Thanksgiving/Holiday Popcorn Mix

I wanted a Thanksgiving Snack for munching, so I set out to create one.  I love my go to snack of microwave popcorn drizzled with melted almond bark so that became my basic recipe. I added bugles to look like cornucopias, I added pretzels for a color contrast and fall colored candies.    This is what I came up with....and everyone loved it.  I think it will be made very often...not just for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving / Holiday Popcorn Mix 

2 bags microwave popcorn, popped 

about 3 c. Bugles (just dump some in)

about 2 c. pretzels (just dump some in)  

1 c. Reese's pieces candy

4 or 5 squares melted almond bark (I prefer 4)  

 Mix together in large metal bowl: popcorn, Bugles, and pretzels .

Melt almond bark in microwave at 50% power, stirring every 60 seconds until melted.  Drizzle over the popcorn mixture and stir well. Stir in the candy pieces.  That's it!!

I had planned to add candy corn too but I forgot.  Maybe next time?

For Christmas I used Corn Chex Cereal instead of the Bugles and M&Ms instead of Reese's pieces.  I took this to our Garden Club Party and every crumb was gone.  It would be great for any holiday and can be changed according to your likes....I am changing the name to Holiday Popcorn Mix.

Chicken Tortellini Soup in a Crock Pot

Made some adjustments and made this for dinner yesterday....it was a hit!  I used my instant pot so I could brown the chicken before adding the other ingredients. 

Chicken Tortellini Soup
1½ pounds boneless chicken breast (I used thighs, cubed and browned in a little oil, before adding other ingredients - or just add whole chicken pieces and remove and shred or cube after it has cooked)
2 c. carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1 c. water
2 T. chicken bouillon
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 T. dried parsley
1 t. season salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. cheese tortellini

Add all of the ingredients except for the tortellini to a crock pot or instant pot.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
Stir in the tortellini and cook for about 20 minutes, until they are cooked all the way through.

Note:  if you are in a hurry & want to cook this using the pressure cooker of the Instant pot - add everything except the tortellini and set on high for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile cook the tortellini on the stove top and add to soup at serving time.  .  OR at the end add tortellini to the instant pot and cook at high pressure for 4 more minutes.  

5 Minute Cheesecake

5 MINUTE 4 INGREDIENT NO BAKE CHEESECAKE

Ingredients-
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 8 ounce tub of cool whip
1/3 cup of lemon or lime juice
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese.

Most important part of this recipe, is to leave the cream cheese out for a couple hours at room temperature. The cream cheese will become soft and smooth. The importance of this is to create a smooth texture. Not doing so, will create horrible lumps of cream cheese that will ruin the flavor of this pie.

After your cream cheese is softened enough, I like to see if it will spread easily with a plastic spatula. In a mixing bowl, mix all before mentioned ingredients. Please note: the lemon/lime juice must come last. The reaction of the citrus juice will start to harden your mixture almost immediately.

On the low speed of you hand mixer, blend well. Around 2 minutes of so is plenty, just make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Immediately pour mixture into a waiting graham crust or for those of us that can't have the gluten, I opt for muffin cups. Refrigerate for an hour to and hour and a half and viola.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Sour Cream Noodle Bake
1 1/4 pounds ground chuck
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups small curd cottage cheese
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced green onions (less to taste)
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brown the ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain the fat, and then add the tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, and then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook the egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add to the noodles and stir. Add the green onions and stir.
To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, and then sprinkle on half the grated Cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat and then a final layer of cheese. Bake until all the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.
Serve with crusty French bread.
To freeze: Assemble the Sour Cream Noodle Bake in a disposable aluminum oven-proof pan and seal the top of the container with the lid or heavy foil. Seal the edges to prevent freezer burn and place in the freezer.
To cook from frozen: Place directly in a 375-degree F oven and bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake until lightly brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes more.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sour-cream-noodle-bake0.print.html?oc=linkback

Snickers Cheesecake

Brody made this for Thanksgiving. We found it at Halloween time but didn't get around to making it until now.  

Snickers Cheesecake  by Tasty  on Facebook.....see video
1 bag Snickers® Fun Size 
15 Oreo Cookies
20 oz. cream cheese, softened
10 oz. sweetened condensed milk
¼ c. bittersweet chocolate (optional)

1. In a food processor, pulse candy bars until small and pebble-sized. Remove half and set aside.
2. Continue pulsing remaining candy bars along with chocolate wafers. Press into an 10-inch springform pan, going up the sides of the pan to make a crust.
3. Combine remaining candy with cream cheese and condensed milk, pour into crust. 
4. For Halloween decor.....Melt chocolate and pour into a sandwich bag.
5. Use the bag to pipe concentric circles on top of cheesecake. 
6. Use a toothpick/knife to trace lines going outward from the center to form a web shape.
7. Chill cheesecake until firm, about 6 hours.
8. Use remaining chocolate to create ‘spiders’ decorations. 
9. Chill decorations.
10. Decorate and enjoy!  Makes 8 servings

https://www.facebook.com/buzzfeedtasty/videos/1810535682532406/