Peanut Butter Squares

Ruth Livingston Elementary use to serve these pieces of heaven for lunches when I was in school. They are still a favorite treat in my family.

Peanut Butter Squares

1 cup butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 1/2 cup peanut butter
1 pkg of crushed graham crackers
1 tsp vanilla
chocolate chips

Mix first five ingredients. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Spread melted chocolate over the top. Let chocolate set.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 pint Sliced Strawberries
1 lb. Spinach
½ cup Slivered Almonds (optional)

Dressing: (this dressing is AMAZING!)
½ cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Sesame Seeds
1 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds
1 ½ tsp. Onion (dried or fresh)
¼ t. Paprika
¼ tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
½ cup Oil
¼ c. Cider Vinegar

Toss salad adding dressing just before serving. Be careful not to bruise spinach. (Another option is adding fresh blueberries or substituting Mandarin Oranges for the berries)

Better The Peanut Butter Cups

Crust:

8 medium chocolate chip cookies (I used about 12)
1/4 cup melted butter

Chocolate Layer:

2 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Filling:

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 t vanilla extract

-Preheat oven to 325 degrees
-In a food processor, blend cookies until finely ground.
-Add butter and mix together completely
-Press crumb mixture into 8 x 8 pan and bake for 10 minutes
-Cool to room temperature

-Melt chocolate over low heat until completely smooth but not boiling

-Prepare peanut butter filling by blending peanut butter and butter together in mixer until smooth
-Slowly beat in powdered sugar and then add vanilla
-Beat until smooth
-Spread peanut butter filling over crust
-Pour warm chocolate over the filling and spread smooth
-Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour until firm
-Cut into bars to serve

These are delicious! My kids LOVE them and they go a long ways since you only need a small bar because they are rich and yummy. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

My sister-in-law Kim made this for us when we visited them and it was yummy!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast (I actually like it with a little more...maybe 3 cups)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 cup blue cheese salad dressing (chunky)
1/2 cup hot sauce or salsa (I used medium salsa)
2 cups shredded chedder cheese
1 cup celery finely chopped

Directions:

Combine chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, blue cheese dressing, salsa, and cheddar cheese. Pour into an 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Top with celery when done. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetables.

Spudnuts

1 cup mashed potatoes (in a pinch, I've been known to use prepared potato pearls)
4 tablespoons shortening
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 eggs, beaten slightly
2 cups scalded milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 cups flour (you might need 10 - just start slow and add until dough is manageable)
3 1/2 tablespoons yeast dissolved in 1 cup hot water and 1/2 tablespoon sugar

Mash potatoes with milk until creamy. Cream together shortening, sugar and salt. Add to potatoes. Add all other ingredients, knead for 5 minutes and let raise until double (about 1-1 1/2 hours). Roll out and cut into donut shape. Let raise 30 minutes. Fry in hot oil at about 350.

Drain on paper towels then dip in glaze.

Glaze:
1/3 cup melted margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 to 6 tablespoons hot water

PF Changs Dan Dan Noodles

This is a copy cat recipe of PF Changs Dan Dan Noodles. We made them and they were delish!


Ingredients:

***Noodles***
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 ounce green onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chile paste
4 ounces ground chicken, cooked
1/4 ounce egg noodles, cooked
Cornstarch

***Liquid Mixture***
2 ounces soy sauce
1 ounce cooking wine
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
7 ounces chicken stock

Directions:

Heat wok or large skillet, add 1 tsp. oil and sear the chile paste, garlic and green onion for 5 seconds, using caution to avoid inhaling the direct fumes.

Add cooked ground chicken, tossing and stirring for 10 seconds. Add all the liquid ingredients and simmer for 20 seconds.

Add a "slurry," equal parts of cornstarch and water mixed together (a tsp. or two of each) to thicken the sauce. Consistency should be thick enough to stand on top of the noodles.

Pour sauce over a serving plate of hot cooked noodles. Garnish with bean sprouts and julienned cucumbers.

Garlic Pea Pod Chicken

This is a friend's recipe {thanks, Kristin!} and so so yummy. It was made for a large crowd and was quite the hit!

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast, cut bite size

1 T. oil

∏ lb. pea pods

Dash salt, pepper


Marinade {We doubled this}:

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. mirin {It is rice wine. For those skeptical of using it because of religious reasons, it has been researched and deemed okay to use. Not like other cooking wines.}

1 T. cornstarch

3 cloves garlic, crushed, minced or pressed

2 T. oil

Dash pepper



Directions:

Marinate chicken in marinade for 1 hour. Heat 1 T. oil in heavy skillet or wok. Stir-fry pea pods for a few minutes until crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a serving platter in a ring. Stir-fry chicken with marinade until chicken is cooked through. (sometimes I add a little water to the chicken while it is cooking, so the marinade is more gravy-like. Just watch it while it cooks. You can tell.) Mound within pea pod ring. Serves 4.