Pretzel Salad

2 c	crushed pretzels
3/4 c	margarine, melted
3 Tbsp	sugar
1 pkg	cream cheese (8 oz)
1 c	sugar
1	(8 oz) frozen cool-whip topping, thawed
1 pkg	strawberry gelatin (6 oz)
2 c	boiling water
2 pkg	(10 oz) frozen strawberries

Directions

1    Mix crushed pretzels, margarine and 3 Tablespoons sugar together and press into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 400 for 8 minutes. Cool.

2    Mix softened cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold the 2 cups thawed whipping topping into cream cheese mixture and spread over cooled pretzel crust. ( To keep the cream cheese mixture from sticking to your spatula as you spread it, just run it under hot water.)  Dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water and add frozen strawberries. Chill until syrupy, then pour over the cream cheese layer and refrigerate. Ccut into squares and garnish with whipped topping and a whole strawberry. Enjoy!

Appetizers.

Jalapenos, with cream cheese inside, with a chunk of peach and a chunk of pineapple, all wrapped up in bacon and grilled.

Blueberry Souffle

1 French bread loaf -- cubed
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup blueberries, frozen
10 eggs -- can use just 8
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk

Sauce:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups blueberries

Put half of the bread cubes in a 9x13 in glass dish coated with cooking spray. Cube the cream cheese (it's easier to cut when frozen) and place evenly on top of the bread. Sprinkle with blueberries. Put the rest of the bread on top. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, maple syrup and milk and pour evenly over bread casserole.

Spray underside of a piece of foil with cooking spray and place over pan. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

For the Sauce:
Mix the cornstarch and most of the sugar together in a medium saucepan. Puree the blueberries with the rest of the sugar and a little bit of water (I don't puree them completely, just pulse it a little). Stir the pureed berries and the rest of the water into the sugar/cornstarch mix and cook until thick.

Mini Cream Cheese Cakes

24 oz. cream cheese, softened
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Topping:
1 pint sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream the cheese and eggs. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Use small paper liners in small cupcake pans. Fill mixture to 1/8 inch from top. Bake in preheated, 300-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; cool for 5 minutes. Cake will drop.
Mix 1 pint sour cream with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Put a dollop on top of each cake. Bake 5 minutes more. Remove and cool. Refrigerate. Yields approximately 80 cakes.

Coeur a la Creme with Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce, recipe follows
2 half-pints fresh raspberries

Place the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.

Line a 7-inch sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making sure that there is space between the bottom of the sieve and the bottom of the bowl for the liquid to drain. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate, and drizzle Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce around the base. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce.

Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce:
1 half-pint fresh raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Place raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and orange liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

Yield: 2 cups