Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• graham crackers

Instructions

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy.
2. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
5. Place on plastic wrap, shape into a ball.
6. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
7. Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans.
8. Serve with graham crackers.

Notes

This is a surprise to most guests. It looks like the traditional cheese ball, but when people bite into it--WOW so sweet and so good! This makes a very large ball.  I like to divide in half, making 2 smaller balls.

Pam Hope via KathyMillerTime

Ingredients

• 1 3 (ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3-4 tablespoons pimentos, chopped
• 2-3 tables

Instructions

1. Combine in a food processor, pulse to achieve desired consistency.
2. Serve with crackers.
3. This recipe should be refrigerated in a small bowl for 3 hours.
4. Transfer to wax paper, shape into ball and roll in pecans.
5. Refrigerate overnight.

By Jessica Parks Hurst via KathyMillerTime

Cookies

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Icing

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In bowl of electric mixer, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat until well blended.
4. Beat in the egg until fluffy.
5. Blend in the vanilla.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture just until blended.
7. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheets, placing the cookies 2 inches apart from one another. Flatten each cookie slightly with a fork.
8. Sprinkle each cookie with approximately 1 teaspoon chopped pecans.
9. Bake 10 minutes or until golden. Transfer onto wire racks to cool.
10. While cookies are cooling, prepare the icing.
11. In a 1 ½ to 2-quart saucepan, combine the brown sugar and whipping cream.
12. Place over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the cream comes to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
13. Remove from heat and blend in the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.
14. Drizzle cooled cookies generously with the icing.

By KathyMillerTime
Adapted from Red Rocks & Cinnamon Rolls, Marion Yadon

Ingredients

• 2 shallots, diced
• 1/4 cup butter divided
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 pounds white or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (or substitute Swiss cheese)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Saute shallots in 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in cream and next 5 ingredients. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 15 minutes.
3. Combine sliced potatoes and milk in a large, microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and microwave at high 5 minutes. Drain mixture, discarding milk.
4. Layer 1/3 of white potatoes with sweet potatoes.
5. Spoon 1/3 of cream mixture over potatoes.
6. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese.
7. Repeat layers twice, and top with Parmesan cheese.
8. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
9. Cover with foil.
10. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes or until browned. Let stand 10 minutes.

By KathyMillerTime
Adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 slice of pancetta, diced, or bacon that is first blanched in water, then diced
• ½ small onion, diced
• Sprigs of thyme and rosemary
• ¼ cup white wine
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Trim bottoms off sprouts, peel each leaf off, wash and drain well.
2. In a heavy sauce pan with lid, cook pancetta and onion in oil until softened, add herb, salt and pepper. (This can be done up to this point and finished later).
3. Add sprout leaves and wine, toss well, cover and cook over moderate heat until leaves are soft - about 5-10 minutes.

By Midge Scelzo via KathyMillerTime