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.