Tag Archives: recipes

15 Halloween Ideas

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I decided today that I would do a roundup of 15 Fall and Halloween crafts, decorations, recipes, and printables from  previous posts.   To view the post, for directions or recipes,  just click on the link below each picture. Continue reading →

Celebrate Summer with Lucky Leaf

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 I was contacted by a company called “Lucky Leaf” and asked if I would like a free sample of their products and then in turn would I write a post about it.  I was actually quite excited about it when I found out that it involved food!  So a few days later I received a fun package in the mail and I was excited to try out some of their great recipes!

The first recipe that I tried out was the frozen pie pops, who would of thought to make a Popsicle with canned pie filling?  Not me, but  I tried this recipe and they were delicious and so full of flavor.   I love the cute pop mold that they sent, the handle on the top looks like a tongue sticking out ready to lick the Popsicle!  As you can see a couple of my grand kids did the kid-taste test and it looks like they passed, they loved them and I loved how quick and easy they were to make.

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Salted Caramel Butter Bars

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How many of you did the Black Friday thing?  I do not do that anymore, but my daughter did and I have to tell you what happened to her!  She decided to meet up with one of her friends and they decided to meet at Wally World at 10:00 pm.  My daughter left her home at a little after 9:00 pm to drive about 15 mins away.  (She wanted to get there a little bit early.)  She pulled onto the freeway and looked up ahead and the traffic was stopped!  There was a 4 car pile-up wreck, and the freeway was totally blocked!  It took her almost an hour and a half to go 15-20 miles!  Needless to say she did not get very much of what she had set out to get, because she was 1/2 hour late.  (Oh how I do not miss those days!)  They then went to Kohl’s for the midnight opening and the line was clear down around the store, but at least she got the things that she wanted in there!  She got home at about 1 am and went to bed for a couple of hours and then got up and ordered some more things online!  Oh my! What we as mothers don’t do for our little beloved children!  Boy am I glad that all of my little beloveds are grown and I can just go to bed at night!
So here is a recipe for all of you that did the Black Friday thing and need to reward yourself just a little bit.  One word of warning, these are very, very rich but very, very yummy!
My daughter made these and brought them for Thanksgiving.

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

For the Crust:
1 lb. salted butter room temp
1 cup sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla
4 cups all purpose flour
For the Filling:
1 bag 14 oz. caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped or 14 oz Peters   caramel
1/3 cup milk or cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 T. coarse sea salt (optional)
To make the crust:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust.
Preheat to 325F.
Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.
While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Pour the caramel filling over the crust.  If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.
Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
Let cool before cutting into squares
When I make these I  just use 14 oz of the  Peters caramel, then you do not have to unwrap all the individual caramels. I am lazy that way!)
Have a great weekend!

Mom’s Chili

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This recipe is one of those that you just can’t hurry…but is worth the wait!

Is there anything better than a good hearty bowl of chili on a cold, and dreary day?

Mom’s Chili Beans

1 1/2 -2 cups red kidney beans-rinse well, then soak in a big kettle, (covering beans with hot water) for a couple of hours, then simmer over low heat until done (2-3 hours). You may need to add more water, so the beans do not boil dry.

Brown 1 lb hamburger,

add 1 onion diced and

1 green pepper-chopped

Add to beans along with:

1 large can diced tomatoes, or 3-4 cups tomato juice (I usually do a combination of juice a 1 small can tomatoes)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cheyenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1-2 tsp chili powder (depending on how spicy you want it!)

Simmer beans and rest of ingredients all together for 1/2 hour.  Remove bay leaf before serving. To serve you can top with shredded cheese, sour cream, corn chips, bread cubes or croutons.  Serve with a big slice of bread or your favorite crackers!

Great comfort food!

 

Apple Pie in a Jar!

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My daughter-in-law taught a class on how to make these darling pies! You can see a great tutorial here from Our Best Bites.  She made little mini apple pies in glass jars.   First you prepare the apples-peel and slice them, about 6 cups. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon  lemon juice.  Mix well and set aside.

Make No Fail Pie Crust and roll out quite thin.  Using the rim of the jar, cut a round circle for the top of the pie.  Then roll out another circle large enough to put down inside the bottle.  Or you can just take pieces and press them into the jar.  Make sure that you push the dough down into the bottom of the jar, and that you press it all the way to the top. Add prepared fruit, approximately 1/2 cup per jar.  These are 1/2 pint wide mouth jars.Add the dough circle to the top.  You will need to vent them by cutting slits in them or using a small cookie cutter, like the leaf to cut a hole in the top.  Gently press down the top, so the edges of the circle are completely inside the jar. (The braided top should have been pressed down to be completely inside the jar, so learn from us!) Using a fork press the dough from the top to seal with the dough in the jar.  Here are several versions of how you can make the tops…Lattice, braided edge, or leaf cutout.  You could also use a crumb topping.Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of sugar.  You could also brush the tops with a little bit of butter before sprinkling the sugar on.  Doesn’t this look Heavenly?!Place the jars on a baking sheet. Bake them at 375 degrees F. for 45-55 minutes or until tops are golden brown.After they cool down you can wipe the edges off and add these cute toppers to your jars!  What a fun gift idea!  The holidays are coming up soon and these would be fun neighbor gifts, or for your friends with a carton of icecream and fun scoop…you get the idea.She did a great job and look how yummy they are!Here is the printable for the top of the jars.  Just right click and go to copy, then open your favorite program, like word, and right click and paste.  These are the right size for a wide mouth lid.Here are some cute tags to tie on with the ribbon.

You could buy all ready made pie crust and canned pie filling if you want a faster version of making these.  I am thinking it would be way fun to do Pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving!

This is a recipe for No Fail Pie Crust, that I have in an old church cookbook.  I cannot remember how long ago, but at least 20 years ago!  And I know that it has stood the test of time! I have never had this recipe fail me!  Just make sure that you do not over mix the dough.

Happy Pie Making!

No Fail Pie Crust Recipe

4 cups flour

1 3/4 cup shortening

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 Tbsp. vinegar

1/2 cup cold water

Mix flour, salt and sugar together.  Beat egg, vinegar and water until thouroughly blended.  Cut shortening into dry ingredients until it is the size of peas.  Sprinkle egg mixture over it, a tablespoon at a time, tossing and stirring lightly with a fork.  Mix until dough is just moist enough to hold together. Do not overmix or it will make a tough dough.

Form ball.  Let stand for 15 minutes.  Makes 4 shells or 2 double-crust pies.  Bake shells 8-10 mins at 450 degrees F.

Roasted Pumkin Seeds

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When I made the “mumkin” the other day, I took the seeds out and decided to roast them.  I found a recipe on allrecipes and tweaked it a bit.  But boy are they yummy.  I have never made these before and I think that I may have just discovered a new tradition for our fall treats from now on!

Here is my version of the recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup raw whole pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon butter-melted

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Clean the pulp off the pumpkin seeds. Rinse well and pat dry. Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter.  Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle witih kosher salt and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. stir occasionally.

Let cool and enjoy.  I think that these would also be good with garlic salt, seasoned salt or any other seasoning that you love!

I ‘m “nutty” about these Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!

French Cocoa

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It is a cold, rainy, dreary day outside today.  Perfect for staying indoors with  a big mug of hot chocolate with the fireplace going and a good book to read, wrapped up in your favorite quilt!  At least until you have to get on with real life!  But you could at least make a big mug of hot chocolate!

A  few years ago my friend, Leslie, gave me this recipe for French Cocoa.  I really was not a great fan of hot chocolate…but I guess that I am now!

To make this French Cocoa you will put the unsweetened chocolate squares, sugar and water into a pan. (I am only making 1/2 of the recipe, because it is too big for my empty nester family.) Bring to a boil and let it boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then let it cool to room temperature.Whip your cream until it is very stiff.Fold the cooled chocolate into the cream.This is heaven, folks!  At this point you can just refrigerate until you want to make French Cocoa. (Try not to eat the whole bowl before you make the cocoa. I may or may not have had a few tastes!)Or you can take a large icecream scoop…And scoop onto a cookie sheet.  I lined mine with parchment paper so they would come right off after freezing them. Flash freeze for about 2 hours, then put into a freezer container. (Half of the recipe makes about 12 servings)To make your cocoa, heat milk in a mug until very warm.  Add one scoop of the chocolate mixture and watch the foam start to form!

This truly is a great comfort drink and warms you all the way to your toes!  You need to try this recipe.  It is Heaven!

Here is the printable recipe.  To print-right click on the image, go to copy, then open your favorite program, like word.  Right click again and go to paste.

 It is a 4 x 6 format so it will fit in your recipe box!

Just Peachy!

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I went out last Sat. night and noticed that my peaches were ready to pick!  The reason I knew they were ready was because the birds had started eating them!  I was bound and determined not to let the birds win, so my husband and I went out and picked them all.  This tree is only 3 years old and it was loaded this year.  I should have thinned them out a little more because they were not really big, but that is ok, because they have a fantastic flavor!I bottled peaches on Monday and I love to see all the bottles lined up on my cupboard before I put them away in the pantry.  I think that they look so pretty.Then I had to make this yummy fresh peach dessert.

I’m in Heaven!Here is the recipe, if you have any peaches around, you should seriously make this dessert!

Tomorrow I am going to flash freeze the rest of the peaches on a cookie sheet so that I can make smoothies with them!  Yum!

LeeAnn’s Salsa

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I had a little Girls Night Out with my cute girls. We made a fun Halloween craft that I will post next week.  But while everyone was here, we had to eat of course!  We had chips and homemade salsa which is always a favorite also fruit and carmel dip and yummy pumpkin cupcakes with carmel frosting.  I can feel fall starting to come in the air, and carmel and apples and pumpkin are the smells and tastes that come with it!

This recipe is from my sister and the secret ingredient is the green onions!  They make it taste sooo good!  If you are looking for a way to use up all those tomatoes and peppers from your garden you should really give this recipe a try!