Recipe Swap

"LUCKY" March Treat

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:04:00 +0000

Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar and mix until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until well combined.

Using a 2 inch ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until firm. You don't want to under bake or over bake these cookies. Let cool.

For the middle layer

Ingredients:

1 cup Guittard green mint chips, melted

Method:

Spread a layer of the melted mint chips over the cookies. Put them into the fridge to let them set for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the frosting.

Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
milk

Method:

Using a mixer, cream the butter. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa until well combined. Slowly add to the butter. Add the vanilla and a dash of milk at a time until the consistency is thick enough to spread on the cookies. Beat until smooth. Spread the frosting over the mint layer.

So Sentimental: Valentine's Gift Ideas!

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:20:00 +0000

1. Put a can of FANTA soda in a cellophane bag with some taffy and chocolate: "Make my FANTA-sy come true … Be my Valentine!"

2. Wrap up a bag of Swedish fish: "It's O-FISH-al! I'm in love! Will you be mine" or "You're O-FISH-ally the best kid around … Happy Valentine's Day" or "FISHing a Happy Valentine's to the best CATCH around!"

3. Give chocolate covered cinnamon bears, marshmallow bears, or a stuffed bear: "Moms and chocolate make life more BEAR-able!" (Can be altered in a million different ways to include sisters and friends)

4. Tie a six pack of soda with a ribbon: "You are SODA special! Happy Valentine's Day!"

5. Wrap a can of Pringles to look like a stick of dynamite: "I think you are DYNAMITE! TNT!"

6. Tie a tag to a bottle of root beer: "Go ahead, kick up those heels! Have a ROOTIN'-TOOTIN BOOT-SCOOTIN Valentine's Day!"

7. Tied to a purse: "Happy Valentine's Day to someone with a cute PURSE-onality! Luv ya!"

. A bottle filled with candy: "My love for you has been BOTTLED up for too long … so here it is! I love you!"

9. Tied to a can of Crush soda: "I've got a CRUSH on you!"

10. Tied to a jar of honey: "Will you be my HONEY?"

11. Tied to anything sweet for a fun teacher gift: "Please sit back and enjoy a TREAT … you deserve it".

VALENTINE CUPCAKE TIPS

How to Tint Coconut or Granulated Sugar: Place coconut or sugar in a zipper top plastic bag. Add several drops of liquid food coloring to bag. Shake and gently knead coconut or sugar until color is distributed. (Note: Sugar may need to be poured onto a baking sheet, spread out and let dry to prevent clumping.) For Valentine's Day - try red, pink, or lavender.

Valentine Batter Ideas and Baking Tips:

• Cupcake pans or silicone baking cups come in many sizes and shapes. Paper liners can be used but if you prefer smooth sides, be sure to grease and flour the pan well.
• Use grease-poof paper baking liners to prevent paper from sticking and tearing cupcake.
• Valentine's Day is the perfect time to make red velvet cake. Use your favorite homemade recipe or use a red velvet cake mix available in grocery stores.
• Color white cupcake batter using food coloring. Place some red, pink and white batter in each baking cup and drag a toothpick through for a fun swirled cupcake.
• Toss in a handful of red or pink candy sprinkles in batter before baking. You could also toss in crushed candy bars or mini chocolate chips.
• Make cupcakes using angel food cake - try flavoring and tinting batter.
• An easy way to make a heart shaped cupcake is to place a marble or ½" ball of foil between the paper baking cup and the cupcake tin before baking. This will dent in one side of the cupcake that will look like a heart when baked.
• Place a chocolate candy kiss, heart or maraschino cherry in the batter of individual cupcakes before baking for a "surprise inside" when eaten. (tip: bake for about 10 minutes before adding item to keep it from sinking to the bottom.)
• Place an Oreo type cookie in the bottom of each cupcake liner before adding batter.
• Cut slits into the baked cakes and insert foil wrapped love notes or thoughts.
• A good cupcake filling is: 8 oz. cream cheese, 1 egg, ¼ c. sugar and dash of salt. Mix in tiny chocolate chips if desired. Place a dollop onto cake batter in each cup and filling will go to center of cake when baked.
• Place a dollop of a red jam or jelly on batter before baking. You can also fill cupcake after baking by cutting a small hole in top of cupcake, scooping out a tiny amount of cupcake center, filling with jam and replacing some of the cupcake that was cut out to seal top before icing.

Valentine Icing Ideas:

• Try combining several colors of icing in a decorating bag for a fun stripe effect. Try half red and half white. Pink and red also look nice together.
• Add some flavorings such as strawberry or cherry to icing or stir in some raspberry jam.
• Cooked 7-minute or fluffy marshmallow icings are great for Valentine's Day.
• Try frosting the top of a cupcake with a mound of homemade marshmallow. After the marshmallow sets, dip the top in melted pink candy melts. Add sprinkles for a festive look.

VALENTINE CUPCAKE IDEAS

• Dip fortune cookies in chocolate or candy coating. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles or nuts and place on top of cupcakes. For a fun variation, make homemade fortune cookies and tint the batter pink or red. To replace fortunes in purchased fortune cookies, steam gently or place in microwave for a few seconds and they will become pliable. Replace fortunes with love notes, etc.
• Make candy heart toppers. Place mini candy canes together in the shape of a heart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Bake at 325 for about 5 minutes or until slightly melted. Immediately place a 2" piece of lollipop stick in the bottom of each. Let set up and when cool, use as a cupcake topper.
• Wash and hull a strawberry, cut in half horizontally and notch top to create a heart. Place on top of a cupcake.
• Place a mini cream puff, heart sugar cookie or tiny brownie heart on top of cupcakes.
• Make your own Valentine cupcake picks. Use photos, punched shapes, die cuts, heart marshmallows, gumdrop hearts, chocolate hearts, etc. Simply adhere a toothpick or insert toothpick into item.
• Twist pipe cleaners into hearts to use as cupcake picks. Add beads on the pipe cleaners for a fun decorative effect.
• Cover the top of cupcakes with chocolate curls.
• Frost cupcake with red or pink icing. Cover the top with a cornelli lace decorating technique. This technique is a freehand random lacey design made using a small round piping tip and white icing. For detailed instructions go to: www.bakedecoratecelebrate.com/techniques/cornellilace.cfm
• Wrap some cloth wrapped wire around a pencil to curl. Glue on tiny punched hearts to one end of the wire. Insert into cupcake to make it look like hearts springing out.
• Decorate heart shaped cupcakes using pastel icing. Decorate cupcakes to look like pastel candy conversation hearts. Add fun words using red icing. If you need ideas - pull out some conversation hearts for inspiration.
• Pipe a decorative border using icing on a heart shaped cupcake. Fill in center of heart with red jam or jelly.
• Place a chocolate dipped strawberry on a frosted cupcake.
• A simple Valentine cupcake decoration is to unwrap a red lollipop and insert in the cupcake. Tie a ribbon around the stick and add a small tag.
• Cut the stem off a real rose and place the rose in the top of a cupcake. Sugar the rose if desired. (Make sure to use pesticide free flowers or wash well.)
• Sprinkle cupcakes with coarsely crushed cookies, granola bars or cereals.
• Decorate cupcakes with fresh fruit or berries.
• Wrap strips of decorative paper around cupcake bottom for display. Paper that is printed with thoughts, poems, photos, etc. also make for unique presentation.
• Wrap pretty ribbon bows around cupcake papers after decorating. These can be made to coordinate with any theme.
• Wrap bottom of cupcakes with a circle of red or pink tissue, gather and tie with a ribbon.
• Place cupcakes in a second liner after baking to create a prettier presentation.
• To make unique and fancy chocolate garnishes, melt chocolate (white or regular) and place in a pastry bag with a round tip. Pipe shapes, initials or scrolls onto wax paper and let harden. Use as a garnish.
• A cute Valentine train cupcake idea with video tutorial is found at: jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/printrecipe?id=50096
• Create and place items that go with fun Valentine sayings, for example create peanut butter bees http://www.grouprecipes.com/4861/peanut-butter-honey-bees-for-kids.html and place on a cupcake with a little flag on a toothpick that says "bee mine."
• Give cupcakes in a simple box. One cupcake in a pretty box tied with a ribbon would be a nice gift.
• Remember that cupcake cakes are easy to make and a heart shape works very well. See this link: http://studio5.ksl.com/?sid=4099006&nid=59

Lettuce Tips

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:17:00 +0000

LETTUCE TIPS
FOR A FRESH SALAD EVERYTIME

How often do you eat green salads at home? Is it a rare occasion? Do you buy lettuce at the store with the intention of making salads, forget about it, and then find a wilted mess in your veggie bin a week later? Do you try to solve the problem by buying the expensive pre-washed, bagged lettuce? Are you disappointed with the quality of that lettuce?

Washing and drying lettuce doesn’t have to be that difficult and if you do it correctly, it can stay fresh and ready to be used for up to two weeks! That means that if you’re willing to give up maybe 20 minutes, once a week or every two weeks, you can have a ready supply of crisp, fresh lettuce that is ready to throw in a bowl at a moment’s notice.

TYPES OF LETTUCE
Romaines (Cos)
Romaine (cos) is a tall lettuce with rigid leaves that are tightly packed together. The leaves are dark green, with the inner leaves having less color. Some consider romaine the most flavorful lettuce variety.
Crispheads
Crisphead lettuce is a very common variety of lettuce to find in your grocery store. Iceberg lettuce is a crisphead lettuce. The leaves are thin, light green, and densely packed together. It is best to grow this lettuce in cooler weather or start with transplants because of problems with bolting.
Butterheads
Butterhead lettuce is smaller than other lettuce varieties. The leaves are not as tightly packed in as with crisphead lettuce, and the leaves are more tender than crisphead leaves. This lettuce has a smooth, light, and some would say “buttery” flavor.
Leaf lettuce
Leaf lettuces are the most varied of the lettuce varieties. Colors can vary from red to dark green. The leaves can be curly or ruffled. This is a favorite of home gardeners as it matures quickly once planted.

HOW TO BUY PRODUCE
Basic principles:
* Buy produce which is "in" season.
* Buy locally grown produce whenever possible, but remember that roadside stands are poorly regulated: buy organic or wash well.
* Don't buy more than you'll eat in a week; shop daily if convenient.
* Buy what "looks good;" try not to go to the produce mart with a list.
* Smell is an important ingredient in taste.
* Look for produce which is average in size and shape; humongous or grotesque produce rarely tastes as good as it looks. That's not to say a fruit must be cosmetically perfect; far from it. Symmetry and beauty do not necessarily equate with great taste.
Hints
* The best heads of lettuce are tightly closed, but relatively firm to the squeeze. An immature head of lettuce feels like a puff of air when squeezed... because it mostly is.
* The best broccoli or cauliflower has tightly packed flower heads, firm stems, and no sign of yellow or brown.
* Cabbage heads start to open up when they are left on the plant too long. Same for Brussels sprouts.
* Lettuce grows fast and has fewer pests than spinach, mustard-like plants, or cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc). Hence, it needs fewer pesticides. Romaine is particularly hardy.
* Spinach is among the most pesticide-laden greens. Buy organic.

WHAT LETTUCE TO BUY
You can learn about specific varieties, but remember that the best lettuce is whole-head or cutting lettuces that are harvested and sold as-is with as little processing as possible.
If you're tempted by the "pre-washed" or "triple-washed" claims on bagged lettuce, read this test done in Minnesota, where the lettuce variety with the least bacteria was the plain, unwashed head of lettuce. Bagged lettuce is often rinsed in a chlorine wash and handled by many people before being sealed.

WHEN TO BUY LETTUCE
Lettuce in general is a cool weather crop that bolts and turns bitter when faced with harsh heat. We've become used to eating lettuce year-round because it can be cultivated somewhere all year, but local harvests are seasonal. Look for lettuce all year-round in the most temperate regions, in spring and fall in warmer areas, and in late spring through summer in cooler climates. Tougher, pleasantly bitter chicories are available in the fall and early winter. See your regional season guide for specifics.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
You want lettuce picked as recently as possible. Look for clean, fresh looking cut ends. You don't want anything that looks rusty, dried-out, or wilted. Crisp, bright looking leaves are good too. Remember, though, that some spotting or holes is common, especially in crops raised without sprays. Ask the grower if you have any questions about how the lettuce looks.

HOW TO CORE AND CHOP ICEBERG LETTUCE
Some people swear by ceramic or plastic knives for cutting lettuce. The idea is that metal knives cause the leaves to turn brown at the edges faster. Actually, it's not the metal that does it. What happens is any cutting will cut cells, which then turn brown. If you want your lettuce to last longer don't cut it. Rip the leaves by hand.
First up, the core. You can cut this out if you really want to. But it's way easier this way:
Set the bottom -- the side you just pulled the core out of -- down and cut it in half.
Then in quarters.
You could stop now and serve what the trendy restaurants are calling a "wedge salad".

THE SECRET WEAPON AGAINST WET LETTUCE
A salad spinner is simply a contraption that dries your lettuce for you. But I really don’t think there is a quicker, more effective way to dry lettuce. And if you want to make a salad, there’s nothing worse than wet lettuce, except maybe wilted lettuce.
You will need only two more things to keep your lettuce fresh and extend it’s life longer than you could ever imagine: gallon-size plastic bags (preferably zippered) and paper towels. That’s it!

HOW TO WASH DRY, AND STORE LETTUCE (NOT ICEBERG)
1. Fill a sink with cold water, separate all the leaves of lettuce, place them in the water and swirl them around. If the lettuce is a bit limp, let it soak in the water for 30 minutes and it will miraculously come back to life.
2. Drain the water, turn on the faucet, and briefly rinse each piece of lettuce as you remove it from sink and place in the basket of your salad spinner. If you use organic lettuce, just give each piece a quick once-over to check for clinging bugs and dirt. As you put the lettuce in the spinner, you can tear the leaves in half if they are large (such as full-size romaine).
3. When the spinner is full but not tightly packed, spin the lettuce until dry.
4. Spread two paper towels (still connected) on the counter and pile the dry lettuce in the middle. Wrap the paper towels around the lettuce and slide into a gallon-size zippered plastic bag. Squeeze the air out and close the bag.
5. The lettuce can now be stored in the fridge and should stay fresh for at least a couple of weeks. You can take out what you need whenever you want to make a salad or sandwich and then just reseal the bag. The plastic bags can also be reused!

HOW TO MAKE LETTUCE LAST LONGER: REMOVE OUTER PACKAGING
One of the first things that you should do when you get lettuce home is to remove the plastic outer packaging that encases it. The longer you leave the lettuce in the packaging, the quicker it will start to turn brown and rot. It will be no good to you if you have to waste a whole head of lettuce because of this.

HOW TO MAKE LETTUCE LAST LONGER: TIN FOIL
After you have removed the lettuce from the plastic outer packaging, you should wrap it in tin foil to seal in the freshness and keep it crisp and green for longer. It does not have to be tightly wrapped for the best results. Simply wrap it around the whole head of lettuce so that the whole lettuce is covered and then place it in the crisper section of the fridge away from dairy and meat products.

HOW TO MAKE LETTUCE LAST LONGER: CUTTING LETTUCE
The way you cut lettuce can have an impact on how long it stays fresh. If you are in the habit of slicing off a chunk of lettuce to use for salads and then replacing the rest of it, you will soon have to throw the rest away unless you use it quickly. The remaining lettuce will start to turn brown where you sliced it and it will not be useful. The best way to cut lettuce is to use the point of a knife to just snip at individual lettuce leaves. This method will take longer to get the desired amount of lettuce, but it will help to keep the rest of the lettuce fresh.

Salads of ALL Variety!

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:05:00 +0000

Carmel Apple Salad
1 (3ounce) Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 (8 ounce) Cool Whip
1 cup Buttermilk
5 Snicker candy bars (or one package of the mini snickers)
3-5 Granny Green Apples
Beat pudding and milk. Add cool whip and mix slightly (do not over mix it will be runny)
Add snickers and apples mix slightly again. Top with crumbs from snickers to garnish.
{Jill Aponte}

7 Layer Salad
Shred 1 head of lettuce into bottom of 9x13 inch pan.
Add layers of:
1 (10 ounce) pkg frozen peas (run under water to thaw and separate)
1/2 cup green onion silces
1/2 cup green pepper chopped
1 cup celery sliced
Cover with:
1 pt mayonnaise with 2 tsp sugar and 2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt, sprinkled over the top
Cover with saran wrap and let it set overnight. When ready to serve, cover top with 1 cup shredded cheese, tomato wedges, and crumbled fired bacon.
{Melanie Busby}

Chicken Grape Salad
-1 cup celery
-1 cup chicken
-3/4 cup grapes cut in half
1 cup apples
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup miracle whip
2 tsp sugar
Put everything in a bowl. Enjoy.
{Danni Anderson}

5 Cup Fruit Salad
1 cup marshmallows
1 small can pineapple
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped walnuts
{Danni Anderson}

Ericka's Salad
3 heads broccoli
1/2 cup swiss cheese
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup diced red onion
10 strips bacon crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
3 TBL red wine vinegar
{Danni Anderson}

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:24:00 +0000

Information on how to start your own Recipe Book is soon to come!

Garden Vegetable Meals

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:48:00 +0000

Fresh Fruit Desserts

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:37:00 +0000

Breakfast, Muffins, & Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:46:00 +0000

Streusel Coffee Cake
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. shortening
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Mix with beater first 3 ingredients; stir in milk. Sift and stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
STREUSEL MIX: Mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon and butter.
Spread 1/2 of coffee cake mix into 9" square pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of streusel mix over batter. Add remaining batter, top with remaining mix. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes.
{Brenda McCandless}

Cinnamon Swirl Breakfast Cake

3 C flour
1 C sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ C milk
1 Cube butter melted
Mix dry ingredients together and add the remaining ingredients. Pour into 9 x 13 ungreased pan. Pour sauce* over cake and stripe the short way then swirl with end of spoon long ways.
*Sauce:
1 Cube butter – melted
2/3 C brown sugar
1 T flour
2 T cinnamon
Melt butter and stir the above ingredients in.
Bake 375° 25 min. Top with sweetened condensed milk. I just put it on the table cut it in pieces and let them put as much sweetened condensed milk on that they want.
{Karen Lee}

Sausage Souffle

1 lb. link sausage, cut into bite size pieces, browned.
8 slices white bread
2 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 eggs, beaten
2 ¼ C milk
¾ tsp. dry mustard
1 can mushroom soup
½ C. milk
Cut crust from bread and break in bite-size pieces. Spread in bottom of 9x13 pan. Sprinkle cheese and sausage on top. Mix eggs, milk and mustard. Pour over and refrigerate over night. Next morning: Mix soup and ½ C milk and pour over. Bake at 300° degrees 1 ½ hours. Serve warm.
{Karen Lee}

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
4 TBL trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread, chilled
1 cup lowfat lemon yogurt
1 cup blueberries
½ cup yellow squash puree
1 large egg
2 tsp pure lemon extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.
In a large bowl, beat sugar and the margarine with a wooden spoon. Stir in the yogurt, blueberries, yellow squash puree, egg, lemon extract, and lemon zest.
Add the flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir just to combine, but do not over mix the batter is suppose to be lumpy.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the tops of muffins are lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, 13-16 minutes. Turn the muffins out onto a rack to cool.
Store in a airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or wrap individually and freeze up to 1 month.
{Jill Aponte}

Blueberry Banana Buster & Orange Smoothies
Ingredients:

1 ½ cups frozen whole strawberries
1 banana
½ cup frozen blueberries
1 ½ cups lowfat milk
1 cup lowfat yogurt, strawberry or vanilla flavor
3 T. honey
7 ice cubes

Orange You Cute" Smoothie
Ingredients:
5 T. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
2 bananas
1 cup lowfat yogurt, vanilla flavor
5 ice cubes
Blend together; makes four servings

French Toast Fruit Cups
Nonstick cooking spray
3 eggs
2 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Dash of vanilla extract, optional
Dash of fresh nutmeg, optional
8 slices white or wheat sandwich bread
1 pint fresh berries such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
Whipped cream
Yields: 4-6 servings
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Spray the inside of each cup of a 6-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg.
Cut a slit in the corner of each slice of bread from the middle of the slice to the edge.
Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture then lightly press it into a cup of the muffin tin, overlapping the pieces where you cut the slit to make it fit into the cup without tearing.
Bake the French toast cups for 12-14 minutes, until they're light golden brown.
Allow the cups to cool slightly in the muffin tin before removing them. To serve, arrange the cups on a platter and fill each one with fresh fruit and top with whipped cream.
{Jill Aponte}

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
7 cups of Whole Weat Flour (1 cup of wheat flour = 1 1/2 cup of white flour)
5 cups of warm water
2 TBL yeast
Mix 5-10 minutes
2 TBL salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup sugar (you may subsitite honey)
6 more cups Flour
mix 5-6 minutes
Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Recipe makes 4 loaves
{Wendy Ricks, Food Storage Class}

Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles
1 cup flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2TBL oil (for pancakes)
3TBL oil (for waffles)
1 egg
1 cup of water or milk
{Wendy Ricks, Food Storage Class}

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:17:00 +0000

Kids- Groovy Granola Bars

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup butter (not margarine) softened
3/4 cup honey
1 cup dried raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or apples
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, almonds, or other nuts

Preheat oven to 325F. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the dried fruit and nuts. Mix well with an electric mixer until all ingredients are incorporated. Get your muscles ready. This stuff is thick! Stir in the fruit and nuts until they are mixed into the oatmeal dough. Scoop out dough and press into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Lift foil on the sides to remove the entire batch from the pan. Cut into bars and cool another 10 minutes before removing cut bars from foil. Store in an air-tight container or individually wrap each one in plastic wrap so they're ready to go when you are! Eat plain with a glass milk or fresh juice, or for a festive snack or dessert serve with frozen yogurt topped with fresh fruit.
Makes 24 servings.

Kids- Fruit Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:17:00 +0000

Ingredients:
1 or 2 apples, cored and chopped
1 pint strawberries, chopped
3 kiwi or other seasonal fruit, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon apple jelly or carton of vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

Method:

Mix the apples, strawberries and kiwi in a bowl. Stir in jelly, orange juice & orange zest gently. Chill covered until ready to serve. Makes 8 servings.

Kids- Cinnamon & Sugar Chips

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:15:00 +0000

Ingredients

10 flour tortillas

Cinnamon sugar to taste

Method:

Brush each tortilla lightly with water. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cut into chip-size pieces. Place on baking sheet sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp. Serve with Fruit Salsa. Makes 8 servings.

Kids- Monkey Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:13:00 +0000

Ingredients
4 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed
2 bananas, peeled and ends trimmed
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, apple butter or Nutella, whichever you prefer or have on hand

Preparation

Lay two slices of bread on the counter next to each other, slightly overlapping one over the other to create one big, rectangular piece. Press the slices together at the seam and use a rolling pin to gently flatten them.

Gently spread your favorite spread evenly over both of the bread pieces and lay a whole banana in the middle. Carefully roll up the bread around the banana.

Slice each log into six pieces that are 1-1 1/2-inches thick. Repeat with the remaining bread slices, spread and banana and serve.

S’More Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:11:00 +0000

Ingredients:
14 graham crackers
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 cups mini marshmallows
Chocolate syrup
Vanilla ice cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Carefully break crackers into fourths and arrange 30 quarters on bottom of pan (3 across by 9 down).
Stir together butter and sugar; add beaten eggs and vanilla, stir.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; stir into brownie mix; stir in chocolate chips. Batter will be thick.
Spread batter over crackers in prepared pan by dropping spoonfuls on each cracker then gently spreading to cover all crackers. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Top with 30 more cracker quarters. Bake 17-20 minutes (do not over bake).
Allow brownies to cool before attempting to cut. Reheat individual servings in microwave, serve with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle of chocolate syrup.

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:48:00 +0000

Humming Bird Nests

1 Cup of choclolate chips
1 cup of coconut

Melt Chocolate chips and coconut while still soft form into nest. Place jelly bean in the middle.

-Danni Anderson

Fudge Jumblers

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Cream together:
1 C margarine (room temperature)
2 C brown sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 ½ C flour
1 ½ C Quick Oats
1 ½ Old fashioned oats

The above mixture will be the thickness of play dough, plus oatmeal. You may need to stir it with a wooden spoon. On greased, large (17”x12”) cookie sheet spread 2/3 of the above mixture. Put the remaining 1/3 of dough aside. Spread topping on the 2/3 of dough. Crumble the 1/3 of dough on top of chocolate topping. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Topping

Melt, stirring continually, in pan on low:
6 oz. of chocolate chips
1 can sweet/condensed milk
2 Tablespoons butter
Dash of salt

-Karen Lee

Easter Cupcake Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:44:00 +0000

Studio 5 Holiday, Party and Ideas Contributor Alisa Bangerter shows you how. http://studio5.ksl.com/

How to Tint Coconut or Granulated Sugar: Place coconut or sugar in a zipper top plastic bag. Add several drops of liquid food coloring to bag. Shake and gently knead coconut or sugar until color is distributed. (Note: Sugar may need to be poured onto a baking sheet, spread out and let dry to prevent clumping.)

Batter Ideas: Color white cupcake batter using pastel food coloring. Toss in a handful of spring colored candy sprinkles in batter before baking. Make cupcakes using angel food cake - try flavoring and tinting batter. Place a chocolate candy egg in batter of individual cupcakes before baking for a "surprise inside" when eaten.

Icing Ideas: Frost cupcakes using pastel colors. By combining several pastel colors in a piping bag, you can create a nice "rainbow" effect. Cooked 7-minute or fluffy marshmallow icings are great for spring and Easter.

Ideas for Displaying Cupcakes: Cupcakes can be not only dessert but can be your Easter centerpiece as well. Display cupcakes on a pedestal cake plate or tiered tray. Place several trays together at different heights. Nestle cupcakes in Easter grass on trays or place in a flat basket. Wrap bottom of cupcakes with a circle of pastel tissue, gather and tie with a ribbon. Place cupcakes in a second liner after baking to create a prettier presentation.

Easter Basket: Sprinkle top of cupcake with green coconut (see coconut tinting instructions above). Place candy eggs on coconut. Bend pipe cleaner or licorice and place in either side of top of cupcake to create a handle. Tie a bow on handle with a tiny name tag if desired.

Easter Bonnet: Place a mini cupcake upside-down (remove paper) on a flat round sugar cookie. Frost using a pastel color. Decorate with tiny dots of icing, tiny flowers and a ribbon.

Bunny: Frost cupcake with white icing, sprinkle with white coconut if desired. Make ears by cutting a large marshmallow in half at a slight diagonal and pressing the sticky cut part in pink sugar. Place two small dark candies as eyes and a pink candy as a nose. Cut a small marshmallow in half to create cheeks. Use string licorice for whiskers. Make large teeth if desired by placing two pieces of white hard oblong/square gum under nose. (Note: Ears can also be made from cookies or paper.)

Fresh Flowers: Place a clean fresh rose bud, daisy, pansy, viola or mini carnation on the top of each frosted cupcake. Flowers can be crystallized by brushing with egg white (or corn syrup) and sprinkled with sugar. Let dry overnight or for several hours before placing on cupcakes.

Bird Nest: Frost top of cupcake. Sprinkle on nest material (Shredded Wheat cereal, pretzel sticks, oriental chow mein or rice noodles, toasted coconut, etc. Place egg candy in nest or make icing chicks. To make icing chicks, use a decorating bag and a large round tip to pipe three large balls of yellow or pale blue icing. Add two tiny black eyes on each chick. Using a leaf tip, create a yellow or orange icing beak on each.

Marshmallow Flowers: Cut large marshmallows in half. Press the sticky side into colored sugar. Arrange each "petal" on top of cupcake. Place a small candy in center.

Butterfly: Frost top of cupcake. Arrange four candies to create wings (use flat or round candies - foil wrapped eggs would work as well). Use a decorating bag and a round tip to pipe an icing body down the center of the candy wings. Add licorice antennae.

Ladybug: Frost top of cupcake a deep red. Place a flat black or brown candy at one top side to create a head. Use black string licorice or icing to pipe a line down the center of the cupcake from behind the head to create the wings. Pipe black icing dots on either side of the line or use tiny chocolate chips. Place string licorice as the antennae.

The possibilities are endless for creating spring and Easter cupcakes. Have fun!

-Jill Aponte

Baking Recipe for Mothers

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:29:00 +0000

1- Preheat the Oven. Check to be sure there are no rubber balls or plastic soldiers lurking on the shelves.

2- Remove bloacks and toy cars from table. Grease pan. Crack nuts.

3- Measure 2 c. of flour. Remove Johnny's hands from the flour. Wash flour off him. Re-measure flour.

4- Crack more nuts to replace those that Johnny ate. Put flour, baking powder and salt in sifter. Get dust pan and brush up pieces of bowl that Johnny knocked on the floor. Get another bowl.

5- Answer the door bell. Return to kitchen. Remove Johnny's hands from the bowl again. Wash J ohnny. Answer the phone. Return to kitchen.

6- Remove 1/2" salt from the greased pan. Look for Johnny. Grease another pan. Answer phone. Return to kitchen and find Johnny.

7- Take up greased pan and remove layer of nut shells in it. Head for Johnny who runs, knocking the bowl off the table.

8- Wash the kitchen floor, table, walls, and dishes.

9- Call the bakery and place an order. Take two aspirin and lie down. Don't forget to turn the oven off!

-Author Unknown

noreply@blogger.com (RS Recipe Swap) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:02:00 +0000

To the Recipe Swap!