5/04/2010

Easy No Bake Cookies!

These are great, and always go fast! Kids can help with ingredients, but gets VERY hot and sticky on stove top!

What you need:

~ Cookie sheet with wax paper on top.

Ingredients:

~ 2 cups white sugar
~ 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
~ 1/2 cup milk
~ 1/2 cup butter
~ 1 tsp. vanilla extract
~ 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter (smooth works too!)
~ 3 cups original oatmeal

Directions:

~ In a saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

~ Boil for 1 minute, lower heat and add vanilla, salt, peanut butter, mix until peanut butter melted.

~ Remove from heat and add oatmeal, mix well until all oatmeal is evenly coated.

~ Drop onto wax paper one tablespoon at a time, allow to cool (you can also place cookie sheet in the fridge to cool faster!)

ENJOY!!!!

Frog Eye'd Salad- great for summer bbq's

This is an old family favorite, my grandmother used to make it EVERY 4th of July and it was gone in an instant.

What you need:

~ Large bowl to serve it in, large saucepan, large pot for boiling pasta.

Ingredients:

~ 1 cup white sugar
~ 3 eggs yolks
~ 2 Tbs. all purpose flour
~2 cups pineapple juice
~ 1 Tbs. lemon juice
~ 1 (16 oz.) package acini di pepe pasta
~ 2 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple
~ 2 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained
~ 3/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
~1 (16 oz.) package mini marshmallows
~ 1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

~ in a large saucepan over low heat combine sugar, eggs yolks, flour, pineapple juice and lemon juice. Stir and cook until thickened, remove from heat.

~ While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water.

~ In a large bowl, combine cooked mixture with pasta and toss to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

~ Toss pasta with pineapple, oranges, maraschino cherries, marshmallows and whipped topping. Refrigerate until serving.

It definitely has an interesting texture, but its very good. I would compare it to a type of jello salad... with a little more density!

ENJOY!!!

5/02/2010

Captain Chuck's Fudge

My father-in-law is a great cook and always treats our tummies well when we visit. Something we have all come to love is his delicious fudge, which is easy to make and great to share! (The secret is in the sugar!)

What you need:

~ small aluminum baking pan that's disposable, about 8" works well. Also, a candy thermometer.

Ingredients:

~ 1 1/2 cubes butter
~ 3 cups C&H sugar (or Domino sugar) other sugars are too grainy!
~ 6 oz. evaporated milk
~ 1 Tsp. vanilla
~ 1 tsp. milk (if fudge seems too dry)
~ 2 HEAPING cups chocolate chips
~ 4 HEAPING cups mini marshmallows

Optional:
~2-3 cups marshmallows
~ 2-3 cups nuts
~1-2 cups Toffee chunks

Directions:

~ Add all required ingredients and bring to 225 to 235 degrees.
~ Add chocolate chips and marshmallows.
~Stir like crazy!
~ Add optional ingredients if desired, pour into pan and let cool.

He's a genius in the kitchen, so his few SPECIFIC tidbits do make all the difference!

ENJOY!!!!

Cherry gelatin mold

My friends children have lots of allergy issues, we always try to find delicious and creative ways to make sweets for them too. Here's a good one for kids allergic to dairy, its bright and colorful and tastes great!

What you need:

~ Gelatin mold, or a bundt pan (that's what I used!), spray with non-stick cooking spray first.

Ingredients:

~ 1 (12 oz.) can Coke
~ 1 (16.5 oz.) can pitted Bing cherries
~ 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice
~ 1 (6 oz.) package black cherry gelatin
~ 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

~ Drain pineapple. Drain the cherries and save their juice.

~ In a saucepan, combine the reserved cherry juice with the coke. Heat until boiling then stir in gelatin. Mix until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the drained pineapple, drained cherries, and chopped pecans. Pour mixture into a mold and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

ENJOY!!!

Dirt... need I say more!

Alright, remember how yummy dirt used to be when you were 2? NOPE, nobody else does either! However, this is a vast improvement over the original "dirt" we all made pies out of! This is another good one for the kids to help out with!

What you need:

~ Very large bowl or plastic "terra cotta" looking flower pot! Fake flowers or gummy worms are a nice touch as well.

Ingredients:

~ 1/2 cup butter, softened
~ 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
~ 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
~ 2 (3.5 oz.) packages instant french vanilla pudding mix
~ 3 1/2 cups milk
~ 1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped cream, thawed
~ 32 oz. Oreo's

Directions:

~ Smash cookies in large ziploc bag with a rolling pin, or put in food processor until fine.
~ Mix butter, cream cheese, and sugar in a bowl.
~ In a large bowl mix milk, pudding and whipped cream together.
~ Combine pudding mixture and cream mixture together.
~ Layer in bowl or flower pot, starting with cookies, then cream. Repeat until last layer on top is cookies only.
~ Chill until ready to serve.
~ Add flowers or worms right before serving!

ENJOY!!!!

Easy Apple Pie... that's SOOO good!

My husband isn't a fan of many desserts unless its absolutely the darkest chocolate ever! He's also not a fan of fruit (sounds to healthy!); HOWEVER, he eats this like nobodies business!

Easy Apple Pie


What you need:

~ 9 inch pie crust

Ingredients:

~ 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (think Pillsbury ready made pie crusts)
~ 1/2 cup unsalted butter
~ 3 Tbs. all purpose flour
~ 1/4 cup of water
~ 1/2 cup white sugar
~ 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
~ 8 granny smith apples; peeled, cored, and sliced

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a past. Add water, white sugar, and brown sugar, and bring to boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

~ Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter mixture over the crust (try to get as much crust as possible). Pour slowly so it does not run off.

~ Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degree and continue to bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Crust should be shiny where the drizzle touched as you poured! Served great warm with a scoop of French Vanilla on top!

ENJOY!

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