MELT IN YOU MOUTH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING!

I tried a new Buttercream frosting for Kresta's birthday cake, and it was the most delicious frosting I have ever had! And I'm not being bias, because almost everyone who tasted it said the exact same thing. I sure wish I could take credit for creating this delectable light and creamy, melt in your mouth, fluffy, sugary goodness, BUT it's a Wilton recipe:

1/2 c butter

1/2 c vegetable shortening

1 tsp real vanilla

4 c powdered sugar

1/8 c milk

1 1/2 c white chocolate chips

1/8 c milk

Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer until well blended. Add vanilla then one cup of sugar and a portion of 1/8 c milk until all sugar and milk has been added. Beat on high until light and fluffy. In a microwavable bowl add the white chocolate and 1/8 c milk. Microwave on high at 30 second intervals until smooth and creamy. Be very careful because chocolate burns easily, and it's basically useless if it does because it becomes clumpy and pasty. As you get to the point where it's mostly melted, microwave at 10 second intervals. Add the smooth white chocolate to the frosting and beat again until light and fluffy. You will NOT be disappointed. It's better than cotton candy...oh yes it is, I promise!

ALL THINGS CARAMEL!

I've had caramel on the brain. Probably because summer has arrived and I'm thinking of carnivals, and fairs and outside picnics...which brings me to think of caramel apples and popcorn balls and so forth. So, in honor of caramel, here's a couple of my of all-time favorite recipes.

Caramel Apple Dippers or Popcorn
Why go to the trouble of putting an apple on a stick and dipping it in the caramel to eat, when you can cut the apple into bite size pieces and dip each one in delicious caramel! Be warned, you might take a bite out of the spoon that's covered in this rich and dark caramel.

1/2 c butter
1 1/4 c dark brown sugar
1 1/4 c light brown sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp salt
Over medium heat melt butter, sugars and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Add sweetened milk and salt and bring to a boil again. Cook 5 minutes take off stove and add vanilla.
1 tsp vanilla


Leatherby's Caramel Ice Cream Sauce
Ever been to Leatherby's? Mmm...your missing out! My favorite is Amy's Almond Joy....the name is perfect wouldn't you say, and let's face it, coconut ice cream covered in warm fudge, almonds and coconut is pretty much as close to heaven as you can get on a spoon in my book. Michelle, my roommate and dear friend from college, walk down memory lane once a year at Leatherby's and split the delicious coconut loving sugar rush with a side of their heavenly caramel sauce along with a big old fat order of artery clogging fries with fry sauce. This recipe is pretty darn close, you wont' be disappointed.

1 c white sugar
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c corn syrup
1 1/2 c evaporated milk
1/2 c butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
Add everything to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes over low-medium heat. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

WHAT'S COOKIN?

I cooked bacon in the oven for the first time a couple months ago, and now it's the ONLY way I do it. Sure wish I new about this little trick years ago!  Use a jelly role pan, line with aluminum foil, lay out the bacon and place in a cold oven then turn it on 400, set the time for 21 min and walk away! Voila....bacon. Place on paper towels immediately so it stops cooking. No grease spatters, no burns, fantastic. The best thing I like is that all the bacon is done at the same time, such a time saver.

 I've had several requests for my pesto chicken salad sandwich recipe. You know me! I don't have recipes, I don't measure, I just toss and go. I tried to recreate, but in general: chicken chunks, couple TB mayo, couple TB softened cream cheese, dried cherries (blueberries, cranberries, etc.) diced apple (or grapes as well), sliced almonds, sliced celery, little diced green onion, several TB of your favorite pesto (I love Gia Russa, found it al Wal-mart). Add however much you like of each to taste, depending upon your mood. I like mine crunchy, so lots of celery, apples and almonds.

CLONE WARS: HOMEMADE HOT COCOA MIX

I got this recipe from my SIL Taska, it's so creamy and yummy and my boys absolutely love it. It tastes just like Swiss Miss Milk hot cocoa. A great recipe to save money, super easy to make, and no preservatives!

Because I have a 2 yrs supply of #10 cans of powdered milk, I tweaked the recipe to use an entire can. What you will need:

1 #10 can powdered milk (12 cups)
1 -11oz container creamer or 3 c (I used Anthem brand from walmart $1 ea)
3 c cocoa
6 cups sugar
1 1/2 TB saltOnce mixed this will fill 2 #10 cans perfectly. I know this sounds crazy, but I mixed this is a clean garbage bag. It was super easy to shake it up and get it all incorporated really well without making a huge mess. Once mixed, I twisted the bag closed, snipped off a corner of the bag, and used it as a spout to pour the mix into the cans. Mix 4 TB to 8 oz hot water. Enjoy!

SCRUMPTIOUS BLEU CHEESE SALAD.

This is one of my new favorite salads. Perfect combo from salty bacon, the nutty almonds, the sweet and crisp grapes and the tart/bitterness of the bleu cheese. It's amazing!

Add as much of the following as your little heart desires.
Chopped lettuce
bacon
red grapes cut in half
sliced almonds
bleu cheese chunks (I like danish style)
blue cheese dressing (I prefer the fresh Litehouse Idaho Bleu found in the refrigerated section of the produce)

CLONE WARS: OLIVE GARDEN'S STUFFED CHICKEN MARSALA

STUFFED CHICKEN MARSALA
Ingredients
Cheese Stuffing
1/2 cup smoked shredded cheese (I used 48+ aged gouda (Costco)
8-oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
2 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sour cream
Sauce

1 small sweet onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise
24 fl oz Marsala cooking wine (I used Holland House brand from Smith's)
8 fl oz heavy cream
2 small containers button mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used one large container regular sized mushrooms)
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders and skipped #2, #3 and #4, gently fried the tenders in olive oil, then placed a molded portion of the stuffing between two tenders right before I baked them in the oven).
4 fl oz olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
Procedures
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
1) COMBINE all cheese stuffing ingredients in a mixing bowl, set aside.
2) BUTTERFLY thickest section of chicken breasts to create 2 lobes. Pound each breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until ¼” - ½” thick.
3) PLACE flattened chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one lobe of each chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down so it resembles a hockey puck.
4) FOLD over other lobe of chicken breast; does not have to seal.
5) HEAT large sauté pan over medium heat.
6) ADD olive oil and heat until shimmering.
7) PLACE flour in a shallow pan and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8) DREDGE stuffed chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess.
9) SAUTE chicken breasts with preheated oil, cooking until each side is golden brown.
10) REMOVE chicken from pan and place in a baking dish.
11) BAKE for 10-20 minutes, or until juices run clean and center of chicken reaches 165°F.
12) ADD onions to sauté pan, and stir to loosen chicken drippings. After 2 minutes, add mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent.
13) DEGLAZE pan with Marsala wine – make sure to incorporate drippings from bottom of pan.
14) HEAT wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer on low heat until reduced by half. (Takes about 35 min.)
15) PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a plate and top each with onions, mushrooms and sauce.
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

6 small russets
2 lbs. peeled, diced russets
1/2 c - 3/4 c cream
1/2 c softened butter
2 TB olive oil
20 cloves garlic
Boil potatoes in water until tender. Meanwhile toss the peeled garlic cloves into a pan with 2 TB olive oil and gently brown until nearly caramelized. When done, once they are cool enough to touch, mash with the blade of a knife and chop into small pieces.
With an electric mixer, add the all the ingredients to a bowl and blend until light and creamy.
I added about 1 TB pesto to 1/4 c softened butter and spread it over a toasted dark olive loaf (Smith's .79/loaf in the day after bin).

FUN HALLOWEEN TREATS!

I'm sad to report that I didn't go as crazy this year as I usually do with Haunted Halloween food. I enjoy browsing the net collecting fun ideas for the holidays, so I can't really say where I got these ideas, because they've been saved on my computer for several years.

Skull peanut butter and jelly. I shaped one piece of white bread for the top half the scull, and a second piece for the jaw.
Graveyard veggie and dip tray. I used a brick of cream cheese to hold up the celery trees, made onion dip for the headstones, and the ghost was just a dum-dum sucker covered in a tissue.Cute Frankenstein ice cream cup. The picture I had used lime jello instead of ice cream, maraschino cherries for the eyes, and edible puff paint for the scars and mouth. Too much work in my book (waiting for the jello to set, then putting the cherries in, etc.) so I made it quick and easy with mint choc chip ice cream (Logan's fav) and red peanut butter m&ms for eyes (Si's fav), and permanent marker on the outside of the cup.
I added tinfoil wrapped rollos for bolts on the neck, and crushed oreos for the hair and sideburns.
Popcorn claws with candy corn for fingernails.
Owl cupcakes with oreos and m&ms for eyes, and orange m&ms or candycorn for the beak.

SILAS TURNS 4!

He mentioned he wanted a "monsto twuck" cake this year. Since I'm much better at creating scenes, than nicely decorating a cake, I threw together Monster Jam. We had a couple trucks climbing the hill, one didn't quite make it and was upside down at the bottom. One truck was climbing up over a pile of tires (chocolate covered donuts), one was jumping through a ring of fire (made the ramp with his favorite little debbie snacks), and one was busy climbing over a row of cars in the middle. Super fast and easy and he was squealing with excitement. The actual cake was only the 3 layer cake in the corner, the rest was just frosted tin foil for decoration.

A Nerf dart tag game and a Cranium card game (both courtesy of the D.I.)
His own gumball machine. He was very excited about this. (I've since been finding chewed up wads of gum ALL over the house....so it's been confiscated!)
"My vewy own Bakugan!"

A silver and red iron man (garage sale find!).
The biggest hit of the evening! The Captain America shield, which he has wanted for over a year. This one thing cost more than everything else put together because I could not find one used anywhere! Darn marvel toy makers.

The Captain America gun! Okay, so he didn't really have a gun...but I found this baby at the D.I. for .50 a week before his birthday. It was an absolutely perfect fit! I think I was a little more excited about this gun than he was.
Since his birthday, it's been Captain America practically every day!

He also got a couple Lincoln Log sets and a twin bed set (both second hand from classifieds).

After the birthday party Logan went to town and put together the Big L Ranch Lincoln Log set. Some of the classics just never get old. **Sorry for the bad pictures, had to use my iphone since NONE of the other 3 cameras we have in this house had a charged battery! Isn't that ALWAYS how it goes!**

GOOEY JELLO CORN POPS!

For Logan's 3rd bday 4 years ago I decided to make soft cherry popcorn balls by replacing sugar in a recipe with flavored jello. It was a Hi-Ho Cherry O hit, and the rest as they say....is history!
Today we made lime corn pops.....one of our favorite flavors. We like our corn pops gooey, and this is the perfect recipe.

1/2 of a 15 oz bag of Barrel of Fun Corn Pops
1 c melted butter
1 c corn syrup
3- 5.5 oz boxes of your favorite jello flavor (large size)
2 tsp baking soda
In a large sauce pan add butter, corn syrup and jello. Heat to rolling boil over med-high heat and cook 2 min. Take off heat and quickly stir in baking soda. It will nearly double in size so make sure you use a large sauce pan. Once it's all mixed, pour over pops and stir until well coated. Enjoy!

CLONE WARS: THE CURSE OF MY FAVORITE AND EDAMAME SALAD

One bite and I was hooked.....line and sinker! I knew from that first bite it was doomed...star crossed doomed. It always is. I have what's called The Williams Luck. It's not a joke, it really exists. If I like it, watch it regularly on T.V, or by it often, it's pulled from the market, severely back-ordered or canceled after the first season (Moonlight, Off The Map). I ate this salad once AND Costco decided to no longer carry it. Coincidence...I'll leave that up to you. Luckily, I have recreated my own version and I even like it better than the original.

2 c shelled edamame
1 c thawed frozen sweet corn (or fresh kernels)
1/4 c finely diced red pepper
1/3 c diced canned carrots (using up food storage)
1/3 c pomegranate infused craisins
1/4 c sliced almonds
1 c potsticker sauce (ehtnic food aisle)
1/4 c brown sugar

CLONE WARS: GIRL SCOUT THIN MINTS

Are you a GS Cookie Junkie? I am! Looooooove the Samoas. Toasted coconut, buttery cookie, caramel and chocolate...it's one of the best cookies they sell. I'm the one crazy woman you tell all your friends about......"as she passed the Girl Scout while driving down the road, she slammed on her brakes, jumped out her van and tried frantically to catch the poor little Girl Scout, who is now frightened and has high tailed it in the opposite direction, literally running for her life from stranger danger, (while dutifully pulling her handy dandy red flyer wagon full of boxes of cookies), her pig tails scarf bouncing all around as she escapes the "crazy" woman chasing her down the street!
Needless to say my life drastically changed when Keebler graced the cookie market with the presence of Coconut Dreams....they truly give Samoas some serious competition.

Keebler's Grasshopper cookies have always curbed my mint fix as well, they are really very good. But alas, once more my cookie loving world has been rocked forever! Enter my college roommate Michelle who came to stay with me for the weekend. She introduced me to the sweet and salty and crunchy and mint chocolatety marriage of Ritz crackers and Dark Mint melting chocolate. Oh yes my friends, oh yes....it is delicious!
Just as darn good as Voodoo Donuts butter cream maple bars with big ol' thick pieces of bacon on top!

This is very dangerous stuff. To know that you are only 5 minutes away at anytime from fresh, crispy, mint chocolate cookies....threatening. I'm out of semi-sweet chocolate chips (waiting for the case lot sale), or I would have just tried using them with 1 TB shortening and 1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring. Since I was out and about running errands anyway, I bought the chocolate melting wafers at Hobby Lobby for $3.28, then used the 40% off coupon to pay only $2.10 (cheaper than non-sale chocolate chips). These cookies were incredibly delicious. I'm not a big fan of candy bark or melting chocolates, but I couldn't tell the difference.

IT'S AN ERUPTION CELEBRATION....LOGAN EVOLVES INTO 7!

Logan is 7...I have a hard time saying that these days. I said to him the other day as I was tucking him into bed, "Could you please, please, pretty please with cherries, and ice cream, and chocolate chips and whip cream on top...PLEASE just stop growing up, or at least slow down!" He grinned ear to ear and said, "But mom, I can't..I really can't you know."

He mentioned to me several months ago that he wanted a dinosaur cake for his birthday...a Jurassic scene birthday cake. He's definitely right smack in the middle of the Dinosuar phase! We visit the Dinosuar Museum at Thanksgiving point at least one a month, he watches Dino Dan and Jurassic Park movies over and over, reads books and more books about dinosaurs, has loads of plastic toys and eggs to play with, and spends countless hours coloring and creative drawing dinosaurs.

I thought it out in my head and had fun with it. I truly scored while at the dollar store 5 weeks ago when I found plastic dinosaur skeletons! I couldn't wait to make his cake. While he was at school today Silas and I went to work.
My little helper.......My little cheerleader.....THE VOLCANIC DINOSAUR CAKE:
I made 4-9" chocolate cakes using 3 different sizes of cake molds.
Frosted the cake with lots of chocolate butter cream frosting, and sprinkled crushed oreos into the sides of the volcano and around the base for rubble and pyroclast fragments. I made lava with two batches of melted white chocolate chips with butter and dyed one red and the other orange. I thought chocolate would work better than frosting for the more real look and consistency of lava. It was thicker and chunky and hardened perfectly.
I dyed a bag of coconut green with food coloring, and used it for the grass. I also made a little oasis with a lego pond toy I already had, and set up the dino scene.
My favorite part was the dino graveyard! I crushed up graham crackers for sand, and partly buried the skeletons.It was truly a simple, simple cake. 1 hour start to finish. Just a little imagination and time.Logan's face was priceless! He walked around the cake so carefully and looked at each scene. I was so happy to be able to make him feel special, after all, isn't that what Birthdays are for!
Happy Birthday buddy, I love you!

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE ALFREDO

I love Costco, it's a fact! But if I had to say one bad thing about buying in bulk, it would be that sometimes you have leftovers for a while. Case in point, a 32 oz. container of Stonemill Parmesan Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

This dip is perfect for just about any kind of party or gathering. It can be eaten hot or cold, on a chip, a cracker, a bread, as pizza sauce, but a little goes a long way. Since I had some sitting in my fridge for a while, I decided to make Alfredo with it and whipped up this recipe. Delizioso!
1/2 c heavy cream
2 1/4 c milk
1/3 c butter
2 c Stonemill spinach and artichoke dip
5 large egg yolks

Mix the milks and butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan until the butter is melted. Add the dip and stir constantly until the Parmesan is completely melted. When the sauce is ready, turn heat to low-med. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and incorporate 1/2 c of the warm sauce into the eggs. Once mixed well, pour back into the sauce to thicken and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat until ready to serve. Fantastico! I've realized that once chilled, any leftovers can again make a great cold dip.

OATMEAL SCOTCHIES!

No one can eat just one! Warning **highly addictive**
The perfect combination of butter, brown sugar and butterscotch. These cookies are chewy and super duper scrumdiddillyumptious!.

1 c softened butter
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 c flour
3 c oats
3 c butterscotch chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Next add the soda, salt, cinnamon, flour and mix well. Gently stir in the oats and then the chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Enjoy!

ORANGE CHICKEN

1/4 c sesame seed oil
3/4 c finely chopped green onion
1 TB finely chopped garlic
4 large chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
Enough flour to coat the chicken pieces

1/4 c seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 c white vinegar
2-3 TB cornstarch
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
3 TB Worcestershire sauce
3 TB soy sauce
3 TB sweet chili sauce
1/3 c honey

In a deep frying pan heat oil and saute onion and garlic for a couple minutes, then add the chicken pieces. While the chicken is cooking whisk together the cornstarch and vinegars in a bowl. In a separate saucepan over med/high heat add the remaining ingredients. Bring the orange sauce to a boil and whisk in the cornstarch mixture until it thickens. When the chicken is fully cooked add the orange sauce and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice, with steamed broccoli. You can also add sesame seeds, almonds, mandarin oranges, or red and green bell pepper if you wish.

CLONE WARS: CAFE RIO TOMATILLO RANCH DRESSING

I love Cafe Rio's House Tomatillo Ranch! I could drink it, it's that good. Several years ago I found different recipes online, then made up this recipe so I didn't have to blend the ingredients.....so I'm lazy sometimes, I admit it! I picked Herdez salsa because it has tomatillos, onions, serrano peppers and cilantro already blended together.

1- 7 oz can Herdez Salsa
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1 c mayo
Dressing container (easier than cleaning a blender, but feel free to use a blender if you wish)
1 TB lime juice, optional
I start by layering with the salsa verde on bottom, then the ranch, then the mayo. It makes it much easier to shake and mix together.
It's very creamy, but still has a slightly chunky consistency. It's the perfect amount of heat in my book, but feel free to add tobasco or red pepper as needed for your taste buds. Enjoy!

THE DIVINITY OF THE "MAGIC" COOKIE BAR!

7 Layer Bars, Hello Dollies, Magic Cookie Bars....whatever you call them, they all amount to the same thing: the fantastical deliciousness that is buttery graham crackers, coconut, chocolate, nuts, and creamy caramel gooey goodness! I imagine Angels eating these on break. It tastes as close to heaven as anything could in my book. It is my ALL TIME favorite goodie. I treat myself twice a year.....and today was one of those days....and no, it was not within my semi-annual timing, but ask me if I care!

One package (1/4 box) crushed graham crackers
1/2 c melted butter
1 c. sweetened/shredded coconut
1 c crushed pecans or walnuts
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 c. milk chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk (or use my homemade recipe here)
Using a rolling pin crush one package of graham crackers inside a bread bag (or use a Ziploc, I'm just cheap and save all my bread bags!). Once the crackers are a fine powder dump them into a 9x11 pan and stir in 1/2 c. melted butter, mix really well then press slightly into the pan. Now crush the nuts in the same bag using the rolling pin until the nuts are finely crushed. Next sprinkle the coconut evenly over the graham cracker crust, followed by the nuts, milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips and then drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. Use a fork to gently poke holes 1/2 inch apart throughout the entire pan to let the sweetened milk seep down throughout all the layers. Now let it sit for about 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 325. Bake for 25 minutes.