Chicken Florentine Bowtie Pasta

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
* 1 c. finely chopped white onion
* 1 clove minced garlic
* 4 c. baby spinach leaves
* 2 c. cooked shredded chicken breast
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 2 c. Philadelphia Cooking Creme
* 1 lb. bowtie pasta or other small noodle
* 1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350.  Spray a 9×13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Place oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onion & cook, stirring until tender, about 5 min. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1 min. Stir in spinach leaves, cook, stirring until wilted, about 2 min. Add chicken, salt & pepper, and cook until heated through, about 3 min. Add cooking cream, stirring to combine.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Add pasta to chicken mixture stirring to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish and top with cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes, until cheese is melted.  Makes 8 servings

Mini Snickers Caramel Cheesecakes

** Recipe from Six Sister's Stuff **

* 2 c. chopped Snickers Bars
* 2 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
* 2 Tbl. granulated sugar
* 5 Tbl. melted butter
* 2 - 8oz. packages softened cream cheese
* 1 c. granulated sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbl. pure vanilla
* 3 Tbl. caramel sauce

**The original recipe suggests making these in a  muffin top pan, but I used a regular muffin tin pan and they worked fine!  If you are using a regular muffin tin, use a little bit less than 1/4 c. when you are pouring the filling into each tin so they don't overflow.**

Preheat oven to 350.  Place chopped Snickers into a bowl, set aside. Place graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter into a mixing bowl to combine. Spoon a couple spoonfuls of crumbs into each section of the muffin pan & press down and up the sides. Bake for 5-6 min, or just until browned. Remove from oven.  In a stand or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese & sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs & vanilla until well combined, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in caramel sauce until well combined. Pour about 1/4 c. of cheesecake mixture over each baked crust then top evenly with chopped Snickers. Bake for 23-26 min, or until cheesecake edges are just starting to brown and centers are nearly set. Remove and let cool completely. While still warm, loosen all edges with a plastic knife to make for easier removal from pan. Refrigerate once cooled then top with caramel sauce and whipped cream to serve!

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

** Recipe from 52 Kitchen Adventures **


* 1 1/4 c. sugar
* 1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 c. water
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and cocoa powder until most of the lumps are gone. Add water and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes, until thickened, continuing to stir frequently. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then add vanilla extract. Store in air tight container in the fridge.
To make chocolate milk, add 1 tablespoon of chocolate sauce to a cup of milk and stir until combined.

Flourless Chocolate & Vanilla Marble Cake

** Recipe from Fine Cooking **

For the vanilla batter:
* 8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
* 2/3 c. granulated sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate batter:
* 10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 5 oz. (10 Tbl.) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
* 3 large eggs
* 1/3 c. granulated sugar
* 1 Tbl. dark rum or espresso
* 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
* pinch table salt

* cocoa powder for dusting

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 300.  Lightly grease a 9x2" round cake pan & line the bottom with parchment.  Make the vanilla batter: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar & continue beating until well blended & no lumps remain. Add egg & vanilla and beat just until blended. Set aside.
Make the chocolate batter:  In a medium bowl, melt chocolate & butter in a large metal bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Whisk until smooth & set aside to cool slightly. With a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat eggs, sugar, rum or espresso, vanilla, & salt on med-high until the mixture is pale and thick, 3-4 min. With the mixer on low, gradually pour in the chocolate mixture and continue beating until well blended.
Combine and bake: Spread about half of the chocolate batter in the bottom of the pan. Alternately add large scoopfuls of each of the remaining batters to the cake pan. Using a knife or the tip of a rubber spatula, gently swirl the two batters together so they're mixed but not completely blended. Rap the pan against the countertop several times to settle the batters.  Bake until a pick inserted about 2" from edge comes out gooey but not liquid, 40-42 min.; don't overbake. The top will be puffed and slightly cracked, especially around the edges. It will sink down as it cools. Let cool on a rack until just slightly warm, about 1-1/2 hrs. Loosen cake from the pan by holding the pan almost perpendicular to the counter; tap the pan on the counter while rotating it clockwise. Invert onto a large flat plate or board. Remove the pan and carefully peel off parchment. Sift some cocoa powder over the cake (this will make it easier to remove the slices when serving). Invert again onto a similar plate so that the top side is up. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hrs. or overnight, or freeze.

Cake Batter Bark

** Recipe from Stephanie Cooks **

* 7 oz. good dark chocolate
* 12 oz. good white chocolate
* 1.5 heaping tsp.  yellow cake mix
* colored sprinkles

Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, over a double burner, or over low flame. Spread thinly over parchment paper of a silpat.  Cool in the freezer 20 min.  Melt the white chocolate. Add the cake mix, stir well. Spread over the dark. (Do a little bit at a time because it will melt the chocolate and it won't look as pretty.)  Top with rainbow sprinkles. Freeze for 20 more min.  Break into pieces and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it.

Birthday Cake Fudge

** Recipe from Mrs. Bettie Rocker **

* 3 c. sugar

* 1 1/2 sticks margarine
* 5 oz. can (2/3 c.) evaporated milk
* 12 oz. chopped white chocolate chips
* 7 oz.  jar marshmallow creme
* 3-4 Tbl. yellow cake mix (just the powdered MIX, not batter)
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* blue food coloring
* rainbow sprinkles

Line an 8 or 9" square pan with foil, leaving the ends hanging over the edges of the pan. Spray foil thoroughly with nonstick spray.  Place sugar, margarine, & evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan over med. heat. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and let boil 4 min. Remove from heat.  Add chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, & cake mix, stirring until chocolate chips are melted. Add vanilla & mix well.  Working quickly, pour about 1/3 of the fudge in a bowl and add a few drops of blue food coloring, mixing and adding until you achieve the desired shade. Pour white fudge into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Spoon blue fudge over the top, spacing it out. Using a sharp knife, draw swirls through the blue and white to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle the top generously with rainbow sprinkles before the top sets up.  Let store at room temperature until cool, then place in the refrigerator until firm.

Gluten Free Soft Pretzels

** Recipe from Living Without **

* 3⅔ c. Gluten-Free High-Protein Flour Blend - (see below)
* ⅓ c. potato flour
* 2 Tbl. rapid yeast
* 2½ tsp. xanthan gum
* 1 tsp. salt
* 4 Tbl. melted butter or nondairy replacement
* 1½-2 c. warm water, divided
* ⅔ c. baking soda
* 10 c. water
* 1 egg yolk, beaten with 2 Tbl. water
* Salt, for sprinkling

GF Flour blend:
* 1 1/4 c. bean flour (your choice), chickpea flour or soy flour
* 1 c. arrowroot starch, cornstarch or potato starch
* 1 c. tapioca starch/flour
* 1 c. white or brown rice flour

Heat oven to 450.  Mix together flour blend, potato flour, yeast, xanthan gum & salt.  Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat ingredients together on med. speed, adding melted butter & 11/4 c. warm water. Add enough water to make a soft but not wet dough. Beat for 5 min. Then cover & let sit for 5 min. Uncover & beat an additional 4 min. Oil dough lightly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap & place it in a warm place for 30 min.  Divide dough into 12 pcs. Roll each into a 12" rope. Make a U-shape with the rope. Holding the ends, cross them over each other and press them onto the top of the rope to form a pretzel. Transfer to parchment-lined pan. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 min. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper & lightly brush with vegetable oil. Set aside.  Bring baking soda & 10 c. water to a boil in a large saucepan. Lower to simmer & cover.  Place pretzels into boiling water, one at a time, and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from water with a slotted spoon.  Return boiled pretzels to the sheet pan. Brush each with egg yolk & water mixture. Sprinkle with salt.  Place in preheated oven & bake until dark golden brown, about 12-14 min. Transfer to a rack and cool for at least 5 min. before serving.