Saturday, October 24, 2009
Halloween Cupcakes
These cupcakes are fairly self explanatory. Made the Dracula's, and Spider webs for our wee party.
Cauldron Sundae
Ingredients
12 oz chocolate-flavored candy coating, chopped
6 small balloons
4 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating, chopped
Green paste food coloring
Lime sherbet
Orange and yellow nonpareils
Orange coarse sugar
Sour gummy worms
Pretzel sticks
Candy pebbles (optional) can find this at a cake store or candy store
Yellow-, orange-, and red-tinted shredded coconut*
Directions
1. Heat chocolate-flavored candy coating according to package directions just until melted, stirring occasionally. Cool candy coating slightly. Meanwhile, inflate balloons to a 4-inch diameter. Carefully dip the balloons into the melted candy coating halfway up the balloon. (You want chocolate to coat balloon well to form a sturdy cauldron.) If desired, using a thin metal spatula, spread the chocolate coating to evenly coat the balloon. Place balloons on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Allow chocolate to run under bottom of balloon for support. Place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes or until chocolate coating is very firm. Reserve any remaining chocolate coating to use for patching holes.
2. Working with one balloon at a time, prick balloon with a straight pin and deflate. Carefully remove balloon by gently pulling balloon away from the sides of the chocolate. Use a small brush to fill in any holes with remaining melted chocolate candy coating. Return to freezer.
3. Melt 2 ounces of the vanilla-flavored candy coating according to package directions. Cool candy coating. Working with one cauldron at a time, use a small brush to apply the melted candy coating to top edge of the cauldron, making drips down the sides. Chill in freezer to set. Melt the remaining vanilla candy coating. Tint melted candy coating with green food coloring. With a small brush, apply melted candy coating to the top edge of each cauldron, allowing coating to drip down the sides. Place in freezer to set.
4. Cauldrons can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to one month. To assemble, scoop lime sherbet into the cauldrons. (Put cauldrons in freezer if not serving immediately.) Sprinkle with nonpareils and orange sugar and decorate with gummy worms right before serving.
5. Arrange pretzels on six serving plates to make campfires. If desired, circle pretzels with candy pebbles. Sprinkle with tinted coconut. Set cauldrons on top of pretzel campfires. Makes 6 servings.
12 oz chocolate-flavored candy coating, chopped
6 small balloons
4 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating, chopped
Green paste food coloring
Lime sherbet
Orange and yellow nonpareils
Orange coarse sugar
Sour gummy worms
Pretzel sticks
Candy pebbles (optional) can find this at a cake store or candy store
Yellow-, orange-, and red-tinted shredded coconut*
Directions
1. Heat chocolate-flavored candy coating according to package directions just until melted, stirring occasionally. Cool candy coating slightly. Meanwhile, inflate balloons to a 4-inch diameter. Carefully dip the balloons into the melted candy coating halfway up the balloon. (You want chocolate to coat balloon well to form a sturdy cauldron.) If desired, using a thin metal spatula, spread the chocolate coating to evenly coat the balloon. Place balloons on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Allow chocolate to run under bottom of balloon for support. Place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes or until chocolate coating is very firm. Reserve any remaining chocolate coating to use for patching holes.
2. Working with one balloon at a time, prick balloon with a straight pin and deflate. Carefully remove balloon by gently pulling balloon away from the sides of the chocolate. Use a small brush to fill in any holes with remaining melted chocolate candy coating. Return to freezer.
3. Melt 2 ounces of the vanilla-flavored candy coating according to package directions. Cool candy coating. Working with one cauldron at a time, use a small brush to apply the melted candy coating to top edge of the cauldron, making drips down the sides. Chill in freezer to set. Melt the remaining vanilla candy coating. Tint melted candy coating with green food coloring. With a small brush, apply melted candy coating to the top edge of each cauldron, allowing coating to drip down the sides. Place in freezer to set.
4. Cauldrons can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to one month. To assemble, scoop lime sherbet into the cauldrons. (Put cauldrons in freezer if not serving immediately.) Sprinkle with nonpareils and orange sugar and decorate with gummy worms right before serving.
5. Arrange pretzels on six serving plates to make campfires. If desired, circle pretzels with candy pebbles. Sprinkle with tinted coconut. Set cauldrons on top of pretzel campfires. Makes 6 servings.
Apple Bites
Years ago the Friend published a recipe very similar to this only it used peanut butter to hold the slices together. I like this recipe, too. So easy and fun. We made these for our wee Halloween party a few weeks ago.
Apples
Slivered Almonds
1. Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.
Note: Here's the best tip ever I learned searching the net. Instead of using lemon juice to prevent apples from browning, use Sprite or 7 up. It works just as good and doesn't make the apple taste sour. It's the Ascorbic acid contained in the drink that makes it work.
Haunted Forest
This reminds me of Bento. One of these days I'm going to do a whole series on Bento, but for now isn't this awesome?
3 stalks of broccoli
3 medium beets
Wood toothpicks
3 hard-boiled eggs
Assorted vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, pea pods, kohlrabies, radishes, sweet red peppers, sweet yellow peppers, and shredded carrot
Ripe olives, pimiento-stuffed olives, and/or tiny sweet pickles
1 ounce spaghetti, cooked and drained
Liquid green food coloring
1. To make a haunted forest, first create trees. Cut bottoms from stalks of broccoli to make 6-inch broccoli trees. Slice beets about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick to make a base for broccoli trees. Break wood toothpicks in half. Insert three to four toothpick pieces into bottom of each broccoli stalk and then insert into a beet slice. Stand broccoli upright. Cover to keep moist.
2. To make egg ghosts, use a small knife or 1/2-inch aspic cutters to hollow out eyes and mouths to form a face. Cut small pieces of ripe olive to press into hollowed-out areas for eyes or mouth, if desired. Cover to keep moist.
3. Using your imagination, create creepy creatures with tomatoes, sweet peppers, pickles, olives, and radishes.
4. Place broccoli trees on serving platter. Cover surface of platter with shredded carrot. Hide egg ghosts in forest along with creepy creatures. Scatter piles of vegetables such as pea pods, beet slices, kohlrabi slices, olives, pickles, and/or any other desired vegetables. Add strips of red pepper to the broccoli branches.
5. To make moss, add a few drops of green food coloring to a small amount of water in a medium bowl. Add cooked spaghetti and let stand about 5 minutes. Drain and place over broccoli trees. Keep platter covered until serving time. If necessary, spritz platter with water to keep it moist.
3 stalks of broccoli
3 medium beets
Wood toothpicks
3 hard-boiled eggs
Assorted vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, pea pods, kohlrabies, radishes, sweet red peppers, sweet yellow peppers, and shredded carrot
Ripe olives, pimiento-stuffed olives, and/or tiny sweet pickles
1 ounce spaghetti, cooked and drained
Liquid green food coloring
1. To make a haunted forest, first create trees. Cut bottoms from stalks of broccoli to make 6-inch broccoli trees. Slice beets about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick to make a base for broccoli trees. Break wood toothpicks in half. Insert three to four toothpick pieces into bottom of each broccoli stalk and then insert into a beet slice. Stand broccoli upright. Cover to keep moist.
2. To make egg ghosts, use a small knife or 1/2-inch aspic cutters to hollow out eyes and mouths to form a face. Cut small pieces of ripe olive to press into hollowed-out areas for eyes or mouth, if desired. Cover to keep moist.
3. Using your imagination, create creepy creatures with tomatoes, sweet peppers, pickles, olives, and radishes.
4. Place broccoli trees on serving platter. Cover surface of platter with shredded carrot. Hide egg ghosts in forest along with creepy creatures. Scatter piles of vegetables such as pea pods, beet slices, kohlrabi slices, olives, pickles, and/or any other desired vegetables. Add strips of red pepper to the broccoli branches.
5. To make moss, add a few drops of green food coloring to a small amount of water in a medium bowl. Add cooked spaghetti and let stand about 5 minutes. Drain and place over broccoli trees. Keep platter covered until serving time. If necessary, spritz platter with water to keep it moist.
Skeleton and Brain Dip
This just cracks me up. Helps to counter all that Halloween sugar, too.
1/2 leaf lettuce leaf
1 cup Ranch Dressing
4 cups assorted cut-up fresh vegetables
(red and yellow bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, snow peas, mushroom slices, celery sticks, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets)
Line half of small bowl with lettuce for the skeleton's hair; fill with dressing. Place at one end of large tray or baking sheet for the skeleton's head.
Arrange vegetables on tray to resemble skeleton's body.
1/2 leaf lettuce leaf
1 cup Ranch Dressing
4 cups assorted cut-up fresh vegetables
(red and yellow bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, snow peas, mushroom slices, celery sticks, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets)
Line half of small bowl with lettuce for the skeleton's hair; fill with dressing. Place at one end of large tray or baking sheet for the skeleton's head.
Arrange vegetables on tray to resemble skeleton's body.
Wicked Witch's Hat
ingredients
20 cups popped popcorn (1 cup unpopped)
1-1/2 cups light corn syrup
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
2 Tbsps butter
1 tsp vanilla
Purple and lime green paste food coloring
Candy-coated milk chocolate pieces or small hard candies
Red rolled fruit leather, cut in strips
Directions
1. Line a 12-inch pizza pan with foil. Grease foil and set aside. Remove and throw away all unpopped kernels from the popped popcorn. Grease 2 13x9x2-inch or larger baking pans. Divide popcorn evenly between the two pans.
2. In a large saucepan combine corn syrup and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in marshmallow creme, butter, and vanilla. Pour half of this mixture (about 2 cups) into another saucepan. Tint each portion with desired food coloring. Add marshmallow mixture to popcorn (keeping colors separate). Stir to coat evenly. Cool until popcorn can be handled easily, about 10 minutes.
3. With greased hands, press one color of the popcorn mixture into prepared pizza pan. Shape the remaining popcorn mixture into a 8-inch cone about 6-inches in diameter. Top base with cone shape. Decorate with chocolate pieces and fruit leather. Makes one witch's hat
20 cups popped popcorn (1 cup unpopped)
1-1/2 cups light corn syrup
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
2 Tbsps butter
1 tsp vanilla
Purple and lime green paste food coloring
Candy-coated milk chocolate pieces or small hard candies
Red rolled fruit leather, cut in strips
Directions
1. Line a 12-inch pizza pan with foil. Grease foil and set aside. Remove and throw away all unpopped kernels from the popped popcorn. Grease 2 13x9x2-inch or larger baking pans. Divide popcorn evenly between the two pans.
2. In a large saucepan combine corn syrup and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in marshmallow creme, butter, and vanilla. Pour half of this mixture (about 2 cups) into another saucepan. Tint each portion with desired food coloring. Add marshmallow mixture to popcorn (keeping colors separate). Stir to coat evenly. Cool until popcorn can be handled easily, about 10 minutes.
3. With greased hands, press one color of the popcorn mixture into prepared pizza pan. Shape the remaining popcorn mixture into a 8-inch cone about 6-inches in diameter. Top base with cone shape. Decorate with chocolate pieces and fruit leather. Makes one witch's hat
Ghostie Pops
Ingredients
6 Tbsps butter
2 10 oz packages marshmallows or 4 cups tiny marshmallows
12 cups crisp rice cereal
24 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating or white chocolate
8 lollipop sticks
Small black candies
1 16 oz can vanilla frosting or homemade frosting
Green food coloring
2 cups shredded coconut
Directions
1. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan and an 8- to 9-inch diameter mixing bowl with foil, extending foil over edges of pan and bowl. Butter foil; set pan and bowl aside. Melt butter in a 6-quart Dutch oven over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add cereal; stir until well-coated. Divide mixture between prepared baking pan and mixing bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan and bowl.
2. Set cereal mixture aside to cool completely, about 1 hour. Lift cereal mixture from baking pan with edges of foil. Use a 3- to 4-inch ghost-shaped cookie cutter to cut out ghost shapes. Insert lollipop sticks into ghost shapes through the bottom of cutouts.
3. In a medium saucepan melt candy coating over low heat. Place ghosts on a slotted spatula and spoon candy coating over ghost shapes, turning carefully using sticks to coat both sides and letting excess candy coating drip back into the pan. Carefully place ghosts on a sheet of waxed paper. Decorate face with candies before coating sets up. Let stand until coating is completely set, about 1 hour.
4. Stir together frosting and a few drops green food coloring; set aside. Place coconut in a resealable plastic bag. Add a few drops of green food coloring; seal bag. Shake and knead bag lightly to tint coconut.
5. Lift cereal mixture from mixing bowl with edges of foil and invert onto a serving platter; remove foil. Frost with the green frosting. Sprinkle with coconut. Insert lollipop sticks with ghost shapes into frosted cereal mixture.
Reserve your scraps for more fun shapes.
6 Tbsps butter
2 10 oz packages marshmallows or 4 cups tiny marshmallows
12 cups crisp rice cereal
24 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating or white chocolate
8 lollipop sticks
Small black candies
1 16 oz can vanilla frosting or homemade frosting
Green food coloring
2 cups shredded coconut
Directions
1. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan and an 8- to 9-inch diameter mixing bowl with foil, extending foil over edges of pan and bowl. Butter foil; set pan and bowl aside. Melt butter in a 6-quart Dutch oven over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add cereal; stir until well-coated. Divide mixture between prepared baking pan and mixing bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan and bowl.
2. Set cereal mixture aside to cool completely, about 1 hour. Lift cereal mixture from baking pan with edges of foil. Use a 3- to 4-inch ghost-shaped cookie cutter to cut out ghost shapes. Insert lollipop sticks into ghost shapes through the bottom of cutouts.
3. In a medium saucepan melt candy coating over low heat. Place ghosts on a slotted spatula and spoon candy coating over ghost shapes, turning carefully using sticks to coat both sides and letting excess candy coating drip back into the pan. Carefully place ghosts on a sheet of waxed paper. Decorate face with candies before coating sets up. Let stand until coating is completely set, about 1 hour.
4. Stir together frosting and a few drops green food coloring; set aside. Place coconut in a resealable plastic bag. Add a few drops of green food coloring; seal bag. Shake and knead bag lightly to tint coconut.
5. Lift cereal mixture from mixing bowl with edges of foil and invert onto a serving platter; remove foil. Frost with the green frosting. Sprinkle with coconut. Insert lollipop sticks with ghost shapes into frosted cereal mixture.
Reserve your scraps for more fun shapes.
Frankenstein CandyMan
Ingredients
Tiny box of raisins
Origami or wrapping papers (neon green and purple)
Permanent black marker
Double-sided tape
Canned icing, or homemade
M&M Minis candies (1 red, 2 green)
1 roll Smarties candy
2 neon-green chenille stems
4 Tootsie Flavor Roll Twisties candies
2-1/2x3-inch box of Nerds candy
Glue gun and hotmelt adhesive
2 orange Starburst fruit chews
2 5-stick packages of chewing gum
Directions
1. Wrap the raisin box with neon green paper, taping the paper in place. Use the black marking pen to draw facial features on the box front. Use icing to add a red M&M Mini nose and two neck bolts (two Smarties each). Set the head aside.
2. For the arms, use small pieces of chenille stem to twist the Flavor roll Twisties together at the elbows. Slip a length of chenille stem through the top of the boxed candy for the shoulders. Twist one end of the shoulder stem around the top of one arm. Trim the chenille stem and attach the remaining arm. Cut away excess chenille stem.
3. Using the patter, cut a vest from purple paper to fit around the candy box. Tape the vest in place, then ice green Minis to the front for buttons.
Tiny box of raisins
Origami or wrapping papers (neon green and purple)
Permanent black marker
Double-sided tape
Canned icing, or homemade
M&M Minis candies (1 red, 2 green)
1 roll Smarties candy
2 neon-green chenille stems
4 Tootsie Flavor Roll Twisties candies
2-1/2x3-inch box of Nerds candy
Glue gun and hotmelt adhesive
2 orange Starburst fruit chews
2 5-stick packages of chewing gum
Directions
1. Wrap the raisin box with neon green paper, taping the paper in place. Use the black marking pen to draw facial features on the box front. Use icing to add a red M&M Mini nose and two neck bolts (two Smarties each). Set the head aside.
2. For the arms, use small pieces of chenille stem to twist the Flavor roll Twisties together at the elbows. Slip a length of chenille stem through the top of the boxed candy for the shoulders. Twist one end of the shoulder stem around the top of one arm. Trim the chenille stem and attach the remaining arm. Cut away excess chenille stem.
3. Using the patter, cut a vest from purple paper to fit around the candy box. Tape the vest in place, then ice green Minis to the front for buttons.
Mummy Cookies
Ingredients:
1 roll of sugar cookie dough or your favorite homemade sugar cookie recipe
1 gingerbread boy cookie cutter
"Red Hots" candies or other round candies for eyes
canned vanilla frosting (ew, gross use homemade:)
white chocolate almond bark
Roll the cookie dough out on the backside of cookie sheet. Cut out gingerbread boys and bake about 350 8-10 min. Remove cookies, completely cool. Do not attempt to frost warm cookies, the frosting and chocolate will melt.
Frost the entire top of each cookie with the vanilla frosting. Using the "red hots", give each mummy 2 eyes.
Add three blocks of white almond bark to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until the almond bark is completely melted. Let the chocolate sit on the counter for one to two minutes to cool, and then spoon it into a plastic baggie. Snip off one end of the bag and then drizzle the chocolate over the mummy cookies to look like bandages.
Pesto
Even Brig liked this. Costco usually carries pine nuts.
Put the following in blender and puree:
1/2 c olive oil
big handful of pine nuts
2 medium cloves of garlic
Then add
1 c fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
big handful of grated parmesan cheese
Puree it again.
Serve over favorite pasta.
Put the following in blender and puree:
1/2 c olive oil
big handful of pine nuts
2 medium cloves of garlic
Then add
1 c fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
big handful of grated parmesan cheese
Puree it again.
Serve over favorite pasta.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Chicken Pot Pie
I was asking around for some yummy recipes and one of my co-workers sent me this link. I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first but we tried it out last night and OH BOY was it DELICIOUS!!! The only thing I would do different next time {besides maybe shake up the variety of veggies} is put them into individual, small dishes. Try it out!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Sweet 'n Sour Chicken
Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.
Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.
Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.
Lion House Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
2 tsp. chicken soup base, or 2 bouillon cubes
3 cups canned chicken stock (broth)
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cans (10 1/2 oz. each) cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup evaporated milk or 1/2 cup whole milk
Roux (equal amounts of flour and butter used to thicken). (I don't even use roux. It is thick enough without it.)
2 cups cooked diced chicken (sometimes I use a can of chicken)
2 1/2 oz. (about 4 cups) cooked noodles ( "Country Pasta, homemade style egg pasta" from Costco is good. It's like homemade.)
Heat chicken soup base (or bouillon cubes) and stock together. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cream of chicken soup and milk. Thicken with roux as desired, then add cooked chicken and noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts or 10 one cup servings.
2 tsp. chicken soup base, or 2 bouillon cubes
3 cups canned chicken stock (broth)
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cans (10 1/2 oz. each) cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup evaporated milk or 1/2 cup whole milk
Roux (equal amounts of flour and butter used to thicken). (I don't even use roux. It is thick enough without it.)
2 cups cooked diced chicken (sometimes I use a can of chicken)
2 1/2 oz. (about 4 cups) cooked noodles ( "Country Pasta, homemade style egg pasta" from Costco is good. It's like homemade.)
Heat chicken soup base (or bouillon cubes) and stock together. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cream of chicken soup and milk. Thicken with roux as desired, then add cooked chicken and noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts or 10 one cup servings.
Hot Hoagies
Are you starting to see a pattern here? Yup, Fall food. Yesterday's brrrr temps has put me in the mood.
1 loaf french bread, cut lengthwise
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (in a pinch, you can use two large cans chicken breast)
1/2 cup mayo (can use light mayo if like)
1/2 cup sour cream (can use reduced fat sour cream as well)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)
2 cups shredded cheese (can use combo of monterey jack and sharp cheddar cheese)
Olives, chopped (optional, if have on hand and like)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place french bread on large baking sheet. Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl. Spread topping evenly on top of both lengths of french bread. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and edges are lightly browned. Slice into pieces and serve immediately.
1 loaf french bread, cut lengthwise
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (in a pinch, you can use two large cans chicken breast)
1/2 cup mayo (can use light mayo if like)
1/2 cup sour cream (can use reduced fat sour cream as well)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)
2 cups shredded cheese (can use combo of monterey jack and sharp cheddar cheese)
Olives, chopped (optional, if have on hand and like)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place french bread on large baking sheet. Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl. Spread topping evenly on top of both lengths of french bread. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and edges are lightly browned. Slice into pieces and serve immediately.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Could this be any easier? I know, I know. I'm posting it because I forget the recipe proportions every year.
Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin seeds, de-slimed, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons Canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Let pumpkin seeds dry on paper towels. Toss cleaned pumpkin seeds with oil and salt; spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 250° oven for about 1 hour (or longer, depending on how crisp you like them, I like them very crispy), or until the pumpkin seeds are dry, stirring occasionally.
Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin seeds, de-slimed, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons Canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Let pumpkin seeds dry on paper towels. Toss cleaned pumpkin seeds with oil and salt; spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 250° oven for about 1 hour (or longer, depending on how crisp you like them, I like them very crispy), or until the pumpkin seeds are dry, stirring occasionally.
Bratten's Clam Chowder
Bratten's, just fyi, used to be a famous restaurant back in the day. Years ago a guy in my ward worked for them as a chef and submitted this recipe in our ward cookbook.
Ingredients:
2 6 1/2-ounce cans minced clams
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
2 cups potatoes, diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half & half
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Drain juice from clams and pour liquid over vegetables, adding enough water just to cover. Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are barely tender. Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add flour, making a roux; blend until smooth. Stir constantly while slowly adding half & half. Cook and stir with wire whisk until thick and smooth. Add vegetables, juice and clams. Heat through. Add salt and pepper. Serves 8.
Ingredients:
2 6 1/2-ounce cans minced clams
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
2 cups potatoes, diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half & half
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Drain juice from clams and pour liquid over vegetables, adding enough water just to cover. Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are barely tender. Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add flour, making a roux; blend until smooth. Stir constantly while slowly adding half & half. Cook and stir with wire whisk until thick and smooth. Add vegetables, juice and clams. Heat through. Add salt and pepper. Serves 8.
Gingerbread 'n Bananas
From my Lion House cookbook. Those recipes are the best.
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup molasses
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. powdered cloves
1 cup very hot water
bananas
whipped cream
Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs and molasses. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture.
Add hot water and beat until smooth (batter will be very thin). Pour into a well-greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. Serve warm or cold with sliced bananas and whipped cream.
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup molasses
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. powdered cloves
1 cup very hot water
bananas
whipped cream
Cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs and molasses. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture.
Add hot water and beat until smooth (batter will be very thin). Pour into a well-greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. Serve warm or cold with sliced bananas and whipped cream.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
who doesn't love a no-bake cookie?
My aunt posted this recipe on Facebook the other day and I gave it a try. I mean who doesn't love a no bake cookie? Any cookie that resembles a cow pie is a winner in my book. Since I'm not a huge fan of the peanut butter I was glad to see a different recipe than the more traditional no-bake. They were quite delicious and I'm pretty sure I consumed the whole batch pretty much by myself.
I used butterscotch pudding and added chocolate chips. However, I should have let them cool a bit more before adding them as the chips melted quite a bit.
I used butterscotch pudding and added chocolate chips. However, I should have let them cool a bit more before adding them as the chips melted quite a bit.
Unbaked Caramel Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cup sugar
- ¾ cup butter
- ½ cup (4 oz) evaporated milk
- 3 oz pkg. instant butterscotch pudding mix
- 3½ cup quick- cooking oatmeal
Method:
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, butter and evaporated milk. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add butterscotch pudding mix and oatmeal; mix together thoroughly. Cool 15 minutes. Drop by spoons onto waxed paper. Makes 4 dozen After cooling, before you spoon onto the waxed paper you can add 1 cup of any or all of the following: butterscotch chips, nuts (any kind) raisins, coconut or chocolate chips. You can change the flavor of these cookies by changing the flavor of the instant pudding.
easy chicken recipes
I've been trying to be frugal and only cook with stuff I have on hand so I've needed some easy chicken recipes since they have been having a killer chicken sale here at the local Harris Teeter (yes that is the name of the grocery store here in NC--welcome to the South!) Anyway, here are two I did last week courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe. Both were very easy and quite delicious.
Foil packet dinner with chicken
(This one was soooo easy and quick!)
Foil Packet Chicken with Snow Peas and Carrots
*Makes 4-6 foil packets, depending on how small you make each one*
18-24 baby carrots
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and grated (I grated mine on my microplane)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
Salt and pepper
4 small chicken breasts ( about 1 ½ pounds), trimmed (with large, thick chicken breasts, I cut them in half by butterflying them and cutting all the way through to make two thinner cuts of chicken - this helps the chicken cook quicker and helps your chicken to go further)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut 4 pieces of aluminum foil (heavy duty) about 12 inches square (if you don't have heavy-duty aluminum foil, use two pieces of regular aluminum foil for each packet). In a small bowl, combine garlic and ginger (I used my fingers to gently mash them together).
Arrange the carrots and peas on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle with the ginger/garlic mixture (this doesn't sprinkle like salt and pepper so don't worry if you get a clump here and there - the flavors will absorb while baking), and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the chicken on both sides with the hoisin sauce. Top each portion of vegetables with a piece of chicken. Salt lightly.
Bring opposite sides of the foil up to meet over the chicken. Fold the edges together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over 3 more times. Fold the open edges at either end of the packet together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over twice again to seal.
Put the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes. Transfer the contents of each packet to a dinner plate and serve.
Easy Chicken Tacos
Easy Chicken Tacos
Printable Version
If I had to do this one over I would do my tortillas a-la Uncle Jeff, white corn tortillas, butter, cheese in the middle, etc... The flour tortilla with this underwhelmed me but I thought the meat was extremely tasty.
*Serves 6
3 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (you can find these in the Mexican Foods aisle at most grocery stores)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Salt and pepper
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 12-13 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. When the chicken is done cooking, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture left in the skillet until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the yellow mustard. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet. Add the remaining cilantro to the skillet and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with tortillas topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and avocado.
**To warm the tortillas, wrap them in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
Foil packet dinner with chicken
(This one was soooo easy and quick!)
Foil Packet Chicken with Snow Peas and Carrots
*Makes 4-6 foil packets, depending on how small you make each one*
18-24 baby carrots
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and grated (I grated mine on my microplane)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
Salt and pepper
4 small chicken breasts ( about 1 ½ pounds), trimmed (with large, thick chicken breasts, I cut them in half by butterflying them and cutting all the way through to make two thinner cuts of chicken - this helps the chicken cook quicker and helps your chicken to go further)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut 4 pieces of aluminum foil (heavy duty) about 12 inches square (if you don't have heavy-duty aluminum foil, use two pieces of regular aluminum foil for each packet). In a small bowl, combine garlic and ginger (I used my fingers to gently mash them together).
Arrange the carrots and peas on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle with the ginger/garlic mixture (this doesn't sprinkle like salt and pepper so don't worry if you get a clump here and there - the flavors will absorb while baking), and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the chicken on both sides with the hoisin sauce. Top each portion of vegetables with a piece of chicken. Salt lightly.
Bring opposite sides of the foil up to meet over the chicken. Fold the edges together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over 3 more times. Fold the open edges at either end of the packet together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over twice again to seal.
Put the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes. Transfer the contents of each packet to a dinner plate and serve.
Easy Chicken Tacos
Easy Chicken Tacos
Printable Version
If I had to do this one over I would do my tortillas a-la Uncle Jeff, white corn tortillas, butter, cheese in the middle, etc... The flour tortilla with this underwhelmed me but I thought the meat was extremely tasty.
*Serves 6
3 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (you can find these in the Mexican Foods aisle at most grocery stores)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Salt and pepper
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 12-13 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. When the chicken is done cooking, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture left in the skillet until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the yellow mustard. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet. Add the remaining cilantro to the skillet and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with tortillas topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and avocado.
**To warm the tortillas, wrap them in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
muddy buddy cookies!
Cookies:
1 pouch of Betty Crocker's peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 1: In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until dough forms. (make the peanut butter cookies just as directed on the package)
Step 2: Shape dough into balls (I would recommend small balls because when they are finished they are the perfect size.) Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Step 3: Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Coating:
(I would recommend starting this step after moving last batch of cookies from the cookie sheets to the cooling racks.)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
Step 1: In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter uncovered on high for 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
Step 2: Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in 1 gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; set aside.
Step 3: Place 12 cooled cookies in a large bowl. Pour 1/3 chocolate mixture over cookies in bowl. Using a rubber spatula, toss cookies gently to coat. Place cookies in bag with powdered sugar; seal bag. Gently turn bag to coat cookies. (Kody and I only put a few cookies in at a time because we like our cookies to be more on the soft/doughy side and didn't want them to break apart. We also dipped our cookies in the chocolate mixture versus the stirring option for the same reason.) Remove cookies from bag to cooling rack to set.
1 pouch of Betty Crocker's peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 1: In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until dough forms. (make the peanut butter cookies just as directed on the package)
Step 2: Shape dough into balls (I would recommend small balls because when they are finished they are the perfect size.) Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Step 3: Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Coating:
(I would recommend starting this step after moving last batch of cookies from the cookie sheets to the cooling racks.)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
Step 1: In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter uncovered on high for 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
Step 2: Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in 1 gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; set aside.
Step 3: Place 12 cooled cookies in a large bowl. Pour 1/3 chocolate mixture over cookies in bowl. Using a rubber spatula, toss cookies gently to coat. Place cookies in bag with powdered sugar; seal bag. Gently turn bag to coat cookies. (Kody and I only put a few cookies in at a time because we like our cookies to be more on the soft/doughy side and didn't want them to break apart. We also dipped our cookies in the chocolate mixture versus the stirring option for the same reason.) Remove cookies from bag to cooling rack to set.
Step 4: Repeat with 12 more cookies and 1/2 remaining chocolate mixture; repeat again until all cookies are coated, adding additional powdered sugar to bag as needed.
Step 5: Eat and enjoy!
Step 5: Eat and enjoy!
My boss/friend made these for her bead party that I attended a few weeks ago and they were absolutely DELIGHTFUL!!! Kody and I are HUGE fans of muddy buddies so we thought we'd try our hands at the cookie style...worth it! :0)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Manti Chicken (or Turkey)
Yup. Served at the Manti Mormon Pageant. We had it for Father's Day dinner today.
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup oil
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. garlic salt
24oz lemon-lime soda (7up or Sprite)
boneless, skinless chicken (cut chicken up in pieces for faster grilling)
Mix marinade ingredients together; add chicken pieces and marinate for at least 7 hours. Cook chicken over grill.
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup oil
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. garlic salt
24oz lemon-lime soda (7up or Sprite)
boneless, skinless chicken (cut chicken up in pieces for faster grilling)
Mix marinade ingredients together; add chicken pieces and marinate for at least 7 hours. Cook chicken over grill.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are so many versions of this recipe floating around. Hard to say which is best. I like this one and have used it for years. I usually half it if it's just for the fam, it makes a lot.
Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 ½ cup sugar
2 cup brown sugar
1 lb. real butter (no substitutions)
4 beaten eggs
6 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 bags of gourmet chocolate chips (milk chocolate 6 oz.)
Cream butter and sugars. Add egg. Sift in dry ingredients. And vanilla and chocolate chips. Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies will look underdone, kind of doughy.
Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 ½ cup sugar
2 cup brown sugar
1 lb. real butter (no substitutions)
4 beaten eggs
6 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 bags of gourmet chocolate chips (milk chocolate 6 oz.)
Cream butter and sugars. Add egg. Sift in dry ingredients. And vanilla and chocolate chips. Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies will look underdone, kind of doughy.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
GARLIC CHICKEN FARFALLE
I made this for Lacy and Dave when I went down a few weeks ago. I hadn't ever made it before but I have to say I found it to be really delicious. I found it one day whilst blog surfing, I wish I could remember where so I could give them credit. One note on the bacon. If you cook it on a cookie cooling rack it drains off most of the grease.
16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice
*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.
**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it's crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it's usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple (I totally wear disposable gloves for this part - surprise, surprise).
[ directions ]
Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Mother's day Munchies
For Mother’s day Megs and Kenz took over making dinner. They made Café Rio Salad (previously posted and raved about here).
Earlier in the day we also munched on some Banana Nut muffins, baked in pink polka dot liners no less.
Banana Nut Muffins
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (toasted or raw)
Preheat the oven to 350°. Mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in the chopped nuts.
Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it's done. Cool on a rack. Makes 12.
I also made these little Mother's day 'tokens' for my visiting teaching ladies and my girls. It's white fudge in a house cookie cutter. Very easy and kind of cute.
Raspberry White Fudge Cookie Cutter Gifts
(Adapted from Pillsbury)
1 package (12 oz) white chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
½ tsp raspberry or cherry extract
Food coloring (if desired, pink is good)
Nuts, if desired
Line a large cookie sheet with foil. Spray foil then cookie cutters;
Place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Melt vanilla chips in a saucepan
Over low heat; stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and
Stir in frosting and extract.
Fill each cookie cutter with mixture. Refrigerate about 1 hour
or until firm. Decorate as desired.
Wrap each filled cookie cutter with cellophane or plastic wrap;
Tie with ribbon and store in the refrigerator.
Earlier in the day we also munched on some Banana Nut muffins, baked in pink polka dot liners no less.
Banana Nut Muffins
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (toasted or raw)
Preheat the oven to 350°. Mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in the chopped nuts.
Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it's done. Cool on a rack. Makes 12.
I also made these little Mother's day 'tokens' for my visiting teaching ladies and my girls. It's white fudge in a house cookie cutter. Very easy and kind of cute.
Raspberry White Fudge Cookie Cutter Gifts
(Adapted from Pillsbury)
1 package (12 oz) white chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
½ tsp raspberry or cherry extract
Food coloring (if desired, pink is good)
Nuts, if desired
Line a large cookie sheet with foil. Spray foil then cookie cutters;
Place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Melt vanilla chips in a saucepan
Over low heat; stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and
Stir in frosting and extract.
Fill each cookie cutter with mixture. Refrigerate about 1 hour
or until firm. Decorate as desired.
Wrap each filled cookie cutter with cellophane or plastic wrap;
Tie with ribbon and store in the refrigerator.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce (like Olive Garden's)
We had this at our RS Enrichment in March. Very good & easy. Delighted to find the recipe printed in our RS newsletter today.
Sauce Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 pint heavy Whipping cream
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 dash cayenne pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup cream cheese, cut up
1 pound Fettuccine, prepared as directed
In a saucepan (medium heat) melt butter, add cream, garlic powder, and salt & pepper and dash of cayenne. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes stirring constantly, until thick. (Because this sauce takes a long time and doesn’t thicken easily without it, go ahead and add the cream cheese in about 5-10 minutes into making it.) Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted and serve over cooked fettuccine.* Good with cut up fresh basil, chicken or bacon, too.
Sauce Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 pint heavy Whipping cream
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 dash cayenne pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup cream cheese, cut up
1 pound Fettuccine, prepared as directed
In a saucepan (medium heat) melt butter, add cream, garlic powder, and salt & pepper and dash of cayenne. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes stirring constantly, until thick. (Because this sauce takes a long time and doesn’t thicken easily without it, go ahead and add the cream cheese in about 5-10 minutes into making it.) Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted and serve over cooked fettuccine.* Good with cut up fresh basil, chicken or bacon, too.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Fried Ice Cream
3 cups of corn flakes (slightly crushed) with hands
1-1/2 cups coconut
1-1/2 cups Heath Toffee Bits (blue on bag)
1 cube butter
vanilla ice cream
homemade caramel sauce(see recipe)
whipped topping
On a large cooke pan mix corn flakes, coconut, and Heath Toffee Bits. Sprinkle with desired amount of pumpkin spice and mix well. Melt butter. Pour over mixture. Mix until moistened.
Spread evenly. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Stir mixture half way thru so both sides are golden brown. Let mixture cool a little. Roll ice cream balls that you have done ahead and placed on pan in fridge top with caramel sauce and whipped topping. Enjoy!
Homemade Caramel Sauce*
1 cube butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
Melt buttin in a sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients and stir constantly over medium heat until mixture boils for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
1-1/2 cups coconut
1-1/2 cups Heath Toffee Bits (blue on bag)
1 cube butter
vanilla ice cream
homemade caramel sauce(see recipe)
whipped topping
On a large cooke pan mix corn flakes, coconut, and Heath Toffee Bits. Sprinkle with desired amount of pumpkin spice and mix well. Melt butter. Pour over mixture. Mix until moistened.
Spread evenly. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Stir mixture half way thru so both sides are golden brown. Let mixture cool a little. Roll ice cream balls that you have done ahead and placed on pan in fridge top with caramel sauce and whipped topping. Enjoy!
Homemade Caramel Sauce*
1 cube butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
Melt buttin in a sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients and stir constantly over medium heat until mixture boils for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Grandma Ethel's Cherry Cheesecake
Mother made this for nearly every special occasion. It was especially loved by the menfolk. True, it's not gourmet, but it is definitely a dessert packed with a lot of memories. Just thinking about it makes me homesick:) Think I'll whip it up for Sunday dinner.
1 9 inch graham cracker pie crust (sometimes Mom made her own)
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can cherry pie filling
Soften cheese to room temperature. Whip until fluffy and gradually add condensed milk. Continue beating until smooth. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Blend and pour into crust. Top with pie filling.
1 9 inch graham cracker pie crust (sometimes Mom made her own)
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can cherry pie filling
Soften cheese to room temperature. Whip until fluffy and gradually add condensed milk. Continue beating until smooth. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Blend and pour into crust. Top with pie filling.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Quiche without a crust or Faux Quiche
9 eggs
½ cup flour
4 cups cheese
5 thinly sliced ham slices (chopped)
4 oz can diced green chilies (optional but yummy)
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
16 oz tub cottage cheese
Beat eggs. Add flour gradually. Add cheese, ham, chilies, green onions, and cottage cheese. Mix well. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover with foil. Bake covered at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover bake 45 minutes more or until firm.
½ cup flour
4 cups cheese
5 thinly sliced ham slices (chopped)
4 oz can diced green chilies (optional but yummy)
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
16 oz tub cottage cheese
Beat eggs. Add flour gradually. Add cheese, ham, chilies, green onions, and cottage cheese. Mix well. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover with foil. Bake covered at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover bake 45 minutes more or until firm.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Another bunny cake
Years ago ld bought me a Holiday Betty Crocker Cake book. It had some cool stuff in it, including this bunny. I found it today at Betty's site.
Here's the how to:
Here's the how to:
Egg Shell Cakes
I find these simply magical. Going to be making them this weekend and will let you know how they turn out.
Can use a cake mix if you don't feel up to doing a cake from scratch. Also, you can bake the eggs, peel them and freeze them a bit and then coat them in a "Magic Shell" type chocolate (the kind found by Ice Cream toppings and cones, Walmart has them). I'm going to be dipping mine in a petit four glaze.
1. Poke a tiny whole in the bottom side of the egg by using a needle or an egg poker. Carefully enlarge the hole using a pointy knife, make sure to only break small pieces of the egg shell to better control the size of the hole. Turn the eggs upside down and empty them in a small bowl, some of the egg white/yolk will be used later for the cake batter. If the yolk and egg white refuse to come out, take a wooden skewer and poke inside the egg.
Clean the shells in cold water and prepare a bowl with salt water (dissolve 6 Tablespoons of salt in about 1 quart of water), fully immerse the egg shell, make sure there's no air trapped inside. Remove them after about half an hour, rinse them under cold water and let them dry on a paper towel, with the hole pointing down. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350°.
Baking prep: A muffin tray works great, use little pieces of aluminum foil to form rings, which will help the eggs to stand upright during the filling and baking process.
Make up your cake batter using fav recipe or cake mix.
Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of oil in each egg and turn/flip it in your hand until the inside is completely covered. Get rid of any excessive oil. The hardest part is to fill the eggs, you can do it with a teaspoon and A LOT OF patience or you use a piping bag with a small nozzle. (I also read where a Turkey baster would work, too. Think I'm going to use a cake decorating bag). Fill the eggs up to half and two thirds full, sort of trial and error - too few and the eggs will look incomplete or it is too much and the batter escapes through the holes, making a mess. You can easily remove the excessive parts after they're cooled down, so better add a bit more.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. A wooden skewer or uncooked spaghetti noodle should come out clean, if the cake eggs are done. Remove from the oven and let cool down completely before cracking them open and peeling off the shell. Surprise, surprise, here's a cake egg.
Can use a cake mix if you don't feel up to doing a cake from scratch. Also, you can bake the eggs, peel them and freeze them a bit and then coat them in a "Magic Shell" type chocolate (the kind found by Ice Cream toppings and cones, Walmart has them). I'm going to be dipping mine in a petit four glaze.
1. Poke a tiny whole in the bottom side of the egg by using a needle or an egg poker. Carefully enlarge the hole using a pointy knife, make sure to only break small pieces of the egg shell to better control the size of the hole. Turn the eggs upside down and empty them in a small bowl, some of the egg white/yolk will be used later for the cake batter. If the yolk and egg white refuse to come out, take a wooden skewer and poke inside the egg.
Clean the shells in cold water and prepare a bowl with salt water (dissolve 6 Tablespoons of salt in about 1 quart of water), fully immerse the egg shell, make sure there's no air trapped inside. Remove them after about half an hour, rinse them under cold water and let them dry on a paper towel, with the hole pointing down. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350°.
Baking prep: A muffin tray works great, use little pieces of aluminum foil to form rings, which will help the eggs to stand upright during the filling and baking process.
Make up your cake batter using fav recipe or cake mix.
Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of oil in each egg and turn/flip it in your hand until the inside is completely covered. Get rid of any excessive oil. The hardest part is to fill the eggs, you can do it with a teaspoon and A LOT OF patience or you use a piping bag with a small nozzle. (I also read where a Turkey baster would work, too. Think I'm going to use a cake decorating bag). Fill the eggs up to half and two thirds full, sort of trial and error - too few and the eggs will look incomplete or it is too much and the batter escapes through the holes, making a mess. You can easily remove the excessive parts after they're cooled down, so better add a bit more.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. A wooden skewer or uncooked spaghetti noodle should come out clean, if the cake eggs are done. Remove from the oven and let cool down completely before cracking them open and peeling off the shell. Surprise, surprise, here's a cake egg.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Easter S'mores in a Jar
I hope the sisters I visit teach don't happen upon this blog. If they do then it will ruin the surprise. Yup, I plan on making and giving these away to my sisters on my April visit. Let's see, Easter is on the 12th, that means I have to get out early:)
Here's the how to:
INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:
1. Reduce 1 sleeve graham crackers to crumbs.
2. Layer 2/3 of the crumbs in a 1 quart jar.
3. Place 8 marshmallow bunny peeps standing up, facing out around the inside of the jar.
4. Press them up against the glass, but don't squash them.
5. Carefully spoon remaining crumbs in the center of the jar to support the bunnies, pressing down to keep it snug.
6. On top of this pour 1-1/4 cup Easter M&M's.
7. Spoon 1/3 cup brown sugar into center of M&M's, gently pressing with a spoon.
Alternate layering: Do M&M's first, then Peeps, then put combined brown sugar and graham cracker crumbs in baggie. Because the crumbs kind of make a mess in the jar.
Attach a gift tag giving the following instructions:
1. Empty the jar contents into a bowl. Snip the bunnies into bits with kitchen sheers or cut up with a knife. Return the bunny bits to the mixture. Mix well.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter; add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour this over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Pat into a greased 9" square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
(Makes 9 to 12 bars.)
*Option - leave bunnies whole; combine remaining ingredients and place the bunnies on top; then bake as directed.
*This gift jar may be created to suit any holiday for which marshmallow candies are available.
Cheesy Bunny
I'm not going to lie, I think this cheese ball bunny is kinda creepy. It's clever, to be sure, but not appetizing. Now if it were made out of popcorn... Still, the recipe is good.
Easter Bunny Cheese Spread
Serves 32
Ingredients:
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2 packages (2-1/2 ounces each) thinly sliced deli beef
12 pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 green onions
6 miniature jelly beans
1 small carrot
Fresh vegetables and/or crackers
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, beef, olives, dill, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce. Finely chop two green onions; add to cream cheese mixture. On a large platter, form cheese mixture into a bunny shape. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Insert jelly beans for bunny's eyes, nose and buttons. Cut carrot in half lengthwise; place cut side up above head for ears. Cut green portion of remaining onion into six 2-in.-long pieces; place next to nose for whiskers. Serve with vegetables and/or crackers. Makes 4 cups.
Bunny Pear Salad
Again, I first saw this years ago in the Children's Friend. Here's another version.
Bunny Pear Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Red lettuce leaves
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) pear halves, drained
12 dried currants or raisins
8 whole almonds
4 baby carrots
4 parsley sprigs
Whipped cream in a can
Directions:
Arrange lettuce on four salad plates; place a pear half cut side down on each plate. For eyes, insert two currants at narrow end of pear; add one currant for nose. For ears, insert almonds upright behind eyes.
With a sharp knife, cut a small hole at one end of each carrot; insert a parsley sprig for carrot top. Place under bunny's nose. For tail, spray a small mound of whipped cream at the wide end of each pear. Makes 4.
Bunny Cut Up Cake
Those of you oldsters will recognize this cake idea from the old Baker's Coconut Cut Up Cake book. It's an old classic, I made it when I was about 11 or 12. I found it online from ALL FREE CRAFTS and got all nostalgic. It's super, super easy.
Here's how:
1. Bake two round cakes from your favorite cake recipe or cake mix.
2. One round cake will become the bunny's face, while the other is cut according to the diagram at right, creating two bunny ears and a bow tie.
3. Position the ears at the top of the round cake, and the bow tie at the bottom, as shown in the colored diagram at left.
4. Use frosting, or thawed Cool Whip topping to attach the cake pieces together, then continue frosting the cake as usual.
5. Sprinkle the entire cake with shredded coconut. (Okay, when I have made this I never used coconut as I don't like it in frosting. I just frosted it with frosting. Works fine, if you smooth as you go.) You may wish to use pink tinted coconut on the inside of the ears and for all or part of the bow tie.
6. Finish creating the bunny's facial features using small chocolate easter eggs, gumdrops, jelly beans or smarties for the eyes and nose and red licorice strings to form the whiskers and a smiling mouth. Don't forget to add some candy polka dots to the bow tie.
Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs
A great recipe that you can add different ingredients to that will make 4 different kind of eggs.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 pounds powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (optional)
1 cup flaked coconut (optional)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
2 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla, and cream cheese. Stir in confectioners' sugar to make a workable dough. For best results, use your hands for mixing.
Divide the dough into four parts. Leave one of the parts plain. To the second part, mix in peanut butter. Mix coconut into the third part, and cocoa powder into the last part. Roll each type of dough into egg shapes, and place on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until hard, at least an hour.
Melt chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. If the chocolate seems too thick for coating, stir in some of the shortening or oil until it thins. Dip the chilled candy eggs in chocolate, and return to the waxed paper lined sheet to set. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour to harden.
Bunny in a Cup
Got this idea originally from A Taste of Home. Love it. It’s such a Grandma thing.
Ingredients:
2 cups cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 twists black licorice
1/4 cup vanilla frosting
Red liquid or paste food coloring
8 cream-filled oval vanilla sandwich cookies
8 green jelly beans
4 pink jelly beans
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Pour into four small bowls; cover and refrigerate.
Meanwhile, cut licorice widthwise into fourths, then lengthwise into thirds; set aside. Combine frosting and red food coloring; frost top of cookies to within 1/2-in. of edge.
Just before serving, insert tow cookies into each bowl of pudding for ears. Add green jelly beans for eyes and a pink jelly bean for nose. Place three pieces of licorice on each side of the nose for whiskers. Makes 4 servings.
Orange Bunny Rolls
This recipe is very similar to one I loved originally from an old issue of the Children’s Friend. Makes about. 12Ingredients:
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
5 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
GLAZE:
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon butter, softened
Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, eggs, sugar, orange juice, orange peel, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled; about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; turn on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 13 pieces. Shape 12 pieces into 12-in. ropes. Fold each in half; twist top half of the open and twice to form ears. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Shape remaining dough into 12 balls. Place one on the loop end of each roll to form a tail; press into dough. cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients; beat until blended. Spread over rolls. Yield: 1 dozen.
Aunt Luella's Divinity Eggs
Okay, Aunt Luella never made this into easter eggs that I know of. But here's her recipe for divinity, maybe it would work, maybe not, it's not exactly a nougat (scroll down for the real easter egg recipe).
Aunt Luella's Divinity
4 cups sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup Karo
4 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
nuts
Mix sugar, water, Karo. Cover and boil 5 min. Uncover, wipe sides of pan with damp cloth. Boil without stirring until it forms a good long string when dropped from spoon.
Pour half of this mixture over beaten stiff egg whites. Beat constantly. Put other half of syrup mixture back on fire and cook without stirring until it forms a hard 'crackling' ball in water. Add it quickly and beat constantly. Add vanilla and nuts. Beat it until it stands up in peaks. Drop from spoon onto wax paper (or in this case shape into eggs after cool enough to handle)
Vanilla Nut Easter Egg (nougat center)
Ingredients for candy center:
2 large egg whites
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup (Karo)
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup (8 ounces) white chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 cup walnut or pecans, chopped coarsely
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In a large bowl using your electric mixer, beat egg whites just until soft peaks form; turn mixer off and set aside.
In a med.size heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Stir until sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan; raise the heat to medium high and continue to cook, without stirring. The sugar mixture will cook until it reaches a temp of 260 degrees.
As the temperature of the sugar mixture reaches 245 to 250 degrees, resume beating the egg whites until stiff peaks form; turn mixer off and set aside.
When the temp reaches 260 degrees immediately remove the pan from the heat. Immediately start pouring the hot sugar mixture, in a thin steady stream, into the beaten egg whites, while beating with mixer on high. Slowly add the vanilla and continue beating on high until the candy changes from a smooth shiny texture to a rough dull texture. This takes about 10 -20 minutes. As soon as the texture changes to dull texture, slow the mixer to a medium speed and add the white chocolate pieces, stirring until the chocolate is melted and well mixed in. Add the nuts and stir until combined. Note: candy will be stiff and difficult to stir. If necessary, knead with your hands until nuts are mixed in.
Using your hands, shape candy into egg shapes, about 2 inches in diameter. Place the candy eggs on the baking sheet, cover and refrigerate until well chilled about 1-2 hours.
Chocolate Coating:
1 1 /2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate (or semi-sweet chocolate)
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (remember don't use butter or marg as it contains water and ruins the choc)
Royal Icing (optional)
In the top of a double boiler over hot water, or using your favorite method of melting, melt chocolate and vegetable shortening; stirring to combine. HINT: You can create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water; bring just to a simmer. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water (the upper pan/dish should not touch the water below).
Remove the chilled candy eggs from the refrigerator. One at a time, place each egg on the end of a dinner fork; dip the eggs into the melted chocolate mixture to coat, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the pan. Use a toothpick to push the eggs off the fork and onto the baking pans; let sit until the chocolate is set.
When the chocolate has set on the candy eggs, decorate with Royal Icing if desired.
Royal Icing Made with Meringue Powder (edible):
3 tablespoons meringue powder (or powdered egg whites)
4 cups powdered sugar
¼ to ½ cup warm water (or more if needed)
Food coloring (optional)
Flavoring (optional) If using an extract for flavoring, use one that is clear so it does not add unwanted color to the finished icing, such as orange, lemon, mint, almond, and clear vanilla.
In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, combine meringue powder and powdered sugar. Add water in small quantities, start with tablespoons of water, then when it’s getting close to the right consistency add water in teaspoonfuls or just drops of water at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for piping and outlining, the icing should be like a thick sour cream. Add food coloring and flavoring (optional.)
Use immediately. Keep unused portions covered with plastic wrap, as exposed icing will start to thicken and harden. If the icing starts to become too thick, add a few drops of water and beat until the water is thoroughly combined.
Place unused icing in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
or...
Royal Icing Made with Egg Whites
2 large egg whites
3 cups powdered sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons warm water (or more if needed)
Food coloring (optional)
In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating after each cup until smooth. Add water, a few drops at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for piping and outlining, the icing should be like a thick sour cream. Add food coloring (optional.)
Use icing immediately, keeping unused portions covered with plastic wrap, as exposed icing will start to thicken and harden. If the icing starts to become too thick, add a few drops of water and beat until water is thoroughly combined.
Place unused icing in an airtight container or sealable plastic bagand store in the refrigerator.
Easter Bunny Bread (using Frozen Bread Dough)
What's not to love about a tummy that holds dip? Serves 24.
Ingredients:
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
2 raisins
2 sliced almonds
1 egg, lightly beaten
Lettuce leaves
Dip of your choice (Penee's got a great Dill one. Ask her to post it:)
Directions:
Cut a fourth off of one loaf of dough; shape into a pear to form head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7-in. x 6-in. oval; place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body. Make narrow cuts, about 3/4 in. deep, on each side of head for whiskers.
Cut second loaf into four equal portions. For ears, shape two portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top edge for toes. Position on each side of body.
Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose. Place paws on each side of body; cut two 1-in. slits for toes. Place cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth.
Brush dough with egg. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Place bread on a lettuce-lined 16-in. x 13-in. serving tray. Cut a 5-in. x 4-in. oval in center of body. Hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Line with lettuce and fill with dip. Makes 1 loaf.
The Easter Series Part 1
Yup. I'm gonna do it again. I'm going to dump all Easter treats and recipes here. Just like Valentine's day. Feel free to contribute, ladies, as ahem, it's been rather silent around here lately. C'mon, cough up those recipes:) The Easter ideas posted here I can't take credit for but are recipes/treats I have either made in the past or ones I plan on doing soon. Many you may already know how to do. I just needed a place to keep them all together. Bear with my Holiday obsessions, k?
Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Nests
Easy, and tastes great. Make them in mini muffin tins for candies, or large muffin tins for Easter nest cookies. Yield depends on what size you make them, but total this should serve 10-15 people. Takes just 10 to 15 minutes to make.
Ingredients:
2 cups chocolate chips
2 tbsp. peanut butter (creamy is best)
4 cups crunch chow mein noodles, broken into small pieces
Chocolate Easter eggs or jelly beans, as desired
Butter or cooking spray
Instructions:
1. In a microwave or over a double boiler, melt chocolate halfway, stirring often.
2. Add peanut butter and continue melting, stirring often, until creamy and combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in chow mein noodles until sticky and coated in chocolate mixture.
4. Let sit until just cool enough to handle ( don't burn yourself, but don't want to let the mixture set up too much), about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile grease muffin tins (size of your choice) with butter or cooking spray.
6. Spoon chocolate/noodle mixture into muffin tins, making a well in the middle for your "nest."
7. Repeat until you've used all of your nest mix.
8. Chill nests inside muffin pans at least one hour, or until set. Remove and serve.
Jelly Bean/Cheetos Carrots
Okay, these have been around forever. But I like the Cheetos idea instead, not as sweet for Cate. 'Cept the orange residue gets everywhere. Also, jelly beans are more expensive, especially for one color only. Which isn't a problem if you're only doing one, but doing a bunch of them to give as gifts can get pricey. So Cheetos are a good alternative. (I can't believe I just said that)
Ingredients
12 count decorating bags, Disposable (or just use the cellophane bags and tape down the sides, I've done that before)
22 1/2 ounces Cheetos
12 pieces ribbon, green curling
12 paper, square sheets green tissue paper (3 full sheets cut into 4 squares should work fine)
Directions
Fill each clear bag 2/3full with cheese puffs.
Push tissue paperdown into top with tips sticking out the top.
Tie ribbon around top nearest where the cheese puffs and tissue meet.
Curl ends of ribbon.
Display in basket until passing out.
Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Nests
Easy, and tastes great. Make them in mini muffin tins for candies, or large muffin tins for Easter nest cookies. Yield depends on what size you make them, but total this should serve 10-15 people. Takes just 10 to 15 minutes to make.
Ingredients:
2 cups chocolate chips
2 tbsp. peanut butter (creamy is best)
4 cups crunch chow mein noodles, broken into small pieces
Chocolate Easter eggs or jelly beans, as desired
Butter or cooking spray
Instructions:
1. In a microwave or over a double boiler, melt chocolate halfway, stirring often.
2. Add peanut butter and continue melting, stirring often, until creamy and combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in chow mein noodles until sticky and coated in chocolate mixture.
4. Let sit until just cool enough to handle ( don't burn yourself, but don't want to let the mixture set up too much), about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile grease muffin tins (size of your choice) with butter or cooking spray.
6. Spoon chocolate/noodle mixture into muffin tins, making a well in the middle for your "nest."
7. Repeat until you've used all of your nest mix.
8. Chill nests inside muffin pans at least one hour, or until set. Remove and serve.
Jelly Bean/Cheetos Carrots
Okay, these have been around forever. But I like the Cheetos idea instead, not as sweet for Cate. 'Cept the orange residue gets everywhere. Also, jelly beans are more expensive, especially for one color only. Which isn't a problem if you're only doing one, but doing a bunch of them to give as gifts can get pricey. So Cheetos are a good alternative. (I can't believe I just said that)
Ingredients
12 count decorating bags, Disposable (or just use the cellophane bags and tape down the sides, I've done that before)
22 1/2 ounces Cheetos
12 pieces ribbon, green curling
12 paper, square sheets green tissue paper (3 full sheets cut into 4 squares should work fine)
Directions
Fill each clear bag 2/3full with cheese puffs.
Push tissue paperdown into top with tips sticking out the top.
Tie ribbon around top nearest where the cheese puffs and tissue meet.
Curl ends of ribbon.
Display in basket until passing out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
