I can’t believe summer has arrived! Already the Fourth of July is here, and because I know that most of you are headed over to the park for our Houlton Fair celebration, or to the lake for the day, you will need food to be ready when you are. Most of us are having family and friends into our homes or we are traveling and will need to show up with a dessert or a side dish. I’ve come up with these I thought you might like to try. Let me know what you think.
These were all submitted to me as “family favorites” throughout these past few months. So, with that kind of recommendation, how can we go wrong? Have a wonderful holiday and I hope to see you at the Fair!
Barbeque Beans
1 pound ground beef
4 (16 ounce) cans baked beans with pork
1 (4 ounce) can canned chopped green chili peppers
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup barbeque sauce (your own favorite — If sweet, cut back on the sugar — taste as you go)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (I like Uncle Frank‘s Red Hot Sauce), or to taste
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink; drain fat, and set aside.
In a 3 1/2-quart or larger slow cooker, combine the ground beef, baked beans, green chili peppers, onion and barbeque sauce. Season with brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder and hot pepper sauce. Cook on high for 2 hours, or low for 4-5 hours.
Frozen Chocolate Cookie Dessert
12 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed
2 tubs (8 oz. each) cream cheese spread
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
4 squares Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
1 cup thawed whipped topping
Press crushed cookies onto bottom of 9-inch square pan lined with foil.
Beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add condensed milk and chocolate, mixing well after each addition. Add whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Spoon over crust.
Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Cut into squares to serve. Store leftover dessert in freezer.
Frozen Mudslide Pie
1 (9 inch) prepared chocolate crumb crust
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 teaspoon Instant Coffee
1 teaspoon hot water
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup Baking Cocoa
2 tablespoons Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
Melt 1 cup morsels in small, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat. When morsels begin to melt, remove from heat; stir. Return to heat for a few seconds at a time, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes.
Combine coffee granules and water in medium bowl. Add sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in melted chocolate until smooth. Spread into crust; chill.
Beat cream, powdered sugar and cocoa in small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with mini morsels. Freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.
Most requested recipe this year
Cindy from Washburn and Manny from Patten said they made this recipe last year for the Fourth of July and they were the most popular people in their neighborhood— although Manny said he used caramel topping on one and half fudge and half caramel on the other. I changed the name of this to protect the innocent. While it makes a unrealistic claim, it is truly worthy of a quiet moment…
Better Than “Intimacy” Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups hot fudge topping (a friend used caramel ice cream topping instead and loved it)
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee
Bake German chocolate cake mix according to package directions. While cake is still very warm, poke holes in top of cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour sweetened condensed milk over top. Let cake cool.
Pour hot fudge topping over top of cake and let set. Spread on whipped topping and garnish with crushed Heath Bars (toffee crumbles).
Enjoy! Talk to you again next week. I’m looking forward to hearing from you with any suggestions or recipes you like. I can be reached at susieqcooking@ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, PO Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.
