Thanksgiving treats

Here some a fun Ideas to make with the kids to bring to Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's house. Turkey Pops and Pilgrim hats:)

Recipe Ingredients

• 16 chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
• 1 tube orange frosting with piping tips
• 16 small peanut butter cups

Recipe Preparation

1. Place cookies on work surface; squeeze a dime-size dot of frosting in center of each
2. Unwrap and invert peanut butter cups on frosting, pressing down gently
3. Using the round piping tip, pipe a "hat-band" with frosting around peanut butter cup and a square "buckle." Let frosting set before storing.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - or -
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups rice crispy cereal
• 1 package (12 oz., 2 cups) chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cups candy corn
• 48 small white candies
• 24 lollipop sticks or wooden ice cream sticks

Directions

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add Rice Crispy cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using 1/4-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray divide warm cereal mixture into 24 portions. Using buttered hands shape each portion into ball. Cool.

4. In microwave-safe bowl combine chocolate chips and oil. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Dip each ball into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Decorate with candy corn for tail feathers and beak. Add candies for eyes. Let stand until firm. Insert lollipop stick into each. Best if served the same day.


MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 through 4 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Being Grateful

I know this is not food related but this was my craft from last week. I bought a cabinet door from Habitat Restore for 50 cents, chalk board spray paint, and added vinyl lettering to create this fun Thanksgiving plaque. The boys had fun writing all of the things they are thankful for during this holiday season.

Creamy Chicken Crock-pot soup

We made this for dinner tonight. It is fast, easy and yummy:) Perfect for a fall day.
1 can of Rotel

1 cup frozen corn

2 frozen chicken breasts

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can chicken broth

1 packet Ranch dressing

1 Tbs cumin

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder

8 oz cream cheese

Put everything in crock-pot except cream cheese. Cook for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken, add cream cheese last 15-30 minutes of cooking.

Pumpkin Chocolate chip cupcakes

This recipe is perfect for fall. I made these this week and my kids loved them. Mike hates pumpkin and at 2 of them not knowing what they were. He was pleasantly surprised when I told him! This recipe is from http://101gourmetcupcakes.com/.

1 Box spice cake mix

1 Cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

Mix together all ingredients. Pour batter into cupcake pan. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes or until cakes are light golden brown. Frost with cream cheese frosting below.

Cream Cheese Icing:

8 oz cream cheese softened

12 cup butter softened

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and light. Stop mixer and add vanilla and sugar. Start mixer on low and gradually increase speed until frosting is fluffy. Frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Peanut butter chocolate bars

I made these for dessert tonight I loved them and had to share with neighbors so I don't eat the whole pan. They are soft, moist, gooey and yummy:)

by Greta White

Combine:

1 pkg. plain yellow cake mix

1 stick melted butter

1 c. creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

Press this into a 9X13 pan reserving 1 1/2 c. of the mixture to crumble on top.

Melt:

1 (12 oz) pkg. chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 T. butter

Melt on low heat in a small pot. Remove from heat and add:

2 tsp. vanilla

Spread chocolate mixture over the mixture pressed in the pan and then crumble the 1 1/2 of reserved cake mixture on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

My kids love these little sandwiches. I love them because I can make them the night before, let them sit and put it in the oven for an easy dinner on busy nights. Great to serve and showers or parties. I got this recipe from World Wide Ward Cookbook.
2 dozen King sweet Hawaiian Rolls

1-1/2 lb. thin sliced ham

24slices swiss cheese

1 Cup butter

4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp poppy seeds

Cut rolls in half. Place desired amount of ham and one slice of cheese on each roll. Fold sandwich back together and place in baking pan. In bowl melt butter. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Pour mixture over rolls and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Place foil over top and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or over night. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Zucchini Bread

Looking for a yummy recipe to use up the last of your zucchini? This zucchini bread is moist and delicious. My grandparents told my that it tastes like pound cake:) Recipe makes 2 loaves and freezes well up to 3 months.
3 Cups flour

3 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 Cup sour cream

2 Cups sugar

2 Cups shredded and skinned zucchini

1 Cup vegetable oil

1-Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 bread pans.

2- In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and oil. stir in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Blend the 2 mixtures together add sour cream. Food in zucchini. Pour into pans.

3- Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Johnson Mills stuffed french toast

A few years ago Mike and I stayed at a Bed and Breakfast in Midway called Johnson Mill. For breakfast they made yummy stuffed french toast. A couple years ago they shared the recipe on a local TV news channel. I was so excited! It is now a tradition that Mike and the boys make this every year on my birthday:)

• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cube Melted Butter
• 1 1/2 Cups of Milk
• 4 Teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 2 Slices of Texas Style toast per person
• 1 Tablespoon of strawberry cream cheese per person
• 1/2 Bag of frozen mixed berries
• 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons of sugar divided
• 1 1/2 Cups heavy whipping cream
• Sliced almonds

Preparation

1. Mix ingredients from eggs to salt in blender to create your batter then pour into mixing bowl.

2. Put frozen mixed berries in pot, add sugar and corn starch and place on med high flame on stove top.

3. In mixing bowl pour in heavy whipping cream, add sugar, and mix with hand mixer on medium until peaks form. Add more sugar if needed.

4. Spread strawberry cream cheese between 2 pieces of bread. Cut diagonally. Dip each piece in the batter and fry on griddle that has been greased with melted butter. Fry until each side is browned.

5. Plate French toast and top with warmed mixed berries, fresh whipped cream and slivered almonds. YUMMY!

Tips

• Use only Texas Style bread because it's thick enough to soak up all the batter but won't get gooey.

• Serve with bacon without the splatter! Yes, use a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place bacon side by side on it. Put in preheated oven of 350°F for about 15 minutes. No splatter and you don’t have to stand over it and turn it!

Dads Big Pancakes

One of my best childhood memories is having my dad's Big Pancakes for breakfast whenever there was a special occasion. I grandpa Dinsdale passed this recipe along to my dad and it is still a favorite in our family. (Known to other's as french crepes)
3 eggs (beat well)

2 Cups Milk

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp oil

1 1/2 Cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Use ladle to pour mixture onto buttered skillet and spread thin. Cook like a pancake.

Serving suggestions:

Butter and syrup

fresh fruit and whip cream

bananas or strawberries with Nutella

Really Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone loves a good chocolate chip recipe. This one is my families favorite! The cookies stay soft and everyone loves them wherever we take them. It makes a large batch of cookies, I usually bake some and put the rest in plastic bags in the freezer. This recipe is from World Wide Ward Cook Book a must have for any chocolate lover!

1 lb. butter (no substitutes)

1 1/2 C. sugar

2 C. brown sugar

4 Tbsp. vanilla

3 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp. baking soda

6 C. four

4 C. Chocolate chips (I like Guittard)

Cream the butter and sugars. Add vanilla, eggs, and soda. Blend in flour well. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes.