Toffee

I don't like toffee, but my family really liked this and its really easy to make!

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 pound milk chocolate candy coating, melted

Directions
In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 300° (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Do not overcook.
Remove from the heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Pour into a buttered 13-in. x 9-in. pan. Do not spread candy; mixture will not fill pan.
When cool, break into bite-size pieces. Dip into melted chocolate; place on waxed paper until the chocolate is firm. Store candy tightly covered. Yield: 1-1/2 pounds.

Sugar Cookies

I love my old sugar cookie recipe, but they don't hold their shape well. I did a bunch of research, and built my own recipe. I made several batches. With some trial and error, I finally created one with the taste I love that still hold their shape. Just adding flour makes them dry and shortening isn't the same as butter. Too much heat melts the sugar too fast and flattens the cookie, so a high sugar recipe wouldn't work with high temps. (The above picture: The white is my regular recipe with extra flour. The pink is less granulated sugar, temp 400. They look great but I didn't like the flavor as well. The purple was more sugar, soda, cream of tartar and 400 temp. The blue is the recipe below with powdered sugar.)

I traded out the baking powder for some baking soda and cream of tartar. And a friend of mine told me that granulated sugar melts at a different temperature than powdered sugar. She told me it's the granulated sugar that flattens out the cookies, so I traded that straight across. So, see what you think.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 eggs

3 tsp. vanilla

3 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Chill for 1 hour. Roll 1/4 inch thick on floured surface. Cut out shapes. Bake at 350 for 10-12 min. Cool completely. Frost and decorate!

If you want a variation, you could substitute 1 tsp. almond flavoring for the vanilla. Or add keep vanilla and add 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 1 tsp. cinnamon. (Great variation for the holidays.

Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tblsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 Tblsp. butter

Directions:

Mix until smooth and not too runny.

Granita al Limone (Italian lemon Ice)

Lylli's class did a banquet of foods around the world. So, we found this and made it! It's from Italy! Lots of fun and real easy! She did all of it. Although, she didn't want lemon, so we made apricot. I'll put my recipe at the end.

Ingredients:•Water -- 3 cups
•Sugar -- 1 1/2 cups
•Fresh lemon juice -- 1 cup

Directions:

1.Bring 1 cup of the water and the sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let to cool.
2.Stir in the remaining water and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a glass baking dish and set in the freezer for one or two hours until it starts to get slushy.
3.Stir well with a fork, breaking up any large chunks of ice or ice crystals. Repeat this process every 20 minutes or so until the granita is frozen solid.
4.Place scoops in small glasses or dessert bowls and serve.

Variations:

Let your imagination run free. There are so many options. Here are a couple of the more common variations:

•Granita alla Arancia (Orange Granita): 1/4 cup water; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 3 cups of orange juice. Boil the water and sugar only long enough to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the orange lemon juice. Freeze as for lemon granita. Add a couple tablespoons of orange-flavored liqueur for a luxurious twist.
•Granita di Fragole (Strawberry Granita): 1 cup of water; 3/4 cup sugar; 1 pound strawberries, hulled and pureed; 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Boil the water and sugar as for the lemon granita. Stir in the strawberry puree and lemon juice. Freeze as for lemon granita.

Here's my apricot recipe. It's smooth like a sorbet but needs served immediately after you take it out of the freezer. If you want it more icy, I think you'd just have to add more water.

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

3 cups apricot nectar

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 - 1 tsp. almond flavoring

Heat water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add apricot nectar, lemon juice, almond flavor, and freeze like above.

Donut Recipe

Note: As I had never made donuts before, I did some research first. If you'd like, The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog has a great step-by-step guide of how-to-make donuts you may find helpful. I did. Her recipe is different, but it will give you a general idea of what to do and what to expect!
Also, my friend told me that you should glaze all the donuts, even if you plan to dip them in chocolate or something. The glaze will help lock in the moisture and help them stay fresh longer!

An Aside: I didn't have a biscuit cutter or donut cutter so I used a drinking glass and a medicine cup. :)

1 T yeast
1/4 C hot water
1 t salt
3/4 C luke warm water
1/4 C sugar
1 egg
1/4 C soft shortening
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 C flour

Soften yeast in hot water and a little of the sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients including half of the flour and mix. Knead in the rest of the flour. (Dough should be soft but not overly sticky.) Place in a greased bowl and let rise until double. Punch down and let rise until double again. Roll out dough 1/3" thick and cut out donuts. Let rise for 40 minutes on a floured surface (in a draft free place.) Heat oil to 375 degrees. Gently place 4 to 5 donuts in oil at a time for about 40 seconds. Flip over and fry on other side. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Immediately immerse in glaze and cool. Makes 18

Glaze
1lb powdered sugar
1/2 C hot water
1/2 C butter

Heat over medium high heat and stir until melted and combined. If it's too runny and hot, cool slightly before dipping donuts. This recipe will allow you to dip 18 donuts.

Enjoy! They are DELICIOUS!

Carmel Dip . . .

. . . for apples.

My friend (the chef) made this for our book club tonight and I had to post it so I wouldn't lose it. :) It is SO good!!

Ingredients:
1 cup Carmels, unwrapped
10 big marshmallows
1 Tblsp. Butter
3 tblsp. cream

Directions:
Melt Carmels in a microwave safe bowl until soft. Mix until smooth. Mix in marshmallows, butter, and cream. Reheat as needed. Serve with sliced apples! HEAVENLY! :)

Pizza Sandwiches

Do you remember these?
They are so easy and yummy!!! The kids LOVE them!

Ingredients:
slices of bread
ketchup
cheese
spices of your choosing (like Mrs. Dash or your own blend) opt.


Directions:
Preheat oven to a low broil setting and put the oven rack close to the top.
Place slices of bread on a cookie sheet. Spread ketchup over the bread. Sprinkle spices lightly over the ketchup. Layer with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted!

Chocolate Cream Popcorn

I tried this today for something a little different, and loved it!!!

Ingredients:
2 quarts popped corn
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup chocolate pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Lightly grease large bowl, and place the popped corn in it.

In saucepan, mix sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook over moderate heat to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Add butter; when it is melted; add chocolate. Stir in vanilla extract.

Slowly pour hot syrup over popped corn, stirring constantly with two forks.

Continue stirring until corn is coated and syrup loses its gloss. When mixture is cool; store in tightly covered containers.

Rice Krispie Easter Eggs

If you ever need a fun, crative, food craft for Easter, this is it!

Ingredients:

3 Tblsp. butter

40 large marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispie's Cereal

Sugar

Food coloring (varius colors)

Directions:

Melt butter and marshmallows in a pan on low heat. Add cereal and stir until coated. With buttered hands, shape into eggs. (I poured the mixture in to a buttered pan to cool slightly and they were easier to shape.) Cool.

Put 1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar in each bowl. Add a drop of food coloring and stir until mixed. If you want a richer color, add more color. Roll treats in the sugar. Frost or decorate with candy if you want! YUM!

Chewy Peanut Butter Blossoms

I have a perfectly good peanut butter cookie recipie until I got this from a friend. These cookies are simply divine!!! They are the best peanut butter cookie I've ever had! And they are a MUST try!

Ingredients:

About 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tblsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Granulated sugar

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until very lightly browned (do not overbake). Remove from oven; immediately press chocolate piece in center of each ball. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completley. Store in tightly covered container. About 48 cookies.

Carnival Corndogs

I know I posted another recipe for corndogs awhile ago, but they were gluten free, and not NEARLY as good as these are! These are like the real thing, and not hard to do at all. Give them a try. NOTE: You can make a double batch and freeze extras for easy lunches for the kids.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 quart oil for frying
8-10 hotdogs of choice

wooden skewers

Directions:

Preheat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat to 375.
In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Stir in eggs and milk. Insert wooden skewers into hotdogs (I break mine in half so they're short; otherwise they don't fit in my pan). Dry hotdogs with paper towels and roll in batter until well coated. Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time for 3-5 minutes, or until browned. Drain on paper towels.

French Dip Sandwiches

We love this recipie at our house and have it often! It's easy and fast and makes the house smell sooo good!

SERVINGS: 8
CATEGORY: Sandwich
METHOD: Slow Cooker
TIME: Prep: 15 min. Cook: 5 hours

Ingredients:
1 beef chuck roast (3 pounds), trimmed
2 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 whole peppercorns
8 French rolls, split

Directions:

Place trimmed roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the water, soy sauce and seasonings. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or until beef is tender. Remove meat from broth; shred with forks and keep warm. Strain broth; skim of fat. (If you trim it you shouldn't have to do this.) Pour broth into small cups for dipping. Serve beef on rolls.

Yield: 8 servings.

Strawberry Smoothie Ice-Cream Pie

I did this for the girls' birthday party! It was so good!!!

Prep: 50 min.; Bake: 10 min.; Stand: 35 min.; Freeze: 4 hrs., 30 min. Makes 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients
1 (7-ounce) package waffle cones, broken into pieces
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 (1-quart) containers premium vanilla ice cream, divided
1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries (1 quart), stemmed
1/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 ripe bananas
Garnishes: waffle cone pieces, fresh whole strawberries, fresh blueberries

Preparation
Process first 3 ingredients in a food processor until finely crushed. Firmly press mixture onto bottom of a lightly greased 10-inch springform pan.
Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Let vanilla ice cream stand at room temperature 20 minutes or until slightly softened.
Process strawberries and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar in a food processor until pureed, stopping to scrape down sides; remove strawberry mixture, and set aside.
Process blueberries and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar in food processor until pureed, stopping to scrape down sides; set aside.
Mash bananas with a fork in a large bowl; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Set aside.
Place 1 quart of ice cream in a large bowl; cut into large (3-inch) pieces. Fold strawberry mixture into ice cream until blended. Place in freezer until slightly firm.
Divide remaining quart of ice cream in half, placing halves in separate bowls. Stir blueberry mixture into half and mashed banana mixture into remaining half. Place bowls in freezer.
Spread half of strawberry mixture evenly into prepared crust in springform pan. Place pan and remaining strawberry mixture in freezer. Freeze 30 minutes or until strawberry layer in pan is slightly firm. Spread banana mixture evenly over strawberry layer in pan; return pan to freezer, and freeze 30 minutes or until banana layer is slightly firm. Repeat procedure with blueberry mixture. Spread remaining strawberry mixture over blueberry layer in pan, and freeze 3 hours or until all layers are firm. Let pie stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Easy Popcorn Balls

This was Grandma Lorimer's recipe. It's easy and delicious and the kids love it. If you're real ambitious you can add peanuts, M&M's, or whatever else you want. If I'm feeling lazy, instead of making balls, I'll press the popcorn into a pan or a ring or something!

Ingredients~
6 quarts of popped corn (I pop 1/2 cup corn and that works out great!) (And don't forget to sift through it and get rid of the old maids)
1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 3oz. pkg. of jell-o, any flavor

Directions~
Combine sugar, syrup, and jell-o in a saucepan. Bring just to a boil. Pour over popped corn. Shape into balls with buttered hands.

Tangy Chicken Nuggets

I thought I might share a recipe that my family loves! The girls love to help out with this and they are so tasty. I always get compliments when I make them. (This is the same recipie I posted on my blog several months ago but thought I'd log it in here too.)

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups crushed crackers (I use Saltines)
1 tsp. oregano
1 egg white
1 Tblsp. water
3 Tblsp. BBQ sauce
2 Tblsp. peach or apricot jam

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. Place flour, salt, and pepper in resealable plastic food storage bag. Combine cracker crumbs and oregano in another bag. Whisk egg white together with water in a small bowl.

Place 6 or 8 chicken pieces in bag with flour mixture; seal bag and shake until coated. Remove chicken from bag and dip chicken pieces into egg white mixture, coating all sides. Place in cracker crumbs until coated. Place on shallow baking pan. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Bake until nuggets are golden brown, about 10-13 min.

To make dippinng sauce, stir together the BBQ sauce and jam in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until heated through. Serving chicken nuggets with dipping sauce (or I like ranch). If freezing nuggets for use at another time, do not prepare dipping sauce at this time.

Note: If you don't want to use apricot jam, honey can be used to sweeten the sauce while 1 tsp. cider vinegar and a few drops of hot pepper sauce will give the sauce a tany flavor.

Enchilada Casserole

I saw that Katrina wanted this recipe, so I thought I'd post it. It's pretty easy and the kids like to help do the layering. I'll put down the recipe that I have but I seldom to never use corn. I frequently add refried beans or kidney beans though. Sometimes I'll add a little taco seasoning with the hamburger too. That's good. Enjoy!

Brown:
1lb. hamburger
1 small onion
taco seasoning (opt.)

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup salsa

Also needed:
tortilla chips
lots of cheese
1 can corn, drained
refried beans (opt.)
kidney beans (opt.)

Layer in 9X13 pan: 1/4 of sauce, tortilla chips to cover bottom of pan, all of hamburger, some cheese, more sauce, corn (drained), (add your beans here if you want), more tortilla chips to cover, rest of sauce, and more grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min. Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or whatever else suits you.

Homemade Granola Bars

Wow! The girls and I just tried out this recipie and we love it!!! It calls for dried fruit and nuts, but feel free to try other flavors. We omited the cinnamon, fruit, and nuts and added mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. YUMMM!!!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried fruit bits
1/2 cup sliced almonds

1. Heat the oven to 350° F. Coat a 9- by 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 2. Melt the butter or margarine in a large pot over low heat. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the sugar, honey, flour, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Transfer the mixture to the baking pan. Using a sheet or waxed paper and the palms of your hands, press the granola firmly into the pan, packing it to a flat and even thickness.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Allow the granola to cool 1 hour in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars. Makes 16 to 24 rectangular bars.