Caramel Apples

1 lb. dark brown sugar
1c. unsalted butter
14oz. sweetned condensed milk
2/3c dark corn syrup
1/3c maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp molasses
1/4tsp salt
Combine all ingredients and heat on stove top at medium/low heat until sugar dissolves-there should be no grittyness from the sugar. Cook at a rolling boil until it reaches 236 degrees stirring constantly and slowly. Pour into metal bowl to cool to 200 degrees.
Wash apples and insert sticks before dipping into caramel. Place dipped apples on a cookie sheet with buttered foil and place in fridge for 15 minutes and let stand for 1 hour before serving. Some caramel may run off the apples but you can press this back onto the apples once the caramel has cooled.
Can roll in sprinkles, chopped nuts, drizzle with melted chocolate, etc.

Quick Jello Salad

1pkg Jello cheesecake or white chocolate pudding
1c. milk
Mix together until pudding thickens

Add:
1 small Cool Whip
1 can mandarin oranges
1 can pineapple tidbits
Mini marshmallows

Chill before serving.

Apple Crisp-from the kitchen of Dana Williams

Mix in baking pan:
6 apples
1c. flour
1c. sugar
2tsp. cinnamon

Mix and spread over top of first mixture:
2c. oatmeal
2c. brown sugar
2 cubes melted butter

Bake at 325 for 40 minutes.

Whole Wheat Bread

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
(makes 2 regular-sized loaves)


2 1/2 t. yeast (or two 1/4-oz. pkgs)
1 c. warm water
1 c. scalded milk
2/3 c. honey
2/3 c. melted butter
2 t. salt (or a little less)
2 eggs
4-8 c. white wheat flour


Optional:
a handful (about 1/2 c.) quick oats
a handful of ground flax (about 1/4 c.)


In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix milk, honey, melted butter, salt, egg, and yeast mixture while the mixer is running on low speed. Add the oats and flax if you're using it. Add flour gradually, 2 c. at a time. You may only need 6 c. of flour, you may need a little more, but you probably won't need more than 8 c. The dough should be a little sticky, pulling at the sides of the bowl a little bit. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Place in a well-greased bowl; cover and let rise until doubled in size - about 1 1/2 hours.


When dough is doubled in size, punch down dough. Knead a few times on a well floured surface. Cut dough in half; form into loaves and set them evenly into two regular-sized, buttered loaf pans. (The dough should sit about 2 inches below the top of the loaf pan)


Let the bread rise again for another 30-minutes to an hour. Bake it at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it with your fingernail. Let the bread rest and cool for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing into it.

Easy Chocolate Truffle

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
suggested coatings, such as ground PLANTERS Walnuts, unsweetened cocoa, powdered sugar and/or BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut

BEAT cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar, mixing until well blended.

ADD melted chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.

SHAPE into 1-inch balls. Roll in walnuts, cocoa, powdered sugar or coconut. Store in refrigerator.

1.When covering them in chocolate, do it double burner style and melt the chocolate on the stove. It works well, you don't burn it and you can always throw a few more in.
2. White chocolate MUST be melted in the microwave. 1 min. or 30 sec. then stir. Repeat. It's made differently so it behaves differently.
3. Mark them with something on the outside (likes crumbs on top) so you know which are which.
4. You can make them multiple at a time. Get a few people together and each person take a part. We did all or ours in about 3 hours or so.
5. Make the balls SOOO much smaller than you are naturally inclined. If they are small they are bite size and easier to eat.

We also did choc. covered pretzels. We used the small sticks and the put sprinkles on the warm choc.

Easy Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Make It
MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Black Tie Truffles

1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S Bittersweet Chocolate
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tub (7 oz.) BAKER'S White Dipping Chocolate

MICROWAVE bittersweet chocolate, whipping cream and butter in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring after each minute. Freeze 1-1/2 hours or until firm.

ROLL into 24 (1-inch) balls; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Freeze 20 min.

MELT white chocolate; use fork to dip in truffles. Return to baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining chocolate or decorate with sprinkles. Refrigerate until firm.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP or COOL WHIP Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup powdered sugar

MICROWAVE chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

STIR in peanut butter until well blended. Cool to room temperature. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour.

SCOOP peanut butter mixture with melon baller or teaspoon, then shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.