Spider Cookies and Witches Hat Cookies

My sister in law had this on her blog:

Black string licorice

20 orange creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

1 teaspoon chocolate ready-to-spread frosting (from 16-oz container)

40 miniature candy-coated chocolate pieces

1. For each cookie, cut eight 1 1/2-inch pieces of licorice for legs. Insert 4 pieces into filling on each side of each cookie.

2. With frosting, attach 2 miniature chocolate pieces to top of each cookie for eyes.

32 Hershey®'s Kisses® milk chocolates,
unwrapped 1 package (11 1/2 ounces) fudge-striped shortbread cookies
(32)1 tube (4.25 ounces) orange or red decorating icing1.
Attach
1. 1 chocolate candy to chocolate bottom of each cookie, using decorating icing.
2. Pipe decorating icing around base of milk chocolate candy.

Peppermint Bark

6 ounces (150 grams) semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

6 ounces (150 grams) white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/3 - 1/2 cup (50 - 80 grams) crushed candy canes

Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking pan with aluminum foil, smoothing out any wrinkles.

Melt the semi sweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the chocolate makes an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.

Then, melt the white chocolate and remaining 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Immediately pour the melted white chocolate over the dark chocolate and tilt the pan so the chocolate is in an even layer. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes evenly over the white chocolate. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.

Remove the Peppermint Bark from the pan by lifting the edges of the aluminum foil. Peel back the foil and break the bark into small irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Makes about 25 pieces.

Cookies

French Breakfast Puffs

So I don't feel so good, can you tell?? I looking for comfort food!! And I am going to try to get the energy to make some, to make me feel better, atleast that's my plan. Let ya know if these foods do the trick!

This is a recipe from Pioneer Woman.

French Breakfast Puffs

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

(I used cinnamon as I'm not a nutmeg fan)

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

2 sticks butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside. Pray.

In a different bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar and shortening, then add eggs and mix. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden. In a bowl, melt 2 sticks butter. In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Dip baked muffins in butter, coating thoroughly, then coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Eat. Faint.

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients
COOKIES
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions
FOR COOKIES:PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Lightly grease or line four baking sheets with parchment paper.COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. (A total of 72 cookies are needed for the recipe.)BAKE for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.FOR CREAM CHEESE FILLING:BEAT cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.SPREAD a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

I want to make these!!

Plum Sorbet

Plum Sorbet
While the alcohol in this is optional, a small amount will help keep the sorbet from getting icy if you plan to store it in the freezer.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of sliced plums, pits removed
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier (optional)
Method
1 Place the sliced plums, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a blender and purée until very smooth. Push the plum puree through a fine mesh sieve to catch and large pieces of skin and discard them.
2 Mix the Grand Marnier to the purée just before churning. Place the purée in an ice cream machine and churn according to instructions, for approximately 25 minutes. Serve immediately or place in an air tight container and put in the freezer for two hours to firm up.
Makes a little less than one quart or sorbet.
Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com/

Plum Cobbler

Plum Cobbler

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (170 g plus 30 g) of white sugar

10 fresh plums (we use Santa Rosa), sliced and seeded - about 4 cups

2 Tbsp corn starch

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup (110 g) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (50 g) butter

1/4 cup (60 mL) milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

2 In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup white sugar, plums, cornstarch and cinnamon. Place the fruit mixture in a 2-quart casserole.

3 In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter in with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk and egg until just moistened.

4 Drop batter on fruit, or if desired, spread batter in stripes. Bake in a 350°F oven for 35 minutes.

Serves 6. Serve with whipped cream (optional).

Plum Crumble

Santa Rosa plums are great in this dessert, although any juicy plum will work nicely. Because it's good served either warm or at room temperature, this is a choice make-ahead dessert. After scraping the seeds from the vanilla bean, use it to flavor sugar: Bury the bean in a container of granulated sugar, and store for up to 6 months.

Yield

9 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

14 plums, each cut into 6 wedges

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons dry red wine

1 (4-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Cooking spray

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup regular oats

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first three ingredients. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds to plum mixture. Discard bean. Toss mixture gently to combine. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over plum mixture. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until plum mixture is bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Lasagna Rolls

Got this from http://alittleofthisandsomeofthat.blogspot.com, but I changed some things:
Lasagna Rolls

by: Giada De Laurentiis
Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese because it was cheaper)I did use the ricotta
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
I used fresh spinach and chopped it up
I also put in a clove of garlic and 4-6 large mushrooms all chopped up with the spinach
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
I used an Italian mix of cheese
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped ( I didn't use this but I bet it would be tasty)
I used Italian sausage 1lbs, couldn't find prosciutto. Just cooked up the sausage and mixed in with all the other ingredients.
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
I used only 10 noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
I used 4 cheese spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
I just used the Italian cheese (the bag is 2 cups)
Directions
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.
Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Here is a picture of just before I put in the oven:





And after I cooked it!

Chicken Fajitas with Jicama Relish

Chicken Fajitas with Jicama Relish


Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup bottled Italian salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 small red, green, and/or yellow sweet peppers, quartered lengthwise and seeded
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 10-inch flour tortillas, warmed*
1 recipe Jicama Relish
1 16-ounce jar salsa


1. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, combine Italian dressing, chili powder, and cumin. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Brush marinade over sweet peppers and red onion.

2. For a charcoal grill, place chicken, pepper, and onion on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F) and vegetables are crisp-tender, turning once halfway through grilling. Allow 12 to 15 minutes for chicken; 8 to 10 minutes for vegetables. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chicken and vegetables on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

3. Remove chicken and vegetables from grill; carefully slice into thin bite-size strips. Spoon chicken and vegetable mixture onto warmed tortillas. Top with Jicama Relish and salsa; roll up. Makes 8 fajitas.

4. *Note: To warm tortillas, wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Place on edge of grill and heat for 10 minutes, turning once.

5. Jicama Relish: In a large bowl combine one 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 cup chopped, peeled jicama; 1 large tomato, chopped; 1 medium avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped; and 1/2 cup snipped fresh cilantro; set aside.



I found a Jicama at Ridley's in Blackfoot!! It is like a apple or a pear?? Looks like a fat potato, but taste a little sweet. But I think you could make this without a Jicama.

Great flavor!

Mexican Chicken Pot Pies

Ingredients:

1 can (8 0z) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet

2 TBSP Butter or Margarine

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 TBSP All Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup chicken broth

Chicken (frozen chicken breast strips or fresh chicken tenders). I used fresh chicken tenders and quickly grilled them on the George Foreman

1 can, 15 0z, black beans, drained, rinsed

3 TBSP green chilies, drained

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese (or any kind of cheese you have on hand)

1/2 cup salsa/hot sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place four 6 0z custard cups upside down on a cookie sheet with sides. Spray cups with cooking spray.

2. Unroll dough on work surface; press into 12x8 inch rectangle. Cut into 4 squares. Place 1 dough square over each custard cup, stretching to fit bowl.

3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from custard cups.

4. Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper; stir until well blended. Gradually stir in broth; cook and stir until bubbly and thickened. Stir in chicken, black beans, green chilies and corn. Simmer about 5 minutes or until hot.

5. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in each crescent bowl. Top with cheese and salsa. {We added cheese to the bottom of our crescent bowls before adding the chicken mixture - it was so yummy.}

[Recipe and photo courtesy of Pilsbury.com]

Robyn's Zucchini Bread

~My sister in law had this recipe today on her blog~

One side note here: Robyn sprinkles cinnamon and sugar on top before she cooks it.

GOLDEN GRAHAM TREATS

GOLDEN GRAHAM TREATS

Mix in a large bowl:
1 12 oz. box Golden Grahams
2 cups Rice chex
2 cups Corn chex
2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups coconut

In a saucepan stir:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups white Karo
1 1/2 cubes butter or margarine

Mix sugar, Karo & butter and cook (boiling) for two minutes.
Pour over ingredients in bowl, stir well and let cool.

Frozen Grasshopper Squares

This from my sis-in-law! She has some REALLY good ones !!! And her Blog is fun to read!!

http://robynlonghurst.typepad.com/

Honey Chicken Kabobs

{Since we woke up to snow this morning I thought I would serve a summer bbq dish for dinner!}

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 or 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2/3 clove garlic
1 medium onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
skewers

DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking.
2. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
3. Preheat the grill for high heat.
4. Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade.
5. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
6. Lightly oil the grill grate.
7. Place the skewers on the grill.
8. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear.
9. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Yields: 4 kabobs

Serving suggestions: I served these kabobs with white rice, I reserved some of the marinade before adding it to the chicken and poured some of it over my rice. It was super yummy. Other suggestions are to make a chicken kabob and a veggie kabob and cook them separately. I also added some squash and zuccini to our kabobs.