Peanut Butter Pie

This pie has a chocolate crumb crust and a creamy peanut butter filling. Garnish pie with grated chocolate or chocolate cookie crumbs, if desired.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine 1 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup butter; press into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, and vanilla until smooth. Whip the cream, and fold into the peanut butter mixture.
4. Gently spoon filing into crust. Garnish pie with chocolate or cookie crumbs if desired. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Rhubarb Strawberry Crunch

Ever wonder what to do with that big rhubarb plant in the garden? This is your answer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 3 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup rolled oats

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, strawberries, and rhubarb. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats until crumbly. You may want to use a pastry blender for this. Crumble on top of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture.
4. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and lightly browned.

Yummy Pecan Pralines

Pecans are cooked to the soft ball stage with brown sugar, white sugar, evaporated milk and butter and then beaten and poured on a slab to firm up in these sweet, chewy candies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cups pecan halves
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Generously grease a large slab or baking sheet.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, white sugar and milk. Bring to a boil. Stir in butter, pecans and vanilla. Heat, without stirring, to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.
3. Beat until thickened, then pour immediately onto prepared surface and let rest until firm and completely cool before cutting.

Easy Oreo Truffles

These truffles are delicious and very easy. You can't go wrong with OREO, cream cheese and chocolate!

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
• 1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 (8 ounce) packages Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Cranberry Walnut Bread

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons orange zest
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups orange juice
• 3 cups whole cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 8x4-inch loaf pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, if desired.
2. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the orange zest.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add to the egg mixture, alternating with orange juice.
4. Coarsely chop the cranberries.
5. Pour the flour mixture into the mixing bowl alternately with the orange juice, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped cranberries and walnuts, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Check for browning: cover the tops with aluminum foil to prevent them from becoming too dark. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean, about 30 minutes more. Cool on wire racks.

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.
3. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
4. Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.