Rainbow Jell-O

We decided to have a Rainbow-themed birthday party for Stella's 5th birthday and I found this Jell-O idea on Pinterest. There are many different versions of how to do this - some even have a beautiful Cool Whip layer between each color.  And this would also be fun on St. Patrick's Day.  Many thanks to Do Better and her instructions found HERE.

What I did...

Ingredients:
6 oz. boxes of Red, Yellow, Blue, Purple Jell-O
Box of Knox Gelatin (contains 4 envelopes, is right next to Jell-O)

In a bowl, mix box of purple Jell-O with one envelope of Knox Gelatin.  Add 2 cups of boiling water and dissolve Jell-O.  Add 1/2 cup of ice.  Stir until it thickens.  Pour into a 9x13 pan (I greased mine, but not sure you have to).  Put in the refrigerator and leave it alone until really firm.  I'd wait at least an hour.

Repeat steps with blue, yellow and red.  Pouring your cooled layer over top of the already firm layer.  After completely cooled, cut into squares to serve.

Orange and Green are NOT needed.  When stacked, the blue and yellow will create the green.  I did NOT use green and just look at the photos...it works!  I will admit I did use orange because I had room in the pan and I wasn't sure if it really would create the "missing" colors...but the GREEN proves it does!

This is an EASY process, but you have to take into account the time it will take each layer to become firm.  For our Saturday party I actually started the process on Thursday night with the purple layer.  The blue layer was Friday before work and Yellow and Red were Friday night.  I cut them Saturday morning. 

Enjoy!  These were gobbled up quickly and talked about most of the afternoon.



Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are oh. so. good.  I found the recipe because it had, of course, been pinned.  Then I realized it was originally posted on Tatertots & Jello which is one of my favorite blogs.  The original recipe is HERE. 

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 3.4 oz box of vanilla instant pudding
1 cup milk chocolate chips
25 mini Reese's peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 375.

Peel the peanut butter cups and cut them into fourths...do not chop!  You don't want them to completely fall apart.  Then stick them in the freezer while you do the next steps of making the dough.  This will prevent them from completely melting into the dough by getting them nice and firm.

Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl (I used my mixer).  Add the eggs and beat until creamy.  Then add the rest of the dry ingredients including the instant pudding.

Add and stir in the chocolate chips.  Finally add the peanut butter cups and gently fold them in with a wooden spoon.

Drop teaspoons of the batter onto a cookie sheet.  I baked mine for 8 minutes and then let them sit another 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Do not overcook.  They will get harder as they cool.

Pour yourself a large glass of milk and savor each bite...

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

Another online recipe I can thank both Pinterest and ModHousewife for recommending.  The original recipe is from Love Veggies and Yoga.  It is posted as half of what I made and also includes a cream cheese frosting.  I have to agree with ModHousewife that I prefer a buttercream frosting.  Charlotte and I made a batch to take to her classmates for her birthday. 

 
Ingredients:

1 stick butter (softened)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 Strawberry cake mix

Preheat oven to 350.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add Strawberry cake mix until well blended.  For best results put the cookie dough into the freezer for 15-20 minutes.  This will help the dough from spreading so much while baking. 

When ready, form 1-inch balls onto a cookie sheet that is greased or use parchment paper.  Be sure to leave enough space for some spreading.  Do not overcrowd the cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.  Cookies may seem undercooked (not completely firm) but take them out and let them finish on the cookie sheet a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.  Do not overbake.  I made about 36 cookies using this recipe.

These are really tasty as is.  However, you can spruce them up by adding a frosting after they are cooled and some sprinkles.  I made the frosting I used on my Christmas cookies.  That recipe is HERE.  I added 2 more tablespoons of milk (5 total) to make it even creamier.  Then a few red sprinkles finished it off!

Brown Sugar Blondies

I got this recipe from Baked Perfection HERE which was adapted from allrecipes.com.  At a friend's suggestion, I doubled the recipe to fit a 13 x 9 pan.  And since I was making it for an event on the eve of Valentine's Day...I threw in the white, pink and red M&Ms.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter (I used salted sticks)
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
One bag (12-13 oz.) of M&Ms of any color

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13 x 9 pan.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set to the side.  Melt 2/3 cup butter.  Mix melted butter with the firmly packed brown sugar - I used a mixer for this.  Cool slightly (just let it sit a minute).  Add 2 beaten eggs and then the vanilla.  Blend well (again in mixer).  With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture a bit at a time until it is all well mixed.  Stir in 1 1/3 cup of the M&Ms.  

Spread into a 13 x 9 pan.  Sprinkle the remainder of the M&Ms on top. 

Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool before slicing.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Yum, yum, yum!  And you can make the batter ahead of time...see below.  I originally found this recipe on Pinterest which led me HERE.  I followed the recipe pretty closely with a few minor changes.  I didn't have a lemon so I left that out and I also didn't have kosher salt so just used plain table salt.  And thank goodness she broke down 7/8 of a cup...because I would have guesstimated otherwise (it was late and I was tired)!

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Ingredients:
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar (the 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top)
1 egg at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh blueberries (you can also use fresh cranberries for a holiday spin...just increase the sugar a bit to offset tartness)
½ cup buttermilk

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons

1. Cream butter with 7/8 cup of the sugar until well blended.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour.  Mix together the remaining flour (1 and 3/4 cup), baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

4. Grease a baking pan (I used an 8 x 11) with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan.

At this point, I covered the pan with cling wrap and shoved it in the refrigerator until the next day (24 hours later!).  So you can make this ahead of time.  It turned out just fine for me.  If you are worried about your cold, refrigerated dish shattering...either let it get to room temp before shoving it in the oven or put it in while oven is cold and let them warm up together (that's what I did) or keep the batter in a tupperware container and transfer it to a baking dish the next day. 

5. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes if baking immediately or about 45-60 minutes if it's still cold from the refrigerator.

6. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Also yummy served with Cheesy Ham Pie for dinner!

Crispix Mix S'Mores

This recipe can be doubled and makes a great gift!

Ingredients
3 cups Kellogg’s® Crispix® cereal
1 cup bear-shaped, miniature honey graham crackers (Teddy Grahams)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup M&M’s® Brand Chocolate Candies - use red and green for holidays

Directions
1. In 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, combine Kellogg's Crispix cereal and graham crackers.

2. In small bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Drizzle over cereal mixture. Stir until coated. Bake at 250°F for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on foil. Cool completely.

3. Stir in marshmallows and M&M’s® Brand Chocolate Candies. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Original Recipe HERE on Kellogg's website.

Betty Crocker's Sugary Gingerbread-Oat Chews

This recipe can also be found here: http://www.recipe.com/sugary-gingerbread-oat-chews/

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Can be doubled.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1 pouch Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix (1 pound 1.5 ounces)
1/3 cup coarse sugar (I used regular sugar)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, beat butter, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add cookie mix; beat until soft dough forms.

2. The dough will be very sticky.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

4. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Store in tightly covered container.

Thumbprint Cookies

1 pkg. (8 oz.) softened Cream Cheese
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking soda

Beat cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Add 1 cup finely chopped pecans. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Indent centers. Bake 10 minutes. Fill each cookie with about 1 tsp. of your favorite preserves. Continue baking 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Munchies

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter
¼ cup peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sifted powdered sugar
½ cup peanut butter

 Preaheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.

 In a large mixing bowl beat butter and the ¼ cup peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars; beat until combined. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Shape into 32 (1 ¼ inch) balls; set aside.

 For filling, in a medium bowl combine powdered sugar and the ½ cup peanut butter until smooth. Shape into 32 (3/4 inch) balls.

 For each cookie, slightly flatten a chocolate ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Shape chocolate dough completely around filling; roll into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with bottom of a glass dipped in additional granulated sugar.

 Bake about 8 minutes or just until set and slightly cracked. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack; cool. Makes 32 cookies.

Pumpkin Pie Crunch

Makes 16-20 servings

1 can (16 ounces) solid pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 package Duncan Hines Moist Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
Whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 13x9x2-inch pan.

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in large bowl. Pour into pan.

Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Top with pecans. Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until golden.

Cool completely.  Serve with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers.

Peanut Butter-Toffee Cheesecake Brownies

These brownies are super easy to make. They are definitely a nonhealthy, very rich treat. I did steps 1-4 the night before and then step 5 the next morning and served them that evening.

From http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/showrecipe.aspx?rid=47227:

Prep Time: 15 Min
Total Time: 2 Hr 55 Min
Makes: 36 brownies

1 box box (19.5 oz) Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge brownie mix
1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup water (I use milk)
2 eggs
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
1 bag (8 oz) Heath® milk chocolate toffee bits
1 cup milk chocolate baking chips
3 tablespoons whipping cream (some of the reviews said they just used milk and it worked fine)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 13x9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray.


2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water (or milk) and eggs 50 strokes with spoon. Spread batter in pan; set aside.


3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add condensed milk and peanut butter; beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the toffee bits. Spoon mixture over batter; spread evenly.


4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set and edges are light golden brown. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 40 minutes.


5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and cream uncovered on High 40 to 60 seconds or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information
1 Brownie: Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 120); Total Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 90mg; Total Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 19g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2

Glazed Toffee Bonbons

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 bars (1.4 oz each) chocolate-covered English toffee candy finely chopped (I used Heath bars)

Glaze:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup white vanilla baking chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, the vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in four, baking soda and salt. Reserve 1/3 of the chopped candy for garnish. Stir remaining chopped candy into dough. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.

Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges start to brown and tops of cookies feel set when tapped. Place cooling racks on waxed paper. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Meanwhile in 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture just comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved. Stir in powdered sugar; beat with wire whisk if necessary to remove lumps. Immediately dip tops of cookies into glaze, or spread glaze on tops of cookies. (Cookies don't need to be completely cooled, just firm and set.) Place on rack; let stand about 10 minutes until glaze is set. If glaze starts to set in saucepan, reheat over medium-low heat and beat with whisk until softened.

Place chocolate chips and vanilla chips in separate small microwavable bowls. Microwave each on High 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Using tip of spoon, drizzle each flavor generously over cookies. Sprinkle with remaining candy. Refrigerate 20 minutes to set quickly.

Caramel Pecan Pretzels

Ingredients:
40 tree- and star-shaped pretzels (I substituted Snyder's Snaps Pretzels)
20 caramels, unwrapped, each cut in half horizontally into 2 thin squares
40 pecan halves
½ cup dark chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 250. On a large cookie sheet, place pretzels in a single layer. Place caramel piece on center of each pretzel. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until caramels have softened. Remove from oven. Press pecan half into each caramel piece. Place close together on sheet of waxed paper.
In separate 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bags, place chocolate chips and vanilla chips; seal bags. Microwave each on High 35 to 50 seconds, until chips are melted and smooth.
Cut small tip from bottom corner of each bag. Drizzle melted chocolate over pretzels. Carefully drizzle melted vanilla chips over chocolate. (If careful when drizzling, there is no need to let the chocolate set before drizzling the vanilla chips.) Refrigerate about 20 minutes or until chocolate is set.

Toffee Apple Dip

This one is definitely a fall favorite and guaranteed to be a hit at any gathering.  A friend brought this to my house a few years ago for a fall picnic and she couldn't keep the apples cut fast enough! 

Ingredients:
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened (1/3 less fat works fine)
1 - 8oz package toffee bits (I love the Heath ones)
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but I use it)

Stir together all ingredients until well blended. It may seem a bit lumpy or not working at first.  But just. keep. stirring.  Trust me.  It will begin to come together just fine.

Serve immediately with apple slices or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days. 

Note:
You can smash up 4 Heath bars for the toffee bits.

If you are taking this somewhere, don't cut the apples until you get there.  Better yet, bring along a small cutting board and apple slicer that you can keep right there with the dip.  Slice a few at a time to keep the apples from browning.  If you are like me, any tiny bit of lemon juice may help the browning, but just kills all flavor...bleh!

Layer after Layer Lemon Pie

This is a great spring/Easter dessert. I think I got it out of the Kraft Foods Magazine.

1/3 cup strawberry jam
1 prepared graham cracker crust (9-inch)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tubs (8 oz. each) cool whip
1 ½ cups cold milk
2 packages (4-serving size each) Jell-O Lemon flavor instant pudding

Spread jam on bottom of crust.

Mix cream cheese and sugar in bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir ½ tub of cool whip into cream cheese mixture.

Spread over jam.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes; beat with wire whisk 1 minute or until blended. Gently stir in remaining ½ tub cool whip.

Spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Top with cool whip.

Pumpkin Bread

This is from my friend Amy. Her recipe is awesome!

Also, this recipe makes a LOT - 24 big muffins or 4 loaves in 7-1/2x3-1/2 inch pans. It's great to stock up the freezer.

1 cup softened butter
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Combine dry ingredients. Add alternately with pumpkin to the creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla, raisins and pecans. Pour into lined muffin tins or greased and floured bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees (about 25 minutes for muffins, about 45 minutes for breads).

Banana Pie

Ingredients:
2 bananas
1 oz package vanilla fat-free instant pudding
1¾ cup skim milk
1 Keebler reduced-fat graham cracker crust
1 8 oz container of fat-free Cool Whip

Slice 1 banana and lay slices on the bottom of crust. Beat pudding and milk and pour over bananas. Slice other banana and lay slices on top of pudding. Refrigerate until firm. Top with Cool Whip and serve.

1/8 pie = 3 WW points

Oreo Chocolate Truffles

Prep Time 1:30
Yield: 42

1 – Package of Oreos, Divided
1 – Package of Cream Cheese
2 – 8 oz Packages of Bakers Chocolate

Set aside 9 Oreos for later. These can be crushed to use as a topping once the whole process is complete.

Crush the remaining Oreos into a fine powder. (Food Processor is easiest)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Oreo Powder and the Cream Cheese until completely blended and smooth.

Roll mixture into 1” balls and put on cookie sheet(s) covered with parchment paper (Should be around 42).

Place cookie sheet(s) in fridge to chill for 1 hour.

Melt Bakers chocolate using directions on package.

Dip each ball into Bakers chocolate and place back on parchment paper. Now is the time to decorate if you would like using remaining Oreos or topping of your choice.

Let chill for 1 more hour (or until chocolate is hard) before serving.

Angel Food Cherry Cheese Fluff

For 8 x 8 pan, cream together in a mixer:
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Then add to that and mix again briefly:
6 oz Cool Whip

Then remove bowl from mixer and add 1/2 angel food cake (cut in small pieces) and stir together coating the cake. Spread mixture on bottom of pan. Top with 1 can cherry pie filling and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Double the recipe for 9 x 13 dish.

Thanks to Laurie for this one!! A summer favorite.

Peanut Butter Pie

Mix 8 oz cool whip with 4 oz cream cheese
Add 1/3 cup peanut butter (I always add a little extra)
Add ½ tsp vanilla
Gradually add 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
Gradually add ½ cup milk

Once mixed, pour into a 9 oz graham cracker crust and freeze. Decorate with ready whip and chocolate syrup before serving.

Thanks Julie S.!!