French Cocoa and more......

Warm up this winter with a rich, steaming cup of holiday cheer. Whether you're  making French Cocoa or  luxurious hot chocolate with melted chocolate bars, all these delicious beverage recipes will put smiles on the faces of everyone coming in from the cold.

French Cocoa
4 or 5 - 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. water
2 c. whipping cream
Bring chocolate, sugar and water to a rolling boil.  While stirring boil for 3 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.  Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.  (If the chocolate is too solid to fold in the whipped cream, stir 1/4 c. of whipped cream into the chocolate and stir well, fold in the remaining whipped cream.)  Store in refrigerator in a qt. jar.  To use:  Microwave milk in a mug for 1 minute.  Stir in 2 to 3 spoonfuls of cocoa mix, to desired taste.  May need to microwave 15 to 30 seconds more. 
This one is YUMMY!!  I have drank most of one whole batch all by myself!!!

Luscious Hot Chocolate
1 c. milk
1 c. half and half
1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 t. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
Heat milk, half and half, both chocolates, and sugar in a saucepan on medium-low heat until chocolates melt and sugar dissolves. Pour half of the mixture into a blender and mix until frothy. Return to the saucepan and add vanilla. Stir briefly and serve.

Aztec Hot Chocolate
2 c. milk
4 squares baker’s chocolate
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cardamom
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. nutmeg
Break chocolate squares and melt in a saucepan with the milk. Do not boil. Whisk until foamy. Pour into mugs. In a separate bowl, combine all spices. Mix 1/2 tsp of blended spices in each mug, adding more as desired.

Raspberry Hot Chocolate
2 c. cream
1 c. milk
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 T. butter
1 c. raspberries
whipped cream
In saucepan combine cream, milk, and sugar until hot, but do not boil. Add chocolate and butter and reduce heat to simmer. Stir until chocolate is melted. Puree 1 cup raspberries and pour into the mixture, stirring until smooth. Pour into mugs and garnish with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Brown Sugar Hot Cocoa
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/3 c. water
4 c. milk
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/8 t. salt
Melt chocolate and water together in a double boiler. Slowly stir in milk, sugar, and salt. Whisk until well blended.

Old-fashioned Hot Cocoa with Homemade Marshmallows
Old-fashioned Hot Cocoa
3 T. cocoa 
1/4 c. sugar
4 c. milk
1/2 t. vanilla
Combine sugar and cocoa powder in small bowl. Heat milk in saucepan to scalding. Stir 1/3 cup hot milk into cocoa-sugar mixture, and then pour back into the saucepan. Stir until blended, then add vanilla and garnish with homemade marshmallows.
Homemade Marshmallows
3 T. powdered gelatin
2 c. cold water
2 c. sugar
2 egg whites
2 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
butter
In a medium saucepan soak gelatin in the cold water for approximately 10 minutes. When gelatin has softened, add the regular sugar and gently dissolve over low heat. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and then fold in 2 cups of sifted confectioners’ sugar. Put mixer on low speed and slowly add cooled gelatin mixture. Increase the speed and beat until white and thick, and the mixture is approximately double in size. Line a deep 8×8-inch baking dish with foil, grease slightly with butter, and coat with part of the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Pour marshmallow mixture in and top with more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Let sit for at least 3 hours. The marshmallow should be light and spongy when ready.
Loosen marshmallow from edges of tray and invert onto large cutting board. Slowly remove foil and use a large knife to cut the marshmallows into cubes. Dredge each piece in confectioners’ sugar.

White Peppermint Hot Chocolate
6 hard peppermint candies, finely crushed
2/3 c. whipping cream
3 1/2 c. milk
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1/2 t. peppermint extract
Beat whipping cream with crushed candies until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate for at least one hour. In the meantime, heat milk on medium-low heat. Mix in chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add peppermint extract and stir thoroughly. Pour into cups and top with peppermint whipped cream mixture.

Milk Chocolate and Orange Cocoa
1/3 c. whipping cream, chilled
1 t. brown sugar
4 1/2 c. milk
zest from 4 large oranges
2 T. cocoa 
9 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
Whip cream with brown sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate. Mix milk with zest from oranges in a saucepan, heating to a simmer. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain zest from the mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Stir in cocoa powder and chocolate, whisking until smooth. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream mixture.

Holiday Eggnog
12 eggs

1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 quarts milk, divided
2 T. pure vanilla
1 t. ground nutmeg
2 c. heavy whipping cream
Additional nutmeg, optional
In a heavy 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together eggs, sugar and salt. Gradually add 1 qt. of milk. Cook and stir over low heat until a thermometer reads 160°-170°, about 30-35 minutes. Pour into a large heat proof bowl; stir in vanilla, nutmeg and remaining milk. Place bowl in an ice-water bath, stirring frequently until mixture is cool. If mixture separates, process in a blender until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. When ready to serve, beat cream in a bowl on high until soft peaks form; whisk gently into cooled milk mixture. Pour into a chilled 5-qt. punch bowl. Sprinkle with nutmeg if desired. Yield: 3-1/2 quarts.
Will keep in the refrigerator for several days in covered container. Whisk or shake before serving.

Cold Chocolate Eggnog
4 eggs, separated
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. pure vanilla
2 c. milk
1/8 t. salt
1 1/2 c. whipping cream, whipped to soft-peak stage
1/3 c. grated semisweet chocolate
This recipe is served cold. In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla until thick and smooth. Slowly stir in milk, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove just before serving.
Beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture, then gently fold in egg whites. Serve immediately, garnished with grated chocolate.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
4 squares baker’s chocolate
2 c. milk
2 T. peanut butter
marshmallows
Break chocolate squares and melt in a saucepan with milk. Do not boil. Stir in peanut butter until mixture is smooth. Pour into mugs and garnish with marshmallows.
Special touches:
If you want an extra-rich drink, add a teaspoon of  butter to the bottom of each cup before you pour in the drink.  I love adding the little vanilla flavored snowman marshmallows too!!!
Marshmallows are great, but  whipped cream is even better.  Top off the whipped cream with shaved chocolate, crushed peppermint, colored sprinkles or a drizzle of chocolate or butterscotch syrup. Candy sticks make the best stirrers, try peppermint, butterscotch, or raspberry candy canes.
For the more sophisticated, add a rim of flavor to your cups. Rub the cup rim with a slice of citrus, then dip in crushed peppermint candy, or colored sugar  or powdered chocolate drink mix.

Eggnogg French Toast

For some reason I am drawn to anything eggnog this year.  So here is one more eggnog recipe to try.

Eggnog French Toast
Butter a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet).  Arrange 8 thick slices of bread on pan. 
In bowl, whisk together:
2 c. eggnog
2 large eggs
Pour over bread to soak.  Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until browned.

Holiday Trifle with Eggnog

need to finish off that carton of eggnog??  try this one....

Holiday Trifle
Place in large bowl:
1 1/2 c. heavy cream, Beat until stiff peaks form
Fold in:
1/3 c. eggnogg
Cut into 1/2 inch cubes:
10 inch pound cake
Layer in 4 qt. trifle bowl: 
1/2 of cake
1/3 c. eggnogg
1/2 of 12 oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed
1/2 of cream mixture. 
Repeat layers.
Top with 1/2 c. sliced toasted almonds. 
8 to 10 servings

Eggnog Cookies and Eggnog Bread.....

My friend, Randi mentioned on FB that she was going to be making Eggnog Cookies to send to her son in Germany.  And I just keep thinking about how good they must be.  So I found me a recipe and I'm gonna try them out......and guess what?? Randi came today  ( Dec. 6) for lunch and brought me some of her cookies and the recipe and it is pretty much the same recipe I found online....

EGGNOG COOKIES
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg (Randi's calls for 1 T. fresh nutmeg but she didn't have any -used 1 1/4 t. ground nutmeg)
1 1/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. salted butter, softened
1/2 c. eggnog
1 t. pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
Randi's added 1-2 tsp rum extract (but the recipe says is optional)

Glaze

2 c. powdered sugar
4 T. eggnog
nutmeg
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg; mix well with wire whisk and set aside.  Cream sugar and butter with electric mixer until forms a grainy paste.  Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth.  Add flour mixture and beat at low speed just until combined -- do not over mix!
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets -- 1 " apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown -- transfer immediately to a flat surface to cool.
Combine powdered sugar and eggnog. Drizzle over cookies. Before glaze dries sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon over each cookie.

Makes about 30 cookies.

HINTS: 
If you like nutmeg, cinnamon, and egg nog, you'll love these.  If you don't like them crunchy, substitute brown sugar for all or half of the white sugar; they'll stay soft.
I dusted the top w/ a mixture of nutmeg,cinnamon and powdered sugar instead of glaze.

Randi also sent me this recipe that she made to use up her carton of eggnog.

Eggnog Bread
2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. eggnog
1/2 c. melted butter
1 t. vanilla (or eggnog extract if you have)
1/2 t. rum extract (optional)
Icing
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t. vanilla extract
2-3 t. eggnog
dash nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom & 1/2 inch up sides of 9x5x3 loaf pan
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt & nutmeg. Make a well in center & set aside
combine eggs, sugar, eggnog, melted butter, vanilla & rum extract (if using). Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just moistened (batter will be lumpy)
Spoon batter into pan. Bake 40-50 minutes (mine took closer to 65). Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into center & should come out clean. Cool pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan & let cook completely on rack
Prepare icing. Stir just enough eggnog in to reach drizzle consistency. Drizzle cooled loaf with icing. Sprinkle just a bit of nutmeg over top. Let icing set completely before wrapping

4 versions of Homemade Croutons....

Since Connie gets a truck load of give away bread every Monday I seem to have a surplus of bread around here, and since I don't care for the croutons in the store anymore I thought I should try making my own.  I went online and did a little research and here are some of the things I learned.  Croutons are a salad staple that can be made from virtually any bread. Chances are you have some bread in the kitchen right now that can be used. Croutons as salad fixings are not as affordable as they used to be but they are easy to make from stale bread, bagels, English muffins, and just about any kind of fresh bread.  Save the heels from different types of bread for more variety. They can also be crushed and used as bread crumbs in recipes.  I am going to make some soon...

After work today I come home and  made some croutons and they turned out to be very tasty!

Here is my new recipe......
Homemade Croutons
10 to 12 slices of bread - cut into small cubes
1/2 c. margarine/butter - melted
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. parsley flakes
1 T. parmesan cheese
Place bread cubes in a large tupperware bowl. Stir seasonings into the melted butter. Pour butter mixture over the bread cubes and stir. Put the lid on the tupperware bowl and shake to finish coating the bread with the seasoning. Spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake at 225 for 10 minutes, stir and bake 10 more minutes. Stir again and bake at 250 this time for 10 more minutes.

These are the recipes I found online and then I adapted my own recipe.....
Homemade Croutons
4 c. breads - cut in 1/2-inch cubes
2/3 c. olive (not virgin) oil
3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
Heat the oven to 275 degrees.  Puree the garlic and oil in a blender or food processor, or mince the garlic as finely as possible and stir it into the oil. If seasoning the croutons with herbs or other seasonings, add them to the oil now.  Place the bread cubes in a mixing bowl and toss by hand with some of the garlic oil and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper.  Toss the bread cubes well with one hand and continue adding garlic oil so each cube is coated evenly and lightly. Be careful not to oversaturate the cubes with oil.  Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in the oven.  Cook for about 10 minutes, then toss with a spatula and return to the oven. Repeat after another 10 minutes, tasting a cube this time. The croutons should be partly crispy and beginning to turn golden.  Continue to cook and toss periodically until the croutons are golden and crispy throughout. Taste them as they cook to make sure.

Another Version.....
Take any stale bread and lightly spread with butter, oleo or oil. Dice into cubes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, garlic or onion salt, parsley, basil, oregano or any combination of herbs/spices you prefer.

Place in a oven set at 225°F and toast til browned and crispy dry. Stir occasionally so that all sides are browned.
This is a way to use up the ends of loaves of bread if your kids were like mine and did not believe that eating the crust would give them curly hair.
To save time, throw all the heels in a bread wrapper and freeze until you are ready to make croutons.
Use them in salads, on soups, or for your favorite stuffing.
You can also throw them in a blender for flavored bread crumbs.

OR one more.......
4 slices of bread
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp each of preferred seasonings
2 tablespoons of salad oil
Cut bread into cubes and put it in a bowl. They should roughly measure about 1 inch. The bread can also be torn for rustic looking croutons or cut with scissors for neater squares.  Choose the seasonings. Instead of Parmesan cheese, Romano or other hard cheeses can be used. Olive oil, canola oil, or melted butter all work well. Seasonings like pepper, parsley, garlic, or other herbs can be added to taste.  Mix the seasoning and oil in a small bowl.  Add the seasonings to the bread cubes. Toss. Try to get the cubes evenly coated.  Spread the croutons out on an ungreased cookie sheet. The cubes can be close together but they should not be overcrowded. They need air to dry out.  Bake the croutons at 325 degrees until crisp. Larger, denser pieces of bread such as cubed bagels will take much longer than white sandwich bread.  Once the croutons are cool, store them in a glass jar or a plastic container with a tight lid.

OR a little video I watched did it this way.......
1/2 c. butter, melted
Stir in 1/2 to 1  t. each of the herbs and spices of your choice (onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, parmessan cheese, etc.)
Brush mixture onto both sides of 8 slices of bread.  Place in oven at 225 until golden brown, turn over and brown the other side.  Cool slightly and then cut into cubes.

Lion House Pumpkin Bread

Lion House Pumpkin Bread

1 1/3 c. vegetable oil
5 eggs
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground nutmeg
1 t. baking soda
2 3-ounce packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 c. chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine oil, eggs, and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix until blended. Stir in pudding mix and nuts. Pour into a greased 4 1/2 × 8-inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.

The BEST Chocolate Cake

The BEST Chocolate Cake

sift together:
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. baking cocoa
slowly add:
2 c. cold water
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 T. white vinegar
2 t. vanilla
Pour into 9×13 pan – bake at 350 for 30-35 mins.
Cool for about 30 mins and then frost it with milk chocolate frosting, while it is still a little warm and the frosting melts into the cake.

This recipe also makes great cupcakes (Bake for 15-18 mins) or two cake rounds (bake 25 to 35 minutes).
And yes, that’s right – there are no eggs.
ENJOY!

Zucchini Bread

Here is the recipe that Kara got at the Gem County Fair this year when she was judging the foods projects there.  Kara says, "this is the best I've ever eaten".  Several of you asked for the recipe....Kara sent it to me....but somehow I over looked getting it posted....

Zucchini Bread

3 Eggs
1 c. Oil
2 c. Sugar
1 t. Salt
3 t. Cinnamon
2 c. Grated Zucchini
3 t. Vanilla
3 c. Flour
1 t. Baking Soda
1/4 t. Baking Powder
1/2 c. Nuts
Mix together wet ingredients then mix in the dry. Add nuts in at the end. Bake at 325 for one hour.

Peanut Butter Bars

I'm thinking Steve is gonna love these!!!

Peanut Butter Bars
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
3 1/2  to 4 1/2 c. powdered sugar (start with 3 1/2 c.)
1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. real butter, melted
12 oz. chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)
1 T. peanut butter
In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Add more powdered sugar if necessary for desired consistency. Press into a waxed paper or foil lined 9x13 pan.
Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 80% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars.

Fresh Orange Cupcakes

A great versatile recipe.....Use Lime instead of orange and make KEY LIME CUPCAKES....use a Lemon cake mix and lemon zest and juice and make TANGY LEMON CUPCAKES......I think these could also be baked in a bundt cake pan for more great bundt cakes!!!!  I think I would probably add a box of instant pudding in place of the sugar for a bundt cake.....I need to play with this a bit.....

Fresh Orange Cupcakes
1 yellow cake mix
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. orange zest
1 c. orange juice
1/2 c. canola oil
1 t. vanilla
4 large eggs
In mixer bowl, combine the cake mix, sugar, and orange zest. Mix to combine. Add orange juice, canola oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Blend with the mixer on low speed for one minute, then speed it up to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.
Fill cupcake papers about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack.
Orange Butter Cream Frosting
1 c. butter, very soft
6-8 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. orange juice
1 t. grated orange zest
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy and of desired consistency. (Can add orange food coloring, if desired)
Make thinner for a glaze for the bundt cakes by adding more juice and drizzle over bundt cake.
Any leftover frosting would be great on a pan of brownies, chocolate and orange make a great combo...

Recipe blogs......

Here is a list of great recipe blogs.........
http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/
http://lynettesnewhobby.blogspot.com/
http://www.mommyskitchen.net/p/blog-roll.html
http://mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com/
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/03/17/making-homemade-yogurt/
http://www.ehow.com/how_4819395_cook-pork-roast-pressure-cooker.html
http://annies-eats.com/

Sweet Pork

Sweet Pork
3 lb pork loin roast, thawed
2 c. Salsa
4 oz. can green chilies
½ c. brown sugar
15 oz. can black beans, undrained
Tortillas
Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
In the bottom of a large crock pot mix salsa, green chilies, brown sugar, and black beans.
Add the pork roast and cook on high for 4 hours.
Take the meat out of the crock pot and shred it up with a fork.
Return meat to the crock pot and cook 1 more hour.
Serve on tortillas with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.

Pumpkin Bars

Yummy Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
2 t. ground cinnamon
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
1⁄2 t. salt
FROSTING
1 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 t. vanilla
1 T. milk or cream
6 T. butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
dash of salt
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until frothy. Add sugar, oil, and pumpkin; mix until
smooth. Add cinnamon, flour, baking soda, and salt. Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cake is done when a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare frosting by mixing cream cheese, vanilla, milk or cream, butter, powdered sugar, and a dash of salt  until smooth. Frost cake and cut into squares. Makes 18 to 24 squares.

Raspberry Honey Butter

The traditional accompaniments for sopapilla are honey butter or raspberry jam. Here are a couple of recipes that could be used as toppings for this dessert. (recipe posted earlier).

This recipe was inspired from  the Raspberry Honey Butter served at the Inn on Temple Square......
Raspberry Honey Butter
1 pound butter, unsalted - softened
8 oz. honey
8 oz. raspberry jam - can use seedless raspberry jam
1 t. vanilla
Whip butter until light and fluffy. Add honey, raspberry preserves, and vanilla. Continue to whip until mixed.

A girl who worked at the Lion House shares her version of this recipe.....

Raspberry Honey Butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. honey
1 egg yolk
1/4 t. vanilla
1/2 c. frozen raspberries
dash salt
It is EXTREAMLY IMPORTANT that you start with soft butter or you will have little clumps in your butter.
Place butter in your mixer bowl beat for 1 minute.
Pour the honey into the butter a little at a time, while the mixer is going.
Add the egg yolk, vanilla and dash of salt and beat for 1 minute.
Add the frozen raspberries and beat until the butter is a nice pink color.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Overnight is even better!

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

MINI PUMPKIN CHEESECAKES
1 c. ground walnuts
4 t. sugar
1 T. butter or margarine, melted
2 pkgs (8 oz each) 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
1/2 c. canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
Dash ground cloves
Dash ground nutmeg
2 eggs
Whipped Topping
Ground cinnamon, optional
Preheat oven to 325°F (or to 300°F if using dark nonstick pan). Place paper liners in 36 miniature muffin cups.
Crust: Mix walnuts, 4 teaspoons sugar and the Fleischmann's in medium bowl until well blended. Press about 1 teaspoon of the walnut mixture firmly onto bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Bake 5 minutes. Cool.
Filling: Place cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar,  vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the cloves and nutmeg in large bowl; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Spoon evenly over crusts.
Bake 15 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. Top with whipped topping before serving. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

I think you could use a ginger snap in each cupcake liner if you didn't want to make the crust listed above.

Mini Cheesecakes

Marcia just sent me this recipe.....I told her my YW class wanted to make cheesecake on Wednesday and I wanted to make the individual serving ones so they can eat some and take some to others.  I think this recipe is going to be perfect.....Thanks Marcia!!!
We made 3 batches....and the girls really liked them.....we had enough to make a few deliveries to others as well. 

MINI CHEESECAKES
Place 1 vanilla wafer in muffin paper in tin, top with 2 T. of filling.
FILLING
1/4 to 1/2 c. sugar (we used 1/2 c.)
2 eggs
beat until fluffy and add
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 T. vanilla (1 1/2 t. pure vanilla)
Bake 350 10 to 14 mins. Cool, top with cherry pie filling (and can add whip cream).

Pumpkin...

Ever since we went to the "Pumpkin Patch" Connor has been wanting to make Pumpkin Pie.  So today we cooked Connor's "Perfect Pumpkin" and we roasted the seeds too!!

Cooking Pumpkin on the stove...
Cut pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds. Then, cut pumpkin into large chunks, but leave the skin on.

Place chunks in a large steamer basket (or a colander placed inside a dutch oven, with water on the bottom). Steam for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. After if cooled we sliced the cooked pumpkin off the skin and blended it in the blender.  We are now ready to make pumpkin pies.....but I think that will have to wait for another day....in the meantime it will go in the freezer. 

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.....
We rinsed the seeds with hot water in a colander, and dried them with a paper towel.  We spread a small amount of cooking oil on a cookie sheet.  Spread the seeds on the cookie sheet and stirred them around to coat them with oil and then sprinkled them with popcorn salt.  Then we baked them in oven at 350 for 15 minutes.  We stirred them and baked them for 15 minutes more.  Remove from oven, stir and sprinkle with more salt.  Cool and eat! 

After eating quite a few of these Abbi wanted some juice......
So, we got out a quart of homemade grape juice and mixed it with lemonade.

Nov. 24, 2010 - Connor came today to make his Pumpkin Pie.  He was so excited and he helped through the whole process, he never once left my side.  He loved measuring, stirring and mixing!!    As he can see from the photo abaove he was very proud and happy when he was done!!!   However, he would not even take a bite no matter how hard we encouraged him.  He did eat a piece of apple pie though.....

Laundry Detergent.....

Lisa & I have both been interested in making our own laundry soap because it is so expensive.  I think Lisa may have found the perfect recipe......Lisa says,  "Hey I found this recipe for homemade Laundry soap. I thought you might be interested because it works on Front Load machines. I am going to try this because I think that the other detergents are much too hard on the fabric and make your cloths wear out much quicker? So I will be getting the stuff to make it on Friday when I go to Wal-Mart. I am giong to make the recipe on the bottom because it is much easier but you would want the top recipe."   Here is the website I got it from http://duggarfamily.com/recipes.html
This site also has many other recipes....especially great for large quantity recipes.....as this is a LARGE family!!!
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value
4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Powdered Laundry Detergent - Top load machine
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)
*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can often be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2 per batch.

Halloween Leftovers???

Here is a great website with lots of great ideas to help you use up your Halloween leftovers.....
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/candybar/candybar.html

Here is a fun recipe from this site to try:
Butterfinger Crunch Pudding

1 container Cool Whip
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 Butterfinger candy bar
Set Cool Whip in the refrigerator the night before making the pudding so that it can thaw.
Put the Cool Whip in a large bowl and stir in the box of dry instant chocolate pudding. Stir until it is mixed in well and looks like chocolate whipped topping.
Put the Butterfinger into a shallow bowl and crush into small pieces with the back of a spoon. Stir the crushed pieces into the chocolate mixture.
Refrigerate for a few hours.

And one more for you:

Buttery Toffee Cookies

Chocolate-coated toffee makes these cookies extra good.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1.4 ounce) chocolate-covered toffee bars, chopped small *
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (3 to 4 minutes). Add flour, baking soda and salt; reduce speed to low. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Stir in chopped toffee by hand.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.
*Substitute 1 (6-ounce) package (1 cup) milk chocolate English toffee bits.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies

and one last one for you:
 
 M&M's Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup M&M's plain chocolate candies
2 cups hot milk
Place candy in blender. Add hot milk. Whiz until smooth. Pour into mugs.
Serves 2.

Cranberry Salsa

Found this on facebook.....posted by a friend of Tawnya McKee....I might have to give it a try???

Cranberry Salsa
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 bunch green onions (I use alittle less)
1 bunch cilantro (not a big fan so I use 1/2)
juice of one lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 jalapenos seeded or 1 if not seeded
3/4 cups sugar
Throw everything into food processor and let sit overnight or at least 3 hours in the refrigerator. It's so good!!!