Recipes Reviews and Gadgets

This sounds Yummy!

Peanut Butter Pie
1 5 oz. pkg. Jell−O Instant Vanilla Pudding
2 cups cold skim milk (you could use any milk you like)
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
1−1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 prebaked pie shell of your choice (use a ready made, refrigerated
crust, or you can bake your own), lightly browned
1 − 8 Ounce container of Cool Whip (or store brand equivalent)
Garnish: chocolate syrup & crushed peanuts
Whisk together pudding mix and cold milk in bowl until creamy. Add 1/2 cup
whipped whipping cream, peanut butter. Whisk until completely blended. Pour
into baked pie shell, cover with generous layer of Cool Whip whipped
topping. Put in freezer for 1 hour until set. Remove from freezer, drizzle
with your favorite chocolate syrup & crushed peanuts. Cover, chill 2 hours,
serve.

My husband loves barbecue sauce and I do not care for it, so I always forget to buy it. However, we always seem to have an abundance of ketchup which I am not a big fan of either. I decided to try to make some barbecue sauce for my husband. I found some recipes online, but they all seemed too sweet or to tangy. I combined a little of this and that and this what I came up with.

Barbecue Sauce

1/2 onion diced

2 cloves of garlic (more or less as much as you like)

3 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 T white vinegar

2 T Molasses or Brown Sugar

1 tsp prepared mustard

1 Cup Ketchup

1/2 Cup water

1 tsp corn starch

Few dashes of liquid smoke

Few dashes of hot sauce

Sauce onions and garlic until tender. Mix in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, molasses (brown sugar), and mustard. Cook for five minutes, then add ketchup, liquid smoke, hot sauce, water and corn starch until thick. Reduce heat to low and cook until thick.

Here is a candy recipe that tastes similar to the real thing!

Ingredients (26 servings)
4 c (8 1/2−oz) shredded coconut
1/4 c Light corn syrup
1 pk (11 1/2−oz) milk chocolate pieces
1/4 c Vegetable shortening
26 Whole natural almonds (1−oz)
Line two large cookie sheets with waxed paper. Set large wire cooling rack
on paper; set aside.
Place coconut in large bowl; set aside.
Place corn syrup in a 1−cup glass measure. Microwave on high (100%) 1 minute
or until syrup boils. Immediately pour over coconut. Work warm syrup into
coconut using the back of a wooden spoon until coconut is thoroughly coated.
This takes a little time, and yes, there is enough syrup.
Using 1 level measuring tablespoon of coconut, shape into a ball by
squeezing coconut firmly in palm of one hand, then rolling between both
palms. (HINT: Measure out all of the coconut then roll into balls.) Place 2
inches apart on wire racks. Let dry 10 minutes. Reroll coconut balls so
there are no loose ends of coconut sticking up.
Place milk chocolate and shortening in a 4−cup glass measure or 1 1/2 quart
microwave−safe bowl. Microwave on high 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture can
be stirred smooth and is glossy; stirring once or twice.
Working quickly, spoon 1 level measuring tablespoon of the chocolate
over each coconut ball, making sure chocolate coats and letting excess
chocolate drip down onto waxed paper. While chocolate coating is still soft,
lightly press whole almond on top of each. Let stand to set or place
in refrigerator. Store in a single layer in airtight container.
Keeps best if refrigerated. Makes 26.

This is kind of neat. I have not done it yet, but it looks fun, and would make a nice gift. You create your own cookbook! You gather your families favorite recipes and follow the instructions to create the cookbook! I did not go through all the steps and you do have to have a Sam’s membership to continue (which I do have). Good luck and have fun!

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=13832&est=381&mid=kraft

I did not go through the steps so

Remember that Green Goddess dressing back in the day. I saw it at the Old Vermont Country Store! Well you can make it yourself! To be honest I don’t remember what it taste like or if I even liked it! Maybe they still do still sell it but not around here.

Green Goddess Dressing
2 oz. can anchovy fillets
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 Tbls. chopped chives
1 Cup Mayonaise
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tbls. tarragon vinegar
1/2 teas. salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for
about 20 seconds. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

A bag theater style microwave popcorn popped and pick over for
unpopped kernels (very important not to have unpopped kernels in the
finished product)
Pour popcorn into large bowel
Add
1-2 cups of rice krispies
1/2-1cup cup chopped pecans

Pull out and break apart gently.

My friend gave me this years ago, it has some odd ingredients, but it makes an interesting gravy. It comes out great every time.

1 Beef Roast (to fit your crockpot)
1/2 Cup of Water
1 Packet of Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Packet of Italian Dressing Mix
1 Packet of Brown Gravy Mix

Put roast in crockpot, pour water around the base.
Sprinkle all 3 dry seasoning packets over roast.
Cook for 6-7 hours on low. Remove roast to cutting
board and let sit 15 minutes; slice thinkly across
the grain (electric knife works best).

How about making your own Cracker Jacks!!!!

4 Quarts Popped popcorn
1 Cup Spanish peanuts
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Brown sugar
1/2 Cup light Corn syrup
2 Tablespoons Molasses
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Combine popcorn and peanuts in a metal bowl or on a cookie sheet
and place in preheated oven. Combine all remaining ingredients in a
saucepan. Stirring over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil.
Using a cooking thermometer, bring the mixture to the hard−ball stage
(260−275 degrees). This will take about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the popcorn and peanuts from the oven and, working very quickly,
pour the caramel mixture in a fine stream over them.
Then place them back in the oven for 15 minutes.
Mix well every five minutes, so that all of the popcorn is coated.
Cool and store in a covered container to preserve freshness.

Why gain weight going to Dunkin Donuts, when you can eat unhealthy right at home!!! LOL

1 pkg. regular or quick−acting yeast
1/8 cup warm water (105−115 degrees)
3/4 cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/6 cup shortening
2 1/2 cups all−purpose flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, egg,
shortening and 1 cup of flour. Beat on low speed while scraping bowl for
30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes.
Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise in warm place
until double, about 50−60 minutes. Turn dough onto floured surface.
Roll dough 1/2− inch thick. Cut with round cookie cutter. Cover and
let rise on floured baking sheets until double, 30−40 minutes. Heat
vegetable oil in deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350. Slide doughnuts into
hot oil. Turn doughnuts as they turn golden brown, about one minute on
each side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surfaces) and drain.
When cool, make small hole to insert vanilla frosting. Take a sharp
knife and carefully make a large cavity inside of the doughnut to hold
the frosting. Fill the doughnuts generously with vanilla frosting and
dust heavily with powdered sugar. Makes: 12 doughnuts
VANILLA FROSTING FOR FILLING:
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 tbsp. milk
Cream butter and shortening, gradually add sugar 1/2 cup at a time.
Add milk and vanilla, beat until light and fluffy.

I was going to a party with some shrimp this past weekend and realized I did not have any cocktail sauce. I made my own, and now I will never buy it from the store again! It was good.

Cocktail Sauce

6 Tablespoons of Ketchup

Tablespoons of Horseradish (you can adjust to this to your liking)

2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice (need to adjust this too)

A dash of hot sauce

A sprinkle of celery salt