Sunday, October 5, 2014

Halloween cookies

Halloween Cookie Recipes


1. Boneyard Cookies
These are tasty and a bit scary all at the same time. Similar looking to the Meringue Bone Cookies, but with a much different taste and a special creep out factor with a gooey raspberry inside!
Ingredients
* 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon almond extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 2 to 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
* 16 to 18 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
Directions
* In a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well.
* Shape dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
* On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. bone-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
* On the bottoms of half the cookies, spread 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon jam down the center; top with remaining cookies.
* In a microwave, melt white chocolate at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
* Dip each cookie in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Yield: 34 sandwich cookies.
Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 155 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 54 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 fat, 1 starch.
Recipe From Taste of Home

2. Chocolate Mummy People

This is a terrific cookie to make for parties or just for fun with your kids and it always a hit with everyone because they are so neat! You can use the standard white frosting for the wrap or you can even use green and white to make a creepy and slightly grosser version. These make the perfect party favor as well. Just wrap them up in some clear cellophane with a bow and hand one to each guest as they leave- they won’t forget what an amazing time they had!
Ingredients:
1 pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container (1 pound) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
12 small jelly beans, cut in half
Betty Crocker® black decorating gel (from 0.68-ounce tube)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix and cocoa. Add butter and egg; stir until soft dough forms.
2. On floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 5-inch gingerbread man cutter. On ungreased cookie sheet, place 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps; reroll until all dough is used.
3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just puffed and tops are dry. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. Spoon frosting into reasealable freezer plastic bag; partially seal bag and cut 1/4-inch hole in 1 bottom corner. Or use decorating bag with flat tip with 1/4-inch-wide opening (#44). Gently squeeze bag to pipe frosting on cookies for bandages. Attach jelly beans for eyes; use black gel to make pupils in eyes. Store cookies in airtight container.
Nutrition Information: 1 Cookie: Calories 400 (Calories from Fat 140); Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 4g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 240mg; Total Carbohydrate 62g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 43g); Protein 2g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 4%
Exchanges: 1 Starch; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved
Need the Gingerman Cookie Cutter- Grab One Here.

3. Halloween Faces Sandwich Cookies

These delicious Halloween cookies and the perfect cookie to make with little kids since you don’t have to make anything perfect- in fact the stranger the better with these silly faced monster or pumpkin cookies! Let kids hold a competition to see who can make the scariest face or silliest grin.
Ingredients:
¾ cup marshmallow crème
1 container of vanilla frosting
A tube of royal icing or decorator icing in different colors
Food Coloring
Colorful candies, sugars and sprinkles (look for orange, black and green colors)
1 package of your favorite prepared cookie dough (purchase in the refrigerator section of your grocery)
Directions:
Preheat the kitchen oven to 350 degrees F.
Use a floured surface and rolling pin to roll the cookie dough so that it reaches a thickness of 1/8 inch.
Cut out the cookie shapes using Halloween cookie cutters or just leave in circle shapes.
Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet according to package.
Allow the Halloween cookies to cool for about a minute and transfer to wire racks.
Mix the vanilla frosting and marshmallow crème together in a large bowl.
Make sandwiches by layering the top of one cookie with this mixture and placing another cookie on top of it.
Decorate edges and top of cookie sandwiches with colored sugars, Halloween candies or sprinkles. Frost the face of each cookie and decorate with candies and sprinkles and frosting to make creepy faces, cute pumpkins or scary cats!
Grab the Halloween Cookies Cutter for under $4 at Amazon.com

4. Black Cat Halloween Cookies

Have some fun and decorate your house for the party or just Halloween night with these cute Black Cat Halloween Cookies that look fantastic perched in soda painted pot. You can paint a standard clay pot in Halloween colors or use a decorative basket or bucket and fill it with these cat cookies. They make the perfect centerpiece at any party and will delight everyone.
Ingredients:
* 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 eggs
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup baking cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 24 wooden craft or Popsicle sticks
* 48 candy corn candies
* 24 red-hot candies
Cookie Instructions:
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets.
2. Insert a wooden stick into each cookie. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Pinch top of cookie to form ears. For whiskers, press a fork twice into each cookie. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove from the oven; immediately press on candy corn for eyes and red-hots for noses. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Serves 12
Source: Cat Crafter

5. RIP Dirt Nap Cookie Pudding Cups

This recipe is the same as our dirt nap pudding and is pudding along with a fun cookie labeled with RIP. Just take some chocolate pudding and place it into a small plastic cup, top with oreo cookie crumbs and place a RIP cookie on top (you can be creative with the type of cookie) and thats it! Simple and delicious and sure to be a hit at your Halloween party.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Blessing

May there always be work for your hands to do;
  
May your purse always hold a coin or two;

May the sun always shine on your windowpane;

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;  

May the hand of a friend always be near you; 

May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you


Friday, June 27, 2014

Potato Salad with bacon


Ingredients


  • Preparation
    6 to 8 medium potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • green onions, chopped
  • celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons diced pimiento, drained
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Garnishes: paprika, celery sticks
  1. Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven over medium heat 15 to 18 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
  2. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Add bacon, chopped green onions, and next 4 ingredients. Stir together mayonnaise and sour cream until blended. Pour over potato mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Garnish, if desired.
Note:
Round white potatoes work well in this recipe. To lighten, use light mayonnaise and sour cream. To make ahead, peel and cut potatoes the night before, cover with water, and chill.

bacon wrapped shrimp recipe

Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, curry powder, ground cumin and ground coriander
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
18 uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
9 bacon strips, halved lengthwise

Directions
  1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, lemon juice, oil and seasonings. Pour 1/4 cup marinade
  2.  into a large resealable plastic bag; add shrimp.
  3.  Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. 
  4. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.
  5. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp.
  6.  Drain on paper towels
  7. . Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade.
  8.  Wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
  9. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack.
  10.  Grill bacon-wrapped shrimp, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, turning and basting with reserved marinade.
  11.  Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spicy-bacon-wrapped-shrimp#ixzz35riOrnRY

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients
Two 15-ounce cans sliced peaches in syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
Homemade Whipped Cream, recipe follows
Cook's Note: If you don't have self-rising flour, substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt
Homemade Whipped Cream:
2 cups whipping cream, chilled in the fridge
4 tablespoons sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Drain 1 can of peaches; reserve the syrup from the other. Place the butter in a 9- by 12-inch ovenproof baking dish. Heat the butter on the stove or in the oven until it's melted. In a medium bowl, mix the flour and sugar. Stir in the milk and the reserved syrup. Pour the batter over the melted butter in the baking dish. Arrange the peaches over the batter. Bake for 1 hour. The cobbler is done when the batter rises around the peaches and the crust is thick and golden brown. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream

Homemade Whipped Cream:
Chill a large metal mixing bowl and the wire beater attachment in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Pour the chilled cream and sugar into the cold mixing bowl and beat until it forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes. The mixture should hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Don't overbeat or you'll have sweetened butter! Yield: 4 cups.

Recipe courtesy of 
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/easy-peach-cobbler-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Suttle Lake Oregon Starting to grow again

Suttle Lake area Oregon
View always of log trucks.
Lake area starting to recover after the big fire a few years ago.










Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Magic Bank Account


Something to think about ...
Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest:
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. However, this prize has rules:

The set of rules:

1. Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.
2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
3. You may only spend it.
4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.
5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,“Game Over!" It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted, right?
Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?

You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right?
ACTUALLY, This GAME is REAL ....

Shocked??? YES!
Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*. We just can't seem to see it.
This PRIZE is *TIME*
1. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.
2. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.
3. What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.
4. Yesterday is forever gone.
5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING...

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about that, and always think of this: Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful life!


Thursday, April 24, 2014

Tangy chicken

Tangy chicken marinated and baked on 
wood skewers make an impressive and tasty appetizer.
Ingredients5 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons low sodium gluten free soy sauce
6 tablespoons all natural creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 pounds chicken breast (boneless and skinless)
Bamboo skewers
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F
  1. Place the skewers in a deep pan and fill the pan with water. Soak the skewers for about 15 minutes before proceeding. This will prevent the skewers from burning during the cooking process
  1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, peanut butter, cilantro, basil and lime juice; mix until well combined. Pour half of the mixture into a small bowl and set aside. One half will be used to marinate the chicken, while the other will be used as a dipping sauce. Be sure to keep these two halves separated to prevent contamination from the raw chicken
  1. Using a meat tenderizer, pound out the chicken breast until it is about 1⁄4-inch thin and cut each into long strips about 1 inch wide. Place the chicken strips into the medium size bowl with the sauce and mix well until the chicken is completely coated. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to marinate
  1. After the chicken has marinated, roll each chicken strip into a ball and place it onto a water-soaked skewer. Place the skewers onto an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Discard the sauce used to marinate the chicken
  1. Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the color has reached a nice golden brown
  1. Place the cooked skewers on a serving platter along with the previously set aside dipping sauce and enjoy