Spider Pie (better known as Grandma Ethel's Chocolate Wonder)

This graced our Sunday dinner table. Loved the pie, the Rice Krispie pumpkins and the frozen hand. But the hand was too big for my pitcher. Definitely needed a punch bowl.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup nuts, chopped (whichever kind you prefer)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (12 oz) carton Cool Whip (‘cept I used fresh whipping cream)
1 large box Instant Chocolate Pudding
2 cup cold milk
Extra fine chopped nuts (and some spiders for the top!)

Crust:
Mix flour, butter and sugar well. Add nuts and press into pan. Bake at 350 for 25 min.
Cool completely.

1st Layer: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and ½ the carton of Cool Whip (or freshly whipped cream). Mix well. Pour into cooled shell as first layer.

2nd Layer: Mix pudding and the milk. Spread on top of 1st layer.

3rd Layer: Spread remaining ½ Cool whip/whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with nuts, spiders, bats etc. Put in fridge. Chill and serve.

Pot Roast

I made a most delicious pot roast today (if I do say so myself). Whenever I'm looking for a recipe I usually browse through several and then just take the parts that I like from all of them and make my own. I made this in the crockpot just because I think it is easier but you could make it in the oven as well. So here it goes.

1 3 pound beef chuck roast
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground pepper
3 T oil
3 carrots sliced thin
1 onion sliced
3 celery stalks sliced thin
4-5 garlic gloves
2 T flour
1 cup beef broth
1 package of onion soup mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup parsley

Rub roast with kosher salt and pepper. I also rubbed about a half a package of onion soup mix onto the roast. Heat pan with oil. When hot, sear the roast (all sides). Remove roast. In same pan, add onion, carrots, celery, and smashed or diced garlic. Salt and pepper as needed. Sautee for about 5-8 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Add 2 T of flour to coat veggies. Mix onion soup mix with water. Add mixture to vegetables. Add beef broth as well. Cook for a few minutes.

With a crockpot set to low, add seared roast. Pour veggie/liquid mixture over roast and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

The last hour, I threw in baby carrots and mushrooms because I had them. Delish.

The roast was so moist and tender. You could make a gravy with the liquid or just spoon over mashed potatoes by itself.

Homemade Pizza

because Kenzie doesn't like cake

Aunt Candy's Sugar Cookies


It's a challenge coming up with birthday cake alternatives. I've tried ice cream pies and decorated rice krispie treats in years past. This year I made a giant cookie cupcake. It was a hit. Here's my recipe, I've used it for years. Again, people the secret is the butter.

2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk

6 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
3 tsp baking powder

Add ingredients in order given. Add dry ingredients until beater can’t stir them. Then stir with a spoon. Knead a little until you can handle it, but not too much. Roll and shape. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Makes 4-6 dozen.

(Don't forget to roll the dough directly onto the back of your cookie sheet and bake directly. You'll get a much cleaner shape than if you pick them up to transfer them. Oh, and don't knead or handle the dough too much, it makes the dough tough)

Cinderella for Sadie

To go along with the Princess theme, a Cinderella cake, natch. I am pleased with how she turned out for the most part, but when I do another one I will not tint the fondant so dark, a lighter shade of blue would be better. I cut the spider off of a Halloween spider ring for her choker and just used fondant for her headband. A special shout out to Mackenzie for Cinderella's updo. I am notoriously bad at styling Barbie doll hair.

Oh, and after I made the Cinderella cake I decided to make a simple Princess crown cut up cake to actually eat. Fondant cake is not very tasty, imho.

Broccoli Cheese Soup-Connie's Recipe

This is Connie Allen's recipe, so you know it is gooood!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 sticks butter or margarine

1 cup flour

1 cup cream

3 cups milk

1 t sugar

2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

2 small cans cream of chicken soup

4-6 potatoes peeled and diced

1 onion chopped

1 or 2 bunches of fresh broccoli

1 lb. ham steak, cut in small cubes

Salt

Start boiling onion and potatoes in large soup pot using enough water to keep them covered. The onion will take the longest so put it in the boiling water while you’re dicing he potatoes. Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. You can use the stems if you peel the outer edge off first. Set broccoli aside.

In medium saucepan melt butter on medium heat. Whisk in flour till there are no lumps. Add milk, sugar, and cream and stir continuously until very thick. Stir in cheese and remove from heat. Stir in cream of chicken soup and set aside.

When onion and potatoes are soft, add the broccoli and ham to the pot and cook for 7 more minutes. Any longer and the broccoli will lose its bright green color. Now see how much water is left. If it’s more than one or two inches above the vegetables, then remove some of the water. Add the cream mixture to the pot of vegetables, stir, and remove from heat. Water may be added if the soup is too thick. Salt to taste and serve.

Candy’s Meat Sauce for Spaghetti

(from the Original Arnett Cookbook)

2 pounds hamburger, brown in pan
2 medium onions or 1 large (chopped)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 large can Italian tomatoes (just whole, peeled tomatoes, can use home canned ones as well, sometimes I even use fresh tomatoes)
1 can tomato paste, small
1 can tomato sauce, medium size
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic or healthy sprinkle of powder (1/8-1/4 teaspoon)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper, crushed (optional)
1 bay leaf (remove when done)
1 Tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon basil
2 teaspoon sugar
1 can mushrooms

Combine all ingredients after browning meat and onion, be sure to break up the whole tomatoes and add the juice of the tomatoes and mushrooms. Simmer from 3 hours to all day stirring occasionally, (great for the crockpot). Add water if necessary but sauce should be thick. Serve over spaghetti noodles.

Another variation:

Apple Crisp

10 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (can be any kind)
1 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Place sliced apples in a 9 x 13 pan. Mix the white sugar, flour and cinnamon together, and sprinkle over the apples. Pour water evenly over all.

Topping:
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted

Combine the topping ingredients. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Fall Apples

Thanks to HB's generosity, I've had apple recipes on my mind.

Candied Apples For Halloween

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vinegar
2/3 cup water
1 package Cherry Kool-Aid
10 apples

Mix sugar, vinegar and water. Boil until mixture reaches 300 degrees;cool. Stir in Kool-Aid. Put apples on sticks and dip into mixture quickly.