Chocolate Cheescake Candy Cane Bars

from: Food Network.com

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Makes about 16 (2 inch) squares




Crust:

20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground coffee beans
1/4 tsp. fine salt

Filling:

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. light or dark corn syrup
2 tbsp. sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see note at end)

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with foil.

FOR the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

TO make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about two minutes. Stir and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to two minutes more.

BLEND the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides as need. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

POUR the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25-30 minutes. Cook on a rack.

FOR the glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about two minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top.

COOL completely, then refrigerate overnight.

CUT into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature. Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.

NOTE: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies No-bake

from: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Desserts, Mirimax Books, 2003

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Refrigeration Time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 dozen

1 16 oz. container dark chocolate frosting
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract
48 chocolate kiss candies

PULSE almonds in a food processor until very finely ground. Pour ground almonds into a pie pan or other shallow bowl and set aside.

BEAT chocolate frosting and butter in large bowl with a hand mixer until well blended. Stir in graham cracker crumbs and almond extract.

SHAPE chocolate mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in almonds to coat. Place balls on cookie sheet.

USING your finger, make a deep indentation in the center of each ball. Fill the indentations with chocolate kiss candies.

REFRIGERATE for 30 minutes or until cold.

Banana-Blueberry Smoothie

from: www.marthastewart.com, Food Everyday, February 2008

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Makes 2 servings

1 ripe banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

IN a blender, combine banana, blueberries and yogurt.

BLEND on high speed until smooth. Pour into two glasses; serve immediately.

NOTE: You can substitute any frozen fruit.

My son made a couple of these last night. He substituted blueberry yogurt for the frozen blueberries and plain yogurt. They were yummy!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

from: Swanson

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Makes 6 servings

2 cans Swanson's seasoned chicken broth with roasted garlic
5 large potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

PLACE potatoes and broth in a saucepan. Over high heat, bring to a boil.

COVER and cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

DRAIN, reserving broth. Mash potatoes with 1 1/4 cup broth. If needed, add additional broth to reach desired consistency.

Smothered Pork Chops

from: Swanson

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Makes 6 servings

2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) beef broth
1/8 tsp. pepper
cooking spray
6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 medium onion, sliced

MIX cornstarch, broth and pepper until smooth. Set aside.

SPRAY skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Cook pork chops in 2 batches for 10 minutes or until browned. Set pork chops aside.

REMOVE pan from heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add onion and cook over medium heat until tender but crispy.

STIR cornstarch mixture and add. Cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Return the pork chops to pan. Cover and cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until pork chops are done.

Sugar

Raw Sugar - Unrefined sugar processed into crystals. Types are Turbinado, Demerara and Dark Muscovado (or Barbados).Granulated Sugar - Derived from the juice of sugar cane and sugar beets then processed. Excellent for baking. Colored Sugars - Perfect for decorating cookies and breads. To make, place a desired amount of sugar in a resealable bag. Add a drop of paste or 2 drops of liquid color. Seal, shake and knead until evenly distributed. Vanilla Sugar - Add 1 vanilla bean to 1 cup of granulated sugar in an airtight container for about 1 week and stir occasionally. Powdered/Confectioners' Sugar - Pulverized to the consistency of talc. Similar in taste to granulated sugar.
Dark Brown Sugar - Semi-refined white sugar with molasses. Dark brown sugar has more molasses than light. It has a subtle caramel flavor, good for all-purpose baking. Light Brown Sugar - Semi-refined white sugar with molasses. Light brown sugar has less molasses than dark. It has a subtle caramel flavor, good for all-purpose baking.These are just the basic sugars that are used most in cooking & baking. There are many more out there!

* Combine brown and white sugar to make cookies chewier. Using granulated by itself will make the cookies crisper.

* Brown sugar must be packed when measured.

* Store sugar in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. For added measure, you can store in a plastic bag in an airtight container. If stored properly, sugar can keep for several years.

* If brown sugar gets clumped up, you can soften it by adding a slice of bread or an apple wedge to the container and let it sit for 1-2 days. If you need it softened quickly, microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Peanut Butter Pudding

from: kraftfoods.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Makes 4 servings, 1/2 cup each

2 cups cold milk

1 package (4 serving size) Jello chocolate instant pudding

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup cool whip whipped topping, thawed

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.

SPOON evenly into four microwaveable dessert dishes. Top each with 1 tbsp. peanut butter.

MIRCOWAVE on HIGH for 30 seconds or until peanut butter begins to melt and pudding is heated through. Top each serving with 1 tbsp. of the whipped topping.

Pizza Breadsticks

from: kraftfoods.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes 16 sticks

PREHEAT oven to 400ºF. Brush edges of pizza crust lightly with oil. Drizzle remaining oil evenly over pizza.

MIX 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese and the pepper; sprinkle evenly over pizza. Place pizza directly on center oven rack.

BAKE 20 to 22 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Cut pizza into quarters; cut each quarter into eight thin sticks. Serve as dippers with salsa or other dip as desired.

Super Gooey Chocolate Drops

from: foodnetwork.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Makes about 24 large cookies






1 stick unsalted butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 tbsp. buttermilk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
11 oz. (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup dried cherries (optional)

POSITION racks in the lower and upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

PUT butter and unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power until soft, about two minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to two minutes more.

STIR light brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.

IN another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks and dried cherries.

DROP the batter in heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets. Space about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside. 12-15 minutes.

COOL cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

STORE cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.

Double Chocolate Sable Cookies

from: foodnetwork.com

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Makes 3 dozen cookies

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, frozen 10 minutes
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
5 1/4 oz. (11 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk

GRATE the chilled chocolate with a fine grater or rasp and set aside.

WHISK together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt.

BEAT the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Mix in the yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and beat lightly together until just combined but still crumbly. Fold in grated chocolate with a spatula. Bring the dough together by lightly squeezing in your hands; but don't knead or overwork, as the secret to these cookies is their delicate, sandy texture.

DIVIDE the dough in half. Lay half the dough on a long sheet of waxed paper and shape into a log along the width of the waxed paper, leaving some space at each end. Pull the paper over the top of the log. Grip the edge of the top piece of paper, and use a straight, firm edge, like a ruler or the edge of a pan, to press gently against the edge of the dough where the papers come together to create a solid, firm round log. Repeat with remaining dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (To keep logs round store inside an empty paper towel roll.)

PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

SLICE logs into 1/2 inch thick rounds with a sharp, thin knife. Divide rounds onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

BAKE until cookies smell fragrant with a full cocoa aroma and set on the outside, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pans, about 5 minutes.

TRANSFER cookies to a rack to cool completely. Serve.

Note: Dough can be made and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.