Hot Spinach Dip

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
2 pounds fresh spinach, cleaned and coarsely chopped, OR two 10-ounce packages of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces cream cheese
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 dashes Tabasco sauce, or more if you like it spicy
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper
baguette slices, breadsticks, crackers, or tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 425. Saute onion and garlic till tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add spinach and cook until completely wilted, 5 to 8 minutes, or add frozen spinach and heat through. Drain any liquid remaining from the spinach. In a separate pan warm the milk over high heat, whisk in cream cheese till melted, add spinach, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and 1/4 cup mozzarella; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a lightly greased 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake until bubbly and browned, 20 - 25 minutes. Serve hot.
From delish.com courtesy of Martha Stewart

Dipped Cracker Snacks

by: Stephanie Westover and Jackie Payne

96 butter-flavored crackers (Ritz)

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup marshmallow cream

2 pounds milk chocolate candy coating, melted

Spread half the crackers with peanut butter, the other half with marshmallow cream. (I used a plastic baggie with the tip cut off and squeezed it on, it was much faster). Place together to make a sandwich. Dip cracker sandwiches in melted candy coating allowing excess to drip off and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles if desired. Makes 4 dozen.

Grandma Dorothy's Popcorn Balls

I was cleaning out my recipe file and came across this recipe from my Grandma Dorothy McCrary, my Mom's Mother. It is the best recipe for Caramel Corn! To make this recipe even sweeter, my Grandma was born today, July 31, 1923. She died when I was 12 and in 7th grade. Enjoy...


1 cup Karo Syrup
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 cube butter
10 quarts (40 cups) popped corn, remove all the un-popped kernels or you'll break a tooth.
(A full-size bag of microwave popcorn is 5 cups)

Pop the popcorn first and remove the un-popped kernels.
Have a large mixing bowl ready that has been lightly coated with cooking spray.

Caramel:
Combine syrup and sugar in heavy saucepan and stir together well. Cook on medium heat until it boils. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved and keep the sides of the pan clean to avoid sugary caramel later. Add milk and butter, cook and stir until it forms soft ball in cold water (about 236 degrees). Cool slightly while putting the popped corn in the prepared bowl, then pour caramel over popped corn and stir, stir, stir.
Spray your hands with cooking spray. The popcorn can now be formed into balls and bagged, or left loose and put in large Ziploc bags. Makes about 18 popcorn balls.

This is her original recipe card in her handwriting.

Rocky Road Fudge

from: Allison Stock
served at our Progressive Dinner December 2nd

1 bag chocolate chips
2 sticks butter, cubed
4 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk
20 large marshmallows
2 cups nuts
15 large marshmallows, quartered
1 teaspoon vanilla

Set aside the chocolate chips and the butter in a large bowl. In a saucepan melt the milk, sugar, and 20 large marshmallows. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until the mixture turns a caramel color. This requires stirring constantly for 20-25 minutes. Dump this boiling hot mixture on the chocolate chips and butter and stir quickly! Before the mixture sets up add the nuts, vanilla, and cut marshmallows. Spread onto a cookie sheet to cool and serve.

Granola

Here is one way to use all your oats you ladies might have stored!!! My family loves this to eat like cereal, for snacks, on yogurt, or on ice cream. This recipe can also be found in the food storage cook book.

6 c. oats (quick or regular, we like regular)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. coconut
1/3 c. sesame seeds
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. chopped nuts (any variety)
Mix all this together. (you may omit whatever you want except brown sugar and oats)
Then coat with this:
1/2 c. oil
1/3 c. honey (I do use more, maybe about 1/2 c., do what ever tastes good!)
1 tsp. vanilla

Spread onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Stirring about every 10 minutes. Add raisins, craisins, or whatever you want, the possibilities are endless!!! Spread onto wax paper or tin foil and let cool. Store in air tight container.