baked oatmeal.

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Baked Oatmeal from Jenni:
*recipe addapted from Allrecipes.com

3 cup oats (not quick-cooking)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup craisins, raisins, dried cherries or other dried fruit
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted (you can substitute applesauce for 1/4 of the butter if you want)
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and Craisins. In a smaller bowl, mix together the milk, butter, vanilla and eggs. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Pour into a deep 9" pie plate or an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately with a splash of warmed milk. Serves 8.

french cocoa. {winner!}

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French Cocoa from Lauren:

5 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
4 cups heavy cream

Bring chocolate, sugar and water to a rolling boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring continually. Let chocolate mixture cool to room temperature. Once cooled, fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream (already whipped, no sugar added). If chocolate mixture is too sold to fold into cream, blend 1/4 cup of whipped cream into mixture, then fold chocolate into cream. Refrigerate until use.

To use:

Pour 1/2 cup milk into mug. Microwave for one minute. Add three heaping tablespoons of chilled cocoa mix. Stir. You may need to warm mug for 15 seconds more.

Bon Appetit!

mushroom croustades.

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Mushroom Croustades from Jocelyn:

48 very thin slices of bread

4 T soft margarine, room temperature

4 T butter

3 T finely chopped green onions

1/2 lb mushrooms, very finely chopped

2 T all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 T minced chives

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Cut a 2 1/2 inch circle from each slice of bread. Lightly spread softened margarine on both sides and press into 1 3/4 inch mini muffin tins. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until bread is lightly toasted. Cook. Store in airtight container overnight or freeze until ready to use.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt butter. Add green onions and cook over moderate heat for 4 minutes, stirring constantly, add mushrooms and cook 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle flour over mixture, stirring to blend return to heat. Pour in heavy cream, stir and heat to boiling. When thickened, simmer and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and add parsley, chives, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. Cool. May be refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

Fill shells just before baking. Bake 350 degrees for 10 minutes before serving. Make ahead and freeze, cook for 20 minutes.

buffalo chicken dip.

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Buffalo Chicken Dip from Michelle:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing

3 shredded chicken breasts

approx. 1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce (found by Tabasco at store)

Shredded cheese (mexican blend or cheddar jack)

Spread brick of cream cheese in bottom of a 9x13 pan. (You can heat it in the microwave for a bit to soften it). Spread 1/4 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing over it. Then add shredded chicken breasts that have been mixed with Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Use about a cup pouring it on until it's thouroughly coated. Spread that over the top. Then add another 1/4 cup ranch/blue cheese dressing. Then add a layer of shredded cheese. Bake in oven until cheese is slightly browned. Serve with tortilla chips. 

tips for a great cheese platter.

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Tips for a Great Cheese Platter from Jenn:

Selecting the Cheese

• Try to include a variety of textures and flavors. Most cheese belongs to one of four basic categories: aged, soft, firm, or blue. For a good variety, choose at least one from each group. Some examples:
   Aged: Aged Cheddar, Comte, Goat Gouda
   Soft: Constant Bliss, Camembert, Brillat-Savarin
   Firm: Manchego, Mimolette, Parmigiano-Reggiano
   Blue: Gorgonzola Dolce, Valdeón, Stilton
• You can also try selecting cheeses by the type of milk used (cow, goat, sheep). This will ensure a range of different flavors on the plate.
• Serve at least one familiar cheese.

How Much Is Enough?

• For a party in which cheese is the main event, plan on buying 3 pounds for 8 people, 6 pounds for 16, or 9 pounds for 24. If cheese is one of many items being served, plan on buying 3 to 4 ounces per person.

 Accompaniments

• Offer a selection of breads, including sliced baguette, bread sticks, and crackers in all different shapes and sizes. It’s a good idea to vary taste and texture among the breads as well as the cheeses.
• Jarred condiments and vegetables are quick and fuss-free. Try sweet preserves or honey, tart chutneys, and spicy mustards. You can also add artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and caponata. If you have a bit more time, prepare caramelized onions, which complement most cheese plates.
• Various other sweet and salty items can work as well. Try cured meats such as prosciutto and salami, or candied nuts and pistachios. Assorted seasonal and dried fruits can include figs, cherries, apples, and pears.
  
  

Serving Tips

• Separate strong-smelling cheeses. If you want to serve a pungent, stinky-socks cheese, place it on a separate plate so it doesn’t overpower more delicate ones. 
• Set out a separate knife for each cheese, especially the soft varieties. Soft cheese spreads well with a butter knife; firm cheese might require a paring knife; and aged cheese often requires a cheese plane.
• Remove the cheese from the refrigerator an hour before serving―cold mutes flavor.
• Spread out the spread. Place the cheese platters and the other nibbles on several tables to avoid guest gridlock.
• Label each cheese so you won’t need to recite the names all evening. If you like, also jot down a few poetic adjectives describing its flavor. 

bacon wrapped sausages.

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Bacon Wrapped Sausages from Randi:

1 pkg Lil Smokies (I used the turkey ones)

1 package bacon (I use turkey bacon)

1/4 cup brown sugar

Heat the oven to 375. Cut the bacon in half long ways and 3rds short ways. Wrap each sausage in a bacon piece and secure with a toothpick. Lay out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook for 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

chocolate peanut butter cup cupcakes.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes from Brittany:

Chocolate Cake

1 milk chocolate cake mix

buttermilk

eggs

oil

Follow directions on cake mix substituting buttermilk for the water. Bake in mini cupcake pan.

Chocolate Ganache

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

4 oz heavy cream

1/4 cup peanut butter

Heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Pour it over the chocolate in a medium bowl. Whisk until the chocolate melts, then whisk in the peanut butter until it's all incorporated and smooth. Dip tops of cupcakes in ganache and allow to set.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

*may need to add milk if frosting is too thick.

Pipe onto cupcakes dipped and set in ganache and top with the new mini reese's peanut butter cups.

*recipe adapted from here and here