Popcorn!

Here are a few recipes for the popcorn seasoning we use on movie nights.

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Chocolate & Cinnamon!

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You need

1 package chocolate pudding

4 tsp cinnamon

Dump in bowl and mix! Lol.
Sprinkle on popcorn then give a little shake to get some down in the stuff that is hidden.
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Spicy Cheese
(what Landon calls it)
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You need
1 tsp Chili powder
1/8 tsp Garlic powder
2 Tbs Parm cheese

Dump and mix, then give a little shake. The cheese doesn't stick really well so we use air-pop popcorn and add butter and that works great!

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Parmesan Ranch!

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You need

1/4 C Parm cheese

1 envelope ranch mix

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Dump in a bowl and mix! Again with the cheese not sticking really well, for some reason it separates a little bit (you can still taste it, most of it just goes to the bottom).

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Pizza

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You need

1/2 C Parm cheese

2 Tbs Italian seasoning (crushed)

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Dump andmix. I don't need to tell you about the cheese again....do I? Butter.

S'More Tarts

On nights that Justin has duty I try to do fun things with Landon to keep him busy. Last night we made a "camp" out of blankets and chairs in the living room complete with a lantern, we watched A bugs life and made an indoor version of s'mores. We had a really fun time. These are really rich so I don't see us making them again anytime soon.

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12 Servings
Prep: 10 min. Bake: 25 min.
Ingredients
1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size) We used a smaller box since I was only making 6 not 12
12 individual graham cracker shells
1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup milk chocolate chips
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Directions
Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. Place graham cracker shells on a baking sheet and fill with brownie batter.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and golden brown.

Yield: 1 dozen.

Recipe from Taste of home.

Almond Joy cookies!

These are SOOO good! I made a batch and only got 2 before the boys got to them and Justin took the rest to work with hin the next morning. I guess they were a hit because I have been asked to make more. Haha.
I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
INGREDIENTS3/4cup Fisher® Roasted and Salted Almonds1 1/2cups coconut1/2cup Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk (from 14-oz can)1package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)1/3cup Hershey’s® baking cocoa1/3cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips
DIRECTIONS1.Reserve 20 almonds; set aside. Chop remaining almonds. In medium bowl, stir chopped almonds, coconut and milk until well blended. Refrigerate mixture 25 minutes for easier handling. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften.2.Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, knead cookie dough and cocoa with hands until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside.3.For each cookie, press 1 rounded tablespoon dough into 3-inch round. Place 1 tablespoon coconut mixture on center of each round. Wrap dough around filling, pressing edges to seal; shape into a ball. Place balls 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press each ball with fingers into 2 1/2-inch round. Press 1 whole almond on each cookie.4.Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until puffed and edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
5.In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 10 to 20 second, stirring every 10 seconds, until smooth. Place in resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut small tip from corner of bag. Drizzle chocolate over cookies. Before storing, let cookies stand at room temperature until chocolate is set. Store in airtight container.

Recipes & bottom photo from Pilsbury.com

Cheesecake brownies!

I made these on a whim the other night. They were sooo good! It gave me a chance to use my new pan that my sister got me for Christmas! It worked perfect!

You need!
1 (20-23 oz.) pkg. brownie mix
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Directions!
Prepare brownie mix as directed on package. Reserve 1/2 cup of batter.

Cream cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla.

Spread brownie batter (minus 1/2 cup) on bottom of a greased 13 x 9 inch pan.

Cover with cream cheese mixture. Spoon on 1/2 cup brownie batter and swirl. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Easy!

The pan looks like a normal pan...but the bottom lifts out. Once you put the batter in the pan you put the divider on top and bake.

They rise in perfect squares! So you don't have to cut them and get everything all funky looking.

After they are out of the oven you wait 5 min and slide the divider out. Perfect brownies! lol.

Then you put them on the special rack and they come out of the pan! Done!

Pirate cupcakes

These are the cupcakes I made for Landon to take to school for his Birthday!

Bandannas are fondant

Sprinkles for the beard

Rolled out tootsie rolls for the eye patch and the moustache

Reece's puff cereal for the nose

The eyes are sprinkles that I had from Halloween.

Then I used white frosting to put the dots on the bandannas.

These were easy!

Blue fondant for the water

White frosting for the Island

Crushed Reece's puffs for the sand

Colored frosting for the tree

Sprinkles for the X (frosting wouldn't stick and was getting messy)

April Fools!

Ingredients
Makes 6 cupcakes!

6 Vanilla Cupcakes, baked in silver foil liners

To make the drumstick cupcakes, first download and print the bone template

FOR THE DRUMSTICKS
1/4 cup white chocolate melting wafers, melted
1 cup Vanilla Frosting
3 plain store-bought doughnut holes
1 cup cornflake crumbs

FOR THE MASHED POTATOES
1 yellow fruit chew, such as Laffy Taffys or Starbursts, cut into a 1-inch square
3 tablespoons Vanilla Frosting
1/2 tablespoon store-bought caramel sauce, heated

FOR THE PEAS AND CARROTS
3 orange fruit chews, such as Tootsie Fruit Rolls or Starbursts, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons Vanilla Frosting
Green gel food coloring
2 tablespoons hard green candies, such as Runts

FOR THE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
3 tablespoons Chocolate Frosting
1 teaspoon colored sprinkles
Directions

To make the drumsticks:

Place the bone template on a baking sheet. Cover with parchment paper; set aside. Place melted chocolate into a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag. Following the bone template, pipe an outline onto the parchment paper. Fill the bone in with chocolate and lightly tap pan to smooth top of chocolate. Repeat process 3 times. Refrigerate until firm, about 5 minutes.

Spread vanilla frosting on top of 3 cupcakes, mounding it slightly. Place 1 doughnut hole on top of each cupcake. Spread frosting over the doughnut hole until it is smooth and covered.

Place cornflake crumbs in a medium bowl. Gently press frosted cupcakes in crumbs to cover completely. Place cupcakes in a 6-cup disposable aluminum cupcake baking tray.

Using a sharp knife, make a small slit in the top of each crumbed doughnut hole. Carefully peel 1 chocolate bone from the parchment paper and insert the pointed end into one of the slits. Repeat with remaining 2 bones and cupcakes.

To make the mashed potatoes: Spread vanilla frosting on 1 cupcake, mounding it slightly. Use a small spoon to create a well in the center of the frosting. Place cupcake in aluminum baking tray. Place yellow fruit chew in the well at an angle. Drizzle caramel sauce on top of cupcake so that it fills the well and spills over like gravy.

To make the peas and carrots: Color vanilla frosting with green food coloring and spread on top of 1 cupcake. Arrange orange fruit chews and green candies on top of cupcake, pressing them into the frosting. Place cupcake in aluminum baking tray.

To make the chocolate pudding: Place chocolate frosting in a resealable plastic bag; press out all the excess air and seal to enclose. Snip a 1/4-inch corner from the bag. Pipe chocolate frosting into a spiral swirl onto the remaining cupcake. Top with sprinkles and place in aluminum baking tray. Serve.

Recipe from cookbook "Hello Cupcake" but gotten off Mathastuart.com picture from Cupcakes take the cake (Google image search).

Pecan Pie

CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
2 cups pecan halves
3 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup sugar
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cover bottom of pie crust with pecans.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and melted butter.

Add the corn syrup, sugar, and the chopped chocolate. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture into the pie shell over the pecans and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet.


Bake for 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes or until pie is set.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Beef Stir Fry

Beef Stir-Fry

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep/Cook: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak OR beef top round steak, 3/4" thick*
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Beef Broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce (I add 1/4 spicy miso teriyaki sauce by Kikkoman also)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cups cut-up vegetables **
1/4 tsp. garlic powder OR 1 clove garlic, minced

Hot cooked rice

Directions:
SLICE beef into very thin strips. Mix cornstarch, broth and soy until smooth. Set aside.

HEAT oil in skillet. Add beef and stir-fry until browned and juices evaporate. Push beef to one side of skillet.

ADD vegetables and garlic powder and stir-fry until tender-crisp.

STIR cornstarch mixture and add. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Serve over rice.

TIP: *To make slicing beef easier, freeze beef 1 hr.

**Use broccoli flowerets, sliced carrots and green or red pepper strips. (we like broccoli, carrots, snap peas and water chestnuts)

cookie surprise cupcakes!

COOKIE SUPRISE CUPCAKES

These are the most amazing things in the world!

You take any kind of chocolate cake mix and mix according to the box




Fill muffin pans about half full and then take chocolate cookie dough (the pre made kind, about 1 TBP) and put down in the batter . I use my cookie scoop, I don't fill it all the way though.


Then bake for 18-20 (I did 18 and they were perfect!) minutes at 350 and when cooled - top with chocolate frosting (& mini chocolate chips!).

Coconut Rice Krispy Treats!

Coconut Rice Krispy Treats!

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz., about 40) toasted coconut marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies®

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

These were soooo good! I never knew they made different marshmallows!

Blondies!

Blondies!

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate OR peanut butter flavored chips

Combine melted butter and brown sugar; stirring until dissolved. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture. Spread the batter evenly in a well-buttered 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle chips over the top.

Bake at 350*F. for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set. Cool before cutting.

Makes 16 squares.

Halloween

This is what Landon and I did for Halloween. It was so much fun! The black frosting was a pain to get off of everything but that's alright, lol.