(FUDGE BROWNIE TARTLET) I must have chocolate on my mind

Every now and then I go nuts over chocolate. 

 I don't mean "oooo I want some" type nuts,

I mean "ooooooooooooooo I GOTTA HAVE SOME" type of nuts. 

So instead of caving in to my frenzie, I start checking out recipes online. 

 Well here is one I found that I have tried before and its sooooo yummy!!!!

and of course, EASY

Big <3

Ingredients

• 1/2
  cupbutter, softened
• 1
  3 ounce packagecream cheese, softened
• 1
  cupall-purpose flour
• 1/2
  cupsemisweet chocolate pieces
• 2
  tablespoonsbutter
• 1/3
  cupsugar
• 1
  egg, beaten
• 1
  teaspoonvanilla
• Macadamia nuts, hazelnuts (filberts), almonds, or walnut pieces (optional)
• Chocolate Butter Frosting (below)

Directions

 

1. For pastry, in a medium bowl, combine the 1/2 cup butter and the cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

2. Shape dough into 24 balls. Press each ball evenly onto the bottom and up the side of an ungreased 1-3/4-inch muffin cup.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. For filling, in a small saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and the 2 tablespoons butter; heat and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, egg, and vanilla. If desired, place a macadamia nut, hazelnut (filbert), almond, or walnut piece and about 1-1/2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture into each dough-lined muffin cup.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Cool tartlets in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of each muffin cup to remove tartlets from pans. Transfer tartlets to wire racks and cool.

5. Pipe or spoon Chocolate Butter Frosting onto tartlets. If desired, top with additional nuts. Makes 24 tartlets.

From the Test Kitchen

• Make Ahead Tip Prepare as directed through step 4. Place cooled tartlets in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (Or place cooled tartlets in a freezer container; cover. Freeze for up to 3 months.) To serve, thaw tartlets, if frozen. Continue as directed in step 5.

Chocolate Butter Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/4
  cupbutter, softened
• 1/4
  cupunsweetened cocoa powder
• 3
  cupssifted powdered sugar
• 2
  tablespoonsmilk
• 1
  teaspoonvanilla

Directions

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth. Beat in unsweetened cocoa powder. Gradually add 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in 2-1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar. Beat in enough additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach piping consistency.

CANDY BAR PUFFS





Ingredients

• 1 package (17.3 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets), thawed
• 48bite-size candy bar (like Milky Way®, Snickers® or 3 Musketeers®)
• 2 ounce candy melts (milk, dark or white chocolate)

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Place mini baking cups into 48 (1 1/2-inch) mini muffin-pan cups.

Unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Roll each pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Cut each pastry square into 25 (2-inch) squares, making 50 pastry squares in all. You will only need 48 pastry squares for this recipe. Discard the remaining squares or reserve for another use.

Brush the edges of the 48 pastry squares with water. Place 1 candy bar, top-side down, in the center of each pastry square. Fold the corners up over the filling to the center and press to seal. Place 1 filled pastry, seam-side down, into each lined muffin-pan cup.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the puffs are golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the puffs from the pan and cool on wire racks.

Melt the candy melts according to the package directions. Drizzle over the puffs.

Make-Ahead: These puffs can be baked and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Handle carefully because the frozen puffs can be fragile.

***Hint***

You can also make turnovers and impress your guest at your next party

SPIDER CANDY WREATH

I SAW THIS ON SOMEONES PAGE SO IF IT WAS YOU I THANK YOU AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IT WAS YOU!  :) 

YOU WILL NEED

1 COAT HANGER

2 BIG BAGS OF CANDY WRAPPED IN PLASTIC

(I USED CANY CORN AND TOOTSY ROLLS)

RIBBON

PLIERS

STEP 1: BEND HANGER INTO A CIRCLE

STEP 2: CUT OFF HANGER HOOK

STEP 3: BEND ENDS INTO A SMALL U SHAPE AND HOOK THEM TOGETHER, THEN PRESS CLOSE WITH PLIERS.

STEP 4: CUT RIBBON INTO 3-4 INCH PEICES

STEP 5: TIE RIBBON ONTO CANDY

STEP 6: TIE CANDY ONTO HANGER

FOR RIBBIN ON TOP

(OR YOU CAN USE ANY BOW)

 STEP 1: CUT A PEICE OF RIBBON ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG

STEP 2: WRAP RIBBON AROUND A DVD CASE ABOUT 40 TIMES AND CUT OFF EXCESS

STEP 3: CUT ALL THE RIBBON AT ONE END MAKING SURE TO HOLD THE OTHER SIDE TOGETHER 

STEP 4:  TIE  WITH 8 INCH RIBBON INTO A KNOT

ATTACH TO WREATH

TADA!!!!

EASY!!!

IT ONLY TOOK AN HOUR

IF I CAN DO IT SO CAN YOU!!!

Cheesy Jack-o'-Lantern

Cheesy Jack-o'-Lantern

 

What You Need

3 green onions, divided

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped red peppers

2 slicesOSCAR MAYER Pepperoni

RITZ Crackers

Make It

CUT 4-inch length from green end of 1 onion; slice remaining onions. Beat cream cheese and 1-1/4 cups Cheddar with mixer until well blended. Stir in sliced onions and peppers. Refrigerate 1 hour.

SHAPE into ball; roll in remaining Cheddar. Cut pepperoni into shapes for the jack-o'-lantern's eyes, nose and mouth; press into cheese ball to make face. Insert green onion piece into top for stem.

SERVE with crackers.    

Thanks KRAFT for always making our holidays special!

WHAT A COINCIDENCE!!!! ( DADS' BEAN SOUP )

THIS IS TOO FUNNY

So I put on the soup to cook, go and check my fb page and what do I find, a post of the same kind of soup and I'm thinking ya' know I should put that up for all my reader too just in case they don't know what they want for dinner, so here it is!!!

I know you will Love this as much as I do.  It reminds me of cold winter days and being all warm and cozy inside.  I serve this with sweet cornbread and lots of butter on the side.

DADS' BEAN SOUP

1 - 16 oz package dried northern beans (1 lb)
3 -4 meaty ham shanks, hocks or ham (1 - 1 1/2 pounds)
2 - small onion, diced

4 - carrots diced

1 - C. celery diced
water, enough to cover beans and ham
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp tyme
salt & pepper to taste

Sort the beans for any pebbles and the rinse beans under cold water. Add the the rinsed beans, onion, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, and ham shanks, hocks or ham (chopped into large chunks) into the crock pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. (about 6 - 8 cups)

Cover and cook on low for about 6 - 8 hours, or until beans are tender. Remove the ham shanks or hocks and pull off all of the meat. Return the meat to the crock pot.

Note: If you want to soak your beans first you can. I never soak my northern beans because they cook really well in the crock pot without soaking. If you do soak them then the cooking time would be decreased dramatically, so keep that in mind.

Beer up the But Chicken

This is one of my favorite EASY things to make

I just know you will LOVE it too!!

Ingredients

• 1 4-pound whole chicken
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or other vegetable oil
• 1 opened, half-full can of beer, room temperature or ginger ale * both are great*
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp black pepper
• 
   

1 Prepare your grill for indirect heat. If you are using charcoal, put the coals on one side of the grill, leaving another side free of coals. If you are using a gas grill, fire up only half of the burners.
2 Remove neck and giblets from cavity of chicken, if the chicken came with them. Rub the chicken all over with olive oil. Mix the salt, pepper, and thyme in a little bowl, then sprinkle it all over the chicken.
3 Make sure the beer can is open, and only half-filled with beer (drink the other half! yeah buddy!) If you want, you can put a sprig of thyme (or another herb like rosemary or sage) in the beer can. Lower the chicken on to the open can, so that the chicken is sitting upright, with the can in its cavity. Place the chicken on the cool side of the grill, using the legs and beer can as a tripod to support the chicken on the grill and keep it stable. (they have stands at sears you can get for 4 bucks)  You can also place it on a low edge pan too if you want.
4 Cover the grill and walk away. Do not even check the chicken for at least an hour. After an hour, check the chicken and refresh the coals if needed (if you are using a charcoal grill). Keep checking the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F - 165°F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken, and the internal temperature of the grill. A 4 lb chicken will usually take around 1 1/2 hours. If you don't have a meat thermometer, a way to tell if the chicken is done is to poke it deeply with a knife (the thigh is a good place to do this), if the juices run clear, not pink, the chicken is done.
5 Carefully transfer the chicken to a tray or pan. I say "carefully" because the beer can, and the beer inside of it, is quite hot. One way to do this is to slide a metal spatula under the bottom of the beer can. Use tongs to hold the top of the chicken. Lift the chicken, beer can still inside, and move it to a tray. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the chicken off of the can. If it gets stuck, lay the chicken on its side, and pull out the can with tongs.

*Tip - this can be done in the oven too @ 350' for same amount of time but you MUST use a pan under the chicken*



Yield: Serves 4.

SPOOKY MUMMY CUPCAKES

MUMMY CUPCAKES

 

What You Need

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix

14 OREO Cookies, coarsely chopped

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 cup milk

1/4 cuppowdered sugar

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

48 semi-sweet chocolate chips, for eyes

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package; stir in cookies. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

BEAT pudding mix, milk and sugar in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with basket-weave tip.

PIPE pudding mixture onto tops of cupcakes. Add chocolate chips for the eyes. Keep refrigerated.

I HOPE YOU AND YOUR KIDS ENJOY THESE!

I KNOW MINE WILL!

<3    

What's it all about? (MY SUPER MOIST CARROT CAKE)

(MY SUPER MOIST CARROT CAKE)

    

What's it all about?  I mean everything.  What in the world are we here for.  What is the most important thing we can learn.  I asked myself that a long time ago.  Like I said before, I learned about life using the braille system so learning this was by trial and error too.
     I know, pretty deep stuff to be chatting about, but I'm here to make this real easy for you.  (Like I said before, "I like easy") I checked on this to see what others where saying about it and all I found was a "bunch off pig poo wrapped in a pile of horse droppings".  Any one can get all philosophical and tell you what it means, but I'm here to tell you that I know for a fact what it's about!  And It's EASY!

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE

     That's it! Nothing more, Nothing less!  See I told you it was easy.  Anyone can have all the riches in the world but if you don't have someone to share it with, then you have nothing!  "OK" you say laughing really hard!  I heard that before!  Well now I'm not only going to tell you what it's all about, but I'm going to tell you how to get it for yourself......READY?     **GIVE IT!**    Yup that's it!  All through the day we interact with with many people and have ample opportunities to give Love in various ways...a smile, a quick Hello, holding the door.....you name it!  Big ways, small ways.  It doesn't matter!  What Love you give is what you will get.  Done end of story!

     I know, now you are saying how does this have anything to do with (My Super Moist Carrot Cake)?  I give alot of my LOVE through the food I make for those whom I LOVE. This cake was my brother Dans favorite!  He passed away recently and I wanted to feel the Love from him and my Love for him.  Hey!  It works for me!  I thought it might for you too.  I just know you will LOVE it !                     

 From me to you with LOVE!

INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE

***

1 Super moist carrot cake

water*oil*eggs (according to direction)

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 cup shredded carrot

1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice

2 bread loaf pans

PAM with flour non-stick spray

*HINT*

( I use one of my daughters apple sauce snacks)

Mix carrots into dry cake mix

add the rest of the ingredients and mix on med high speed for 2 minutes

Poor evenly into the 2 prepared bread pans

*PREPARED MEANS TO COAT WITH A NON STICK SPRAY WITH FLOUR*

Bake for 28 minutes or till done

* that's when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean*

DON'T THEY LOOK GOOD?

CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE YET?

Let cool in pans for 5 minutes

Flip pans over onto a cooling rack and leave them sit till cool to touch

when cool (and this is one of the best parts) flip over and cut off the little hill on top

***this is when my daughter (Beebin) and I get to taste test by eating the scraps YUM***

that way they lay flat

cover with Saran wrap and place in fridge till ready to use

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

*****

1 cup (2 sticks) butter @ room temperature

12 Oz. (1 1/2 blocks) cream cheese @ room temperature

1 lb. (4 cups) confectionery sugar

1 tsp. REAL vanilla

Mix butter and cream cheese together and make very creamy

add sugar 1 cup at a time and mix till smooth

and vanilla and mix in

Ta da!!!  all done

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

*****

lay cakes on flat surface and cut across horizontally in the middle

*TIP     ---------  this is horizontal*

take the cut layer and place on serving dish and spread frosting all over

*TIP make sure you go all the way to the sides*

add another layer and do the same till it is all assembled

frost sides and then top.

I never had a chance to take a picture of the whole cake 'cause the guys dug into it too fast.

Sending big hugs and LOVE your way





Chunky Guacamole

You asked for it, well you got it!

This is the best I have ever had!

Simple to make!

'Cause you know I'm all about simple!

Hope you Love it as much as I do!

4 Ripe Avocado mashed

3 limes juiced

1/2 red onion

1 clove garlic minced

2 serrano chile sliced thin

or Red hot to taste

1 big handful of cilantro finely chopped

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

If you want you can add seeded chopped tomato too

*Pit avocado, peel and mash*

TIP #1 (I use a potato masher)

TIP#2 use the link below to see how to cut peel and pit an Avocado

   http://youtu.be/eGd6GfHG77I

* Mix all ingredients together except olive oil and salt and pepper*

*add a little olive oil at a time to make a consistency you like (thick or thin)*

*add salt and pepper to taste*

TIP#3 cover with plastic wrap pressed on Guacamole so it doesn't turn brown

*Chill for 1 hour*

See now wasn't that easy?

Big <3

You can serve with Tortilla chips - Taquitoes- or on the side of any Mexican dish.

I Love to Cook! (Halupki Casserole)

     I Love to cook!!!!! 

 That's why I Love "Haying Season"!  (BTW I am a Farmers wife if I have not told you this yet.)It's the time of year when the guys get together and work hard all day in the blazing hot sun, while I sunbathe!  No just kidding. :)  It's the time of year when all the guys work hard in the blazing hot sun all day and I get to cook big meals for them.  Because they work so hard, they are starving when they get back to the house.  I could just throw a big vat of slop to them and they would be very happy for having it, but I don't!  I try to give them something that they would truly enjoy, even though I was pretty busy myself.  That's why I made the  Halupki Casserole for them this weekend. 

It's QUICK, it's EASY and they LOVE it! 

I hope you LOVE it too.

Halupki Casserole

INGREDIANTS

1. 1/2 lARGE HEAD OF CABBAGE *chopped*
2. 1/2 c. ONION *chopped*
3. 1 lB. HAMBURG *raw, crumbled*
4. 1 c. MINUTE RICE
5. 4 c. V8 JUICE *I use a generic brand*
6. SALT AND PEPPER *to taste*

CHOP CABBAGE

>LAYER IN THIS ORDER<

*A LITTLE V8 JUICE TO COVER DISH(ABOUT 1/2 C.)

*HALF OF THE CHOPPED CABBAGE

*CRUMBLED HAMBURG

*CHOPPED ONION

*RICE

*SOME SALT AND PEPPER

*THE REST OF THE CABBAGE

*SOME MORE SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

*CELERY SEED

*THE REST OF THE V8 JUICE

*CELERY SEED *optional*

*Bake at 350' uncovered for 30 minutes

*Cover and bake for 1 hour more or till tender.

THAT'S IT!

SEE HOW QUICK AND EASY!

HOPE YOU ENJOY!

*HERE IS WHERE I GIVE YOU SOME HINTS*

*EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT

*TOP WITH YOUR FAVORITE CHEESE THE LAST 15 MINUTES OF COOKING (YUM)

*SERVE WITH MASHED POTATOES AND GREEN BEANS

>>>>>>>>FOR DESERT I MADE CARROT CAKE<<<<<<<<

you get that recipe this week too, so keep an eye out for it!

Tip #1 Some Cupboard "MUST HAVES" (CUPID CLUSTERS)

     So I wake up yesterday, all prepared for the day. (cause you know I am oh so organized)  ;) I have everything set for  The Beebins (My 8 yr old daughter...the baby... who thinks she is 21) snack day @ school, when she turns to me and says "Oh no Mom I can't bring THAT to school for snack day!!!!!"  "NO ONE LIKES THOSE!!!"  It's peanut butter crackers...who doesn't like those?  Now I have learned a long time ago to pick my fights with my kids (4) and to be prepared for such cases.  So I reach up in the cupboard praying I have everything on hand (this is where you insert the must have tip) to make  a quick semi nutritious snack that the teacher won't hate me for.  Thank God I do!  I figured I am not the only one who has had this happen to them and I would pass on the this quick tip info so you can be prepared for this too......
>>>inserting disclaimer HERE>>>>> Not everyone has a child who gets them up at 4 am, although this is real quick and easy recipe, it can be made the night before! :)

                                              These are Cupid Clusters....or  Just Clusters.....

depending on how you dress them up and what you put in them.

6 Cups of any type of Cheerios

1 Cup of Cherry Craisons

1 bag of White Chocolate

cupcake papers (mini or regular size)

(thats it)

see how easy?

* Place cupcake papers in cupcake pans

*Melt white chocolate in microwave or in double boiler

(I use a large glass bowl over a sauce pan with a little boiling water in the pan)

* When chocolate is melted add cheerios (I use multigrain) and cherry craisons
 (or any dried fruit)

*stir well

*Moving quickly spoon into cupcake papers 

(heaping teaspoon for mini and heaping tablespoon for regular size)

*Place in refrigerator to firm up

Thats it!  All done!

See I told you it was quick and easy!

^^^^^^HINTS^^^^^

>If chocolate seizes up (firms up) add shortening or coconut shortening(one tsp. at a time till smooth) and stir.

>Top with sprinkles if you want. (kids like this)

>For Halloween and candy corn.

Do you have any idea for a kids snack day?  If so please leave them here and I'll pass them along to our friends.

Let me introduce myself...I AM A WORK IN PROGRESS

Let me just make one thing clear....I am a work in progress!  I only say this to let you know that at almost 50 years old, I am NOT done with me yet!!!!  I have always gone through life using the "BRAILLE" system.  Feeling my way around situations and finding what works to get me through them. Usually unscathed.  I say usually because I do have some scars from where it did not work out so well....  But the one thing I have come away with is a unique point of view on life and all the things in it.... I hope you find some helpful hints, some inspiration and a laugh or two along this journey with me.