Berry Bread Pudding

 For all those berries I put in the freezer this summer.  

Berry Bread Pudding

1 loaf bread

1 bag frozen berries 

5 eggs

2 T. sugar

1 c. milk

1 t. vanilla or almond extract 

Cube the bread and place in 6 qt. crock pot.

Sprinkle the frozen berries over the cubed bread.  

Mix together the eggs, sugar, milk and vanilla.  Pour over the berries.  

Cover and cook on high for 2 - 3 hours.  Best served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.  

S'mores Bars

I had a big bag of S'mores Cereal that I needed to use up.  So decided to use that instead of rice Krispies....and S'mores Bars were born.

S'mores Bars
6 T. butter, melted
21 oz. bag of marshmallows  (7 cups mini)

7 to 8 c. S'mores Cereal (start with 7, use more if needed)
2 Hershey's chocolate bars, broken into pieces 

Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  

Melt butter in a large glass bowl in the microwave (about 30 seconds).  Stir in marshmallows and microwave for 1 minute.  Continue to stir and microwave for 1 minute intervals until melted.   Stir in cereal and spread into sprayed baking dish.  Top with the broken candy bar pieces.    

Thanksgiving/Holiday Popcorn Mix

I wanted a Thanksgiving Snack for munching, so I set out to create one.  I love my go to snack of microwave popcorn drizzled with melted almond bark so that became my basic recipe. I added bugles to look like cornucopias, I added pretzels for a color contrast and fall colored candies.    This is what I came up with....and everyone loved it.  I think it will be made very often...not just for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving / Holiday Popcorn Mix 

2 bags microwave popcorn, popped 

about 3 c. Bugles (just dump some in)

about 2 c. pretzels (just dump some in)  

1 c. Reese's pieces candy

4 or 5 squares melted almond bark (I prefer 4)  

 Mix together in large metal bowl: popcorn, Bugles, and pretzels .

Melt almond bark in microwave at 50% power, stirring every 60 seconds until melted.  Drizzle over the popcorn mixture and stir well. Stir in the candy pieces.  That's it!!

I had planned to add candy corn too but I forgot.  Maybe next time?

For Christmas I used Corn Chex Cereal instead of the Bugles and M&Ms instead of Reese's pieces.  I took this to our Garden Club Party and every crumb was gone.  It would be great for any holiday and can be changed according to your likes....I am changing the name to Holiday Popcorn Mix.

Sugar Cookies....rolled & pressed

Marcia called me at Halloween because she was needing to speed up her sugar cookie making process this year.   We talked and she actually did end up rolling and pressing her sugar cookies.  She said they turned out good and it was much faster.  So this recipe got my attention when it came across facebook.  I have adapted it a bit....but here it is.

Aunt Belle recently told me she thinks the secret to her sugar cookies is that she allows them to sit overnight in a sealed tupperware container before she frosts them!!  So after seeing the following recipe that makes even more sense.

Sugar Cookies...Rolled & Pressed
Cream together:
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. oil
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. water
2 eggs
Combine the following dry ingredients and slowly add to the creamed mixture.
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cream of tarter
1 t. salt
5 1/2 c. flour
Mix well.  Dough should not be sticky.  Roll into a 1 inch ball and place on a cookie sheet.  Dip the bottom of a glass in sugar and press each ball of dough into a flat rough edged cookie.  Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.  Cool and place in the refrigerator.  Frost them at serving time.  The secret is to have the cookie cold and the frosting at room temperature when serving.  Keep cookies in a sealed container until served.

Sour Cream Frosting
Mix together:
1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sour cream
2 lb. powdered sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 c. milk (more if needed for desired consistency)
Add coloring if desired.
Beat well.  Frost chilled cookies and serve.

Caramel Microwave Popcorn

Years ago I gave this recipe to my friend, Sherri Walton.  She made it for our Family Home Evening Treat tonight and I got the recipe back.....

Caramel Microwave Popcorn
Place 4 quarts of popped popcorn in a large paper grocery sack.
1 cube butter
1/4 c. karo
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
Microwave on High for 2 minutes. Stir.  Microwave 2 more minutes.
Add: 1/4 t. vanilla & 1/4 t. baking soda
Stir. Pour over popcorn in paper sack.  Shake.  Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.  Shake.  Microwave 1 1/2 minutes more.  Shake.  Microwave 30 seconds more.

Twix Caramel Popcorn

a post from Alisha Youngberg....she finds the best recipes......

Twix Caramel Popcorn

5 quarts plain air popped popcorn

1 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 "fun size" Twix candy bars, chopped
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted-to drizzle over popcorn

Preheat oven to 250.   Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.

 In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. Pour caramel in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat. Gently stir until all of the popcorn is covered.

Place popcorn on two large shallow baking sheets and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for about an hour. Remove popcorn from oven and let cool completely. Break popcorn into pieces and mix in chopped Twix candy bars. Drizzle popcorn with melted chocolate. Let the popcorn sit until chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Pretzel Turtles

Cindy says, "My favorite holiday treat to make this year - Pretzel Turtles - I got it from the checkout lady at Winco! You need - mini pretzels, rolos candy, and pecan halves. Heat oven to 200, place an unwrapped rolo on each pretzel and set in warm oven for three to four minutes. Take out of oven and press a pecan half onto each. Let cool; ready to serve or share."

Chewy Chex Mix #2

Another Gem County Fair recipe I got while judging a cooking project. I added the #2 to the title because there is already a Chewy Chex Mix recipe posted but this one is different.

CHEWY CHEX MIX
1/2 box rice chex mix
1/2 box wheat chex mix
2 3/4 c. sliced almonds
1 c. sugar
1 c. karo syrup
3/4 c. butter
1 t. almond extract
Place cereal and almonds in a large bowl and set aside.
Place in saucepan; sugar, karo and butter. Bring to a boil over med. heat, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 250 degrees.
Remove from heat; stir in extract. Pour over cereal mixture; mix well. Spread onto waxed paper lined cookie sheets, cool. Toss to break apart. Store in airtight container.