Holiday Pretzel Treats...

These are from the Family Fun website.  They are SOOOO easy and quick to make and are an sweet and salty treat!  I great treat to make with the little ones!

Ingredients:

Bite size, waffle shaped pretzels

M & M's

Hershey kisses and hugs

1. Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.
   
   
   
   
2. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.
   
   
   
   
3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.
   
   
   
   
   ****The hershey kisses took 4 minutes for me.  The Hugs I had a real hard time getting perfect but seemed to work best around 3 minutes!
   
   
   
   

Halloween Candy Surprise Cookies

(Sorry for the blurry picture... a photographer I am not...)

Looking for a way to use up some of those oh-so-tempting mini candy bars in your kids Halloween buckets? If you are like me- I am doing a good job at hiding the candy on top of the fridge to where the kids don't really think of it that often. The problem is- I still know it's there! So, I came up with this for when I needed to make some cookies for a function.

First, I used this cookie recipe posted previously on this blog.

Then, I added 1/4 cup peanut butter along with the butter (though I thought it could use a little more, so go up to 1/2 cup if you like).

I reduced the amount of chocolate chips to 1/2 cup

Then, I chopped up random candy bars from the kids Halloween buckets until it equaled 2 cups. I stirred these in and baked as directed in the recipe. (I would stick with things that would go good in chocolate cookies- I used Kit Kats, Reeses cups, Snickers, Hershey bars and M& M's. There are certainly other possibilities!)

These were a HUGE hit and disappeared in no time! Moist and rich and a surprise (a pleasant one) in every bite!

Enjoy!

Allergen Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Does any of you have kids/husband who is allergic to milk/eggs/nuts?? Luckily, I do not. However, my friend, Amy, has a little girl who is allergic to just about everything it seems. Amy is constantly searching for recipes that are "Sophia Safe." Especially baked goods. Among many other things, Sophia is allergic to milk (ALL dairy), eggs, nuts and more. Amy came across this recipe and we tried it together one day at her house. I love cookies and love to bake and, I have to say, these taste like the real deal yet have NO dairy or eggs or nuts at all. It is incredible! She found the recipe on this blog. It has many other good recipes as well.

2/3 c. dairy free shortening

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. good quality vanilla extract

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. mini dairy free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixer, combine the shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla and applesauce. In a separate medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Add to shortening mixture and combine until creamy. Stir in chocolate chips and drop with a cookie scooper onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool at least 5 minutes on baking sheet and then move to cooling racks. Enjoy!!!

NOTE: The chocolate chips had been ordered from Enjoy Life Foods.(the site offers many allergy friendly products). The ingredients are: evaporated cane juice, chocolate liquor, non-dairy cocoa butter.

Peanut Butter Graham Bars

These may look a bit odd, and certainly sound a bit odd, but they are SO EASY and SOOOOO Yummy! I made them for a recent playgroup and they were a hit! They go together quickly- less then 30 min. and only need to chill a short time till firm. I got the recipe years ago from a Quick Cooking magazine and have made them a few times.

20 graham cracker squares, divided
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 14 squares crushed)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Line the bottom of a greased 11 X 7 pan with half of the graham cracker squares; set aside. In a 2 qt microwave safe bowl, combine the crumbs, sugars, butter and milk. Microwave uncovered on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave on high 2-2 1/2 minutes longer. Immediately pour half over crackers in prepared pan. Top with the remaining graham cracker squares. Spread with remaining sugar mixture.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and peanut butter, uncovered, on high for 45-60 seconds or until chips are melted. Stir until smooth and blended. Spread evenly over bars. Cover and refrigerate or freeze until firm. Cut into bars and Enjoy!!!!

Peppermint Bark

So, if you haven't figured it out by now- I have been preparing lots of fun holiday treats. Here is one more. I recently paid for this yummy treat at "Harry and David" until I realized how easy it is to make- seriously- don't ever pay for it again! It really is this simple and is the same thing!! (Read the ingredients and you will see!) Very Yummy!!

Ingredients:
1 1/2- 2 bags semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate chips
1 1/2-2 bags white chocolate chips
4-6 candy canes crushed

Directions:
1) In a double boiler (or a small pot on top of another small pot with water in the bottom pot) melt semi sweet chocolate chips in the top pot. Place a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet. Spread chocolate evenly over wax paper. Place in freezer.

2) While the semi sweet chocolate is in the freezer, melt the white chocolate chips the same way. Crush the candy canes. Place a strainer over top of melted white chocolate and put melted candy canes in strainer, allowing tiny pieces fall through into melted white chocolate-stir.

3) Remove semi sweet chocolate from freezer and spread white chocolate on top- do quickly or the semi sweet will start to melt and they will mix and not be as pretty. Once it is spread evenly, sprinkle larger pieces of candy canes on top. Place back in freezer, or refrigerator until hardened. Take out and break into jagged pieces. (May be easier if closer to room temp when you break it up)

**Note** I found some who said they liked to add a little peppermint flavoring into the semi sweet chocolate part. If you really like a lot of mint flavor, you may want to put a tiny amount in. I did one with the flavoring and, for me personally, it was a little too "toothpasty" but maybe I put in too much. So, the next I did without the extra flavoring (so, as directed above) and it was perfect.

Buckeyes

For those of you not from Ohio, today is a BIG day! Today is the day The Ohio State Buckeyes will beat Michigan U again! In honor of that, I will post the recipe for buckeyes. A buckeye is actually a nut from a buckeye tree that is poisonous to humans, but delicious to squirrels and other animals. However, this chocolate/peanut butter version is sinful yet heavenly!!!

This makes a large amount- about 150. It can easily be scales down to make fewer. I always make a lot and give them as Christmas gifts to teachers, neighbors, etc.

Ingredients
3 pounds Powdered Sugar
2 pounds Peanut Butter
1 pound Butter

3 bags milk chocolate chips
1/4 bar of gulf wax- shaved

1) In a large bowl combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter. Mix well. Honestly, mixing with your hands will work best. You can tweak the ingredients here as desired. If it seems a bit dry, add more butter/peanut butter. If it seems to wet or if you want it sweeter, add more powdered sugar. But, usually, the above ratio works great.

2) Roll into one inch balls. Place on wax paper on a cookie sheet. Place in refrigerator or freezer until firm.

3) Meanwhile, in a double boiler (or one pan on top of another pan- the bottom pan filled with water) melt the chocolate chips and wax together

4) Remove peanut butter balls from fridge. Using a toothpick, dip into chocolate one at a time, leaving a small amount of peanut butter exposed on the top (to resemble the actual nut- see picture above. Return to wax paper. After I dip them, I go through and pinch closed the holes I made with the tooth picks so they look smooth.

5) Refrigerate or freeze until firm. Serve immediately, or refrigerate of freeze until you want to serve them or give as a gift.

ENJOY!!

Improving Salsa

I love and prefer homemade salsa as much as the next girl. But really, how often do we actually make homemade salsa? For me it's like two or three times a year. Not nearly as often as I like. But I've recently discovered a trick to improving the sorry excuse for salsa that comes from a jar. And it only takes about 5 minutes.

In a blender, blend

• one jar of salsa
• one can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 a purple onion
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro...I plop it in...stems and all
  
• juice from one lime
  
• about two tablespoons sugar
• dash of salt

Certainly not homemade salsa, but definitely enjoyable.

Candy Popcorn

1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar

Boil together then add one 3 oz pkg Jello (any flavor)

Pour over 2 bags of popped popcorn (use less popcorn if you like it really sweet and gooey)

It also makes great popcorn balls. Because Jello comes in every color these days, you can use it to celebrate ANY holiday...blue and red for 4th of July, red and green for Christmas, green for St. Patrick's day, whatever.

Applesauce Oat Muffins

I clipped this out of a Quick Cooking Magazine a few years ago, but just made them for the first time last week. They were really good and very easy! Also, not too high in fat!

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
3 TBSP canola or vegi oil
1 egg white

TOPPING:
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 TBSP brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBSP butter or stick marg, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, oil and egg white. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups coated with nonstick cooking spray three fourths full.

Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 deg. for 16-18 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes approx. 10 muffins.

Nutritional Info: One muffin equals 222 calories, 6 g. fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Puppy Chow....

I would make a batch of these anytime I had bishopric meetings or district meetings as a missionary. Too good and always a hit!

1 package (6 ounce) semi sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanuts (optional)
6 cups kellogs crispix cereal
1 cup confectioners sugar

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips at high for 1 minute. Stir and heat an additional 30 seconds at high or until melted. Stir in peanut butter and peanuts. Stir in crispix cereal into chocolate/peanut butter mixture until well coated. Place sugar in 2 gallon storage bag. Add coated cereal to sugar and close bag. Gently toss cereal mixture until well coated. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Indoor S'mores

This recipe is from the back of the "Golden Grahams" box. **Note: The recipe below is as written on the box. I didn't have any corn syrup and I got the idea to substitute with Peanut Butter (same amount). They were SO GOOD and I highly recommend making them with peanut butter. I took them to a play group today.

8 cups Golden Grahams cereal (basically one 12 oz box)
6 cups mini marshmallows, divided (basically one whole bag)
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (I used a whole bag)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
5 TBSP butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Measure cereal into a large bowl. In a double boiler, put 5 cups marshmallows, chocolate, corn syrup and butter and melt together. When melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal and toss/stir to coat. Stir in 1 cup marshmallows. Press mixture into a greased 9 X 13 pan with a greased spatula. Let stand at least one hour or refrigerate for a firmer bar. Cut into 24 bars and ENJOY!!!

I forgot to take a picture until afterward and what you see in the picture above is all that was left!

Nutritional Info: (I know, you don't really want to know....) 1 bar: 180 calories, 6 g. fat, 0 fiber.

Grandma's Bran Muffins

My grandmother has been making these bran muffins for as long as I can remember. My grandpa eats one with breakfast every morning. He is 90 years old and in great health--maybe its these muffins!!

I always half this. It makes a lot!

6 cups Raisen Bran
5 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 teaspoons baking soda
extra raisens
Mix together in bowl with spoon

Add to mixture
1 cup oil
4 eggs beaten
1 quart buttermilk
1 small can crushed pineapple (drained)

Refrigerate overnight. Drop batter in muffin pans and bake at 370 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Empanadas

Okay, I know I just did one, but here is another. I just discovered this recipe a couple weeks ago on allrecipes.com and have made them twice and they went so quickly each time.

This makes approximately 12 depending on size. I at least double it.

1/2 cup butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese
1 cup pre-sifted all purpose flour
1 cup fruit preserves OR apple pie filling (w/ a bit of cinnamon added) OR Nutella spread with
some chopped nuts OR whatever strikes your fancy!
cinnamon & sugar mix (I do 1tsp cinnamon to 4 tsp sugar) OR powdered sugar
- your choice here, I read that the cinnamon is the "traditional" way- I have done both- very
yummy either way!

DAY BEFORE: Cream butter and cream cheese together until smoothly blended. Beat in the flour. Shape dough into a smooth ball, wrap in foil or cling wrap and refrigerate overnight, or up to a week.

AT BAKING TIME: Remove dough from fridge at least 30 min. before using. When ready to start, preheat oven to 375 deg.

Roll chilled dough thin. Cut with 3 or 4 in round cookie cutter. Place a small spoonful of the filling you choose in the center of each round. (It really only takes a tiny bit or they are hard to fold, and will leak.) moisten edges with a bit of water.

Fold round over and press edges together. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 15- 20 min. (I used a pampered chef stone and it took a couple minutes longer.) Immediately roll in cinnamon mix or powdered sugar. (I meant for the above picture to be down here, but I am new to this- can't figure out how to move it. I copied if off the internet- it looks like it was made without being rolled in anything, but you get the idea.)


Enjoy!!!!!

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

They look gross, its a wierd combination, and totally unhealthy. But they're strangely scrumptuous.





Simple instructions.

Ingredients:
Strong potato chips (these are ridged Lays)
Chocolate chips (these are milk chocolate, 1 bag)-one bag doesn't go far-which is probably a good thing. mini m&ms and/or sprinkles

1-Melt chocolate. I used a double boiler (the makeshift kind), but I'm sure you can nuke them.
2-Dunk. Remember to scrape the edges to get it all off the pan-the chip is the perfect scoop.
3-Put on wax paper.
4-Put the goods on while chocolate is still melted. (I love it that you can make these work for any occasion depending on the sprinkles you use.)

*I went through the bag and chose the biggest and most whole chips I could find...the rejects are on the side.

You should also know that other recipes suggest you double dunk the chips-fully cover the chip top and bottom and drizzle with white chocolate.

Biggest Loser Gramwiches

A while back I purchased the Biggest Loser Cookbook. There are some really good, healthy recipes in it. I love this one!! Just a nice treat for when you are dieting (or when you just want something yummy....right now while I am prego, I don't care if the crackers are low fat, but I ususally always use fat-free cool whip)

• 2 whole low-fat graham crackers
• 1/4 cup light or fat-free cool whip

Break each graham cracker in half to get 4 squares. Spread 2 of the squares evenly with the cool whip. Top with the remaining squares to make 2 sandwiches. Transfer to a freezer safe airtight plastic container. Cover tightly and place in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours or up to 1 month. Serve frozen!

• 150 calories, 2 g protein, 28 g carbs, 4 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol

Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:

3 or 4 bags of Natural favor popcorn (microwave) or air popped

2 1/4 cups of brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup karo (light)

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Melt butter in pan add rest of ingredients and stir together. Use temp. thermometer to soft ball stage (235-240 F*). Lay the popcorn down on a cookie sheet pan and take the kernels out. Spread the popcorn around and then spoon the caramel on once done. Butter up your hands and toss the caramel popcorn together. YUM-O

Garden Harvest Toasted Chips....

Okay, so this isn't a recipe. But, I wanted to post and share my new find!!! I love chips, but they are so bad for you! I rarely buy chips because I like them too much. My favorite is to put them on my sandwiches. Yesterday I found these Nabisco Garden Harvest chips, they come in tomato basil, apple, banana or vegetable medley. I bought the tomato basil -- and I am hooked!!! There is 1/2 serving of vegetables in each serving and they are made with 100% whole grain. So here is to my new find!!!! Let me know if any of you have tried any of the other flavors!!!