Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups strawberries, rinse, dried and chopped

1. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. With electric mixer cream butter, sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend flour mixture with butter mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk and only stir until just combined; do not over mix.
4. Carefully fold in strawberries. Dough mixture will be thick.
5. Bake in a 350°F oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

Snickers Salad

1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (12 ounce) containers Cool Whip, thawed
6 Snickers candy bars
4-6 granny smith apples

1. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until thoroughly blended.
2. Fold in Cool Whip.
3. Cut Snickers into bite size chunks and add to cream cheese mixture.
4. Chop the apples into chunks and stir.
5. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Tip: Chilling for a long period of time (such as overnight) will result in a runny salad.

Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour 45 minutes
Serves: 12

12 pieces NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough (or equivalent)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Paper-line 12 muffin cups.
3. Place one piece of cookie dough in each muffin cup.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie has spread to edge of cup.
5. Beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla extract in medium bowl until smooth.
6. Pour about 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture over each cookie in cup.
7. Bake for additional 15 to 18 minutes or until set.
8. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
9. Top with pie filling.
10. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Truffles

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Ready In: 2 hours 4 minutes
Serves: 36

1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (6 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Prepare cookies following package directions; however, bake for 14 to 18 minutes until crisp and golden brown but not burnt. (Crisp cookies will make it easier to grind the cookies later.) Let cookies cool completely on wire racks.
3. Line baking sheet with wax paper.
4. Crumble cookies into food processor container; cover. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal.
5. Add cream cheese; process until mixture begins to hold together. Mixture will be dark in color.
6. Roll or scoop mixture into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
8. Microwave morsels and vegetable shortening in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH power for 1 minute. Stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.
9. Dip balls completely into melted chocolate with fork. Use side of bowl or shake gently to remove excess chocolate.
10. Return to baking sheet; dust truffles with cocoa.
11. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

TIP:
• If you do not have a food processor, the cooled, crisp cookies can be finely chopped with a knife, placed in bowl and then mixed with cream cheese. This will result in a less ground cookie truffle.
• To dust the truffles, place cocoa in a small, fine mesh strainer and tap over the dipped truffles.

Chocolate Banana Cream Cake

Serves: 12

1 (18.25 ounce) package Devils Food Cake
2 large eggs
2/3 cup Canola Oil
1 3/4 cups milk, divided
1 (1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon imitation banana extract
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (11.75 ounce) jar Hot Fudge Topping
2 large bananas
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. Blend cake mix, eggs, oil and 3/4 cup milk in a medium bowl until moistened. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake 38-42 minutes. Cool completely.
3. Blend pudding mix with 1 cup cold milk. In another bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Mix in pudding and banana extract. Blend in whipped topping. Remove 1 cup and reserve. Stir 2/3 cup fudge topping in small bowl until of spreading consistency. Slice bananas 1/4-inch thick. Dip 3 slices in lemon juice. Cover and reserve for garnish.
4. Remove cake from pan. Cut in half horizontally. Cover bottom layer with fudge topping. Top with sliced bananas and remaining 3 cups pudding mixture. Cover with top cake layer. Spread 1 cup reserved pudding onto center of cake. Place 2 tablespoons fudge topping into a corner of a 1-quart resealable bag. Knead. Cut small corner off bag. Drizzle fudge topping over top of cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Garnish with reserved banana slices just before serving.

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 50 Minutes
Servings: 4

8 ounces penne pasta
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, diced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup cream
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper, and mushroom; cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes more.
3. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until firm and pink, then pour in Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, and cream; bring to a simmer stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir drained pasta into the sauce, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Ball

Makes 1 1/2 cups spread or 12 servings, 2 Tbsp. spread and 5 crackers each.

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Dash ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup pecans

1. Beat cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic powder, and ground red pepper with mixer until well blended. Added roasted peppers; mix just until blended.
2. Shape into ball. Roll in nuts.
3. Refrigerate 4 hours. Serve with crackers.