Archive for the 'Recipes' Category

This Fudge is Easy to Make and Hard to Resist!

Published on Thursday, December 16, 2010 in Recipes. Closed Tags: , , , .

I volunteered to bring a dessert item to Bunco tonight, and I decided to slave away in the kitchen for hours making my famous fudge.

Okay, since Santa’s watching, I’ll tell the truth.

It really IS the Easiest Fudge in the World!

Easiest Fudge in the World

12 oz. bag of chocolate chips
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Combine ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave 2 to 3 minutes, stirring after each minute. Spread in lined (with waxed paper) 8 x 8 pan. Cool.

For real. That’s it!

And, here are some notes about the recipe:

  • Make SURE the ounces on the packages of chocolate chips and condensed milk match the recipe.  Any deviations can lead to what my inlaws jokingly (yet very lovingly) refer to as Peanut Butter Sludge.  Be that as it may, they still ate the entire pan.  So, there.
  • I usually do 2 batches at a time, and it only needs 2 minutes in my microwave. Be sure to stir after each minute, until all the chips are melted. I put 2 batches in one 9 x 13 pan. I just let it cool on the counter, no need to cool in the fridge. You can keep it plain or add whatever toppings you want: M&Ms, nuts, crushed candy-canes, etc.  Just press them lightly into the top as it cools.

Seriously. That’s IT. The hardest part is not eating the whole pan during the “testing the quality control” portion of the process. ;)

Fun & Easy Homemade Ice Cream!

Published on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 in Fun, Games and Recipes. 6 Comments Tags: , .

A couple weeks ago, one of the activities we did with the kids in our Moms’ Club was to make Homemade Ice Cream. The ingredients were simple. The instructions were easy, and I couldn’t believe the results!

On Saturday, we hosted a party and decided to do this there, too!

Again, the results were amazing, so I’m going to share with you!

Here is the recipe for making Fun & Easy Homemade Ice Cream:

Items You’ll Need

  • Rock Salt (we use the kind that goes in a water softener or ice cream maker)
  • Ice
  • Vanilla
  • Milk
  • Sugar
  • Gallon Ziploc® Bags* (one for each person)
  • Quart Ziploc® Bags* (one for each person)

*any brand of similar storage bag is fine!

In a Quart Bag

  • Pour in:
    1 Cup of Milk (we use whole, because that’s what we have here)
    1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
    2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • Seal up the Quart Bag.

In a Gallon Bag

  • Pour in:
    1 tray of ice cubes (or equivalent amount)
    1 Cup of Rock Salt
  • Place the sealed Quart Bag inside the Gallon Bag with the ice and salt, and seal it tightly.
  • Shake!
    Shake, shake, shake, shake!
    Shake some more!
  • Shake this for 5 to 10 minutes or until the contents of the Quart Bag are the consistency you desire.  Every time I’ve done this, I wished I had my gloves on, because the bag gets REALLY COLD. This is the PERFECT activity for a really hot day!  With older kids, I’m sure you could make up relay games or other fun stuff to do while shaking the bags.  For us, as much fun as it is to shake-shake-shake, my 3-year old loses interest pretty quickly, and I always finish the process for her.  :)
  • When the ice cream is the thickness you like, either eat it out of the Quart Bag or dump the ice cream into a bowl…

…and enjoy your Fun & Easy Homemade Ice Cream!

Easiest Fudge in the World

Published on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 in Gift Ideas and Recipes. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Yesterday, Claire and I went to our MOMS’ Club Cookie Decorating and Exchange Extravaganza.  I wasn’t sure what to make, and then it hit me.  I could make the Easiest Fudge in the World!  You see, a few years ago, one of my sisters gave me a nice Christmas Gift that included the following recipe and ingredients.  It was an awesome gift idea and an even better recipe idea when you’re short on time!

I made four batches to bring to the Cookie Exchange (each of us brought four dozen cookies), and we ended up with a nice selection of cookies to give away or keep.  (Claire and I made up two nice plates for a couple of friends of ours — they were thrilled with the gift, and I didn’t have to bring home [and avoid eating] 48 cookies…it was a win-win!)

The Cookie Exchange was a great idea, and Claire had a blast during the decorating portion of the festivities.  It was nice to arrive with fudge and leave with at least six different types of cookies.  It makes it look like I slaved away in the kitchen for hours!  ;)

Needless to say, the fudge was a huge hit.

So, here is the recipe!

Easiest Fudge in the World

12 oz. bag of chocolate chips
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Combine ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave 2 to 3 minutes, stirring after each minute. Spread in lined (with waxed paper) 8 x 8 pan. Cool.

For real.  That’s it!

And, here are some notes about the recipe:

For the Cookie Exchange, I did 2 batches at a time, and it only needed 2 minutes in my microwave. Be sure to stir after each minute, until all the chips are melted. I put 2 batches in one 9 x 13 pan. I just let it cool on the counter, no need to cool in the fridge. In one pan, I sprinkled M&Ms on the top of the fudge and pressed them lightly. (The other pan was plain.) You can keep it plain or add whatever toppings you want.

It’s seriously the Easiest Fudge in the World. The hardest part is not eating the whole pan yourself. :)

Enjoy!

Key Lime Pie Recipe

Published on Wednesday, June 18, 2008 in Father's Day, Photos and Recipes. 1 Comment

I mentioned in the comment section of a previous post that I’d publish the Key Lime Pie Recipe I love to make. Well, here it is. I’d love to take credit for this, but I actually got it from Weight Watchers. It is the simplest recipe I’ve ever seen. The first time I made it, I was just sure I missed a step, because could it really be this easy? It is. There isn’t anything “real” in this recipe, so the pieces are only 3-points a piece.

I used to make it all the time, and we eventually got burned out on it. So, I stopped making it. When Claire and I were in the store gathering ingredients for the meal I was going to make my hubby for Father’s Day, I tried to find a ready-made Key Lime Pie, because it’s one of his favorite desserts. I couldn’t find one! Then it hit me…I used to make this! All the time! I got out my Palm Pilot, and sure enough, I still had the recipe with me. So, we gathered the ingredients and made it for him. He loved it!

Even he didn’t remember why I’d stopped making them. ;) So, we may have to make some more this summer.

Key Lime Pie

1 box (0.3 oz) sugar-free lime-flavor gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
2 containers (6 oz each) key lime pie-flavor light yogurt
1 container (8 oz) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared 9″ reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust

In large heat resistant bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. With wire whisk, stir in yogurt; with wooden spoon, fold in whipped topping.

Transfer mixture to prepared crust; refrigerate overnight. (Note: You don’t have to let it set overnight, but the longer it sets, the better.)

I’m not a foodie, nor am I good at taking photos of food or the steps it takes to make a recipe. (Cathy, from The Noble Pig, is…you should check out her blog sometime for some really cool recipes!) In fact, the only picture I was able to snap of this pie was when it was almost gone. Claire is finishing the last half of the last piece.

Click photo to enlarge.
Clicking a second time will show more detail.

Key Lime Pie

It’s a good thing this pie is so easy to make, because it certainly doesn’t last long. ;)

Crock-Pot Pork Recipe

Published on Thursday, April 3, 2008 in Recipes. 2 Comments

A couple years ago, my hubby got a Crock-Pot for Christmas. We’d never had one, and he was really excited about getting it. We’ve done some really good recipes, and it’s so handy. If you’re super-busy, you can prep the ingredients the night before and put them in the Crock-Pot the next morning before work. A delicious meal will be waiting for you when you get back home. Or, you can prep the ingredients the day of the meal, and as long as you have the Crock-Pot loaded and set by a certain time, you’re good to go.

While on our mini-vacation to the mountains a couple weeks ago, our friend’s mother mentioned an easy Crock-Pot recipe that sounded really interesting.

So, I made a mental note to try it. (Really, it was so easy, I didn’t even have to write it down.)

Basic Ingredients:

  • Pork
  • Sauerkraut
  • Onion
  • Apples

Basic Prepping Instructions:

  • I used four boneless pork loins. I seared them in a pan, quickly on each side.
  • Drain the sauerkraut. I used a “big jar” of “regular” sauerkraut. I didn’t use the Bavarian Style with Caraway for this recipe, but you could.
  • Slice the onion. I used a medium-sized yellow sweet onion.
  • Slice the apples. I cored them, but left the peels on, and I used three medium Granny Smith Apples.

Basic Layering & Settings:

  • Put a little sauerkraut in the bottom of the Crock-Pot.
  • Put in two pieces of pork loin. (They fit nicely side-by-side on top of the sauerkraut.)
  • Put in a layer of onion.
  • Put in a layer of apples.
  • Put in more sauerkraut.
  • Put in last two pieces of pork loin.
  • Layer onion, apples, and sauerkraut.
  • If you have extra stuff, put that in on top or around.
  • Set on Low for 8-hours.

Optional Requirements:

  • Table-mounted metal vice
  • C-clamp

This recipe turned out so yummy!! I was amazed! I knew it would be good, because I love sauerkraut, pork, apples and onions, but I had no idea how nicely the flavors would play off of each other!! Granted, if you don’t like sauerkraut, this isn’t the recipe for you. If you do like sauerkraut, this will be even more amazing that you can imagine.

So, what’s up with the Optional Requirements?

Well, normal prepping time for this recipe would probably take about 10 or 15 minutes, depending on your searing, slicing and knife-wielding abilities. For some reason, the jar of sauerkraut I had would NOT open. And, I’m not a wussy when it comes to opening jars. I’m actually really good at it, and I sometimes put my hubby to shame.

There’s a trick to it. If you thump a stubborn jar just right on the bottom with the heel of your hand, it will ‘pop’ it enough to open it. I’ve never had a problem. Ever. Plus, we have not one, but two screwy-louies! (Those rubbery jar opener thingies.)

Righty tighty; lefty Lucy.
Nothing.
Grrrrrrrrrrr.

This jar-lid would not budge! I didn’t prep the stuff the night before, because I didn’t want the apples to brown in the fridge, and all Claire and I had to do yesterday was get to the Library on time. I hadn’t figured in a 30-minute battle with a blasted jar of sauerkraut into my prep time.

Thoughts of breaking the jar crossed my mind. Then, I thought about how mind-numbingly frustrating picking shards of glass out of sauerkraut would be if the jar didn’t break cleanly. I was at a loss. I actually hurt my hand, I was trying so hard to open it. The only other sauerkraut I had in the house was a smaller can of the sweeter Bavarian kind. A) The can was too small for this meal, and B) I didn’t want to use the sweet sauerkraut in a dish that would be made sweet by apples, and C) I was running out of time!

Aaaaaaaaaaargh.

So, I took the jar downstairs to the workshop. I put it in the table-mounted metal vice. As soon as I clamped the c-clamp on the lid to get some leverage, it popped the seal.

Success.

Home-improvement meets Crock-Pot Cuisine. Who knew? ;)

So…if you’re looking for an interesting recipe that should be nice and easy, you should try this. The result really was amazing.

Homemade Raspberry Cobbler

Published on Sunday, September 30, 2007 in Recipes. 3 Comments

A few days ago, I mentioned how my late grandmother’s homemade raspberry cobbler is one of my favorite foods.  I’ve been asked to divulge the family’s secret recipe, and I’m not sure if I should.   ;)   Just kidding.  It’s not really a secret anymore, since my family compiled and printed a Family Favorites Cookbook in 2004.  The book is 303 pages long and was professionally organized, edited and printed by one of my sisters who happens to be a graphic designer and editor.  It’s fabulous, and it’s great to have all the recipes of our childhood in one place, complete with a little memory blurb by each one.

So, without further ado, here is my grandmother’s homemade raspberry cobbler recipe (as found on page 143.):

Fruit Cobbler

For the fruit part of the cobbler:
Fresh or frozen fruit of your choice: blackberries, cherries, raspberries, rhubarb

Mix together in a pan and cook on stovetop:
1 to 2 T of water on fruit
Approx. 2 T sugar (note: cherries = more sugar; raspberries or blackberries = less sugar)

Bring to a boil and add 1 T cornstarch that has already been mixed with a little water.  Pour hot mixture into the bottom of a baking dish.  (Special note regarding rhubarb: Use ½ C sugar and 3 T cornstarch.)

For the topping:
Cream together ½ stick margarine + ½ C sugar
Mix in: pinch salt (1/2 tsp)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
½ C milk
1 to 1 ½ C flour (the more flour added, the stiffer the topping will be)

Spoon over hot fruit and bake in oven at 350-degrees for 40-minutes (for a 9-inch baking dish).

The above recipe was acquired and recorded by my mom, and she made the notes about using rhubarb, etc.  My mom’s version of this cobbler is awesome, too, but there was just something about Grandma’s cobbler.  I doubt she ever looked at a recipe, and she always used fresh raspberries that she had picked herself or with the help of her grandkids.

She had a huge raspberry patch by her garden on the farm, and I have the best memories of picking them with her.  The hardest part about picking the raspberries, besides avoiding the thorns, was making sure I actually had some raspberries left in my bucket when we were done.  ;)

The topping part of the cobber was actually my favorite part of the dessert, and I remember how the raspberries would turn the underside of it a wonderful purple color.  The raspberries were absolutely delicious too, but I would scrape those off and eat those first, saving the best for last.

I haven’t had a chance to make this dessert myself, and I may try it one of these days.  The recipe hasn’t been altered to accommodate high-elevation baking, and to be honest, I’m just not sure how to do that.  Sometime, when I have the time, I’ll figure that out.  Even if I had a chance to make it, I have a feeling it just wouldn’t be the same.  ;)