Monday, December 31, 2007

Grrrr....

So, I have several pics of recipes I have done for the holidays on my phone camera, and apparently the phone has crapped the bed. No pics, or any other files other than texts & calls can be sent from the phone at all. I'm rather ticked...all these pics to add to the blog, and no way of doing it now. I'm sorry. Yeah, some day I will invest in an actual digital camera....

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Haystack..err..."Beaver Dam" Cookies

Ok, these are easy no-bake cookies. I was going through my recipe box looking for some of my Christmas cookie recipes and came across this again. I haven't made these in I'd say at least 9 years, but figured they would go over well with the hubby. They've always been known to me as "Haystack" cookies....J has since renamed them "Beaver Dam" cookies. I must say, that is exactly what they look like when they are done, so they now have a new name!


"Beaver Dam" Cookies


One package semi-sweet morsels
One package butterscotch morsels
1 1/2 cups roasted peanuts
4 cups chow mein noodles (I know what you are thinking, but trust me, these cookies are good!!)


Line cookie sheet with waxed paper

Using double boiler, bring water to just a simmer in bottom boiler. In top of boiler, and add butterscotch and chocolate morsels, stir until completely melted and smooth.

Add peanuts and noodles, stirring until coated. Be careful not to break up the noodles too much!

Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto the waxed paper, making little "beaver dam" looking creations

Cool at room temperature for about 45 minutes until set.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Christmas Vacation, Anyone?

This is a simple recipe along the lines of the "Kitty Litter Cake" and the "Dirt Bucket" type desserts...


I'm sure you are all familiar with Aunt Bethany's jello mold scene from the movie. Well, you follow the directions for making the jello, but instead of adding cat food, add the cereal part of Lucky Charms Cereal. Looks just like the movie, but its edible! I'm bringing this to the in-laws on Christmas Eve, as well as my parent's on Christmas Day. I can't wait to see their reactions. (Sorry I don't have a pic, but as soon as I make one, I'll post it!)


Also, I wanted to pitch these mugs. If you love the movie like I do, these are a MUST HAVE for your egg nog punch bowl! http://www.melkmugs.com/ J is ordering me a set. Yes, we are dorks!

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Apples...lots and lots of apples

So my sister manages to somehow end up with 5 bushels of apples. No, I'm not kidding. 5 bushels. I cant even tell you how many hundreds of apples that is. So, naturally, she gives me one of them. I now have about 150 apples to eat and cook with. Usually I use Golden Delicious apples for cooking. They are firm, sweet, and just work well. Of course, these apples are McIntosh, which aren't the greatest for cooking, but I'm always up for a challenge! Now, God knows I cannot make a pie crust to save my life. I've followed recipe after recipe after recipe for them. They just do not turn out for me. My mum will usually make me crusts that I will freeze and thaw as needed. As luck would have it, I have none left in my freezer. Sooo...I thought I could throw a really yummy Apple Crisp together. Instead of just using my husband as a guinea pig, he convinced his Fire Department crew to be guinea pigs as well. Not that you really have to convince these guys of anything...they are very receptive to anything you put in front of them! Turns out though, they LOVED this!

Maple Apple Crisp

20 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
butter for greasing pan
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Topping Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup quick oats
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup melted butter


Preheat oven to 350, grease a 9X13 baking pan

In a large bowl, place cored and peeled apples. Add the lemon juice and toss so the apples are coated.

In separate bowl, combine white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour, mix well. Add dry ingredients to apples and toss. Place apple mixture into greased pan, spreading evenly.

Drizzle apples evenly with the maple syrup.

In mixer, combine the dry ingredients for the topping, mixing well. Add melted butter slowly and continue to mix until well blended. Top the apple mixture evenly. Gently tap the pan so that the topping will fill in between the apples.

Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 45 minutes, until bubbly.

Enjoy by itself, or for pure heaven, serve with vanilla bean ice cream.




I added extra flour for this recipe, more than I usually use if I use Golden Delicious apples because McIntosh apples have so much water in them. It really helped keep everything firm and the apples didn't turn to applesauce. I was very happy with how this turned out, and the guys loved it!

Monday, November 26, 2007

Finicky...

I was a pretty picky eater as a kid. Who am I kidding, I was a VERY picky eater. I'm not sure what started it, but I've managed to get over that in my adult life and now live by "I'll try anything once". Pickled eggs and beets were one of the biggies that I said "NO WAY!" to as a kid. Sadly, I now know what I was missing. This recipe is a little spicier than traditional pickled eggs and beets making it perfect for the Holiday season!

Holiday Spiced Pickled Eggs and Beets


2 1/2 cups sliced canned beets, juice reserved
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3 whole cloves
3 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 sliced small white onion
1 dozen hard boiled eggs peeled


Place the beets in a bowl and set aside

In saucepan, combine vinegar, and the reserved beet juice and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients (except for the beets and eggs) and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and boil for 5-7 minutes until the onions are softened.

Remove from heat and let mixture set for 10 minutes uncovered.

Pour mixture over the beets and toss.

Place mixture in large container and add the eggs. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 2 days (the longer the better). Serve the beets and eggs cold.



Good luck with marinating the eggs & beets for any length of time--IF you have a husband anything like mine. He can't wait for them to finish and he's usually eating them within a few hours. ;-) Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

For the garlic lovers out there...

My husband and I are from the "you can never have too much garlic on something" mind frame. We love it. We also love Brie cheese. This recipe is the perfect marriage of both of our favorites.

Baked Garlic, Brie and Baguette with Peppers

2 sweet bell peppers (you can use red, green, yellow, or orange)
1 small wheel of brie cheese
2 bulbs of garlic
1 baguette sliced (or sliced Italian bread if you prefer)
olive oil
butter


Heat oven to 375

Peel off as much of the papery skin on the garlic bulbs as possible, exposing as many of the cloves as you can, then slice off about 1/4 inch of the pointed ends of the bulbs

Place the bulbs in a garlic baker, or place inside aluminum foil packet. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon olive oil onto the tops of the bulbs. Seal the packet or cover the baker and place in oven for 1 hour.

Clean the seeds from peppers and remove the tops. Slice the peppers into very thin strips. (approx 1/4 inch in width) Set aside until Garlic has baked for 1/2 hour.

Unwrap brie and gently coat in olive oil using a basting brush. Wrap brie in foil and place in oven to bake for the last half hour that the garlic is baking.

Melt about 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add peppers. Saute on low to medium low heat until the peppers are cooked through and soft.

After the garlic is done baking, carefully squeeze the cloves from the papery skin and toss the cloves in with the peppers for a few minutes. Be careful, they will be HOT!!

Remove peppers and garlic from heat. Place softened brie on a serving plate and arrange the bread around it. Place garlic and peppers in a bowl and serve next to the cheese and bread.

Slice into the brie and spread some of the cheese on a slice of the bread. Top with garlic and/or peppers and enjoy!


This recipe can be used for two to four people as an appetizer, or an an hors d'ourve for several people.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

First Post!

Well, I finally got this up and running. This first recipe I'm going to post was inspired by my friend and co-worker Beth. She left a recipe in the printer yesterday and after I saw it, I immediately thought that I had to try it, but with a few "alterations". My husband, the ever-so-willing guinea pig volunteered to eat the first quesadilla, and had 2 more after that!


Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
(serves 4)

8 medium sized flour tortillas
3 boneless chicken breasts (about 2 cups cooked)
1/3 cup Frank's Red Hot
Stick of butter
2 cups Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
8 oz. brick of Cream Cheese (may use low fat, fat-free, or American Nuefchatel)
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese (may add more to personal taste)

In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese and bleu cheese. Mix together well with hand mixer. Depending on taste you may want to add another 1/4 cup.

Dice Chicken breast, and cook in skillet with 2 tbsp butter until cooked through, all juices are cooked off, and chicken starts to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In small saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter. Add the Red-hot and stir together. Remove from heat and add to chicken.

Take 1 tortilla, and spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture to about 1" from the edge.

Place about 1/2 cup chicken on center of the tortilla, spreading out but not going past the cream cheese spread. (if the chicken doesn't spread that far, its ok).

Cover the chicken mixture with 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

In skillet, melt a pat of butter over medium low heat and coat skillet.

Place the tortilla in the skillet chicken side up

On another tortilla, spread another thin layer of the cream cheese mixture, and place cheese side down on top of the chicken.

Heat about 1 minute, checking until tortilla starts to brown and crisp, then the flip tortilla to other side.

After both sides are slightly browned and starting to crisp, remove from skillet and place on plate. Cut into quarters.

This version makes 4 full sized quesadillas.

****Cooking Alternative****

Instead of using 2 tortillas, you may use one and follow same recipe, but use 1/4 cup Chicken, 1/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, and fold the tortilla over "taco style" to brown in skillet. Cut in half to serve.



These are so yummy! Just enough heat to taste, not enough to upset your tummy or burn your mouth. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!