Recipes & some more Recipes

I'm always looking for some new great recipes to add to my list of dishes to make for parties etc. This year I tried out a couple new ones and they are definitely being added to the recipe box for another time.

1st up - Chocolate Chip Dip: *seriously, if you make this - bring along some copies of the recipe, have had 3 people ask for it*

Ingredients:
- 1 block of cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup of 10x sugar
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tsp vanilla
- 1 cup of miniature
- Graham crackers - I get Scooby-Snack Graham crackers, perfect size for dipping

Directions: Beat cream cheese & butter, add sugars & vanilla, stir in chocolate chips.  Serve cold with graham crackers.

2nd Dish - Bacon Potato Bake

Ingredients:
- 8 cups of red peeled potatoes
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 8 bacon strips.

Directions:
- Slice up the potatoes, think scalloped potatoes, I use our cheese grater, the side that supposed to be used for cucumbers or whatever - it works and goes faster than using a knife.
- Boil water in a pot, cook potatoes for 10 mins, drain.  Dump in whatever dish you'll be cooking in, have used a casserole dish and also done in the crock pot.
- Combine flour, eggs, sour cream, 1/2 butter,  & salt - mix well.
- Your going to put a layer of potatoes, spoon over the above mixture, top with cheese - repeat until you run out.
- Toss the remaining butter with bread crumbs and put on top.
- Bake @ 350 for 45 mins.
- Just before serving top with crumbled bacon.

I'm always searching for new sugar cookie recipes and think that I've finally found some keepers.  Yesterday we made some rolled out sugar cookies, click here for the recipe, for the big man in the red suit.  And I have a good hunch he's going to *love them*.   We also tried this "drop" sugar cookie, click here for the recipe,  that has a really good sweet taste.

And my last two are a butter and cream cheese spread I made up for some gifts this year.  I made this Cranberry-Citrus Cream cheese and this Cinnamon - Honey Butter.

Hope you try out one or two of these and like them as much as I do!  Happy cooking & baking!!!