PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE COOKIES

1 box (19.5 oz.) fudge brownie mix

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 container chocolate fudge frosting

Heat oven to 350º.  In medium bowl, beat brownie mix, melted butter, cream cheese and egg 50 strokes with spoon until well blended (dough will be sticky).

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart to make 24 cookies.  Smooth edge of each to form round cookie.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and peanut butter with spoon until mixture forms a ball.  With hands, roll rounded teaspoonfuls into 24 balls.  Lightly press 1 ball into center of each ball of dough.

Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are set.  Cool cookies on cookie sheets at least 30 minutes.  Remove cooled cookies from cookie sheets.  Spread thin layer of frosting over peanut butter portion of each cookie.

BANANA BARS

1/2 cup butter/margarine, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter/margarine, softened

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, bananas, and vanilla.  In a smaller bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Pour into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350º for 25 minutes.

Frosting:  Cream butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl.  Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat well.  Spread over bars.

ARLENE'S SPAGHETTI LASAGNE

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti or other thin pasta

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. butter

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 tsp. sugar

salt and pepper

2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

6 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Boil spaghetti in large saucepan of salted boiling water until almost tender.  Drain and reserve.

Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute.  Add ground beef and sugar; season with salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until beef is no longer pink; drain fat.  Add tomato sauce and tomato paste; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, blend cream cheese and sour cream in medium bowl until smooth.  Add green onions and mix well.

Spread a little meat sauce in 2-quart casserole dish to prevent noodles from sticking.  Layer 1/2 of spaghetti, 1/2 of sour cream mixture and 1/2 of meat mixture.  Repeat layers.  Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until heated through.

*** This casserole can be frozen and baked later, however, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and let it come to room temperature before baking.

CINNABON CINNAMON ROLL FROSTING

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 1/2  – 3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. milk

Cream ingredients together until desired consistency.

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 Tbsp. butter, softened

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 cups powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients and spread over cooled cookies or cake.

PUMPKIN RIBBON CAKE

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 eggs

3/4 cup solid pack pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

Topping:

Powdered sugar

Frozen Whipped Topping, thawed (optional)

For cake, combine flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt in small bowl; mix well and set aside.  In a medium bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, pumpkin, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Slowly add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; mix well.  Set aside.

For filling, whisk cream cheese and sugar until well blended and smooth.  Spread 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups of the cake batter evenly over bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.  Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over cake batter; carefully spread over batter.  Spoon remaining cake batter over cream cheese mixture, spreading evenly.

Bake at 350º for 45-50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Before serving, sprinkle cake with powdered sugar.  Cut into wedges.  Serve with whipped topping, if desired.

CINNABON CINNAMON ROLLS

Dough:

            1/4 cup butter, melted

            1/4 cup water

            1/2 (3 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding (1.5 oz.)

            1 cup milk

            1 egg, beaten

            1 Tbsp. sugar

            1/2 tsp. salt

            4 cups bread flour

            2 1/2 tsp. yeast

Filling:

            1/2 cup butter, softened

            1 cup brown sugar

            2 tsp. cinnamon

Frosting:

            4 oz. cream cheese, softened

            1/4 cup butter, softened

            2 1/2  – 3  cups powdered sugar

            2 tsp. vanilla

            1 1/2 tsp. milk

Place ingredients in bread machine.  Set on dough cycle.  Once dough cycle is done, roll dough out into a 17 x 10 rectangle.

Spread softened butter over dough.  Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter.  Roll tightly from long end, pinching seam closed.

Slice in 1” slices and place onto greased cookie sheet.  Let rise until double (1 hour).  Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes.  Frost and serve.

CINNAMON OR ORANGE ROLLS

2 Tbsp. yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water and 1 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup margarine

2 cups milk

2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

6-7 cups bread flour

Dissolve sugar in water and add yeast.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt margarine in saucepan, then add milk, salt, and sugar.  Warm through, Don’t let milk mixture get too hot.

Add milk mixture to yeast.  Add eggs and flour, one cup at a time.  When mixed together, let dough stand about 20 minutes, covered. 

Filling for each rectangle:

butter (I use soft spread butter)

1/2 cup sugar, divided

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon or 1 grated rind of orange

When dough has risen, divide into two parts.  Roll out onto well-floured surface, into two rectangles.  Roll until about 1/2 inch thick.  On each rectangle spread a thin layer of soft butter over top of dough, then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon and roll up into logs.  Cut with a piece of string, an inch or wider.  (Each roll should produce 12 pieces for a total of 24.) 

Place on greased jelly roll pan; cover and let rise another 20 minutes.  Bake at 375º for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Frost while still hot.

Frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

            1/4 cup butter, softened

            2 1/2  – 3  cups powdered sugar

            2 tsp. vanilla

            1 1/2 tsp. milk

I added a little bit of orange zest to the frosting when I made the orange rolls.  Adds a little bit of color and more orange flavoring.

FRUIT DIP 2

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 lb. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine ingredients and beat until smooth.  Serve with strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, bananas, honeydew, etc.

SWEET FRUIT DIP

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

1 cup Cool Whip, thawed

Beat cream cheese and cranberry sauce with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Gently stir in whipped topping; cover.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Serve with strawberries, red and green grapes, pineapple or kiwi, cut into bite-sized pieces for dipping.

SEVEN LAYER TACO DIP

1 (1 oz.) pkg. taco seasoning            

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream

1 (16 oz.) jar salsa

1 small head lettuce, shredded

1 large tomato, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch chopped green onions

1 (6 oz.) can sliced black olives

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans.  Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.

Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl.  Spread over the refried beans.

Top the layers with salsa.  Place a layer of lettuce, tomato, green pepper and green onions over the salsa.  Top with cheddar cheese.  Garnish with black olives.

BASIC CHEESE BALL

2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Miracle Whip

1 lb. Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled

1 bunch green onions, chopped finely

sliced almonds

Mix together all ingredients except almonds.  Divide in half.  Shape each half into a ball and roll in sliced almonds.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

TACO PIE

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese             

1 (16 oz.) jar salsa

1 (15 oz.) can chili with beans

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350º.

In a medium glass baking dish, spread the cream cheese.  Pour in the salsa, spreading it evenly over cream cheese.  Pour in and evenly spread chili with beans.  Top with Cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.