Pumpkin Seeds

Halloween in right around the corner and a lot of you will be carving pumpkins.  Here is a great Pumpkin Seed recipe to try.

Ingredients

2 cups raw pumpkin seeds

5 tablespoons sugar (divided)

¹⁄₂ teaspoon  salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 tablespoons butter             

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
2. On foil lined cookie sheet (I fold up all four sides of foil to form a lip so they don't slide off), spread out seeds in a single layer.
3. Toast in oven for 45-50 minutes, stirring several times until seeds are dry & starting to brown.
4. When seeds are toasted, melt butter in a large skillet over med-high heat.
5. Add seeds & 2 Tablespoons of the sugar. Stir until sugar is melted. About 1 minute.
6. In medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the remaining 3 Tablespoons of sugar with the salt & pumpkin pie spice.
7. Add pumpkin seeds from skillet to mixing bowl & stir until coated

Nicoles Black Cat College Care Package

recipe from pinterest    

Ingredients

Refrigerated

• 3 Land o lakes eggs, large

Baking & Spices

• 3 cups All-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 3/4 cup Cocoa, unsweetened
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1/2 tbsp Vanilla

Dairy

• 1 cup Land o lakes butter

Desserts

• 1 Candy corn
• 1 Cinnamon candies, Red

For Instructions click here you will be directed to Land o Lakes recipes

Look at how artistic Katie is...Nicole will love this box of goodies...the box is a gift in itself. 

Nicole's First Care Package

I haven't posted anything in a long time because I just haven't been motivated or inspired.  Then I got these cool pictures from my friend yesterday.  I thought it was the coolest care package I have ever seen.  I wanted to share the idea with all my readers or reader.  Don't think I have a big following and I can see why. 

I dropped off the grid for 6 months. 

Nicole's First Care Package

I haven't posted anything in a long time because I just haven't been motivated or inspired.  Then I got these cool pictures from my friend yesterday.  I thought it was the coolest care package I have ever seen.  I wanted to share the idea with all my readers or reader.  Don't think I have a big following and I can see why.  I dropped off the grid for 6 months. 

Deviled Eggs

Katie did it again!!!!  This is my Easter Favorite.

I love deviled eggs and these are the cutest eggs I have ever seen. 

 Click here for a deviled egg recipe by Paula Deen.  

For Easter Clip Art click here

Chocolate Fondue Sauce

Katie's Best Ever Chocolate Fondue

The Best-Ever Chocolate Fondue Sauce

I went to my friend Katie's house for dinner and we had the best fondue.   All the food was great but you know I love dessert and I especially love dipping things in chocolate.

I am so lucky that Katie shares all her recipes with me and now I get to share them with you.  So thanks Katie, you are an amazing cook and friend!  If you have never had a Toblerone bar, rush to the store now and get one. 

Click here for original recipe.  

You will need:

6 tablespoons of whipping cream
400 gram Toblerone chocolate bar (14.1 oz)
1 tablespoon milk (optional)
Instructions:

• Melt the chocolate and the cream together either slowly on your stovetop or in your microwave. Add up to 1 tablespoon of milk if your mixture seems too thick. Pour into your ceramic fondue pot and place it over a tealight. (A tealight is a small candle.)     

Pigs in a Blanket

I love anytime a parent can get their child in the

kitchen cooking with them. 

Katie always has the best food when she host a dinner party.  That is why I never say, "No," to one of her invitations.  First we ate the Pigs in a Blanket, then Wine tasted (my cheap bottle came in second place). Then we finished the night with fondue for dinner and dessert.  I will share the BEST chocolate sauce recipe later. 

Ingredients

32 little sausages or lil’ smokies

1 package Pillsbury Breadsticks

Mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place little sausages in a bowl, dry with paper towel if wet. Open breadsticks and separate into strips. Cut each strip into thirds. Take a little sausage and roll dough over, placing seam side down onto a silpat or lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until dough is cooked through, slightly golden. Let cool for 3 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Serve with ketchup and mustard!!
Approx 32 little piglets!  

 Click here for the Crescent mummy dog recipe.

Banana Nut and Orange Poppy Seed Bread

    Recipe from All Recipe ~ Christina Jun

I wish I could take credit for these delicous loaves of bread, but I can't.  My friend Katie "The Motivator,"  made them for me and I loved them so much that I got the recipe to share with you guys.

Orange Poppy Seed Bread

 Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons butter flavored extract

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 1/4 cups white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1/4 cuporange juice

1/2 teaspoon butter flavored extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Original recipe makes 2 -9 inch loaves

                   

                                                                           

Best Ever Banana Bread                                                    

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease bottoms of two 9-inch loaf pans.
2. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds, butter flavoring, oil, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and almond flavoring. Pour into prepared pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for one hour. Cool 5 minutes. Poke holes in top of loaves and pour glaze over.
4. To make glaze: Mix orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring, 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add enough confectioners' sugar to make glaze.

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract          
• 1 cup chopped walnuts                                                      
•   Recipe from Taste of Home
• optional 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

• In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, bananas, oil, buttermilk and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in nuts.
• Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf.

Katie's wonderful gift

Katie gave me this awesome apron in 2012.

Katie and I went to Perry Creek a few years ago, to wine taste with our husbands.   Well, when she showed up to my house, she came bearing gifts.   It was this AWESOME apron.  What a great surprise, it made my day and week.  It is great to have friends that lifts you up and supports all your crazy endeavors.   You would think the apron was enough but no, she had 2 loaves of bread in hand.  I will post pictures and recipes in the next post.   

Mulled Wine Cider

Recipe Adapted by Barefoot Contessa

Katie did it again!!!!  I love everything she makes but this drink surprised me.   I didn't think I would like this drink because I am not a fan of apple cider.  But I was wrong...I love this drink and can't wait until Christmas.  I am making it for the family.   I can't wait to impress everybody. 

Ingredients

4 cups apple cider

1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

1/4 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, zested and juiced

4 whole cloves

3 star anise

4 oranges, peeled, for garnish

1/4  Cup Grand Marnier

Directions

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

Easter Eggs

Now a day people are doing the coolest things with eggs.  I saw the scrambled eggs on Pinterest and had to make them for my boys.  And the colored hard boiled eggs are from my friend Katie.  She has her own section called "Katie's Korner," on this blog and always shares her cute creations.

Pizzelle's

Katie's Famous Pizzelle's

I need to make sure I see Katie every December for now on, I am noticing a trend with her.  If I am having any kind of baking party she brings these delicious little goodies.   I don't have a pizzelle iron so I know that the only way I am going to get one of these cookies is to make sure I keep having Cookie Exchanges.    I hope you have had a Pizzelle or can try one someday.

Ingredients

3eggs

3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder, and blend into the batter until smooth.
2. Heat the pizzelle iron, and brush with oil. Drop about one tablespoon of batter onto each circle on the iron. You may need to experiment with the amount of batter and baking time depending on the iron. Bake for 20 to 45 seconds, or until steam is no longer coming out of the iron. Carefully remove cookies from the iron. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
3. For chocolate pizzelles, add 1/4 cup cocoa sifted together with flour and baking powder, 1/4 cup more sugar and 1/4 teaspoon more baking powder. I find that for the chocolate mixture, the iron must be well oiled to start and then brush on more as needed.

recipe from Allrecipe