Picnic Treasures

Are you ready for some really yummy spring-time recipes ? These are some that are perfect for get-togethers and picnics. Try one or all of them. They are super simple and so good. Trust me the kiddies will flock around you when you open the picnic basket and reveal these treasures!
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1box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
2/3 cup whipping cream
6 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
Chocolate sprinkles, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place miniature paper baking cup in each of 48 mini muffin cups (1 3/4x1 inch).
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full (about 1 tablespoon each) with batter.
3. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into edge of brownie cup comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream over low heat just until hot but not boiling; remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until melted. Let stand about 15 minutes or until mixture coats spoon. (It will become firmer the longer it cools.) Spoon about 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture over each brownie cup. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles.
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PHILADELPHIA Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake
What You Need!

20 OREO Cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream
4 eggs
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, cooled
Make It! preheat oven to 325 degrees

1MIX cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of foil-lined 13x9-inch pan. Bake 10 min.
2BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each just until blended.
3RESERVE 1 cup batter. Stir chocolate into remaining batter; pour over crust. Top with spoonfuls of reserved plain batter.
4SWIRL batters with knife. Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours.

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Neely's Lime Bars

Ingredients:

Cookie crust:
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch kosher salt
Lime topping:
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or bottled key lime juice)
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with nonstick spray.
To make the crust, combine the butter and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, and mix another minute until well combined *Cook's Note: The cookie crust dough can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, then wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. When you're ready to bake the bars, simply bring the dough to room temperature and pat out as described above.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, and pat out to an even thickness over the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven, and cook on a baking rack.

To make the topping, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, and whisk until just combined, then whisk in the lime juice and zest. Pour the lime topping over the cooled crust, then bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the filling is set.
Allow the bars to cool completely. Generously dust with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares. *Cook's Note: For the neatest presentation, use a metal spatula or a butcher's scraper to remove the bars from the pan. Leftovers will keep for 2 or 3 days at room temperature, or for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Brownie Goody Bars

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
3/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)
2. Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. Frost brownies with frosting. Sprinkle with peanuts; refrigerate while making cereal mixture.
4. Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Spread over frosted brownies. Cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions for 13x9-inch pan on brownie mix box.


Giant Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup coarse sugar or granulated sugar
Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.
3. Shape dough into 2-inch balls using 1/4 cup dough. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar. Place about 2-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. (Do not over-bake or cookies will not be chewy.) Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Makes twenty-five (25) 4-inch cookies.



Delicious Lemon Cupcakes

Makes: 30 cupcakes
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 18 minutes

Ingredients
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 8-ounce cartons dairy sour cream
2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
3 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
Milk (2 to 3 teaspoons if necessary)
1 teaspoon shredded lemon peel
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Line thirty 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. (The batter will be thick.) Stir in lemon peel.
3. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into each prepared muffin cup.* Bake in the preheated oven about 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Makes 30 cupcakes.
Lemon Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat 3 tablespoons butter, softened, until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in enough additional milk (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make spreading consistency. Stir in 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel.
4. To make lemon frosting, in a medium bowl, beat butter with 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Gradually beat in additional 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in enough additional milk (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make of spreading consistency. Stir in shredded lemon peel.
* Tip: If all of the cupcakes do not fit in the oven at one time, refrigerate the remaining cupcakes while the first ones bake.

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We had these at a cook out and man-o-man these were soooo yummy !!!!!!!!!

Cook
1 hr 20 min Total: 1 hr 35 min
Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes , each about 3/4 pound each, well scrubbed
1/2 pound broccoli florets, blanched
4 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar , plus extra for topping
1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda, plus extra for topping
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter, for serving, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Pierce potatoes with fork. Place on center rack of oven and cook for 1 hour.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Using a paring knife, cut a canoe-like top out of the potatoes. Scoop the flesh into a large mixing bowl, leaving a 1/2-inch thick wall around the skin.
Add the blanched broccoli to the potatoes. Stir in the butter, sour cream, Cheddar, Gouda, and salt and pepper; and mash until creamy.
Using a small spoon, scoop the filling back into the potatoes. It will be a nice mounded pile of filling. Sprinkle with more of both cheeses on top of the potatoes.
Set the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese in melted and gooey. Serve with butter, if desired.
These should be a good start for your picnic fun.