Happy Halloween!

I know this isn't a food post, but it's definitely a treat for your entertainment.

This is the Disney short film "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" I always watched it when I was a little girl, and am delighted it's to be found on youtube.

Check it out, show it to your kiddos. I know I am.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Chocolate, and Vanilla Cupcakes.

          Halloween is approaching, and it's not a holiday without succulent treats , right?  I had asked my husband what he would like to have for a Halloween treat, he said cupcakes, I was a bit surprised, since he claims to not be a fan of sweets.  Speaking of my husband, he has been cooking with me lately, and I kind of love it! Usually if someone is in my kitchen, and all they do is loom around, looking at what I'm doing, they're usually just in my war path at that point. People often get kicked out of my kitchen, haha.
         Cakes don't happen often around here, usually just birthdays, the rest of the time,  we make cookies or brownies around here. I had to look up a vanilla cake recipe, and adjust it to the way I would like it.


Makes 2 Dozen






Ingredients :

3 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
5.1 Oz Package Instant Vanilla Pudding, dry -one tablespoon  set aside for frosting*
3 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
4 Eggs
1 1/4 Cup Milk
3 Tsp Vanilla
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 Cup Dark Cocoa Powder

Cupcake Papers
Frosting*

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 350º

1. In a Large bowl, put in flour, sugar, instant pudding mix, baking powder, and salt, mix thoroughly.

2. In a small bowl, add the the eggs, milk, vanilla, and oil, whisk until blended.

3. Slowly add wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, whisk until they have all just come together, if you  over-beat the batter, it will result in a chewy, less delicious cupcake. Batter will be very thick.

4. Line muffin tin with papers, fill each paper about 3/4 full with vanilla batter. At least 12 of them.

5.  Put  cocoa powder in bowl, and stir into remaining batter.

6. Bake Cupcakes for 20 minutes, or until toothpick is inserted, and comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.  These freeze really well.

Vanilla!

Chocolate!

I made my own  butter cream frosting, for that you need

2 Sticks unsalted butter, softened.
3 - 4 Tablespoons Milk
1 Pound powdered sugar.
1 Tbsp Instant pudding.
3 Tsp Vanilla
Food Coloring if desired.

1. In a large bowl, place butter, pudding mix, milk, (coloring), and vanilla, whisk  until incorporated.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar, stirring gently, powdered sugar easily makes a mess.
3.  Take an electric hand mixer, and begin to further mix the frosting, turn to highest setting, mix until fluffy!

Use  a knife to  frost, or  get all fancy, and  place into a piping bag with a decorative tip.

Strawberry sauce to make it more spooky for Halloween.

We had cupcakes for breakfast.

Halloween Cookies

I made these bad boys last year for Halloween. They're based off of a "Lofthouse" cookie knock off recipe, but I used a ganache to top the cookies, because it's more fitting for Halloween. My kids couldn't get enough of them.

Ingredients:

Cookies:
6 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter, softened.
2 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
3 Tsp Vanilla
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cups Sour Cream
Food Coloring ( I used neon purple, and neon orange gel food coloring)

Ganache:
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
3 Tbsp Heavy Cream


Directions:

 1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, mixed until well blended.
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients  into the  bowl, mixed until incorporated.
4.Divide dough in half, and mix a singular color into  dough. Such as adding purple into one mound of  dough, and orange into the other mound of dough .  Cover doughs in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate doughs for two hours .
6. Remove plastic wrap, and individually roll dough into 13x9 rectangle, place one sheet of dough onto the other, and roll length wise.
7.  Refrigerate rolled dough covered in plastic wrap  while oven preheats to 425º
8. Slice cookies to 1/4" thickness, you may need to reshape them back to circles, place on greased cookie sheets , make sure cookies are about  2 inches apart from each other.
9. Bake for 7 -9 minutes, until bottoms are slightly golden. You don't want to over cook these.  Let cookies cool completely.
10. Once Cookies are cooled, make the ganache, you do that by microwaving chips and cream in a glass bowl until smooth.
11. Spoon and smooth ganache over the cookies, allow to cool, and serve. 

Enjoy! I know I did.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I really wanted to make some cookies, but I was out of chocolate chips - a true tragedy. But alas, my children's addiction saved me. Peanut Butter!





Ingredients:

1 Stick Margarine, softened.
1/2 Cup  Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup  Sugar
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Egg
1 1/4 Cup Flour
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt.


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º

1. In a bowl, mix butter, and sugar until creamy. Add peanut butter and egg until smooth.
2. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients until incorporated.
3.  Spoon dough (tablespoon sized)  onto cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart from each other.
4. Using a fork, press dough balls down,  criss-crossing in the center to give the signature peanut butter cookie look.



5. Bake cookies 10 minutes, until slightly golden on the edges.



Enjoy!

Cheerio Chicken

I came up with this recipe a few years ago, and my husband loves it. Chicken coated in cheerios, it may seem weird, buuut....
It's crunchy.
It's saucy.
It's sweet.
It's delicious.





Serves 4

Helping crush the cheerios. Takes forever.

Ingredients:
1 Pound boneless skinless chicken, cut into strips
1/2 Cup Flour
2 Tsp Seasoned Salt
1 Egg, beaten
2 Cups Honey Nut Cheerios
1/2 cup BBQ sauce ( or any kind of sauce you would like)
Oil for frying





Directions:
1. In a  deep edged pan, or fryer, heat oil to 350º
2. Place cheerios in a bowl, crush until it's in course pieces.

About how they should look.

3. Dredge chicken in flour, tap off excess.
4.  Dip chicken pieces into egg
5. Transfer chicken into bowl with  crushed up cheerios, shake until all pieces are coated with cheerios.
6. Place chicken into heated oil, fry for  about 7 minutes each side.(keep an eye on it, you don't want to start a fire) * place chicken onto a cookie sheet, and keep in a warm oven until all the chicken is cooked.

I love my cast iron skillet for pretty much anything.

Chicken should be golden on each side.

7. In another bowl,  place BBQ sauce,  add cooked chicken  to it, and gently toss until chicken is coated.

 

Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ

So Good!

 Enjoy! 

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

This is a recipe I came across a year or two ago. It's  tasty,  filling, and pretty cheap to make!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Pie Mix
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Ground Flax  (Optional)
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
Dash of Ground Cloves

7" x 11" Pan, greased.

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350º

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Pour into   baking Dish.

2. Cover with tin foil  and bake in oven for 30 minutes, remove tin foil , and bake for an additional 20 minutes. 

Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Nomnomnomnom

Oatmeal with milk, so good!

Onion Cheddar Chicken

Onion Cheddar Chicken with an herbed pumpkin sauce, tomato pie, and mashed potatoes.

I saw a recipe for Ritz cheddar chicken on Pinterest, I made it ,and it was okay. I felt it  needed something, but what?  Frenches onions, of course!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Chicken breast, cut in half.
1/3 cup flour
1 Egg, beaten.
1 Cup Cheddar cheese, shredded.
1 Cup Frenches Onions, crushed.
1/2 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs. Combine with crushed onions.

Sauce:
1/2 Cup Cream of Chicken
1/2 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Tsp Dry Ranch Mix




Directions:

Preheat oven to 400º

1. Dredge chicken in flour,  shake off excess.

2.  Dip chicken into beaten egg.

3. Coat chicken with 1/4 cup of cheese. Make sure it's sticking to the chicken

4.  Bread chicken with onion and bread crumb mixture , press onto chicken  to ensure it stays. Place chicken onto a cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Make sauce while it cools.

6. To make sauce, combine all the ingredients into sauce pan ,mix, and cook on medium heat until hot. Pour over chicken.

Enjoy!

Mini Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake (for one)

 


    Two  awesome things combined, just in time for Fall.  It's also really easy to make, and you don't have to heat up the oven!    It's easy to make more for guests, as well.

:D     

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Pumpkin Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Lite Whipped Topping (Coolwhip)
1 Halloween Oreo
1 Cupcake Paper


Directions:
1. Place cupcake paper into a cupcake tin.
2. Place Oreo into bottom of cupcake paper.
3. Combine Coolwhip, and Pumpkin Cream cheese, mix until smooth.
4. Pour mixture over Oreo, tap tin against counter a few times to try and make sure the mixture has enveloped the Oreo.
5. Refrigerate one Hour.
6.  Place into freezer until hardened.

7. Remove paper from cheesecake, plate, and allow to thaw for 10 - 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Perfect sized knife to cut this in half. Mwahahah.

Festive.

 

Tomato Pie

I ran across an image of tomato pie while browsing the internet, and though I had never heard of it before, I thought it sounded good. I looked at several recipes, and I have an issue cooking with mayonnaise, so I adjusted to suit my taste.


 Ingredients:

4 Large Tomatoes, sliced.
1 Refrigerated pie crust
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
1 1/2 Cups  Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup  Sour cream mixed with 1 Tsp Garlic powder, and 1/2 Tsp  Italian Seasoning
1/4 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º

1. Place sliced tomatoes between sheets of paper towel, stack between several layers of newspaper ,  or between kitchen towels. Tomatoes are juicy, and need to be well drained. About 20 minutes.

2. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of cheese, sour cream , spices, and bread crumbs, set aside.

3. Place pie crust into pie pan, bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

 4. Place 1/2 cup of cheese into bottom of  pie crust.

5.Add a single layer of tomatoes to pie sprinkle with  garlic and seasoning, add another layer of tomatoes, again sprinkle with garlic and season, repeat until tomato slices are gone.

6. Top  with  cheese mixture, spread evenly across the top.

Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.

I didn't have the cheese on the bottom in this picture, if you don't, it will be soggy.

*

Tomato Pie with Onion Cheddar Chicken.

Cream of Chicken Soup

   I don't have a picture for this, sorry!  But I make my own cream of chicken soup, it tastes much better than the stuff out of a can. Though I don't use the healthiest ingredients, either. :X You can easily make this into a variation of any of the Cream of X soups

Makes 2 Cups Condensed.


Ingredients: 
3 Tbsp Butter.
3 Tbsp Flour.
1/2 Onion, diced and sauteed.
1 Packet Ramen Chicken Flavor
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Dried Parsley
1/4 Tsp Oregano
1/4 Tsp Thyme
1/4 Tsp Paprika
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
1  Cup Milk
3/4 Cup Water


Directions:


1. In a skillet on medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour to make a roux.
2.  Add spices, and greek yogurt until well incorporated.
3. Slowly add milk, and water, whisk until smooth. Continue to whisk until it  just reaches a boil. 
4. Add pepper, or other spices, to taste.

Store it in a container with  a lid. Keep in fridge.

Loaded Potato Pumpkin Soup.

 I couldn't decide what kind of soup I wanted to make - loaded potato soup, or pumpkin soup.  I

 usually want one more than the other, but I could not decide to save my life, so I combined them!

Serves  4 - 6


Ingredients:
2 Large Potatoes, peeled, and cubed.
3 Cups Water.
4 Tbsp. Butter.
1 Onion, diced.
1 1/2 Cups Kale, chopped.
4 Slices Bacon, chopped.
1 Cup Cream of Chicken Soup *
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup Sour Cream.
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded.
1 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder.
1/8 Tsp Nutmeg
4 Cups Milk

1. In a large pot, put potatoes in with water, cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender. Do NOT drain, follow other instructions while the potatoes cook.
2.  In a small skillet,  melt butter on medium heat, add onions and bacon, cook onions until they become slightly golden brown.   Add to potatoes

Golden, not burnt.

3. In the skillet you used to cook the onion, place in the bacon on medium heat for about 5 minutes, add  kale, cover the  skillet and cook for another 10 minutes, add to pot.

4. Add remaining ingredients , minus the milk, into the pot with the potatoes, whisk until cheese has incorporated into the soup.

5. Slowly add milk into the pot, cook until the soup is hot.

You may top the soup with some extra cheese, and a dollop of sour cream, if you'd like. Enjoy!

* I make my own cream of chicken soup, it tastes much better than the stuff out of a can

Happy Belated Autumn

I haven't been on here in a while. My kids and I have been sick, there was a loss in my family, and other things have prevented me from  posting new recipes.   Despite things that have gone on around my household, I forced myself to celebrate the first day of Autumn .  It is my favorite season, after all.