Halloween Puppy Chow

Halloween is a fun time of year to try new treats. Our family loves the traditional puppy chow recipe, but I decided to try this one and mix things up. It was an instant hit and Olivia and her friends couldn't keep their hands out of the bowl!

Ingredients
White Puppy Chow
9 c Rice Chex cereal
1 c white chocolate chips
1//2 c peanut butter, creamy
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 bag candy corn candy

Chocolate Puppy Chow
9 c Chocolate Chex cereal
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1 bag Reese's Pieces


Line two large cookie sheets with either wax or parchment paper. To make the white puppy chow, place rice cereal in a large bowl. In a small microwave proof bowl, melt chocolate, butter and peanut butter. Heat in microwave until melted and you can stir it smooth. Stir in vanilla extract in and then pour over cereal. Stir to coat cereal. (I like to use the giant ziploc bags for this step, dump in the powdered sugar, melted chocolate mixture, candy, cereal and shake). Place coated cereal on cookie sheet to cool.

For chocolate puppy chow follow the above steps but add unsweetened cocoa powder in with the powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheet to cool. Once both are cooled pour into ziploc bags and shake to mix both chocolate and white puppy chow mix. Makes 18 cups

                                                                                  Enjoy!




SourceYour Cup of Cake

Tailgate Cookies

It's football season again and what does that mean??? Tailgate time! These cookies are the perfect ones to bring along, there is something inside for everyone. Who doesn't love numerous kinds of chips and chocolate candies wedged into every corner of their dessert?!?!?! I found this recipe over on this fun blog and instantly had to make them, and my daughter's cheer team gave them two thumbs up. Now I'm making another DOUBLE batch for the fundraiser at school tomorrow! I decided that if I was going to make these I might as well really make them, so I doubled my recipe, but the one listed below is the single version.

Ingredients
1 c butter, softened
3/4 packed brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 (3.5 ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 c milk chocolate chips
1 c semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 white chocolate chips
1/2 butterscotch chips
1/2 c M&M's
1/2 Reese's Pieces

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars together. Add pudding, eggs and vanilla and combine. Mix flour and baking soda then add to creamed mixture and mix until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and candy.

Drop by TBSP onto a prepared cookie sheet ( I either line mine with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Slightly flatten balls of dough with hand and bake in oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!

Green Salsa

I've always been threatened by tomatillos, don't ask me why, but they just looked scary. I mean they have a weird peel and look like under-ripe tomatoes. I decided to conquer my fears and I am so glad I did. This salsa is so tasty and quick, and it lasts in the fridge for up to a week. We made steak nachos last night and this was the perfect topping. ( I located the tomatillos in the produce department by the cilantro)

Ingredients 
1 lb washed and peeled tomatillos
1/3 bunch cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and all
1 thick slice red onion
1 garlic clove
1 ripe avocado
1 tsp salt

Place quartered tomatillos into bottom of blender. Next add remaining ingredients and turn blender on, blend until pureed. That is it! Simple and delicious. If you want it spicier add another jalapeno, if you want it thinner add more tomatillos.

Ingredients

Peeled, washed and quartered tomatillos

Drop into blender

Give it a whirl

Done!

Enjoy!!

Candy Bar Cake

 I made this darling cake for my daughter's 16th birthday. She loves chocolate AND candy so a Candy Bar Cake was the perfect choice. It was incredibly easy and since I made it in the middle of the night last night you are not getting any how to pics...sorry!

Ingredients
1 box chocolate cake mix, made according to directions and baked in 9 in pans

1 1/2 tubs of chocolate frosting or homemade stuff 
8 or 9 packages Kit Kat candy bars
4 packages Reeces Peanut Butter Cups
1 large bag M&M's
Ribbon


Directions
Bake cake according to directions in 9 inch pans, cool. Place frosting on the top of one of the cakes and add unwrapped Reeces Peanut Butter Cups, add second layer of cake. Liberally frost sides and top of cake. Take Kit Kat bars and break into 2 pieces increments. Gently stick them onto side of cake. (make sure cake isn't taller than kit kats, if so trim top of cake) Pour one bag of M&M's onto top of cake. Wrap ribbon around cake and tie a bow. Place in fridge until ready to serve.

Serves 12

Inside of cake

Birthday girl!

Enjoy!!

Triple Layer Apple Cake

My favorite cookbook in the entire world is A Pinch of Salt Lake, it was published by the Junior League back in the '80's. Every single recipe in it is delicious, I love it so much I tracked down used copies off of Amazon and bought a copy for each of my children (it's since gone out of print...what a shame... I was able to buy the almost new books for approximately a $1 apiece!!) 

One of my favorite recipes in the book is for this delicious Apple Cake, it is so incredibly moist and tasty. My father in law requests that I make it on special occasions and since yesterday was Father's Day, it was on the menu. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does. 

Ingredients for Cake

3 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups, finely chopped tart apples ( I use my food processor)

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1 tsp grated lemon peel

2 c sugar

1 1/2 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

Directions

Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans. Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. In a small bowl combine chopped apple, nuts and lemon peel. In a standing mixer combine oil, sugar and eggs, beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients mixing until smooth. INcorporate apple mixture, stir until well combined. Spread evenly into prepared bans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until surface springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then cool thoroughly on wire rack

Ingredients for Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 c butter, softened

16 ounces powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 c finely chopped walnuts

Prepare frosting by creaming together all ingredients except nuts. Frost between layers and do a thin coat on sides and top. Refrigerate until chilled, then using remaining frosting frost a thicker layer on cake. (this helps keeps the crumbs in the frosting to a minimum) Press nuts around sides and top of cake. Refrigerate until serving time. 

Ingredients for cake

Chopping the apples

Apples, nuts and lemon peel

Adding dry ingredients to sugar, oil and eggs

Thick consistency

Adding in the apples

Ready for the oven

Frosting ingredients

Triple layers baby!

So pretty

It tastes so delicious

Enjoy! 

Restaurant Style Salsa

I don't know why it is every time I go into a Mexican restaurant I swear I'm going to eat healthy...but it never happens. As soon as I sit down and the warm chips and salsa appear I lose myself in the experience. Food just seems to taste better when there are sombreros hanging on the walls and margaritas are flowing. Don't you agree?

This recipe is for restaurant style salsa, you know the kind, pureed and spicy. I couldn't believe how quickly it came together, one minute the ingredients were on my counter, the next I was shoveling salsa down my throat.

My salsa came out super spicy and that's because I kept the jalapeno seeds in, so if you want a milder version make sure you remove the seeds.

Ingredients
14 oz can diced tomatoes
10 oz can Rotel tomatoes, original
1/2 small onion,
1 jalapeno, seeds removed if you want milder salsa
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
3/4 c cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime

Place all ingredients into either food processor or blender. Let blend for 30 seconds or until desired consistency.

That's it! Super simple and delicious! Serve with chips or your favorite mexican meal.

Ingredients

Mix

Enjoy!!

White Sangria

A few years ago one of my dearest friends moved back to New Jersey, leaving me heartbroken and lonely. Luckily for me she bought a condo down here in Florida and comes back a few times a year. We've started somewhat of a tradition, going to her place, eating food and drinking wine; it's my favorite kind of tradition!! This time I volunteered to bring Sangria...even though I'd never made it or even tried it before. I went home and scoured the internet for recipes, decided I didn't like any of them and made up my own. This recipe is so easy and delicious that you will want to volunteer to bring it to your next girls night out.

Ingredients
1 bottle Riesling Wine, chilled
1/2 green apple finely chopped
1/2 red apple finely chopped
Handful of green grapes
Sliced strawberries, 6-8
1 orange sliced
1 lemon sliced
Club Soda
Disaronno (Italian liquor)

Directions
Place wine and club soda in fridge to chill. Cut up all fruit and place into a glass container, I bought mine at WalMart for $4. After fruit is in the pitcher add 1 bottle of Riesling and a large "glug" of Disaronno. Stir and place in fridge for at least 6 hours, overnight is best. Right before serving add enough club soda to fill up the pitcher. Pour and enjoy! (the fruit was so yummy we offered spoons along with the wine glasses)

Ingredients

Slice and chop fruit

Add alcohol 

Refrigerate 

Before serving add club soda to help 'cut the sweet'

Delish! 

Make sure you allow some of the fruit to get into the wine glass

Enjoy!

Lemon Bars

Lemon bars are a perfect food to bring to a party; they are easy to make and everyone loves them. For some reason they remind me of my childhood, lemon bars were one of the first things that I learned to bake on my own. We made everything from scratch in my home and usually had all of the ingredients on hand...of course we used lemon juice from a glass bottle and I had no clue what zest was...

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour, DIVIDED
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 c cold butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs
2 c granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1/3 c fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking powder
Powdered Sugar


Preheat oven to 350. Line bottom and sides of 9x13 pan with either parchment paper or aluminum foil, allowing 2-3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.


Stir together 2 cups flour and 1/2 c powdered sugar. Cut in butter using pastry blender, fork or fingers..until crumbly. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.


Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.


Meanwhile, whist eggs in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in granulated sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir together baking powder and remaining 1/4 c flour; whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture over hot baked crust.


Bake at 350 for 23 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Lift from pan, using foil or parchment paper as handles. Cool completely on a wire rack, 30 min. Remove foil and cut into bars, sprinkle with powdered sugar.


These freeze well for up to a month. 

Ingredients 

Line 9x13 with either parchment paper of foil

Making the crust

The crust is ready

Place it in pan and bake

Mixing the filing all together

Crust out of the oven

Pour filling over top of hot crust and bake

yummmm

Enjoy!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

When I first came across this recipe, I knew it was a winner..chocolate, peanut butter and salty pretzels....yumm!! It was super easy to make and they taste delicious! I am a little worried about them holding up in the heat tomorrow (we live in Florida) so I am going to transport them in a cooler...yes I know I am a genius!

We are going to my husband's family reunion tomorrow and I am in charge of desserts. There are going to be quite a few people there and so I wanted to make a few different things, since everyone has different tastes. I made Cinco de Mayo Cheesecake and Lemon Bars (recipe coming soon).

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp softened butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar (maybe more)

3/4 cup brown sugar (maybe more)

Pretzels

1 1/2 bags  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork or whisk, or in a stand mixer.  Add the sugars and mix to combine.  At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go.  If not, add a little more of each sugar until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll (I used about 3/4 cup of each sugar).

Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling.  Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels.  When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted.  Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate.  Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches.  When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely.  Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

Ingredients

The consistency you want for the filling

Take a small amount of peanut butter mixture and roll into a ball and place

on top of pretzel

place a second one on top, and squish

So cute!

Dip  in melted chocolate

Place on parchment paper to dry

assembly line!!