BAILEY’S IRISH CREAM CHEESE SWIRL BROWNIES

For the Swirl:
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 TBSP all purpose flour
2 TBSP Bailey’s Irish Cream

For the Brownies:
6 ounces sweet baking chocolate (I used semisweet), chopped
3 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the Glaze:
4 ounces sifted powdered sugar
1 TBSP Bailey’s Irish Cream
milk to thin out (amount will vary)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 8-inch square nonstick baking pan. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in medium bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in egg. Mix in flour, Irish Cream, and vanilla. Set mixture aside.

Stir baking chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in large bowl until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in chocolate mixture and extracts. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread half of chocolate batter (about 1 1/4 cups) in prepared pan. Using rubber spatula, spread cream cheese mixture over chocolate batter. Spoon remaining chocolate batter over top of cream cheese mixture. Using tip of knife, gently swirl through batter, forming marble design. Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.

Make glaze. Combine powdered sugar and Irish cream. If too thick thin out with milk.
While still warm brush (using a pastry brush) glaze over brownies. Let sit for 15 minutes. Cut into squares.

LOUISIANA HOT CRAB DIP

1/2 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, free of shells

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

3 tablespoons minced green onions (white and green parts)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine all of the ingredients in a casserole dish and gently stir until thoroughly mixed. Adjust seasoning to taste. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until lightly golden on top. Serve hot.

Serve hot, with hot sauce on the side for those who like it spicy.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Banana Split Trifle

Serves 10-12
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix or Angel Food Cake Mix
1 Lg Pkg. Banana Pudding
3 large bananas, sliced
1 ½ cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 ½ - 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple (or 6 oz can of crushed pineapple, drained)
1 Container - Cool Whip, thawed
1 Jar Maraschino Cherries, diced
½ C Pecans, chopped
¼ cup chocolate syrup

Prepare the cake and make sure it’s completely cooled before assembling the dessert.
Cut the cake into bite-sized pieces. Prepare the pudding mix. In a trifle dish (or large salad bowl) break up the bite-size pieces, using half the cake for the first layer. Top the cake pieces with half of the pudding, half of the bananas, half of the strawberries, half of the pineapple, half of the Cool Whip, half the Maraschino cherries, half of the chocolate syrup and half of the nuts. Repeat all these steps with the remaining ingredients in the same order. Chill until ready to serve.
*Note: When I assemble mine, I don’t allow the pudding to set completely before assembling because I want it to work it’s way in between the cake pieces before it firmly sets

Banana coconut upside down cake

Ingredients:

1 Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ yellow cake mix

3 whole eggs

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

6 bananas sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, divided

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray 2 (8 inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.

With an electric mixer, beat cake mix, eggs, oil, water, and sour cream on low until combined. Beat on high for 2 minutes.

Place banana slices evenly on the bottom of the two cake pans.

In a small saucepan melt butter. Add brown sugar and lemon juice and heat until dissolved. Pour half of the brown sugar mixture into each of the 2 round cake pans over the bananas. Sprinkle coconut over brown sugar sauce.

Pour cake batter on top of the coconut into the two pans, dividing equally.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Invert onto serving dishes. Slice to serve.

CREAMY BROCCOLI BACON BAKE

6 cups small broccoli florets
2 carrots, sliced
1 tub (8 oz.) Cream Cheese Spread
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 green onions, sliced
3/4 cup Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a TOUCH CREAM CHEESE
4 slices Fully Cooked Bacon, chopped

HEAT oven to 425°F.
ADD broccoli and carrots to saucepan of boiling water; cook 2 to 3 min. or until crisp-tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Meanwhile, mix next 3 ingredients until blended.
RETURN cooked vegetables to saucepan. Add cream cheese mixture and onions; stir until vegetables are evenly coated with sauce, adding reserved cooking water if necessary for desired consistency.
SPOON into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with shredded cheese and bacon. Cover.
BAKE 25 min. or until heated through, uncovering for the last 5 min

Old Fashioned Goulash

Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups water
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

 Directinos:
Mix the ingredients together and store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months. Use as a seasoning on meat and when cooking vegetables.
Directions
In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing.
Spoon off any grease.
Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well.
Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving.
Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

Pistachio Pudding Dessert

 Pie crust:
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

Layer 1:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (8oz) cream cheese
1 cup cool whip

Layer 2:
2 regular sized pkgs instant pistachio pudding mix
3 cups milk

Topping:
cool whip
chopped almonds

Mix butter, flour, nuts; press into 9x13 inch pan. Bake 350 for 20 min. Cool. Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese and cool whip; spread on cooled crust. Beat together pudding mix and milk until thick. Spread on cream cheese layer and top with a layer of cool whip and chopped nuts. Refrigerate.

Cheesy Layered Ground Beef and Pasta Casserole

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 -2 jalapeno pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
fresh sliced mushrooms, any amount (or use canned, drained)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided (or to taste)
3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
salt and pepper
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (or to taste)
4 cups medium noodles (use any kind of pasta you desire, 4 cups measured after cooking)
1 cup cottage cheese or 1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (optional or to taste) or 2 cups cheddar cheese (optional or to taste)

Directions:

1Set oven to 350 degrees.

2-Grease a large lasagna dish.

3-Cook the pasta until only firm-tender; drain (it does not have to measure exactly 4 cups cooked, careful not to overcook the pasta as it will cook more in the oven) drain and transfer to a bowl, toss with a couple tablespoons oil to prevent sticking; set aside.

4-In a skillet, cook ground beef, onion, jalapenos (if using) mushrooms and minced garlic until meat is brown and cooked stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, tomato sauce salt and pepper, stir until heated through (you can the sauce for up to 45 minutes on low heat).

5-Spread 1/2 meat sauce on bottom of pan.
6-Spread 1/2 noodles on top of sauce.
7-Top noodles with 1 cup mozza cheese.
8-Mix 1 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

9-Spread over mozzeralla cheese.

10-Top with remaining tomato sauce, noodles,and remaining mozza cheese.

11-Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

12-Bake, covered for 20 mins, uncover casserole (at this point you can sprinkle with grated mozzeralla or cheddar cheese if desired).

13-Return to oven to bake for another 10-15 mins, or until bubbly.