Cream Cheese Braids

Long overdue for posting- I KNOW!

I thought I'd make it up to you with one of my very favorite treats. These are worth the effort, not low calorie, yet divine!

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 pkg dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups flour

cream cheese filling

glaze

Heat sour cream over low heat; stir in sugar, salt, and butter; cool to lukewarm.

Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup warm water in large mixing bowl, stirring until yeast dissolves.

Add sour cream mixture, eggs, and flour; mix well.

Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Then next day make cream cheese filling.

Filling:

2- 8 oz cream cheese blocks, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp vanilla extract

Divide dough into 4 equal parts; roll each out onto well floured surface into 12X8 inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 of the filling on each rectangle. Roll up jelly roll fashion, beginning at the long sides. Pinch edges together and fold ends under slightly. Place rolls seam side down on greased baking sheets.

Slit each roll at 2 inch intervals about 2/3 of the way through dough to resemble a braid. Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts until doubled in bulk. (about an hour)
Bake a 375 for 12 to 15 minutes.

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

Combine and spread on rolls while still warm.

Rolo Turtles + Bonus idea Cheesecake stuffed choc. dipped strawberries

This recipe is for the pecan topped candies on the right.

1 bag Rolos

1 bag butter flavor pretzels (Snyders Butter Snaps)

1 bag whole pecans

(you won't used all the pretzels or pecans)

Toast your whole pecans at 350 for a few minutes..they will start to brown, so just watch them. Spread the pretzels on a cookie sheet and top each with a Rolo. Put in oven at 350 for about 3 minutes, no longer or you'll have a chocolate mess. Remove from oven and press a pecan half onto each.

These are so hard to stop eating once you start. The perfect combination..sweet, salty, buttery..mmm.

Bonus recipe:

Cheesecake stuffed chocolate covered strawberries

Top and hollow out larger strawberries with a melon baller. Stuff with no bake cheesecake. I combined 1 blk cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup whipping cream(whipped), and 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1 tsp vanilla. Pipe the filling into the strawberries and then dip them into 16 oz melted chocolate combined with 1 to 2 tbs shortening.

Sherri's Pork Chalupas (Slow cooked pork roast and beans)

Megan Belew made this for us on a visit. It is sooo good I had to have the recipe. I hope she doesn't mind that I shared..I don't know who Sherri is, but I certainly thank her for this too.

2 lb pork roast
1 lb uncooked pinto beans
2 cloves garlic
1 med onion, chopped
1 tbs tabasco
1 tbs picante
2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
2 1/2 cups tomotoes ( I used a can regular diced and 3/4 can Rotel)
Salt/Pepper

Place roast in slow cooker and cover with water. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours, or until pork pulls apart and beans are tender.

Serve over Fritos with cheese, sour cream, avacados, lettuce...or whatever else you'd like.

Jalapeno Cornbread

This is Mom's recipe and SOOOO good, I know I say that about everything but you really need to make this. It is almost more like a casserole than traditional cornbread.

1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten in separate bowl
1 med onion chopped
2 1/2 cup canned cream corn
cheddar cheese (about a cup)
butter....several pats?
chopped pickled jalapenos

Mix first seven ingredients well. Pour 1/2 of batter in an 8x8 greased baking dish. Layer pats of butter, jalepenos and cheese. I just covered with small pats of butter and sprinkled the jalapenos so there would be some in pretty much every bite, and then covered with cheese layer. Pour remaining batter on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. It may take a few more minutes.

Tater Tot Casserole - my way (the best way-ha)

I took several recipes and made my own new favorite comfort food. Please-do try!

1 bag frozen tater tots (you won't use the whole thing)
1 can cream mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 container fresh mushrooms (8 oz, maybe??)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 lb ground beef
1 tbs worchestershire -optional
3/4 cup Velveeta
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and add chopped onion, mushroom, and garlic and Worchestershire. Cook over medium heat until onions are soft. Drain. Put meat in bottom of baking dish. Combine soup and sour cream. Spread over meat mixture. Top with grated Velveeta and then grated cheddar. Finally, top with a layer of tater tots. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes. YUMMMMMMMMY!

Homemade Marshmallows

These are perfect in your hot chocolate this time of year

1 1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
3 cups sugar
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (Knox brand)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Electric mixer with whisk attachment - Kitchen Aids work great

Combine 3/4 cup cold water and 4 packs of gelatin in mixing bowl and set aside.

Combine 3/4 cup water, sugar syrup, and salt in a pan. Cook over high heat stirring until sugar is dissolved and a rolling boil begins. Boil, without stirring, for 1 full minute or until temp is 238...this took me more than 1 minute. Slowly pour hot mixture into mixer on low speed. Gradully increase spead to high and mix (with whisk attachment) for 6 minutes. Slowly add extract and beat for 6 more minutes.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan and let sit at least 3 hours until set. cut into squares on a surface covered in powdered sugar and then toss in bowl to fully coat. ENJOY!

Cut-out Sugar Cookies

This is the best recipe I've ever tried...it is our old family favorite. We baked these for Santa every year. I ate more than Santa!

1/2 cup butter, room temp

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and egg. Sift flour soda and salt together. Mix into butter mixture. Dough will be stiff. Work with a small amount of dough at a time, roll out on floured wax paper about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350.

Icing: 2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tbs milk

1 Tbs butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Mix and adjust amouts for desired thickness. Ice cookies.