Mexicali Corn

INGREDIENTS

Corn Mixture

• 2 teaspoons butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 2 (11-oz.) cans Green Giant® Mexicorn® Whole Kernel Corn, Red and Green Peppers, drained
• 1 (4.5-oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes

Topping

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup Progresso® Plain Bread Crumbs1 oz. (1/4 cup) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 1 minute or until tender. Add corn and chiles; cook 2 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in honey. Add sour cream and cream cheese; mix well. Cook 2 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs; cook and stir until light golden brown.
4. Spoon corn mixture into serving dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Monterey Jack cheese.

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef consomme
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Open the hoagie rolls and lay out on a baking sheet.
2. Heat beef consomme and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat to make a rich beef broth. Place the roast beef in the broth and warm for 3 minutes. Arrange the meat on the hoagie rolls and top each roll with 2 slices of provolone.
3. Bake the sandwiches in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to melt. Serve the sandwiches with small bowls of the warm broth for dipping

BBQ Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices thick-sliced bacon (about 5 oz), diced
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups bite-size pieces deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded, finely chopped
• 4 large Bibb lettuce leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels.
2. In small bowl, beat mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and salt with wire whisk until blended.
3. In large bowl, stir chicken, bacon, onion, jalapeño chile and mayonnaise mixture until well mixed. Serve in lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with parsley.

Crescent Bars

Ingredients

• 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) crescent refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• 1 cup white vanilla baking chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup cashew halves and pieces
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark pans). Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough into 2 long rectangles. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough. Place in pan; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. Bake 5 minutes.
3. Remove partially baked crust from oven. Sprinkle vanilla chips, chocolate chips, almonds and cashews evenly over crust. Pour condensed milk evenly over top.
4. Return to oven; bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.

Topped Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 medium baking potatoes
• 2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (without skin)
• 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
• 3 Italian plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped (1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic-pepper blend
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces (from 2.5-oz package)

Directions

1. Scrub potatoes; prick several times with fork. Place potatoes on microwavable plate. Microwave on High for 15 to 17 minutes or until fork-tender.
2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix chicken, cheese and tomatoes.
3. Split each potato in half lengthwise; place on microwavable plate. Mash each potato slightly.
   
4. Sprinkle each with garlic-pepper blend; top with sour cream. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture on each potato. Sprinkle with bacon pieces. Microwave on High for 2 to 3 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Serve warm.

German Chocolate Cream Pie

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 12 pecan shortbread cookies, broken into pieces
• 4 Nature Valley® pecan crunch crunchy granola bars (2 pouches from 8.9-oz box), crushed (3/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup butter melted

Chocolate Filling

• 2 oz cream cheese (from 8-oz package), softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted, cooled1 container (8 oz) frozen (thawed) whipped topping

Coconut-Pecan Filling

• 1 container (15 oz) Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® coconut pecan frosting
• 2 oz cream cheese (from 8-oz package), softened
• 1 tablespoon milk1 container (8 oz) frozen (thawed) whipped topping

Garnishes

• Reserved 1/2 cup whipped topping
• 1/2 milk chocolate candy bar (1.55-oz size) or 1/2 dark chocolate candy bar (1.44-oz size), chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In food processor or blender, process cookies and granola bars with on-and-off motions until fine crumbs form; pour into medium bowl. Stir in melted butter with fork until well mixed. Press mixture in bottom and up side of ungreased 9- or 8-inch glass or metal pie plate. Place in freezer just until firm, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat 2 oz cream cheese, the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. On low speed, beat in melted chocolate chips. In small bowl, reserve 1/4 cup whipped topping from 8-oz container for garnish. On medium speed, beat remaining topping from container into chocolate mixture until well blended.
3. Spread 1/3 cup of the frosting evenly in bottom of crust. Spoon chocolate filling into crust; carefully spread. Place pie in freezer while making next layer.
4. In large bowl, beat 2 oz cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk and remaining frosting with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Reserve another 1/4 cup whipped topping from 8-oz container in same small bowl of topping. Beat remaining topping from container into coconut-pecan mixture until well blended. Carefully spoon over chocolate filling; spread evenly. Carefully spread reserved 1/2 cup whipped topping over top; sprinkle with chopped candy bar.
   
5. Refrigerate 1 hour 30 minutes before serving.

Hot Fudge-Marshmallow Monkey Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon softened butter
  
• 1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)
• 1 can (10.2 oz) Pillsbury Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (5 biscuits)
• 13 large marshmallows
• 1/2 cup Unsalted or Salted Butter
• 1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup sugar1 tablespoon Hershey’s® Special Dark® baking cocoa

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Cut all 13 biscuits into quarters; set aside.
2. In large microwavable bowl, place marshmallows, 1/2 cup butter, hot fudge topping and vanilla. Microwave uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once, until melted. Using wire whisk, stir until smooth.
3. In medium bowl, stir sugar and cocoa until blended.
4. Carefully place 1/4 of the biscuit pieces into hot chocolate mixture, gently folding in to coat. Add another 1/4 of the biscuits, gently folding in to coat. Using tongs, remove biscuits from chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip off. Drop 1 biscuit piece at a time into sugar mixture; spoon sugar over biscuit to coat. Layer biscuits in cake pan. Repeat with remaining biscuits. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over biscuits.
5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; carefully turn plate and pan over. Remove pan; immediately scrape any remaining topping in pan onto bread. Pull apart warm bread to serve.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated peanut butter cookies
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Break up peanut butter cookie dough into pan. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.
2. In small bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cookie crust in pan. Break chocolate chip cookie dough into small pieces; evenly drop pieces over cream cheese mixture.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until top is lightly browned and cheesecake is set. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

Ghirardelli Coconut Almond Torte with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole almonds
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 8 ounces Ghirardelli Mini Chips or chopped Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Bars
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 8 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste
• Berries (optional)

Directions

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.
2. In a food processor, pulse the almonds, salt, and 1/4 cup of the sugar to the consistency of crumbs. Set aside.
3. Beat egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tarter at high speed until they hold a soft shape. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until eggs whites are stiff but not dry. Transfer to a large bowl. Fold in the almond mixture. Set aside 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips to sprinkle on top of the torte. Fold the remaining chocolate chips and the coconut into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the torte is puffed and golden, and the edges are starting to shrink from the sides of the pan. Cool on a rack.
4. To serve, whip cream with vanilla and sugar. Remove the sides of the pan and transfer the cake to a serving platter. Serve torte slices with whipped cream and ripe berries, if desired.

Nitey Night Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
   
3. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a prepared cookie sheet.
   
4. Put cookies into the preheated oven and turn off the oven, keeping the door shut. Do not open the door until the next morning. Then the cookies should be done. It is best to do this at bedtime so the waiting is easier.

Lettuce, Bacon and Tomato Dip

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sour cream with chives and onions
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon (about 8 slices)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 32 slices (1/4-inch-thick) baguette-style French bread (from 10-ounce loaf)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix sour cream and mayonnaise in small bowl until blended. Stir in bacon.
2. Arrange lettuce in shallow bowl or on small platter. Spoon sour cream mixture over lettuce. Top with tomatoes; sprinkle with chives. Serve with baguette slices.

HINTS

• You can use iceberg lettuce instead of the romaine if you like.
• Precooked bacon can be purchased in strips or chopped. You'll find packages of it with the sandwich meats or at the deli.
• This dip can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance, but refrigerate the components separately. When you are at your destination and ready to serve it, assemble as directed.