Southern Green Bean Casserole-- by Southern Living

I have been asked for this recipe by friends and family, so here it is! I have made it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, it was a hit!

Southern Green Bean Casserole

What you need:

- 2 (16 oz) bags of frozen french style green beans

- 1 (10 oz)container of refrigerated alfredo sauce (premade, but in the cold section, not warm)

-1 (8oz) can diced water chestnuts

- 1 (6 oz) jar sliced mushrooms

- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded Parmesan cheese

- 1/2 tsp black pepper

- 1 (6 oz)container (regular size) french fried onions (divided)

- 1/2 cup chopped pecans

What to do:

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients and 1/2 can of french onions.. spoon into lightly greased slow cooker

2. Cover and cook for 4.5 hours on LOW or until bubbly 

3. Heat pecans and rest of onions in skillet over med. heat-- stir often-- 1 to 2 min. until toasted

4. Sprinkle over casserole

Enjoy!

Oreo Peppermint Cookies by Inside BruCrew Life

These look delicious, and fun to make for a holiday party!

What you need:

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. flour
1/4 c. dark cocoa powder
1 egg
2 c. oreo cookie chunks
1 c. peppermint patty pieces(the chocolate candies, not the actual patties)


What to do:

Preheat oven to 350* In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in both sugars. Add the egg and beat again. Stir in the baking powder, cocoa powder, and flour. Add the oreo chunks and patty pieces and stir by hand to distribute. Do this gently so you don't break up the chunks of oreos more. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Dipping Spoons by Simply Designing

What a great holiday idea! This would be fun to do with small children or as a gift for Christmas!

What you need:

-spoons (plastic)

- chocolate to melt

- candy, sprinkles, etc. for toppings

What to do:

- Dip spoon in melted chocolate and decorate! Simple!

Santa's Hat Brownie Dessert by Cleverly Inspired Blog

This is such a cute idea!!

Check out her blog to get the recipe!

http://cleverlyinspired.blogspot.com/2011/12/santas-hat-brownie-dessert.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Cleverlyinspired+%28cleverlyinspired%29

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip by The Scrap Shoppe

I actually make a recipe very similar to this each year for Christmas, but in a bread bowl... it is so good for dipping bread cubes or crackers!

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

What you need:

1 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped

1 c. shredded parmesan-romano cheese mix

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

10 oz. prepared alfredo sauce

1 tsp. minced garlic

4 oz. softened cream cheese

Pepper (optional)

I loved this recipe because it was so easy!

The only ingredient that needed any work was the artichokes.

They just needed a little chopping!

Then dump in all of the other ingredients and mix them up thoroughly.

Spread in an 8x8" dish.  Then bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cheese are bubbling and melted.

Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies by Cookin Cowgirl

These look delicious! Maybe for a cookie swap or a holiday party?

Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies

      makes 32

1 1.5oz pouch Berry Crocker sugar cookie recipe

1/2 C butter, softened

8 drops green food coloring

1 egg

1 C Nestle After Eight mint chocolate thins, chopped

1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cookie pouch, egg, butter and food coloring. Stir until combined. Stir in mint chunks and chocolate chips. Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes and remove. 

Simple yet yummy!

Holiday Cheese Ball by Kellogs

This looked like a fun recipe to try for an appetizer!

Holiday Cheese Ball

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 oz., 2cups) shredded, sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon pimento
• 1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 cup Kellogg's® All-Bran® Original cereal

Directions

1. Let cheeses stand at room temperature to soften. In small electric mixer bowl, beat cheeses until thoroughly blended and fluffy. 

2. Add onion, pimiento, green pepper, paprika and garlic salt. Beat until well combined. Shape into ball.

 

3. Roll in KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN cereal. Wrap and chill. Before serving, let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Serve with crackers.

Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies by My Blessed Life

These look delicious! I will have to put them on the list of Christmas cookies to make this year!

Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2/3 c butter, softened
• 2/3 cup raw sugar {You can use brown}
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c. oats {I used quick oats because it’s what I had}
• 1 1/2 c. flour {I used spelt flour}
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. dried cranberries
• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy then add eggs and mix well.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl then add to butter mixture in several additions. Mix well after each addition.

Stir in craisins and chocolate chips.  Create rounded cookie dough balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on wire racks. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls by Kraft Foods

These look perfect to make for a Christmas dessert!!

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls

What you need:

6 candy canes, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup), divided

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 pkg. (16.6 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed

2 pkg.  (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

RESERVE 1 Tbsp. chopped candy. Mix remaining candy with cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended.

SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with reserved candy.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.

Handmade goods by Brookish

Very cute!

ornament

Pride and Prejudice Theme Mug

Simple Wrapping Ideas by the Haystack Needle

What a creative and cute idea for package wrapping! I might try this for my Christmas wrapping this year!

Love the stamped names and colorful ribbon!

Check out her blog at:

http://www.thehaystackneedleonline.com

Goodbye Fall Decorations, hello Winter!

It was finally time to take down the Fall decorations at my house... kinda sad, but I got to replace them with Christmas decorations which are fun too! Here are some shots of the new decor:

Zoo Lights with the Schlumpfs!

Tyler's parents came to town for Thanksgiving and we took them to Zoo Lights! It was so cold, but so much fun!

Moravian Sugar Cookies with Toffee, Choco Chips, Cinnamon and Nuts!!

So, I maybe added a few things to the topping of these dessert bars, but they are soooo good! Here is the recipe that I found online from Allrecipes.com

Moravian Sugar Cookies with Toffee, Choco Chips, Cinnamon and Nuts

This is a MAJOR close up of one of the bars... doesn't it look soooo good?? :) Oh, it was!

Ingredients:

-1/2 c. butter

- 1 c. sugar

- 1 tsp. baking powder

- 1 tsp. vanilla

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 egg

- 1 1/4 c. flour

Topping:

1/4 c. toffee bits

1/4 c. choco chips

1/4 c. nuts

2 tsp. cinnamon

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Soften butter and then add sugar, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Blend in egg and flour.

3. Grease two cookie sheets well. Spread half the mixture on each sheet into a 10 by 8 inch rectangle

4. Spread mixture evenly onto dough

5. Bake for about 10-12 min. or until edges are golden brown

6. Cut into small bars and ENJOY!!