FRIDAY FARE: Christmas Party Recipe Share...

Recipes from our Christmas party. I realize that these aren't exactly "healthy" recipes, but they were good! I'm not sure who brought some of these recipes...

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut, if desired
1 (18 oz) roll Pillsbury Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and egg; beat until smooth. Stir in coconut.

2. Break up half of cookie dough into ungreased 9 or 8-inch square pan. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough. Crumble and sprinkle remaining half of dough over cream cheese mixture.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Championship Bean Dip - from Colette Harris

1 can refired beans
1 cup picante (salsa)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 T. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin

Mix ingredients together. Put in a crock pot and cook for 2-3 hours on low.

Cake Mix Cookies - from Beth Crowley

1 cake mix, any flavor. To the dry cake mix, add 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Mix well. You can add chocolate chips, nuts, peanut butter chips, raisins, or any other add-in. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop the batter by spoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching closely because they brown quickly.

Avalanche Cookies - from Kathy Howard

1 1/2 pounds white chocolate or almond bark
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
5-6 cups Golden Grahams cereal

Melt white choc. or almond bark in double broiler. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Mix until evenly coated. Drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper. Cool 1 hour.

Easy Mint Thins

Round buttery crackers
Mint oil
Melting chocolate
Optional - sprinkles or crushed peppermint candy

Melt chocolate according to directions, add a few drops of mint oil and stir. Coat crackers on both sides with chocolate and cool to harden. You may add sprinkles or crushed peppermint to the top of mints before cooling.

Mini Cheesecakes - from Colette Harris

24 Nilla wafers
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 (8 oz.) pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
cherry or raspberry pie filling or strawberry jam

Place cupcake liners in 24 muffin tins. Put one Nilla wafer in each liner, round side up. Combine sugar, eggs, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture on the Nilla wafers, filling cups 1/2 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then carefully remove papers. (They sink in the center.) Top with pie filling or jam. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hints: I freeze the cheesecakes before I add the filling. They come out of the papers easier without sticking to the sides. Using the silver metallic cupcake liners also help the cheesecakes not to stick to the sides as much. Sometimes, before serving the cheese cakes, I will add a little cool whip to the top of each one and then add a small raspberry or cherry to the center - depending on the type of pie filling I use.