Apple Dumplings

My daughter was anxious to try these apple dumplings that she found on allrecipes. They were delicious. They didn't last the afternoon at my house.

Ingredients:
2 large Granny smith apples, peeled and cored
2 (10oz) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
12oz of sprite

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x13 inch baking dish. Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish. Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Sprite over the dumplings. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry Cake

I've been wanting to find a good strawberry cake recipe. This was the top rated recipe on allrecipes. It was very good but like many of the reviews said, it was a little dense. The denseness didn't bother me but it did bother my kids. The cool whip frosting was very good.

Ingredients:
2 cups white sugar
1 (3oz) pkg strawberry flavored gelatin
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs (room temp) separated
2 3/4 sifted cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup whole milk, room temp
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries
1 cup strawberry puree to put between layers of cake

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each. Take the egg whites and whip them unitl soft peaks form. Fold them in the batter at the end. Conbine the flour and baking powder, stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Fold in the egg whites. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Alow cakes to cool in their pans for at least 10 minutes before tapping out to cool completely.

Cool Whip Frosting
Ingredients:
8 oz cool whip, thawed
1 3.5 oz vanilla pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

In medium bowl combine pudding mix with milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth, gently fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly over cake.

Meatballs

My next door neighbor is in incredible shape. I could only dream of looking like her. So when she tells me something I listen. For instance when I found out she eats the egg rolls Wal-mart sells, you better bet I went out and bought them for myself. So when I ran a half marathon recently she gave me advice on what to eat to prepare for the race. She gave me a bean salad to eat 2 days before and these meatballs to eat the afternoon before the race. She said they would both give me so much energy--and I think they did. I got the recipe from her so I can make them for myself. It may be my new ritual for long distance races.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs lean (93/7) ground beef
3-4 stalks celery chopped up fine
1 small yellow onion, chopped up fine
bundle of parsley chopped up
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups wheat germ

Directions:
Put the first 4 ingredients in a big bowl. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, and wheat germ and mash it all together. Place water in a big pot and bring to a boil. Make meatballs and add them to the water to boil. Boil for about 40 minutes until done. Boiling the meatballs draws all of the fat away from the meatball so they are healthier.

Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
5 cups diced potatoes
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cups water
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
3 cubes chicken bouillon
4 cups milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
In large pot boil potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and water. Boil about 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. DO NOT DRAIN.
In a separate large pot, melt butter, flour, chicken bouillon, milk, and cheese. Stir this mixture with a whisk the whole time it is cooking to keep it from getting lumpy or burned. Cook at medium heat to thicken. Add to other pot with potatoes and vegetables. Cook 10 more minutes.

Christmas eve Profiteroles

I'm totally just copying this post from my sister-in-law's blog. She served these on Christmas eve and they were so delicious. My husband who is usually not a big dessert eater had 3 of them. So I want to make sure I have this recipe easily at my fingertips because I will be making it again. Of course you can substitute the ice cream for any other flavor and serve any time of the year but the Farr's peppermint ice cream was delicious and very fitting for Christmas eve.

Step 1:

Cream Puffs

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

In a medium saucepan combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to boiling. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.

Drop dough by 12 heaping tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degree for 30-35 minutes or till golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Step 2:

Fill Cream puffs with Farr Better Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

Step 3:
Drizzle with Hot Fudge Sauce. Recipe follows.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk

Bring the above ingredients to a boil and continue to boil for 7-8 minutes. Then remove from heat and add

1 tsp vanilla

Serve warm to hot.

Chocolate drizzled caramel popcorn

I found this recipe on My hombased mom last year. I instantly loved it because there was no messing with candy thermometers and no goopy caramel topping (although that kind of caramel popcorn is good too). Plus it turns out just right every time. It also reminds me of my first trip to New York City when I first tried chocolate drizzled caramel popcorn. I think this popcorn is just as good, if not better because I use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

Ingredients:
16 cups popped corn (I use my air popper)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Karo syrup
1/2 cup butter

Cook sugar, syrup and butter in a glass bowl in microwave on high for one minute. Stir and repeat for a total of five minutes. Should be hot and bubbly.

Add:
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Mix until foamy. Put popped corn into a brown grocery bag. Pour syrup into bag. Stir to coat. Fold bag over. Place in microwave and microwave for one minute and shake. Repeat. Microwave 30 seconds and shake. Repeat. (sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired and shake again--I never do this cause I like chocolate drizzle)

Pour popcorn out to cool on wax paper


Melt 1 cup ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips in the microwave--first for 1 minute and stir then for another 30 seconds and stir until there are no lumps. Then I take the chocolate and drizzle over the cooling caramel popcorn. I then place the pan into the refrigerator to let the chocolate set.

Gingerbread cookies

Photo courtesy of my 3 yr old : ) This is a delicous gingerbread recipe. Many years ago we used to make gingerbread houses and this was a great recipe to use for those as well.

Ingredients:
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger
3 T cinnamon
1 1/8 tsp baking soda
1 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1/3 cup water

Directions:
Sift together 1 cup flour, salt, spices, and soda into a bowl. In mixing bowl cream shortening, sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add egg then slightly warmed molasses. Stir water into mixture. Stir in flour and spice mix gradually. Add remaining flour a cupful at a time just until dough is soft and moist to the touch. Chill dough 6-8 hours ( I chilled for maybe an hour and it was fine). Remove dough, roll out onto waxed paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut into shapes and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Bake as dark as you can without burning (more important for crispy cookies or gingerbread houses I think--I wanted mine more soft so I just cooked for 8 min)

Royal Icing (for use for gingerbread house) Beat 2 egg whites, 1 tsp cream of tartar, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar on high for 7-10 minutes. Put in a tightluy covered bowl or bowl covered with a wet cloth.