar

Mix in blender.
Toss dressing into salad right before serving.

Date Bars

Crust:

3/4 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

1/ 1/2 c. flour

1 3/4 c quick oats

1 tsp soda

1 tsp. salt

Put half of mixture in pan, spread with date paste.  Add a little milk to crumbs for top crust.

Date Paste

Cook until thick:

1/2 lb. ground dates

1/4 c. water 

3/4 c. sugar

I am sure there are more directions than this, pretty sure the pan is baked after assembly. This is all the info I was given, but I will try to find out more and update this entry...so sorry!

Turkey Penne Salad

1 lb. penne pasta

1 med red bell pepper

1 med. yellow bell pepper

1 English cucumber

2 c. sugar snap peas

3 c diced deli turkey breast

1 head hearts of romaine lettuce

Cook pasta al dente.  Cut sugar snap peas in half, dice English cucumber and red and yellow peppers.  Clean an tear lettuce.  Combine diced turkey, cooked pasta, bell peppers, cucumber and snap peas.  Toss with Zesty Lime Dressing to taste just before serving.

Zesty Lime Dressing

1/2 med. sweet read onion

juice of 2 limes (1/4 c.)

3/4 c. sugar 

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. rice vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 test freshly ground peppercorn

Mix together in a blender, chill.

Roasted Grape Chutney

This was served atop warm Brie. To warm Brie, trim the rind from the top, and bake on a lightly greased baking sheet at 400 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes.

1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stir together all ingredients. Spread grape mixture on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until grapes begin to shrivel. Remove from oven, and let cool 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Athenian Salad

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. honey
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 cup seeded and thinly sliced cucumber
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup sliced scallions (green part only)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. minced fresh mint
1/3 cup crumbled feta

Whisk together lemon juice, oil, and honey for the dressing; season with salt and pepper.
Combine romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, scallions, parsley and mint in a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette and garnish with feta.

Red & Green Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cups torn green leaf lettuce
2 cups torn radicchio

Pulse together vinegar, basil, lemon juice, Dijon, sugar, and salt in a blender or food processor. With machine running, drizzle in oil and blend until emulsified.
Toss lettuce and radicchio with vinaigrette until coated right before serving.

Baked Apple French Toast

20 slices French  bread (1 inch thick)

1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling

8 eggs

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons corn syrup

Arrange 10 slices of bread in a greased 13 inch x 9 inch baking dish. Spread with pie filling; top with remaining bread. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, place brown sugar in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans and corn syrup. Sprinkle over French toast.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Easy Fruit Tart

1/2 of (17.3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 (8ounce) package cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 kiwifruit, peeled, sliced, halved
1 nectarine or peach, thinly sliced (may substitute 1 cup frozen peach slices, thawed, well drained)
1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed, cut in half

Heat oven to 400 degrees, Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll out pastry into 14x10 inch rectangle. Place onto ungreased baking sheet. Brush edges of rectangle with water. Fold over 1/2 inch on all sides; press with tines of fork to seal edges. Prick pastry thoroughly with fork. Brush with butter; sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix cream cheese and 4 tablespoons orange marmalade in medium bowl. Gently spread over crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese mixture. Melt remaining orange marmalade; brush over fruit.

Chicken Cheese Lasagna

1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups (15 to 16 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
2 cups cubed cooked chicken

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour and salt until blended; cook until bubbly. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and pepper; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parsley and remaining mozzarella; set aside. Spread one-quarter of the cheese sauce into a greased 13 inch x 9 inch baking dish; cover with one-third of the noodles. Top with half of the ricotta mixture, half of the spinach and half of chicken.
Cover with one-quarter of the cheese sauce and one-third of noodles. Repeat layers of ricotta mixture, spinach, chicken and one-quarter cheese sauce. Cover with remaining noodles and cheese sauce.
Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over all. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes. Let casserole stand 15 minutes.

Cheddar and Bacon Loaf

1 16 ounce loaf baguette style French bread
1/2 of an 8 ounce package (1 cup) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup cooked bacon pieces
2 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a serrated knife to cut bread crosswise into 1 inch slices, cutting to but not through the bottom crust.
In a small bowl, stir together cheese, butter, bacon, green onions, mustard, and lemon juice. Spread mixture between slices of bread. Wrap loaf in foil.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until bread is heated through and cheese is melted..

Teacake Pumpkins

Cookie
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
3-4 tablespoons water
red and yellow food coloring

Decorations
orange decorator sugar
small green gumdrops, cut in half

Heat oven to 235 degrees. Combine all cookie ingredients in a large bowl. Beat at low speed , scraping bowl occasionally, until well mixed.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until very lightly browned.. Carefully remove from cookie sheets to wire cooling rack; cool completely.
Combine powdered sugar and corn syrup in medium bowl; beat at medium speed, adding enough water for desired glazing consistency.  Add red and yellow food color, 1 drop at a time, until desired orange color.

Dip tops of cooled cookies into glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place onto waxed paper. Sprinkle with decorator sugar. Immediately attach gumdrop half to cookie for stem. Allow glaze to harden; store in loosely covered container.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

1 can (15 1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped, optional
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, cilantro, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and chili powder. Pour over corn mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon. Serves 6-8.

Tomato Spinach Spread

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 small onion, finely chopped

Pita Triangles:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 whole pita breads
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk, salt and cayenne until smooth. Stir in the tomatoes, spinach and onion. Spoon into an ungreased microwave-safe 9-in. pie plate.
Microwave, uncovered, on high for 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring once.
Meanwhile, combine butter and oil; brush over both sides of pitas. Cut each pita into eight wedges; place on ungreased baking sheets. Combine cumin and lemon-pepper; sprinkle over both sides of wedges.
Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Serve with spread.

Laurie's Mom's Fabulous Cheese Ball

This recipe is actually from the Dickens' Midnight Crop on 12/18/2010, but it was so good I wanted you to have it!

8 oz. crumbled blue cheese
10 oz. Kraft Old English Cheese Spread ( find this near the Velveeta)
12 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
2 tsp. finely chopped sweet onion
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Blend all the cheese together. Add everything but pecans and parsley, mix. Add half of the pecans and half of the parsley, mix. Line a bowl with wax paper or foil. Press cheese mixture into bottom of bowl, Refrigerate 8-10 hours. Remove chilled mixture from lined bowl, roll in remaining nuts and parsley. Serve.

The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 24 Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
½ cups Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla
_____
FOR FROSTING:
½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
1-¾ stick Butter
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake. Cut into squares, eat, and totally wig out over the fact that you’ve just made the best chocolate sheet cake. Ever.

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

1/2 cup each finely chopped carrot, celery and onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
8 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional shredded cheese, optional

In a Dutch oven, saute carrot, celery, onion and red pepper in 4 tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in broth, broccoli florets, potato, Worcestershire and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the broccoli florets and potato are tender.
Meanwhile in a saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese. Continue to stir just until cheese is melted.
Slowly stir cheese sauce into vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional shredded cheese if desired. Refrigerate leftover soup.
Yield: 8-10 servings

Taste of Fall Salad

2/3 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 medium pear, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large heavy skillet, cook the pecans, 2 tablespoons vinegar, cayenne and cinnamon over medium heat until nuts are toasted, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Cook and stir for 2-4 minutes or until sugar is melted. Spread on foil to cool.
Place salad greens in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, mustard, salt, and remaining vinegar and sugar; drizzle over greens and toss to coat. Arrange the greens, pear slices and pecans on six salad plates. Sprinkle with cheese.

Monkey Bread

3 cans Buttermilk Biscuits (the non-flaky ones)
1 cup sugar
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Open up all three cans of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a large zip top bag, add biscuit quarters and shake to coat. Place coated biscuits into a baking pan.
Melt butter with brown sugar stirring until mixture is consistent, pour over biscuits.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the crust in a deep dark brown on top. Cool for 15-30 minutes, turn over on to serving plate.

Apple Dip

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Skor bars, broken up

Mix together and chill. Serve with apple slices.