Hot Antipasto

Hot Parmesan Artichoke Dip

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Bites

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Bites

Prepared By: Ilona

CROCK POT OATMEAL

Crock Pot Oatmeal

Prepared By Calla

YIELD: SERVES 6-8

Note: Steel cut oats are essential in this recipe. Quick oats or regular rolled oats won't hold up to the long cooking time in the slow cooker. Also, the liquid measurement completely depends on how you like your oatmeal. My sister, who gave me the recipe, cooks her oatmeal in the slow cooker with 8 cups water to 2 cups steel cut oats but she doesn't add any milk or liquid in the morning when serving. I, on the other hand, like a sturdier oatmeal consistency because we pour a bit of milk on ours when serving, so I use 6 cups water to 2 cups steel cut oats. Judge the liquid-to-oats ratio based on how you like to eat your oatmeal.

INGREDIENTS

• 6-8 cups water (see note above)
• 2 cups steel cut oats 
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup dried blueberries (optional)  
• ***I added one sliced banana and nutmeg, too!
• ***I used cherry craisins instead of blueberries and added sliced almonds and honey as toppings
• 
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly coat the inside of a 4-5 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir. Cook for 7-8 hours on low (I only cooked it for 6 hours then left it on warm the rest of the morning). Stir thoroughly before serving with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Serve immediately. The leftover oatmeal can be portioned into tupperware-like containers and refrigerated to be reheated and enjoyed for 3-4 days.

***I also wanted a lot of oatmeal, so I used 3 cups of oatmeal, 12 cups of water, 1/3 cup of maple syrup, 1/3 cup brown sugr, 1 1/2 tsp cin, 1 1/2 tsp of nutmeg...I garnished with sliced almonds, honey and the craisins

Chocolate Caramel Oat Squares

Oreo Truffles

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

1 package Double Stuffed Oreos

4 oz Cream Cheese, you may add up to 8 oz, I just like the consistency best with 4 oz.

3 Hershey XL Milk Chocolate Bars

Instructions

1. Chop Oreos up finely in a food processor.  

2. With hands (or a spoon, I just think hands are faster), mash softened cream cheese and crushed Oreos until well combined.

3. Roll into 1" balls and place on a wax covered cookie sheet. Put in fridge for 15 minutes.

4. While balls are in freezer, melt chocolate in a glass measuring cup in microwave.  

5. Pull the Oreo Truffles out of fridge, and dip into chocolate. 

6. Let chocolate set, refrigerate and enjoy!

Death By Chocolate

Death BY Chocolate

Prepared by Joyce

Original Recipe From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/death-by-chocolate-iii/

Original recipe makes 1 - punch bowl

Ingredients
1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee

*The only change I made was in the candy filling.  I used chopped kit kat, chopped oreos and chopped nestle crunch bars.

Directions

1. Prepare brownies according to package directions. Let cool.
2. Mix pudding according to package directions.
3. In a glass punch bowl, layer in the following order: 1/2 of the brownie, crumbled; 1/2 of the pudding; 1 toffee bar, crushed; 1/2 of the whipped topping.
4. Repeat layers in the same order. Save the last toffee bar to crumble and sprinkle on top before serving.
5. Refrigerate. Best if made the day before you serve it.

Turtles

Turtles
Prepared By Sarah 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Place small pretzel on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  (If it has edges it makes it easier.  I used a jelly roll pan.) Place a mini Rolo candy on each pretzel.  Place in the oven for about 3 minutes. 

Helpful hints: Don't try to remove your treats from the parchment paper until the treat is completely cooled.  I bought one bag of Snyders pretzels and two bags of Rolos.

Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate Recipe

Prepared By Tracey

5 cups milk

1/2 cup Hershey’s Cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup hot water

 

Combine cocoa, sugar, and hot water in pan. 

Stir and bring to gentle boil.

Transfer mixture to crock pot and add milk. 

Stir, then cook on high for 2 hours {or low for 4 hours} or until hot. 

Pour and top with whip cream and sprinkles or marshmallows! 

Homemade Granola

Priscilla's Homemade Granola 

In a large bowl mix

6 cups rolled oats 

2 cups whole wheat flour (I use Heckers)

1 cup wheat germ (Kretschmers)

1 cup unsweetened coconut (Bob's Red Mill unsweetened flakes)

Flaxseed meal (I eyeball 1/4 cup or so)

In a jar or bowl with a tight fitting lid (for shaking) pour

1 cup honey (I use Swords into Plowshares, a locally grown New Haven brand from Milford Shop Rite) 

1 cup canola or sunflower oil (Jamie suggests coconut oil - I plan to try it!)

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup water

2 shakes of salt

Replace lid and shake until well mixed. 

Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and stir well.  Add whatever suits you...chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans, raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit...

Spread on parchment on three cookie sheets and bake at 250 degrees for at least an hour.  I usually press down and don't stir while baking.  (I get moister chunks in the middle and dried crunchy clusters on the outskirts of the pan.)  If you like it crunchy bake longer than the hour.  If you like cinnamon you can sprinkle it on before you bake.

Store in airtight container.

Caution...if you eat too much, you will get a belly ache.  Also, the recipe halves well.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

Recipe From: http://www.food.com/recipe/blueberry-sour-cream-pie-51257
Prepared by Joyce
Ingredients

• 1 unbaked pie crust

Filling

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Topping

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Method

   1    Mix sugar and flour together in bowl.

1. 2
   Beat in sour cream, egg,vanilla and salt together until smooth (about 5 minutes).
2. 3
   Fold in blueberries.
3. 4
   Pour into pie crust, and bake at 400F for 25 minutes.
4. 5
   (May need to adjust temperature and time for frozen berries).
5. 6
   Meanwhile, combine topping ingredients.
6. 7
   Remove pie from oven after the 25 minutes, and sprinkle on topping.
7. 8
   Return pie to oven and bake 10 minutes more.
8. 9
   Chill before serving.

Strawberry Honey Cornbread Muffins

Strawberry Honey Cornbread Muffins

Recipe From: http://www.errenskitchen.com/strawberry-honey-cornbread-muffins/

Prepared By: Karen P

Ingredients

• 2 cup/250g all-purpose/plain flour
• 2 cup/250g fine cornmeal
• ¼ cup/50g granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups/120ml milk
• 1 stick/120g salted butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons/60ml vegetable oil
• 1 cup/60ml honey
• 1½ cups diced fresh strawberries

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 f/ 220c
2. Prepare a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
3. Dice 1½ cups of fresh strawberries and set some aside to top the strawberries after adding the batter to the pan.
4. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl and form a well into the middle of the mixture.
5. Mix egg, milk, melted butter, honey and oil in a large mixing bowl. Pour into the well of dry ingredients; mix well.
6. Fold in the strawberries.
7. Divide batter into the lined muffin pan, filling them ¾ of the way. This makes a large muffin. (12 – 15 muffins).
8. Add the reserved strawberries to the top of the batter of each muffin.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Original Recipe From: http://amandascookin.com/2010/07/blueberry-breakfast-cake.html

Prepared By: Jessica C.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

TOPPING:
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (I didn't use these this time!)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons cold butter 

DRIZZLE
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of milk (more or less to get to a drizzling consistency)

Method

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder. Add egg, milk, butter and lemon peel; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the blueberries Spread in a greased 9-in. square baking pan.

For topping, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, (and walnuts if using them) in a mini food processor or bowl. Add butter and process, or cut in if doing by hand, until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done.

For drizzle, combine the powdered sugar and milk. If too thick, add a few drops of additional milk at a time until it reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzles over the top of the cake and allow to sit until sugar solidifies.

Double Berry Ribbon/Swirl Yogurt Pound ‘like‘ Cake

Double Berry Ribbon/Swirl Yogurt Pound ‘like‘ Cake

Prepared By: Jessica O.

adapted from Martha Stewart, with my revisions
Makes one 9-inch by 5-inch loaf cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan (or 1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola or coconut)
3 ounces blackberries (about a scant 3/4 cup)
3 ounces raspberries (about a scant 3/4 cup)
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, room temperature

NOTE:  I split the berry puree-batter mixes in half, using half of each for swirling into both layers of plain batter.  I did this to make two cakes.  Using all the berry purees in one cake is ideal, but either way is delicious!

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; butter parchment. In a food processor, puree blackberries with 1 tablespoon sugar. Wipe out processor and puree raspberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Pour/scrape into separate bowls and set aside (you can strain them into the bowls if you don’t like the light bite of seeds that do not break down).  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter (or oil) and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with Greek yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

3.  Stir two to three tablespoons of the cake batter into the bowl with the blackberry puree until uniform.  Stir two to three tablespoons of the cake batter into the bowl of raspberry puree, until uniform.

4. Pour half the plain batter into the pan and dot with 1/2 of the blackberry puree -batter and half the raspberry puree-batter. It will seem like it takes over all the plain cake batter, but don’t worry, it all works out in the end. Swirl/marble lightly using a skewer or knife.  Top with remaining plain batter and dot with remaning raspberry and blackberry batter as you did with the first layer. Again, swirl the puree-batter mixes into the plain batter – pushing a skewer or knife all the way to the bottom for a full marble.

5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 30 minutes. Lift cake out of pan and place on a serving plate; let cool completely before slicing.