S'mores Bars

Quicker than a campfire s'more bars!
 1 bag mini marshmallows (set aside 1 cup)
 5 Tbs butter
 1 bag of chocolate chips (I used two half bags, one milk and one white)
 1 box Golden Graham's cereal (smaller size)


Chill your chocolate chips 1 hour in the refrigerator or freeze 20 minutes before making bars
Melt the butter in a large pot and add marshmallows- reserve 1 cup of marshmallows for later
When melted pour over cereal in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in remaining marshmallows and chocolate chips, spray 9x13 pan and spray your hands to help keep mix from sticking to you, press into pan and  allow to set.

Apple Angel Cake

 Quick
Easy
Sweet!
2 ingredients is all you need to make this fast super sweet dessert.
Mix 1 package angel food cake mix with 1 can of apple pie filling. Add no liquid.
I first placed the apples in the bowl and chopped them into finer pieces with a kitchen scissors. Then added the mix until well combined.

Spread in a 9 X 13 sprayed pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. I used a stone baking pan and it took about 27 minutes. Do not overbake, cake will be browned on top and edges but will appear as thought it is not completely set. This is when it is done.
Bake at 350
Now....if you use a glass pan, my grandma always said for angel food lower the oven temp to 325.  If I were you I would listen to her.

I also sprinkled on some cinnamon and sugar before baking, this is optional, it is a very sweet dessert so this could put it over the top for you.  Too sweet does not exist for me so I also drizzled on a little caramel topping. We ate it cooled but warm with ice cream would be divine!

French Onion Soup

Peel and Slice 4-6 large onions, yellow or white
2 large leeks (opt) if using be sure to rinse well, leeks can be sandy and taste gritty
Melt 3 Tbs butter in a large pot, saute onions until browned.

Next   add in 

1/4 cup white wine to deglaze pan, scraping bottom to release any onion that has stuck.

salt 

pepper

Add 4-6 cups beef or vegetable broth.

Simmer 15- 30 minutes. You may add more both if too much evaporation occurs

while simmering.

Toast 1 in thick bread slices and lightly season with salt.

 Place servings into individual oven proof bowls, Place toasted bread slice on each bowl and sprinkle with grated cheese -options for cheese- mozzarella, jarlsburg, assiago

Bake at 450 until cheese melts.  Serve hot

Cookie Pie

Pretzel bottom crust
2 c crushed pretzles
1/2 c sugar
1/2 melted butter
mix and press into sprayed pie plate
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes

While crust is baking make filling
1 c room temp butter
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 c chocolate chips ( 1/2 standard size bag) you may use milk, or semi-sweet
1 8oz pkg Reese's mini peanut butter cups

Cream butter and sugars, add in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Mix baking soda and salt into flour with wire whisk and add gradually to creamed mixture.
Next add in chocolate chips and Reese's . Press into crust and bake for another 30 minutes, Do not over bake, cookie should be almost set. 

Scallops

2 green onions sliced, or 1/2 small white or yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound sea scallops
1 tsp basil, fresh or dried
1 tsp thyme, fresh or dried
1/4 c white wine, or chicken broth
salt to taste
pepper
1/2 c dried bread crumbs or panko
2 tsp butter, melted

Rinse and pat dry scallops.
In nonstick skillet heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic until tender, add scallops and herbs.
 Cook over medium until scallops are firm and opaque.
Add wine or broth, and salt and pepper. cook uncovered for one to two minutes.

Place scallops in oven proof dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs, drizzle with butter.
 Broil 4-5 minutes or until crumbs are browned. Serve hot.

Jack LaLanne Juicer

Do you juice? I never did until last year, while an unexpected hospital stay had me laying around watching cable tv, a luxury we do not have at home.  I was watching Jack and his wife on their infomercial, of course when you health is compromised, anything that seems  rejuvenating takes on new meaning and interest. 
so....you can imagine my surprise when my step mom called me and said, she just came across Jack LaLanne juicers for an amazing price at a salvage store. I asked, no begged her to get me one!  She did and I was thrilled, she came to help me out in my recovery and it was a good time to start giving this thing a try.

I began once in a while but stored it in the cupboard which made access....eh not so easy. I liked it but just didn't have the counter space. Recently I made the move and placed it onto the counter which is encouraging me to juice more often. Now I use it on average 3 times a week.

The Review
overall it is an easy product to use
assembly and disassembly is easy, you must use a gadget that is included to remove the sharp blade
quality of juice is good, the fibrous left over fruits and veggies are as dry as they say on the commercial
texture of the juice is smooth but will sometimes separate and will cling to glasses so, be sure to stir if not drinking immediately and to rinse your glasses right away
clean up...not nearly as easy as they show on tv, I recommend immediate cleaning or at least soaking and you will probably need a brush for the fine mesh sieve (shown above)

left behind apple

My usual juice contains
2 large carrots
1 piece of fruit ( apple, orange, pear)
any left over berries


 Remember
Citrus fruits must be peeled
this product can not use bananas
It does not make smoothies so be sure you don't order if that is what your expecting.
The model shown here sells for about $100. at this site Power Juicer
want to guess what Rachel paid for ours?

how about.....$20.00....score!!!

Home made Yellow Cake Mix

 Now cake mixes are cheap enough  but if you want to stack you cupboards with some yellow cake mix that does not come with preservatives here is a good recipe from Chickens in the Road
  

For each mix
place in a large bag or container
2 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 c dry milk powder- (this can be expensive so you may omit and substitute milk for the water when mixing)
Mix these and store until use. On the bag I  wrote the instructions...just in case I loose them, not that I loose things. pfft!

When mixing the cake
1 bag of mix
3/4 c water ( or milk if substituting)
1 tsp vanilla (see home made vanilla recipe here)
1/2 c room temp butter
3 eggs, room temp
Spray or line pans with parchment and bake according to pan size.

I used two mixes for the above cake, and had enough left over for 4 mini cakes. You can see a recipe for home made fondant HERE

Chocolate Mountain Cake

 Cake: This same cake recipe also used Here

Cake

1 c unsalted butter, softened

2 c sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 c flour

3/4 c cocoa powder

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c buttermilk

3/4 c sour cream

Preheat oven to 350, spray 2 - 9 inch pans and line bottom 

with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

In another bowl, mix flour, b powder, b soda, salt and cocoa. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and sour cream until smooth consistency.

Pour into pans and bake 35-40 min.

Cool in pan.

 When cool slice each layer in half so you will have a total of 4 layers

 For mountain rocks- I saw this in the arch 2012 issue of Food Network magazine, I have always loved working with chocolate but had never seen it placed on a sheet protector for drying!

 I used Wilton melts in orange, white chocolate chips and chocolate almond bark. I ALWAYS recommend almond bark if you have it, and only because I was out of it in white and needed very little did I mess with chocolate chips. If you can avoid using them for melt do so, they do not contain the necessary amount of cocoa butter for a good consistency to work with.
First melt the smaller amounts in a double boiler, then drizzle over sheet protectors, I made two sheets.

 Melt one entire block of chocolate almond bark and spread over the drizzles, allow to set up. Then break into chunks.  I also used the Wilton chocolate bowl mold to make some various size and color half circles.

 Make a chocolate fudge frosting

Icing

1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

3/4 c unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 c cocoa powder

3-4 c powdered sugar, measured then sifted

1/2 c half and half or water

Blend chocolate, butter, vanilla, cocoa powder and half of powdered sugar. 

Add remaining powdered sugar and half and half whipping with mixer until desired consistency is reached.

Spread in between all layers and on top and sides, adhere broken chocolate to sides and place bowls on top, fill with assorted chocolate candies.

  

Foodie Friday
Wow Us Wednesdays

 Under the Table and Dreaming
Show and Tell Friday

Dessert Shooters

Quick and easy dessert shooters! Mix 3 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 c cool whip, layer with caramel ice cream topping and crushed vanilla wafers. Option 2 layer pudding, cool whip and crushed oreos. How easy was that!

Tip: to place pudding etc in deep shot glasses, try putting filling in a pastry bag or in a ziplock bag and cut the tip off.


There are many more options for mini desserts that can be found Here and Here plus check out pinterest! And you can follow me on Pinterest HERE.

Stuffed Baguette- and Holiday Buffet

The Stuffed Baguette

  For one 12 inch baguette
Hollow out inside of baguette by cutting off ends and pulling bread out of center. I cut the baguette into two pieces to make it easier and then used a long handle of a wooden spoon.
Filling
8 oz cream cheese
4 oz goat cheese
fresh minced garlic- 1 small clove or garlic powder
pepper to taste
thyme
parsley
basil
finely chopped salami
chopped red peppers
finely chopped olives
I am leaving the amount of spices and meat up to you, tailor it to your taste.
Warm cheeses to room temp and mix together well. Add remaining ingredients and stuff baguette, I went in from each side about half way and again used the wooden spoon to help tap it down. Wrap and chill a few hours, slice when ready to serve.

 This was a great addition to the holiday party table and received much approval. Seen above in slices along with a cheese ball shaped into a snow man.

 Sams club tortellini mixed with pepperoni, salami and olive oil.  Olive ball recipe found here.

 a home made cocoa bar with chocolate stir sticks

And the dessert table.

Mocha Truffles

2 (12 oz) pkg semisweet chocolate chips
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 Tbs instant coffee granuals
2 tsp water
1 pound chocolate almond bark


In microwave or over a double boiler melt chocolate chips, add cream cheese, coffee, and water. Mix well and chill mixture until firm enough to shape. Form 1 inch balls and chill again for 1 hour. Melt chocolate in double boiler and dip truffles a few at a time leaving others to remain chilled. Let set up on wax paper. Drizzle other chocolate, sprinkles, or coffee over top (opt).

Peanut Butter Snowballs

2 c powdered sugar
1 c creamy peanut butter
6 Tbs softened butter
1 pound white or milk chocolate almond bark 

Combine sugar, peanut butter and butter, mix well and form into 1 inch balls. Place on wax paper and chill until firm. Meanwhile melt almond bark over a double boiler, dip peanut butter balls in a few at a time keeping remaining ones chilled. Let set on wax paper.