Halloween Witch Hats

Are these so cute or what? and so simple to make your kids can help! Just use a fudge stripe cookie upside down and squirt a blob of orange frosting on top and add a hershey kiss.

BUTTER ALMOND CRUNCH

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 T. water
1 T. light corn syrup
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1. LINE A 13X9 PAN WITH FOIL. GREASE THE FOIL WITH PAM SPRAY. SPREAD COCONUT EVENLY INTO PAN.
2. IN A SAUCEPAN, COMBINE SUGAR, WATER AND CORN SYRUP. BRING TO A BOIL OVER MEDIUM HEAT, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY. ADD BUTTER; STIR UNTIL BUTTER IS MELTED. CONTINUE COOKING, WITHOUT STIRRING UNTIL A CANDY THERMOMETER READS 300 (HARD CRACK STAGE) REMOVE FROM HEAT AND STIR IN ALMONDS. POUR OVER COCONUT. COOL.
3. MELT CHOCOLATE IN MICROWAVE AND DRIZZLE OVER CANDY. COOL UNTIL FIRM. REMOVE FROM FOIL AND BREAK INTO PIECES. STORE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER.

CHICKEN MARSALA WITH LINGUINE

If you haven't tried these yet you need to. They are so yummy! This is my all time favorite dish at Macaroni Grill so you can imagine my excitement when i saw them sitting on the shelf at the grocery store. It only takes about 20 minutes to make and you just add chicken. I added a little bit more chicken and a little more linguine so i could feed my family and it still worked out. You can buy them at Walmart. Enjoy!

COOKIES AND CREAM CHEESECAKES

This recipe is from Martha Stewart's website. They are so good and the portion is just right when you make them in muffin pans.

INGREDIENTS:
42 oreos, 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
PREHEAT OVEN TO 275. LINE MUFFIN PANS WITH CUPCAKE LINERS. PLACE 1 WHOLE COOKIE IN THE BOTTOM OF EACH LINER. BEAT CREAM CHEESE AT MEDIUM SPEED USING ELECTRIC MIXER. GRADUALLY ADD SUGAR, BEATING UNTIL COMBINED. BEAT IN VANILLA. DRIZZLE EGGS, A BIT AT A TIME. BEAT IN SOUR CREAM AND SALT. STIR IN CHOPPED COOKIES. DIVIDE BATTER AMONG PANS. BAKE FOR ABOUT 22 MINUTES OR UNTIL FILLING IS SET. COOL COMPLETELY AND REFRIGERATE 4 HOURS OR OVERNIGHT. MAKES 30 CHEESECAKES

TWISTED POTATO AND EGG SALAD

This is a new twist on Potato salad. The Italian dressing gives it a little kick!

INGREDIENTS:
6 potatoes, diced
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/3 cup zesty italian dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup diced celery
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. dry mustard

DIRECTIONS:
BOIL POTATOES FOR 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL TENDER. DRAIN WATER AND POUR ITALIAN DRESSING OVER WARM POTATOES. CHILL FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS. MIX REMAINING INGREDIENTS AND FOLD INTO POTATO MIXTURE. SERVES 8 TO 10.

POT ROAST

This is sooo yummy! After making roast this way its hard to go back to a regular roast.

INGREDIENTS:
3 pound boneless chuck roast
1 1/2 tsp. house seasoning (see bottom of page for recipe)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves
4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
one can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup beef broth

DIRECTIONS:
SPRINKLE ROAST ON ALL SIDES WITH HOUSE SEASONING; SEASON WELL. IN HOT SKILLET BROWN ROAST ON ALL SIDES IN OIL. PLACE ROAST IN CROCKPOT. ON TOP OF THE ROAST, LAYER ONION, BAY LEAVES, CRUSHED BEEF BOUILLON CUBES, CRUSHED GARLIC AND CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP. ADD BEEF BROTH AND COVER WITH JUST ENOUGH WATER TO COVER ALL INGREDIENTS. COOK ON LOW SETTING FOR 8 HOURS. THIS IS GREAT WITH MASHED POTATOES AND MAKE A GRAVY OUT OF THE JUICE IN CROCKPOT.

HOUSE SEASONING:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix well. I keep this stored with all my other seasonings in a small tupperware. You can use it in other recipes.

CHICKEN PASTA

I made this for dinner and it was a hit! It has a little kick to it!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. chicken tenders
1 lb. asparagus, cut unto bite size pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
3 dashes hot pepper sauce
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
angel hair pasta

DIRECTIONS:
IN SKILLET OVER MEDIUM HEAT SAUTE OLIVE OIL, BUTTER, RED PEPPER, PEPPER SAUCE AND GARLIC FOR 2 MINUTES. TURN HEAT UP TO HIGH AND ADD CHICKEN TENDERS. SALT & PEPPER AND COOK CHICKEN UNTIL DONE. ADD ASPARAGUS, PASTA AND PARMESAN CHEESE AND MIX WELL. SERVE IMMEDIATELY.

PICK-UP STICKS

I found these in my ward recipe book and tried them out. My kids and husband ate them within minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
3 - 1lb loaves frozen pizza dough, thawed
9 string cheese sticks
olive oil
garlic salt
parmesan cheese
marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:
CUT LOVES INTO 6 EQUAL PORTIONS EACH; ROLL EACH PIECE INTO A BALL. LAY WAXED PAPER ON A FLAT SURFACE AND DUST IT WITH FLOUR. PLACE A BALL OF DOUGH ON THE PAPER AND PRESS INTO A RECTANGLE ABOUT 6X3IN. SPRINKLE TOP OF EACH RECTANGLE WITH GARLIC SALT. SPLIT STRING CHEESE IN HALF LENGTHWISE AND PLACE EACH HALF DOWN THE CENTER OF A DOUGH RECTANGLE. ROLL DOUGH AROUND CHEESE, CRIMPING EDGES TOGETHER WITH YOUR FINGERS. PLACE PIZZA STICKS 2 INCHES APART ON GREASED BAKING SHEETS. BRUSH TOPS WITH OLIVE OIL THEN SPRINKLE WITH PARMESAN CHEESE. PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 WHILE PIZZA STICKS REST AND RISE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. BAKE 18 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN. MEANWHILE HEAT MARINARA SAUCE; SERVE AS DIPPING SAUCE FOR STICKS.

JALAPENO CHICKEN

These are delicious! Stuffed jalapeno peppers are wrapped in marinated chicken breasts and tasty bacon seals the deal!

INGREDIENTS:
6 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 (16 oz) bottle Italian dressing
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese
6 slices bacon
toothpicks

DIRECTIONS:
1. PLACE CHICKEN BREASTS IN A DISH WITH THE ITALIAN DRESSING. COVER, AND MARINATE IN THE FRIDGE AT LEAST 2 HOURS.
2. PREHEAT THE GRILL FOR MEDIUM HEAT.
3. STUFF EACH JALAPENO HALF WITH CREAM CHEESE. ROLL CHICKEN BREASTS AROUND JALAPENO PEPPERS. WRAP EACH CHICKEN BREAST WITH A SLICE OF BACON. SECURE WITH TOOTHPICKS.
4. LIGHTLY OIL THE GRILL GRATE. ARRANGE WRAPPED CHICKEN BREASTS ON THE GRILL AND COOK FOR 20 MINUTES TURNING FREQUENTLY OR UNTIL BACON IS BROWNED AND THE CHICKEN JUICES RUN CLEAR.

SUGAR COOKIES

These cookies remind me of the Grandma's cookies you buy in convenient stores. You know the big sugar cookies with pink frosting and sprinkles on them. They taste just like them!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all wet ingredients together. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Use a small cookie scoop and place on cookie sheet. Press them down just a little and bake 6-7 minutes @375. Do not overcook. Dough will look uncooked when you take it out of oven. Cool completely and frost with desired frosting. We like strawberry flavor with sprinkles on top!

CARMEL PRETZEL NUT POPCORN

This is a yummy mix of sweet and salty and doesn't last long in our house!

INGREDIENTS:
8 cups broken salted pretzels
20 cups popped popcorn
4 cups dry roasted peanuts
3 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
1. PLACE THE PRETZELS, POPCORN AND PEANUTS INTO A LARGE PAPER BAG OR A VERY LARGE BOWL IF YOU HAVE ONE. SET ASIDE.
2. IN A SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT, COMBINE THE BROWN SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, AND BUTTER. COOK, STIRRING TO MELT THE BUTTER AND DISSOLVE THE SUGAR UNTIL MIXTURE COMES TO A BOIL. ONCE MIXTURE IS AT A FULL BOIL, CONTINUE TO COOK FOR 5 MINUTES, STIRRING CONSTANTLY.
3. REMOVE FROM HEAT, AND STIR IN THE SALT, VANILLA, AND BAKING SODA. THE MIXTURE WILL FOAM UP WHEN YOU ADD SODA, SO USE A LONG SPOON TO STIR. IMMEDIATELY POUR THE SUGAR MIXTURE OVER THE POPCORN AND PRETZELS IN THE BAG. SHAKE UNTIL EVENLY COATED. FOR A CRISPIER TREAT, BAKE THE FINISHED MIX IN THE OVEN @ 350 FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.

NOTE: I BUY MY POPCORN AT THE DOLLAR TREE. IT COMES IN A HUGE BAG FOR $1 AND IS REALLY GOOD. USE ONE BAG PER RECIPE.

BELGIAN WAFFLES

This recipe is one i found a few years ago and i always use it for special occasions like Birthday's and Holiday's! I bought one of those commercial waffle irons at Costco and it makes these the best ever breakfast!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg. yeast
1/4 cup warm milk
3 egg yolks
2 3/4 cups warm milk
3/4 up butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
3 egg whites

DIRECTIONS:
1. IN A SMALL BOWL, DISSOLVE YEAST IN 1/4 CUP WARM MILK. LET STAND UNTIL CREAMY, ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
2. IN A LARGE BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER THE EGG YOLKS, 1/4 CUP OF WARM MILK AND MELTED BUTTER. STIR IN THE YEAST MIXTURE, SUGAR, SALT AND VANILLA. STIR IN THE REMAINING 2 1/2 CUPS MILK ALTERNATELY WITH THE FLOUR, ENDING WITH THE FLOUR. BEAT THE EGG WHITES UNTIL THEY FORM SOFT PEAKS; FOLD INTO THE BATTER. COVER THE BOWL TIGHTLY WITH PLASTIC WRAP. LET RISE IN A WARM PLACE UNTIL DOUBLED IN VOLUME, ABOUT 45 MINUTES.
3. PREHEAT WAFFLE IRON. SPRAY WITH PAM SPRAY AND SPOON ABOUT 1/2 CUP ONTO CENTER OF IRON AND COOK UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN. SMOTHER WITH BUTTER AND SYRUP AND ENJOY! (i usually freeze the left over cooked ones and the kids pull them out and heat them in microwave for one minute. makes for a fast breakfast!)