Apple Caramel Dip

This easy fruit dip uses store bought caramel and staples that you probably have in your pantry. It goes perfectly with crispy, tart apples especially Granny Smiths.

•2-8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
•1/4 cup brown sugar
•Tub of caramel dip
•1/4 cup toffee bits
•1/4 cup pecan pieces
•Sliced apples of choice

Mix cream cheese with brown sugar. Spread in your favorite serving dish. Pour caramel dip on top of cream cheese mixture and top with toffee bits and pecan pieces.

Serve with apples. To keep apples from turning brown, dip them in a mixture of lemon juice and water immediately after slicing.

Kung Pao Shrimp

1 pound shrimp
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons chicken broth
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups oil, or as needed
6 to 8 small red chilies, or 2 teaspoons chile paste
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 cup cashews


Shell and devein the shrimp. Cut in half lengthwise. Lightly beat the egg white. Marinate the shrimp in the salt, egg white and cornstarch for 15 minutes.In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Set aside.Heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. Cook briefly until the shrimp turns pink. Remove from the wok.Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the chile peppers or chile paste. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the minced ginger and stir-fry until it is aromatic (about 15 seconds). Stir in the cashews. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, taking care not to burn.Make a space in the middle of the wok. Add the sauce. Heat briefly, then mix in with the cashews. Add the shrimp back into the pan. Cook for 1 more minute and serve hot.

Apple French Toast

8 slices of white bread
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 T milk
3 large Golden Delicious apples or 5 mediums
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
Cinnamon (optional)

Crumble bread; place half of crumbled bread in a greased 9x9x2 baking dish. Mix softened cream cheese with milk; spoon over bread. Cook apples, sugar and water; bring to a boil and let boil gently 10 minutes stirring occasionally, until apples are softened. Then spoon all of the apple mixture over bread mixture. Top with remaining crumbled bread. In large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and honey; mix well. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator. Cover and bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 25-30 minutes more until golden brown and the center is set. Remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon if desired. Serve warm, with syrup. Yield: 6-9 servings

by Nancy Voge, Black River Falls

Roasted Apples N’ Cream Caramel Topped Brownies

1 Box Pillsbury Brownie Mix, Family size, 9×13
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons butter
4 small-medium baking apples, peeled and thinly sliced
4 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 Cup chopped walnuts (or other nut of choice)
Prepared Caramel sauce, warmed in microwave (I use the caramel apple dip or ice cream topping)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour into a 11×7 inch (makes thicker brownies) baking dish that’s been lined and sprayed with tin foil (easier to remove and cut brownies). Place softened cream cheese and sugar into a mixing bowl, mix until smooth. Place dollops of cheese over brownie batter. Use a butter knife to carefully swirl without dragging against the bottom of dish.
2. Place butter into a large skillet over medium heat to melt. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour evenly over brownies. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until center of brownies are cooked through. Remove and let cool completely before cutting into squares. Just before serving, drizzle with caramel sauce.

8 large brownie squares

Original recipe found here

Baking Powder Biscuits

4 cups flour
8 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Crisco
2 tablespoons sugar
2 large beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

Sift together flour and baking powder. Stir in salt and sugar. Cut in Crisco till it resembles small pebbles. Stir together eggs and milk. Make a well in the dry mixture and stir in the milk mixture with a fork. Stir just to moisten, then turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead about 15 times, then pat lightly into a circle, about 1/2-inch thick. (The secret to light and fluffy biscuits is to handle the dough as little as possible) With a sharp round cutter, cut out rounds, without twisting the cutter. Just give it a sharp tap, then lift straight up (twisting the cutter causes the biscuits to slope over when they are baking) place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Reece's PB Chocolate Cake

This is my "semi-homemade" version of a cake I had a few weeks ago. That original recipe is listed here.
1 devils food cake mix(follow the box instructions, but add 1/2 c. creamy PB)
Divide into two 9" cake pans
Bake as instructed on the box. Cool and invert.

Since this is a 2-layer cake, I figured I needed a middle filling so I made this up:
1 bag peanut butter chips (like chocolate chips, but they are PB!)
1/2 c. milk
Heat over double boiler till PB chips are melted. Remove from heat and add about 1 c. pow sugar chill for about an hour - it will have a glaze consistency. Then, whisk in creamy peanut butter until you have a good almost pudding consistency.

Use as filling between the two cakes and then frost with this:

1 can of duncan hines Buttercream Chocolate frosting beat w/ 1/4 c. milk

Top with broken or quartered Reece's PB cups

YUMM!!!!