Easy Coconut Cookies

Kim Hannon gave me this recipe. She drizzles hers with chocolate syrup and caramel syrup. They taste a lot like those girl scout cookies-they used to be called Samoas, I think they're carmel delights.

1 package sugar cookies
Add ingredients according to package(usually a stick of butter and eggs)
1 tsp coconut oil
1 cup coconut

Combine all ingredients. Roll into balls, you can then roll in more coconut if you'd like. Bake according to package directions.

(Seriously, it is this easy and simple and SO good)

Homemade Granola

Below is the recipe that I have tweaked from a few that I have found online:

Dry Ingredients:

6 Cups Oats

1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds

1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds

1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

2-3 Tablespoons Cinnamon

(These seeds/nuts are very forgiving. I added pumpkin because I love their taste and color, but have also made it without Almonds. Basically, you just need a good variety)

Wet Ingredients:

2/3 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (I add a little more, but you can also add less if you are worried about sugar content)

1/3 Cup Honey (again, I add a little more but not quite 1/2 Cup)

2 Tablespoons Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350*F/180*C. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix Wet in another.

Push up your sleeves and pour the wet into the dry. It never seems like enough to wet the dry, but after enough mixing it does the job.

Spread over a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides). Bake until golden brown. Most recipes suggests 25 minutes, but my oven (a Celsius fan oven) has a mind of its own and starts to burn it after about 15 minutes.

Really, it could be eaten without being cooked (no ingredients need to hit a certain temperature to be consumed), so it is all about preference. After it has cools, you can add a cup of raisins, which I did not do to appease a picky husband.

Enjoy by the handful, in yogurt, with milk or a fruit parfait. YUM!

Mac's Wedding Slush (Used at Amy's & Mallory's baby showers)

2 c. sugar
5 c. water
1 (6 oz) box Jello
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 (46 oz) can pineapple juice (buy at Costco in three pack)
2 bottles lemon lime soda or ginger ale

Bring water to boil, stir in sugar until dissolved. Add Jello, stir until Jello is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add approximately 12 ice cubes to cool sugar/Jello mixture. In an empty 5 quart ice cream bucket (1.25 gal) or freezer container combine pineapple juice and lemon juice. Add sugar/Jello mixture and freeze.

When ready to use, defrost slightly, combine with soda until slushy. Serves 15 to 20. It is easier to serve at a reception by combining the slightly thawed slush with the soda directly into the punch bowl. You can make this weeks ahead of time. Ten buckets serve about 150-200 people. You can choose the color of Jello so the punch matches your color scheme. Peach is great, so is pineapple, lime and strawberry-banana.

(I let the slush sit out an hour before the time of the party so I could slush it up, it is possible to add too much soda too. So don't just pour both liters in. Start with one and stir and then add more as needed to keep it slushy. Amy's shower was peach flavored and Mallory's was raspberry.)

Father's Day - Sweets on the Grill

Cupcake Base - Brownies (silver cupcake liners would make this look more grill-like)

Orange Sprinkles for fire

Grey/Black Frosting for Grill - put frosting into bag and cut tip of corner

Kabobs - Cut up Dots and quartered caramels with creme center.

Hotdogs - Hot Tamales with small black stripes from small black icing.

Steaks - Caramel with creme center molded into steak shape with black stripes from small black icing.

Fun for kids to help and tasty treats to share with Dad!

Lion House Chocolate Pudding Dessert

1 cup flour 1 cube butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix thoroughly and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 to 20 min, then cool.

8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
9 oz. cool whip (1/2 of carton)

Mix well and spread on first layer.

2 small pkgs. of chocolate instant pudding
2 1/2 cups cold milk

Beat for 2 minutes then spread on second layer. Spread on remaining cool whip and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Broccoli lo mien

1-2 pkgs. chow mien noodles-fresh in produce section, cooked
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp. peanut oil (or canola oil)
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 c. onion, sliced thin
1-2 lbs. beef steak, cut into strips
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. chili paste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Combine noodles and sesame oil, tossing well to coat. While noodles cook, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

White Enchilada Soup

3-4 Chicken Breasts cooked and chopped
2 cans Chicken Broth
1 cube Cream Cheese
1 16 oz jar of Mild Green Chili Verde salsa
1 Can sweet corn
1 can white beans drained and rinsed
1 can black beans drained and rinsed

Soften cream cheese. Add cream cheese to broth and warm slowly while blending. Heat mixture slowly. Add all remaining ingredients. Serve with tortilla strips, corn chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, or avocado.

Tara's Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes

Home made Vanilla/or whatever flavor you make-em cupcakes
makes 24 standard cupcakes

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)
1/2 cup milk or half-n-half
1/2 cup canola or veg. oil
1 tsp vanilla extract (omit is using different flavor, if using an essential oil 2-3 drops is more than sufficient!)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened (8 tbsp. butter, REAL BUTTER, don't use margarine please, and if all you have is reg. salted butter, use it :)
1 c. sugar
3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. In another bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. In liquid measuring cup mix together milk and oil.

4. Add eggs to butter and sugar one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add all dry ingredients alternating with the milk and oil, beginning and ending with the flour mixture just until blended. If you beat the mixture too much your cupcakes will be chewy and tough.

5. Spoon half the batter into a gallon size Ziploc bag. Snip 1/4 inch off one bottom corner of the bag and fill the liners about 2/3 full. Repeat with rest of the batter. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 12-20 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove cupcakes from baking pan immediately so they stop cooking. Place on wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Homemade Buttercream Frosting
2/3 c. butter, softened
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla, or preferred flavoring
2-4 tbsp. milk, or half-n-half
coloring (optional)

(if you have problems with dairy this recipe also works well with Earth Balance butter and rice milk)

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well.

2. Beat in vanilla or flavoring, and coloring if desired, and enough milk for desired consistency. If using to decorate, leave stiff. If you add in too much milk, don't be afraid to add in more powdered sugar to thicken it up again.

Rumbi's Mango Chicken Salad

Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 tomatoes, diced
1 mango diced
1 can mandarin oranges
1/2 C feta cheese
1 T sesame seeds
1 bag tortilla chips
2 chicken breasts (cooked and seasoned with lemon pepper and salt)

Dressing:
1/4 C Dijon Mustard
2 T lime juice
1 t chili powder
3/4 C Mayo
1/2 C white sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
1/2 C white vinegar
2 T minced garlic
2 T ginger powder

1. To make the dressing place all ingredients in a jar and shake.

2. When serving, set out all of the ingredients and let each person layer his or her own. Top with chips and dressing and serve immediately. Optional: Serve with rice.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 cucumber,peel, core out seeds, and dice
2 chicken breasts, cooked cubed, seasoned with the lemon pepper
1/2 c. green onion, chopped
1 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. peanuts
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. Yoshida Sauce
2 t. ginger
1/4 t. red pepper
Iceberg or roumain Lettuce leaves.
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, season to desired taste. Place in lettuce cups and sprinkle with peanuts. Enjoy!

***I make a kids version on the side: cucumbers, chicken, celery, mixed with a little ranch. Serve in lettuce cups. Optional, sprinkle with peanuts.

Gecko Grill Shrimp Mango Quesadillas

***For those of you who are not lucky enough to live near Gecko Grill, this is a close second. This was just enough to feed my family of 5.

Ingredients1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, tails removed and chopped into 1/4″ pieces1 large, ripe mango, peeled and diced1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, grated6 10″ flour tortillas2 TBS honey3 TBS butter1 limeS & PSour cream
Directions: In large skillet, melt 1 TBS butter. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add to melted butter and cook until bright pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and drain any juices that were released. In same skillet, melt remaining 2 TBS butter and honey together, cook 2 minutes until thickened. Add shrimp back to pan, squeeze lime over shrimp, toss together and remove from heat.
In a clean preheated skillet, sprinkle one side of the tortilla with 1/4 cup cheese, 1/6 of mango chunks and 1/6 shrimp mixture. Fold over and cook until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut into wedges and serve with additional lime wedges and sour cream.

Very Berry Southern Pie

by Amanda Conway

I bought lots of berries at the farmer's market and was anxious to try to replace apples with berries in a recipe my mom and dad make for a delicious apple pie. It turned out great and since I was proud of myself for actually making a pie, I wanted to share!

So get lots and lots of berries...Get a iron skillet (adds a southern touch I think) and load it up with some melted butter and brown sugar!Make a pie crust or buy Pillsbury Pie Dough in the cookie dough section at the grocery store...I made mine following a recipe because it was cheaper! And to my surprise, pretty easy. Also since the skillet is pretty big, double up on the recipe or buy two boxes of dough.Add the fruit after you have mixed it with sugar and a little flour. Add the top dough and rub with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar.Cook!But don't cook too long, about an hour. The berries need to be bubbling, but then my crust got a little too dark...Still good either way...Enjoy with ice cream!

Recipe Assignment:

Delectable Desserts

Yummy Pumkin Cupcakes!

For these yummy cupcakes I used a pumpkin bread recipe from this blog Butter Required, you can click on that and it will take you to the YUMMY recipe! It made me 34 cupcakes! It is good all by itself, but I decided to be even more evil and add some cream cheese frosting on top!! SO GOOD! This is my recipe for awesome cream cheese frosting(I made a double batch of this and it was perfect for the amount of cupcakes, especially if you want to frost the way I did!)...

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Blend butter and cream cheese together till it is smooth, sometimes microwaving a little (15 sec) helps. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and blend until smooth.

Here are some pics to tempt you...

To frost like this cut a hole in a corner of a ziplock bag and then fill with the frosting! Squeeze around top of cupcake till you get to center! So pretty and professional looking!



Oh yeah! Cannot wait to make again for Thanksgiving! YUM!

Oreo Truffles

1 package of oreos
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
your favorite chocolate chips (about 2 cups)...white chocolate, semi-sweet, milk, mint chocolate

Blend oreos in your blender until completely blended. Pour in bowl and mix in cream cheese. Scoop balls onto wax paper and refrigerate for approx. an hour. Melt dipping chocolate in microwave (stir every 30 seconds) until completely melted. Dip balls in chocolate then return to wax paper. Put back in fridge until firm!

These are so yummy and so easy! The first time I tried these I almost CRIED...I thought they were so delicious!

Easy Chewy Homemade Oreos

I love this simple, four ingrdient recipe... my daughter thinks they are "simply divine."

1 Pkg Devils food cake mix
1/4 C. Flour
2 Eggs
1/2 C. Oil

Mix and form into balls, bake @ 350 for 9-11 minutes.
Drop pan on counter to flatten cookies, Once cooled, frost between 2 cookies!

Recipe Assignment:

Thinking Outside the Lunch Box- Fun, Healthy & Creative Ideas for school lunches...

PBJ Roll-up

On a whole wheat tortilla, spread peanut butter and jelly. Then Sprinkle with Rice Crispies, roll up and slice in half.

Variations:
Peanut Butter Banana Roll-up
Almond Butter and small apple chunk roll-up

Yogurt, berries, and rice crispies roll-up

Fruity Parfait

My kids think they are getting dessert for lunch.
Layer Vanilla yogurt, berries, and granola (or rice crispies) in a rubbermaid container.

Recipe Assignment

Each Peach, Pear, Plum....Great recipes for fresh fruit.

Peach Angel Trifle

Glaze:
1 - 6 oz box of peach jello
2 - 3.4 oz boxes of vanilla cook and serve pudding mix
2 ½ cups water

In medium sauce pan on high, add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly!
Remove from heat and let stand until cooled.

2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat)
1 - 12 oz container of cool whip (I use the lite)
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 round angel food cake (I make mine from the box, tastes much better than store bought and 1/3 the cost but store bought will work too)
About 7 large ripe peaches

Peel and slice the peaches then cut some of the slices in half. Add some sugar and set in the fridge for about an hour or so. (keep some as a reserve for garnishing)

Cream the sugar and cream cheese. Then add the cool whip and beat until light and fluffy.

Drain about ¾ of the liquid on the peaches from sitting with sugar; pour the glaze over and stir.

Slice angel food cake into 1-2 inch pieces.

Fill a trifle dish or 9 inch deep glass bowl, with layers of the cake, peaches and then the cream cheese mixture.

Garnish with reserved peaches.

Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before serving. Longer is fine. Now enjoy!

Peach Crisp

A good way to use up some of those peaches that I know so many of you have laying around!

Inside Ingredients
8-10 peaches, peeled and sliced ***
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping ingredients:
1 c flour
1 c brown sugar
1 c oats
1/2 c butter/marg, melted

Lightly spray 9X 13 pan with cooking spray. Toss sliced peaches with flour, sugar, and cinnamon, place into greased pan. In separate bowl, mix topping ingredients, sprinkle on top of peaches. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned.

***the easiest way to peel peaches: place them in boiling water for 45-60 seconds, then transfer immediately to ice water for a couple of minutes. The skin should slide ride off, if not repeat!

Salsa Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts
1 cup Salsa
2 cups minute rice
1 cup black beans -drained-
1/2 package taco mix
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 cups water
sour cream -optional-
can of chopped up olives -optional-

Bring chicken (thawed not cooked), salsa, taco mix, & water to a boil. Cover & simmer for 10 minutes. Return to a boil. Stir in rice and beans. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover. Cook on low for 5 minutes. top with sour cream


This is super easy and doesn't require an oven to be turned on. My Kids LOVED this and were eating it by the spoonful. Thanks for letting me join I am super excited to get new recipes!

BBQ Chicken Salad

So this is our new favorite-super easy and affordable!

2-3 chicken breasts
1 can drained corn
1 can drained black beans
favorite bbq sauce
favorite ranch dressing
lettuce (I use romaine)

Have your hubby grill the chicken breasts with your favorite barbecue sauce. While it's cooling off, drain your corn and black beans. Shred/chop your lettuce. Then cut the chicken up into chunks or cubes.

I like to leave everything seperate so I can put it away in seperate containers for leftovers. Add everything together, then I do a half ranch/half bbq sauce for the dressing. Super yummy. It's even better with some fried onion strings! (We have a recipe for the batter if you're interested.)

(You could probably cheat and use those precooked/grilled chicken strips-like at Costco and throw it in the microwave with some bbq sauce on it.)

Never-Fail Taco Soup

1 lb of ground beef or turkey (I use turkey)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can chili beans
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 packet Taco Seasoning


Brown meat, drain and simmer with a dash of the seasoning. Open and dump all the canned food water and all (except drain the black beans so the soup isn't black) into a large pot. Bring to a boil and continue stirring. Add browned meat and the rest of the seasoning. Lower heat cover and simmer at least 10 minutes, but you can let it simmer as long as you would like.


Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.


This recipe is very forgiving. If I do not have a certain type of bean, I throw in whatever I do have. This is my "go to" recipe because even I cannot mess it up.

Hawaiin Haystacks

You can make this meal however complex you'd like. We make our chicken mixture with a can of chicken breast and then mix that with cream of chicken soup. You can be flexible with the soup. I know people use the celery or mushroom soups as well. If it's thicker than you'd like add some milk.

Start with white rice as a base. Then add your chicken mixture along with any delicious toppings you'd like. We say the more the merrier. Sauteed shrooms, celery, cubed carrots, pineapple, peppers, cheese, chow mein noodles and tomatoes are some of the things we like. (I have this handy kitchen tool called the alligator which chops anything into perfect tiny cubes - makes cutting lots of veggies so simple.) Whatever you use get creative and enjoy a super tasty and quite healthy meal!

Posted by Shelley

Peggy's Chow Mein

3 chicken breasts-cut in bite size pieces
4 T. soy sauce
1 T. minced garlic

6 T. cornstarch (about)
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetable mix (your favorite kind)
2-3 pkgs. chow mien noodles-fresh in produce section

Place chicken pieces in bowl w/ 4 T. soy sauce, 3 T. water, and garlic (I also will put it all in a large Ziploc bag). Let marinate for at least one hour (I marinated it all day once and thought it was too salty, so I wouldn't recommend marinating it longer than 3 hours). After marinating add cornstarch until there is no liquid left in the chicken.
Stir fry chicken in 2 T. oil. Cook noodles according to package directions. Add the thawed veggies to the chicken and stir fry them until they are cooked through. (I usually cook the chicken separate in a saute pan. I then stir fry cook the frozen veggies in a large skillet and when they are cooked I remove them into a separate bowl and set aside and then cook the noodles in the same skillet. When the noodles are done I add the veggies and then the seasoning that comes with the noodles and then mix in the chicken) Here is a picture of the noodles I buy for the Chow Mien recipe. The recipe asks for 2-3 bags and this pkg comes with 3 bags so I just use the whole package. The package gives you directions for 1 bag so you have to triple the water and oil it asks for. At Stater Bro.'s I find these by the cheeses. At Von's they are on the back isle towards the produce.

****Kyra's Recipe

Recipe Assignment

Shakes, smoothies, and other stuff to sip on a summer's day:

FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE

4 oz semi sweet chocolate
2 tsp hot chocolate powder
1 1/2 TBL sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups of ice
Whipped cream

Melt semi sweet chocolate in microwave. Once melted stir in the hot chocolate powder and sugar until completely blended. Add 1/2 cup milk, stir, and cool to room temperature.
Once cooled add 1 cup milk, chocolate mixture, and ice in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Top with whipped cream.

Fruit Smoothie

This is a really easy Fruit Smoothie great for breakfast on the go or refreshing snack!

Add these ingredients to a blender...

1 cup ice
3 spoonfuls of orange juice concentrate
1 banana
4 fresh or frozen strawberries
3 spoonfuls of fresh or canned pineapple
5-6 slices of frozen, fresh or canned peaches
2/3 cup - you can do more or less depending on what consistancy you like!


Blend and serve!

Yogurt Smoothie

6-8 frozen strawberries (or whatever your favorite fruit(s) are)
If you have a few fresh strawberries that adds to the flavor
6 ice cubes
2 containers of yogurt-I usually do strawberry, peach, strawberry banana, raspberry, etc.
Orange juice maybe 1-2 cups. (It'll depend on how you like it, more yogurty, more slushy...)
Half a banana or a whole one if you like a lot of banana flavor

Blend and enjoy!

I make this for me and my two little boys-it takes up about 2/3 of the blender.
This recipe doesn't have exact amounts, because it depends on how many you are making and the consistency you prefer-thick, thin, runny,etc. So feel free to add more yogurt or OJ or ice cubes or fruit.

Oreo Pistachio Shake

Mix Pistachio Pudding packet and 2 cups milk in blender for 2 minutes.

Let sit for 5 minutes

Add a few Oreos, 2-3 scoops of ice cream, mix until desired consistency.

Orange Julius

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8-9 ice cubes

1. Combine all ingredients except ice cubes in blender.
2. Blend for about 1-2 minutes, adding ice cubes one at a time.

Recipe Assignment:

Breads

Pineapple Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 3/4 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour (I use half white and half wheat)
  
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)
• brown sugar
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
2. Beat eggs slightly. Add butter and sugar. Beat smooth. Stir in pineapple and vanilla.
3. In separate bowl put flour, baking powder, soda, salt. Stir well and pour into pineapple mixture. Stir to moisten. Pour into greased 9x5 pan, or two 4x7 or three mini loaf pans.
4. Sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar (optional).
   
5. Bake for about 1 hour. Test with toothpick. Let stand 10 minutes.
   

Zucchini Bread

We have a plethora of zucchini from our garden each summer... so I started shredding the zucchini and freezing it to later use in this recipe my mother in law gave me.

3 eggs
2 C. brown sugar
1 C. oil
2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. vanilla
2 C. grated peeled zucchini

Beat together eggs, brown sugs and oil.  Mix together
flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add to wet ingredients.  Add vanilla, grated zucchini
& (nuts).  It should be about the consistency of
banana bread.  If it's too wet, add a little more
flour.

Grease 2 5x7 inch loaf pans.

Bake 350 for 50 to 55 minutes.  It is moist bread and
it taste good with butter on it.  You can also add walnuts,
dried cranberries, currents, raisins etc. to the
bread.  Almost anything goes! 

Recipe Assignment:

Easter Dinner

&

Easter Treats

Resurrection Rolls

Wrap a marshmallow inside crescent roll dough (the kind that comes in a can).
Roll in melted butter, then in a cinnamon & sugar mixture.
Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
Sweet way to show & tell kids about the Resurrection, since the rolls will be empty inside after baking.

Easter Cupcakes...

I have made these cupcakes a couple of times and they are always a hit. They are a lot easier than they look. I don't have an exact recipe, I got the idea from a magazine several years back but basically this is what you will need:

Jumbo cupcakes, this is what is used for the body. I baked them in the Jumbo muffin tins
Donut holes, for the head
Frosting
Coconut, dye 1/3 of it yellow in a ziploc bag with a couple drops of yellow food color
Yellow food color (for the coconut)
Mini M&M's for the eyes and bell on lambs colar
Rope Licorice for colar of lamb and feet and comb of chick
Runts, for the nose and mouth of bunny and chick
Tootsie Rolls, roll in hand to warm and mold to make face of lamb, cut another one in half for feet
Marshmallows cut in half for hands and feet of bunny and cut in quarters for the ears of lamb
White paper, just cut in the shape of ears and stick in the bunny head (it would probably be cute to color a portion of the inside of the ears pink)

Attach the head to the body with frosting (a toothpick can be added to secure it). Frost the outside and add the coconut. Embellish as shown in photo. Have fun!

Pastel White Chocolate Pretzels

These are a cute, quick little treat. I put waffle shaped pretzels in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Then I placed a white chocolate candy melt on each one and baked for 10 minutes at 175 degrees, then I took them out, and quickly placed a pastel-colored m&m on each one. Cool in refrigerater for about 30 minutes.

Recipe Assignment:

From the Sea

No-Brainer Shrimp Dip

1 bottle cocktail sauce
1 block cream cheese
1 can tiny shrimp

Mix sauce and shrimp together. Pour over block of thawed cream cheese. Serve with crackers.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Sooo good and sooo easy!! I used garlic salt instead of celery salt (because I didn't have any)and it was great.

Baked Scallops

20 Ritz crackers, crushed
black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound sea scallops
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/8 cup sprite or white grape juice or sugar water mixture
1/8 cup white vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
2. Combine crushed crackers, black pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl. Press scallops into mixture so that they are evenly coated, and place them in the greased baking dish.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together melted butter, wine and lemon juice; drizzle mixture over scallops.
4. Bake in preheated oven until scallops are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Heart Cupcakes

An easy way to spice up your normal cupcakes! Get your cupcakes ready, then place a small marble between the paper wrapper and the tin. Bake as usual. It will indent the side in to make little hearts. Frost and decorate. You can use any kind of cake mix, but Red Velvet is fun for Valentine's day! Of course, if you are using Red Velvet cake then you have to have cream cheese frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Mix in vanilla, then add in powdered sugar. If frosting is too soft to decorate with, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Tip: since part of the cupcake volume is displaced by the marble, you don't need to put as much batter into each cupcake as you normally would (otherwise, when it rises while baking it will go over the edge and look like a normal cupcake, albeit one with a marble stuck to the side). This means you will have extra batter if you make 24 cupcakes. I put the extra into a mini-loaf pan and made a "mommy-sized" cupcake :>)

Heart-Shaped Eggs and Toast

Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, remove the center of a thick slice of bread, and toast it. Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Place bread slice in skillet, and cook until underside is lightly browned. Add another 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, and flip bread. Fit cookie cutter, coated with cooking spray, in bread's cutout heart, and crack an egg into cutter. Cover skillet, and cook until egg is set, 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to remove cutter. Serve with toasted heart for dipping into yolk. Recipe from Martha Stewart.

Heart-Shaped Pancakes

So simple... Make pancakes, cut into heart shapes, drizzle with syrup and add berries.

Recipe Assignment:

Recipe Assignment:

Superbowlicious

Calzone Appetizers

1 3.5-ounce package sliced pepperoni

1/2 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

2 8-ounce packages (16) refrigerated crescent roll dough

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

Finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Dried Italian Seasoning(optional)

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Pizza sauce, warmed (optional)

Directions

1. Reserve six to eight slices of pepperoni; set aside. Chop remaining pepperoni slices.

2. In a small bowl, stir together chopped pepperoni, cream cheese and the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese until well combined. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease an extralarge baking sheet; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, unroll each package of crescent-roll dough. Separate dough into individual triangles. Place half the dough triangles on the prepared baking sheet. Place about 1 tablespoon of the pepperoni-cheese mixture in the center of each triangle. In a small bowl, stir together egg and water. Brush edges of triangles with some of the egg mixture. Top with remaining triangles. Press triangle edges together to seal. Brush dough with egg mixture. Fold short edges of the dough triangles up, forming a hat brim. Prick the dough a few times with the tines of a fork.

4. If desired, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and/or crushed red pepper. Cut reserved pieces of pepperoni into small stars, crescent moons, and/or small diamonds. Press onto dough for decoration. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with pizza sauce, if desired. Makes 8 calzones

*** Recipe from Robin Bos

Creme de Menthe Brownies

*** My version of a recipe from Martha Stewart. Just to warn you, I haven't tested it out yet. If you want to use Martha's recipe click here.

Make your favorite boxed brownies. Let cool.

To prepare icing:
1/2 bag Wilton's white candy melts melted
1/2 container prepared vanilla frosting
6 drops Wilton's Creme de Menthe candy flavoring
Green Food coloring... only enough to give it a hint of color

Blend ingredients well, then place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to harden.

Top with football shaped mints... trim corners of Andes mints, then add three sprinkes, glue with left over frosting.

Tangy Crock-Pot Chicken

This recipe may seem too simple to be true, but it is so flavorful and the chicken is super moist, definitely a favorite around here.

Ingredients:

2-4 chicken breast, cut into small strips

1 jar coleslaw dressing (I used Marie's in refrigerated veggie section)

Garlic salt sprinkled over the top

Preparation:

Cook in slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve with or over hot rice, a nice green salad and some hot French or Italian bread. So simple to fix and so delicious to eat.

***Originally posted by Cherie in April 2008

Reipe Assignment:

Christmas Treat Exchange

Holiday Prezel Kisses

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
	Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug
	M&M's candy

1. Heat the oven to 170º. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.

2. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.

3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.

From Family Fun Magazine

Peppermint White Chocolate Popcorn

I got this recipe from my friend, Michelle's website. She gives other flavoring ideas (strawberry, amaretto) and some great fund raising ideas to go along with the popcorn!
http://jolleyfam.blogspot.com/2008/04/popcorn-recipe.html

It was so fun to make, I actually gave my kitchen sink a good scrubbing and then used it as a large bowl (I doubled the batch and didn't have a bowl big enough).

3 Bags Orville Redenbacher 94% fat free popcorn (if you use the regular bags it turns out to buttery and salty---takes away from the flavor
1 1lb bag Wilton Vanilla flavored chocolate wafers- I did one batch red, the other white and mixed them together for a candy cane effect.
6-8 drops peppermint flavored oil (I got mine from Michael's, by the candy melts)

Pop the popcorn. Remove seeds. Melt chocolate. Stir in 6-8 drops of oil.Pour chocolate mixture over popcorn and stir until well coated. Let cool on parchment lined cookie sheets.

(I added small crushed pieces of candy cane for a little extra jazz.)

Gingerbread House Fun!

If you love to torture yourself, you'll love this! :) The roof was the hardest, I recommend to reinforce underneath it with whatever cookie material you are using! When Placing the cookies together you want to have the frosting on every edge so it stays together, the frosting is what makes it work! It is a Royal Icing and drys quickly and really hard! This is what you need to make it...

A good size round frosting tip and accessories to make it work!

3 Tbsp Meringue Powder (I found at Michael's in the cake/baking aisle)
4 cups Powdered Sugar
6 Tbsp Water

If using a stand mixer(you are lucky!) mix it for 7-10 minutes at a low speed and if you only have a hand mixer like me, you'll need to mix for 10-12 minutes at a higher speed! You want it to be creating good size peaks by the end and it should get bigger. I doubled the recipe for the size house I made, see pictures above.

I went easy with Graham crackers - about 3 boxes for that size house. And get a good amount of candy to decorate how you would like, just glue on with the frosting! Use any extra frosting to cover up any mistakes and to make look extra snowy around the edges!

Chewy Peppermint Kiss Cookies

Really chewy pepermint cookies, this is a variation of the cake mix cookies. This is what you need to make...

1 package White Cake Mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup crushed peppermint candy cane
Peppermint Hershey Kisses unwrapped - about 30

Mix together all ingredients except the Hershey kisses, scoop into 1 1/2 inch balls onto a cookie sheet(make sure you spray before, these get stuck even with the spray!) at least 1 1/2 inches apart - they flatten out! Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until slightly golden brown around the edges! Transfer to wax paper as soon as they are out of the oven and add the hershey kiss in the middle!

Mint Thins

Compliments of the Kraft Food and Family magazine...love these!


Prep Time:
20 min
Total Time:
20 min
Makes:
3 doz. or 12 servings, three coated crackers each

What You Need
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1 sleeve RITZ Crackers (36 crackers)
1 peppermint candy cane (6 inch), crushed

Make It
MICROWAVE chocolate in small microwaveable bowl as directed on package. Stir until completely melted. Blend in extract.

DIP crackers in melted chocolate, completely coating crackers with chocolate. Carefully scrape off excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheets; sprinkle with crushed candy.

REFRIGERATE 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.
Kraft Kitchens Tips

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies
Omit peppermint extract and candy cane. Spread each cracker with a thin layer of peanut butter before dipping into the melted chocolate.

Neiman Marcus Bars

This is a standard around our house when it comes to Christmas baking...they are rich, but GOOD!!!

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 c. melted butter (1 stick)
3 eggs
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar
1/2 c. flake coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans (I usually use walnuts)
Beat 1 egg and butter. Add cake mix. Pat into 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix cream cheese, 2 eggs and powdered sugar. Add coconut and pecans. Spread over cake. Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Cut when cool.

Easy Cream Cheese Cookies

2 stick butter

3 oz. cream cheese

1 egg yolk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 and ½ cups flour

Chocolate, butterscotch or white chocolate chips

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in flour. VERY IMPORTANT-MUST CHILL ONE HOUR. Form into small balls about 1 inch. Press a few chocolate chips into the ball. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake (bottom should be tan not brown). This dough freezes well.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cracker Cookies

Ritz Crackers

Peanut Butter

Almond Bark, Milk Chocolate, or round chocolate melts

Colored Candy Sprinkles

1. Spread peanut butter between two crackers to make "sandwiches".

2. Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Reduce heat and keep chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water.

3. Dip each cracker "sandwich" in chocolate, allowing excess to drain back into pot.

4. Place coated crackers on wax paper and add sprinkles. Allow coating to completely set, placing in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Recipe Assignment:

Treasured Thanksgiving Recipes

Cranberry Mold

1- 3 oz pkg raspberry or cherry jello
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 can whole cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped celery

Drain pineapple, save juice. Add water to juice to make 1 1/2 cups. Heat and pour over jello, cool slightly. Add can of cranberries, then pineapple-stir until mixed. Add walnuts and celery, refrigerate several hours until firm.