Party Mix

 Party Mix

- Ree Drummond (with a couple of additions)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. 

I melt the butter on low in a small saucepan and measure the other spices into the saucepan while the butter is melting:

1 stick (8 T) salted butter, melted

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry's

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

6 to 12 dashes hot sauce. I use Cholula

3 to 5 cloves minced garlic

Meanwhile, into a large roasting pan, measure out the following:

3 cups Corn Chex

3 cups Wheat Chex

3 cups Rice Chex

2 cups thin & salty pretzel sticks

2 cups mixed nuts

2 cups rye crisps

2 - 3 cups Bugles

When the butter is melted, add the spice/butter mix into the cereal/ snack mix. Mix well.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

Cool completely then store in an airtight container. 

DIY Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

I have a little chocoholic in the house. Whenever I'm home, she requests "chocolate waffles." These days, I keep these Buttermilk Waffles in the freezer so I can toast one and top with Nutella.

I also keep chocolate syrup on hand for her requests for chocolate milk. I've had this recipe for years, and didn't write down the source - though I know I found it on the web. It's quick and easy. Enjoy!

DIY Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

1/2 c Hershey's Cocoa (or other brand)
1 c sugar
1 c water
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine cocoa, sugar, water and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk until smooth. Over medium heat, whisking occasionally, bring to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute, being careful that it does not boil over. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, add vanilla extract. I use a funnel to pour into a squeeze bottle. Store in the refrigerator.

(We re-used a cleaned up sriracha bottle this time).

Tropical Fruit Slush

Tyler's end of year party is this week. They are having a Luau theme and I'm taking this fruit slush. It's summery and tasty and so easy to make. It takes time, so it's a good one to make when you're home. I got the recipe from my Aunt Anna a long time ago and have made it many times. This weekend's humid warmer weather makes it feel like summer is really coming. I'm so ready! :)

Tropical Fruit Slush

- Anna Herbes

2 c boiling water
2 c sugar
1 can frozen orange concentrate
1 can water
1 20-oz can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
2 large diced bananas
2 12-oz cans Sprite

In a large bowl, mix the boiling water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add the orange concentrate and can of water and stir until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Place in freezer and stir every two hours (until firm). Move to a sealed container until ready to serve.

Caramel Corn

I've been making this caramel corn since college, thanks to my friend, Lisa. It's always a hit.

Tyler helped me make a batch today.  First, we popped our popcorn...

 

 Meanwhile, mix your caramel ingredients together, let them boil for 5 minutes, then add vanilla and baking soda. It'll foam up a bit when you add the baking soda.

 

Mix in a paper bag (so you can throw that away afterward instead of washing another dish), and spread on a couple of jelly roll pans sprayed with cooking oil.

 

Bake for an hour and voila!

Caramel Corn

Slightly adapted from Lisa Jaberg's recipe

 

1 1/4 cups uncooked popcorn (or around 7 quarts of popped popcorn)

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter (the original recipe calls for margarine, but butter is so much better)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

 

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Spray 2 lined baking sheets with cooking spray.

 

Pop popcorn. Meanwhile, bring sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt to a boil over medium heat. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Boil for 5 minutes. (No need to stir at that point).

 

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn (in a paper bag). Mix well and turn into baking sheets.

 

Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes, and rotating baking racks each time.

 

Let cool and separate kernels.

Enjoy!

 

Crusty Bread

I'm still on my baking kick this fall...and I have a recipe that you MUST try if you like bread. I mean, really. You have to try this. It's super easy and so delicious. Wayne and I have been looking for a long time for a good artisan-style loaf that is crusty on the outside, and airy and chewy on the inside. We've tried lots of recipes, some fairly labor-intensive, that have all fallen a bit short. We still felt like we could find a better loaf at a bakery than we could make at home.

But, thanks to Pinterest, we found The One. And it takes next to no effort. I've made 2 loaves this weekend. The first was plain the second was jalapeno and sharp white cheddar. Both delicious. Next up, rye. If I'm going to indulge in some bread, this is what I'm after. Just spread a little salted butter, or Laughing Cow cheese and salami, make a sandwich, spread a little cream cheese and jam, or eat it plain. It's all good. Mmmm. 

The link I've included gives a lot more pictures and instructions. I'm writing how I made mine, which is slightly different. 

Crusty Bread

Slightly adapted from Simply So Good - Click on the link for more pics, Q & A, etc.

3 cups bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

In your stand mixer, mix together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and let the dough hook mix it together until it comes together. (I let it go a few minutes). (Or you can just whisk it together until a shaggy mixture forms). It will be a wet, sticky dough. Place in a large bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or with a little oil.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours (or more). Overnight works great.  Alternately, I have learned from a King Arthur flour version, after covering it at room temp for a couple of hours, refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 7 days. The longer it is in the refrigerator the tangier it will be. (If you are pressed for time, put it straight in the refrigerator).

Pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set.  (OR, just scrape the dough down off the sides, so it releases some of the gases, and let it rest in the bowl until the pot is preheated). We tried it both ways and didn't notice a difference in the final result. We let it rest about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for about 10 minutes. We used our stainless steel stock pot. (She recommends preheating an enamel cast iron pot for 30 minutes).  **See below.

Remove hot pot from the oven, spray pot with cooking spray, and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 18 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  Devour.

Some variations (all but the Jalapeno Cheddar are straight from Simply So Good):

* Jalapeno-Cheddar loaf:  2 seeded jalapenos, about 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar.

*Rye bread: 1 cup rye flour, 2 cups white flour and 1/2 tsp caraway seeds and caraway seeds sprinkled on top.

*Lemon/Gruyere/Rosemary: Zest of 1 lemon, 1 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere and chopped rosemary

*Cranberry/Orange/Almond: 3/4 cup dried cranberries, zest from 1 orange, 1/2 cup sliced almonds

**She recommends your pot to be about a 5.5 quart pot. (You can go a little smaller or a little larger). You can use any container that can handle the heat and has a lid. Other baking dishes she says have been used: Clay pots with lids, Pizza stone with a bowl to cover the bread, insert from a crock pot, Pyrex baking dish with a lid, stainless steel pot with a lid, baking dish covered with aluminum foil, old cast iron dutch oven.

Fall Treats

Cooking and baking are a hobby for me, and a stress reliever. I'm still trying to limit my sugar/naughty foods, but these are a few treats I've made in the last week (or two) that I would recommend you make soon. :)

 

"Perfect" Chocolate Chip Cookies

Click on title to link to the recipe

I don't know if they are perfect, but they are good. They kept a nice chewy texture on the inside and slight crunch on the outside, even after being frozen and defrosted to serve again last night at Trunk or Treat.

 

 

 

Almond Butter Sugar Cookies & Cream Cheese Frosting

Click on title to link to the recipe

I avoid making sugar cookies, even though I love how they taste, because of the work of rolling them out, cutting shapes, etc. With this recipe, you make drop cookies, frost and put on sprinkles. Easy peasy. I used orange and brown for the frosting and fall sprinkles (from the Target dollar section) as a treat for Trunk or Treat.

 

Pioneer Woman's Chex Mix

Click on title to link to the recipe



Wayne loves Chex mix. The Pioneer Woman adds fresh garlic and Tabasco to spice it up a little. I didn't have Tabasco on hand, so I used Sriracha. I really liked the slight heat the garlic and Sriracha added. This was another snack for last night...and before and after last night...

Halloween Puppy Chow

Click on title to link to the recipe

 

Tyler's class party is Wednesday, for Halloween of course. I gave him some options for our contribution for a snack, and this was his pick. It's a mix of white chocolate, semi sweet chocolate with the addition of Reese's Pieces. It's pretty yummy. But what Puppy Chow isn't?



Pioneer Woman's Supreme Pizza Burgers

Click on title to link to the recipe

I made these burgers a couple of weeks ago. My modification was to use 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb sausage and made it into 7 patties instead of 4. They were still plenty big for us. I just need to get the ingredients on hand again so we can make more. They are delicious!

Hot Pepper Peach Spread

This is a yummy cracker dip that I made over the holidays and again for the Superbowl. It's creamy, sweet and spicy.

Hot Pepper Peach Spread

-Deanna Wells

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened

3-5 oz Rothschild Hot Pepper Peach Jelly (I used Rise & Roll's Peach Jalapeno Jam)

1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion

1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded

Mix all ingredients together except the Monterrey Jack cheese. Spread in a shallow dish and top with shredded cheese. Refrigerate at least one hour. Serve with crackers.

White Chocolate Cinnamon Pretzels

I have a recipe to add to your holiday baking list. I saw it on Pinterest and made it this weekend. It's super easy. So easy, in fact, it's almost embarrassing. And, it doesn't take many ingredients. It's sweet, salty and crunchy. Addictive and delicious.

White Chocolate Cinnamon Pretzels

Ingredients:
1 bag of pretzels (16-18 oz)
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Pour pretzels into oil mixture. Stir until coated.
3. Microwave for 1 minute, remove and stir. Microwave 45 seconds more.
4. Spread pretzels evenly onto two cookie sheets.
5. While still warm, sprinkle cinnamon sugar generously.
6. Melt white chocolate (on low heat, be careful not to burn) and drizzle over cooled pretzels.
7. Store in an airtight container.

Bribery

Came across this website today...and not only are the recipes intriguing, I really enjoyed her writing. And writing about bribing her kids reminded me of my recent post about Tyler's incentive chart. I never said that "my kid will never"__________, but I have done and said things I didn't think that I would. :)

In any case, she has some fun and tasty-looking seasonal recipes that I'd like to try too...

Full disclosure here - I'm only allowing myself to eat sugar (and things that are high in carbs) one day a week...so I don't bake or make sweets nearly as often as I used to. So, I may not get to these...but a girl can dream. :) (And make things for other people).

(click on the picture for the link)

Savory Sweet Cracker Dip

My friend, Michelle, recently gave me this cracker dip recipe and I've already made it several times. It just takes a few ingredients, is quick and easy to put together and is soooo tasty.

Savory Sweet Cracker Dip
- Michelle Pankratz

1 cup chopped pecans
4 green onions, diced
4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2-1 cup raspberry preserves

Optional: 4 strips bacon cooked until brown and crispy, crumbled; garlic powder (about 1/4 tsp); and salt to taste (about 1/4-1/2 tsp).

Mix together pecans, green onions, cheese, mayonnaise and optional ingredients if desired. Spread on a plate/dish. Top with raspberry preserves. Serve with crackers.

Potato Chips

Microwave Potato Chips
-Adapted from Taste of Home

1 potato
1 T or so olive oil
salt

Scrub the potato and cut into thin slices, about 1/16 inch-thick. (I used my mandolin). Lay 3 paper towels on a plate. Toss the potato slices in olive oil and arrange on the paper towel. Do not overlap. Sprinkle with salt. Microwave for 3 minutes. Turn and microwave for 2-3 minutes more until the potatoes are dry. Sprinkle on a little more salt. (I did 3 minutes/side and they were golden brown and crunchy). Let cool for at least a minute before serving.

Delicious!


OK, does it make it better or worse that I made these after I went to the YMCA tonight? :)