Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves. (You can also do this in the microwave but watch it closely. The butter/sugar mixture will boil over fast. Stir every 30 seconds or so.)

Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla extract and set aside to cool. Beat the cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar for 1 minute. Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate. Garnish with additional chips, if you choose.

Serve with Nilla wafers, graham crackers or pretzels.

**Note: after refrigerating the dip it will be pretty solid and un-dippable so make sure to remove it from the refrigerator about 15-30 minutes before you plan on serving it, so it has time to soften up.

As far as I'm concerned, cookie dough eating has just been legalized! I'm cooking for MFY this weekend and a sweet friend and I are going to set up a dessert buffet. I'm also thinking about making these, a little of this and alot of that! Let me know if you want a plate!

Easy Caramel Popcorn

*Update- This recipe is so easy and super yummy!

Doesn't this sound so cool-

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
11 large marshmellows-cut in half
2 bags of microwave popcorn--popped:)

Melt butter in pan, add sugar and let it come to a boil. Then stir in the marshmellows until melted and smooth. Pour over popped corn and stir. Enjoy!

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

So Saturday night I was Jones'n for some carmel popcorn and came up with this recipe on allrecipes.com. It was easy and super d-e-lish! I didn't do the whole bag thing - I used a glass bowl.

4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions

Place the popped popcorn into a large brown paper bag. Set aside.
In a 2 quart casserole dish, or other heat-proof glass dish, combine the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, and stir in the baking soda.
Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice to close the bag, and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into the microwave, and cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over, and return it to the microwave. Cook for another 1 minute and 10 seconds. Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper, and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

No-Cook Never Fail Fudge

Keeping with the holiday and..."you can do that?!" theme here's another cool recipe compliments of Mother Goose.

1/2 lb. Velveeta Cheese
1/2 lb. margarine
1/2 cup cocoa
1 lb. powdered Sugar
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts- optional
1/2 tbsp. vanilla

Melt cheese and butter. Sift cocoa and powdered sugar together. Combine with cheese mixture. Blend thoroughly with a wooded spoon. Add nuts and vanilla. Press evenly into 9x13 pan. Allow to firm. Cut into squares. Can be frozen. Enjoy!