Honey Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

oven at 350

1/2 stick of butter
1/3 cup white sugar

cream

1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

mix

in a separate bowl combine

1 cup oats
1 cup flour (I use half regular half whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (maybe more if you think you need it)

Add to butter, sugar, egg, honey, vanilla mixture and mix until combined.

3/4 cup golden raisins (or whatever dried fruit you have on hand that sounds good)

Mix to combine

Distribute in walnut sized scoops on cookie sheets. Flatten them just a little.

Bake for about 15 minutes. Let them cool on the pans for about 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool.

Holiday Appetizers - Cheese Puffs

Thanks to the Pioneer Woman www.thepioneerwoman.com - this appetizer struck a chord from my youth.

I vividly remember a New Years Eve party my parents threw in the late 70s where we made these cheese puffs. We frosted bread with this cheesy mixture, and my sister and I ate more than our fair share!

Finally found, this recipe will be part of my impromptu New Years gathering - either before Ice Skating or after...

Thanks, Ree!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Crusty French Bread, Cut Into 1-inch Cubes
• ½ sticks Butter
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Shallot, Minced
• 1-½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Sliced
• 1-½ cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 2 whole Egg Whites, Beaten

Preparation Instructions

Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add Dijon and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low.

Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add grated cheddar and stir until melted. Turn off heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in egg whites.

Dunk bread cubes in cheese, coating thoroughly. Place on a nonstick baking mat or sheet of waxed paper and freeze for 20 minutes, uncovered. Remove frozen chunks from tray and place into a Ziploc bag. Store in the freezer.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place frozen cheese puffs on a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper, and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Candy Treats - Caramel Nut Truffles

Just saw this one this morning - of course, it's far from "Wendy Safe" - sorry, Wen! But, perhaps there's something that you can figure out to non-emulsifier it up...

We need:

1. Caramel Hershey Kisses
2. 1/2 cup cream
3. Crushed nuts
4. Pam Spray
   

Unwrap bowl full of caramel hershey kisses
Pour over enough cream to cover
Microwave 15 seconds
Stir
Cool in refrigerator for 4 hrs

Spray hands with Pam
Ball up a palm full of chocolate
Press another kiss in the center
Roll in nuts

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spaghetti con Zucchine

While Kate insists tonight that she does not like zucchini (since when?) she devoured the spaghetti and kept telling me how much she loved it while she ate! Ken and I both thought it was good enough to serve company and it was super quick to make too!

Serves 4
1/2 lb spaghetti
3 medium zucchini (about a pound)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
a few fresh basil leaves (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Make sure not to overcook it because at the end, you have to stir and stir and stir to make the creamy sauce.

Slice zucchini into thin rounds with the skin on. Saute the zucchini in 2 tbsp of olive oil until tender.

Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining the spaghetti. Chop butter into cubes and put in the bottom of the pan you used to cook the spaghetti, or in the bowl you plan to serve the pasta in. Place the spaghetti on the butter, add a little of the reserved pasta water and stir until the butter is completely melted. Alternate grated parmesan and reserved pasta water until it forms a creamy sauce on the spaghetti. Taste to make sure you have enough cheese. After the spaghetti is prepared with the butter/cheese sauce, add the zucchini and any oil left in the pan. Toss well to incorporate sauce into zucchini and zucchini into spaghetti. Serve with salt, pepper and chopped fresh basil leaves.

Halloween Treats!

Or, as I like to say, the knee bone's connected to the thigh bone... the thigh bone's connected to the hip bone...

AND in honor of our little "Naughty Skeleton" I'd like to share this yummy halloween treat -- Funny Bones! Please visit Epicurious for all the info... but basically, here's what you'll need:

• 1 package white chocolate chips (2 cups)
• Pretzel sticks
  
• mini-marshmallows (about 1 cup) -- the really teeny tiny ones...

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

2. Place the chips in a double boiler over just-simmering water and melt, stirring frequently. I suck at melting chocolate, anyone will tell you. I also don't own a double boiler. I use 2 pans, one over a larger one, and do my darndest not to singe my arm hair in the process. This'll be fun with the kids. I think an equally fun thing would be to use the fondue pot, but I don't have one of those right now either. Come to think of it, I haven't had a fondue pot since Wendy & Ken's fondue party about 12 or 13 years ago. Wendy?? Where's my fondue pot??? (kidding).

3. Stick marshmallows onto both ends of the pretzels, with the marshmallows’ flat sides parallel to the pretzel. (This will be the kid's thing to do. What's the over/under on the kids eating all the marshmallows, sucking off the chocolate, and leaving me with slobbery stumps of salt-free pretzels? 20 minutes?

4. Dip each pretzel in the chocolate and lift out with a fork, letting the excess drip back in the bowl. (See note above. And, if we survive 20 minutes, I ask you. WITH A FORK??? Hands in chocolate, chocolate on clothes, on floor, in hair...hmmm maybe this recipe isn't the best idea...)

Lay the bones on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to harden the chocolate. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at a cool room temperature.

Yes, Epicurious. We will store the leftovers. I however don't think there will be any. Erp. Will post the results after we make this later today... Off to fetch kiddos and go to Walmart to buy supplies. And material for Rachel's Ghost Cape and Ellie's Naughty Skeleton costume.

Pray for me.

Homemade "ice cream" in 30 minutes flat

How to manage the perpetual request for sugary treats... every mother's constant struggle - right? Well mine at least. In a fit of creative inspiration, I concocted this "ice cream" recipe that I can feel good about serving as an afternoon snack. Its a great recipe for the kids to participate in too.

2 bananas
2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Mash bananas and mix in remaining ingredients. Pour into ice cream maker and wait to freeze (about 20 minutes depending on your ice cream maker). Serve. Smile when they say "I Love Ice Cream" knowing that its good for them too. I guess if you don't want to keep plain yogurt on hand (I do because I love it with trader joes lemon curd and frozen blueberries) you can sub the yogurt, honey and vanilla for vanilla yogurt. Also, I used whole milk yogurt which I'm sure helps the creaminess of it.

Mama's Makin Meatloaf!

Well, last night we had meatloaf. I love meatloaf. It's my ultimate comfort food--thoughts of mom in the kitchen, scrunching it together, chopping onions, letting me help by adding the "secret ingredient"... (read cheddar cheese!)

ahhhhhhhhhhh

But, I have daughters who view this sort of meal with disdain. So, what's a mama to do?

Fun it up!

I prepared the meatloaf as usual...
Preheat oven to 350

In Kitchenaid mixer (or large stainless bowl) add:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion

Mix.

• Press 2/3 of ground beef mixture into foil lined loaf pan, and create depression in center
• Fill with generous amounts of shredded cheddar cheese
• "Top" with remaining beef mixture
• Cover top with barbecue sauce (It's delicious, I promise)
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
  

When 13 minutes to done... fill a pan with pilsbury ready-made buttermilk biscuits
Turn up heat to 375 and finish cooking.

They should be golden brown by the time the timer goes DING!

And, we use instant mashed potatoes, but if you feel the need to boil them and mash them yourself, have at it. Crash Hot Potatoes would also work well here, but are harder to FUN UP.

I diced the meatloaf, gave each kid a biscuit, and created "mashed potato men" with a baby carrot nose, and eyes, and broccoli arms.

I should have done ghosts, I thought afterward, but my daughter insisted the "mashed potato men" were great.

There was laughter. There was harmony. No one argued. Everyone ate. Including their dad. AND, we made it to cheer leading practice on time. Overall, this one was a slam-dunk. Adding to the Fall Arsenal!