Homemade Hot Chocolate

I had a teenage girls at my house this weekend.   It started snowing and they all shot out of the house to go get cold and wet.  I knew Hot Chocolate was expected when they returned.  I looked in my cabinets and there was not any of my "quick and easy"  Swiss Miss packets.  I found this Better Homes and Garden recipe and tried it and it was sooooo delicious,  almost like having a desert.

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/3 cup sugar
4 or 5 cups of milk
marshmallows

In a medium saucepan combine semisweet chocolate, sugar, and 1/2 cup of the milk.
Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture just comes to a boil.  Do not boil.
Remove from heat.  If desired beat milk mixture with a rotary beater till frothy. 
Serve with marshmallows  This makes about 4 cups so double the recipe for 8

(time cutting tip:)  be heating the remainder 4 cups of milk in microwave while waiting on  chocolate mixture to melt
      

"Fat Burning"......Peppers?

Studies show that capsaicin increases the body's metabolic rate (causing one to burn more calories) and may stimulate brain chemicals that help us feel less hungry.  In a recent study, people ate 16 percent fewer calories at a meal if they sipped on tomato juice spiked with hot-pepper extract vs. plain tomato juice.

Von's Family favorite dip

A large platter or tray
Olive oil
3 or 4 Roma tomatoes
1 bunch of green onions
1block of feta cheese
Greek seasoning
1 baguette (long skinny French bread).

Cover platter with oil
Dice onions & tomatoes
Throw them on top
Crumble cheese on top of that.
Sprinkle about 2 tsp of seasoning on top or to taste.
Gentle mix together. Cut bread to bite size & dip! 

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
3 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples
(about 2 1/4 pounds)

In mixing bowl combine sugar, flour cinnamon, and allspice.  Add apples, toss to coat fruit. Transfer to pie crust.  Put pastry atop pie and cut slits in pastry.  Seal a flute to rim of pie edge.  Cover edges of pie with foil.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake 375 oven for 25 min.  Remove foil.  Bake for 30 more minutes or till crust is golden. 

Did you know?

 Did you know there is a Vanilla Bean Paste???

Use vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla extract anywhere you want the beans to shine.   I first heard about vanilla bean paste watching a morning tv program, where they used it in place of vanilla.  I wanted to try it and use it in recipes to jazz it up abit.  I love seeing and tasting those little black dots. I recently used my paste to make vanilla bean buttercream frosting.



 It tastes just like melted vanilla ice cream.
 
This frosting is so good over anything pumpkin.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting Recipe

• 1 1/2 c confectioners sugar (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency)
• 1/2 c  butter  or margarine (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (add more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon milk

Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy. Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute. If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners sugar to make it stiffer

It is allittle pricey but worth it. 
Order here....    I Think it makes a good gift for neighbors or anyone for Christmas!

Basic Cornbread

Ingredients

• 2  cups  buttermilk self-rising white cornmeal mix
• 1/2  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  cup  butter or margarine, melted
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten
• 2  cups  buttermilk

Preparation

Heat a well-greased 9-inch oven-proof skillet at 450° for 5 minutes.
Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Pour batter into hot skillet.
Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 12  ounces  turkey breakfast sausage
• 2  cups  1% low-fat milk
• 2  cups  egg substitute
• 1  teaspoon  dry mustard
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 3  large eggs
• 16  (1-ounce) slices white bread
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) finely shredded reduced-fat extrasharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4  teaspoon  paprika

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring and breaking sausage to crumble. Remove from heat; cool.

Grannys Millionare Pie

1 graham cracker crust
1 lg. pkg cream cheese (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 small can of crushed pineapple (drained)
9 oz dream whip
1 cup of cherries (in a jar)
1 cup pecans (chopped)

Mix and pour in graham cracker crust
refrigerate

Orange balls

1 box powdered sugar
1 six oz frozen orange juice softened
1 stick butter softened
1 box vanilla wafers (crushed)
1 cup pecans chopped
coconut
Mix  and form into balls
then roll in the coconut
place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper
refrigerate

Sweet Potato Crunch

3 cups cooked sweet potatoes or 2 big cans
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs beaten1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
optional...nutmeg and cinnamon to taste
Mash potatoes and add other ingredient

Topping

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup pecans
2/3 stick margarine
combine all and sprinkle over top of casserole.
Bake 325- 350 for 25-30 min

banana bread

in this bowl mix:
3-4 bananas mashed
1 cup sugar
1 egg
mix this with
1/4 cup of melted butter

in another bowl mix:
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
mix and add other ingred. 
add pecans or nuts if desired
pour into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake 1  325 degrees for an hour or until done

Pecan Pie

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbs flour
2 tbs milk
1 cup of white karo syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
mix all of the above in a bowl with mixer on low speed
 add 1 cup of Pecans
Put in uncooked pie crust and bake 10 min on 400
then lower to 350 got 40 - 50 min.

Grannys Chocolate Pie

Mix dry ingredients Together first which are

2/3 cup
3 tbs. flour ( or cornstarch)
3 level tbs. cocoa
pinch of salt  (1/4 tsp)
put this in pan first

then Add
1 2/3 cups  milk
2 tbs (stick butter)
2 egg yolks (slightly beaten)

cook over heat until thickened, take off burner and add 1 tsp vannilla


Meringue

4 eggs whites  beat with mixer
add 1/4 cup sugar
as it thickens add vannilla  4 tsp

Ranch dip

16-oz. container sour cream 1-oz. pkg. ranch salad dressing mix 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 c. bacon bits

Mix together sour cream and dressing mix; add cheese and bacon bits. Stir well; chill for one hour before serving. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Cornish Hens

If you find yourself serving dinner to a small group this Thanksgiving, put cornish hens on the menu instead of turkey.  They take less time to roast but are just as tasty.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Cornish hens

Preparation:

Basic Instructions
Here are some ways to quickly enchance Cornish game hens (or roast chicken). Start with four hens weighing 1 to 1-1/4 pounds each and a quick fix of your choice below. Roast the hens at 375 degrees F. for about 1 hour, or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a knife and a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees F.

Citrus Glaze
Mix 1/4 cup thawed, frozen orange juice concentrate, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons honey until well blended. Brush the glaze over the hens during the last 15 to 20 minutes of roasting.

Meal-in-One Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1 med. onion chopped
1 med. green pepper, chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp salt and pepper
1 jar salsa, ( I use 1 can mild rotel ) undrained
5 cups uncooked egg noodles
1 cup water 1 cup (4oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, brown beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink then drain.
add corn, rotel, noodles and water bring to a boil and transfer to 9x13 pan top with cheese and green pepper.  Bake 350 for 25 min until cheese has melted.  Serve with baked potatoes

This is delicious and can be altered to your taste.

One-Dish black-eyed Pea Cornbread

One-Dish Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread 

1 pound spicy ground pork sausage
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup white cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
2 cups (8ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup cream-style corn
1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles

Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes, sirring until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink.  Drain.

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking soda.

Stir together eggs, buttermilk, and oil until combined.  Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.  (Batter will not be smooth.  Add sausage mixture, peas, and remaining ingredients to batter, stirring well.

Pour into a greased 13 X 9 inch baking dish

Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until golden and set

Moms peanut butter treats

1 cup karo syrup

1 cup sugar

2 cups peanut butter ( plain or crunchy)

6 cups corn flakes

Heat karosyrup and sugar in a pan on the stove under medium heat. 

Heat until it starts boiling then remove pan from stove and add 2 cups

of peanut butter and mix.  Then add corn flakes.  It will be sticky. 

Form ball shaped treats and place on cookie sheet or foil to cool.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Enjoy




This is a quick and easy treat that is soooo delicious!

Rocketship Cake

What you’ll need:

- 9x13 inch square pan
- Cake mix
- Cupcake pan
- Plate
- Blue frosting
- White frosting
- Red and blue M&Ms
- 1 tube black red frosting or red rope licorice

How to make it:

1. Follow the cake mix directions on the box. Pour cake mix into only two cups of the cupcake pan, about 2/3 full.

2. Put the rest of the cake mix into a greased 9x13 inch pan.

3. Bake the cake for 30 minutes and the cupcakes for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.

4. Let the cake cool for ten minutes.  Than flip it upside down and let it cool on a wire rack.

5. Once it is done cooling, cut out the two top corners of the cake to look like the top of a rocket ship. Attach the cut-out pieces to the bottom for wings. Frost the cake white.

6. Cut off the tops of the cupcakes and frost the tops blue. Place them on the rocket for windows.

7. Use red and blue M&Ms to create your own design on the ship.

8. Use red rope licorice or gel frosting to outline the rocket. Accent the cake with paper cut-out stars and flames, if you like.



Read More http://www.ivillage.com/how-make-cut-out-rocket-ship-birthday-cake/6-a-297992#ixzz15SmXUHRw
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pumkin cheesecake squares

Pumkin Cheesecake Squares   1 package (18 oz. size) refrigerated ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough 1 package (10 oz. size) cinnamon-flavored baking chips (found at Walmart if not in your local grocery store) 3 packages (8 oz. size) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup solid pack pumpkin 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 3 eggs   Directions: Arrange 15 of the cookie dough pieces in greased 9 X 13-inch baking pan; pat out to cover bottom of pan. (Reserve remaining dough for another use.) Sprinkle chips over dough. Bake in 350degrees F oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned. In large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add pumpkin and spice; beat at low speed until blended. Beat in eggs. Pour batter over crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack to room temperature. Chill for several hours before cutting into squares to serve.

spinach casserole

chess bars

Upside Down Chili Cornbread

Philly Cheesy Chili Dip

Jalapeno Cornbread

Peanut butter Fudge

Lasagne

Buckeye Balls

Mexi chicken Casserloe

Hershey Cake

Strawberry Fudge Balls

Bea's Parmesan Chicken

Grannys pie crust

Breakfast Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Funnel Cake

Grannys Chicken and Dressing

2 Chickens
2 pkg cornbread
5 biscuts
1 1/2 tbs salt
5 boiled eggs
2 cans chicken broth
2 green onions
1 tsp sage
1 tsp black pepper

Boil chickens on stove with water to cover add 1 tbs salt for 30 min or until done
while chickens are boiling  make 2 pkgs of cornbread and boil 5 eggs
when cornbread is done crumble 4 cups into a large bowl.
Debone chicken when it has cooked and cooled.
In large bowl add 3 cups of  hot broth to the 4 cups of cornbread already in bow.
cover and let sit for 5 min.   Then add chopped boiled eggs, 2 tsp sage, 5 buscuts, green onions,
tsp black pepper, 2 raw eggs beaten, and chicken.  add extra broth if needed. 
grease baking dish and bake 1 hour 350 degrees until done.

Ginger garlic Appetizer Drummettes