Compliments of Guy Fieri ;)

16 ounces spaghetti pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red wine (we used diluted red wine vinegar)
4 tablespoons basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Boil water and cook noodles.
In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then add wine.
Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.

I had green beans and red peppers in my fridge and found this recipe and loved it!

• In 12-inch skillet, cook green beans on Stove-Top as directed on bag. Drain; place beans on plate and loosely cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix lemon juice, mustard, basil and thyme; set aside.
• Add oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, just until tender.
• Add green beans and lemon mixture to peppers; toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve warm with potatoes or any main dish you desire.

 

This has been a long-standing tradition in the Dopp home to make Honey Candy during the holidays. Here is the recipe.

2 cups sugar
1 cup honey
1 cup cream
dash of salt

Prepare wax paper pieces to roll the candy into. A cutting board
works well for this if you have one.

Cook on medium heat, stirring until the temperature reaches 285
degrees. Once you reach the temperature, poor the mixture onto a
liberally greased cookie sheet or candy stone if yo have one. We fold the
mixture back into itself while we allow it to cool enough to be
handled. Once it can be handled (will still be very warm), grease your hands with butter and stretch and fold it back into itself. Continue to do this as quick as possible until the color changes to almost white and it begins to harden. At this point, you need to stretch it into a long single tube about 1/2 inch in diameter so you can cut it into bite size pieces and wrap them into the wax paper.

If you didn't like Brussel Sprouts before, try this!  Trust me - they're GOOD!

• Brussel sprouts
• Chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  Wash brussel sprouts, cut in half lenghtwise, and put in a bowl.  Add about 1/2 cup of nuts of choice.  Drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper and toss to distribute evenly.  Spread only 1 layer thick on a foiled cookie sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until they are tender and toasted.

4 oz saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans (if desired)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place saltine crackers in a single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
In a saucepan combine the sugar and butter.  Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.  Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.
Bake at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  Let sit for 5 min.  Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts.  Cool completely (chill in refrigerator or freezer) and break into pieces.  Store in airtight container in fridge.

1 lb cooked ham, chopped
3/4 cups sliced green onions
3/3 cups chopped green bell peppers
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
10 corn tortillas
5 eggs beaten
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup milk
1 tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce

Mix ham, green onions, & green peppers. Spoon 1/3 cup of the ham mixture & 3 tbs shredded cheese onto each tortilla then roll up. Carefully place filled tortillas, seam side down in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
Mix eggs, cream, milk, flour, garlic powder, and hot sauce. pour egg mixture over tortillas. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning bake, uncovered in a preheated oven to 350 deg. for 50 to 60 minutes or until set. Sprinkle casserole with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. Bake about 3 minutes, or until cheese melts. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

1 16 oz jar of lightly salted peanuts
1 16 oz jar of unsalted peanuts
1 bar sweetened Bakers German Chocolate
2 pks 11 1/2 oz Milk Chocolate Chips
1 20 oz pkg Chocolate almond bark
1/2 of a 20 oz Vanilla Almond Bark

Cut bars into pieces and put in a crock pot along with chips, add nuts last. Put on lid and set cooker on LOW and do not open lid for 2 hours. I use a pot that measures 9" across and is 4 3/4 " deep. My little red crook pot is to small. After 2 hours stir all well and spoon out on wax paper in clusters the size you want. This doesn't harden fast like fudge so you have plenty of time to do it. let cool. Makes a big batch and it freezes well.
VERY GOOD.

1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup karo syrup

Boil to a soft ball take off stove then add 1/2 can
sweetened condensed milk, and put back on stove and
boil until a soft ball, then add 1/2 tsp vanilla
pour over large bowl of popped corn and stir. (about 15 cups)

10 cups popped corn
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cube Imperial Margarine (it must b e Imperial other margarines will not work)

In a heavy pot large enough for 10 cups of corn, cook the sugar and margarine on medium high to high heat.
Stirring constantly until it turns a caramel color. Remove from heat. Stir in popped corn, coating as much as possible. Pour out onto foil, spread out. Let cool thoroughly. store in covered plastic container or ziplock storage bag.

Cook 5 to 10 minutes, and wash your pan after each batch of caramel you cook.

1/2 cup soften butter
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1 tsp almond extract
1 lb chocolate almond bark

In a large bowl, beat butter, and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
Beat in hazelnuts and extract. gradually beat in confectioners sugar. cover and chill for 2 hours.
shape dough into 1/2 inch balls. place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. freeze for 2 hours until firm.
Melt chocolate almond bark according to package directions. Dip frozen hazelnut buttercreams into melted chocolate using toothpicks, or 2 forks place on waxed paper. Drizzle with melted white chocolate if desired.

Almond Chocolate Balls
2 (l6 oz) boxes confectioners sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp pure almond extract
1 (14 oz ) package shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
1 (12 oz) package chocolate chips

Cream together sugar and butte in a bowl; add milk. stir in almond extract, coconut, and nuts; mix well.
Form candy into 1 inch balls, place on waxed paper and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler, stirring well. Remove from heat but allow chocolate to remain over hot water. (if chocolate becomes to thick, return to heat for a minute or so to thin) with a toothpick, dip each ball in chocolate and place on waxed paper until set.

Thanks from Grandma Jo Ann! These are amazing!

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 lb chocolate almond bark, melted. (Grandma buys Ghirardelli melting bars from Sams Club after Christmas when they go on sale.)

In a medium saucepan, combine sugars, and corn syrup. over medium-high heat cook to 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add butter, stir until melted. Stir in heavy whipping cream and cook to 242 degrees. Remove from heat, and stir vanilla and pecans. drop 1-inch apart by teaspoonfuls, onto parchment paper. (DO NOT USE WAXED PAPER) let cool for 30 minutes. (I put in freezer for a while).
Dip each turtle into melted chocolate using toothpicks or 2 forks, allowing excess chocolate to drip off.