Peanut Butter Bars to the Mmmmmm good.

This is a pretty darn yummy recipe. I love the peanut buttery goodness of scrumptiousness. I even took a picture of them for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy this super easy and pretty fast recipe!

Cream:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c brown sugar (packed)

Add:
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla

Then add:
1 c. flour
1 c. oats

Mix well and spread in 9x13 pan (or if you want it thicker, in a smaller pan)

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Once you get it out of the oven, sprinkle 1 c. semi sweet choco chips on top. Let sit for a minute and then they will have melted enough that you can spread them across the baked part. Let sit until the chocolate isn't sticky anymore.

Then mix:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. peanut butter
2-4 T. milk

Spread this mixture on top of the choco chip stuff and then let it sit until it's firm as well.

Then cut and eat! YUM!

I was out of chocolate chips, so I used hershey kisses- and they were actually really good. I also added nutella to the topping part and that was also really yummy and helped tone down the peanut buttery-ness.

Coconut Shrimp

Featured in Kraft Foods Calendar 2007--November

Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

1 cup flake coconut, toasted
1 packet shake n' bake, extra crispy seasoned coating mix
1/4 tsp each curry powder and cayenne
1 lb fresh or thawed extra large shrimp (16-20 count), cleaned
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400. Combine coconut, coating mix, curry, cayenne in shallow bowl. Dip shrimp in egg then roll in coconut mixture until eanly coated on all sides.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Serve with chutney or sweet-and-sour sauce if desired.

Free Form Harvest Apple Tart

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 55 minutes (including refrigeration)

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, divided
1 pkg (4 serving size) lemon jello, divided
2 medium McIntosh apples, unpeeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Place flour, butter, and half of the cream cheese in food processor; cover. PRocess, using pulsing action, until mixture is well blended and almost forms a ball. Shape dough into ball; wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.

Preheat oven to 400. Place pastry on lightly floured surface; roll out to 14x8 inch rectangle. Place on parchment paper-covered baking sheet; set aside. Mix remaining cream cheese and half of the dry jello mix until well blended. Spread onto pastry to within 2 inches of edge.

Toss apples with remaining dry jello, cornstarch and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese filling. Fold edge of pastry over apples toward center of tart. (Apples in center will remain exposed) Sprinkle top with almonds. Bake, in lower third of oven, 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Cool. Store leftover tart in refrigerator.

NOTE: You can lightly beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp water. Brush over top of crust and sprinkle with 2 tsp of granulated sugar. Bake as directed.

Lime Philly Freeze

From the Kraft Foods Calendar 2007--August

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes (including freezing)

12 Oreo cookies, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 12-oz can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 8-oz tub cool whip, thawed, divided
2 tsp grated lime peel

Line 9 inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix crushed cookies and butter; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on meium speed until creamy. Gradually add limeade concentrate, beating until well blended after each additon. Add 2 1/2 cups of cool whip and stire with wire whisk until well blended. Spoon evenly over crust.

Freeze 3 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Life dessert from pan, using foil handles, before cutting into squares to serve. Top each serving with about 1 1/2 tsp of remaining cool whip. Sprinkle evenly with lime peel. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Substitutions: prepare as directed but use frozen raspberry, lemonade, fruit punch or grape concentrates.

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 55 minutes

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup each chopped onions and broccoli
5 eggs
1/3 cup Miracle Whip
1/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 frozen deep dish pie shell (9 inches)

Preheat oven to 375. Place vegetables in skilled sprayed with cooking spray. Cook on medium heat 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Beat eggs, dressing and milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in vegetable mixture and cheese; pour into pie shell. Place pie shell on baking sheet.

Bake on baking sheet 40-45 minutes or until center is set and quiche is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Heart Pillows

Featured in Kraft Foods Calendar 2007--February

Prep: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

1 frozen puff pasty sheet (1/2 of 17.3 oz package) thawed
1/3 cup strawberry jam or preserves
1 cup thawed cool whip, divided
4 large strawberries, each cut into four slices
1 square baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Unfold pastry. Cut into 16 hearts with 2 inch heart shaped cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks and cool completely.
Cut each heart horizontally in half. Spread 1 tsp jam on bottom of heart. Top with 1 tbsp of cool whip and a strawberry slice. cover with tops of hearts. Drizzle with chocolate. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

(NOTE: the photo shown had several slices of strawberry on each puffed dessert!)

Perfect Winter Beef Stew

From the Kraft Foods Calendar 2007--January

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes (including marinating)

3/4 cup Italian dressing
2 lbs. beef for stew (such as chuck roast)--cut into 1 inch chunks
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large)
3 cups sliced mushrooms
3 cups sliced carrots
3 medium potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)--peeled and cut into chunks
1 can (14 1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, undreained
1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth

Place dressing and meat in Ziploc bag. REgrigerate 30 minutes to marinate. Meanwhile cook bacon is large saucepan on medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan and drain.

Add onions and mushooms to pan; cook on medium high heat 10 minutes or until softened. Remove meat from marinade. Add meat, carrots, potatoes, tomoates iwth liquid, broth and bacon to saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. REduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hour 15 minutes. Simmer uncovered an addtional 15 minutes or until meat is tender and sauce is thickened; stirring occasionally.

Makes 8 servings; 1 1/4 cup each.