Peanut Butter Pretzel and Toffee Bonbons

*Note: to chop the pretzel sticks, I place several large handfuls of pretzel sticks in a ziploc bag, seal, and roll over the top with a rolling pin until the pretzels are crunched up well. I measure out of the bag and continue the process until I have 2 cups. These bonbons can be made up to three days in advance. The peanut butter pretzel filling can be made and formed into balls and frozen for up to 2 months before dipping.

*Makes about 10-12 dozen bonbons

INGREDIENTS:
8 tablespoons butter, softened to warm room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup toffee bits
2 cups chopped/crushed pretzel sticks

1 pound chocolate (semisweet, milk, bittersweet)
2 tablespoons shortening or butter
Toffee, chopped nuts, chocolate jimmies for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until evenly combined. Add the peanut butter and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the toffee bits and pretzel pieces by hand with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet (12X18-inches or several smaller baking sheets) with parchment or waxed paper. Roll the peanut butter mixture into 1-inch or so (it doesn’t have to be exact) balls and place them on the lined baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze for 15-20 minutes until firm. At this point, the balls can be transferred to a sealed container or freezer ziploc bag and frozen for up to 2 months.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and shortening/butter together in a microwave-safe bowl or in a double boiler until completely melted and smooth (taking care not to overheat the chocolate as that can cause white streaks, bloom, to appear in the hardened chocolate).

One by one, toss a formed peanut butter/pretzel ball into the melted chocolate and using a fork, cover the ball with chocolate. Lift the covered bonbon out of the chocolate with the fork and tap the lower stem of the fork (right above where the rectangular tined fork part ends) on the edge of the bowl to let excess chocolate fall through the tines of the fork. Scrape the bottom of the fork along the edge of the bowl and transfer the covered bonbon to a parchment lined baking sheet (you can use the same baking sheet(s) used for freezing the balls if you have room). Set the bonbon very close to the parchment paper and using a second fork or butter knife, gently scoot the bonbon off the fork onto the baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle your garnish of choice on the top of the wet chocolate before it sets.

Refrigerate the bonbons until ready to serve.
From mel's kitchen cafe


I dipped half of the bon bons in milk chocolate with a handful of semi sweet choc late chips and half in white chocolate chips. we like the one's dipped in white chocolate chips better.

Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake

Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake




Serves 12-16 (depending on how generous you are with portions)
For the Crust:
32 Oreo cookies, finely crushed or ground in a food processor
5½ Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
For the Fudge:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 miniature peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped and roughly chopped
For the Cheesecake:
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
For the Ganache Topping:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (300 degrees F if you are using a dark or non-stick pan). Butter a 9″ springform pan and set aside.
2. To make the crust, stir the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl with a fork until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. (I like to use the bottom a measuring cup to press the crumbs around the pan. I’ve found that they get evenly distributed that way and end up looking neater around the sides.) Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let cool.
4. To make the fudge, put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Immediately pour the simmering cream over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 1-2 minutes, then add the vanilla extract and stir with a whisk or rubber spatula until smooth and combined. Pour the fudge into the cooled crust and spread evenly over the bottom. Place in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and sprinkle surface with the chopped peanut butter cups. Return to freezer for 10 more minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the cheesecake filling. Beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Scrape the bowl and mix on low for another 20 seconds.
6. Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling over the fudge and peanut butter cups. Bake until the sides of the cheesecake are set and the middle just slightly jiggles, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature (at least 1 hour). Refrigerate the cheesecake at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled. To unmold the cheesecake, wrap a warm towel around the outside of the springform pan to loosen the crust from the sides. Carefully remove the sides from the springform pan.
7. Before serving, prepare the ganache topping. Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat. Immediately pour the simmering cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1-2 minutes and then stir with a whisk or rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the ganache on the top of the cheese and, using an offset spatula, spread evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Return to the refrigerator to set the ganache, about 20 minutes.

Lemon Icebox Cheesecake

Serves 12 to 16
Original Recipe from America’s Test Kitchens

NOTE: Let the dissolved gelatin mixture cool down for a few minutes or the gelatin will seize when combined with the filling. It does not matter which brand of lemon sandwich cookie is used (I used the cheapest and the crust was great!)
This cheesecake tastes similar to Sour Cream Lemon Pie at Marie Calendar’s. It has an incredibly smooth texture and is SO YUMMY! It makes a great dessert for company! I modified the crust slightly, increasing the cookies from 10 to 12 and I also omitted the zest – original recipe called for 1 tsp lemon zest). This looks like it takes a lot of work, but it is actually quite easy to make!

Crust:
12 lemon sandwich cookies, broken into pieces (about 1 ¼ cups)
2 TBSP melted butter, unsalted

Curd:
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
¼ cup sugar
Pinch salt
2 TBSP lemon juice (fresh is best!)
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP heavy cream

Filling:
¼ cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
1 envelope (2 ¾ tsp) unflavored (KNOX) gelatin
1 ½ lbs (3 8-oz) cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 ¼ cups heavy cream, room temperature

1. Make crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until combined. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake about 5-7 minutes until lightly browned and set. Cool completely.
2. Make curd: While crust is cooling, whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt together in saucepan. Add lemon juice and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly, until thick and pudding like, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and cream. Press through fine mesh strainer into small bowl and refrigerate until needed. (I did not press through a strainer – I just refrigerated as it is. If you want a clearer colored curd, then press through strainer).
3. Soften gelatin: Combine lemon juice and gelatin in small bowl and let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
4. Make filling: With mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Slowly add cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes. Add gelatin mixture and ¼ cup of the curd, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until smooth and airy, about 3 minutes.
5. Chill cheesecake: Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top. Pour thin lines of remaining curd on top of cake and lightly drag paring knife or skewer through lines to create marbled appearance. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan. Serve. (Cheesecake can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 3 days-if it lasts that long!)

Bobby's Rice Pudding

.Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:30 minLevel:
EasyServes:
4 to 6 servings.Ingredients
•1 1/2 cups milk
•1 1/2 cups water
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
•1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
•2/3 cup dried cherries
•2 tablespoons heavy cream
•2 tablespoons vanilla extract
•1/2 orange, zested
•Ground nutmeg, for garnish, optional
Directions
Put the rice in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Add milk, water, salt and rice. Cover and cook until the rice is tender. Stir in the condensed milk, cherries, and heavy cream. Cook over simmering water about 20 minutes or until the pudding thickens slightly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and orange zest. Spoon pudding into individual bowls and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve warm.

Rocky Road Dessert

1 Angel Food Cake
Break into Bite size pieces and place in dripper pan or pyrex baking Dish

1 -12 oz package chocolate chips
Can use semi-sweet or part milk chocolate and part bitter-sweet or whatever you prefer.

Combine the chips with 4 egg yolks. Melt stirring constantly. Remove from the stove and let cool slightly then fold in 4 beaten stiff egg whites. When completely cool add in 1 container cool whip

Add 1 cup chopped pecans and pour over angel food cake. Refrigerate.

Serve with whipped cream

SO DELICIOUS!!

I have had this recipe for years and don’t even know where I got it but I remember making it for special occasions when my girls were little and we lived in Springville! It was always a favorite around Easter time.

Peach Crunch Cake

Peach Crunch Cake

24.5 oz jar of sliced peaches in light syrup
1 package yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), cut into 16 pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Layer ingredients in a 13 X 9 dish, in order starting with the peaches.
Bake for about 40 minutes.
Serve warm or cold… with or without ice cream.

Very Very RICH Blueberry Dessert

This is a very rich dessert but is one of my favorites. I got the recipe YEARS ago from one of my good friends when we lived in Springville. (That's how many years ago it was!!) Beware though because it has LOTS of butter and calories and you will only want a small piece!! Another caution, it is not a cooked dessert and calls for raw eggs. I use "Egg Beaters" for this recipe. You could easily alter this recipe by adding more cream cheese (12 oz instead of 8) and cutting the butter to 1 1/2 cubes instead of 2 (or 3/4 cup butter instead of 1 cup butter). You can also add another can of pie filling if you desire!

I am giving the original recipe as I received it:

Blueberry Dessert

Mix together and press into 9x13" pan except save out 2 TBSP of the crumbs:

3 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 Tbps butter melted

In a bowl cream together: (Mix until light and fluffy)
2 eggs (I use 1/2 cup Egg Beaters which is equivalent to 2 eggs)
1 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz package cream cheese

Spread on top of prepared crust then add:
1 large can blueberry pie filling

On top of pie filling ADD:
1 pint real whipped cream (sweetened with 1/4 -1/3 cup sugar to taste and vanilla)

Last Step-Spread the nut crumb mixture on top of Whipping Cream:
Mix 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans with 2 TBSP crumb mix that you saved

Refrigerate until set (about 2 hours). Cut into SMALL squares to serve.
Makes at least 20 servings ormore depending on size of square.

Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

4 cups milk
1 cup original minute rice
¼ cup raisins (optional)
1 egg, well beaten
1 small pkg. vanilla pudding
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Combine milk, rice, pudding mix, raisins, and egg in saucepan. Stir over medium heat. Heat until mixture just comes to a boil. Cool 5 minutes, stirring twice. Pour into dishes; serving warm.

Ice Cream Strawberry Dessert

1 ½ cups butter-Melted
2 cups brown sugar
Add:
3 cups rice crispies
1 cup nuts
1 ½ cup coconut

Stir together and spread ½ of the mixture layer on bottom of dripper pan. Cut or slice Ice cream and put on top of rice crispies mix. Add remaining rice crispies mix and freeze. When ready to serve slice into small squares and top with sauce.
Sauce
1 pkgs Danish dessert (prepare as on pkg)
While hot add frozen strawberries or let cool and add fresh strawberries with sugar. You can use raspberries.
Or make your own Danish dessert:
2 cup water
1 pkg Kool-Aid
1 cup sugar
Pinch salt
4 tbsp corn starch
Combine and cook until thick

Alice's Apple Kuchen

Partially melt a cube of butter in microwave for 30 seconds. Add and mix until crumbly, 1 dry yellow cake mix and ½ cup coconut.
Press into bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake ten minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and slice 3 apples . Lay in rows on top of the warm crust. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.
Mix 1 cup sour cream and 1 egg. Dollup on top of apples and then spread a little til apples are covered. (It won't cover the apples completely).
Bake for 25 minutes in a 350 oven.

**This recipe was given to me by Alice Newberry who I taught school with in Oregon. We had dinner one evening at her home and this was the delicious desert she served! We both loved German food and spent a couple of wonderful evenings together with her family and mine, at a great German restaurant in Portland, Oregon.
This recipe is so easy and very good and is an easy version of “kuchen “that is served in parts of Germany.

Paula’s Bread Pudding

4 cups milk
10-12 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2teaspoon nutmeg (opt)
1 large loaf very fresh good raisin bread (bakery style)
Softened cream cheese

Spread each slice of raisin bread generously with the cream cheese. Stack several slices of coated raisin bread at a time and cube then place in a buttered 9X13 baking pan or cake pan. Mix the other ingredients together and pour over the bread. Bake at 325 for about 45 to 50 minutes. When ready to serve, top with the following sauce:

Sauce for the Bread Pudding

1 cup sugar
1 cup cream
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat through un til sugar is dissolved about a minute or two.

Spoon the sauce on top of the bread pudding and top that with whipped cream.