Acorns

Chocolate and Peanut Butter; need I say more? These are a perfect project for tiny fingers!

- Melt 1/2 bag of Mini-Chips {5 second interval in the microwave, stirring really good each time}
- Dip the flat end of the Hershey's Kiss into melted chocolate and top with a bite-size NutterButter.
- Dip the flat end of a Mini-Chip into the melted chocolate and stick it to the NutterButter.

If your child has a peanut allergy, substitute the NutterButter for a Ritz Bitz!

Sprinkles, La Jolla Cali

Sprinkles Cupcakes are handcrafted from the finest ingredients, including sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, fresh bananas and carrots, real strawberries and natural citrus zests. Topped with Sprinkles trademark modern dots, rich chocolate sprinkles from France or seasonal sugar decorations, Sprinkles gourmet cupcakes are a deliciously sophisticated update on an American classic.

 oh the selection .... what to chose????????????????????

OUR CHOICES ... and they were not a disappointment to the tastebuds

Pages 137 - 140 Frog Cupcakes

Pineapple Jewels

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, well drained, 2 tablespoons juice reserved
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F 

2.In a large bowl, beat brown sugar and shortening with an eletric mixer on he medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg vanilla and drained pineapple until well blended

3. Add flour mixed with baking powder baking soda and salt and beat until blended stir in coconut

4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets 2 minutes then remove to a rack and let cool completely

5. In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar and pineapple juice until blended and smooth. SPread glaze over cooled cookies. Let cool before serving

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3.Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

A little bit of NEW MEXICO at home

A wonderful bakery in Albuquerque that makes EXQUISITE Traditional New Mexico Biscochito (Bizcochito) Cookies I ordered from Chile Monster on FB

Day 329 How to make a cake that auntie and Grandpa can eat

Blend sugar free vanilla pudding with crushed pineapples in lite sauce

 then add a cup of sugar free whip cream

 slice a sugar free angel food cake into layers

 concentrate while doing the cutting as you want good even slices

 add the mixture to cake

one must truly remember to take a picture of the final project

decorated cookies

Ingredients

1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

54 pieces candy corn

1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting

Red shoestring licorice, cut into 1-3/8-inch pieces

9 thin chocolate wafer (2-1/4 inch diameter), quartered

Directions

Bake cookies according to package directions. Cool on a wire racks.

Cut off yellow tips from 18 pieces of candy corn (discard orange and white portion or save for another use). Frost cookies with chocolate frosting.

Immediately decorate with two whole candy corns for eyes, a yellow candy corn tip for nose, six licorice pieces for whiskers and two wafer quarters for ears.

Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 257 calories, 11 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 7 mg cholesterol, 136 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein.

Apple Enchiladas

Apple Filling

6 pounds granny smith apples

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons cornstarch

Core and peel the apples then cut into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet (i used a large sauce pan) over medium heat cook the apple pieces butter, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon for 4 minutes or until the apples begin to soften. Let the mixture cool and then stir in the cornstarch

Enchiladas

1 1/4 cups water

1 1/2 cup butter

2 cups sugar

Apple Filling (see above)

12 to 15 tortillas

Cinnamon and sugar.

Boil the water, butter and 2 cups of sugar in a saucepan. Stirring occasionally, cook until the sugar is completely dissolved. Roll apple filling into the tortillas and place in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Smother with the sugar sauce and set aside for about 45 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the tortillas, then bake at 350 for 30 min.

A day in Vegas Day ... Pampas Brazilian Grille

We went to dinner at Pampas in Planet Hollywood. The cost was WOW set us back a few months but oh so worth it!!!!

Pampas Brazilian Grille "The True taste of Brazil," Dine at your own pace. Eat as much as you like. Sizzling skewers brought to your table in a seemingly endless parade of food. Sit back, relax and enjoy the "Ultimate Dining Experience" at Pampas Brazilian Grille. Mountains of garden fresh produce and salads together with the finest spit roasted meats available; all to your hearts content

Day 298 - Cool mini taco shells

Okay i saw this in a magazine too and thought that they were super cute! So i bought some tortillas you were suppose to cute 4 1/4 in circles from the tortillas. so the tortilla had a lot of leftovers. you took the circle and put it in a cupcake tin and baked for a minutes. and then filled them all up. These would make perfect appetizers :)

Tips on How to Pick Raspberries

Tips on How to Pick Raspberries

• Gently grasp the berry with your fingers and thumb, and tug gently.
• If it is ripe, it will easily come off in your hand, leaving the center part attached to the stem.
  
• Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries.
• Carefully place - don't throw - the fruit into your containers.
• Repeat the picking process with both hands.
• Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick Raspberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row.
• Pick only the berries that are fully red.
• Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
• The plants don't have thorns, but they do have little tiny stickers, like velcro. Those with tender skin will find that annoying or painful, so it's best to just touc the berries!
• Thankful, the berries stand out from the rest of the plant, so it's not hard to do!
• Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any longer than necessary.
• It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Raspberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two or three days, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.
• DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
• Raspberries are more perishable than blueberries or strawberries, so make a point of refrigerating them as immediately as possible after purchase.
• Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not to freeze raspberries! (Fresh raspberries are highly prone to freeze damage). Even under ideal conditions raspberries will only keep for 1 - 2 days in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, consume them as soon as possible after purchase.
• Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
• Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps (green tops) off the others and freeze them up!

Going Raspberry Picking

and you know what that means ... LOL
I have to figure out how to best pick these berries .. so i googled and came up with a few sites and ideas so here goes
There are usually two crops of raspberries: June bearing, and Fall (or everbearing). In the U.S., the first crop of raspberries typically peaks during June in the South, and in July in the North.
The Fall crop starts in late July and late August respectively and continues till frost. Crops may be ready at various times of the month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce good local Raspberries, producers depend a spring and summer that are not too hot and dry, nor too wet. Raspberries can be finicky and susceptible to fungus if it's too wet

Raspberry Facts and Tips

• Raspberries come in many colors besides red: there are also black, purple and gold raspberries.
• Raspberries are a very healthy food; they are high Vitamin C and naturally have no fat, cholesterol or sodium. They are also a good source of iron and folate (which is used especially in treatment of low red blood cells or anemia).
• Raspberries contain a natural substance called ellagic acid, which is an anti-carcinogenic (cancer-preventing) compound.
• Raspberries have been shown to lower high blood cholesterol levels and slow release of carbohydrates into the blood stream of diabetics.
• Raspberries are high in fiber. Half to one pound of raspberry fruit per day can provide twenty to thirty grams of fiber which is adequate for an adult daily nutrition requirement.
• Select plump, firm, fully red berries (or yellow or purple if that is the color of the variety).
• Unripe berries will not ripen once picked. When ripe, most varieties achieve a darker blush at peak sugar and they separate easily form the core which remains attached to the plant.
• If you must pull hard to remove the berry or it remains attached to its core, it is not ripe!
  Raspberries 1 pint = 2 cups = 500 ml and about 3/4 lb (about 1/3 kg) and is good for about 2 to 4 servings.
• 1 cup of raspberries is about 123 grams, The USDA says 1 cup is about 64 calories!
• Raspberries are a type of bramble, like blackberries and are also known as "Cane berries"
• Raspberries are different from blackberries in that the fruit has a hollow core that remains on the plant when you pick the raspberry.
• Raspberries are so expensive in the grocery store because, since they are so soft, they bruise easily, spoil quickly and do not ship well. It's much better to pick your own!
• 2 pints (4 cups) of raspberries are needed for a 9" pie
  1 - 1¼ cups = 10 oz. package frozen berries
  Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as Raspberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
  You can easily freeze berries that you can not use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible. Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
• Before you leave to go to the farm:
  Always call before you go to the farm - Raspberries are affected by weather (especially rain and cooler temperatures) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
• Leave early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
• Most growers furnish picking containers designed for Raspberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers. If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Raspberries more than 3 inches deep will smush the lower berries.
• Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers.
• Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite!
• And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun.
• Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.
  
  

Crockpot Wednesday!

I am not much of crock pot cooker, why you ask? Simply because I do not have any really cool recipes! Debbie over at dinning with debbie is starting a crock pot Wednesday group! I am going to join and see what great marvels these woman create and hopefully be able to create a few of my own recipes.

Angel Food Cake Stuffed with Whipped Cream and Berries

This looks awesome ... i am thinking that it will be my dessert for the 4th of July

Thinking of buying the angel food cake rather than making it as I am not much of a baker!

Angel Food Cake Stuffed with Whipped Cream and Berries
Yield 12 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed cake slice and 4 teaspoons berry mixture)
Ingredients
Berries:
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Cake:
1 cup cake flour (about 4 ounces)
1 cup powdered sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup granulated sugar
12 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Whipped cream:
3/4 cup whipping cream, chilled
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Remaining ingredients:
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Grated orange rind (optional)

Preparation
To prepare berries, combine first 5 ingredients; toss to combine. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare cake, place a rack in the lower third of oven. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sift together flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and ginger in a medium bowl. Sift together remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in another bowl. Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add powdered and granulated sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sift flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in. Fold in 2 tablespoons juice.
Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert the cake onto a plate.
Cut 1 inch off top of cake using a serrated knife; set top of cake aside. Hollow out bottom of cake using a small knife, leaving a 1-inch-thick shell; reserve torn cake for another use.
To prepare whipped cream, place cream in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into bowl; discard pod. Gradually add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Spoon all but 1 cup of berry mixture into cake shell; top with whipped cream. Replace top of cake; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Serve immediately with additional berry mixture; garnish with orange rind, if desired.
Whipped Cream Basics:

For perfect whipped cream, use a bowl that's large enough to allow the cream to double in volume. Refrigerate the bowl and beaters for at least half an hour, or place them in the freezer for 15 minutes, and make sure the cream is very cold. Use the freshest whipping cream available, and add sugar, vanilla, or any other ingredients near the end of whipping; adding them too soon in the process will decrease the amount of volume you achieve.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 269 (20% from fat)
Fat: 6g (sat 3.5g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.4g)
Protein: 5.2g
Carbohydrate: 50.2g
Fiber: 2.9g
Cholesterol: 20mg
Iron: 1.2mg
Sodium: 149mg
Calcium: 26mg

Baked Potato Soup in the Crock pot

Tim loves baked potato soup so i thought since we are still in June gloom that this might be a good thing to fix for dinner (i am off to he diabetic website to see if i can find a recipe that i can indulge in too)


Ingredients
5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 to 2-inch chunks
1 teeny onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
2 quarts chicken broth
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, to add at the end
crumbled bacon and green onion or chives as garnish (optional)


The Directions.Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Peel and dice the potatoes, and put them into the stoneware. Add onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings, and pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the soup, or a hand-held immersible blender. I suppose you can also leave the potatoes in chunks, if you really wanted, but I wanted a smooth soup.After smashing the potatoes, crumble in both packages of cream cheese, and put the lid back on. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during the 30 minutes.Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion or chives, and I'd assume cheddar cheese would be just delightful.

Strawberry Picking

We got up early, had a quick bite to eat and headed out to go pick strawberries. Armed with the garmin and a sense of this is really what i want to do! Away we went. We went through the back streets of gopher canyon (through vista) to hit the U PICK STRAWBERRY stand on paseo del norte and cannon! Really none of us are big strawberry eaters but i have been told that this is quite the experience and i am always up for a new and fun experience. We got to the U PICK STRAWBERRY stand paid for our buckets and low and behold wouldn't you know it derrick filled his fast! However i did not let this fly ... that boy was going to fill his bucket with strawberries not his head! Armed with 2 buckets and $24 lighter in the pocket book we headed out into the field. I have to share the the aisles between the rows is not very big and derrick was having a heck of a time maneuvering his big feet. Not sure why but i wore my burks with sandals and quickly discovered the fine strawberry red colored toes! UGH! The boys seemed to do well with picking. We talked before we walked down the aisle on what to look for (as seen on a previous post) i knew that the strawberry should not have green on the end! Can I tell you that this is back breaking work and i thank all the farmers that do this for a living. You might notice that we are all in jackets on this fine summer day --- lol it sprinkled all the way to carlsbad and was a tad chilly!

We spent about an hour out in the fields and came back with 2 buckets full. I had BIG plans for all these strawberries! I will share that in another post! All in All this was a great experience I would love now to try to do some apple picking in oak glen!