This totally ruined my lunch!......Recipe

My mom sent me home the other day with a bag of some delicious treats she had made. My husband discovered them - loved it - then my son, he kept sneaking them off the plate and then I proceeded to "snack" on them throughout the morning and by lunch time.......well you know the what happened. I guess the saying it true that if you eat sweets before lunch/dinner it WILL ruin the meal. Oh but these treats were such a yummy meal! (ha ha ha)

And because something so good (and easy) to make shouldn't be kept to myself, I'm sharing it today! These are great for all the upcoming Holiday parties you will be hosting and attending. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Orange Crunch

1 pound white chocolate (2 boxes of Bakers' Chocolate)

1 tsp orange extract

1 cup of Rice Krispies

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Create a double boiler by putting a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Add the white choc. (I broke the squares in half) and the extract and let it set for a few minutes. Stir until it's smooth. (Don't overheat the white choc., or it will seize.) Remove the bowl from the pan and reserve 2 tbls. in a small bowl and tint with orange food coloring. Add the rice cereal to the large bowl and stir until combined. Pour out onto the baking sheet and spread to an even thickness. With a small spoon or fork, drizzle stripes of orange tinted choc. over the surface of the candy. Refrigerate the choc. for about an hour and then break into pieces

Note: If the orange choc. gets to firm to drizzle, stir in about 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil until smooth and loosened.

Try this with different flavored extracts, like lemon or coconut!

Thanks MOM for sharing the Recipe!

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Is this a cooking blog????,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

*snicker* - the answer is no, but I do want to share a few more recipes if you will endulge me. :) 

I have been trying to get back in the habit of planning out a couple of weeks worth of menus and then doing my grocery shopping - been feeling in a bit of a recipe "slump" and would love to infuse some new easy, family friendly meals. Enter the Nanny Goat blog - and just in time! I stumbled across their blog right when they are having a recipe swap! How perfect is that???? They posted some of their favorites and then others link up and post some of the favorite recipes too! 

So to help un-slump my recipe box I am hopping on the band wagon! Here goes!

Mexican Beef and Bean

1 lb ground beef

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 clove garlic minced

1 can corn (drained)

1 can pinto beans or red beans (drained)

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 8 oz tomato sauce

1/2 c. water

1 4oz. chopped green chili peppers (drained) - I usually leave these out b/c my kids don't like them

1/2 cup olives (sliced)

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Brown the hamb., onion and garlic. Combine the rest, heat through and serve over crushed tortilla chips. (optional - sour cream)

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Sloppy Joes

Brown 1 lb. Hamburger with 1/4 c. chopped onion

Add: 1 can Tomato Soup

2-4 T. Sweet Pickle Relish

1 T. Brown Sugar

1 T. Vinegar

1 T. Worchestire Sauce

Serve on Buns

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Chili Bake and Cornbread

1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef

1 pkg. Taco Seasoning

1/2 c. water

1 can corn, drained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Brown meat, drain. Stir in Taco Seasoning, water, corn and tomato sauce. Pour into a 2 qt. casserole dish. ( I sometimes like to stir in a can of chili or an extra can of beans)

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 min. 

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Yummy Cornbread (moist and cake like)

2 c. Buttermilk Baking Mix (like Bisquick)

6 TB. Cormeal

1 c. sugar

mix above ingredients

Beat 2 eggs with 1 cup milk. Add 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix wet and dry ingredients. 

Bake in a greased 9x13 at 350 for 20-25 mins.

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I bake the chili and cornbread at the same time. Serve the chili over a square of cornbread in a bowl. Top with sour cream (optional)

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More happy....Recipe

I thought I would share a recipe that I simply love! I made it for an after school snack the other day. It definately makes me happy :) - I could almost eat these for breakfast they are so good! (thanks to my hubby's Aunt S. for sharing the recipe!)




Oatmeal Bars

2 cubes (1 cup) of butter/margarine
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp water

1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup of chocolate chips, raisins, nuts or whatever you prefer.

Melt butter and add all the ingredients in order. Lightly press the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 for about 15 mins. Enjoy warm from the oven with a glass of milk! so yummy.....

- I like to make this recipe and divide the batter in half between two greased 8x8 pans. Then I put chocolate chips in one pan (for the kids) and raisins in the other (for me and my husband).

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Holiday yumminess....

I always appreciate getting a new recipe to spice up the hum drum of what I make day to day - year to year. But even better is when the recipe has been tried out and I know it's a good one. So, I'm passing this one along to you. My sister law wowed us at Thanksgiving with this appetizer and it was a hit last night at a Christmas Party that I took this dish to.
(photo is not mine - courtesy of whatscookingamerica.net)


Cranberry Salsa
1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries
4 small green onions, finely chopped
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped - I put this in the food processor to chop it tiny
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, finely grated
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 box Wheat Thins


Rinse, drain, and pick over cranberries, discarding all that are bad or bruised. Place them in the food processor and pulse them until finely chopped but not mushy.

In a large bowl, mix in green onions, sugar, cilantro, ginger, lemon juice.
Cover and refrigerate for 4 or so hours.

Serve over the cream cheese block and eat with Wheat thins

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