Chocolate Yummies

Chocolate Yummies

3 cups rice crispies cereal

7 whole honey graham crackers

2 ½ cups mini marshmallows

2 cups semi sweet morsels

2/3 cup light corn syrup

3 tbs margarine

½ cup crunchy peanut butter

Coat a 13X9 in microwave safe dish with cooking spray. Place 6 whole pieces graham crackers in single layer in bottom. Cut remaining pieces to fit  in remained of bottom.  Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over crackers.

Microwave on high 1 minute or until marshmallows are puffy.  Remove from microwave and cool completely.

In 2 quart microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate morsels, corn syrup, and margarine. Microwave on high about 1 ½ minutes or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Stir in peanut butter.  Add cereal mix until evenly combined.   Spread evenly over marshmallows.  Cover and refrigerate about an hour or until firm. Cut and store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Fresh Frozen Summer Pizza

Fresh Fruit Summer Pizza

6        frozen dinner rolls (texas style if you can find them)  thawed and risen

8 oz  fat free cream cheese

2 tbs strawberry preserves

½ cup mandarin oranges drained

3 kiwis sliced

6-8 strawberries  halved

½ cup blueberries

Knead rolls together into a ball. Roll into a 13 inch circle. Place in a 12 inch pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until browned. Keep bubbles from forming by pressing dough down 5 minutes into the baking cycle.  Remove from oven and cool. Mix cream cheese with strawberry preserves and spread on crust. Arrange fruit on top.  You can also use other in season fruits like grapes, pineapple, banana, peaches  etc

Cheese Danish

Cheese Danish

16 oz cream cheese softened

½ tsp vanilla

1 egg beaten

½ cup sugar

½ jam or pie filling

2 packages of refrigerated crescent roll dough

4 oz sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl. Unroll 1 can crescent roll dough on cookie sheet sealing perforations. Spread cream cheese filling on dough, leaving ¼ inch edges. Top with jam/ filling.  Unroll second can of dough and lay on first layer. Seal edges with a fork. Brush with beaten egg.  Sprinkle with sliced almonds and bake for 30 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

S'more Bars

I have always LOVED to cook and eat s'mores.

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 C. margarine or butter
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1 C. flour
1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs (about 1/2 a package graham crackers)
2 C. mini marshmallows (or as many as you'd like)
1/2 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

Beat margarine or butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add combined flour and crumbs; mix well.

Press onto bottom of greased 9 inch square baking pan.

Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown.

Just a note: I made these for one of my good friends just after she had a baby. I decided to double the recipe to have some for my family as well. As we were hurrying out the door, so that we wouldn't be late, I was holding my baby in one arm and these treats (shown here) with the other hand. A bit of advice, don't do that! I ended up losing balance between treats and baby and the entire pan came crashing to the floor. There was chocolate and gooey marshmallow and shards of glass EVERYWHERE!! I was so mad that these so yummy treats were a total waste. Good thing I made two so at least my friend was still able to get some!

Apple Pie Bread

YIELD: 1 loaf

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOK TIME: 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

For the Batter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons homemade apple pie spice (see below)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded, peeled apple (about 4 medium or 2 large) (see note below)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries

For the Streusel Topping

1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon homemade apple pie spice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds. Add in sugars and mix until well combined. Add buttermilk and baking powder; beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly incorporated. In a medium bowl, combine flour, apple pie spice and salt, whisk until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Fold in apples, pecans and cranberries.

3. Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Prepare the Streusel Topping.

4. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and apple pie spice. Using apastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans. Spoon Streusel Topping over the batter, pressing them gently into the batter.

5. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

6. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

NOTES:

- Depending upon the type of apples you use, you may end up with a great deal of liquid after grating the apples. I suggest using only the grated apples, not the liquid that is produced. If necessary, lightly squeeze the apples to release any excess juice before adding them to the batter.
- I have made this recipe using Honey Crisp and Granny Smith apples.
- Raisins and walnuts would be a spectacular addition to this bread.
- You don't have to wait for the loaf to sit overnight before cutting, it just tastes better after the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Apple Pie Spice

YIELD: about 1/3 cup

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine spices in a small bowl, mix well to combine. Store in a small jar or spice container.

NOTES:

- These measurements don't need to be precise. If you prefer more of one spice or less of another, feel free to adjust to your liking.
- If using freshly grated nutmeg, you'll want to decrease the amount a bit as it tends to be be quire a bit stronger than jarred, ground nutmeg.

Blueberry Monkey Bread

This is wonderful  and  give credit to    home made simple

Blueberry Monkey Bread



INGREDIENTS 
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 cans (10 ounces each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
3/4 cup margarine

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Thoroughly grease a bundt cake or round cake pan. If you don’t have one of those, a 9” x 5 1/2” bread pan will work.
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut biscuits into bite-sized pieces, then cover each piece in the sugar mixture.
3. Arrange one layer of biscuit pieces in the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle about a quarter of the blueberries on top of it.
4. Repeat adding layers of biscuit pieces and blueberries until you reach the top of the pan.
5. In a saucepan, combine the rest of the sugar mixture with margarine. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and the margarine is melted. Pour over the biscuits in the pan.
6. Bake for 65 minutes or until done. Lift and turn out onto a cake plate. Top with icing, if desired.

Monkey around

Family favorite here.

Monkey Bread

2 cans (8biscuits each) small biscuits 

combine 1 & 1/2 cups sugar  with 3/4- 1 cup cinnamon

spray a bunt pan and set aside.

in small sauce pan place 1-2 sticks up butter (depends on how gooey you like your bread)  set on low  heat to begin melting.

cut each biscuit into 4ths  and coat with cinnamon sugar mix then place in bunt pan evenly as possible.

with remaining cinnamon and sugar mix  stir into melted  butter  and  pour over biscuits.

Bake at 350 F  for about an hour.  will spring back when touched.

Invert onto place and drizzle with white icing (optional)

Friendship ties that bind.

This recipe is intended to share.  So many of us never take a moment to sit with a friend or just drop off a small gift of love from  the  heart.  We all know how important it is to show kindness.  This is great way to start. Neighbors, Postal carries, trash men, friends you haven't seen in a while, co-workers, or just because you feel like sharing,  a nice little smile when you hand over some home made love will brighten anyone's day.

So  here's  what to do.  have fun and let me know what you think.

In a large bowl mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and  1 cup milk cover and let sit on counter away from heat.

The next day mix  1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Mix well cover and let sit.

For the next 4-6 days do the same as before. On the day you are ready to bake. Mix  one cup of each again and set aside.   Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

In small bowl mix one cup sugar  with ¼- ½ cup cinnamon.  Spray 2 bread pans with cooking spray then sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar mix.

In separate large bowl mix the following ingredients

 2 cups of the mixture that you have been adding to everyday,  1 cup oil, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp salt, 1 cup sugar, 3 large eggs, 2 cups flour, ½ cup milk, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 large box of instant pudding (flavor depends on what type of bread you will make).

Ok Here is the important part. 

For butterscotch bread  simply use instant butterscotch pudding  (you can add almond slivers if you like)

For Cinnamon bread  use instant French Vanilla pudding  and add  ½ cup of cinnamon

For  Banana bread  use instant banana pudding, diced nuts,  and  2-3 mashed bananas.   (sprinkle top of bread with nuts before baking.

For any berry  bread use instant french vanilla pudding and minced  frozen berrys.

For tropical bread use instant french vanilla pudding and tropical trail mix minced.

For chocolate peanut butter bread  use instant chocolate pudding  add peanut butter chips.

For zucchinni bread  add 2 shredded  large zucchinni  and instant vanilla pudding.

Divide mixture between bread pans and bake for about an hour. Will spring back when touched in center top.

Cool on wire racks. Wrap with plastic wrap snuggly.

Share with friends. Your friends will enjoy!  

Recipe is easily doubled or tripled.   

Can serve cold or warm, with or without butter. Also tastey  with cream cheese.

 

THIS  PHOTO IS OF BANANA NUT