Slow Cooker Chocolate Covered Peanut Clusters

Slow Cooker Chocolate Covered Peanut Clusters
Recipe submitted by Michelle Morphy

So good and simple to make. Add these peanut clusters to your baking list each Christmas.  Your friends and family will be jumping for joy!

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package dry roasted salted peanuts
1 (16 ounce) package dry roasted unsalted peanuts
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 (4 ounce) German chocolate bar
1 (32 ounce) white almond bark

Directions:

Put peanuts in bottom of crock pot. Add other ingredients.

Cook on low setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir ingredients 2 or 3 times during the allotted time.

Place rounded spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool.

Recipe submitted by Michelle Morphy

Pumpkin Pecan Loaves

Pumpkin Pecan Loaves
Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Glaze:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin, oil, eggs and water; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in the pecans.

Spoon into two greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

For glaze, combine butter, sugars, and cream in a saucepan. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Cool for 20 minutes. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle or spread over cooled tops of loaves.

Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

Black Olive Focaccia Bread

Black Olive Focaccia Bread

This bread is fun and easy to make. Your family will be impressed and they will love you forever!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried or fresh rosemary
1 can (3.8 ounce) sliced black olives, drained
2 cups warm water

Extra olive oil, coarse sea salt and rosemary for sprinkling

Directions:

Place all the ingredients together in a stand-up mixer bowl, except the warm water.

Using a dough hook attachment, mix all the ingredients together while slowly adding the water. Mix the dough until it comes together and forms a sticky ball.

Place the dough ball inside a lightly oiled clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place a clean towel over the plastic wrap and let rise and double in size for about an hour or more.

Oil an 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll baking pan.

Deflate your dough and place it on the baking sheet. Using your hands to push, pull and press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Once finished, cover the pan with a towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.

Use your fingertips to make dimples in the focaccia dough.

Drizzle olive oil over the dough and spread with a brush. Sprinkle rosemary and coarse sea salt over the top of your bread and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a pale golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing bread.