Cinnamon Pecan Popcorn--Our Best Bites

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
1 C roughly chopped pecans
1 C brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 C Karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 squares almond bark OR white chocolate wafers

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees

2) Combine popped popcorn and chopped pecans in a LARGE bowl and set side.

3) Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup (microwave safe!!). Pour Karo syrup on top. Cut the butter into chunks and put it on top of the Karo syrup. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir to combine.

4) Put the brown sugar mix in the microwave for another 2 minutes; remove and stir. One more time...2 minutes in the micro and stir.

5) Add the baking soda and vanilla and stir well. Pour the brown sugar mix over the popcorn and pecans. Mix well...REALLY well. For probably about 4 or 5 minutes to make sure everything is coated.

6) On a large cookie sheet/jelly roll pan, lay down foil, and then spray it with cooking spray (for easy clean up). Pour popcorn mix on cookie sheet and spread evenly.

7) Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, pulling it out to stir and move around every 10 minutes (so three times total, one time after the 30 minutes of baking is up). While the popcorn is baking, melt your almond bark or white chocolate according to the directions.

8) After the popcorn is done, pour it onto wax paper to let it cool. After it has cooled, drizzle the melted bark/chocolate all over the popcorn. Let it set. EAT, EAT, EAT. MMMMMMMMM!

Cheeseburger Soup

*Recipe from my friend, Lisa*

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes (or frozen hash browns)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream

1. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
2. Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
4. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

*Nestle website, through one of my FAVORITE websites, ourbestbites.com

1 unbaked pie crust, homemade or store bought

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup REAL butter, softened

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Vanilla ice cream

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2) Beat eggs on high in mixing bowl until foamy.

3) Beat in flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar and mix well.

4) Beat in butter.

5) Stir in morsels and nuts (I just mixed it in my Kitchen Aid for about 20 seconds until it was well blended).

6) Stir into pie shell.

7) Bake for 55-60 minutes, until knife inserted between the edge and center of the pie comes out clean.

8) Leave in pie plate, and cool. Just like chocolate chip cookies, this pie needs to set up before serving or else it will fall apart.

9) Serve with a generous scoop of ice cream!

**I liked this pie better second day after having been refrigerated**

Homemade Bagels

1 batch "Perfect Bread" (follow ingredients and directions)

optional: sesame seeds, dried minced onion, poppy seeds, sea salt, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and sugar, 

1) Punch dough down after it has risen and doubled in size.

2) Pull off pieces that are about the size of a lemon, and roll it into a ball (you can do bigger or smaller bagels).

3) Push a hole through the middle of the dough ball with your thumb and middle finger. Place shaped dough on parchment paper or foil.

4) Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all the dough has been shaped into bagels.

5) Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Drop 4 "bagels" into the water at a time for 1 minute. When they float to the top of the water, which will happen fairly quickly, flip the bagel.

6) Remove each bagel with a slotted spoon, and place on a lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

7) At this point, while the bagels are still a little bit wet, sprinkle any of the optional seeds/toppings on each bagel.

8) Bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove immediately and cool.

Perfect Rolls

1 batch "Perfect Bread"

1/2 cup butter, melted

1) After the dough has risen for 1 hour, punch it down and let it rest in the bowl for about 5 minutes.

2) Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.

3) Form the dough into a long "snake" like shape. Squeeze pieces of dough off and roll each piece into a ball (I usually make mine the size of a baseball). Place on cookie sheet, about an inch apart.

4) Brush melted butter over the top and sides of each roll.

5) Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes, or until the tops of the rolls start to brown.

6) As soon as you remove the rolls from the oven, brush each one with the remaining melted butter. Move onto a cooling rack.

7) Serve warm!!

Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

**Adapted from a recipe on Allrecipes**

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 7 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1) Mix all ingredients well, then pour over warm cinnamon rolls. IF there are any left (they're extremely addicting), store in the fridge.

Scrumptious Cinnamon Rolls

1 batch of Perfect Bread

1/4 cup butter, softened

1-2 TBSP ground cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1) After the dough has risen for an hour in the warm oven, and you have removed it, punched it down, and let it rest for 5 minutes, place dough on a lightly floured surface.

1.5) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Roll dough out into a rectangular shape, until dough is about 1/2 inch thick.

3) Spread butter all over the dough, careful not to go to the very edges.

4) Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over butter, spreading evenly over the dough.

5) Roll the dough longways, and then pinch the seam to keep the roll closed.

6) Slice the dough into 1 inch rounds, and place each round on a sprayed cookie sheet or 9x13 inch pan. Spread them out a little bit, to give them room to rise and expand.

7) Let the rolls rise on the counter for 15ish minutes.

8) Bake the rolls for 22-25 minutes, and immediately top with "Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting"

9) Allow rolls to suit for 10 minutes before serving.