Monkey Bread

We eat this every christmas. Not low in fat, but not bad if eaten once-a-year! =)
2 packages of pillsbury biscuits, cut into 1/8s and make into balls.
1C brown sugar
1/2C white sugar
1.5 sticks of butter
2T cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a ziploc bag place *white* sugar & cinnamon
3. In a bowl mix butter & *brown* sugar; microwave until melted.
4. In batches of 5-7 balls/time, place them in ziploc bag & shake until covered. Place in bottom of well-greased bundt pan. Do this until all balls are covered and placed in bundt pan.
5. Pour butter/brown sugar mixture over the top of balls in pan.
6. Bake for 35min.

Nana's 7 Layer Cookie Bars by T. Cochrum

These are easy to make, quick & serves about 36 small bars.

Crust:
2 cups flour
2 cups Quick Oats
1 1/2 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 C. Butter- softened
2 Tbl Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Filling:
1 Cup or rest of jar of Caramel Topping
3 Tbl Flour
1 pkg. Chocolate Chips or Hershey Bars
3/4 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

1. Heat Oven to 350, Grease 13x9 pan
2. Combine Crust ingreadients into large bowl, mix at low speed until crumbly. Press 1/2 of the mixture into pan and bake for 10 minutes. (Save 1/2 of the mixture for topping).
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl mix Caramel Topping and 3 Tbl Flour, blend well.
4. Remove Crust from over, Sprinkle with Chocolate and Nuts, Drizzle evenley with Caramel Mixture, Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of Crumb Mixturel.
5. Return to Oven and Bake an additional 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 hour or so, Refrigerate 1 hour and Cut into squares.

Ginger Bread Dots by M. Lazaro & E. Seaton

Cookies inspired by Paula Dean

• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream the sugar and butter until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and molasses and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine with a spoon or spatula.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until pliable.
   
5. Roll dough into Nickel-size balls, place on cookie sheet and *lightly* tap the top so that they are less round on top.
   
6. Bake for 5-6 minutes (dep on your oven). If you over cook these they will taste like coal. Side on "under-cooking" vs. over-cooking.
   
7. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
8. Frost w/ a dollop of frosting in a whirl shape (like a cupcake)

[Note: These cookies are *only* good the day-of, unless you freeze them that same day. If/when you defrost them, serve them the day-of (clearly, after they've been defrosted). =)

Frosting by E. Seaton
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 c butter
1 1/2 c confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Whip together until light & easy to frost.

marshmallow crunch brownie bars by E. Seaton

Warning!
1. These are divine ... and will (a) make you the hit of any dinner party and (b) could have you gain my identical 5lbs of holiday.
2. They take at least 1 hour of prep, besides the refrigeration time.
3. They make about 50 mini-bars - serves a LOT of people. Perhaps put in two baking dishes and then freeze one for another date. They do freeze well for at least 2 weeks.

grease 9 x 13 pan

Ingredients:
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2/3 c (1 1/3 sticks) plus 1 T unsalted butter, divided
3/4 c semi sweet choc chips
1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 lg eggs (room temp)
2 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla

TOPPING
1 pkg mini marshmallows (10.5 oz)
1 1/2 c choc chips
1 c smooth peanut butter
1 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 c rice krispies

1. in a medium saucepan, melt chocolate butter & 3/4 c of the choc chips on medium heat.
2. stir occasionally while melting
3. set aside and cool for 5 min.
4. in a med. bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. set aside
5. in a large bowl, place the eggs and whisk thoroughly. add in the sugar and vanilla
6. stir the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing well.
7. stir in the sifted dry ingredients and mix well
8. pour the batter into the prepared pan and even with a spatula.
9. bake for 25-30 min. or until a cake tester comes out with moist crumbs
10. remove brownies from the over and immediately sprinkle the marshmallows over them
11. return the pan to over for 3 more min.
12. while brownies bake, place choc chips, PB and butter in a med saucepan
13. cook over low heat stir until melted.
14. remove from heat, add cereal and mix well
15. allow to cool 3 min or so.
16. spread over marshmallow layer
17. refrig until chilled before cutting.

Pumpkin Roll by E. Seaton

This "pumpkin roll" recipe is *very* similar to the one that is seasonally placed on the back label of the "pumpkin pie filling" can - HOWEVER - it is just *different* enough to make a difference and be that much *yummier*!

So great @ any Fall or Christmas event - frankly, *any* time is good for a pumpkin roll. Can you tell it's my *favorite*!?

1 cup sugar
3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1tsp baking soda

mix...add 3 eggs and 2/3 c pumpkin.
mix well

filling:
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
8oz cream cheese
2T butter
mix well!

1. line jelly roll pan with "rapid release" foil (this is critical!)
   
2. spread pumpkin mixture
3. bake at 350 for 15 min
4. cool 10 min
5. while cake is warm, spread filling over and begin to roll, peeling foil free.
6. wrap tightly in Saran wrap.
7. freeze at least 3 hours
8. slice frozen!

Peppermint Bark

So the easy way is to melt a pound of white chocolate over a double boiler (or just rest a metal bowl with 2 packages of white chocolate chips in it over boiling water). Keep CONSTANTLY stirring the chips until it's completely melted! IF THE BOWL GETS TOO HOT, THE CHOCOLATE WILL DRY OUT! Medium high heat will suffice.Break up a package of peppermints like the kind they give away at restaurants into tiny chips. Melt the chocolate completely, then sprinkle in 1 tsp. of peppermint extract and all the peppermint chips, even the tiny peppermint dust left over. Mix it all up, keep cooking and stirring for another minute, then spread into a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. If you're using a metal spatula, give it a spray of Pam or dust it with butter first.If you don't have a rimmed cookie sheet, have no fear! You can use a glass pie pan, muffin tins, or anything with walls that you can use to control the melted chocolate. Make sure whatever it is has parchment paper on it.Stick it in the fridge for an hour, then take it out, break it up and stick it in jars. If you're me, you'll also spray paint the lids in a kicky shade of green and wrap them with a matching ribbon. But it's optional.