Halloween Fun

Alexandra the Witch

Indiana Parker

Should I be worried about the girls Kellan is hanging out with?

Laila the Little Stinker

Old Fashioned boiled raisin cookies

Boiled Raisin Cookies
One of Grandpa's favorites
1 cup water
2 cups raisins
1 cup margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
11/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. salt
Boil raisins and water for 5 minutes. Cool. Cream margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add nuts and cooled raisins with juice. Then mix dry ingredients and stir in. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375º for 12 minutes.

Stacy's Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

MARSHMALLOW CARAMEL CORN

2 cube butter (1 Cup)
1 c. brown sugar
1 (10 oz.) pkg. marshmallows ( 3/4 of a 16 oz bag of miniture marshmallows)
2 batches of airpopped popcorn( Haven uses 3 1/2 bags of microwave popcorn popped)

Melt butter and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Dissolve marshmallows in mixture over medium heat. Stir until marshmallows are completely melted and brown sugar mixture is completely incorporated with the melted marshmallows. Pour over popped corn and mix thoroughly.You can add holiday colored sprinkles or m&ms or gumdrops......enjoy!!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or add left over chicken or turkey at the end)
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 onion, chopped
2 qt. water
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 large carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon onion salt
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 teaspoons salt

Boil above ingredients for 1 hours. When chicken is tender, remove from broth and cut into 1 inch pieces and set aside(I like to tear mine so it's in big chunks). If the liquid has reduced to much you can add some more water at this point. Add 2 cups of uncooked noodles and continue to boil for 20 minutes.
Cream Sauce
¾ cup butter
1 cup flour
4 cups milk
Melt butter in large sauce pan. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened (get it pretty thick). Add salt and pepper. Add cream sauce to broth/noodle mixture. If the soup is too thin after adding the cream mixture, continue cooking until desired thickness.
Note: Once you cream sauce has thickened, do not allow soup to boil as it may separate.
Also, if cream sauce has a strong white sauce flavor, add ½ to 1 tsp. lemon juice.

Chewy Granola Bars Recipe: From Make and Takes
• 2 1/2 c. Oats - quick rolled oats
• 1/2 c. Rice Krispies
• 1/4 c. coconut
• 1/2 c. M&M minis
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Add all of the ingredients and mix together until combined. Press into a square 8×8 pan. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and score into bars. Let it set completely and then cut into bars. For thinner bars, press mix into a 9×13 pan.
They seem to set a little better in the 9×13 pan. I also line my pan with parchment paper for easy removal
For additional topping ideas try these suggestions.
Instead of the m&m’s I have used in the past, I found mini chocolate chips and mini Reese’s peanut butter pieces.

You can use the same recipe for Chewy Granola Bars, but put half the mix in one glass dish(Pie Pan) and half in another glass dish(8x8) . This way the bars are a little thinner and I think they came together and crusted up better. Plus you end up with more of them.
Other moms have said they substituted raisins, chocolate chips, and peanut butter for this Chewy Granola Bar recipe. You could even use super mini marshmallows too. It’s a great recipe to experiment with.

Sarah Palin / Halloween 2008

Go out and VOTE !!!!! You MAVERICKS!

Crock Pot Roast Beef for French Dips

HAVEN’S Roast Beef
Pot roast is cooked then shredded to serve in sandwiches.
Ingredients:
• 1 lean beef roast (3 to 4 lbs.), rump, lean chuck, etc.
• 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 1 beef bouillon cube or equivalent beef base
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper or 6 peppercorns
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Hogi rolls or French bread
Preparation:
Remove and discard all visible fat from roast. Place in a slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, bouillon and spices; pour over roast. Add water to almost cover roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat is very tender. Remove meat from broth; reserve broth. Shred meat with a fork. Serve on hogi rolls or french bread slices with broth. We will frequently saute onions and mushrooms to serve with the roast for sandwiches. The kids also like it topped with pepper jack or provolone cheese.
Makes about 10 to 12 sandwiches.

White Chicken Chili

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
• 3 15 oz. Cans Great Northern beans, drained
• 8 oz.( approx. 2 cups) cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 c. chopped onions
• 1 ½ c. chopped yellow, red, or green peppers
• 2 jalapeno chili peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped (optional) or can or two green chillis (I like the green chillis)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 3 ½ c. chicken broth (I always add more… if you don't want it as thick)
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Tortilla chips
Combine all ingredients except sour cream, cheese and chips in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Ladle into bowls and top individual servings with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.

dinner rolls

This recipe makes great SCONES for Navajo Tacos or as scones with honeybutter

Great Dinner Rolls
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk (I just heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds and let it sit while the yeast bubbled)
1/3 cup sugar
1 package yeast(2 1/4 teaspoon)
1/3 cup oil
1/2 T salt
1 egg
flour (I think I ended up using around 6 cups)

In mixer combine yeast, sugar, and warm water; let grow until bubbly(about 5 minutes). Add milk and mix. Mix in oil and egg. Slowly add 2 cups flour, mix and then add salt. Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until it comes away from side of bowl. Let rise in mixing bowl for about 30 minutes. Form rolls as desired and place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise and additional 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Brush hot rolls with melted butter. I made 2 dozen with this recipe.

Cafe Rio Beef

This is great with tacos, you MUST make the pico de gallo with it! It makes a TON so you will have lots of yummy leftovers!



Cafe Rio Beef
3lb Chuck Roast
1 Can Green Chile Sauce
1 C Beef Broth
1 Small Can Tomato Sauce
1 T Cumin
1/2 Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Place chuck roast in crock pot, mix green chile sauce, beef broth, & tomato sauce, cumin & garlic, pour over the top. Cut an onion in half a place full onion rings on top of the roast to flavor...they will be removed when the roast is cooked and discarded. Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until meat falls apart easily. Shred meat into a different container, strain juices from the crock pot and pour over shredded beef. I let mine cook in the juice for another hour or so on high.
This is the green chili sauce I used.

























Pico de Gallo:
3 Vine Ripe Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 White Onion, chopped
1/4 Bunch of Cilantro, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

BREAD BOWLS

Nothing pairs better with a thick, creamy soup recipe than fresh bread bowls.

This is the time of year we all turn to our favorite soup recipes for hearty, warming winter meals, we remember the taste of the fresh baked bread bowls often served with similar soups at restaurants, and think of how they would perfectly accompany our recipe. Make any bread dough recipe that suits your taste and your soup recipe. Generally, white bread dough is the best flavor for bread bowls.
Let the bread dough rest 10 minutes. You do not want the dough to rise completely , cut each loaf into three equal portions. Smooth and round cut edges into the rough shape of a bread bowl.
If necessary, grease another cookie sheet for rising and baking the bread bowls. Stagger bread bowl bread portions on the greased cookie sheet. Leave plenty of room between bread dough sections; you do not want risen bread dough to touch. Touching bread bowl dough will leave a soft spot after baking, not a hard bread bowl shell. One large cookie sheet will fit four bread bowl dough sections adequately.
Bake at temperature and timing based on your recipe. Generally 350* for 25 to 30 minutes
I Used Grandmommy’s bread recipe for my bread bowls………………

Grandma's babies

Carmel Apples

Carmel Apples

12 tart apples, washed and dried
3/4 cup chopped salted peanuts,m&ms, crushed cookies, sprinkles,etc or other topping of chioce(optional)
1 cup light corn syrup
dash of salt
1/2 cup butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1−14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In 2 quart saucepan melt butter and add salt, syrup and sugar.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture comes
to a full boil, 10−12 minutes. Stir in milk and continue cooking,
stirring occasionally, until small amount of mixture dropped in
ice water forms a ball or candy thermometer reaches 245 F.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Dip apples in carmel mixture.
Place coated apples on waxed paper. Put topping of choice in a small
bowl so you can dip the apples in. Allow to dry completely
and then place in air tight container.

Apple Crisp using Dehydrated Apples

Apple Crisp
4 cups dehydrated apples
8 cups hot water
½ C. Sugar
½ C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
In a large sauce pan combine water, apple slices, sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain off liquid reserving about 1 cup to Add back to the apple mixture.
Ingredients for Topping:
3/4 cup of old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (Optional)
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F Butter an 8 X 11 inch baking dish Place prepared apple mixture in baking dish. Mix old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl Add butter and rub into mixture until coarse crumbs form Mix in walnuts Spread topping onto apple mixture Place in oven and bake until topping is golden brown .(about 35-40 minutes)

Cake- Like Cornbread

Marie Callendar's Cake Like Corn Bread


1 Box corn muffin mix
1 Box yellow cake mix

Prepare corn muffin mix just as box directs. Set aside. In another bowl
prepare yellow cake mix per box directions. Pour prepared cake mix into
prepared corn muffin mix and stir well. Turn batter into greased 9x12x2
pan. Bake at 350~ for 30 to 35 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm with Honey Butter. Source: Gloria Pitzer's Secret Fast Food
Recipes

Potato Cheese Soup

Marie Callender's Potato Cheese Soup
50 min | 30 min prep
SERVES 8 -10
• 8 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
• 2 cups peeled and chopped onions
• 4 cups chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, garnish (optional)
1. Place potatoes, onions, celery and salt in water to cover in a large pot.
2. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Puree just until chunky in blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade.
4. Return to soup pot; add half-and-half, butter and cheese.
5. Stirring, simmer until piping hot. (Do not boil.).
6. Presentation:
7. Garnish with parsley if desired. Good served with cornbread.

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Cake Roll
adapted from Lion House Desserts

For Cake:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional**
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper and grease paper. Set aside. Beat eggs till lemon colored. Gradually add sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; add to egg-pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into pan; sprinkle with chopped nuts (if using.) Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on kitchen towel. Turn cake onto towel, and remove wax paper. Roll up cake and towel lengthwise. Cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

For Filling:***

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whip butter and cream cheese together. Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Unroll cake and spread with filling. Roll up again. Wrap in plastic wrap until served.

*I used freshly ground nutmeg (for the first time ever!) and I really think it made a huge difference!( you can substitute pumkin pie spice 3 1/2 teas. for spices)
*

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
I used about 2-3 cups of the finely diced, cooked chicken ( I boiled 4 lrg breasts in the 10 cups of water with seasonings, removed diced and put it back in the broth with the veggies)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper (I go light on this and added some white ground pepper)
3 tsp. Chicken Flavored Chicken soup base and food seasoning
Some diced carrots (I used 3)
2 stalks celery diced
¼ c diced onions
8 0z (2CUPS uncooked wide noodles. Um…that would NOT be the whole bag…that would explain my soup imbalance prior using the whole bag)
10 cups of water
Boil until veggies are tender.
Add noodles. 8 0z (2CUPS uncooked wide noodles. Um…that would NOT be the whole bag…that would explain my soup imbalance prior using the whole bag)

Cook about ten minutes. Let cool ten minutes or so.

I always double this recipe. I use a variety of noodles or rice. Whatever I have on hand.

Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins

1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup pumpkin
Coating:
1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 sup sugar


In a small mixing bowl, beat shortening, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice; add to the sugar mixture alternately with pumpkin. Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full (don't use muffin liners). Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

One Options is to roll the warm muffins in butter, then in cinnamon-sugar
Coating:
1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 sup sugar
serve immediately

My favorite option is to dip each muffin in a butter cream glaze
I just melt 2 tbl of butter and add powdered sugar(approx. 1 1/2 cups) until it is cookie dough consistency I then thin it with warm milk....... it tastes really good.

Yield: 1 dozen

Chicken Parmesan

from:Sisters Cafe
Chicken Parmesan
Sauce:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 lg onion chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 (15oz) cans of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Sugar
½ t. Basil
1 t. oregano
¾ t. salt
½ t. pepper
Saute onion and garlic together in olive oil until onions are tender and transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
CHICKEN:
boneless chicken breasts (approx 6-8 small breasts )
2 eggs
Italian Bread Crumbs
¼ to ½ C. olive oil
8 oz. thinly sliced mozzarella ( can use shredded)
¼ C. Parmesan
Dip Chicken in egg and then in bread crumbs. Heat oil and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Put Chicken on the bottom of a Lg 9x13 baking dish. Put one slice of Mozzarella cheese on each breast .Add ½ the sauce and repeat cheese and sauce layer. Cover and Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes . Top with grated parmesan before serving. You can serve with any pasta roasted veggies or a nice salad.

Low Fat Version
Make the sauce. Skip the whole breading and frying step. Place raw chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle chicken with grated mozzarella cheese top with sauce and bake at 350 for 40 -45 minutes.
Can top with a little parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy.
This lowfat version makes a great freezer meal just prepare instead of baking cover and freeze. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Homemade Oreos

There are two versions of Homemade Oreos I use. The amount of Time and ingredients usually dictates which recipe I choose. Which do you prefer?

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla-Cream Filling (Homemade Oreos)

Chocolate Wafers:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup + 2 tablespoons room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

Vanilla-Cream Filling:

¼ cup room-temperature, unsalted butter
¼ cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 190ºC/375ºF.

In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.

Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 5cm (2in) apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes (I baked mine for 10), rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.

To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1.25cm (½ in) round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. You can roll the edges in sprinkles for added flair. It is way cute.

Makes 30 sandwich cookies – I got 37

These are not a new cookie, and I'm sure that you all have had these, or have the recipe, but I thought I'd share it anyways since it's one of my very favorite cookies.

VERSION 2
Homemade Oreos
2 pkgs. devils food cake mix
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla

Put ingredients in a large bowl and mix together well. Roll 1 tsp. dough ( about the size of a quarter ) and put on cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 for 9 minutes.

Frosting:
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix frosting ingredients until creamy. Match up the cookies, and spread frosting in between the 2 bottoms of cookies ( tops showing on both sides ) making a sandwich.

~You can see with all of the naughty ingredients why they taste soo yummy!