Happy Easter

Enjoy!

Bunny Tracks

I know reindeer sometimes leave tracks at your home during the holidays, but has the Easter Bunny ever left any? If not here is a cute and fast recipe to help even the most staunch non-believers believe.

Ingredients

Two 4 ounce bags Corn Puff Snacks (not cereal)

1 lb butter

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c sugar

2 TBSP Karo Syrup

6 TBSP hot water

A few drops food coloring

( mini M&M's for the Easter poop)

Stirring frequently, boil to light tan color or hard ball stage. 245 on candy thermometer

Remove from stove and add food coloring.

Pour over Corn pops in a big bowl. Stir frequently to separate, then pour out onto non-stick surface and sprinkle with M&M's. Let cool.

Ingredients

Cook on high heat

Bring to a boil

Temp needs to be at least 245

Stir in food coloring

Pour over corn puffs 

Stir until all puffs are covered

Turn out onto non stick surface, 

sprinkle M&M's and cool

Enjoy!

Easter Dinner Choices

Happy Easter!

Easter is quickly approaching so I thought I'd repost some of my favorite Easter worthy food. I'll be serving  a ham and some delicious Ashley Potatoes. My mother in law is bringing macaroni salad and some fresh veggies straight from their garden. A nice salad is always a good choice to have on the menu as well. Maybe some nice avocado dip to nosh on before the main course, and since Easter is all about pork maybe some of these little goodies.  I'd like to say that I have a dessert all picked out but I don't, not yet. These were such a big hit a few weeks ago and so spring like that they may make an appearance. Some bunny and egg cookies might look cute in an Easter basket, or maybe an eclair cake might be just the thing. Don't forget the decorations!  Or the chocolate covered Peeps!  All I know is that this Easter we'll be spending time with family, friends and good food, who could ask for more?

What are you fixing for Easter dinner?

Enjoy!

Look What My Sister Made! Easter Cupcakes

I bought my sister a cupcake cookbook and set of tips for her birthday and this is what she made! This is the perfect starter gift package to get someone into baking and decorating cupcakes. 

I love what Nicole did and had to share it with you all! Enjoy the pics!! 

Enjoy!

Cadbury Egg Cookies

A few years ago I was on the board of our local PTSA and we asked parents to make goodies for a function, a plate of cookies appeared and then it disappeared. These were the best tasting chocolate chip cookies we'd ever had. Picture 10 PTSA ladies fighting over cookies! It took a lot of cajoling but we finally got the baker to give up their recipe and it ended up being a 17 year old boy! This is now my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe, I love it that much. Today I subbed Cadbury Mini Eggs for the milk chocolate chips. After making the recipe I decided that one bag of Cadbury eggs wasn't enough, I rough chopped up the entire bag but would have liked some extra to plop on top of the cookie dough. I hope you enjoy these delicious cookies, beware they are addictive! The secret ingredient is the cinnamon.

Ingredients

2 sticks salted butter, softened


1 tsp vanilla


1 c. brown sugar


1 c. sugar


¾ tsp cinnamon (heaping)

2 large eggs


1 tsp salt


1 tsp baking soda


3 c. flour, (heaping)


2 bags  Cadbury Mini Eggs, one for chopping up in the recipe and 1/2 bag for decorating the tops of cookies and the other 1/2 for the cook. (if using chocolate chips instead, use 1 bag MILK chocolate chips)

Cream all wet ingredients together and then add combined dry ingredients. Add chocolate at end. I used a medium cookie scoop and got 27 large cookies. 350 for 13 minutes




So yummy

Ingredients

My rough chopped eggs

Nice big scoops of cookie dough, I should

have put an egg on the top of each ball of dough

but I ate the extras, shhh!

Enjoy!

Easter Nests (chocolate no bake cookies)

I wanted to come up with a fun and crafty table decoration for Easter dinner and thought what would be better than a cute Peep sitting on a bed of chocolate no bake cookies? These would make perfect name card holders that the guests can eat afterwards or take home. Reminder, not everyone likes coconut so don't let your feelings get hurt if some don't eat your treats. ( I personally love coconut) I hope you enjoy making these cute nests for you Easter celebration.

Ingredients for Nests

chocolate no bake cookies
2 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1/2 c butter
1/2 c cocoa
1 dash salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 c rolled oats
1 c coconut 
½ c slivered almonds (optional)
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, cocoa (I tend to go a little heavy on the cocoa) and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. When it has reached a rolling boil, cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.Remove pan from heat and mix in vanilla, oats and coconut.

Nests
To make the 'nests' I was going to use a heavily sprayed cupcake pan but while searching my cupboards I found a muffin top pan, perfect! I also made one nest on my Silpat mat, using a spoon to shape it. Drop hot cookie mix into pan or matt and shape into a nest.

Colored Coconut

Place coconut in ziploc bag and add a few drops green food coloring, knead bag until coconut is green.

Chocolate dipped Peep

Follow tutorial here. Instead of covering entire peep, I just coated the bottom and placed on wax paper.

Follow the pictures below to help you assemble your nests.

Recipe makes 12 nests.

Ingredients for colored coconut

I love to use ziploc bags

Store extra coconut in freezer

Place chocolate coated Peep on wax paper

Ready for the fridge

Making no bake cookies

Stir

Bring to boil and stir for constantly for 5 minutes

Oats, coconut and almonds 

Add vanilla and oat mixture

Combine

I used muffin top pans to create the nests

I then placed the 'grass' on top

 I used some dipping chocolate to help hold the Peep

and jellybeans in place

Place finished next in fridge to set

I placed mine in a cute container from Garnish

They would also make darling cupcake toppers.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Peeps

You either like Peeps or you don't. I'm not super crazy about them but once they are dipped in chocolate, they are awesome! Do you like Peeps??

Ingredients

Peeps

Melting Chocolate

Sticks

Jimmies

Place each Peep on a stick, melt chocolate according to directions. Using a spoon and your finger gently coat the Peep with chocolate. You don't want too thick of a layer or the Peep will slide down the stick. Sprinkle dipped Peep in chocolate and place in a Styrofoam, once all Peeps are dipped move Styrofoam to fridge to set. 

This is a super easy activity that takes under 30 minutes and your kids can help.

Ingredients

Place Peep on a stick

I just dipped the back of this one

Peeps drying

This one is going for a swim in a chocolate hot tub

Yummy chocolate Peeps

Ready for Easter!

Enjoy!