Monday, June 28, 2010

Red Skinned Potato Salad


Ingredients
2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
6 eggs
1 pound bacon
1 onion, finely chopped can use green onion if you prefer
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo or miracle whip (your preference)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise and sour cream, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

Monya's Pasta Salad


1 box of spiral pasta, boil to package instructions
any veggies you want I use:
1 chopped tomato or I use cherry tomatoes too
1 cup chopped bell pepper I like color so I use orange yellow and red
1 can sliced black olives
1 cucumber chopped
chopped green onion as much as you want
any type of cheese you like cut in chunks
an optional ingredient could be pepperoni chopped
1 bottle Kraft Tuscan italian Dressing

put the cooked pasta in a large bowl and add all the vegetables, cheese and pepperoni, then add the jar of Italian Dressing mix up and store in the fridge until it is chilled, stir before serving.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Brownie Candy Cups


1 package Duncan Hines Chocolate Lovers Double Fudge Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
30 mini Reeses cups unwrapped
1 Box Reynolds 2-inch aluminum foil mini cups for muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place 30 foil liners on baking sheet
3. Combine brownie mix, contents from fudge packet in mix, eggs, water and oil.
4. Stir with spoon until well blended. (about 50 strokes)
5. Fill each liner with 2 tablespoons of batter
6. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and remove from oven
7. Push 1 Reeses in center of each “brownie cupcake” until even with surface of the batter.
8. Bake 5-7 minutes longer.
9. Cool 5-10 minutes in pan and then move to cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Brownies


Brownies
1 pkg Duncan Hines® Chocolate Lovers’ Double Fudge Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Topping
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
1 lb confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 13 X 9 pan.
2. Combine all of the brownie ingredients including fudge packet from mix and stir with spoon until well blended. Spread into pan.
3. Beat cream cheese in large bowl at medium with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs, sugar, vanilla until smooth. Spread over brownie mixture.
4. Bake at 350 for 45-50 miniutes or until edges and top are golden brown.
5. Cool completely and the refrigerate until well chilled.

Blondie With Maple Sauce


Ingredients:
Dough
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or more if desired)
1/3 cup butter or margarine (melted)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Maple Butter Sauce
3/4 cup maple syrup ( I highly recommend using REAL maple syrup )
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to the already sifted flour. Then sift dry ingredients again.
Add chopped nuts and mix well. Set aside.

Add brown sugar to melted butter and mix well. Then add egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Add flour mixture, a little at a time, until mixed well.
Stir in white chocolate chips. Spread out dough in a 9-inch pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick or fork to test if it is cooked in the center.
Serve warm with ice cream and Maple Butter Sauce.

Maple Butter Sauce
In a pan, add real maple syrup and butter, cook over low heat until butter is melted. Next, stir in brown sugar until completely dissolved. If you desire, add walnuts.

Cold & Creamy Banana Pudding


1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant pudding and pie filling
2 cups (1 pint) whipped cream, whipped or use cool whip for convenience if you want
36 vanilla wafers
3 medium bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water.
Add pudding mix and beat until well blended.
Chill 5 minutes in refrigerator.
Fold in whipped topping. (Do this slowly and as few times as you possible to combine, so the mixture will retain its thickness.)
Spoon 1 cup pudding mixture into 2 1/2 quart glass serving bowl.
Top with 1/3 each of wafers, bananas and pudding. Repeat twice.
Garnish as desired.
Chill thoroughly. Refrigerate any leftovers.
You can also layer in individual serving dishes.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips


Ingredients

1 1/2 c flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour, or you can do a mix of 3/4 c white flour and 3/4 c wheat flour)
1 tsp sea salt (kosher salt is okay too)
1 tsp baking soda
1 c mashed banana (3-4 very ripe)
bread!)
1 c sugar
1 egg
1/4 c melted, cooled butter (I use canola oil, or a heaping 1/3 c apple sauce to be really healthy! and do use a little extra apple sauce to keep bread moist)
(optional) 2/3 c chopped nuts (I used a mix of pecans or walnuts)
2/3 c chocolate chips
Procedure

Mix all of the above together in a big bowl. Don't overmix--just mix until incorporated.
Bake at 325 degrees F for around an hour, check center with toothpick; if toothpick comes out clean, it's done.

Coconut Belles


Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (I used lemon juice)
2 tablespoons cream
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup shredded coconut, plus extra for sprinkling on top
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel
Procedure

Heat oven to 325 F.
Mix butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, lemon, and cream thoroughly.
Measure flour and mix with salt and baking powder; stir into wet mixture.
Blend in the coconut and peel.
Spread in a lightly greased pan (I used 8x8-inch). If desired, sprinkle extra coconut on top.
Bake 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. While warm, cut into bars. Serve cooled (the next day is best).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars Dulche De Leche


Ingredients

Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 1/4 cups finely ground Reese's Puffs cereal
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Filling
1 16-ounce jar peanut butter (preferably smooth, full-fat)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup purchased dulce de leche (specialty stores have it)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze
2/3 cup purchased dulce de leche
3 tablespoons (or more) heavy whipping cream
(optional) a spoonful of hot fudge sauce

Procedure
Make the Crust. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray (I used an 8x8-inch pan for fat, thick bars). Mix cereal crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until coated. Transfer crumb mixture to pan. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack.
Make the Filling. Blend peanut butter and sugar in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing 3 to 5 seconds to blend between additions. Add dulce de leche and vanilla; process until blended, about 10 seconds. Spread batter evenly over cooled crust. Bake until just set in center and edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.
Make the Glaze. Heat dulce de leche, 3 tablespoons cream and chocolate sauce (if using) in microwave-safe bowl in 10-second intervals until melted. Stir to blend, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if too thick to pour (amount of cream needed will depend on brand of dulce de leche). Pour glaze over cooled baked mixture; spread evenly. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour (glaze will not be firm). Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled. Sprinkle bars with fleur de sel.

Oatsies





Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup light or dark
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate pieces
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Procedure
Heat oven to 400 F.
Mix oats and sugar in a large, heatproof bowl
Melt butter; add syrup, salt, and vanilla. Pour over the oats and sugar; mix well.
Pat mixture into a greased square pan (I used 8x8-inches).
Bake 8-10 minutes--do not overbake! (How do you know it's done? It will be lightly bubbling on the sides)
Melt chocolate and spread on top--
Sprinkle nuts on top of this, and let cool, use a sharp knife they are sticky

Pop-Tarts Cookies


1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz), melted and cooled
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 chopped s'mores Pop-Tarts
Procedure

Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and chocolate thoroughly. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix flour with baking soda and salt; mix in with wet mixture.
Fold in the Pop-Tarts pieces.
Let dough chill for at least an hour.
Heat oven to 400 F. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until no imprint remains when lightly touched. Let sit for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Marble Buttermilk Bundt, Chocolate Satin Glaze


Ingredients :
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
5 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 can Love’n Bake Chocolate Schmear, divided this can be found on their website I love using schmear
¼ cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan.
2. Sift together the flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle until the sugar blended. Scrape down the bowl then cream on medium speed until the mixture is lightened and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Beat in the eggs on medium speed one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Stir in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk in 3 additions.
6. Remove about ½ cup of the batter to a small bowl. Mix in ½ can of the Love’n Bake Chocolate Schmear.
7. Spread the remaining plain batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate batter evenly over the surface of the batter in the pan. Swirl the batters together with a knife.
8. Bake the cake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes.
9. Cool the cake on a rack in the pan for 10 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan. Allow it to cool completely.
10. While the cake is cooling, heat the remaining Love’n Bake Chocolate Schmear and the heavy cream in a small pan over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly with a whisk until it is smooth, shiny and flowing. (Do not overheat because the glaze can scorch.)
11. Pour the glaze over the cake allowing it to drizzle down the center and sides of the cake. Allow it to set at least 30 minutes before serving.
12. Covered loosely with plastic wrap or under a cake dome, this cake will stay fresh at room temperature for a few days.