Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

(from Pinching Your Pennies)

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other type of nut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1 cup oats (instant, quick or old fashioned) Use a bit less and add to desired texture
1/2 chopped unsalted nuts and/or seeds (any combination you like)
1/2 cup chopped dried fruit (any that you like)or Chocolate Chips
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Place peanut butter and honey in a small saucepan and heat over low heat just until melted enough to combine thoroughly with a whisk. Mixture does not need to be very hot. It just needs to be mixed and a little bit of heat helps that.


Overlap two pieces of Saran Wrap that will cover the entire bottom, sides and wrap around the top of Bars.

Put the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the combined peanut butter and honey. Stir just until well combined. Add more oats if mixture seems too wet. Pour mixture into pan and distribute as evenly as possible. I bring the Saran Wrap from the sides to the top and press down with my hands.

Refrigerate or freeze till firm. Cut into desired sizes, individually wrap or put in small ziploc bags in freezer.

Cookie Dough Truffles

After shaping the dough into balls, I usually freeze them before dipping instead of refrigeration, and these freeze well after dipping, also. I also add about 1/8 to 1/4 cup more flour to the dough for less stickiness than the recipe calls for.

Orange Cream Cheesecake

This is worth the many steps, and no bake! Fantastic flavor, and pretty layers.

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:
1 package (3 oz.) orange gelatin
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 and 1/4 cups sugar
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 carton (8 oz.) cool whip, thawed

Topping:
2 cups whipped topping
1/4 cup sugar

Combine the cracker crumbs cinnamon, orange peel and butter. Press into the bottom of a greased 10 inch springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare gelatin according to package directions. Set aside 1/2 cup at room temperature. Chill remaining gelatin until slightly thickened.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar for 2 minutes. Gradually beat in milk and lemon juice. Beat on medium-high speed two minutes longer. Gradually beat in orange juice concentrate, vanilla, and room temperature gelatin. Fold in whipped topping. Pour over prepared crust.
In a mixing bowl, beat whipped topping and sugar. Beat in refrigerated gelatin (mixture will be thin). Chill for 30 minutes. Gently spoon over the filling (pan will be full). Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight. 10-12 servings.

Haystacks

This microwave candy is made with chow mein noodles and butterscotch chips.. Easy!
You may want to make a double or triple recipe of this yummy dessert because they go fast.

1 Cup butterscotch chips
1/2 Cup peanut butter
1/2 Cup peanuts
2 cups chow mein noodles

Preparation:
Microwave the butterscotch chips and peanut butter for 3-5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and blend to coat noodles thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Easy No Bake Cheesecake

I used the store bought Graham Cracker Pie crust for this.
This recipe is so easy and that is why I like it so much.


1 Pkg. of Cream Cheese (softened)
1/2 cup Sugar (add more to your liking)
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
couple squirts of lemon juice (add more to your liking)
1 small tub of Cool Whip
1 Graham Cracker pie crust

Mix cream cheese until light and fluffy. Mix in sugar (or if using variation sweetened condensed milk), vanilla, & lemon juice well. Do a taste test and see if you want either more sugar or lemon juice. Fold in cool whip. Add to pie crust and put in freezer to set quickly or put in refrigerator until set.

Variation: Here is another way to make this Cheesecake.
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (smallest can).
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
small tub of cool whip
1 Graham Cracker Pie crust.

Topping: any fruit glaze with fruit or plain

No Bake Cookies

Start timing when mixture reaches a full rolling boil; this is the trick to successful cookies. If you boil too long the cookies will be dry and crumbly. If you don't boil long enough, the cookies won't form properly."

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 Cup Coconut (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, coconut (optional), and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened. Store in cool, dry place. Store in refridgerator or freezer for longer storage.

Yogurt Cream Cheese Pie

8 ounces prestirred yogurt
8 ounce cool whip
8 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Mix together and chill. Garnish with fresh fruit

Fruit Cocktail Delight

1 can fruit cocktail (15 oz)
1 pkg instant pudding dry
1/2 cup marshmellows

Mix all together and chill

Cream Cheese Yogurt Pie

1 block cream cheese
1 container (sm) any flavor yogurt pie (1/2for filling and half for topping)
1 cool whip
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Soften cream cheese and mix in sugar. Blend in half of yogurt, vanilla and cool whip. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust. Top with remaining yogurt.

5 cup salad

Don't ask me why this is called 5 cup salad when it clearly adds up to more then 5 cups-lol

2 cups tangerines (drained if using canned)
2 cups marshmellow minis
2 cups pineapple chunks
Coconut as desired
1 1/2 cup sour cream
pecans or walnuts

Mix together and chill before serving

Sweetheart Pie

3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup powder sugar
1 cup whipped topping
1 can strawberry pie filling
1 premade graham cracker pie crust

Mix cream cheese and powder sugar with mixer till smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour in shell and refrigerate.