Marshmallow Surprise Cookies

{Recipe & Pic from} My favorite Recipes

Marshmallow Surprise Cookies
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally
--Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined. Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto un-greased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10-12 minutes. Remove baking sheets from oven, place a marshmallow, cut side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begin to melt, 2-2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.

Salted Peanut chews

{Recipe & pic from} My favorite Recipes

Salted Peanut Chews (Christmas bar cookie)
Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 cup soft margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
2 egg yolks
3 cups mini marshmallows
Topping:
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup margarine
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups (12 oz.) peanut butter
2 cups rice krispies
2 cups cocktail peanuts
--Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine crust ingredients except marshmallows. Press in bottom of ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until light golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven for 1-2 minutes until marshmallows begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping. In large saucepan heat topping ingredients until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cereal and nuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows and spread to cover. Chill, cut into bars.

Strawberry Delight

{Recipe & pic from} My Favorite Recipes

Strawberry Delight
9 Graham crackers, crumbled (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip (or 3 1/2 cups)
4 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
1 (3.4 oz.) pkg. vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups cold milk
--Combine crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and melted butter. Press into 9x13 pan, chill (5-10 minutes). Beat cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk until smooth. Fold in half of the Cool Whip. Spread over crust. Arrange strawberries in even layer. Prepare pudding with 2 1/2 cups milk. Pour over strawberries. Chill several hours or overnight. Before serving, spread remaining Cool Whip over pudding. Garnish with additional strawberries if desired. Serves 15. (Add more strawberries if you want to off-set the pudding and whip cream mixture balance. Or use 4 cups peaches for a variation from strawberries.)

Luau Fruit Salad

This sounds so delicious!

{Recipe from} Real Mom Kitchen

Luau Fruit Salad
1 small package coconut cream pudding mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 (8 oz) container cool whip
1 banana, sliced
1 diced apple
1 (15 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges
1/2 cup toasted coconut (I only do this if I am taking the salad somewhere)
Mix dry pudding mix and buttermilk together for 2 minutes. Fold in cool whip. Mix in fruit. Top with toasted coconut just before serving.

This is such a fun twist on the regular old pasta salad...I will definitely be trying it!

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Salad

{Recipe from} Real Mom Kitchen

1 pkg Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dip mix
½ c. oil (I used canola)
½ c. vinegar
1 lb cooked, shredded chicken (about 1 ½ to 2 breasts, but I left this out)
3/4 box garden rotini (I used an entire 12 oz box)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black olives, halved
2 -3 tomatoes, chopped
Frozen corn, thawed (I used 2/3 of a 16 oz. pkg)
Mix dressing mix, oil, and vinegar in small bowl and set aside. Combine chicken, cooked pasta, beans, olives, and tomatoes in large bowl. Add dressing and frozen corn about 20 minutes before serving. Be sure to toss again just before serving, as the dressing will seep to the bottom.

QUESADILLAS!

{Recipe from} My Favorite Recipes

Bean and Corn Quesadillas
1 cup (more or less to taste) cheddar cheese, grated
2 burrito size flour tortillas
1/2-3/4 cup bean and corn salsa (or subst. with black beans, corn, tomato, etc.)
butter
--Spread butter on one side of each tortilla. Put butter side of one tortilla down on a flat skillet. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top. Sprinkle bean and corn salsa evenly over cheese. Place second tortilla on top of spread (butter side away from beans and cheese). Heat until golden. Flip quesadilla over and brown the other side. Serve warm, with BBQ-Ranch Dip.

BBQ Ranch Dip/Dressing
--Follow the link for directions on making the dip. Or, just mix 1 part BBQ sauce with 2-3 parts ranch dressing.

Noodle, Cheese and Broccoli Soup

mmm....mmm...good...I am ready to try this one!

{Recipe from} My Favorite Recipes

Noodle, Cheese, and Broccoli Soup
6 cups milk (don't use whole milk--it curdles)
1 1/2 head of fresh broccoli
1 lb. Velveeta cheese (don't use the imitation stuff, it doesn't melt right)
6 chicken bouillon cubes
8 oz. EXTRA FINE egg noodles (or subst. Cellentani pasta or any other pasta)
dash of garlic salt (or more)
6 cups water
dash of pepper
--Pour 6 cups of water in a big pot. Bring to a boil. Add bouillon cubes and dissolve them in boiling water. Add fine egg noodles, cook 2 minutes. Add broccoli (already chopped) and cook until barely tender. Add dash of garlic salt and pepper. Stir in 6 cups of milk. (I like to take 1/2 cup of the milk and add it to flour to make a thicker soup). Turn heat to medium. Cut up Velveeta cheese into small cubes. Add cubes of cheese to milk. Stir until melted. DON'T BOIL (it will curdle and look like little pieces of floating butter).