I got this recipe from Little Birdie's Secret. Their tutorial is so much better than my boring typed out method. I am typing it out for historical purposes but I figured if you wanted to see it with pictures you could go here. Yes I have made these. They are not too minty which is perfect for hot chocolate.
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/3 c cornstarch
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 c sugar
2/3 c corn syrup
1/2 crushed peppermint candy canes (about 6)
1/8 tsp salt
1. In small bowl sift together powdered sugar and corn starch. Line 9 x 13 pan with foil, spray with non stick cooking spray.
2. Sift 2 tbsp powdered sugar mixture into pan and tilt to coat all sides. leave excess in the pan.
3. Place 2/3 c. water in large bowl (I used my kitchen aide) and sprinkle gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes, until dissolved.
4. In medium, heavy bottom saucepan,, heat sugar, corn srup, candy canes and salt over medium heat until dissolved. About 7 minutes.
5. Pour into bowl with gelatin mixture and beat on high speed electric mixer until light and fluffy. About 10-15 minutes.
6.Spread evenly into prepared pan. Smooth top and dust with powdered sugar mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
7. Lift foil from pan and with small, wet cookie cutter, cut shapes and dip sides into sugar mixture. Cut up remaining into irregular pieces.
8. Store at room temperature, loosely covered.
I tried making marshmallows before and these were so much easier to do than the previous recipe that I tried. Kezri was even able to help with these ones. I can only assume that you could do the same and leave out the candy canes if you didn't want it peppermint, maybe increase the sugar by 1/2 cup. I haven't done that yet so please if you do let me konw how it works out. Always fun to have something fun to do with the kids. If the plain ones work out I may have some great s'mores shape marshmallows for camping this next summer.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Hot Cocoa Mix
I make this every year as gifts and every year I get so many compliments. So I am adding it here for all to make on their own if they wish. I am not sure where I originally got the first recipe from. I have tweaked it quite a bit to fit my needs. This comes out in a real fine powder, but it totally dissolves in water and is super rich. Also this makes a very large batch. I do this as gifts in jars so that is why the large recipe. I guess I could try to figure out how to cut it down but I love being able to make a large batch and even have some for around here.
14 cups of powdered milk (I process mine in the blender till fine powder. It will decreased it from 14 cups to about 8 once done. I found it dissolves this way in the water while by not processing it left lumps in my cocoa.)
3 pounds powdered sugar (definitely powdered not granular)
16 ounces baking cocoa
3-4 cups coffee creamer (if this is lumpy then process also, if not then use as is. The creamer gives it the real milky taste.)
Mix together in LARGE bowl till thoroughly mix. Place in containers with a tag that says "Add 3-4 large spoonfuls to 8 ounces of hot water."
Now I am a dump and go kind of gal. None of my measurements are perfectly accurate. I always start a pot of hot water and make up a cup before I jar and then tweak as needed. Sometimes it is too chocolaty and needs more sugar, sometimes too watery and needs more creamer. I go with the flow. You can give them with candy canes to mix it with or marshmallows. One year I added mini chocolate chips. I was not fond of them but the feedback I got was great from my friends that got those jars. They said it was a nice surprise in the hot chocolate. I hate chunks in my hot chocolate though.
Now my favorite way to drink hot chocolate is with a little bit of flavored creamer (caramel) and whipped topping. But everyone has there own taste.
This is this years gift to coworkers. I am still working on the marshmellows and therefore they aren't tied with the ribbon and tag. I found these great jars at Goodwill and then I glass etched the snowflake on the outside of them. I thik they turned out nice. The jar themselves were pretty and then add the hot cocoa mix and marshmallows and I am in heaven.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Swedish Meatballs
I really truly don't think these are Swedish meatballs by any means but for lack of a better name that is what I call them.
I usually use my Crockpot for this recipe. I have done it on the stove top and they turned out just as good. I also don't really measure anything. I just dumb in and turn it on.
I fill the Crockpot with enough meatballs for my family (I use the per made ones from Costco.)
Pour on top of the meatballs 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
Add 1-2 cups of beef broth
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. We serve these either over rice or noodles depending on the night and what the girls want.
I usually use my Crockpot for this recipe. I have done it on the stove top and they turned out just as good. I also don't really measure anything. I just dumb in and turn it on.
I fill the Crockpot with enough meatballs for my family (I use the per made ones from Costco.)
Pour on top of the meatballs 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
Add 1-2 cups of beef broth
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. We serve these either over rice or noodles depending on the night and what the girls want.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Chicken and corn chili
I made this the other night for the chili cook off and got a runner up prize.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 jar salsa (I use Dad's Salsa)
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1/2 (14 ounce) can tomotoe sauce
I literally dump everything into the crockpot and allow it to cook on low for 6-8 hours. About an hour before serving I shred the chicken. Serve with your favorite chili topping. I love it with sour cream and cheese.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 jar salsa (I use Dad's Salsa)
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1/2 (14 ounce) can tomotoe sauce
I literally dump everything into the crockpot and allow it to cook on low for 6-8 hours. About an hour before serving I shred the chicken. Serve with your favorite chili topping. I love it with sour cream and cheese.
Soft Caramel Corn
3 packages of microwave popcorn, popped
2 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup butter or margarine
1 (5 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Place popcorn in large bowl. Make sure to get out as many kernals as you can. In large sauce pan over medium heat, cook the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter. Stir constantly till it reaches soft ball stage or 270-290 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Pour a little over the popcorn and stir, repeat until all the popcorn is covered. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
I had some soft caramel corn that Kelly made a while ago and then I lost the recipe I found this one on All recipes and it turned out fairly well. The girls loved it. It does make a large batch so plan on sharing when you make it.
2 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup butter or margarine
1 (5 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Place popcorn in large bowl. Make sure to get out as many kernals as you can. In large sauce pan over medium heat, cook the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter. Stir constantly till it reaches soft ball stage or 270-290 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Pour a little over the popcorn and stir, repeat until all the popcorn is covered. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
I had some soft caramel corn that Kelly made a while ago and then I lost the recipe I found this one on All recipes and it turned out fairly well. The girls loved it. It does make a large batch so plan on sharing when you make it.
Butter dipped breadsticks
We always make these to go with Split Pea Soup. Have since I was a kid.
1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2/3 c milk
Preheat oven to 350 degree. Melt butter in an 8x8 pan. Combine the other ingredients until dough is formed. Roll out on flour surfaced and cut into sticks. Dip both sides in the melted butter and place in pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2/3 c milk
Preheat oven to 350 degree. Melt butter in an 8x8 pan. Combine the other ingredients until dough is formed. Roll out on flour surfaced and cut into sticks. Dip both sides in the melted butter and place in pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Pumpkin Bread
Mikaela got me hooked on this. I love the pumpkin bread from starbucks and this one is rathr close.
3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cups water
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three bread pans. Mix oil, sugar and eggs together in a large bowl. Mix in pumpkin pure and water. Stir flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add to the pumpkin mixture. mIx until just combined. Stir in nuts and raisins. divide batter into prepared pans. Bake 1 hour. Cool on wire racks.
3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cups water
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three bread pans. Mix oil, sugar and eggs together in a large bowl. Mix in pumpkin pure and water. Stir flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add to the pumpkin mixture. mIx until just combined. Stir in nuts and raisins. divide batter into prepared pans. Bake 1 hour. Cool on wire racks.
Zuppa Toscana Soup
I love the Olive Garden's soup salad and breadstick lunches. In fact that is a Mikaela and I thing to do together. I always order the Toscana Zuppa and I found this recipe the other day on a website called Robbie's Recipes.
1 lb Italian Sausage-crumbled
1/2 lb smoked bacon-chopped
1 qt water
(2) 14.5 cans chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes-cubed
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion-chopped
2 cups chopped Kale or Swiss Chard
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
In skillet over medium heat,brown sausage, breaking into small pieces, drain and set aside. Brown bacon, drain and set aside, place water, broth potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot simmer 10 minutes. Ass Kale and cream to the pot; season with salt and pepper; heat throughly.
This really des taste just like the Olive Garden soup.
1 lb Italian Sausage-crumbled
1/2 lb smoked bacon-chopped
1 qt water
(2) 14.5 cans chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes-cubed
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion-chopped
2 cups chopped Kale or Swiss Chard
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
In skillet over medium heat,brown sausage, breaking into small pieces, drain and set aside. Brown bacon, drain and set aside, place water, broth potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot simmer 10 minutes. Ass Kale and cream to the pot; season with salt and pepper; heat throughly.
This really des taste just like the Olive Garden soup.
Laura's hot fudge
These make great Christmas gifts to those that you just have no clue what to give. I got this recipe froma dear friend in our old ward.
6 ounces chocolate chips (this is one half a bag, that alone should tell you to double this recipe)
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
4 teaspoon vanilla
Heat chocolate and syrup until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Sere warm. This can be stored in the fridge for later use. Just make sure you microwave it. I usually just eat it cold with a spoon.
6 ounces chocolate chips (this is one half a bag, that alone should tell you to double this recipe)
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
4 teaspoon vanilla
Heat chocolate and syrup until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Sere warm. This can be stored in the fridge for later use. Just make sure you microwave it. I usually just eat it cold with a spoon.
All Day Apple Butter
This is one of those recipes from Allrecipes.com
5 1/2 pounds apples peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Place apples in the slow cooker. In medium bowl mix sugar, ground cloves, cinnamon and salt. Pour over the apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook for 9-11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover and continue to cook on low 1 more hour. Stir with a whisk (I actually use my hand held submergable blender) till I reach desired smoothness. Spoon into sterile jars and water bath 15 minutes.
5 1/2 pounds apples peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Place apples in the slow cooker. In medium bowl mix sugar, ground cloves, cinnamon and salt. Pour over the apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook for 9-11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover and continue to cook on low 1 more hour. Stir with a whisk (I actually use my hand held submergable blender) till I reach desired smoothness. Spoon into sterile jars and water bath 15 minutes.
Dad's Salsa
I tweak this one quite a bit so I will give you my version that I make every year but I still call it Dad's Salsa.
10 pounds Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 c green peppers chopped up
2 cups walla walla sweet onions
1/4 c. White sugar
1 1/2 cup distilled vinegar
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Celery Salt
3 Large cloves Garlic chopped/minced (sometimes I will use the already minced stuff from costco and sometime the fresh stuff hand chopped.)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 jalapeno (food porcessed to almost nothing.)
I use the boil method to peel my tomatoes. You blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then the skins fall right off. After I peel them I cut them in half and squeeze out a bit of the juice, I found that if you don't give them a sqeeze the salsa is too watery. Then I chop them up and throw them into a large stock pot. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Stir and cook over medium to medium high heat with lid on till it is thick. My never gets to thick with a lid on. I usually only cook it for about an hour. Place in sterile jars and water bath for 15 minutes.
This salsa goes quickly in our house. You can make it hotter by adding more jalapenos but we like a more mild version. One year I made it with 2 jalapenos and David was the only one that could eat it.
10 pounds Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 c green peppers chopped up
2 cups walla walla sweet onions
1/4 c. White sugar
1 1/2 cup distilled vinegar
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Celery Salt
3 Large cloves Garlic chopped/minced (sometimes I will use the already minced stuff from costco and sometime the fresh stuff hand chopped.)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 jalapeno (food porcessed to almost nothing.)
I use the boil method to peel my tomatoes. You blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then the skins fall right off. After I peel them I cut them in half and squeeze out a bit of the juice, I found that if you don't give them a sqeeze the salsa is too watery. Then I chop them up and throw them into a large stock pot. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Stir and cook over medium to medium high heat with lid on till it is thick. My never gets to thick with a lid on. I usually only cook it for about an hour. Place in sterile jars and water bath for 15 minutes.
This salsa goes quickly in our house. You can make it hotter by adding more jalapenos but we like a more mild version. One year I made it with 2 jalapenos and David was the only one that could eat it.
French Breakfast Puffs
I remmeber these from childhood. The recipe was in a cookbook that my dad had and I think he still does. I loved when we would have these for breakfast. Must be because I love snickerdoodles and they remind me of those. I got htis recipe off of Allrecipes.com which numerous of my recipes generate from.
French Breakfast Puffs
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1 easpoon ground cinnamon
6 Tablespoons melted margarine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins. In large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a seperate bowl cream together 1/2 cup sugar and shortening. Beat in egg. Stir in flour mixture alternating with the milk. Beat well. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. While muffins are baking combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Remove muufins form oven and immediately dip the tops of the muffins in the melted margarine and then the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Make sure the tops are covered. Serve warm.
French Breakfast Puffs
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1 easpoon ground cinnamon
6 Tablespoons melted margarine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins. In large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a seperate bowl cream together 1/2 cup sugar and shortening. Beat in egg. Stir in flour mixture alternating with the milk. Beat well. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. While muffins are baking combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Remove muufins form oven and immediately dip the tops of the muffins in the melted margarine and then the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Make sure the tops are covered. Serve warm.
New blog
I am starting to realize that I have a ton of recipes. I love recipes and I seem to collect them. More and more. So I decided those that we use on a regular basis need to be in one spot. I am putting them here and then if anyone ever needs one I can give them this site address. My recipes come from many different places. I will try my best to give where I got each one but some, well they are just recipes that I have no clue where they originate from. I hope you enjoy them.
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