Blue Cheese-Bacon Dip

8 bacon slices
2 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. half and half
4 oz. crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1/2 C. chopped walnuts, toasted

Cook bacon until crisp and drain. Reserve 1 Tbsp. of bacon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside.
Add garlic to skillet and saute 30 seconds.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed using an electric mixer until smooth. Add half and half, beating until combined. Stir in half of the chopped bacon, garlic, blue cheese, and chives. Spoon mixture evenly into a lightly greased 1 quart dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 min. or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle remaining bacon and walnuts over hot dip. Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Chocolate Chimichangas with Raspberry Sauce

6 (1.55 oz.) milk chocolate candy bars (I recommend Hershey's)
6 (10 in.) flour tortillas
vegetable oil
raspberry sauce
vanilla ice cream
shaved chocolate or chocolate syrup for garnish

Place one candy bar just below center of a tortilla. Fold bottom of tortilla up and over candy bar just until partially covered. Fold left and right sides of tortilla over; roll up, and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining candy bars and tortillas. Freeze 20 min.
Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch into a large skillet. Heat to 375 degrees. Place 2 tortillas, seam sides down, in hot oil, gently pressing with tongs for a few seconds to seal. Fry tortillas 2-3 min. on each side or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Drain on paper towels.
To serve, pour about 1/4 C. raspberry sauce on each of 6 serving plates. Place a tortilla in the middle of each plate. Top with 1/3 C. vanilla ice cream.Grate chocolate over each serving or drizzle with chocolate syrup to garnish.

Sausage Mini-Muffins

3 C. Bisquick

½ C. milk

2 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 can cheddar cheese soup

¼ C. sour cream

1 lb. lean country sausage, browned & drained

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 2 miniature muffin pans.
Combine first 4 ingredients until well-blended, then fold in sausage. Fill muffin cups and bake 10-15 min. or until light golden.

Peanut Butter Fudge

1 1/2 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter
5 oz. evaporated milk
2 C. crunchy peanut butter
7 oz. marshmallow cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Line a 9 inch square baking dish with aluminum foil and grease lightly with butter.
In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, sugar, butter, and evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, to 238 degrees on candy thermometer (soft ball stage).
Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, marshmallow cream, and vanilla until combined. Pour into prepared dish and let cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.

French Toast Casserole

1/2 C. margarine, melted
1 1/2 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (Saigon cinnamon is best)
8-12 one-inch thick slices of French baguette
9 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a 9 X 13 in. baking dish, combine melted margarine, brown sugar, and cinnamon, leveling once well-combined.
Cover with bread slices, using small pieces to fill in gaps.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs well. Add salt, milk, and vanilla and whisk until blended. Pour evenly over bread, being sure to moisten all bread.
Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 45 min. Turn oven off and allow casserole to remain in hot oven 5-10 additional minutes.
Cut into squares and turn upside down on plate to serve.

Cheese Puffs

1 C. water
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 C. all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 1/4 C. shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, bring water, butter, salt, and cayenne to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat, immediately transfer to a mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in Gruyere or Swiss and mustard.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet. sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Sugar 'N' Spice Nuts

1/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 egg white
1 C. salted cashews
1 C. pecan halves
1 C. dry roasted peanuts
1/2 C. dried cranberries

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg white; add nuts and cranberries. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and toss to coat. Spread in single layer on a greased baking sheet.
Bake at 300 degrees 18-20 min. or until golden, stirring once. Cool before storing in airtight container.