Frozen Raspberry Squares

Frozen Raspberry Squares

Preparation Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes Servings: 9

Ingredients:
2 cups crushed Keebler® Vanilla Wafers (Cookies)
1/4 margarine or butter, melted
1 quart frozen reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, softened
1 container (8 oz) reduced-fat sour cream
1 T grated lemon peel

2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened red raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or small whole strawberries

Directions:

1. In small bowl combine wafers and margarine or butter. Press half of mixture on bottom of 8-inch square baking dish.

2. In large bowl stir together ice cream, sour cream and lemon peel. Gently fold in raspberries. Carefully spoon over wafer mixture in dish, smoothing top. Sprinkle with remaining wafer mixture.

3. Cover and freeze at least 4 hours or until firm.

4. Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. Cut into squares.

This dish is nice and bright, perfect in the summer (or any time really). You can use whole strawberries that are thinly sliced as a substitute. Also, I skip out on the "reduced fat" part and use the regular ice cream and sour cream.

Source: http://www.keebler.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?id=4483

Almond Bark Haystacks

Almond Bark Haystacks
1 c captain crunch
1 c rice crispies
1 c stick pretzels, broken
1 c salted peanuts
Coating:
1 c milk or white chocolate chips (or 6 oz almond bark)
2 T peanut butter (can be substituted with 2 T shortening)
Directions:
Mix together cereals, pretzels, and nuts in a large bowl. Set aside.
Melt the chocolate & peanut butter until smooth.
Poor the melted mixture over the dry mixture and coat well.
Drop by teaspoon-full on to wax paper and let set. Enjoy.
This is a recipe from my Grandma I grew up with, especially around Christmas.

The top picture is obviously not this recipe. For that recipe please visit http://christmasnotebook.com/2007/12/18/candy-jumble/. It is fairly similar in style. Honestly, you could substitute your favorite combos as long as the over all volume remains the same.

The other picture is what almond bark looks like. You can usually find it in the baking aisle.
Tips
Melting chocolate:
--Saucepan: Place desired amount in saucepan. Melt over low heat about 8 minutes, stirring until smooth.
--Microwave: Place in a microwave dish and microwave for 60 seconds, then stir well. Continue to microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until smooth.
Never…
Overheat, scorch, or caramelize chocolate.
Use water, milk, oil, margarine or butter
Do…
Use only dry utensils for melting or stirring. Moisture could cause the chocolate to solidify or separate.
Use shortening when thinning chocolate.

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

*Warning: Easy to make dessert that is highly addictive!*

Rolo chocolate candies
Mini pretzels (Can also use round, or waffle (square) pretzels)
Nuts - toasted pecans/almonds/hazelnuts/walnuts Or M&Ms

Preheat your oven to 350

1. Unwrap your Rolos. Place pretzels on baking sheet. Top with a Rolo.

2. Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes, until the chocolate just begins to melt. The Rolo should be soft but not completely melted.

3. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and immediately squish the chocolate with a nut. Watch the caramel ooze out.

IMPORTANT: Eat as many as you can while they are still warm. Go ahead; I give you permission to stuff yourselves with sugar.

Recipe taken from http://www.steamykitchen.com/

Chocolate Scotcheroos (AKA "Fat Bars")

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter (I add an extra 1/4 c. & highly recommend name brand pb--it tastes better)
6 cups Rice Krispies®
or 6 cups Cocoa Rice Krispies®
1 package (6 oz., 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.