December GNO Recipes!

Chocolate Sour Cream Peppermint Cupcakes

From the Kitchen of Nikki Hughes

1 box dark chocolate cake mix

1 1/4 cup water

3 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Line muffin tins with paper baking cups.  (Silver would be nice, available at Wal-Mart).  In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, cocoa powder and peppermint extract. Beat on low speed until batter is moist. Increase speed to medium and beat 2 more minutes.

2. Fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks. Makes 24 cupcakes.

3.  Provide 2 cans of whipped vanilla frosting to be frosted at the church.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

From the Kitchen of Amanda Acker

•  2 cups creamy peanut butter, divided

•  3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

•  2 cups powdered sugar, divided

•  4 cups (roughly ½-inch pieces), broken small pretzel twists, divided

•  2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips, divided

LINE 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil leaving an overhang on two sides. Lightly spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

BEAT 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Stir in remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 cups pretzel pieces and 1/2 cup morsels. Press evenly into prepared baking pan. Smooth top with spatula.

MICROWAVE remaining 1 1/2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup peanut butter in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 45 seconds; STIR. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Spread chocolate layer evenly over powdered sugar mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining pretzel pieces, pressing down lightly. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; peel off foil. Cut into 60 pieces. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Holiday Hug Pretzels

From the Kitchen of Lori Connelly

1 bag of waffle pretzels (square)

1 bag of holiday M&Ms

1 bag of Hershey Hugs

1.            Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2.            Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  Lay however many pretzels you want to make on the sheet.

3.            Unwrap Hugs and place one on each pretzel.  Stick in the oven (about 4 or 5 minutes) until the Hug begins to melt but not cook.

4.            While the Hug Pretzels are in the oven, get your M&M’s out and ready because you will have to work fairly quickly after they come out of the oven.

5.            Remove Hug Pretzels from oven and gently press a red or green M&M down on each one. (The Hug should flatten out when you press the M&M in it.  If it is not flattening out, place the Hug Pretzels back in the oven for 30 more seconds.)

6.            Let the Holiday Hug Pretzels cool completely and let the chocolate set for about 1 hour.  Enjoy!

Dinner Bell! - Serbian Ground Beef, Veggie, and Potato Bake

Serbian ground beef, veggie and potato bake

(from AllRecipes, tweeked by Cathy Cordero:))

*I used ground sausage  instead this time, omitted the crushed red pepper, reduced pepper to 1/8 tsp and used 5 potatoes and made 2 layers of meat and 3 of potatoes. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, shredded 2 celery stalks, chopped 1/2 tablespoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 pinch ground cinnamon 1 pinch ground cloves 1/4 cup water 1/8 cup red wine 1 cube beef bouillon 2 tablespoons half-and-half 2 potatoes, peeled and sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a casserole dish.
2.	In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef until evenly brown. Remove beef from skillet, reserving juices, and set aside. Mix in the olive oil, and saute the green pepper, onion, carrot, and celery until tender.
3.	Return beef to the skillet, and season with paprika, salt, black pepper, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the water and red wine until heated through. Dissolve the beef bouillon cube into the mixture. Remove skillet from heat, and mix in the half-and-half.
4.	Layer the bottom of the prepared casserole dish with enough potato slices to cover. Place the beef and vegetable mixture over the potatoes, and top with remaining potatoes.
5.	Cook, covered, 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the potatoes are tender.

Dinner Bell! - Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie from the kitchen of Nikki Hughes

2 pounds ground beef

1 green pepper

1 onion

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 small can sliced olives

1 8oz can tomato sauce

¼ cup water

2 – 8 oz boxes corn muffin mix

Brown hamburger, onion and green pepper, drain fat.

Add remaining ingredients (except for muffin mix) and simmer 5 minutes, uncovered.

To Freeze: Cool mixture and divide in half, bag in a gallon freezer bag.  Squish flat to freeze.  Mark muffin mix boxes for Tamale Pie.

To Serve: Thaw mixture.  Mix up muffin mix according to directions on box.  Spread ¾ of the mix on bottom of pan.  Pour meat mix over it, then spread, as best you can, the remaining ¼ of the muffin mix on top.

Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Note: Two boxes of muffin mix & both bags of meat mix can be used in a 9 X 13 pan.