YUMMY Pampered Chef Dessert Recipe!!!

My friend, Amy Bell sells Pampered Chef and she hosted a party that I went to last week...and she made this! It was SOOO yummy I went home and made it the next day for my small group. Now something she did (and I did) to make this a little easier was we made this recipe as cookies, not a "pizza". So, we baked individual sugar cookies, and then put icing, apples and caramel on the cookies instead. Just an idea! Here's the recipe...

Taffy Apple Pizza
Ingredients:
1 package (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 medium Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)
lemon juice (to put on the apples so they won't brown)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (or whatever the directions call for if you are baking individual cookies). Shape cookie dough into a ball and place in center of Large Round Stone; flatten slightly. Using lightly floured Baker's Roller(R), roll out dough to a 14-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Bake 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes. Carefully loosen cookie from baking stone using Serrated Bread Knife; cool completely on baking stone. (This is where you can also buy refrigerated cookie dough, or cookie dough mix, make it and place the cookies on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven for however long the directions call for...this was quick for me...probably 7 0r 8 minutes of cooking if you buy the mix.)

2. Combine cream cheese, brown sugar, peanut butter and vanilla in Small Batter Bowl; mix well. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cookie (once the cookies cool).

3. Peel, core and slice apples using Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer. Cut apple slices in half and arrange evenly over cream cheese mixture. (We dipped the apples in lemon juice so they wouldn't brown. I recommend doing this!)

4. Microwave ice cream topping on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until warm; drizzle evenly over apples. Chop peanuts using Food Chopper; sprinkle over apples. Cut into wedges. (Just FYI-I did not heat the caramel since I got the ice cream caramel topping in a plastic squeeze container, and I did not use peanuts in case anyone in my group had allergies.)

Yield: 16 servings (Or more if you do the individual cookie route. I recommend buying the cookie dough mix. It makes a lot more cookies, and is cheaper than the refrigerated dough! Or you can be Betty Crocker and make your own dough!)

ENJOY!!!!!!!

Nutrients per serving: Calories 300, Total Fat 17 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 5 g, Sodium 270 mg, Fiber 1 g

Cheating with Banana Bread

Well, if you're like me and do not have a whole lot of time to sit at home and make bread, then you might want to try this recipe....banana bread for the breadmaker. I found it online (www.allrecipes.com) and have been pretty pleased with the results. The first time I made it, it turned out perfectly...and the second time I tried it, it did not. You do need to remove the bread pan promptly from the bread machine when it is done, otherwise it will keep cooking, and become dry. Anyways, here's the recipe....

Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Spray bread machine with vegetable oil spray (very important step!!!)
2. Premix ingredients in order listed above. Place mixture in bread machine pan.
3. Select the Quick Bread/Cake cycle. Press Start. Check after one minute to make sure the mixture is well blended.
4. Cook until cake cycle stops. Remove pan, and cool completely before removing bread from pan.
5. Enjoy! (Alina LOVES this stuff! It's a great quick breakfast, or snack.)