Rockin' Chocolate Chip Almond Cookie Squares (Blondies)

Stumbled across this on the internet and it is great!  So easy!

Rockin' Chocolate Chip Almond Cookie Squares (Blondies)

1/4C butter (we used dairy/soy free Earth Balance)
3/4C almond butter (Barney's Brand is made in a dedicated almond facility)
2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs for vegan version)
3/4C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4C millet flour
1 tsp baking powder (corn free - 1/2tsp cream tarter + 1/4 tsp baking soda)
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (Good Life Brand)

preheat oven to 350.  Grease 8x8 pan. Beat butters together until creamy.  Add eggs, sugar, vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix into wet ingredients until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Bake about 25 minutes.  Let cool 45 minutes.

easy and amazing biscuits

This is another Cooks Country hit. I love to have biscuits for dinner every once in awhile. Throw some butter and honey or butter and jam on a hot biscuit and I am in heaven. And so are the kids. Win win, right! Well the recipe I used to use had to be rolled out and cut. They were huge, beautiful biscuits.... But bland. I got my Cooks Country magazie the other day and thought I would give these a go. So good!! And EASY!!!!  I used the large scoop from Pampered Chef to drop them on the cookie sheet with the Sil-Eco on it. So easy. You must try them!

Cooks Country Soft and TenderBiscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBS sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup mayonnaise (full fat)

1. Preheat oven to 450 and make sure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven.
Line a bakingsheet with parchment or a silicone mat (i have one I love called Sil-Eco on Amazon). Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk milk and mayo together in a separate bowl. Stir milj mixture into flour mixture until just combined.
2. In this step CC has you use a greased 1/4 cup measure. I used a heaping large scoop which I thought was easier. Anyway, drop scoops of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until tops are golden about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking (I forgot this step and they were still fine). Transfer to wire cooling rack and let cool 5 minutes  (or not). Serve.

Chocolate Peanutbutter Oatmeal Bars

Chocolate Peanutbutter Oatmeal Bars

Mix well
14oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanutbutter (we used crunchy)
In a separate bowl sift
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Stir in
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup brown sugar
Cut in
3/4 cup butter, softened

In a greased 9x13 press down 1/2 oat mixture. Top with peanutbutter mixture. Top with chocolate chips. Top with oat mixture.
Bake 350 for 20 minutes or a little more. Do not over bake.

Quick and really yummy.

Carrot Chowder

Someone posted a recipe for Carrot Chowder on a fb group I am a part of that looked interesting.  I played with it and created this yummy Chowder.  We served it with Cook's Illustrated Croissant rolls (which I will have to post - so good!) we had in the freezer.  Yum!  The kids really liked it. 

Carrot Chowder

1/2 stick butter
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 LBS bag carrots, chopped about 2 1/2 to 3 cups
1 QT V8 juice (the tomato kind)
1 1/2 cup water
1 LBS ground hamburger, cooked (or ground turkey, ground chicken, or smoked sausage - or omit for a vegetarian dish)
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp salt
2 can cream chicken or cream celery soup
2 cups uncooked barley

In a large stock pot with a lid, melt butter on medium heat.  Add celery, onion, garlic, and carrots.  Cook until tender, stirring often (may need to turn up the temperature and add a little of the water - you don't want them to burn).  Add water and V8.  Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetable mixture (this is optional, but I like the texture).  Add ground beef, green peppers, spices, cream soups, and barley.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Halloween - this is a really bright orange color which would be fun to serve for Halloween dinner.  Pack in the veggies before the candy!

Orange Dream Cake

My son loves the color orange. So for his birthday he wanted an orange cake. I could have thrown a little food coloring in a white cake mix and called it good. But that would be boring. So I started googling recipes for orange cakes and got what is basically an orange version of a Strawberry Poke Cake. Of course from experience I know that using a boxed cake mix for this (as the recipes I found showed) would yield a soggy cake. So I went to the only poke cake recipe worth using - Cooks Country Strawberry Poke Cake. I took the cake recipe and combined it with the gist of the other recipes and got a pretty yummy cake.

Orange Dream Poke Cake

cake:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon table salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

6 egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used half orange extract and I'm not sure it made a difference)

1 3/4 cups white sugar

12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F Butter and flour a 13x9x2" baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.

Whisk together milk, egg whites and vanilla, just until egg whites are broken up.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric hand beater), cream together 1 3/4 cups sugar and butter, about 3 minutes, until fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add half the wet ingredients, then half the dry ingredients, then the remaining wet followed by the remaining dry. (This step IS important to get a nice flat cake!).

Pour batter into prepared pan. Spread evenly. Bake on middle rack of preheated oven for 35 minutes. Let the cake cool for at least 1 hour. With a wooden skewer, poke about 50 holes all over the cake, not going all the way to the bottom (but as close as you can).

For the filling:

1 6oz box orange jello

1 1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup cold water

Combine the jello with the boiling water. Whisk for 2 minutes. Add the cold water. Let it set up in the refrigerator for several minutes - about 10 - until it starts to look like syrup consistency instead of water.

Pour over the cake.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours, up to 1 day in advanced.

Frosting:

1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1 3.5oz box french vanilla instant pudding mix

1 3.5oz box orange jello

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla (could use orange?) extract

8oz cool whip, thawed

In a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add ingredients through extract. Beat well. Fold in the cool whip.

(the frosting was good but I felt like it was missing a little kick - maybe some fresh orange juice or orange or even lemon zest would have brightened it up a little)

Spread frosting on top of cake. Slice and serve.

Halloween Dinner Ideas

Happy Halloween!  I like Halloween now, I LOVED Halloween as a kid.  One problem that parents can have is how to get your kids to eat something healthy before they go gorge on candy.  In thinking of what I'm going to do this morning, I decided to post some of my favorite ideas. 

Dead Man Over Worms

This recipe I saw years ago on some foodnetwork show.  Basically, take your favorite meatloaf recipe (I will give the one they provide, but I figure it would be easy enough to use your own!), and shape the meatloaf into a "man."  Kind of more like a gingerbread at attention look (don't want the arms and legs to overcook) - but you get the idea.  Cook as directed, and serve over spaghetti noodles with the "blood" sauce on the side.

here is the recipe from the show.  It makes a really big dead man:

Dead Man Meatloaf
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 slices French bread torn into bits
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup finally chopped onion (or grate)
1 cup shredded Cheddar
1 TBS chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (or 1/2 for dried)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bouquet garni (can leave out)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 LBS lean ground beef
1 LBS mild Italian sausage
1 (16) oz package spaghetti noodles

"Blood" Sauce
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup (NOT pancake syrup)

Preheat Oven 350

In a large bowl, beat the eggs.  Add milk, bread, and oatmeal.  Stir in carrots, onions, cheese, herbs, and seasoning.  Add beef and sausage and mix well.  In a shallow baking dish, shape beef mixture into the shape of a body.  Round fall for head, oval shape for body, mounding up for tummy.  Shape arms and place next to body.  Shape legs and place next to each other, not apart.  Smooth meatloaf so the seams are not apparent.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.

While baking combine topping ingredients.  Cook spaghetti noodles.  Set aside.

After 45 minutes spoon half of the sauce over the meatloaf.  return to the oven and continue baking an additional 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.

Put spaghetti noodles on a tray, carefully place meatloaf on top of spaghetti noodles.

To serve, place a knife in the "heart" of the meatloaf man.  Serve with extra "blood sauce."



Shrunken Heads

I got this one from the same episode as mentioned above.  You could easily take the idea and use your own stuffing recipe.

3 slices bacon
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
6 medium (I'd say the bigger the better personally) Granny Smith apples (or other firm, large apples)
2 TBS freshly grated Parmesan
2 TBS butter at room temperature (it calls for unsalted, but don't fret too much if you only have salted)
2 tsp whole-grain mustard
3 TBS balsamic vinegar

Tip: use pumpkin carving tools, melon baler, and bamboo skewers to create features of the face.

Preheat oven 350

Slice bacon into small cubes.  Saute over medium heat until brown and crispy.  Remove bacon to a paper town lined plate and discard all but 1 TBS of the drippings.  Saute onion in drippings about 3 minutes and add garlic.  Cook until onion is translucent and beginning to brown.  So not allow garlic to brown (I'd say wait to add the garlic until the very end).  Reduce heat if needed.  Add bread crumbs and cooked bacon and toss.  Remove from heat and allow to cool in pan.

With melon baler, remove core from apple starting at the top (stem end).  Only dig about halfway down into the apple to remove the core, but do not go all the way through.  You should now have a well in the apple about 1 inch wide and 2 inches deep.  With a paring knife, carefully carve a face into the side of the apple, not going all the way through. 

To the cooled filling add Parm, butter, mustard, and 1 TBS of balsamic vinegar.  Stuff apples with filling and place in a baking dish so that they do not touch.  For bet results, have carved faces toward the outside of the dish and drizzle the remaining 2 TBS balsamic on the outside of the apples over the cut features. 

Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hour, until the apples is soft.



Jack O'Lantern Stew

One of my best friends likes to make this in a full sized pumpkin, but you could use small individual pumpkins or any gords you want.  This particular recipe is from that same Food Network show, but that is not the first time I have heard of doing this.  Again, take the idea and get creative with the filling!

1 (9-12 inch) pumpkin
1 large onion
1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
4 carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
3 celery sticks thinly sliced and diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 LBS lean ground beef
1 LBS ground chicken or turkey
2 cups cooked rice
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 large can tomato soup

Preheat 350

cup the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the insides.  Rinse well.  Carve a spooky face on to the pumpkin without going all the way through.  Rinse well, oil outside of pumpkin.  Bake pumpkin shell for 30 minutes.

While the shell is baking, saute the onions, peppers, carrots, celery, and garlic until the veggies begin to soften, about 8 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Brown ground beef and chicken.  Add the veggies and cooked rice and cook over low heat stirring often for 10-15 minutes to let flavors meld.

Remove pumpkin from the oven and let stand 15 minutes.  Stir the tomatoes and soup into the meat mixture.  Place meat mixture into pumpkin.  Put back in oven for 20 minutes.  Serve on a platter with cheesy biscuits.



Mummy Dogs

This and the next recipes are my go to for Halloween because my kids are still so young and don't eat very much.  So very cute.

hot dogs
crescent rolls
mustard and/or ketchup

Slice hot dogs in half (in the middle, NOT length wise)
Unwrap crescent rolls and slice into strips with pizza cutter.
Wrap hot dogs in the strips leaving a space where the face should be.
Bake 375 for 13-18 minutes.  Take out of the oven and when cooled slightly, make mustard or ketchup eyes where you have left a space where the face should be.



Candy Corn Pizza

I can't remember where I saw this, but it is easy a quick for that picky eater.

1 pizza crust
orange cheddar
white cheese of your choice

Use with either a white or red sauce, but if using red sauce, keep it away from the edge so it doesn't show.  Or you could do no sauce.  In the center of the pizza, make an orange circle of cheese.  Next, make a white circle of cheese around that - dart board fashion.  The lastly, orange again.  Bake according to the directions on the crust.  When you cut slices, it should look like a piece of candy corn - well at least mostly :o)

Hot Pizza Dip

This dip is great when you are the host of a party because it comes together quickly, uses only a few ingredients, and can easily be reheated in the microwave if your guests come later then expected or you don't eat right away (in my opinion it doesn't taste good if it is not hot-warm). It is also good to bring when you are tight on cash. I love crab dip, but boy it can be expensive! Using pasta sauce will make it runnier than pizza sauce, but I alwayys have pasta sauce on hand and usually don't want to buy pizza sauce. I think it tastes better than pizza sauce. But if consistency is an issue for you, go with pizza sauce. So enjoy this twist on a Pampered Chef classic

Hot Pizza Dip - a twist on a Pampered Chef classic

1 1/2 package (12oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp Italian Seasoning Mix
3oz Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
1 cup (4oz) shredded mozzarella
about 1 cup of good pasta sauce (I like Prego) or 1 8oz can pizza sauce

optional: diced green peppers, sliced green onions, or chopped pitted olives

Toasted baguette slices

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cream cheese, and seasoning mix.  Spread into the bottom of a 1 qt baking dish (I actually bought the Pampered Chef Mini-Baker for dips because it is such a great size).  Layer shredded Monterey Jack, sauce, and lastly mozzerella.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.  Top with topping if desired.  Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Dressed-Up Rice Krispies

These recipes are from Cooks Country. We made the chocolate cherry ones the other day and they were really, really good!

Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats

3 TBS unsalted butter
1 (10 oz) bag mallows
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (Hershey's Special Dark are wonderful)
(melt chips in the microwave in a small bowl heating first for 30 seconds and then for 15-20seconds, stirring in between and after)

1. Prepare 8X8 pan: Line with foil, allowing excess to hang over the edges. Grease the foil. Melt butter in a large pot over low heat. Add marshmallows, white chocolate, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth; about 8 minutes. Stir in vanilla; remove pot from heat.

2. Stir in Rice Krispies and cherries until incorporated. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and press into bottom and corners with greased spatula (or hands). Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. Drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate chips over cooled treats. Allow chocolate to cool, at least 15 minutes. Using foil overhand, lift treats from pan. Cut into squares. Serve


Alternatives

Double chocolate Caramel Turtle Treats

Prepare Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats, substituting 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips for white chocolate chops in step 1. Omit the cherries and stir in 15 soft caramel candies, quartered, and 1 cup chopped toasted pecans with Rice Kristpies.


Fluffer-Nutter Treats

Prepare Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats, substituting 1/2 cup peanut butter chips for white chips, 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts for cherries, and 1/2 cup peanut butter chips for semisweet chocolate chips (melted).

______________________

I also have to mention another jazzed up recipe from www.ourbestbites.com.  I love to make these for parties during the holidays!

Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1 10.5 ounce bag peppermint mini marshmallows*
4 tablespoons real butter, plus extra to butter pan
5-6 cups rice krispie style cereal (I like mine a little more marshmallowy)
3 tablespoons semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
a few drops (about 1/8 teaspoon) peppermint extract
2-3 medium sized candycanes, crushed
*In place of the peppermint marshmallows, use regular marshmallows and add about 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract to melted marshmallow mixture. Or more to taste, I’m guessing on the amount.  (I do this as I couldn't find the peppermint mallows)

Instructions:
Line a 9×13 pan with foil and lightly butter bottom and about 1 inch up sides.
Melt butter in a very large bowl in the microwave. Add marshmallows and stir to coat. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. (You can do that whole process on the stovetop as well.) Add rice krispie cereal and stir to evenly combine. With buttered hands, press mixture into prepared pan.
Place white chocolate chips and 1/4 teaspoon oil in a small bowl. Heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Repeat same process with semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips and add a few drops of peppermint extract. Drizzle both chocolates on top of rice krispie treats and sprinkle candy canes on top. Let sit until chocolate is set, place pan in fridge to speed process along. Cut into squares and eat up.

Scalloped Poatoes with Ham

I got the original recipe for this meal from foodnetwork. However, reading it over was all it took to realized someone published it in a hurry. The amount of ingrediants seemed off, there was no indication of how much it made or even what size casserole dish to bake it in, and the seasonings were... lacking. Eric and I tinkered with it and I think we've got a creamy, delicious way to use up extra potatoes or ham.


Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
serves 8-10

Onions:

2 medium onions, thinly sliced (I thought this was perfect, Eric thought it was a little too much)
2-3 TBS butter

Sauce:

4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)

Remaining ingredients:

6-8 small russet poatoes peeled and thinly scliced (circles)
1 LBS ham, diced (pre-cooked either from left overs or pre-packaged. I love having some pre-slicedham in the freezer)
8oz block cheddar, grated (half white and half orange is nice- Cabbot Seriously Sharp is YUM)

1. Grease 9X13 with butter. Preheat oven to 375

2. Melt butter for onions in a large pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions. Stir occasionally, adding a few sprinkes of salt. These will take a while to cook. You want them to carmalize - which means turn light brown. They will cook down (reduce) significantly. When they are done, remove from heat.

3. While the onions are cooking, make your sauce. Heat the butter in a large sauce pan on medium heat until just melted. Add flour, stiring constantly for 1 minute. You might need to turn the heat down a little bit - if it turns light brown that is OK, but by reducing the heat will help. Remove sauce pan from heat and whisk in milk. Return pan to heat (medium) and whisk until it starts to thicken, remove from heat. Add salt and pepper. You'll want to do this right before you assemble because the sauce will thicken and be hard to spread as it cools.

4. Spread 1/3 of the sauce in a 9X13 pan. Top with half the potatoes, half the onions, half the ham, and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat ending with cheese. This will be your layering:
sauce, potato, onion, ham, cheese, sauce, potato, onion, ham, cheese, sauce, cheese.

5. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about an hour. I covered mine with foil for the first 1/2 hour as it was really stacked high and I wanted to help the potatoes cook and didn't want the cheese to burn.

Sweet Sausage Rolls

A friend of mine made these at an engagement party for her sister and they were so scrumptious! I, shamefully, couldn't get enough! They would be great for any party - baby shower, bridal shower, brunch, birthday, New Years, Christmas/Holiday - where finger or toothpick foods are desired.

Sweet Sausage Rolls

1- 8oz tube cresent rolls
24 mini smoked sausage links (lil smokies)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans)
3 TBSP honey
3 TBSP brown sugar

Unroll dough. Cut into 3 or 4 pieces. Roll up sausages in dough. Combineother ingredients in a 11x7x2 baking dish. Place sausage rolls, seam sidedown, in butter mixture. Bake uncovered 400 for 15-20 min.

Serve with little toothpicks.

The best fudge EVER... And I never lie!

This recipe is The Lady and Son's Just Desserts by Paula Dean. I remember seeing her make it and rave about it on her show, and it caught my attention because of the MOST unusual ingredient... BUT having made it quite a few times, this is the best fudge you will ever have. Honestly, I recently spend a small fortune on a very small piece of fudge at a farmers market (OK, OK it was last summer not too recent...) and was steamin' mad that it wasn't that great... At least compared to this recipe! So for you Valentine sweetheart, don't bother wasting money on store bought junk. Make this instead!

Chocolate Cheese Fudge by Paula Dean

1/2 LBS Velveeta cheese, sliced
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts (I like pecans personally)
2 16oz boxes confectioners' sugar (or 32oz bag)
1/2 cup cocoa

Spray lightly the bottom of a 9X2 in square pan with nonstick spray.

Over medium heat in a saucepan, melt cheese and butter together, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and nuts. In a large bowl, sift together sugar and cocoa. Pour cheese mixture into sugar-cocoa mixture, stirring until completely mixed. Candy will be very stiff. Paula says she has found it is easier to do the final mixing with her hands (I agree). Using your hands, remove candy from bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan. Because of the amount of butter in this recipe, she likes to pat the top of the candy with a paper towel to remove excess oil. At this point you may want to refrigerate until firm, depending on how quickly you want to serve it. Thirty minutes will usually do the trick. Cut into squares.

She also notes: For peanut butter fudge, leave out cocoa and add 1 cup creamy peanut butter. Melt cheese and butter together, then add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Proceed as directed in original directions. If you desire, you can press nuts into the top when you're done.

No pictures sorry :( I last made this at my friend Heidi's house for her family for Christmas. Be sure to wear an apron so you don't ruin your clothes when the butter splats (or you splat the butter because you aren't being careful.... grumble...)

GRANDMA'S BUCKEYE BALLS

One of my friends mentioned to me the other day that she was craving a treat that my husband makes during Christmas time. Since she is expecting baby #4, I knew I must be prompt (as did my husband - he wisely knows pregnancy cravings are nothing to mess with!!) I mistakenly thought I had posted the recipe already, but I guess I didn't!! So I guess this is a good way to come back after 7 months of maternity leave :^P hehe. This recipe was one that his grandmother used to make. We have had variations but frankly, these are the best. In our family recipe book, they are titled GRANDMA'S BUCKEYE BALLS. Enjoy!!

GRANDMA'S BUCKEYE BALLS
makes about 1 dozen
(in other words, I suggest at least doubling - we usually quadruple at Christmas)

1/2 cup oleo (aka - shortening)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
16oz. confectionery sugar (that's about 2 cups), sifted
6 oz chocolate chips
2 TBS. Oleo (shortening/butter)
1/4 cake of parfine wax (canning isle)

To make the balls: Beat together 1/2 cup shortening, peanut butter, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl. Using a tablespoon or scoop, form into balls.


Using a tablespoon or scoop and your hands, form into balls.

Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Making the chocolate: If you don't have a double boiler, like me, take a small pot - I like glass so I can see the water - and place a heat proof bowl on top. You can see mine in the following pictures. Put about 2 inches of water in the pot. You don't want it to touch the bowl, but you don't want your water to evaporate either. Place in the bowl of you "double boiler" the following: chocolate chips, 2 TBS. shortening OR butter, parfine wax (just a note here - the wax often comes in a large block made of 4 cakes - don't make the mistake we did the first time by putting a whole cake - 1/4 the whole block - into the chocolate. I think we ended up with hundreds of Buckeye Balls that year because we had to keep adding chocolate and making balls)

Heat water to low or medium low (back to low once the chocolate melts), stir. Be careful, the bowl might get hot.

When the chocolate is ready, place a toothpick in each peanut butter ball and dip into the chocolate. Twist around to cover. Oh and please don't mind my husband's thumb. These were taken last Christmas and he had shut his thumb in the car door - ouch - ironically while we were on our way into the hospital to check stuff out for our up-coming birth.



When all the peanut butter balls are chocolate coated, place in the refrigerator to chill - at least an hour. When ready to eat, gently twist the toothpick and it will come right out. So there you go, Grandma's Buckeye Balls. Enjoy!

Date-Nut Bread

I love dates. To me they are nature's candy. Far better I would say than any cheap chocolate. I have a few recipes for dates, but because it is the holidays I will give you this yummy bread recipe. You must use nuts, I am sorry all you non-nut people. Otherwise it would be too sweet. If you have a mini-loaf pan, these make great gifts (wrap in plastic wrap, use tape to secure the bottom, and tie a beautiful bow on top with a name card). I bought a mini-loaf pan at Target a few years ago that I really like because it fits all of the batter for a singe loaf recipe. Try this sweet breakfast bread next time instead of banana bread. You might be surprised!

Date-Nut Bread

1 cup of boiling water

2 TBS butter

8 oz pitted dates, chopped

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup brown or dark brown sugar

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine hot water, dates, and butter in a large bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes. Stir in egg.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Add dry ingredients to wet. Add nuts. Mix until combined. Pour into 1 greased loaf pan, or 4 greased mini-loaf pans. Cook at 325 for 1 hour 15 minutes for large loaf and about 20-25 minutes for mini-loaves. Use a toothpick to test for doneness (if it is still a little undercooked in the middle, that is OK. Just allow it to cool in the pan longer and it will continue to bake). Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for easiest slicing.

Butter or cream cheese compliments this bread nicely.

White-Out Chex Mix

There will be parties from here until New Years, and I don't know about you but I am very excited. This is a recipe that I am sure have m-a-n-y variations (feel free to post yours in the comment section). The name was "White Trash" which - fine - but really that just did not sound appealing to me. So I changed the name. So call it what you will, but this is a very yummy party treat. I got this one from a neighbor. It is one of those things I have always wanted the recipe for, but haven't made yet! So when it says 3 packages white chocolate, I'm not entirely sure what that is for all of those who like to know EXACTLY what to buy. My guess is three packages of white chocolate that you would find by the baking chocolate, above the chocolate chips. It is better to have too much chocolate than not enough.

3 cups rice chex mix
3 cups corn chex mix
3 cups cashews
3 cups pretzels
1 1LB bag M&Ms or Reeses Pieces
3 Packages white chocolate

1. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler. Think LOW heat.
2. Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl
3. Drizzle chocolate over dry mix
4. Mix until well coated
5. Spread out on waxed paper and let it harden
6. Break into pieces and store in bag... or eat it!

THANKSGIVING IS COMING!!!

My apologies for my long drought of postings. I have been reading lots and lots of books in my spare time - or sleeping - in preparation for our second child. But I could not miss an opportunity to talk about my favorite holiday - THANKSGIVING. I consider myself a pretty relaxed person when it comes to most things. However, with Thanksgiving, I am as annal as they get. I even have a "Thanksgiving Plan" that is currently 8-9 pages of who is coming, what they are bringing, the menu, all the recipes (so they are in one location), the shopping list (and when to purchase what items), and lastly a play-by-play of Thanksgiving Eve and Day to make sure all the food hits the table hot and ready, the linens are pressed, and the Macy's Day Parade is on the TV. Crazy, I know; what can I say. So I thought I would share with you some of my "Thanksgiving Plan." I like traditional and I like fattening. We only (in theory) eat like this once a year; there won't be any plan string beans on my table - sorry. Nothing against string beans, I like them very much, but Thanksgiving is special and string beans are ordinary. :^) So here it goes....

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Main
Turkey (12-16 LBS)

Sides
Green bean casserole (13X9)
Sweet potato bake mallow and Grandma’s Harris'(13X9)
Strawberry Jell-o Pudding Salad
Stuffing
Mashed white potatoes
Dinner rolls

Dressings
Gravy
Cranberry sauce 1 can jelly 1 home made

Desert (I would die for a pecan pie... or a chocolate-pecan pie but Eric hates pecans and I don't want to eat the whole leftover pie myself)
Pumpkin pie
Apple pie
Whipped cream

Drinks
Punch/soda
Juice

Pre-dinner Munchies
Cheese
Crackers
Fruit (oranges)
Spiced nuts




THE Turkey

Good Eats Roast Turkey



1 (14 to 16 pound) young turkey (make sure it isn't already brined; i.e. not already injected with saline solution)
For the brine:

1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 TBS allspice berries (may omit)
1/2 TBS candied ginger (may omit)
1 gallon iced water


For the aromatics: (that is what goes in the cavity of the bird)

1 red apple sliced
1/2 onion sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage

Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.
A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage (tongs). Tuck back wings under the bird and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil. Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes (Put the legs in first). Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil (make a triangle and do a pre-fitting before you put it in the oven to avoid burning yourself), insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

So you may ask, why brine? I will tell you. What happens when meat sits in a brine is that the cell walls begin to defuse their liquid in a desire to come to an equilibrium with the more dense, salted water. Well, as liquid is exchanged, salt is brought evenly into the meat of the turkey. This makes for a very moist and very tasty bird.

Green Bean Casserole
compliments of Campbell's

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup OR Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp. soy sauce Dash ground black pepper 4 cups cooked cut green beans 1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

Directions:

MIX soup, milk, soy, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole.
BAKE at 350°F. for 25 min. or until hot.
STIR . Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.


TIP: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 oz.) frozen green beans, 2 pkg. (9 oz. each) frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 oz. each) green beans or about 1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans for this recipe.



Jello Pudding Salad (should double for a large party)
Compliments of Martin Davis and Jell-o Brand

1 (4oz) package jello strawberry
1 (4 oz) package jello tapioca pudding
1 (4 oz) package cook-n-serve vanilla pudding
1 – 2 cups strawberries, cut up
3 cups water
½ 8oz container of cool whip

Put water, jello, and puddings into medium sauce pan. Mix with sire whisk, stirring constantly over high heat until boiling. Continue boiling for 5+ minutes. Take off heat and pour into a bowl. Add fruit. Let chill over night. When ready to serve, fold in ½ 8oz container of cool whip.



Whipped Sweet Potato Bake (Eric's Favorite)
Compliments of Kraftfoods.com

3 cans (15 oz. each) sweet potatoes, drained
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
24 JET-PUFFED Marshmallows (about 3 cups)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat sweet potatoes, butter, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

SPOON into lightly greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish; top with the marshmallows.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until sweet potato mixture is heated through and marshmallows are lightly browned.


Grandma Harris' Sweet Potato Bake (Rachael's favorite)

3 cups (24oz) sweet potatoes, drained
1 cup sugar
½ tsp salt
2 lightly beaten eggs
1/3 stick butter, melted
½ cup sweet milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased baking dish.

Prepare topping by mixing:
1/3 stick bitter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Cover potato mixture in topping.
Bake 35 minutes at 350


I will leave the stuffing and mashed white potatoes up to you. Sarah Gagnon is bringing the stuffing this year and I hear it is going to be fantastic! If I can get her secret from her, I will post at a later date. For mashed potatoes, peel and cube your potatoes. Boil them until they are just tender, about 20 minutes. Then I like to throw mine in my mixer and mix butter, cream, salt and pepper in. Yum yum.