Happy Groundhog Day!

I've never "celebrated" this holiday before, but we made these this year and it made the day special.

Vanilla Wafers
Mini marshmallows
White and Milk Chocolate Microwavable Designer Tubes
Chocolate Pudding
Crushed Oreo wafers

Cut some wafers into 8 pie wedges for the paws.  Use broken shards for the ears.  Using the warmed up chocolate as "glue" and "paint", create your groundhogs using a mini marshmallow cut in fourths for the teeth.

Pour pudding into cups.  Mound Oreo wafers to one side, where the groundhog has "dug up".  Place the head and paws in the mound.

Chocolate-Zucchini Snack Cake

When she saw me grate up the zucchini to put into this cake, my daughter immediately condemned the dessert as, "Bleh!."  She changed her tune after trying a piece.  This cake was moist, chocolaty, and absolutely delicious!!!  It makes you feel good that it's fairly healthy too.

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8x11 baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.  Whisk in the zucchini and 1 1/2 cups of the chips.  Stir into the flour mixture just until blended.  Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups chips over the cake.  Spread with a small spatula as they melt to form an icing, placing back into the warm oven, if needed, for about 1 minute. 

Note:  When the cake completely cools, the "frosting" will harden, so you might want to precut all the pieces while the icing is still soft.

Mediterranean Pizza Wrap

1 whole wheat wrap (10" diameter) (We used tortillas just fine.)
2 Tbsp hummus (store bought or recipe posted under Sauces)
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp chopped red onion
1 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese
1 Tbsp tapenade (store bought or recipe posted under Sauces)

Place the wrap on a work surface.  Spread the hummus in a line across the center of the wrap, leaving a 1 1/2" border at each end.  Top the hummus with the tomato, cucumber, onion, cheese, and tapenade.

Fold the right and left sides of the wrap so that they cover the very edges of the filling, then fold the bottom over and roll up burrito-style.

Hummus

1 can (15.5-19 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tahini
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4-1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

Place the beans, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the water, and salt in a blender.  Process until smooth.  Add more water, if needed, until the hummus reaches the desired consistency.

Meat 'n' Cheese Stromboli

1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 medium green pepper, sliced into rings
1 Tbsp butter
2 loaves (16 oz each) frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 lb thinly sliced hard salami
1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 lb sliced mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb sliced mild cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp poppy seeds

In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in butter until crisp-tender; set aside.

On two greased baking sheets, roll each loaf of dough into a 15"X12" rectangle.  Arrange the salami, ham and cheeses lengthwise over half of each rectangle to within 1/2" of edges.  Top with onion mixture; sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper.  Fold dough over filling; Pinch edges to seal well. 

Brush with egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

8 Layer Dip

1 can (15oz) refried beans
1 envelope taco seasoning
3 medium ripe avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sour cream
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 can (4oz) chopped green chillies, drained
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

Combine beans and taco seasoning; spread onto a round 12 inch serving platter.  Mash avocados with lemon juice; spread over beans.  Top with sour cream.  Sprinkle with olives, chillies, tomatoes, onions, and cheese.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Warm Broccoli Cheese Spread

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 cup (8oz) sour cream
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 pkg (10oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained, and patted dry
2 cups (8oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Wheat snack crackers

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and salad dressing mix until blended.  Fold in broccoli and 1 1/2 cups cheese.  Spoon into a shallow 1 qt baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 mins.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 5 mins longer or until cheese is melted.  Serve warm with crackers.

Aunt Sue's Salsa

6 large cans of diced tomatoes (I've used flavored diced tomatoes before like Italian Diced tomatoes, etc. For a spicier salsa, use Rotel)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups medium Salsa
1/2 cup catsup
1 small can diced green chilies (For more fire used diced jalepenos)

Mix everything in a very large bowl. Chill in the fridge and enjoy with chips, or on any mexican dish. It makes a LOT, but this is a sweeter, chunky salsa, that you eat by the whole chipful. It goes fast.

Onion Dip

Submitted by Freda Hutzel and Laurie Schlosser

1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp sugar

blend well and serve cold.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

8 jalapeno peppers

1/4 cup shredded Colby-Monterrey jack cheese
8 oz cream cheese
8 slices bacon, cut
black pepper
toothpicks

*Be sure to wear gloves when working with the peppers

Cut off stems and cut in half lengthwise, seed, rinse, dry, and set aside.
Mix cheeses until well blended.
Stuff the pepper halves with cheese mixture and wrap with bacon. Secure with toothpick and sprinkle with black pepper. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 375. Be sure the bacon is nice and crispy before serving.

Best Ever Chex Mix

Submitted by Janet Schlosser

1 cup butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
6 cups rice chex
6 cups golden grahams
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup cashew halves
1 cup coconut
1 cup craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips

Stir butter, corn syrup and sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 3-4 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour sugar mixture over the top and mix well. Spread on wax paper and let sit for one hour or longer. Store in an airtight container.

Cheese Ball

Mix together with hands:
2 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1 lb grated cheddar cheese
1 jar cheese spread with pimento
1 small can deviled ham
1 Tbsp minced onion
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt

Form into 2 medium balls. Roll into crushed walnuts until it is completely coated. Refrigerate.

Colored Popcorn Balls

Submitted by Heather Sheehan

Basic idea: Pop popcorn of choice. Melt marshmallows and butter together in a "rice krispy" style way. Add a packet of jello (color and flavor of choice: orange used here for Halloween). Pour over popcorn and with buttered hands, form into balls, and allow to cool.

Fun & Icky Halloween Snack Ideas

Finger Dogs


Slice 3 cuts for each knuckle, and shave off the tip for the nail. Broil in the oven until hot, toasted, and all cuts bulge. Serve with sourkraut (brains) and catchup (blood).

Lunch Meat Skull (not for the squeemish)

Wash a plastic skull decoration really well. Cut a dime sized hole into the center of the eyes.

Use very thin sliced lunchmeat of choice to cover the skull with meat. Tip: Be patient and apply meat one slice at a time, overlapping in a patchwork fashion. It will stick better to the skull this way. Insert a stuffed green olive into each eye hole (pimiento pointing out) for the eyes.

At this point you can cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate till later or serve immediately. Serve with crackers cheese and a relish dish.

Granola

Mix together:
6 cups oats (or 5 cups oats & 1 cup wheat germ)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar (or 3/4 cup of honey)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped almonds (try other nuts or seeds)
1 cup dry milk
1 cup raisins (or craisins or other dried fruit)
1 Tbsp cinnamon

Blend:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp maple extract
1 Tbsp salt

Mix the two blends together. Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 250 for 1 1/2 hours, stirring half way through. Occasionally stir until cool, then put into Tupperware container.

Hot Onion Souffle’ Dip

Submitted by Heather Sheehan


1 large yellow onion, chopped.
2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2- 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened.

Best if spread on something firm such as crackers, bagel chips, or fresh veggies.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients well in large bowl.
Pour into 2-quart souffle’ or casserole dish.
Bake 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Allow to cool on stove top 10-15 minutes before serving.

Fresh Pico De Gallo

Submitted by Heather Sheehan

Chop finely:
1 Red onion
2-3 tomatoes (avoid using Steak tomatoes-little flavor.)
1 c. Cilantro
2 ripe but firm avocados
1 c. mango, peaches, or pineapple; any one. (Canned may be used if fresh is not available. Strain the juice.)

Add:
1 can of corn
1 can black beans (strained and rinsed.)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. lime juice

For more of a kick, finely dice 1 Jalapeno pepper. Remove the seeds and membrane to avoid too much heat, unless that's your desire!