Cling Ons

16 oz. pkg. mini marshmallows (white, not colored)

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 stick butter

1 14 oz. box Corn Chex cereal

1 c. mini M&M’s (or regular size if you prefer—I find the smaller ones stick to the cereal better)

Microwave the marshmallows, peanut butter, and butter in a large microwave safe bowl on High for 2 minutes or until melted. Stir until smooth.

Pour cereal into LARGE bowl--you need lots of room to stir. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal and stir until coated, sprinkling in the M&M’s as you stir.

Spread onto baking sheet lined with wax paper or lightly coated with butter. Let cool, pull apart, and enjoy.

I find it’s easy to make individual servings by using cupcake liners and placing a heaping spoonful into each liner. This recipe will make approximately 50 liners full. Great finger food for parties.

Fruit Tart

¾ c. butter or margarine (I used light margarine)

½ c. powdered sugar

1 ½ c. flour

12 oz. vanilla flavored almond bark

¼ c. whipping cream

8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)

Fruit topping (diced fruit of your choice)

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Beat butter and powdered sugar in small bowl until smooth. Blend in flour. Press mixture onto bottom of greased small cookie sheet or pizza pan. Bake 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely.  

Place almond bark and whipping cream in medium microwave bowl. Microwave on high for 1-1 ½ minutes, or until mixture is smooth when stirred. Beat in cream cheese. Spread on cooled crust and arrange fruit over mixture.

 

Refrigerate assembled tart until just before serving.

12 servings.

10 Weight Watchers Points Plus points per serving.

Avocado Dip

2 avocados, peeled and diced

¼ c. finely diced onion (any variety—I used a sweet onion)

1 c. diced tomatoes

½ -1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced (to taste)

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Salt (to taste)

Black pepper (to taste)

Stir all ingredients together, chill, and serve with chips or crackers.  It's also excellent added to a turkey sandwich or wrap.

Makes about 2 cups of dip.

This is a slightly modified version of my Aunt Sue’s recipe.

Cream Cheese Banana Walnut Bread

¾ c. butter, softened

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

3 c. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 ½ c. mashed bananas (1 ¼ lb. unpeeled bananas, about 4 medium)

1 c. chopped walnuts, toasted

½ c. shredded coconut, toasted (optional, or can use more if desired)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. 

Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning, if necessary. 

Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

2/3 c. granulated sugar

4 Tbsp. cornstarch

4 Tbsp. powdered cocoa

3 c. 2 % milk

1 c. heavy whipping cream

4.5 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped (I used Hershey bars)

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 6 oz pkg chocolate covered peanuts, chopped (or dry roasted peanuts or chopped Reese’s Pieces or chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup candy)

8 or 9 inch Graham cracker pie crust or Mini Graham cracker pie crusts (optional)

Cool Whip

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa in a large saucepan; stir with a whisk. Whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 1 minute or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly while mixture boils. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

Allow mixture to cool. I cool any type of pudding or custard mixture by pouring it into a glass bowl and covering the mixture with plastic wrap. Lay the plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the pudding and lightly press with your fingers to get a good seal. This prevents the pudding from developing a skin on top as it cools.

Serve in bowls or mini graham cracker crusts topped with Cool Whip and sprinkled with chopped chocolate covered peanuts or topping of your choice. Can use as a pie filling in an 8 or 9 inch graham cracker crust (you will have enough filling for 2 pies) or any type of prebaked pie shell. Also good as the pudding layer in trifles or parfaits with any combination of ingredients you like. Recipe can be halved to make a smaller amount.