Simply the Best Fudge
By - Carrie Huber

In heavy 2 qt sauce pan mix …

• 1 2/3 C sugar
• 2/3 C evaporated milk
• 1 ½ C marshmallows
• Dash of salt

Cook stirring constantly over medium heat. When mix forms bubbles on entire top, continue to cook,
stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in …

• 1 ½ C chocolate chips
• 1 C chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla

Pour mixture into glass 9 X 9 pan. Cool and keep in fridge.
HINT - Before cutting, I let fudge warm to near room temperature – it helps fudge not to crumble.

Puppy Chow
By Carrie Huber

1 stick butter

1 12 oz pkg milk chocolate chips

¾ C creamy peanut butter

1 Large box Chex cereal

2 C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla Melt first three ingredients together over medium heat. In large glass bowl, pour over cereal and gently stir. In turkey roaster bag, place half of the powdered sugar and shake slightly. Quickly and gently add the mixture, toss to coat, adding the rest of the powdered sugar. Coat well.

Microwave Peanut Brittle
By Carrie Huber

• 1 ½ C dry roasted peanuts
  
• 1 C white sugar
  
• ½ C light corn syrup
  
• 1 Tbsp butter
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  

Grease baking sheet and set aside
Combine peanuts, sugar, syrup and salt.
Microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Mixture will be bubbly and peanuts browned.
Stir in butter and vanilla.
Cook 1 minute, 45 seconds. Stop and cook 2 minutes more.
Quickly stir in baking soda.
Pour onto baking sheet. Let cool 15 minutes, break apart.

Chocolate Brittle Surprise
By Carrie Huber

Now I know this recipe sounds a little odd, but bear with me – these have QUICKLY become our absolute favorite holiday treat!

• 35 saltine crackers
• 1 C butter
• 1 C packed brown sugar
• 2 C semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 C chopped walnuts

*Preheat oven to 350. Cover a cookie sheet with foil (foil should run up the edge of the pan). Spray with cooking oil.
*Place crackers on sheet in rows 5 X 7.
*Microwave butter (cover with paper towel) on high for 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and microwave on high for 2 more minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
*Pour mixture over crackers and bake in oven for 17 – 20 minutes (should bubble but do not let burn).
*Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot crackers. Spread softened chips with spatula after 2 minutes. Sprinkle on nuts.
*Set in fridge for 1 hour. Break into pieces. YUMM!

Toffee Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 C flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 C (2 sticks) butter (softened)
• 3/4 C granulated sugar
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 package Heath Toffee Chips

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips.
Line baking sheet with "Release" foil. This will make removing cookies from cookie sheet much easier.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

• 3 C. white flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 scant tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• Combine these ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Cut into this, 1 C. shortening and/or butter
• In another bowl, beat 2 eggs
• Add 1 C. sugar, 4 T milk, and 1 tsp. vanilla

Beat well, pur into dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Let dough chill. Take a portion at a time, roll about 1/8" thick and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 375 Degrees until golden brown. Cool and decorate as desired.

Pumpkin Cookies

• 2 Cups shortening
  
• 2 Cups White sugar
  
• 2 Cups Canned pumpkin
  
• 2 Eggs
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 4 Cups all-purpose flour

Frosting

• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 8 Tablespoons milk
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Cream shortening, white sugar, and pumpkin. Add eggs and mix well.
Sift together the baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Drop from spoon to cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
To make frosting: Cook butter, milk, and brown sugar until dissolved. Cool and add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over warm cookies.
Makes about 6 dozen.

Lemon Coconut Dainties

• 3/4 cup butter (room temp)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice
Blend in flour and coconut
NOTE: Batter will be dry

Shape into small balls
Place on ungreased baking sheet and flatten each with fork
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or slightly golden brown edge

Lemon Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter (room temp)
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tsp lemon juice

Blend ingredients together.
Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Makes enough for double batch of cookies.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chumk Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup butter softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Cajun Crab Dip

OK – so the thing is – this is my own recipe … I make this just a little different every time, but these measurements will get you pretty close! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 2 6 oz cans (drained) white crab meat
• 4 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp milk
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves minced garlic (I have used powder in a pinch)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp plain bread crumbs (add more if mix is too wet)
• ½ tsp whole grain mustard
• Dash of black pepper
• Dash or two of Tony Chachere's original Creole seasoning

Mix all together and place in shallow greased casserole dish. Top with sliced almonds, and sprinkle liberally with more seasoning. Bake for 35 minutes at 350. Serve with crackers, mini toasts or fresh French baguette bread!

Carrie's Artichoke Dip

INGREDIENTS:

• 13.75 oz of artichoke hearts - drain and squeeze dry in paper towel
• 3/4 cup lite sour cream
• 3/4 cup real mayo
• 1 cup fresh finely grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
• 10 oz goat cheese
• 1 TBSP lemon juice

Blend together with fork until creamy and smooth. Add:

• 3/4 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Blend into mix. Add:
1/2 box frozen spinach -thaw, drain, squeeze dry in paper towel and chop fine
Stir all together and place into greased baking dish. Cover and bake @ 350 for 20 - 25 minutes.
Uncover baking dish and bake an additional 10 minutes May need to broil to brown top as desired

Serve with garlic Melba toasts or fresh baguette.

Coconut Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter
• 3 cups Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 cup Flaked Coconut (unsweetened)
• 1 cup Chopped Pecans

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 tablespoon Salted Butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and butter and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in three parts to batter and mix gently until just moistened. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour batter into a pound cake mold. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

FOR THE GLAZE: Five minutes before cake is finished baking, make the glaze. Combine water, butter and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Slowly pour half the syrup over the cake, invert onto serving plate, and pour remaining syrup over top. Dust with powdered sugar, let sit for 10 minutes, and eat warm!

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Rosemary

INGREDIENTS:

• 20 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1 tablespoon (about) chopped fresh rosemary
• Balsamic vinegar
• 10 bacon slices, cut in half crosswise

Arrange shrimp on baking sheet. Sprinkle with rosemary, ground black pepper, and several splashes of Balsamic vinegar. Wrap each in bacon, covering completely; secure with toothpick. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill on sheet.)

Preheat broiler. Broil shrimp 4 to 5 inches from heat source until shrimp are cooked through and bacon is browned, watching carefully to prevent burning, about 5 minutes per side. Remove toothpicks. Transfer shrimp to platter. Sprinkle hot shrimp with cheese and serve.