Stuffed Caramel Apples

Although part of our Halloween party these little beauties get their own post.  Peanut butter cups fill the inside of these bad boys and then they are covered with caramel and topped with more peanut butter cups.  How could this be a bad thing?  They aren't unless you are on a diet and have to limit yourself to one little nibble just to see how they taste (yep that we me, but it was a party after all and I had to taste them as this was the first time I've made them).  I found the recipe for these at: www.cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com with the title Tricky-Treat Stuffed Caramel Apples.  Head on over there and make a batch of your own.  She also had a fudge filling for these.

Of course I was trying to put Doug in a sugar coma with these and the graveyard dessert so he would be forced to stay home, but it didn't work. :(  boo hoo hoo

Skeleton Cakes

I found this site called bakerella.com where everything is baking.  She has this cool idea to make small cake cupcakes with cake and frosting and then you dip them in chocolate.  I can't remember if it was her site but some place someone took this idea and made cutout stars.  A light bulb went on and I had an idea:  Why not make pumpkins for Halloween?  Well I'll tell you why not,  I didn't have any orange dipping chocolate or any white that I could color.  So, I thought of making ghosts until I found this skull cookie cutter.  I love them.  Some may think this is time consuming, but really it wasn't that bad especially if you like to make candies.  I love how they turned out and so does my mummy.  How about you?

1- 9X13" cake cooked and fully cooled
2 cup cream cheese frosting, bought or made
dipping chocolate
candy for decoration if wanted

After cake is completely cooled, break it up into very tiny pieces in a large bowl.  You may use your food processor if you wish.  Stir in the frosting.  I ended up using my hands.  Once all mixed up line your cake pan (no need to clean it first) with foil or wax paper and dump in the cake mess.  Flatten it all out so it is even.  Freeze for 15-30 min or put in fridge for a couple of hours.  When time is up, take out and start cutting out your chosen shape.  With leftover cake re-shape and flatten again.  Freeze while you dip the first batch.  I found it best to use the bottom as the top and the top as the bottom so you end up with a flat top otherwise you can have bumps.  Now dip the cutout in the melted chocolate.  I found it best to dip what is going to be the bottom in first halfway, let it harden and then dip the top in and decorate immediately if desired.  Let harden on counter and store in fridge when all done.  Repeat with leftover cake.  Because of the cream cheese frosting these should be stored in the fridge.  I'm thinking of trying with just a butter frosting next time and seeing if it works as well.

Easy Chicken Taco Soup

I was at the grocery store a couple weeks ago and they had samples of taco soup and the recipe to go with it.  The soup was so good especially since it was turning cold here.  FYI:  No longer turning cold it IS cold.  I just had to whip up a batch for lunch.  Of course I didn't follow the recipe but went hunting to see what I had on had that could make a taco soup.

It turned out delicious, all spice and warmth.

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies

1 can pinto beans

1 can chili beans

1 can corn kernals (confession:  I hate canned corn except in soups)

2 Tbsp taco seasoning

2 or more diced chicken thighs or breasts

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Heat large soup pot over medium heat.  Add a little oil and saute the onions till soft.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 min.  Add the chicken pieces and cook until almost done.  At this point add everything else and cook until chicken is done.  Now it is ready to eat.  However, I let it simmer for 3 hours to condense the flavors and thicken it some.  Up to you, but so very yummy either way.  This would also make a good crock pot soup if you like. 

Sesame Chicken with Snow Peas

Have I mentioned how we love Asian food?  Well at least Doug and I do.  The kids could really do without but I force them to eat it.  It's good for them to broaden their horizons.  Plus, since most of my kids are boys they will have to deal with foreign foods while on their missions so they might as well get use to it now.  Anyway, I get the Food Network Magazine and most times there are only a couple of recipes I want to try.  Not so with this months.  I have over 20 to try and the good ones will make an appearance here.  The first is Sesame Chicken with Snow Peas by Ellie Krieger.  Very authentic in taste and yummy to boot.

5 Tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp honey

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 3/4" cubes

6 tsp canola oil

2 scallions thinly sliced

1 Tbsp grated peeled ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

3 Tbsp sugar

3-4 tsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp chili paste

4 cups snow peas

2 Tbsp tasted sesame seeds

Rice to serve on

Whisk 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil and honey in a bowl.  Toss in chicken and marinade for 20 min.  Remove chicken from marinade with slotted spoon.  Heat 2 tsp oil in skillet over med heat.  Cook chicken( in 2 batches if you don't have a big skillet or wok)  turning once or twice until browned add more oil between batches.  Transfer to a plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet.  Heat remaining 2 tsp oil.  Add scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook stirring for 1 min.  Whisk the broth, vinegar, sugar, chili paste, cornstarch and remaining 2 Tbsp soy sauce in a bowl; add to the skillet and cook until thickened.  Stir in remaining 2 tsp sesame oil.  Meanwhile steam the snow peas until crisp tender.  Return chicken to skillet and heat through.  Server chicken and peas over rice/  Top with scallion greens and sesame seeds.

Crunch Bacon Coleslaw

I found this recipe at kraft.com and love it.  It's a new twist to coleslaw and the colors are real pretty.  You just have to try it.

1/2 cup Miracle Whip

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp vinegar

4 cup shredded green cabbage

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

4 slices bacon fried and crumbled

In large bowl mix cabbages, peanuts and bacon.  In small bowl mix miracle whip, sugar and vinegar.  Pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat.  Refridgerate 1 hour and eat.  If you don't have the cabbages you can substitute 1-8oz bag of coleslsaw.

This recipe is linked to eatathomecooks.com

Green Tomato Cake with Brown Butter Icing

I realize that the title of this post may seem like a contradiction.  Tomatoes and Cake?  Trust me when I say that this thing is sinfully delicious and sweet.  I found this recipe last year when our garden like all previous years yielded nothing but green tomatoes and I really didn't want them to all go to waste.  One of these years I hope to get red tomatoes, but until then this cake sure does come in handy.  The picture while okay really doesn't do the cake justice in part because I didn't have the raisins and therefore didn't add them.

Courtesy of Paula Deen

1 cup butter

 2 1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

3 cup flour

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 1/2 cup diced green tomatoes

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan.  Beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time.  Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Gradually add to butter mixture.  Stir in tomatoes, raisins and walnuts.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 70-75 min or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool 10 min and then remove from pan and cool completely.  Spoon on icing.

Brown Butter Icing

1/2 cup butter

1 cup powder sugar

In a medium saucepan melt the butter on low and cook 6-8 min or until butter is lightly browned.  Whisk in the sugar utnil smooth.

Garlic Zucchini Pasta

Found this recipe at A Southern Fairytale.  Didn't like the mushrooms in it so I swapped them for some artichoke hearts.  The result was light and delicious.  Later I made it into a veggie side dish by taking out the pasta and instead of artichoke hearts I used roasted corn kernels.  Yumm!

Garlic Zucchini Pasta

1 head of garlic chopped

1 can of chopped arichoke hearts (Corn would work great too about 1 1/2 cups or so)

4 cups grated zucchini

1 red peper chopped

olive oil

14.5 oz spaghetti, cooked until al dente

Parmasean cheese

1 Tbsp red pepper flakes, start with half and move up to taste

Start the pasta.  Heat oil in saute pan.  Saute garlic and artichokes in oil about 2 min.  Add zucchini and red pepper, saute another 12 min or until cooked through.  Add drained pasta and pepper flakes.  Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.  Top with grated parmasean cheese.