Sauerkraut Balls 8 slices bacon ý cup finely chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minces -----we leave this out 1 can (16 oz.) sauerkraut drained ý cup mashed potatoes 1 Tablespoon parsley 1 ý cup finely crushed corn flakes 2 eggs beaten Oil Fry bacon in large skillet crisp, drain &n crumble. Pour off all but 2 T. fat. Add onions & garlic to fat in skillet. Cook & stir until onion is tender. Remove from heat, stir in bacon, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes & parsley. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto waxed paper lined baking sheet. Gently form ball shapes. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap, refrigerate until firm or overnight. Dip sauerkraut balls in eggs. Roll in crushed corn flakes. Heat oil to 375ð, fry until golden brown about ý minute. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot. Can be fried 24 hours in advance & reheat in 400ð oven about 10 minutes. We fry, cool, and freeze. This is my MIL's recipe for Sauerkraut Balls. We don't put the garlic in them. The Cheesy Bacon Chicken Tater Tot Bake is in the crockpot, smaller version, and with frozen hash browns instead of tater tots. The convenience store was out of tater tots. Note: My 3 quart crock pot is full to the top with only 2 chicken breasts, and not all of the cheese. We will be eating at 8:00! Oh well, I will be snacking in the mean time! Tami

I have been searching for easy recipes for things to bake for our annual Garden Club plant and bake sale which is coming up soon. I came upon this wonderful looking and sounding treat! I hate that I have to make all these decadent things but can not eat a bite! Peanut Butter Fudge Pie with Pretzel Crust Ingredients 3/4 cup crushed pretzel 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted 1 cup hot fudge sauce, plus extra for drizzling 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup peanut butter chips 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 cup milk 1 cup heavy cream 3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons butter 1 tsp vanilla Instructions 1. Make the crust by stirring together the crushed pretzel, flour, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add in the melted butter and stir until combined. Press the crust mixture into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool . 2. Pour 1 cup hot fudge sauce into the baked, cooled pie shell. Spread out to cover the bottom and smooth. Set aside. 3. Combine sugar, cornstarch, milk, cream, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly ,until mixture begins to bubble. This will take several minutes. Once it bubbles continue stirring for 2 minutes. The mixture will begin to thicken. 4. Mix a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks (do this part quickly), beating quickly to avoid cooking the yolks with the hot liquid. Stir the warm yolk mixture back into the remainder of the peanut butter mixture and cook for an additional 90 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla and continue stirring until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. 5. Pour peanut butter custard into the pie shell over the fudge sauce. Allow mixture to cool for 30 minutes before putting it in the refrigerator to finish cooling. Let it cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. 6. Extra fudge sauce can be drizzled over the top for decorating. Add some more crushed pretzel and a little shaved chocolate if desired. Just wait until the peanut butter custard cools before adding the drizzles and toppings otherwise you'll end up with puddles of chocolate. Peanut Butter Fudge Pie with Pretzel Crust www.thestayathomechef.com

BEEF STEW WITH BACON (Williams-Sonoma) (Slow Cooker) 4 oz. thick-cut bacon, chopped 3 Tbs. flour 1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste 3 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into chunks 3/4 lb. fresh cremini mushrooms, halved if large 1/2 lb. baby carrots 1/2 lb. frozen pearl onions 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup dry red wine 1 cup beef broth 2 Tbs. tomato paste 1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary In a large fry pan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off the drippings into a small heatproof bowl, leaving about 1 Tbs. drippings in the pan. Set the pan, reserved drippings and bacon aside. In a sealable plastic bag, combine the flour, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the beef chunks and shake to coat evenly with the flour mixture. Return the fry pan to medium-high heat. When the drippings are hot, add half of the beef chunks and cook, turning once, until well browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef chunks, adding the reserved drippings if needed. Scatter the mushrooms, carrots, onions and garlic on top. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the wine, broth and tomato paste. Mix well, bring to a boil and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Pour the contents of the pan over the vegetables and beef. Cover and cook on the high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or the low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours. The beef should be very tender. Stir in the reserved bacon and the rosemary. Cook, uncovered, on the high-heat setting for 10 minutes more to thicken the sauce slightly. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 6.

INGREDIENTS tablespoon LAND O LAKES Butter, softened 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 LAND O LAKES Unsalted or Salted Butter 1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping 1 teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon Hersheys Special Dark baking cocoa DIRECTIONS 1 Heat oven to 350F. 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. Using fresh marshmallows is key to the success of this recipe.