Santa Snack Mix

The little santa hats in this snack mix might be the cutest thing to come out of my kitchen since the dump truck cake. Seriously, when I came across these on the internet, I just knew my Christmas could not be complete until I tried making them! They would make a cute addition to your holiday treats by themselves, if you didn't want to make the rest of the snack mix along with them, (although it's really good!) Such an adorable delicacy deserves to be shared with all the world, so unless you are totally immune to cuteness (Mark) you'll want to make these too! They're a little labor intensive, it's true, but not more than any other candy recipe and there's no thermometer or special, secret boiling point to worry about, so that was a plus for me! Here's the recipe. (and a lot of photos.)

For the hats you will need:

white candy melts

1 tbs. shortening to thin the coating

red candy melts (or add red food color to the white)

bugles

Wilton sugar crystals or white sprinkles

mini marshmallows

wax paper

Melt your red candy melts according to directions. Stir in 1 tbs. shortening. Dump your bag of Bugles in a bowl, and choose ones that are open on the bottom so they will stand up to dry. Dip all but the very tips in red coating, tap of excess on side of bowl, and set on a cookie sheet with wax paper on it to dry.

When they are dry, melt the white candymelts. (You will only need a small bowl of these.) Dip the bottom of the hats to form a white brim, dip in the sugar, and set them back on the cookie sheet to set.

Now you are ready for the tops- with your kitchen shears or a clean pair of scissors, cut about 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows into halves. (Cut them through their middles, not across the flat top). Dip the bare tips of the bugles back into the remelted red coating, and poke a half marshmallow onto the hat, holding on for just a second to let it set.

To assemble the rest of the snack mix in a large bowl stir together about

2 cups Rice Chex cereal

2 cups pretzels

1 cup peanuts

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 bag Christmas M&M's

Melt 1 bag white chocolate chips, pour over mixture and stir quickly. Chocolate will harden fast, so get everything coated evenly and pour onto another cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Put it back in the bowl when the chocolate is dry, add 1/2 to 2/3 of a bag of red and green M&M's. Add the santa hats. Almost too cute to eat!

And here is a link back to the original recipe.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

So I just made the chocolate sheet cake from the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog. Wow. It's definitely worth it! There are several different processes going on to make it, but nothing in and of itself is very complicated. (To me it may have seemed like a lot, but I am used to dumping a cake mix in a bowl and a few other things and calling it good.)

Now, the reason it's so good is because it has gobs of butter in it. Almost a whole box. But, it's like the Julia/Julia movie says: anytime you taste something that's really good- it has butter in it! I borrowed her photo to tempt you into trying it. There are great instructions and more photos, so go take a look! I'm giving it five stars.

Fudge, sooooo good!

4C sugar

12 oz evaporated milk

1 C butter

3 C chocolate chips (2 11 oz bags - I use Guittard: one semi-sweet and one milk)

1 bag walnuts

1. Mix together sugar and milk in a large, heavy saucepan (the sugar/milk will double in volume).

2. Put on just-below-medium heat. You don't want to bring to a boil too quickly, or you will scorch the sugar/milk and get grainy fudge. And DON'T STIR!!

3. Once the sugar/milk begins a rolling boil (in my hands, this happens at 216ºF), continue to boil for exactly 11 minutes (in my hands, the temperature rises to about 225ºF). DON'T STIR!!

4. Take off heat and add the butter and chocolate chips, and mix vigorously (it's a bit of a workout). If you did the heating part right, the mixture will be really shiny. If you scorched the sugar/milk, or stirred while heating, it will be grainy. Some people say to keep mixing until you get a satin sheen. I've done this or not, with little difference in the result.

5. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

6. Put in a buttered 9X13 pan.

7. Let set overnight.

Gluten Free Brownines

It was recently brought to my attention that I have several friends that are allergic to Gluten. So in my quest to find new ways of cooking, I came across these delicious brownies that oddly enough are made from......Black Beans. I know, it sounds weird, but trust me, these are to die for and are much more healthy than regular brownies. If my family can't tell the difference, neither will you. Enjoy!

Black Bean Brownines

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.
2. Combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a blender; blend until smooth.
3. Pour the mixtrue into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30-40 minutes.
   

Hot Fudge Sauce

Mmmm, doesn't that make you just want to dig in?

Here's an easy recipe for Hot Fudge Sauce that we had the other night at an ice cream party. It keeps in the fridge, (if you actually have any left over, that is.) Just microwave for a minute.

3/4 c. good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. Butter

2/3 c. Sugar

2/3 c. evaporated milk

In a heavy small saucepan melt the butter, add chocolate chips and melt, stirring over low heat. Add the sugar, gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil while stirring. Boil gently over med. low heat for 8 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat. Grab your spoon and and some ice cream-soooooo divine!

*Try it over brownies and ice cream- you'll think you've died and gone to heaven!

Smore Pie

Graham Crackers, Marshmallows, Chocolate!

Classic Combination.

This pie has the same Summer ingredients

...without the mess and stink of a fire pit!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Chocolate Chips (1 bag)
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Cups Mini Marshmallows
2 Cups Whipping Cream
1 Graham Cracker Crust

DIRECTIONS:
Melt Chocolate, milk and 1 Cup Marshmallows (double boiler or low in microwave).
Cool to room temperature, but not set.
Whip Cream until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold Cream and remaining Marshmallows into melted Chocolate.
Spoon into prepared Graham Cracker Crust.
Refrigerate until firm.
Garnish with extra Whipped Cream, Chocolate Chips, or Graham Cracker Crumbs.
Served with Ice Cream helps balance out the richness.

White Chocolate & Nut Popcorn

So this isn't so much a recipe, more like just a yummy idea. Here's what you do: 

Microwave a bag of popcorn (kettle corn is good.) Right after you pull it out and pour it in an over-size bowl,  dump about 3/4 of a bag of white chocolate chips over the popcorn. The hot popcorn will melt them! Stir with two spoons, like you would toss a salad, to coat all the popcorn. Add 1/2 c. peanuts, stir again to coat. Now it's really sticky, but sooooooo good. You can "dry" it by sticking it in the fridge for 10 minutes or so, then take it out and break it up a little. MMMmmmmm, you won't want to eat plain popcorn again!

By the way, we're on the 99th post- yay little Recipe Room! To celebrate this momentous occasion we'll have a "giveaway." Whoever posts the 100th recipe wins a special, edible prize from me... so, who's it gonna be?

Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you're like me, you have about ten different chocolate chip cookie recipes (which make ten pretty different cookies, despite having the same name). This version I had at a church function and they were so good I asked for the recipe. When I made them myself, they actually worked!! They remind me of the cookies we bought at swimming lessons when I was little. This recipe is from Ohio, so if you are at higher elevations you might need to adjust the flour.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
3 sticks margarine
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 to 1 1/2 bags chocolate chips.

Cream margarine and sugars. Add eggs. Add dry ingredients, then the chocolate chips. Drop on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 16 minutes or until firm around edges.

Anna's Chocolate Rainbow Ice Cream

Anna, my three-year-old, found this recipe in (of all places) her My Little Pony coloring book. She wanted to try it and made it with me. It tastes pretty good, although it's rich. She was so proud of the ice cream that SHE made.

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup chocolate syrup

2 cups whipping cream

rainbow sprinkles

Stir milk and syrup together until completely combined. Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the two together and pour into a 5X9 loaf pan lined with foil. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm. Top with rainbow sprinkles.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Whipping Cream Frosting

This was a standard for our birthdays growing up as children. The whipping cream "frosting" is light and fluffy and not too rich. It's a perfect complement to the cake.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. soda
3 T (heaping) baking cocoa (almost 1/2 cup)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Cream butter and sugar well. Mix in order given except divide buttermilk and flour and add alternately. Grease and flour the bottom of a 13x9 baking pan. Or use two rounds and grease the bottoms + use wax paper (that's how I do it and it comes out perfectly every time). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Whipping Cream Frosting
whipping cream (roughly 1 pint)
baking cocoa (roughly 3 T)
vanilla (roughly 1 T)
powdered sugar (roughly 1/2 cup)

Whip the cream until desired fluffiness. Fold in the rest of the ingredients. I said "roughly" on the ingredient list since I've never followed a real recipe, I just add in ingredients until it's how I like it. Experiment until you find the flavor you like best.

Shortbread Brownies

This recipe is from Jenny. She says she cuts them into 1 1/2 inch squares. Tasty, tasty.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x9x2 inch baking pan with foil; set aside. IN mixing bowl stir together the 1 cup flour and the brown sugar. Cut int he 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chocolate pieces. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl stir together granulated sugar, the 3/4 cup flour, the cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, the melted butter, and vanilla; beat by hand until smooth. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate pieces. Carefully spread over crust in pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Remove brownies from pan by lifting up on foil. Cut into bars. Makes 24 bars.

Blonde Brownies

2 eggs

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 box yellow cake mix

1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips

1 (12 oz) bag milk chocolate chips

Combine all the ingredients. Push into a 9/13 pan. Bake at 350 F. for about 25 minutes or until light brown.

Cocoa Kiss Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup finely chopped pecans (I left these out because Nate doesn't like nuts)

1 bag hershey's kisses chocolates

powdered sugar

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Add pecans; beat until well blended. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle. Heat oven to 375 F. Remove wrappers from kisses. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again just before serving, if desired.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies. (I didn't make this many--I must have used too much dough around the kisses, but I didn't mind, because they were still very tasty...)

Scott's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

▪ 3/4 cup shortening
▪ 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
▪ 2 Tbsp milk
▪ 1 Tbsp vanilla
▪ 1 egg
▪ 2 1/2 cups flour
▪ 1 tsp salt
▪ 3/4 tsp baking soda
▪ 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
▪ 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

Heat oven to 375°. Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixture until well blended. Beat egg into creamed mixture. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecan pieces. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375° for 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

I was honestly going to post this anyway, Hailey - since I finally remembered to take a picture of food! We made these yesterday. Whenever we make them, the recipe is requested.... I think they are the best I've ever had - it might be the tablespoon of vanilla.

Sinful Chocolate Mocha Trifle

I found this recipe on allrecipes a few years ago, and it has become a favorite! If you don't like mocha flavored things than it can be made without the instant coffee, but than it wouldn't be nearly as sinful!

INGREDIENTS
1 large package brownie mix (or homemade)
1 3/4 cups cold milk
2 (3.3 ounce) packages instant white chocolate pudding mix (I've used vanilla too)
4 teaspoons instant coffee granules (I use decaf)
2 tablespoons warm water
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee bars, chopped (Skor is my favorite!)

DIRECTIONS
Prepare brownies according to directions. Bake and cool. Cut into 1 inch cubes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix until mixture begins to thicken. Dissolve coffee granules in water and stir into pudding mixture. Fold in whipped topping.
In a glass serving bowl, layer one-third of brownie cubes, one-third of pudding mixture and one-third of candy. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used. Chill 30 minutes in refrigerator before serving.

ENJOY!!!