Easy Homemade Divinity Candy

21/2 cups sugar

½ cup water

½ cup light corn syrup

¼ tsp. salt

2 egg whites

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Garnish: toasted pecan halves

1. Cook first 4 ingredients in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves and a candy thermometer registers 248° (about 15 minutes). Remove syrup mixture from heat.

2. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Pour half of hot syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating constantly at high speed, about 5 minutes.

3. Cook remaining half of syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 272° (about 4 to 5 minutes). Slowly pour hot syrup and vanilla extract over egg white mixture, beating constantly at high speed until mixture holds its shape (about 6 to 8 minutes). Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans.

4. Drop mixture quickly by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased wax paper. Garnish, if desired. Cool.

How to make the Perfect Poached Eggs

Ingredients

Water: 1 quarts

Vinegar: 1-2 Tbsp

Eggs: 4

Equipment

Small cup

Plastic wrap

Cooking spray

Method: 

1. Using 2 quart pot (typical small pot) bring 1 quart of water and vinegar to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat to medium so the water is just barely simmering.

3. Line a small cup with a square of plastic wrap. 6×6″ will be more than enough. Press the plastic wrap into the indent of the bowl creating a little plastic wrap bowl. Spray with cooking spray then crack the egg into the plastic wrap.

4. Fold all of the corners together above the egg and twist it closed, tie together too to make a nice little egg sack.

5. Now carefully drop the egg packets into the water.

6. Cook for 4 minutes for a runny yolk, 4 1/2 for starting to set, and 5 minutes for fully cooked yolk.

7. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon.

8. Take the eggs out of the plastic and enjoy them!

Chex Scotcheroos

Ingredients

6 cups Chex cereal

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1½ cups peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

1½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1½ cups butterscotch chips

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Butter a large bowl and measure out 6 cups of Chex cereal. Set aside. Butter a 9×13 dish and set aside.

In a small saucepan, stir together the corn syrup and sugar over medium heat. Once boiling, immediately remove from heat and stir in 1½ cups of peanut butter. Pour over the cereal and stir together until cereal is completely coated. Pour cereal mixture into the 9×13 dish and press with your hands to even out. It’s easier than using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Using a microwave safe dish or a double boiler, melt together chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, ½ cup of creamy peanut butter and vanilla. If microwaving, heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between to prevent the chocolate from burning.

Once smooth, spread over the cereal with a spatula.

Allow to cool completely at room temperature or place in the fridge.

Cut into squares and enjoy.

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

2 eggs 

2/3 cup milk 

25 Ritz crackers, crushed 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1 1/2 lbs ground beef 

1/2 cup ketchup 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1 teaspoon mustard

1.Preheat oven to 350. 

2 Beat eggs. Add milk and crackers. Stir in onion and cheese. Add ground beef. Mix well. Shape into a loaf.I made mine in a 8x8 pan

3 Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until cooked thru. 

4 Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard to make topping. Spoon half of the topping over the meatloaf after 30 mins of baking. Return loaf to oven for 10 more mins of baking. Spoon the rest of the topping over meatloaf, return to oven and bake for 5-10 mins more.

* I really liked the sauce on this meatloaf it was like a sweet bbq. My husband was not a fan so it all just depends on personal taste. I think that the only thing that I would do different it chop up my onions smaller. They didnt cook all the way thru and were still crunchy

10 Amazing and Little-Known Uses for Coke

Coca-cola is the biggest brand in the history of brands and products and surveys have suggested that it is the most popular world after ‘hello’—now imagine that! If it is the second most popular word in the world then almost everyone in the world must have coca-cola on them almost at all times—this is a scary reality because it is a proven fact now that Coca-cola is absolutely bad for your body. The chemical cocktail that you drink for refreshment is practically killing your metabolism since its acidity level matches the acidity levels of the battery acid. 

This stomach lining killing poison is associated with diseases like, cardiac arrest, stroke, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. and is especially bad for young children as it interferes with the balanced diet, rather than complementing it.

It is said that people who consume this fizzy poison inculcate dependence on caffeine and deficiency of important minerals like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin A. Don’t take us wrong, we still believe that Coca-cola is a very useful drink—although not for the body but there are many other fantastic uses for it that after knowing them you might start purchasing it all the more than before!

1- Bog Groomer: Cleaning the toilet is the most tedious of the tasks and let’s be honest, no one really wants to do it—no one but your friendly fizzy partner Coca-cola. All you have to do is pour the drink in the commode and wait for an hour before you scrub with a brush and flush—now you have got yourself a sparkling toilet!

2-Stubborn Stains—Thing of the Past!: If you don’t want to buy really expensive stain removers, take some of that Coca-cola and pour it in the wash along with the detergent. The stains will be removed and your clothes will be deodorized! All thanks to the carbonic and phosphoric acid inside the carbonated drink.

3-Window Cleaner: By now we know that Coca-cola has magic cleaning powers—one more thing that it can clean efficiently is window. Because of the presence of the citric acid in the drink, it makes a wonderful window cleaner and works the same way as citrus fruit based window cleaners work.

4-Bug Slayer: All kinds of bugs are big Coca-cola fans like us—they simply love the sweet fizzy wonder but without knowing that it can destroy them and they will be pushing up daises if they try to consume it. You can spray the drink on ant hills and cockroaches in your cupboards and get rid of them!

5- Color Fader: You can use the drink on your hair if you dyed your hair many shades darker than you wanted. Coca-cola is known for its quality of fading the color on hair; so the next time your hair gets dyed in a disastrous way, do not panic or run off to your expensive stylist but in fact open the refrigerator and grab that Coca-cola can and let it do the work!

6- Gum Remover: If a gum has been stuck to your hair and you think that the only way to get rid of it is to get an unwanted haircut then you do not have to worry anymore! Just pour some coke on the gum and let it sit for a few minutes, you will see that it becomes easier for you to pick that gum off your hair.

7- Pain Neutralizer: If you have been bitten by a bug, strung by a bee or a jellyfish then you do not have to panic in pain, just pour some of the dark fizzy drink on the affected area and your pain will be neutralized in seconds, thanks to the chemicals in Coca-cola.

8- Dish Washer: If your pots are all blackened, pour some of the wonder fizz into them and let it sit for a few minutes. The chemicals in the drink will fight the grime and loosen it, then you can easily scrub it out and your pots will again be clean and shiny!

9- Rust Fighter: If you want to get rid of the gross rust then dip that object into a mug full of fresh coke or if the object is too big then soak a cloth in coke and try to rub the rust out. The phosphoric acid in the drink will cause the corrosion process and the rust will loosen and can be easily taken off from the affected object.

10- Pesticide in the Fields: In India, some farmers use coca-cola instead of pesticides for pest termination, because it’s cheaper and the result is totally rewarding. It is said that the high sugar content of the drinks can make them efficient in fighting pests, which is of course denied by the company since they say that there is nothing in the drink that can be used as a pesticide. But the technique is an in-vogue trend in the Indian farming scenario

Chocolate Bourbon Praline Cake

Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened 

3 cups sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 + 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt 

1 1/2 cups strong coffee

3/4 cup buttermilk 

1. Grease bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; line with parchment paper; set pans aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs, one a time, until well combined.  Whisk in 1/2 cup coffee until well combined.

3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and salt.

4.  Add the flour mixture and remaining coffee with buttermilk to the sugar-butter mixture, alternating between flour and coffee/buttermilk, mixing between the addition of each.  Begin and end with flour. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. (Cake layers will appear thin.)

5. Cut off the top of bottom and middle layer to create a level cake.  Spread about 1/2 cup Chocolate Ganache between each cake layer; spread remaining Chocolate Ganache on sides of cake. (Do not frost top of cake.) Chill cake 30 minutes. Pour warm Praline Frosting slowly over top of cake, spreading to edges. (Cover and let stand up to 24 hours, if desired.)

6. Pierce about 25 holes in top of cake using a wooden or metal skewer. Pour warm Bourbon Glaze over cake.

Chocolate Ganache:

2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate morsels 

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

1.  Over medium-low heat, using a double boiler melt the butter and chocolate chips in to the whipping cream.  Remove from heat and let thicken for 8-10 minutes.  Spread between the layers of the cake and around the outside.  Do not frost the top of the cake with the ganache.

Praline Frosting:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons butter 

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Bake pecans on a baking sheet at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once.

2. Bring butter, brown sugar, and cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often; boil, stirring often, 1 minute.  Remove from heat, and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add toasted pecans; stir gently 3 minutes or until frosting begins to cool and thicken slightly.

Bourbon Glaze:

4 tablespoons butter 

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup bourbon

1. Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; stir in sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.  Remove skillet from heat, and stir in bourbon.  Carefully ignite the fumes just above liquid mixture with a long match or long multipurpose lighter.  Let stand until flames disappear.

Easy Cheese Danish

Ingredients:

2 cans ready to use refrigerated crescent rolls

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg white

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350* degrees and grease a 13X9-inch baking pan. Lay a pack of crescent rolls in the pan and pinch the openings together. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg together until smooth. Spread the mixture over the crescent rolls evenly and then lay the second pack of crescent rolls on top of the cheese mixture and brush with egg white. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Top with glaze after cooling for 20 minutes.

Kitchen Notes:

I have made this danish using low fat cream cheese and splenda (sugar substitute) and it was delicious! Also, the amount of filling the original recipe calls for makes a VERY heavily filled danish. I have halved the filling using 1 package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 whole egg, and a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and it was still very good. If you use the half filling method, bake for closer to 30-35 minutes.

How to Clean Your Cookie Sheets

You put about 1/4 cup of baking soda in a small glass bowl and squirt in hydrogen peroxide until it makes a nice paste.

Then you rub it on the offending dirt, stain, grease...whatever!

You can usually just use your fingers...but you can also use a small sponge as well.

Cinna-bun Cake in the oven

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking pan (buttered).

Mix all of the base ingredients together, with the exception of the butter. Add the melted butter last, and then pour into your prepared pan,

Mix all of the topping ingredients together in a separate bowl. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonful over the base, as evenly as you can over the entire base. Take a butter knife and swirl the topping into the base. Pop into the oven and bake for 28-30 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze and set aside.

Remove from oven and glaze the cake while still warm

Egg Pie

* For the pastry:

125 g [1/2 cup] unsalted butter - at room temperature

90 g [1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp] caster sugar (superfine)

250 g [1 cup + 2/3 cup] plain flour

1 egg - beaten

1-2 Tbsp cold water

* For the filling:

2 1/3 cup milk

4 eggs - separated

100 g [1/2 cup] caster sugar (superfine)

1 1/2 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

To make the pastry:

Combine flour and sugar in a bowl.

Cut in the butter with two butter knives or a pastry cutter. Then rub in the butter with your fingers until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Mix in lightly the egg and knead the dough until it just about comes together. If necessary sprinkle cold water if the dough seems dry.

Knead for a short while and form into a ball. Do not over knead or it will be difficult to roll out.

Wrap in plastic or cling film and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm it up.

Roll out thinly on a floured table top to a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

Line a 23 cm (9 inch) pie pan or fluted flan tin making sure to press the pastry well into the sides.

Put the tin on a baking sheet and bake blind: line the pastry with foil and baking beans.

Bake in a preheated oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 15 minutes.

Remove foil and baking beans then return to oven to bake for another 5 minutes.

Trim the excess pastry from the edge of the flan tin with a knife.

To make the filling:

Turn the oven temperature down to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and egg yolks.

Stir in the milk into the mixture.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg white to soft peaks and fold gently into the milk/egg yolk mixture with a metal spoon.

Place the pastry lined flan tin on a baking sheet.

Pour the filling in the tin and bake for 20 minutes until the top is brown.

Bring down oven temperature to 110C/fan 90C/250F and bake for a further 1 hour until the custard is just set. The centre should wobble a little.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Donkey Balls

Ingredients:

2 packages crescent rolls pref buttery flavored

1 16 oz cream cheese, don’t use fat free… they r horrible

1 packages jimmy dean sausage (standard size)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 small fresh onion… minced

Instructions:

 

cook sausage, garlic powder and onion until brown and lightly crispy.

drain sausage. does not hafta be rinsed

take room temp cream cheese and sausage mixture. I do not add salt and pepper because of butter flavoring in rolls.

unroll crescent rolls and cut crescent in half to make a triangle.

take a teaspoon of the mixture and spoon into each crescent roll. then wrap mixture up into little ball making sure the mixture is sealed inside.

place balls on the cookie sheets and bake for 8 minutes. DON’T BURN BOTTOMS.

cool for 3 minutes should make about 40-48 balls.

a reviewer suggested that she had to cook them longer (14 minutes) … so it may take longer depending on size..

I didn’t come up with the name!!! LOL

Soft and Light as Air Japanese Cheesecake

Ingredients

Separate:

6 large eggs

Melt together:

1 cup + 2 tablespoons cream cheese (260 g)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (57 g)

7 tablespoons milk (96 g)

Sift together:

¾ cup cake flour (88 g)

2 ½ tablespoons + 1 teaspoon corn starch (28 g)

¼ teaspoon salt

Prepare:

1 ½ tablespoons + 1 teaspoon lemon juice (23 g)

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

¾ cup granulated sugar (165 g)

Equipment needed:

One 8-inch x 3-inch OR 9-inch x 3-inch round cake pan

Water bath (bain marie) - baking dish or pan large enough to hold the cake pan (I used a roasting / lasagna pan) to be filled with hot water

Directions

Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make sure the bowl is clean, dry and devoid of any trace of fat. Set aside to bring to room temperature. If you have only one mixer bowl place the egg whites in any other clean bowl and set aside.

Spray with non-stick cooking spray an 8-inch x 3-inch round cake pan. A 9-inch x 3-inch round cake pan will also work. Pre heat the oven to 325° F.

Melt together the cream cheese, butter and milk in the microwave. Stir every 60 seconds and repeat 2 or 3 times until the butter and cream cheese are melted. Transfer the cream cheese mixture into a bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the flat beater attachment to smooth out any small remaining lumps of cream cheese. Mix until completely smooth.

Sift the flour, corn starch and salt together.

Stop the mixer. Add the following ingredients to the cream cheese mixture: sifted dry ingredients, ¼ cup sugar (55 g), egg yolks and lemon juice. Start the mixer and, all at the same time, blend the added ingredients well with the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and free of lumps and the batter falls in a ribbon. Set aside. If you have only one stand mixer bowl, transfer the batter to another large bowl and wash the mixer bowl very well in hot sudsy water making sure no trace of fat remains, in preparation for whipping the egg whites.

Whip the egg whites with the wire whip of a stand mixer on medium speed. When the meringue starts to take shape add the cream of tartar. Gradually add ½ cup sugar (110 g). Whip until meringue turns glossy, has increased in volume and holds medium peaks.

Take a dollop of meringue and fold it in by hand with a spatula into the cream cheese batter to slacken the mixture. Take a third of the meringue and add it to the batter. Cut and fold the meringue swiftly but gently to minimize deflating the meringue. In one motion, cut the center all the way down to the bottom of the bowl and fold the batter over the meringue. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as you fold up. Repeat with several strokes until the meringue is blended. Fold in the next ⅓ of meringue, mixing until blended. Fold in the last ⅓ of meringue making sure all the meringue is completely blended. The resulting batter at this point should be light and airy.

Pour the cheesecake batter into the cake pan. Place the cake pan in the larger dish, then place both in the oven. Pour hot water into the water bath until about half way up the sides of the cake pan. Be careful not to splash water into the batter.

Bake for 60 minutes at 325°F. Decrease the temperature to 320°F and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Turn off oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 – 45 minutes.

Turn out the cheesecake from the pan onto a cake plate and serve. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, halved and pounded thin

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

½ cup Unsalted Chicken Broth

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

½ teaspoon Sea Salt (cut in half if using salted broth)

¾ cup Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon House Seasoning Recipe (cut in half if using salted broth)

½ cup Parmesan or Asiago Cheese

1 cup Fresh Spinach, chopped

½ cup Sun Dried Tomatoes

Instructions

Slice the chicken and then pound.

Add the chicken to a mixing bowl and add, oil, Italian seasoning, salt and garlic. Massage into the chicken. Set aside.

Wash and chop spinach.

Add seasoned salt to the cream and set aside.

Select Sauté or Browning on your Pressure Cooker and allow to heat.

When hot, place all the chicken and marinade into Pressure Cooker cooking pot.

Lightly Brown the piece of chicken on both sides.

Pour in chicken broth and quickly deglaze the cooking pot.

Lock on lid and close Pressure Valve.

Cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes.

When Beep sounds, carefully do a Quick Release.

Select Sauté/Browning on your Pressure Cooker.

Pour the cream and seasoned salt into the Pressure Cooker cooking pot.

Simmer for about five minutes.

Add in the cheese and combine.

Toss in the sun dried tomatoes and spinach and simmer until spinach wilts.

Notes

For a creamier sauce, add 2 Tablespoons of cream cheese when you add the heavy cream.

Laundry Soap - White Silk Purse Laundry Soap

 makes 4 quarts {one gallon} of concentrate ~

~  that's 256 loads of laundry! ~

2 bars Fels Naptha

2 cups 20 Mule Team Borax

2 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

6 cups of hot water (+ more water as needed)

Put 6 cups of water on to heat. It will almost boil by the time you are done.  While the water is heating, grate the Fels Naptha.  I cut the bars in half the long way and run them through my food processor with the grater attachment, but it could be grated by hand. Add the soap to the water that is heating, and stir frequently.  This part takes 10 – 15 minutes.  Keep stirring until the soap is completely melted. Don’t let this boil or you’ll have soap all over the place. (Don’t ask!)

When the soap has melted turn off the heat and add the Borax and the Washing Soda. (Do not confuse Washing Soda with baking soda.  They are NOT the same.  Washing Soda is in the laundry aisle.) Stir and stir and stir. You will stir for about three minutes.  The powders will dissolve into the liquid.

Pour the liquid equally into 4 quart jars. Now, add just enough water to bring the contents up to the “shoulders” of the jar.  This will leave about 1 ½ inches of headspace.  Put lids on the jars and let them sit overnight (about 8 hours).

The soap in the jars will separate while it is standing. This is OK. There will be firm soap on top and kind of gel-like soap on the bottom. Sometimes "crystals" form at the bottom of the jar, don't worry.

This next part is really quite fun.  Take one of the jars and cut up the firm soap.  I just stick a knife down into the jar and cut it up like a pie. Next, pour all of this into your blender of mixing bowl I have a BOSCH. Now, because I am frugal I pour about 3 tablespoons of water into the quart jar and swish it around to get all the rest of the soap out.  If there are crystals, I use HOT water and stir a bit. I add this to the blender too.

 Start on the lowest speed of your blender or mixer and increase  the speed gradually.  Your result will be something that looks like really thick, pale yellow whipped cream. You may need to scrape the sides down with a spatula a few times to get it all the way blended/mixed. It's like creaming the butter, sugar and eggs when you make cookies. (I can blend/mix two jars at a time in my Bosch bowl.) 

Pour/spoon the now blended soap back into the quart jar(s).  Your jar(s) will be all the way full now and you may even have a little more for another jar. Pop a lid onto the jar(s) and your soap will keep indefinitely. It gets a little firmer in the jar when it sits, but it stays spoonable.

Just a few notes: The following makes 12 quart jars of laundry soap--

ª     •  6 bars of Fels Naptha (.99 each), 1 box of 20 Mule Team Borax ($4.15), and 1 box Arm & Hammer Washing Soda ($2.79) {then there was a little tax - .86 cents}

ª     • I made 12 quarts of concentrate for $13.74.  That means it costs 1.7cents per load J. That also nearly uses up the above ingredients. (Sometimes I find the products on sale for even less, then I buy more!)

ª     • I had a little Borax left over… It’s good for lots of stuff. Read the box.

ª      • 12 quarts of soap would do just over 14 loads of wash a week for a year!

ª     • I thought I’d need about 18 quarts for a year’s supply at my house.

ª      • The supplies for the soap are easy to store.  I don’t feel compelled to make it all at once.

ª      • I use a Bounce Bar in my dryer.  I think it is the best anti-static and smell good invention of all time.

Easy Cheeseburger Quiche

Ingredients:

2 pounds extra lean ground beef

Drizzle of favorite cooking oil for sauteing

2 cloves minced garlic

1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly

1 pound sliced mushrooms

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup mayonnaise

6 eggs, beaten

Salt and Pepper

2 unbaked deep dish pie shells

Method:

1: Preheat oven to 375*F.

2: Brown ground beef, drain and set aside to cool.

3: Drizzle a scant amount of oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add minced garlic and mushrooms, sauté.

4: When the mushrooms are almost tender, add the sliced green onion to the skillet to start them cooking. Do not cook them completely. You just want to take the “crunch” off.

5: In a large bowl combine the browned ground beef, mushroom, garlic and green onion mixture. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.

6: Once cooled, add shredded cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and the 6 beaten eggs to the ground beef, mushrooms and green onion mixture. Add salt and pepper to suit your tastes. Stir well to combine.

7: Divide the mixture between two deep dish pastry shells. Make sure you place the pie plates on a cookie sheet, for stability and to protect your over from any bubbling over during the baking process.

8: Bake approximately 40 minutes or until the center is set and the quiches are golden brown.

Makes 10-12 servings

easy Macaroon Brownies

INGREDIENTS

1 box Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme Brownie Mix (My all time favorite brownie box mix)

__

14 oz shredded coconut

14 oz of condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 egg whites

¼ tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9x9 baking dish.

Prepare brownie mix according to the package and pour into the baking dish.

Combine coconut flakes, condensed milk, egg whites, vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix very well.

Layer the macaroon mixture over the brownie batter, spread it evenly.

Bake for 45-55 minutes until the batter is no longer giggly.

Scones, Cream and Jam

230g self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

40g golden caster sugar

40g unsalted butter, diced

1 egg, made up to 140ml with milk

Makes 8 scones when using a 6cm fluted cutter

(might appear to be a modest quantity, but when split and topped with cream and jam this will seem like a feast)

1. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/gas 7.

2. Sift flour and salt into a bowl, then tip into food processor.

3. Add the sugar to the food processor and blend briefly to mix the sugar into the flour.

4. Add the diced butter and pulse until the mixture is lump-free and has the look of sand.

5. Mix the egg and milk together, and then pour into the food processor whilst it is running. You need to keep an eye on the mixture, for as soon as it comes together into a soft ball of dough you need to stop the machine. If dough looks too dry add a little more milk. 

6. Remove dough and turn onto floured surface. If the dough is sticky work in a little flour (gently does it). Otherwise, knead the dough carefully - just enough to bring it together into a neater ball, and then pat out on your work surface (use your hands). You need to only press the dough to a depth of about 2cm. Use your cutter to cut out circles of dough. Use the trimmings left to form a second ball of dough, pat out again and then cut more circles.

7. Arrange the circles of dough on a prepared baking tray and pop straight into the oven. Keep an eye on them. The scones should take 12-15 minutes, or should be extracted when they have gone golden brown on top. Put onto wire cooling rack as soon as they leave the oven. Cover with clean tea towel to help keep moistness in.

1916 Trench Cake

225g plain flour

110g margarine

75g currants

2 teaspoons cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

75g brown sugar

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/4 pint milk

Suggested extra flavourings - nutmeg, ginger, grated lemon rind (I used a pinch of ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line your cake tin (don't use anything too large as the above quantity of ingredients makes up a fairly scant volume of mix - my tin was 18cm diameter and this was a bit too big).

2. Rub the margarine into the flour. Add the other dry ingredients and mix well.

3. Add the soda to the vinegar and milk, and then quickly add to the dry ingredients. Beat well and then turn into the tin.

4. I found my cake was baked in about an hour, but the recipe suggests up to 2 hours.

mom’s apple cake

6 apples, Mom uses McIntosh apples

1 tablespoon cinnamon

5 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours*, or until a tester comes out clean.

*The only thing difficult about this cake is figuring out when it's done. For some reason, this cake likes to underbake on me, and honestly, I don't like underdone cake, even though my friend Mikaila who was over when I made thought it was like a warm pudding or something. I would add an extra 15 minutes of baking time. But then again, warm pudding has never exactly been my thing.

Vegan King Cake

What You Need:

1 cup whole wheat bread flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unbleached granulated sugar

1/4 cup (four tablespoons) Earth Balance

1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

1/4 cup tepid water

1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt

1 tablespoon cornstarch or Ener-G egg replacer (dry--don't mix with liquid)

2 teaspoons organic orange zest, divided

1 1/2-2 cups unbleached white flour

1-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and more non-dairy milk for glaze.

What You Do:

1. In the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook, combine the whole wheat flour, yeast, salt, and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar.

2. Heat the Earth Balance and non-dairy milk over medium low heat, until the Earth Balance is melted. Remove from heat and add the warm water. Bring the temperature to 110F.

3. Add the warm liquid to the flour and and beat to combine. Add the yogurt, Ener-G and zest and continue to beat until well blended.

4. Add in 1/2 cup of white flour and mix to combine. Continue to add the white flour in 1/2 cup increments until the dough is soft and firm, but still a bit tacky (mine only needed 1 1/2 cups).

5. Knead for ten minutes by hand or five with a dough hook, until the dough is smooth and elastic (it will be slightly tacky to the touch).

6. Gather the dough into a ball and let rise in a large bowl covered with a tea towel in a warm area, until doubled in size about 2 hours. (I put mine in the oven with the pilot light lit).

7. Once the dough has risen, punch it down, preheat the oven to 350F.

8. Lightly flour your counter and rol lthe dough out into a long rectangle about 26"X20" (keep the wide end facing you). The dough should be about 1/4" thin.

9. Once the dough is rolled out, it's time to fill it. Spread your choice of filling over the whole thing, but leave a 1" margin at the top and sides to help prevent the filling (see below) from squirting out when you roll it.

10. Starting at the bottom edge, carefully roll up the dough, jelly style--don't forger to hide a tiny baby in the cake somewhere (you can use a dry bean, too). Pinch the seam really well, and connect the ends to form an elliptical ring. The sides will need to be pinched extremely well too, because they often leak.

11. Carefully transfer to the dough to a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake until brown about 35-45 minutes.

12. Let cool ten minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool more.

13. While the dough cools, make the sugar glaze. Sift the sugar in a bowl, and add just a tiny bit of milk-teaspoon by teaspoon- until it's a thick but pourable consistency. Pour over the mostly cooled cake and decorate with purple, gold and green sugar**.

*Fillings:  I usually make one of the following (or a combination), the cakes shown in the pictures above are cinnamon-sugar, apple praline, and peanut butter cup. Usually if I make a cream cheeze cake, I sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top. See the picture below.

-Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

-Granulated sugar mixed with ground cinnamon

-Preserves or Pie Filling

Bourbon Balls

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (melted)

3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

7 tablespoons top-shelf bourbon

1/4 cup crushed pecans

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons whole milk

20 to 30 pecan halves

DIRECTIONS

1.

Combine butter, sugar, and bourbon in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Refrigerate mixture for one hour. Using a melon baller, form mixture into 1-inch balls. Place balls on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm. Remove balls, wrap individually with plastic wrap, and freeze for a minimum of two hours.

2.

Combine chocolate chips and whole milk in double boiler over medium heat, stirring until melted. One at a time, use a dipping fork (or toothpick) to submerge buttercream balls in chocolate, coating on all sides.

3.

Place on baking pan lined with parchment paper, garnish with pecan half. Allow balls to completely harden before eating.

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients

2 Boneless skinless chicken breast

4 tablespoons cream cheese

1/4 cup Pepperjack cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons green onion, chopped

4 to 8 pieces of bacon

Directions

Cut chicken into 4 equal size pieces. Pound breast so it is about 1/4" thick.

Mix together softened cream cheese, chopped green onions and shredded pepperjack cheese. Put 1/4 of this mixture into the middle of each piece of chicken.

Starting at the long side, roll chicken breast up, keeping the cheese mixture to the middle.

Wrap 1 to 2 slices of bacon around the chicken breast, secure with toothpick, if needed.

One piece of bacon wrapped around each breast is enough. But 2 pieces of bacon for each breast fully wraps the chicken and is outstanding.

Place on baking sheet and back for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Broil topside for about 5 minutes to fully brown and crisp bacon. Turn each breast over and broil for another 3 minutes or so to crisp up the bottom side

Chocolate Cake with Mousse Filling and Chocolate Frosting

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups Hershey's cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350* Fahrenheit.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Combine dry ingredients into large bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water.  (Batter will be thin.)  Pour into pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.  Cool completely.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine

2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)

1/3 cup milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter.  Stir in cocoa.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency.  Add more milk if needed.  Stir in vanilla.  About 2 cups frosting.

Chocolate Mousse

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups cold, heavy cream, plus an additional 1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the confectioners' sugar and 1/2 cup heavy cream.  Stir over low heat.  

Add the semisweet chocolate chips, stirring frequently as they melt and the mixture becomes well blended.

Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and set this mixture aside.

In a separate, large bowl, beat the remaining 1 1/2 cup heavy cream on medium speed and gradually add the granulated sugar.  When all the sugar has been incorporated, beat the mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, taking care not to overmix.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before using on your cake.