Frighfully Fun Recipes!!

Happy Halloween! Here are two frightfully fun recipes that you can make and share at your next Halloween party! They are spooktacular!!!

How cute is this??? You will be the

hit of the party when you show up

with him!!!

Cheesy Jack-O-Lantern

3 green onions, divided
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 8 oz package shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 c finely chopped red peppers
2 slices pepperoni

Cut a 4 inch length from the green end of 1 onion and set aside. Slice remaining onion. Beat cream cheese and 1 1/4 c cheese together with a mixer until well blended. Stir in sliced onions and peppers. Refrigerate 1 hour. Shape into a ball and roll in remaining cheddar cheese. Cut pepperoni into shapes for the eyes, nose and mouth; press into cheese ball to make the face. Insert green onion piece into top for the stem. Serve with crackers

Candy Corm Marshmallow Crispy Treats

1/4 c butter
6 cups mini marshmallows
12 drops yellow food coloring
4 drops red food coloring
6 cups rice crispy cereal
2 cups candy corn

Microwave butter in microwavable bowl on high for 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows and toss to coat. Microwave for 1 1/2 mins or until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring in food coloring after 45 seconds. Add cereal and candy corn; mix well. Press into a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cool completely and cut into bars then cut each bar diagonally in half. Serve and enjoy!

Have a frightfully fun Halloween!!

Mom's Pie Crust

Here's a recipe that I have never tried but didn't want to loose. I am not fond of baking because it takes too much time so I only bake the easy recipes. My mom swore by this recipe as it is not only easy but you make it all in the same pan so there is no mess.

My mom's pies were wonderful and she always said that the key to a good pie is the crust so this recipe must be the key to good pie so give it a try!

Mom's Pie Crust

1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Sift into pie tin
Stir together and add to flour mixture
1/2 c oil
2 tbsp cold mil
pat into pie tin.

Bake this as you would any other pie or pre-bake as a pre-made shell.

Cream Cheese Spritz

This is the best spritz recipe I have ever made and I make it every year at Christmas. This recipe came from an old boss that I had many years ago and it has fast become a tradition at our home during the holidays.

Cream Cheese Spritz

1 c sugar
1 c butter
1 3 oz package cream cheese
1 egg yolk
sprinkle of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond
2 1/4 c flour

Cream together all of the wet ingredients until smooth. Add flour and mix until smooth. Press
through a spritz maker and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 mins. A "done" cookie looks uncooked on top and is very lightly browned on the bottom.

*Double this recipe as it doesn't make a very big batch

Chicken Divan

This recipe is from my friend Cathy and we used to make this all the time. I actually burnt myself out on this and only just recently made it again and it was oh so good! Be careful that when you make this you don't over do it like I did!

Chicken Divan

3 c diced chicken
2 pkg frozen broccoli
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 c croutons

Cook broccoli and line the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Layer with cooked chicken. Mix mayo, lemon juice, soup and curry powder. Pour over chicken and top with croutons and cheddar cheese. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees or until bubbly and heated through.

Red and Green Pepper Sauce

Here's another sauce that Dave has made famous in our house. This is especially good on fish such as swordfish steaks.

Red & Green Pepper Sauce

Dice one red and one green pepper. Saute in olive oil with salt and cayenne pepper. Add as much cayenne pepper as you like, more if hotter, less if not so hot. Cook peppers until crisp tender. Add heavy whipping cream and reduce by half. Pour over fish and garnish with red and green pepper slices.

Mom's Thanksgiving Dressing

We all have recipes that we grew up with and when we make them for others they say "Yuck!" Well this is one of many recipes that I grew up with that is special only to my family. I told you in previous posts that my mom wasn't the best cook and the only spices she ever used was salt and pepper. She always gave cooking a good try but baking was really her forte. Now when you read the ingredients you also think "Yuck" but this is my brothers and my favorite dressing to have at Thanksgiving and think of my mom every time I make this.

Mom's Thanksgiving Dressing

onion, chopped
bread, old or fresh
salt
nutmeg

Heat a small amount of oil in frying pan. Add the onion and fry until the onion is transparent. Meanwhile, wet bread, squeezing out water. Add bread to fry pan, fry. add salt and nutmeg to taste. Add more water to fry pan and cook most of the water out. Serve and enjoy!

At Thanksgiving she would add the giblets of the turkey and instead of water she would use broth from cooking the giblets.

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

I had some extra canned pumpkin that I needed to use up and went blog surfing to find a recipe that I could use and I found this one. I had all the ingredients so I gave it a try and I do have to say that it is fantastic! I hope you try these and like them as much as I did!

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups finely chopped peeled apples

• STREUSEL:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons cold butter or margarine


Directions
1. In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks

Pork Medallion Sauce

Many of you know that my man Dave is a chef and can literally make something out of nothing. When we first were dating he made me this sauce and served it over pork tenderloin medallions and this was so stinking good I had a hard time not licking the plate clean! Since that night, we have made this several times and it is a really nice sauce that would impress anyone who you would serve this to! I hope you try this and like it as much as we do!

Pork Medallion Sauce

Dice one red and one green apple. Saute the apples in butter and add salt, pepper, sage and just enough apple juice to come to the top of the diced apples. Cook until reduced by half. Add heavy whipping cream and cook until reduced and thick. Pour sauce over sliced pork tenderloin and garnish with thin slices of apple fanned out.

Garlicky Green Beans

I found this recipe in a cook book many years ago and thought that I would try it. I love going to the Chinese buffets and the green beans are my most favorite item on the buffet and these come very close to tasting the same!

Garlicky Green Beans

1 lb fresh green beans
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c white wine
1 tsp chicken bouillon
black pepper to taste

Trim beans and wash and drain well. Heat oil and butter on medium to high heat in a 12 inch non-stick pan. Add the beans and stir to coat with the butter and oil mixture. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile, peel and mince garlic and add to the pan. Lower the heat to med and cook stirring for 4-5 mins. or until beans turn bright green throughout.
Add the wine and bouillon. Raise the heat to high and bring everything to a sizzle. Lower the heat t0 medium stirring frequently for 5 mins. or until beans are crisp tender. Season with pepper to taste and serve at once.

Serves 4

Veggie Pizza

Many years ago my friend Jean had a bunch of us over for a lunch and she served this veggie pizza and boy oh boy was it good. I have made this many times and everyone loves it!

Veggie Pizza

2 pkgs crescent rolls (Pillsbury)
Unroll and press into a jelly roll pan and bake 10 mins at 400 degrees. Let cool.
Mix together:
16 oz soft cream cheese
1 c miracle whip
1 Tbsp chopped onions
1 Tbsp dill weed
Whip until spreadable. Spread onto cool crust and top with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of each:
diced green pepper
diced celery
diced fresh tomatoes
sliced green & black olives
cauliflower
diced cucumbers
grated cheddar cheese
Cut into squares and serve and enjoy!

Mexican Salad

Many years ago my mother-in-law gave me a recipe that I liked so much and it makes a lot so I have taken it to many functions and got rave reviews every time!

Mexican Salad

1 lb hamburger browned and drained
add 1 packet of taco seasoning, no water
Chop a small head of lettuce into small pieces and set aside.
1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 small can ripe olives sliced and drained, optional
1 lb grated cheddar cheese
1 tomato diced
1 package taco flavored tortilla chips, crushed
1 small bottle of Catalina dressing

Toss all ingredients together except chips and dressing. Right before serving, add chips and dressing and serve in a large salad bowl.

Freezer Berry Jam

This is really a good and easy jam recipe.

Freezer Berry Jam

4 c raspberries or strawberries
4 c sugar
1 pouch (3 oz) liquid pectin
2 tbsp lemon juice

Mash berries. Measure 2 c berries, stir in sugar and let stand 10 mins.
until sugar dissolves stirring occasionally. Combine pectin and lemon
juice. Add to berry mixture and stir constantly for 5 mins. Ladle at once
into steralized 1/2 pint jars, leaving 1/2 in headspace. Seal and let stand
at room temperature until set then freeze

Marshmellow Cereal Cookies

My mom used to make these and finding this recipe brings back a lot of fond memories. My mom wasn't the best cook but she sure could bake! This is my kinda baking, very fast, easy and no oven required!

Marshmallow Cereal Cookies

1 lb caramels (45)
1 stick butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg large marshmallows

Crush rice krispies and set aside. Melt caramels, butter and milk in a double boiler.
Put marshmallows on a fork, dip into caramel sauce and roll into cereal. Place on wax
paper until firm. these can be frozen.