Oreo Truffles ~ by Sarah

I love truffles. I love these truffles. Angela makes them and I eat them. It works out nicely!

Ingredients:
1 package Oreo cookies
1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)
white chocolate bark

Directions:
1. Finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bad and crush into a fine consistancy.  Reserve for later.
2. Crush remaining Oreos and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a spoon to help mash the two together.
3. Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and place on wax paper-covered cookie sheet.
4. Melt chocolate bark as directed on the package.  Dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra, and set aside on wax paper-covered cookie sheet to dry. Sprinkle the tops with the 7 crushed cookies for decoration.
5. Once dry, refrigerate and ENJOY!!

Makes about 36 truffles.

JELL-O Cake ~ by Kelsey

I found this recipe on Tastebook.com.  It calls for black cherry jello, but you could use strawberry, raspberry, etc.  It's an easy cake that isn't too sweet since you use cool whip for frosting.  Also, I used sugar-free jello.

 Ingredients:
2 baked (9 inch)round white cakes (I used a white cake mix)
2 cups boiling water
2 packages (.3 oz each) JELL-O Black Cherry flavor
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip

• PLACE cakes, top-sides up, in clean 9-inch round baking pans; pierce tops with large fork at ½-inch intervals.
• ADD boiling water to gelatin mixes; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Pour over cakes. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• DIP bottom of 1 pan in warm water 10 sec.; unmold cake onto serving plate. Spread with 1 cup COOL WHIP. Unmold second cake; place on first cake. Frost with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 1 hour. Keep refrigerated.
  
  

Chili Mac in the Slow Cooker ~ by Kelsey

Another fabulous recipe from my Taste of Home Ground Beef Cookbook.  It was good, the kids even ate it!  The onions, celery, and green pepper cook down to almost nothing, so the kids didn't even see them in there.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, cooked
2 cans (15 oz each) chili beans (The recipe calls for hot chili beans.  I used regular and it was plenty spicy!)
2 large green peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 envelope chili seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (7 oz) elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

In a slow cooker, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until heated through.  Stir in cooked macaroni; mix well.  Season with salt and pepper as needed.  Don't forget to look up our cornbread recipe!

*When I made this, I made a few changes.  I didn't have elbow macaroni, I used the little round ones.  Also, I decided to throw the uncooked noodles in about an hour and a half before we ate.  It worked out fine, EXCEPT that the noodles will absorb all the liquid out of the crock pot while they cook.  Luckily I checked on it, because it was starting to burn and I had to add a couple cups of water.  In the end it was okay, but just be aware that if you add UNCOOKED noodles, you will have to add more liquid.  I have learned to always add the noodles in the last hour of cooking, too, otherwise they over-cook and turn to mush.