Snowman Shooters

Snowman Shooters

• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 pint of vanilla ice cream
• 1 Small &  1medium ice cream scoops
• 8-12 Mini chocolate chips (or peppercorns)
• 4-6 Small pieces of carrots, cut into tiny spears

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, place the chocolate squares and microwave them for 35-40 seconds, just enough to soften.  Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the chocolate, then return to the microwave for 50-60 seconds.  Remove and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and a thick hot fudge sauce forms.

Spoon hot fudge sauce into the bottom of 4-5 small shooter glasses.  Using a medium-sized ice cream scoop, scoop some of the vanilla ice cream into a rounded ball and plop it carefully on top of the hot fudge sauce.  Use the small sized scoop to do the same, placing the second scoop on top of the first one to create the snowman’s head.

Gently press the carrot nose & chocolate chip eyes into the snowman’s head.  Return to the freezer and allow to freeze until ready to serve (to ensure your shot glasses don’t freeze & crack, I recommend making these just about 1 hour ahead of time).

Bacon & Eggs in Toast Cups

Bacon & Eggs in Toast Cups

• 6 slices of bread
• 6 slices of bacon
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese
• salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin pan with butter non-stick spray.

2. Using a cookie cutter, cut circles out of bread slices about 3 inches in diameter. (I confess I do not have a cookie cutter so I use the lid to my tub of orzo pasta and just cut around the edges ;D)

3. Take bread circles and press them into the muffin pan, set aside.

4. Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Cook bacon on the skillet until partially cooked but still pliable, about 3 minutes.

5. Shape bacon strips into the toast cups, fill with 1 Tbs of shredded cheese. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, allowing the bacon to toast just a little more. Remove from oven.

6. Crack your egg and separate out most of the egg white. Drop eggs into the cups, sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Place back in the oven and cook until white begins to set, about another 8 – 10 minutes.  The yolk should be creamy.

7. Remove from oven when done and pop out using a spoon, serve warm.

Funfetti Whoopie Pies

Funfetti Whoopie Pies

Cookies:

2 sticks softened butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon imitation butter flavor
1 egg
2 cups cake flour
2/3 all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup colored sprinkles (I used the long kind)
More sprinkles for rolling (I used the little round kind)

Beat the butter and sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes or until fluffy. Add the vanilla, butter flavor, and egg. Beat until well combined. Sift in the flours, soda, and salt. Mix to combine. Stir in the sprinkles. Chill the dough. If you're in a hurry, throw in in the freezer. I put it in a gallon ziploc bag and pounded it down flat so it would get cold faster. Preheat the oven to 375º. Take a small piece of the dough, dip in the sprinkles and roll into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until the sheet is filled. Bake about 7 minutes. Keep the remaining dough in the freezer while the other are baking. They will flatten out as the bake and puff up a little when they're done. Sandwich cooled cookies together with filling if desired (recipe below).

Filling:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
2 sticks cold butter, chopped into small cubes
2 tablespoons sprinkles (I used the little round ones)

Beat the cream and vanilla until slightly thickened. Beat in the powdered sugar until thick and smooth. Beat in about one fourth of the cold butter cubes at a time on high speed. Beat for about 10 minutes on high speed in your stand mixer until smooth. Don't be afraid if it looks weird at first. Just keep beating! Fold in the sprinkles. Use to fill cooled cookies.

Oven Tacos Recipe

Oven Tacos

2 lbs ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
1 small onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 recipe for Homemade taco seasoning (below)
1 (8 ounce) can low sodium tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can fat free refried beans
2 cups shredded reduced fat Colby-jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells


Optional Condiments-
Lettuce (shredded)
Tomato (diced)
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Olives, sliced


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Return to pan, add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for a few minutes if mixture seems runny.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.
Remove from the oven and top with any optional condiments for serving.

Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix all together. Store in an airtight container.
I used all of this on 2 lbs of ground meat with a little water mixed in. 



(Link To Original)

Pancake Bites

Pancake Bites

1/2 cup Multigrain Pancake Mix, dry
1/3 cup Soy Milk (any milk would do)
1/4 cup Torani Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
Assorted Toppings: Cooked Sausage, Crumbled Cooked Bacon, Fruit (I used frozen blueberries but banana slices or apples are yum too)

Mix pancake mix, milk, syrup together till thoroughly combined. Pour batter into a non-stick 12 cup mini muffin tin that has been sprayed with Pam. Fill about 3/4 way up.



Top each muffin with sausage, bacon or fruit. Make all one flavor or a combo. If you set the ingredients out family members and whippersnappers can make their own... banana blueberry bacon surprise.

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Serve with warmed Sugar Free Maple Syrup. 

Cake Batter Pancakes

Cake Batter Pancakes

Pancakes

1

cup Original Bisquick® mix

1

cup Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

3

tablespoons candy sprinkles

1

cup milk

1

teaspoon vanilla

2

eggs

Glaze and Garnish

1

cup powdered sugar

1 1/2

teaspoons milk

1/2

teaspoon vanilla

Additional candy sprinkles

1. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)
2. In medium bowl, stir together pancake ingredients until blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until pancakes are golden brown. Stack on serving plates.
3. In small bowl, beat powdered sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with whisk until smooth.
4. To serve, top each serving with glaze and additional candy sprinkles.

Makes 4 servings (3 pancakes each)

(Source)

Cauliflower Tator Tots

Cauliflower Tator Tots

1 12 ounce bag frozen cauliflower
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
salt, pepper, onion powder (to taste)

Cook cauliflower, covered, in microwave for 6 minutes. Pour off water and let stand until cool.

Process well in a food processor, (or rice using other means). I’ve found the smoother texture holds together better than the more coarse texture. As you form cauliflower into its shape, squeeze, working any excess water from the vegetable. Roll into approx. 1.5″ balls and drop into Parmesan. Form into tots by flattening the tops. If the mixture is still too moist and falls apart, work a little of the Parmesan into the tot, and then roll the formed tots into the Parm once again to coat.

Place tots on a greased cookie sheet and freeze for 30 minutes prior to baking to help tots hold their shape. At this point it’s good to note that you can freeze them longer or make these ahead of time. Simply place in a freezer bag after the initial chilling period and store for up to a month.

Below, you can see the uniform shape of the tots. (The ones to the far left were stuffed with American cheese inside, and only incredibly amazing. My kids swiped those. The whole world should be covered in cheese stuffed cauli tots.)

To bake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating tots every five minutes or so for even browning.

Makes about 30 tots. One serving is 6 tots.

(Source)

Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies

Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies

Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies
    makes 30-32
1 box vanilla cake mix, 18.25 oz
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C color sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and baking powder. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the cake mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the sprinkles. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet or silpat.

Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack. They will be very soft at first. 

Cool and enjoy!

(Source)

Rainbow Cake in a Jar

The only better thing than Rainbow Cake is Rainbow Cake in a Jar. Everyone from age 3 to 20 to 80 will want their own edible, sugary rainbow in a jar!

Rainbow Cake in a Jar Recipe

• 1 box white cake mix made according to package instructions
• Neon food coloring in pink, yellow, green, turquoise, and purple
• 3 one-pint canning jars
• 1 can vanilla frosting
• Rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly wash and dry the inside of each canning jar. Spray the inside of each jar thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Scoop about 1/2 cups of cake batter into five small bowls. It doesn’t have to be perfect, don’t panic if you get a little more of less of one color than another.  Tint each bowl of cake batter with the food coloring until very vibrant.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the purple batter into the bottom of each jar.  Spoon equal amounts of turquoise batter, then green, yellow, and pink.  Place the jars in a shallow baking dish, add about 1/4″ in water in the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Remove jars and allow to cool completely before scooping a small portion from the top of your cake and adding a hefty dollop of vanilla buttercream to the top. Sprinkle & serve, or cover with a lid and store in the fridge or pop into the mail & surprise someone you love!

Coke Float Push Up Pops

I am big fan of Coke, and my father is an even bigger fan (he has an entire "coke room" in his house filled with memorabilia), so when I saw these Coca Cola Float Push Up Pops I knew I had to make them for him. They most definitely did not disappoint and have become one of my most favorite dessert recipes! 

Coke Float Push Up Pops

(Makes 12 push-up pops)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Coca-cola (do not use diet!)
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• homemade whipped cream
• maraschino cherries (with stems)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of two 9×13-inch baking dishes or a 24-mini-baking-cup pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, heat the Coca-cola, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy–do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough.

If using cupcake tins, pour the batter into the tins until they are each about 2/3 full, and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

If using the 9×13-inch baking dishes, pour 3 cups of batter into each dish and gently shake so that the batter is even.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Then once the cake has cooled, use an empty push-up pop as a cookie cutter to punch out 24 cake circles.  Set them aside on a piece of waxed paper for assembly.

To assemble the push-up pops, gently press a mini-cupcake or a cake circle into the bottom of a push-up pop.  Then add in a swirl of whipped cream and a de-stemmed maraschino cherry.  Then add another layer of cake, whipped cream, and then top with a (stemmed) maraschino cherry.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

(Original Recipe)

Pie Pops!

Pie Pops!

I saw these Pie Pops today on Pinterest and just can't wait to make them with my little nephew! He loves to help out with cooking and baking and these are just so fun looking.

(Click Here For Recipe And Instructions)

Bones!

White Chocolate Bones

Ingredients

• half package (7 ounces) white meltable candy wafers
• 36 pretzel sticks and thin rods of various lengths

• 72 mini marshmallows (about 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Follow the instructions on the candy wafers package to melt the candy in a wide bowl. For each bone, press marshmallows onto both ends of a pretzel stick or rod, with the marshmallows' flat sides parallel to the pretzel.
2. Dip each pretzel into the melted candy to coat it. Lift it out with a fork, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Place the bone onto a sheet of waxed paper to set at room temperature.

Pizza Grilled Cheese!

Why have I never thought of this? Pizza Grilled Cheese! So easy to make. You can do it in a pan or even on a George Forman Grill!

Pizza Grilled Cheese

4 slices of bread
butter or margarine
4 slices of mozzarella cheese
pepperoni (I used reg and cut in half but mini size would be good too)
Italian seasoning or basil
Parmesan cheese (opt)
pizza sauce for dipping 


Warm a medium/large skillet over medium heat. Butter each piece of bread on one side. When skillet is hot place a piece of bread butter side down on the skillet then add one slice of cheese and small shake of Italian seasoning or basil (add a small shake of parmesan cheese here too if desired). Top with a desired amount of pepperonis (I used about 8 -10 whole regular pepperonis per sandwich) If any other toppings are desired, add now. Add another slice of mozzarella and top with slice bread butter side up. Repeat with second sandwich. When bottom slice is golden brown then flip over carefully. Once both sides are brown remove from pan cut and serve with pizza sauce if desired. Make 2 sandwiches