Butterfinger Pie

I found this recipe on Pinterest recently.  As I've mentioned before, I am powerless to resist a Butterfinger recipe.  And, as it turns out, I'm basically powerless to resist the finished product too!

8 fun-size Butterfinger bars, chopped
1 (8oz) bar cream cheese, softened
12 oz whipped topping (3/4 of a large container)
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 graham cracker crust

Whip cream cheese with mixer until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth.  Mix in whipped topping.

Add all but about 1/4 c Butterfingers and whip just until combined.

Pour into graham cracker crust.  Top with remaining Butterfinger pieces, and allow to chill for 3-4 hours before serving.


Comments from the cook:  It may be more appropriate to call this Butterfinger no-bake cheesecake.  This quick and easy recipe is delicious, and would be great to take to a party or get-together.  It's best when served very cold, and I'm excited to make it for my Butterfinger-lovin' younger brother when I see him later this month!    


As you can tell from the pictures, I made my own graham cracker crust instead of using a pre-made one.  I used about 1 1/2 pkgs of graham crackers (crushed in a freezer bag with my rolling pin), about 3 1/2 TBSP of melted butter, and a couple of teaspoons of sugar and mixed them together.  I pressed the mixture into my pie dish, then allowed it to chill and set up in the fridge while I made the filling.  It turned out a little bit crumbly, and was even a little thicker than it needed to be (no complaints here, of course), but worked perfectly for what we needed.  A store-bought crust is easier, but nothing beats a homemade crust, in my opinion :)

Originally found on Pinterest, which linked back to this blog (note to self: visit again for more recipes!).

Éclair Cake

Brian's family has a dear friend named Vickie. She makes the most mouth-watering desserts ever, and her wedding present to us (6 short years ago) was a packet of her recipes. We've taken good care of them, and this is one of our very favorites.

Cake:
1 box graham crackers, unbroken (generic ok)
2 small boxes instant french vanilla pudding
3 1/2 c whole milk
1 (8oz) container CoolWhip

Frosting:
2 unsweetened liquid chocolate packets (or 2 - 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled)
2 tsp corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP softened butter
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
3 TBSP milk

Spray bottom of 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Line bottom of pan with whole graham crackers.

Beat pudding mixes with 3 1/2 c whole milk for 2 minutes at medium speed. Blend in CoolWhip.

Pour half of pudding mixture over crackers.

Place second layer of graham crackers over pudding, and pour remaining pudding mixture over crackers.

Cover pudding with third layer of crackers. Mix frosting, then pour over crackers and spread evenly.

Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and serve chilled. (If possible, chill for 24 hours, as crackers soften more and more with time.)

Comments from the cook: I didn't have unsweetened chocolate on hand (a certain FSP is probably to blame!) and our grocery store wanted an arm and a leg for a package of it. But I remembered that the Hershey's cocoa has directions for substituting cocoa (+ oil) for unsweetened chocolate. So, I did that, and couldn't tell any difference. And it was much cheaper!

I'm sure you could probably get away with using sugar-free pudding and reduced fat milk (and CoolWhip) in this recipe. But, if I remember clearly (and I do), I was told from VERY early on that this cake shouldn't be tinkered with! And so far, there've been no complaints about how it tastes...so we'll just continue to leave well-enough alone. :)

Originally shared by Vickie L, dessert master and family friend

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

I found these online, and knew that Brian would LOVE them. I made a batch for our anniversary last week, and they were a hit. They will be a great, inexpensive treat next time we need to take dessert to a BBQ...

1 lb strawberries, washed and hollowed out
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c whipped topping
4-6 graham crackers
1 TBSP sugar

Wash strawberries. Using a small paring knife, hollow out insides. Allow to dry on towel.

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in mixer and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Then fold in whipped topping.

Crush graham crackers in plastic bag (with rolling pin) and add tablespoon of sugar to mixture. Place in bowl.

Place cream cheese mixture in freezer bag, cut corner off of bag, and pipe into strawberries. Dip in graham cracker mixture.

Serve chilled.

Comments from the cook: The original recipe for these looked really good. When I started mixing it together, I tasted the mixture and thought it needed a little bit more sugar. I also added whipped cream to create a lighter texture (akin to our favorite cheesecake recipe).

Instead of making an entire batch at once, we prepared these a few at a time, and just left the ingredients in the fridge. This made for nice fresh berries each time. Delicious!
Originally found here. Recipe found here.

Homemade Reese's

1 pkg graham crackers (approx. 12 full crackers)
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c butter, melted
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 tsp canola oil

Crush crackers into a very fine powder. (Using a food chopper or blender is all but required to get the right consistency.)

Stir in melted butter and peanut butter.

Add in powdered sugar.

Still until mixed well. Press into bottom of an 9"x13" pan.

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave. Add a tsp of oil to the chocolate, so that it will be a bit softer when it hardens.

Refrigerate until cool. Remove from fridge about half an hour before cutting, to allow chocolate on top to soften a bit. If cut too soon, chocolate will crack!

Comments from the cook: I added a bit of oil to the chocolate this year (in hopes of avoiding the cracking), and it helped a lot! However, it does make the finished product a little bit melty when you pick it up. But, these are to-die-for. Little kids love them, and a whole pan is a LOT.

My mom and I used to roll these into balls and dip them in chocolate, but eventually started putting them in a pan. Much easier, and a lot less mess. Yum!

A Sleight family Christmas tradition, adapted over time

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

1/2 c sugar
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c corn syrup
6-8 c Cornflakes (generic ok)

In large saucepan, combine sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.

Add 6 cups of Cornflakes to large bowl. Pour hot mixture over cereal and stir. Add more Cornflakes if desired.

Spoon onto wax paper in small heaps. (You will probably need to drop them into heaps and then go back and form each one so that they'll hold together.)

Cool and store in airtight container when finished.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These are truly my own personal Kryptonite. I CANNOT leave them alone! They're easy, fast, and they're totally addictive...

Originally shared by my mom (this version found online long ago).

Homemade Pico de Gallo

10-14 Roma tomatoes
1 white onion
2 jalapeno peppers
3/4 bunch cilantro
fresh garlic
vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Dice and combine tomatoes, white onion, and jalapenos (seeds removed!).

Chop cilantro into small pieces. Add to tomatoes, etc.

Add about 1 tsp minced garlic. (We buy the kind in a jar, but you can use what you have. Amounts will vary based on whether you use fresh or powdered.)

Add 3-4 TBSP vinegar, 3-4 TBSP olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 4-5 cups.

Comments from the cook: This is our ALL-TIME favorite fresh food. We make it for our annual Cinco de Mayo celebration and it is always a hit. Lately, we've been enjoying it over tacos and can't get enough of it.

Generally, I try to find some firm tomatoes, and a few that are more ripe. This recipe is best served the next day, as the flavors really come alive when chilled overnight. Unfortunately, it does not "keep" very well...and only lasts a couple of days in the fridge. That is, if you have any leftovers! :)

For a true onion-hater like me (it's a miracle I eat this, mind you), I like to keep the ratio of tomatoes to onions equal. Choose the size of onion based on your preference. Enjoy!
Adapted from a recipe found online, long ago

Goofballs

1 package Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup margarine
1 bag large marshmallows (50-60)
Rice Krispies cereal (generic ok)
bamboo skewer
wax paper

Freeze marshmallows in 9"x 13" pan before creating caramel mixture.

Combine caramels, sweetened condensed milk, and margarine together in double boiler. (Add a little water to thin out, as mixture gets very thick...)

Take marshmallows out of freezer a few at a time. Poke with skewer.

Roll through caramel mixture, coating each marshmallow.

Roll into Rice Krispies.

Allow to set up on wax paper and refrigerate.

Makes 50-60.


Comments from the cook: We like these the best when they're chilled. Kids love them, and adults can't seem to stop eating them either! They can, however, make the roof of your mouth a little sore. Perhaps you'd liken it to the Cap'N Crunch effect :)

Originally shared by Vickie Luker, Mathias family friend

Fruit Salsa

1-2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries (I did at least twice, almost three times this)
1 15oz can of pears
1 15oz can of peaches
2 small cans of mandarin oranges
1 15 oz can of crushed pineapple
4 kiwis
1 package sugar-free strawberry gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
12 tortillas (we prefer the uncooked kind from Costco or Walmart)
cooking spray
cinnamon and sugar mixture

Dice all fruit and combine. (We blended most of the strawberries into a puree, and diced a cup or so just to add texture.) OR Option #2 - When we're not worried as much about what it looks like, we use our Cuisinart food chopper and just chop everything that way...

Bring water to a boil and combine with gelatin.

Pour gelatin mixture into fruit. Refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours).


If tortillas come uncooked, place them on a griddle just long enough to cook them all the way through.

Cut tortillas into 6 slices with a pizza cutter. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cook at 350° for 5-6 minutes, just until golden along the edges.


Makes 8+ cups of salsa.

Comments from the cook: This salsa would be a great garnish to an otherwise average dessert too! Ideas have been tossed around about serving it over cheesecake or even with frozen yogurt...

My mom took it up one notch and baked pie crust (with cinnamon sugar) instead of tortillas for the "chips". Cooked dough doesn't hold together as well, but the result was INCREDIBLE.

Originally shared by my mother-in-law, Debby Mathias

Oreo Balls

1 package Oreo cookies, crushed (white stuff removed)
1 8 oz. package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
5-6 squares white almond bark
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips

Remove white filling from Oreos with knife. Blend cookies in mini-chopper or blender until fine. Combine with cream cheese in KitchenAid or with hand mixer.

Roll into walnut size balls and place on cookie sheet covered in wax paper.

Chill for 15 min in refrigerator.

Melt white almond bark in microwave or in double boiler. Melt chocolate chips also. Roll balls through chocolate of choice, and place on wax paper. Drizzle with opposite-colored chocolate.

Allow to harden. Best when served chilled! Makes approx. 2 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These are a true crowd-pleaser! They are quite rich, so keep a glass of milk closeby.

While the recipe calls for almond bark and chocolate chips, the chocolate shown in the picture above is Ghirardelli dipping chocolate. A gift from my MIL. It is AMAZING. I've tried the recipe with chocolate chips and almond bark, and the results are not quite as pretty, but still taste fantastic.

originally shared by: Kathy Kiester, Pioneer 4th Ward