Chocolate Covered S'mores Sticks

With my daughter in kindergarten and a monthly snack rotation, I wanted to do something  other than the usual pre-packaged snacks.   At her school, we are still allowed to bring in homemade snacks. So, who doesn't love a good s'more?!

 Ingredients

Box of honey graham crackers

1 jar of marshmallow fluff

1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips or almond bark

Break the graham crackers in half

Spread marshmallow fluff on one graham cracker, and pop the other one on top creating a sandwich.  Repeat until you have enough sandwiches. I prepared 3 sandwiches per child. {which fit perfectly into snack baggies}

Place sandwiches on a lined cookie sheet and immediately place in the freezer  in order to set the fluff and stop the oozing.

While the sandwiches set, melt either 1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips or almond bark.

Prepare a second cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Dip each sandwich in the chocolate, and tap off extra chocolate.

Pop them on the cookie sheet to harden.  I added sprinkles, but feel free to add your own toppings.  

And Enjoy!  

XOXO    

Randi

Birthday Cake Popcorn!

School birthday's are sometimes tricky. Some schools won't allow cupcakes while some parents want to take something other than a cupcake. I found this to be a great alternative. It truly takes like birthday cake and is absolutely delicious!   

Yield: 30 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 batches of homemade popcorn, popped {One batch is 1/2 cup of unpopped kernels}
• 1 pound of white chocolate chips, divided in half and melted
• 8 heaping teaspoons of yellow cake mix {I used lemon flavored}
• M&Ms {optional}
• Assorted sprinkles

WHAT TO DO:

1.  Pop popcorn and remove any kernels or burnt pieces. Separate the popcorn into two batches, place half the popcorn in a very large bowl.

2.  Melt half the white chocolate in a double boiler until smooth.

3.  Stir in half of the cake mix {4 heaping teaspoons} until smooth. Pour the chocolate over one half of the popped popcorn. Using a wooden spoon to start and your hands once it has cooled just enough to touch, mix the popcorn and chocolate until completely coated.

4.  Pour out onto wax paper and spread into a single layer.       

5.  Sprinkle half the M&M candies and sprinkles until festive, then let cool and harden. {Be sure to wait until the chocolate has cooled before adding the M&Ms so they will not melt}

6.  Repeat the process with the other half of the popcorn and remaining chocolate, candies, and sprinkles.

7.  Once it has all cooled and hardened, break into servings. I left several pieces nice and chunky and stuck together.

  

NOTE: You can put each serving into plastic cups or in sandwich/snack bags.  I used snack bags and created a tag to add to the look & the theme of her birthday.

Fried Cheesecake

Ingredients:

(3)  ­8 oz. Cream Cheese 

2/3 c. sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract 

3 1/2 c. vegetable oil 

1 stick butter, melted 

15-­20 small flour tortillas 

1/2 c. sugar 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

SAUCE 

1 lb. strawberries, diced 

1/4 c. sugar

1/8 c. vodka 

1/8 c. water 

1/8 c. strawberry preserves 

Instructions 

1. For the sauce: In a medium sauce pan, add the strawberries, sugar, vodka, water, and place on low to medium heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Using a potato smasher, smash the strawberries while in the sauce pan. Add the strawberry preserves and allow to simmer for another 5­-7 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. 

2. In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese, add the sugar, and vanilla extract. Take a flour tortilla and add about a spoonful and a half of the cream cheese mixture and spread in the middle of the tortilla. Begin to roll the tortilla away from you; half way through tuck in the sides; and roll to the end of the other side of the tortilla making a roll. Complete the process until all of the cream cheese mixture is gone.

 3. In a large saute pan on medium heat (make sure it isn't too high) heat the vegetable oil. Add a couple of the tortillas to the pan seam side up. Allow to fry for 1 minute on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove from heat once golden brown on both side. Repeat until all tortillas are cooked. 

4. Use a pastry brush and brush each tortilla with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, and allow to cool before serving. Use the strawberry sauce for dipping

Christmas traditions

Sugar Cookies

I use the recipe from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients

1 1/2  cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

• Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease cookie sheet.
• Divide dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Easy Icing

1 1/2  Cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

2-2.5 Tablespoon room temperature water

pinch of salt

Dutch Apple Pie

I had a bag of red apples just sitting around the house that no one had eaten.  So, I decided to make a pie.  As  you can see this one was a huge hit! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did!

XOXO
Randi

Ingredients:

• Either 1 homemade pie crust or 1 ready-made pie crust
• 5 1/2 cups peeled, cored & sliced cooking apples
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping:

• 3/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Fit pie crust into pie plate
3. In a large bowl, mix sliced apples, lemon juice, both sugars, flour, cinnamon & nutmeg
4. Pile into pie crust
5. Prepare topping
6. In a medium bowl, with a blender or a fork, mix flour, both sugars and butter until corsely crumbled
7. Sprinkle evenly over apples
8. Bake for 50 minutes