Another Blog Carnival

Christine presents http://memykidandlife.com/recipes110407.html">All Natural Honey Mustard Dressing: No Sugar Added posted at http://memykidandlife.com/">Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France, saying, "Spicing up your green salad with a fabulous all natural sugar-free Honey Mustard Dressing! It also makes a great dip for vegatables."

Kalyn presents http://blog.lifeedit.net/2007/11/easy-savoury-party-food-ideas.html">Easy Savoury Party Food Ideas posted at http://blog.lifeedit.net/">LifeEdit.net.

Sagar presents http://www.airlinecreditcards.com/travelhacker/top-50-vegan-and-vegetarian-restaurants-in-the-world/">Top 50 Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in the World posted at http://www.airlinecreditcards.com/travelhacker">Travelhacker.

Christine presents http://memykidandlife.com/orange-juice-and-honey.html">Hot Orange Juice and Honey for the Holidays! posted at http://memykidandlife.com/">Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France, saying, "This is a great, simple, sugar-free, all natural recipe that is perfect for the holidays! It'll put a smile on the kid's faces and warm your soul!. The perfect holiday dessert drink for you, your kids and your friends refraining from alcohol."

Chef Andrew presents http://therecipebank.blogspot.com/2007/11/black-eyed-pea-dip.html">Black Eyed Pea Dip posted at http://therecipebank.blogspot.com/">The Recipe Bank, saying, "Great Recipes to Share with Our Friends!"

Lucynda Riley presents http://quietlyintothenight.com/?p=576">Roasted figs with honey and Rosemary posted at http://quietlyintothenight.com">Quietly Into the Night.

The Career Counselor presents http://askthecareercounselor.com/blog/archives/208">Holiday Season: Simple Ways to Increase Morale and Happiness at Your Office posted at http://askthecareercounselor.com/blog">ask the CareerCounselor.

Sagar presents http://www.airlinecreditcards.com/travelhacker/worlds-best-chocolate-a-chocoholics-travel-guide/">World?s Best Chocolate: A Chocoholics Travel Guide posted at http://www.airlinecreditcards.com/travelhacker">Travelhacker.

The Columbia Foodie presents http://columbiafoodie.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html#6930940364577061768">Mascarpone and Pecan Stuffed Dates posted at http://columbiafoodie.blogspot.com/">The Columbia Foodie, saying, "Elegant, easy, and in season dates make for a delicious creation."

Lucynda Riley presents http://a-public-diet.com/?p=30">Sugar Free Fat Free Jello Pudding. posted at http://a-public-diet.com">A Public Diet.

James D. Brausch presents http://weightlossdude.com/?p=190">My Crab Cake Recipe posted at http://weightlossdude.com">Weight Loss Dude.

Roger Haeske presents http://rogerhaeske.com/?p=100">Having Trouble Staying Raw, It May Not Be Your Fault posted at http://rogerhaeske.com">Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

WhatWorksForUs presents http://whatworksforus.blogspot.com/2007/12/holiday-slush-no-not-me.html">The Holiday Slush. No, NOT Me. posted at http://whatworksforus.blogspot.com/">What Works For Us.

Appetizers

Jami Leigh presents http://jamileigh.com/blog/2007/12/10/festive-foods/">festive foods posted at http://jamileigh.com/blog">Jami Leigh.

Chef Andrew presents http://therecipebank.blogspot.com/2007/12/remoulade-sauce-recipe.html">Remoulade Sauce Recipe posted at http://therecipebank.blogspot.com/">The Recipe Bank, saying, "a great sauce recipe for your party - try this with shrimp"

Dessert

Carol Bentley presents http://www.copywriting4b2b.com/archives/54">An enjoyable experience. . . posted at http://www.copywriting4b2b.com">Carol Bentley.

Chickens in the Road presents http://suzannemcminn.com/blog/2007/12/16/clotted-cream-fudge/">Clotted Cream Fudge posted at http://suzannemcminn.com/blog">Suzanne McMinn, saying, "I fell in complete, enamored, adoring love with castles, old rocks, sheep, and clotted cream during my trip to England. I couldn’t bring the castles, rocks, or sheep back with me, but I did bring back some clotted cream fudge. My kids loved it and we had to have more!"

Drinks

Priya Jestin presents http://www.airlinecreditcards.com/travelhacker/drinking-across-america-a-look-at-the-25-best-microbreweries-in-the-country/">Drinking Across America: A Look at the 25 Best Microbreweries in the Country posted at http://www.airlinecreditcards.com/travelhacker">Travelhacker.

Main Dish

blue skelton presents http://blueskeltonproductions.blogspot.com/2007/10/its-spiderman-pizza-delivery.html">It’s Spiderman Pizza Delivery posted at http://blueskeltonproductions.blogspot.com/">Blue Skelton Publications, saying, "Well Peter Parker is delivering pizza again and this time as Spiderman. No its not that superhero work doesn’t pay the bills anymore. Spiderman man will descend upon the Nasdaq Spider-Man will descend upon the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square today. He is not there to save lives but to deliver pizza, one hero to another."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition ofcarnival of party foodusing ourhttp://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_1738.html">carnival submission form.Past posts and future hosts can be found on ourhttp://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_1738.html">blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of party food, blog carnival.

The Cupcake Courier

I found a new product on the market for transporting cupcakes, 'The Cupcake Courier'. What a great find. What I like best is that is actually holds 3 dozen cupcakes. I don't know about anyone else, but it is very rare that I can send only 2 dozen cupcakes anywhere. My kids are required to have either 25 or 30 treats when sent to school and this is the perfect solution. It is stylish and doesn't take up a lot of room.

Unfortunately, I can't get a photo to copy to my site. Here is a link to the product Cupcake Courier. This has definitely been added to my wish list.

Christmas Tree Cookies

Christmas Tree Cookies
Originally uploaded by gensler97

Normally I like to cook, but at Christmas time, my focus tends to be on cookies and candies. These cookies were created for a family party last week, but never made it. These accidentally ended up at class with my son because he told my hubby mom had promised to make treats for them. I did promise, but I ran out of time.

So, 9 kids and one adult enjoyed 4 1/2 dozen cookies. That is a lot of cookies. Sorry mom and dad! I hurried up and remade the cookies and then we had an ice storm. No party. Oh well, they will keep another few days.

Red and White Christmas Cookies

Red and White Christmas Cookies
Originally uploaded by gensler97

Just some Cookies I created last night. I really like the modern look to the snowflake.

3-D Winter Scene Cookie

I loved making this cookie yesterday. I had so much fun. I have been making regular cut-out cookies and decided it was time to make something different. I saw someone else make one like this. I bet if I bring these to a party this weekend, no one will eat them.

Molasses Cookies

I will never be able to make these cookies as good as my Grandmother. She had been making these since the depression years, so she had a lot of practice. Her cookies were always soft and always perfectly cracked. They looked like a picture from a bakery. She made dozens at a time and kept about 4 dozen constantly on hand for visitors. Remember that they were always soft. I know very few people who even like Molasses, but after eating these cookies, many people changed their mind. I wish you luck and hope yours will turn out that perfect. Here is that special recipe.

Ingredients
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
4 tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda

In a bowl, creme shortening and sugar. Add in egg, molasses, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Finally, add flour. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Roll into 1" balls. Roll balls in sugar and place on a cookie sheet. Flatten with fingers and bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and place cookies on a cooling rack or counter until cool.

Multi-layer Salad!

I was in charge of salad this year. I rarely bring salads, so we wanted to find something unusual to bring. We found a few ideas in a book and blended them with what we personally liked. Here is what we came up with.

Ingredients
1 Head of Romaine Lettuce
Grape Tomatoes
Bacon cooked and crumbled
Feta Cheese
Avocado (cubed and sprinkled with lime juice to prevent browning)
3 eggs
Sliced Mushrooms
Italian Seasoning

We cut up the Romaine and added all the other ingredients. Let is sit in the fridge for an hour before serving. Make sure you sprinkle the avocado with lime juice to prevent it from browning. I could barely taste the juice in the salad or the avocado. Add a little pepper for flavor. Yum!

The salad was a hit. I can't say I eat avocado, ever. But, I loved it in this salad. We were suppose to add diced chicken, but we figured it was not the main course and we already had turkey with our meal. Like all salads, you can omit whatever you don't like, but I recommend trying everything. You can always pick out what you don't like.

November Blog Carnival

Welcome to the November 21, 2007 edition of carnival of party food. A lot of great submissions from everyone this month. Check out the links below for great recipes and holiday food ideas.

Bart Van Honsté presents WinePhabet - A of Amarone posted at Fylloxera, saying, "Learn something more about an astonishing party wine from la bella Italia: Amarone."

Mama Duck presents 13 outdoor birthday food ideas posted at Lil Duck Duck.

Israel Cruz presents Frijoles Charros posted at Authentic Southern Mexican Food.

Trent presents Ten Frugal Tips For A Great Grilling Experience posted at The Simple Dollar, saying, "Ten great money saving tips for tasty, easy barbecuing for your next party."

Meredith Mathews presents Happy Birthday Ice Cream Cone Cupcake Treats! posted at Lemonade Stand.

presents Its all about the amount of wine posted at The best wine blog - new wine posts daily.

James D. Brausch presents Why I'm Not A Vegetarian posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Frugal Fanny presents Thanksgiving on a Budget posted at Frugal Fanny's Everyday Money Saving Tips.

Host Bee presents Turducken posted at Busy Bee Lifestyle.

Tiffany Washko presents Peanut Butter Carob Balls Recipe posted at Natural Family Living Blog.

Appetizers

Katy presents Butternut Squash Toasts posted at sugarlaw, saying, "Delicious, super easy, and requires only a few ingredients. Every time I make it, someone asks me for the recipe!"

Chris presents Snack Idea: Apples and Cinnamon posted at The Healthy Snacks Blog.

Phil B. presents Spicy Hot versus Temperature Hot « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, "When someone tells you that the food is "hot", do you assume temperature hot or spicy hot?"

Cookies

TherapyDoc presents Hoo-du ya love, Substances, and The Bake Sale posted at Everyone needs therapy, saying, "Here's a warning for the label of your cookie jar."

Desserts

Stephanie presents Elementary Chef » Blog Archive » Pecan Pie posted at Elementary Chef. I always wanted to know how to make this dish, but haven't tried it yet. I hope to soon.

Summer presents Yummy Pumpkin Pie! posted at Mom Is Teaching. Today is Thanksgiving and I can hardly wait for the Pumpkin Pie.

Drinks

Heather Juma presents Throw A Fast, Fabulous and Fun Cocktail Party! posted at Girls Who Network Diary.

Main dishes

Annette Berlin presents Easy Pizza Dough posted at Frugal Journey, saying, "Pizza is always a favorite main course at casual parties. Unfortunately, if you have a lot of big eaters, it can get expensive to order take-out. Here's a simple recipe for a do-it-yourself version of pizza dough."

That is the end of this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
carnival of party food using our carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our

blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:

carnival of party food, blog carnival.

Potica...A Long Lost Tradition.

I was watching TV the other day and a bakery was making Potica. I grew up with this dessert in my family and at every party all my life. Unfortunately for me, I never gave it a try until I was in college. Now I love it and I don't have the opportunity to eat it anymore.

This is a sweet bread roll, kinda a cross between a cinnamon roll and a bread, with lots and lots of walnuts. There are not a lot of desserts that people will pay $40 for a loaf of it. My Uncle use to sell dozens every year. As I get older, I hope to one day make this dessert myself, but I have a lot to learn before I am ready for that.

A bakery in Minnesota sells them on-line. They are the Italian Bakery. I can't imagine it being the same, but maybe I should give it a try. One patron remarked that, "Once you try it, everyone loves Potica." That is very true. At one social event outsiders huddled around the beer and everyone who knew what we were eating, sat down and begged for a piece. Growing up I thought it looked horrible, but I was so wrong.

As the holidays grow near, I long for those traditions of years past. Hope everyone has a great holiday.

Clam Linguine

This is definitely a dish for fish lovers. My husband was the first to make this dish and it has been a family favorite ever since. I can even get my children to eat clams in it. In my house, that means something.

Ingredients
Linguine noodles
fresh garlic
can of clams ( I prefer minced clams )
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
oregano
salt
pepper
basil

In a large stock pan, boil water and add Linguine noodles. I make enough noodles for 6 servings. In a small sauce pan melt butter and olive oil, until combined. Add one finely chopped garlic clove on medium heat, but do not allow garlic to brown. Add juice from clams, oregano, salt, pepper, and basil. Continue heating on medium for 2 minutes. Add clams, and cook until clams are heated through. Usually take another 2 minutes. Plate the pasta and top with clam mixture.

Carnival of Party Food

Welcome to the June 17, 2007 edition of carnival of party food.

Bart presents One thing I learned in Champagne today posted at Fylloxera. If you thought you knew about champagne, here is something you may not have known.

Party Plans

Thad Guy presents Finding Allergies posted at Thad Guy, saying, "There are lots of things that can go wrong when one is planning a party. One of the least funny calamities is if one serves food that one's guests are allergic to. With that in mind, here is a joke about just that. I hope you like it."

Rickey Henderson presents It’s Friday wenches, is everyone ready for the upc... posted at Riding with Rickey, saying, "A humorous look at how to prepare for a weekend BBQ party."

Recipes

Sepehr Moghadam presents Health Recipes archive at Minus The Fat posted at Minus The Fat, saying, "A delicious summer salad."

Danielle presents Rosemary Crostini with Roasted Garlic and Marinated Tomatoes. Yummm by Ms. Danielle posted at MsDanielle.com, saying, "Simple and Easy! :)" These are deffintely a great appetizer, but one I know I will try making myself after reading this article.

Amanda presents Chips n' Dip: Salsa and Guacamoli posted at Eat... and Be MerryAmanda gives two easy recipes for these great dips. I love her idea to keep her salsa a little chunky. That is how I like it too!

Caley Walsh presents Recipe4Living- Ultimate BBQ Contest posted at Recipe4LivingIf you think you are the ultimate BBQ master, then submit your entry to this contest. Definitely not a contest for my husband!!

Mama Duck presents Food ideas for a Luau Party posted at Lil Duck DuckA Luau Party is always a great idea, but if you are like me, you never know what to serve. Here are a few simple ideas.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
carnival of party food
using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our

blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:

carnival of party food, blog carnival.

Puppy Chow, Chex Chocolate Snack Mix.

Muddy Puppies in Black & White
Originally uploaded by ivy.chiu

One of my favorite snacks from my childhood has to be "Puppy Chow". The first time someone brought it to a party was about 20 years ago. I and everyone in the class was hooked on this amazing little creation. Who would have thought that chocolate and peanut butter would go so well with Chex cereal.

Ingredients

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter (or chunky if you want extra nuts in your mix)

6 c. Chex cereal

1 c. powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in a pan on the stove, stirring constantly. Stir in peanut butter. Pour mixture over cereal and stir gently until well coated. Place powdered sugar in a 2-gallon storage bag. Gently shake until well coated. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Originally uploaded by Deep Fried Kudzu

Summer cookouts are a lot of fun, but finding a good dessert than can hold up to the heat can be tough. This Strawberry Pretzel Dessert holds up pretty well, even on the 4th of July as long as it is not directly in the sun.

2 1/2 c. crushed pretzels

3tsp. sugar

1 stick margarine, melted

Combine ingredients and press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

1 pkg cream cheese

1 c. sugar

1 lg pkg coolwhip

Cream all ingredients together. Spread over pretzel crust.

2 c. boiling water

2 pkg. strawberry jello

2 pkg. frozen strawberries

Combine water and jello. Fold in strawberries until thawed. Pour over cheese layer and refrigerate for several hours.

Apple Crisp

dessert. apple crisp. my favorite
Originally uploaded by ginthefer

For many of us, there is no time to cook in the summer. Better yet, no one wants to spend extra time inside cooking in a hot kitchen when they could be outside enjoying the nice weather. Apple Crisp is a quick dessert to make for your family that everyone will love.

If you are fortunate to have an apple tree in your yard, this is a nice way to eat your harvest.

Ingredients8 c. sliced apples
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. instant oatmeal
Cinamon
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt

Places apples in a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Mix remaining ingredients together and crumble over apples. Bake at 350 degrees until light brown and apples are done (40 to 50 minutes).

Allow to cool slightly before serving. Great served with a scoop of ice cream.

No Time to Cook

We are finishing up our new home, so we can move in two weeks from now. Over the weekend, we painted 1100 square foot of the house including a huge vaulted ceiling, laid hard wood floor in the kitchen and set all the base cabinets so we could order the countertop this morning. Needless to say, we are exhausted. Most of the time we had 3 kids, 8 and younger, with us. They were great!

The hardest thing for us to do is eat when we are working on the house. We don't have a kitchen and our only fridge is from college, which is 2 small shelves. I've had to be very creative in our cooking. We brought our grill over and have made many sandwiches. We prefer not to use any silverware, so sandwiches are the best.

Saturday we ate Country Style Pork Rib sandwiches, and hotdogs for the kids. On Sunday we had Brats. I have brought over my chicken breasts, hamburger (but what a mess that will be when you don't have a sink to wash your hands), and more hotdogs for the kids. My husband is a condiment king, but I gave him quite the look when he first asked where the ketch-up was. He has since gotten over it and decided nourishment was more important.

I have begun bringing dry rubs over, instead of messy barbeque sauces. I have disposable plates, forks, and napkins. We will make it, but it's going to take some creativity, and lot's of LOVE!!

My posts will be less frequent over the next 2 weeks, but I'll be popping in at least a few times a weeks.

First Ever Carnival of Party Food

Welcome to the June 7, 2007 edition of carnival of party food. This weeks theme was party food. Right away I received submissions from readers. I am always looking for inspiration on how to entertain friends and family. With the 4th of July and BBQ Season here, I thought this would be a great theme.

The first week in June is the beginning of the summer reading program at our local library. Anne-Marie has a great idea for treats to share with the kids at the library. Check out her article and see a picture of these adorable cupcakes. Celebrate summer reading with mini book cupcakes posted at A Readable Feast.

I have often heard about fish tacos, but have never made them myself. Anne-Marie has inspired me and I hope it inspires you to try these for yourself. Anne-Marie writes Carne asada and fish tacos posted at Anne-Marie.

Dexie has a great article on Kebabs. If you love to garden or just love grilled veggies and meat Kebabs, try out this recipe. If you don't want to stand by the grill for a long time, Kebabs cook quick and offer a wide variety of flavors for everyone. Read Kebabs : Beef, Pork and Colorful Veggies posted at Forks.ca, the edible blog, saying, "Delicious Meat Kebabs with colorful veggies"

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition ofcarnival of party foodusing ourcarnival submission form.Past posts and future hosts can be found on ourblog carnival index page.

A Review 30daycafe.com!

I am always excited to share my recipes and am equally as excited to have others share their recipes with me. 30 Day Cafe http://30daycafe.com/ is a great site for the kind of food I like to cook. Simple recipes that my family will eat.

The author plans her meal out for the entire month, does the shopping in one day, and spends 9 or 10 hours cooking for the month. I admit I cook ahead, but never for an entire month. She has a really good idea. Working full-time can be tough on a family meal time. Just think how easy your life would be if you prepared and froze your meals and just had to pop them into the oven when it was time to cook.

Check out http://30daycafe.com/ for more great ideas!

Blog Carnival Coming Soon!

I will be hosting my first Blog Carnival at http://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_1738.html. The subject is party/picnic/BBQ food. So far I have a few great submissions. I will have it published on June 7th.

Birthday Brownie 'Cake'

birthday brownie 'cake'
Originally uploaded by mommawants1more

I found this brownie cake and thought it would be a great birthday cake for a brownie lover. Instead of baking in a traditional brownie pan, just bake the brownies in round cake pans. Top with buttercream frosting or coolwhip. Serve with ice cream. My daughter loves brownies and has become quite the little thief whenever I bake them, so this would be great for her, even to take to school. What about a great cake for a teenage boy!!!! Or even your husband!!! Everyone loves brownies.

Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb crisp with strawberry ice cream
Originally uploaded by ext212

While Rhubarb season is winding down, you may be looking for ways to use up the last of your crop. This is a great recipe for Rhubarb Crisp that is best when eaten warm out of the oven, but great cold too. Other options are to serve it with ice cream or cool whip.



Ingredients
Layer 1 and 3
1 c. flour
3/4 c. oatmeal
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. soft butter
1 tsp. cinnamon

Layer 2
2 c. rhubarb
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 c. water
vanilla

In a bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, sugar, soft butter and cinnamon until well blended. Spread 1/2 of the mixture in a 11 x 7 casserole pan. In another bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Spread Rhubarb mixture over first layer of oatmeal mixture. Spread the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes and serve

Is Our Pizza Ready?

Our family rarely goes out to eat, but one night we had gone shopping and decided to order a pizza and we'd pick it up on the way home. At least that is what we thought we were doing.

We pulled into our local Casey's Store to pick up our Pizza. It was already 7:00 p.m. and we were starving. As we pull in, there is a young girl walking out with a pizza. I have a very sarcastic, joking nature, so I tell the kids that she has stolen our pizza. They get worried and are ready to stop her, untill I tell them I am joking.

My husband goes inside to get our pizza. Through the window I can see him talking and laughing with the girl. We are new to town, so I assume that he knows her. He walks out empty handed laughing about something. I asked him, "What is so funny, and where is the pizza?" With a big grin, he explains that the young girl had taken our pizza. Seriously!

I guess she walked in and said, "Is our pizza ready?" The clerk offered her our name and handed over our dinner. I can't believe that happened. We live in a small town, so that was our only option for food. We could have waited 20 minutes for a new pizza or go home and have sandwiches. The kids are so hungry we can't sit in the car another minute, so we head home.

Now, I can't even go for gas at Casey's without the kids having a flashback of that mean girl who STOLE their pizza!

Grilling Vegetables

Technorati tags: Grilling, Vegetables, Zucchini, summer squash

Grilling and Presenting
Originally uploaded by Sunshine Hanan.

It's grilling season again for those who live in cooler climates. We use to only grill meat on our grill, until a few years ago. We started with Zucchini and Summer Squash. Then we bought a grill pan and started to add mushrooms and other veggies. We found that the best seasoning is seasoning salt, and pepper. Of course we sometimes add thing like soy sauce or salad dressings to our veggies, but on the avverage night, we keep it pretty simple.

When you are done, put them on a plate and add things like feta cheese, olives, and salsa. My husband use to say he hated Zucchini, turns out he loves it almost as much as I do. If you grow Zucchini in your garden make sure you pick them small. They have the best flavor this way.

Pampered Chef Hot Artichoke Dip

Artichoke dip
Originally uploaded by kartooner.

This is simply the best and easiest Artichoke Dip you can make at home. The first time I made it, my guests did not leave it's side until the dip was gone. Most of them said they didn't like artichokes. Sometimes you just have to try something.

This is by the far the easiest recipe I have seen. If you buy fresh grated Parmesan, it should take no more than 10 minutes to prepare. Put in a baking pan and pop in the oven. Serve with crackers, chips, or bread. I promise it will be the hit of the party.

Check out this link for the recipe. http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/recipesearch/recipedetail.jsp

Technorati tags: Artichoke Dip, Spinach Dip, Pampered Chef, party food, appetizer, crackers and dip, spinach, artichoke, sour cream, mayonaise, garlic

Coffee-mate 7-Day Free Trial

Technorati tags: Coffee-mate, Free Sample, Coffe Creamer

Coffee-mate is having a great promotion right now. They are offering a 7-Day free trial for each household to try their product. I love coffee creamer, but have to admit it can be a little expensive for me. This will give me a great opportunity to try their new flavors. Click on the following link to sign up today.
http://www.coffee-mate.com/7Days/default.aspx?

I also use them in place of milk when I make a cake. It adds a little extra punch of flavor that makes your cake special. It just takes a few minutes to sign up for your free sample. Don't wait, just click.

M&M's Centerpiece

MEM's M&Ms
Originally uploaded by Mark E Mark.

This is my favorite centerpeice at a kids party. At first everyone made fun of me, but I have since seen it at their house. And, the kids can do all the work for you.

Technorati tags: M&M, Rainbow party, Centerpiece, rainbow, candy, party food, birthday party, birthday party decorations, 1st birthday, kids party

Great Recipe Site!

Technorati tags: Bakespace, recipes. recipe

I have been looking for a great site for recipes. I found a site today for http://www.bakespace.com/. After checking out some of the recipes, I was very impressed. It is a forum site, which allows members to share recipes and techniques.

I also like pictures. This site offers a lot of pictures of the finished product.

Breakfast Burrito

Technorati tags: Breakfast, Burrito, Tortilla, Eggs

Here is a super easy recipe for breakfast. Whether you have a a hungry family, or company. The recipe calls for everything to be cooked with the eggs, but you can cook everything separate. This is always a great way to use up my leftover tortilla shells.

Ingredients
2 lb. sausage
Onion, diced
Green pepper, diced
1 can mushrooms
18 eggs
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa (optional)
Soft Tortilla Shells

Brown Sausage, drain. Add onion, peppers, and mushrooms. Add the eggs mixed up with a little milk. Cook until scrambled eggs are done. Serve on warmed up tortilla shells. Top with salsa if desired.

For a spicy variety, add jalapeno peppers and hot sauce. Or, just keep them on the table.

Southern Comfort Punch

Summer is on it's way. Here is a great punch to serve at a BBQ, Shower, or any party. Of course it's not for the kids.

Ingredients
1/5 Southern Comfort
3 qt. white soda
6 oz. lemon juice
6 oz. frozen lemonade
6 oz. frozen orange juice

In a punch bowl, combine all ingredients. Give it a gentle stir and serve.

 

Technorati tags: punch, southern comfort, party drink, white soda, lemon juice, frozen lemonade, orange juice, party

Cheesy Tortellini

This recipe is so easy, your kids can make it. Besides making it, they will love to eat it. Great to take to a party in a crockpot, or serve as an entire meal to your family.

Ingredients
2 lbs. Tortellini
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup. butter
16 oz. Velveeta Cheese

Cook Tortellini according to package directions. In a crock pot, melt cheese, mushroom soup and butter. Drain tortellini and add to cheese mixture.

 

Technorati tags: tortellini, ravioli, cheese, Velveeta, cheesy, pasta, appetizer, mushroom soup

Ranch Vegetable Dip

Ingredients
2 - 16 oz. pkg. Original Dressing Mix
16 oz. Jar Mayonnaise
8 oz. Small Curd Cottage Cheese
8 oz. Sour Cream

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Refrigerate overnight for best results. Serve with veggies. This is a great recipe for a large picnic or party.

 

Technorati tags: ranch, vegetable dip, party dip, party food, dip recipes, recipes, chip dip, ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, sour cream

Vegetable Dip with Dill

Ingredients
1 pint sour cream - room temperature
1 pint Hellman's Mayo
3 tbsp. parsley
3 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. dill weed
1 tbsp. celery salt

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend until well mixed. Let sit in fridge overnight for best flavor.

 

Technorati tags: vegetable dip, dip, dill, mayo, mayonaise, sour cream, onion powder, dill weed, celery salt, parsley, chip dip, veggie dip

Taco Dip

One of my favorite appetizers is Taco Dip. It was at every party I went to. If you weren't careful, it would fill you up and you weren't hungry for the rest of the meal. Who cares! When you are little, you don't like the rest of the meal anyway.

Ingredients
2 - 8 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. small curd cottage cheese ( replace with sour cream if you don't like cottage cheese)
1 pkg dry taco seasoning
1 tomato
1 small bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 head of lettuce
Jar of taco sauce
1/8 cup of chopped onion

Soften cream cheese. Beat cream cheese, cottage cheese and taco seasoning until well blended. Make sure you scrape the sides a few times to get everything well mixed. Spread on a 13" x 9" casserole pan or jelly roll pan. Spread taco sauce over mixture. Top with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

 

Technorati tags: taco dip, tortilla chips, appetizer, party food, cinco de Mayo, mexican food, mexico, lettuce, tomato, cream cheese, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, taco sauce, taco seasoning

Smores

Who doesn't like having at least one Smores at a campfire! However, it is a lot to deal with. You have to toast a marshmallow, have the graham cracker and chocolate open and ready to go before your marshmallow falls off the stick. When you are camping out, this can get messy and you may not be able to keep up. Especially if you have 3 or 4 people helping you out with the marshmallows. I found a shortcut to making these delicious treats. Use Fudge Stripe Cookies. They are almost like a graham cracker, and already have a chocolate bottom. You don't have to open anything extra and they travel nicely.

This is a truly inspirational idea. Your friends will be amazed!

 

 

Technorati tags: smores, fudge stripe cookies, marshmallow, campfire, s'mores, bonfire

Pasta Salad

Here is my favorite Pasta Salad. I can be a little picky when it come to this dish. I usually don't like a lot of extra stuff in mine. This is the simplest recipe I know and is definitely a recipe you can add your own ingredients to.

Ingredients
1 Bag of veggie spiral noodles
1 Jar of Italian dressing
1 Cucumber
1 Bell Pepper
2 Tomatoes
salt
pepper

Cook pasta according to package instructions. While that is cooking, remove the skin from cucumber and dice cucumber into 1/2 inch cubes. Cut tomatoes and bell pepper into 1/2 inch pieces also. Set aside. Drain pasta and spray with cold water to help stop the cooking process. Drain again. Place pasta in a bowl with your veggies. Add 2/3 of your Italian Dressing to bowl and stir. Season with a little salt and pepper. Refrigerate over night, or at least 4 hours for best results. Right before serving, add rest of the Italian Dressing and give salad a quick stir.

Other ingredients to add, if you like
Pepperoni
Onion
Mushrooms
Croutons

 

Technorati tags: pasta salad, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, pasta, salad, picnic food, party food, mushrooms, food for a crowd, cold salad

Taffy Apple Dip

This dip is a great way to get your kids to eat apples and other fruit. A great appetizer to put in the center of the table at a party. If you are going to snack, make it something good for you.

Ingredients
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 - 8 oz pkg. cream cheese softened
Apples or other fruit cut up for dipping

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat until well blended. Slice up fruit right before serving.

 

Technorati tags: apple, dip, cream cheese, fruit dip, cream cheese dip, cream cheese spread, brown sugar, apples, pears, bannanas, strawberries, grapes, fruit, appetizer, healthy snack

French Silk Pie

Technorati tags: french silk, pie, chocolate, whip cream, chocolate curls

When I go to a party where I am not sure what everyone likes to eat, I make French Silk Pie. It is creamy and chocolaty. Sure to be a hit with everyone.

Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
3 oz. semi sweet baking chocolate
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
cools whip (optional)
chocolate curls (optional)

In a sauce pan, melt chocolate on low heat. Stir constantly and remove from heat as soon as melted. Set aside and allow to cool. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add chocolate and blend. Add one egg at a time, blending well between additions. The more patient you are with beating the eggs will allow a fluffier chocolate mixture. Add vanilla. Spoon mixture into graham cracker pie crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Add cool whip and chocolate curls if desired.

Cream Cheese Squares

Technorati tags: cream cheese, crescent rolls, dessert

This is a great dessert for parties. Not too sweet, but delicious.

Ingredients
2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
cinnamon

Spray an 11" x 7" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Layer the bottom of the pan with 1 roll of crescent roll dough, roll out to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Pressing seams together. In a mixing bowl, combine, cream cheese and sugar. Mix until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Spread the mixture over the crescent rolls. Ad another layer of crescent rolls on top of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of the dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until crescent top starts to brown along the edges.

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

Technorati tags: rhubarb, cake mix, upside down

It's almost time for Rhubarb Season. Rhubarb is one of those foods you either LOVE or HATE. I love it. But, even I get tired of eating it. After a few weeks of desserts I start chopping it into 1 inch pieces and putting it into a Ziploc bag in the freezer. Then I can make desserts with Rhubarb for a few more months. This is one of my favorite recipes for Rhubarb and super easy to make.

Ingredients
1 yellow cake mix
5 cups rhubarb cut into 1 inch slices
1 cup sugar
1 pkg dry red jello mix

In a bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, and red jello until rhubarb is evenly coated. Place in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Spray pan with a non-stick spray before adding rhubarb. Prepare yellow cake mix, according to package directions. Pour over rhubarb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until cake is completely cooked. Serve with whipped topping or frost entire cake.

Shh! It's a Secret.

Technorati tags: decorating, cookies

I have always shared my recipes with everyone. I have never held back information about my cooking, until Sunday. I make very good cut-out cookies. I have always been willing to give out the recipe, but I have decided not the share my decorating knowledge. I have thought about selling them for a business and did plenty of work and research on how to make them. I like my frosting recipe, which is Royal Frosting for anyone who wants to look it up. It's no secret. However, I decorate my cookies with a paintbrush. I tried every other way and this works better for me. They looked perfect. When someone plain out asked me how I did it, I couldn't tell the truth. I'm one of those people who hates to lie, but this took me a lot of research and I am not sharing it with every other member of the family. I guess to say I lied is stretching the truth. I just avoiding giving direct answers. I answered yes and no questions honestly. I just never offered the word paintbrush.

I hate to keep this to myself, but this time I have forbidden my husband from sharing the information with anyone. He likes to brag about me, but he understands why. I'm not really all that bad. I am sharing it with you.

Scotcharoos

Technorati tags: scotcharoos, peanut butter, pbars, rice krispie, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, school treat

Scotcharoos is one of those desserts that you just can't stop eating. I don't know why that is, but one is not enough. You say, I just want one more little piece. Before you know, you have eaten about 4 more little pieces.

Ingredients
1 c. white Karo Syrup
1 c. white sugar
1 c. peanut butter
6 c. Rice Krispies cereal
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chips
1 1/2 c. butterscotch chips

Combine Syrup and sugar in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High for 2 minutes. Stir in peanut butter. Pour over Rice Krispies. Mix thoroughly. Spread in 10"x 13" baking pan. Combine chips in saucepan. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread over top of cereal. Let chocolate cool and harden before cutting.

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

This delicious dessert will definitely disappear right before your eyes. A favorite at parties and super easy to make.

Ingredients
Batch of Brownies ( Boxed mixes are fine )
Chocolate Pudding ( 2 batches )
Large container of Whipped Topping
Toffee Chips

Make a batch of brownies and let cool. Then make 2 batches of chocolate pudding and refrigerate. In a bowl, break up 1/3 of your brownies and lay them on the bottom of the bowl. Next, a layer of chocolate pudding. Then a layer of Whipped topping. On top of the whipped topping a thin layer of toffee chips. Repeat 2 times. Top with extra toffee chips. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Kids and adults will love this dessert.

 

Technorati tags: brownies, chocolate pudding, cool whip, heath chips, trifle, dessert, party food, kid food, chocolate chips, toffee chips

Garbage Breakfast (Don't be fooled by the name)

Technorati tags: eggs, hashbrowns, garbage casserole, breakfast

This is one of my favorite breakfasts. The name does not make it sound yummy, but you can add anything you want to add. This will keep you full for hours. I'm going to tell you the fast way to make this.

Ingredients
2 hashbrown patties
cooked meat of your choice ( I like sausage)
2 eggs
2 tbsp. milk
2 slices of American cheese
chopped onions, peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, or whatever veggies you like to add

You start out buy cooking the hashbrowns in a pan until they start to brown. Break up your hashbrowns and add your meat of choice, and any chopped veggies you want. Continue to cook until well blended. In a bowl, combine your eggs and milk with a fork until well blended. Pour over top of the hashbrown mixture. As the eggs cook, fold and cut up the dish with a spatula, so everything is well blended and eggs are cooked. Next break up 2 pieces of cheese and spread on top of dish. Let cheese melt and mix into dish with a spatula. You are done! Serve with toast. Don't be surprised if this is too much for one person to eat.

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Technorati tags: blueberry, streusel, coffee cake

This is my favorite Coffee Cake. The cake itself is super moist and the streusel topping is a wonderful surprise.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup blueberries
1 cup chopped pecan (optional)

Streusel Ingredients
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup cold butter

In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg milk and butter. Beat well. Fold in berries and nuts. Spread into a greased 9" baking pan. Combine streusel ingredients in bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Potato Salad

This is definitely the best Potato Salad I have ever had. It is sure to please anyone's tastes.

Ingredients
3 lbs. potatoes
Mayonnaise
5 boiled eggs
pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
salt

Boil the potatoes with the skins on and place in the refrigerator over night to cool. The next day, peel the skins from the potatoes with a knife, and cut into small cubes. Next chop celery and onions and add to the cubed potatoes. Next cut your eggs into small slices, but not too small. Add to bowl. Next add a 1/2 cup of Mayonnaise at a time until the potato salad is covered with a light coating of mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste. It is best if refrigerated overnight or for several hours.

Make sure you use real mayonnaise and not miracle whip.

 

Technorati tags: potato salad, salad, potato, best potato salad, simple potato salad, picnic food, party food, food for a crowd, mayonnaise, boiled eggs, celery, onion

Breakfast Pizza

This is a great dish to serve for Brunch. Very easy to make and customize to your personal taste.

Ingredients
1 to 2 cans of crescent rolls (whether you want a thin or thick crust)
2 cup frozen or fresh hashbrowns
1 lb. sausage or bacon, cooked
8 oz. package Cheddar Cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk

In a 13" x 9" pan or 11" x 7" pan, roll crescent roll dough out to the edge. Cover with frozen hashbrowns, meat, and cheese. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and milk. Pour evenly over dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until eggs are cooked through.

Personalize this dish to your tastes. You can add anything you would add to an omelet.

 

Technorati tags: breakfast, pizza, eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, breakfast pizza, brunch menu, brunch ideas, crescent rolls, cheddar cheese

Creamy Mashed Potato Casserole

Technorati tags: mashed potato, casserole, garlic potatoes

This is a delicious way to make mashed potatoes ahead of time and then pop them in the oven 40 minutes before dinner to finish cooking.

Ingredients
6 potatoes cubed and cooked until fork tender
1/4 cup milk
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder or 1 clove finely minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

Place all ingredients except Cheddar Cheese into an electric mix and mix until smooth. Put into a 13" x 9" casserole pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove from oven. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

 

Easter is coming soon. Here is a great dish to serve with Ham or chicken. Even people who don't like broccoli will eat this.

Ingredients
1 stick margarine
8 oz. jar of cheese whiz
1 1/3 cup of minute rice
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or golden mushroom soup for extra flavor)

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together, except margarine. Pour into a casserole pan. Put the stick of margarine on top of the dish. Cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Stir dish after 30 minutes and continue cooking.

 

Technorati tags: broccoli rice casserole, green rice casserole, cheese, cheese whiz, rice krispies, celery, cream of mushroom soup, golden mushroom soup, casserole, party food, picnic food

Salami Bread

This dish is very versatile. You can use it for an appetizer, or a main dish. The main ingredients can be substituted for your personal tastes. Serve it hot or cold. Everyone will love this dish and think you worked very hard on it. After you make it once, everyone will ask you to bring it for every party.

Ingredients

frozen bread dough
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. salami slice thin
1 egg
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. water

First step is to allow the frozen bread dough to thaw. Cut one loaf in half and roll out until each piece is about 8" x 10". Next, in a bowl, whisk together 1 egg, oregano, and water. Take a pastry brush and spread over each loaf. Place a layer of the salami over the entire loaf, leaving about 1/2 inch from the edge. Spread about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese over the salami. Next, roll the dough like you would roll up cinnamon rolls and pinch all edges together. Brush egg mixture over the entire loaf and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until brown. Let cool. Slice in one inch servings. This is a great dish to make ahead and store in a fridge or freezer wrapped in foil. You can serve it with pizza sauce, or any sauce of your choice.

Combination Ideas
Turkey and White American Cheese
Ham and Cheddar
Pepperoni and Mozzarella

 

Technorati tags: salami, bread, sandwich, hot sandwhich, roll, appetizer, party food, turkey bread, pizza brea, ham and cheese. frozen bread dough, deli meat, finger food, picnic food

Sandwich Cake Cookies

Technorati tags:

Sandwich Cookies, cake mix, cookies

These simply sweet cookies are my kids favorite. I brought two full batches to work once and they were gone in 10 minutes between the time I put the basket down and I came back to the desk. It's made with a cake mix, so you can make your favorite flavor. This is a great way to eat cake without making a cake.

Ingredients
1 boxed cake mix ( without pudding )
2 eggs
1 tbsp. water
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Put all the ingredients into a bowl at the same time. Mix until blended well with a spoon or mixer. Make sure you use a heavy duty mixer because this is a thick cookie recipe. You can roll it into small balls, but I use a melon baller to make my balls the perfect size. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

After they cool, turn the cookie upside down and spoon on about a tablespoon of your favorite frosting and top with another cookie. I use frosting straight from the can. It is easy and tastes great.

Combination ideas
Devils food cake mix and vanilla frosting
Vanilla cake and chocolate frosting
Funfetti cake and vanilla frosting ( My kids favorite )
Lemon cake mix and Lemon frosting

Cocoa Krispie Brownie Treats

Want to be the talk of the party? Try making this super easy desert that is sure to please kids and adults. Everyone loves Rice Krispie Treat, Brownies, and Marshmallows. Why not put them together.

First, bake a large batch of brownies in a 13 x 9 pan. Use your favorite box mix. Make sure you spray the pan so the brownies come out easy. As soon as the brownies come out of the oven add a jar of marshmallow fluff to the brownies. Stick the pan back into the oven, which should be off, for about 3 minutes to melt the fluff enough to spread. Take the pan out and spread the fluff over the entire batch of brownies. Let cool for at least 30 minutes. Next, make Cocoa Krispie Treats http://ricekrispies.com/Display.aspx?recipe_id=1605&kic=1 and press over the entire batch of brownies. Let set for about an hour. Slice and Enjoy!

 

Technorati tags: brownies, rice krispies, cocoa krispies, treats, marshmallow fluff, school treats, picnic food, snacks, party food, brownie bars, rice krispie bars, comfort food