EASY PEANUT BUTTER BARS

Sharing a recipe from Jim Rose Circus today. He posted on facebook and said, "Feel free to share."

Ingredients
1 cup salted butter (melted)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 (11-oz) bag milk chocolate chips

Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. Pour peanut butter mixture into a 9 x 13 pan.
3. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave (at 50% power) for 1-2 minutes. Stir chocolate and pour over the peanut butter mixture. Spread chocolate with a spatula. To even out chocolate, tap pan on the counter.
4. Refrigerate bars for one hour. Cut while bars are still cool. Enjoy.

COOL WHIP FROSTING

My aunt shared this easy recipe with me via facebook.

EASY MICROWAVE PEPPER STEAK

Do you remember when your mom found a hundred different ways to feed your family on ground beef?  Maybe this was one of your family dishes.  The recipe calls for green, red, and yellow bell peppers. (FYI, red bell peppers are about the highest food in vitamin C.)  In my family, we often had only green from the garden.  When we got a microwave, it was so exciting how we could cook things in it.

1 lb ground beef
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp flour
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper
1 medium yellow onion, sliced and separated into rings

Crumble the meat into a large mixing bowl and stir in the thyme, paprika, about a teaspoon of salt, and some pepper.  Using your hands, mix well and shape into 4 patties about 1/4-inch thick.  We liked our patties oval shaped.  Place the patties on a microwave-safe rack (Usually called a bacon rack.) Microwave on high about 4 or 5 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness.  Turn the rack after 3 minutes if your microwave does not have a turntable.  Remove meat and keep warm; reserve 1/3 cup of the drippings.

Mix the flour into the drippings in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl.  Stir in the chicken broth (personally, I hate chicken and prefer vegetable broth) and the Worcestershire sauce.  Microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture thickens.  Stir after each minute.  Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste.  Add the bell peppers and onion rings.  Cover and microwave on high 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp tender.  Stir after 3 minutes of cooking.

To serve, place vegetables, onion, and gravy over the meat patties.

Yield: 4 servings

CORNY CHOCOLATE CRUNCH

Being born and raised a Hoosier where a lot of popcorn is grown, I love a good popcorn snack. When I saw this recipe many years ago from a fellow Hoosier, this Indiana gal who has lived in five states just had to try it. It is good!

3 quarts popped popcorn
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups broken corn chips
1 pkg (11-oz) butterscotch chips
3/4 lb dark chocolate candy coating

Grease two large baking pans; set aside.

In a large heat-proof bowl, combine the popcorn, cereal and corn chips; set aside.

In a saucepan, over medium-low heat, met the butterscotch chips and candy coating together; stir until smooth. Pour the mixture over the popcorn mixture and toss to coat. Spread onto the two prepared pans.

When the crunch is cool enough to handle, break into pieces.

Note: File Photo

BANANA OATMEAL CHEWIES

This is an old recipe my late mother had for years.  I think she got it from one of her little non defunct magazines she so looked forward to getting in the mail.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup mashed bananas
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup candied citrus fruits
1/2 cup nuts

Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and mix well.  Mix flour, salt, cinnamon and soda.  Add alternately with mashed bananas.  Add rolled oats, nuts, and fruits.  Drop by spoonful's on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Makes 4 dozen cookies.

file photo

COCONUT PECAN PRALINE COOKIES

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Line a couple of cookie sheets with waxed paper; set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together both sugars, milk, corn syrup and butter until melted and smooth. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes and remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Fold in the pecans and coconut until incorporated; continue stirring 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture begins to cool.

Once mixture has thickened, use a tablespoon to drop cookies onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Allow to completely cool and set before serving. May be placed in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to aid in cooling, if necessary.

Note: File Photo

Personally, I think this is more of a candy but since every recipe I have ever seen for them lists them as cookies, I will not buck the trend.

CHEESY CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

1 large (approximately 2 lb) head cauliflower, broken into florets

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside.

Place cauliflower into a saucepan and add a small amount of water; cook until crisp tender; drain.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt the butter; stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir the milk into the mixture. Bring mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened - about 2 minutes. Remove pan from the heat.

Add the peas, mushrooms, drained cauliflower and 1 cup of the cheese to the thickened mixture. Stir gently to blend. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 10 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Yield: 8 servings

file photo for reference only, from 12 Tomatoes

PINEAPPLE AND MORE CHEESEBALL

 2 bricks (8-oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 can (8-oz) crushed pineapple, drained
Chopped pecans for coating

Mix all ingredients together and shape into a ball. Press pecans all over surface. Cover and chill until serving time.

Serve with assorted crackers.

file photo

VEGETABLE RICE SOUP WITH CURRY

1 pkg (16-oz) frozen vegetable medley

1 can vegetable broth
1/4 cup uncooked instant brown rice
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (more or less to suit your taste)
1 can (14-oz) unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp lime juice

In a large saucepan, combine the vegetables and broth; cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

Stir rice, curry powder, salt and hot sauce into the soup; reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 8 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Stir the coconut milk into the soup and cook another 3 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the heat before stirring in the lime juice.

Yield: 4 servings

file photo

COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN'S ZUPPA TOSCANA II

1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 large russet potatoes, diced
1 bunch curly kale, leaves stripped from stems and chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

In a large pot over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes; drain off fat.

Add the garlic and onion; cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Add the broth and potatoes with enough water to cover the potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Add kale, stir and let cook until the kale is tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cream.

To serve, ladle into serving bowls and garnish with the Parmesan.

A friend shared this recipe with me. Evidently, she got it from delish. She made it and said it was delish!