Friday, August 28, 2009

Chicken caesar wraps from Kraft foods.com


What You Need!
3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup croutons
1/2 cup KRAFT Classic Caesar Dressing
4 flour tortillas (8 inch)


PLACE first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing; toss lightly.
SPOON onto tortillas; roll up tightly.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
SubstitutePrepare using KRAFT Ranch Dressing.SubstitutePrepare using KRAFT Finely Shredded Parmesan Cheese.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Craft ideas for kids




You will need:

Egg box
Orange paint
Yellow card
Glue
Green drinking straws
Sticky tape

Instructions:
Paint the bottom of an egg box orange. Leave to dry.
Cut out 6 flower shapes from yellow card.
Cut the egg box into the individual compartments, gluing them to the centre of the flower shapes as the trumpet.
Tape a green straw to the back of each daffodil.

Fresh Seasonal Fruit with Mascarpone Cream




Ingredients

1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint strawberries, cut in quarters
4 ea apricots, seeded and cut in quarters (or ½ cup cut in halves)
4 ea fresh figs, cut in quarters (or ½ cup cut in halves)
¼ cup port wine

Mascarpone Cream
8oz mascarpone cheese
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Fresh mint, chopped

Directions
WASH, dry, and cut fruit.
SOAK fruit in port wine for 30 minutes. Drain.
COMBINE mascarpone cheese, sugar and vanilla together in a separate bowl.
PLACE fruit in a serving dish and top with mascarpone cream. Garnish with chopped mint.

Strawberries Romano

Ingredients

1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup fresh whipped cream
1/3 cup brown sugar
Juice of 1 orange
1 Tbsp Triple Sec
2 qt strawberries, washed and quartered
Fresh mint sprig

Directions
COMBINE mascarpone cheese, brown sugar, orange juice and triple sec together in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Fold in fresh whipped cream.
PLACE berries in a dessert dish or glass. Top with cream mixture. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
CHILL until ready to serve.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Homemade Chocolate Brownie Recipe





Chocolate Brownie Recipe 1.
Cream 1/2 cup butter; add 1 cup sugar, mix in 2 eggs beaten slightly, add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in 2/3 cup sifted flour, add 2 squares bitter chocolate, melted, and 1/2 cup nutmeats.

Use an 8-inch pan lined with wax paper and bake 25 minutes in an oven preheated to 325°F. Be watchful not to over bake; to have underdone is part of the delicious secret.

Chocolate Brownie Recipe 2.

1/3 cup shortening or butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 heaping teaspoons cocoa
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Melt shortening, add sugar, then egg. Sift flour, salt, baking powder. Add nuts. Mix ingredients well together. Put in greased 8-by-8-inch tin. Bake in 375°F oven for 20 minutes, or until done. Ice while still warm.

I love pudding so I decided to find easy homemade pudding recipes enjoy!

Banana Cream Pudding
Beat the yolks of three eggs and three heaping teaspoons sugar very light; then add one pint of rich, sweet cream; pour into a pudding dish and sprinkle over lightly with bread crumbs. Put in a large pan of boiling water and bake in oven from twenty to thirty minutes. When done, cover with a layer of thinly sliced bananas, and spread over the top a meringue made of the whites of three eggs, beaten stiff, with five level tablespoonfuls of sugar. Put in the oven to brown, and serve cold.

 Banana Pudding Recipe
1 quart milk, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoonfuls cornstarch, 1 cup sugar, pinch of salt, bananas. Cook together the milk, eggs, cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Color one third with chocolate and one third with fruit coloring, leaving one third plain. Line the bottom of pudding dish with bananas. Pour in the dark part, next the pink, and lastly the plain white part. Set on ice to get cold, and serve with whipped cream.

Chocolate Pudding Recipe
cup flour, pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 egg beaten light, 2 tablespoons sugar, butter size of a walnut, 1/2 cup milk, 1-1/4 squares melted chocolate. Stir all together, add flour. Butter tin and steam 1 hour. Serve with sauce or whipped cream.

Lemon Cake Pudding

1 tablespoon butter, 1 small cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 cup milk, juice of lemon, 1 egg; cream butter, sugar, and flour; beat yolk and white separately. Add yolk to sugar mixture, add milk and lemon juice; beat and add stiff egg white; place in buttered dish; put dish in second dish containing a little water; bake in slow oven 40 minutes.

Raspberry Cracker Pudding


One large teacupful of cracker crumbs, one quart of milk, one spoonful of flour, a pinch of salt, the yolks of three eggs, one whole egg, and half a cupful of sugar. Flavor with vanilla, adding a little pinch of salt. Mix together. Bake in a moderate oven.

When done, spread over the top, while hot, a pint of well-sugared raspberries. Then beat the whites of the three eggs very stiff, with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a little lemon extract, or whatever one prefers. Spread this meringue over the berries and bake a light brown. Serve with fruit sauce made of raspberries.

Easy homade delicious cookies/bars recipes

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies


Mix well together a cup each of butter and sugar, seven tablespoonfuls of sweet milk, two cups of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking soda, two cups of dry oatmeal, a cup each of seeded raisins and chopped pecans or walnuts or peanuts. This makes a stiff dough and must be kneaded by hand to mix the nuts and raisins well. Drop by the spoonful on buttered tins and press round and thin. Make in rather a quick oven.
 
Crispy Marshmallow Bars


1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup grated chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 pound marshmallows, 5 cups rice cereal. Melt butter and marshmallows over boiling water, stirring often. Add vanilla and beat well. Mix well with cereal and chocolate. Press into a large buttered pan; when cool, cut into sticks or bars.


Bar Cookie Recipe
Beat one egg with one cup brown sugar. Pinch of salt; then add one cup of chopped walnuts, one tablespoon grated chocolate, six tablespoons sifted flour with a little, very little, baking soda. Bake for twenty minutes. When cold, cut in squares.


Caramel Nut Bars


2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup boiling water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons English walnut meat finely chopped, halves of walnuts or almonds to garnish.
Caramelize two tablespoons sugar, add butter and water, and boil two minutes. Remove from fire, add remaining sugar, flour mixed with salt, and walnut meat.
Spread as Rolled Wafers. Crease in two-inch squares, and decorate with nutmeats. Bake in a slow oven, and remove from pan at once.

Chocolate Cookies


2 cups sugar; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water; 1 cup grated chocolate; 1/2 cup butter; 1/2 cup lard. Melt lard, butter, and chocolate. When cool add to sugar and eggs. Flour enough to stiffen. Roll thin. When baked ice with white icing.

Chocolate Fruit Cookies


Raisins and nuts are featured in this chocolate cookie recipe: A deliciously chewy combination!
1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons grated chocolate, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon boiling water, 1 egg, 1/2 cup nutmeats finely chopped, 1/2 cup seeded raisins finely chopped, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder.
Cream the butter and add sugar, gradually. Melt chocolate, add remaining sugar and water, and cook one minute. Combine mixtures, and add remaining ingredients. Chill, shape, and bake same as Chocolate Cookies.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Free LeapFrog Book





Do you have any LeapFrog toys in your house? Earn a free LeapFrog ABC Animal Orchestra board book just for linking those LeapFrog toys up to your Learning Path. You should receive your free book within 6 to 8 weeks.

Expecting a Baby Soon? Sign up at BabytoBee for Freebies







Are you expecting a baby soon? Do you know a Mother-to-be or Father-to-be that would want a lot of FREE stuff for their coming baby? Click Here to sign up for BabyToBee. There is so much to buy for a new baby; expecting parents can always use free samples and gifts.

Kids Eat FREE at IHOP from 4-10 pm Daily


IHOP is giving families a break just in time for back-to-school! Now through September 13, kids 12 and under eat free at participating IHOP restaurants from 4 until 10 pm daily. With IHOP's "Kids Eat Free" promotion, you'll get one free meal from the "Just for Kids" menu for each adult entree purchased. Dine-in only. See the IHOP website for complete details.

I came across this website check it out! http://momitforward.com/





What Is Mom It Forward?


Mom It Forward is the newest trend in women’s groups where making a difference is fun, sociable, accessible, and stylish—the new “in crowd” of women where “mom” is a verb. Not only is it fun, fosters friendships, but it is all for a good cause.
The Mom It Forward mission is “to change the world one mom at a time.” We will achieve that by 1) strengthening and supporting women as individuals, 2) helping them become the best moms and/or influencers they can be, and 3) providing ideas, opportunities to, and recognition for carry(ing) out the Mom It Forward mission in small and large ways, locally as well as internationally.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Coca Cola Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients
Part One• 1 cup coca cola or other cola drink• 1/2 cup butter• 1/2 cup vegetable oil• 1/4 cup powdered cocoa• 22 large marshmallows
Part two• 2 cups all purpose flour• 2 cups sugar• 1 teaspoon baking soda• 1 teaspoon vanilla• 1 cup buttermilk• 2 large eggs, beaten

Coca Cola Cupcake Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. These cupcakes work best with the silver metallic liners.
Part one
In a small saucepan mix cola, butter, vegetable oil and cocoa. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and add marshmallows. Place lid on saucepan and leave until marshmallows begin to melt. Stir well.
Part two
Mix flour, sugar, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.
Combine Part One and Part Two in the mixing bowl. Spoon cupcake batter into cupcake pan liners until they are 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Coca Cola Frosting
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup powdered cocoa• 6 tablespoons coca cola or other cola• 1/2 cup butter• 3 and 3/4 cup powdered sugar (one 1 lb box)• 1 cup chopped pecans• 1 teaspoon vanilla
Coca Cola Frosting Directions
In a medium saucepan, mix together cocoa, cola, and butter. Heat over medium heat until melted then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, pecans and vanilla. Stir until blended well.
Let frosting cool until stiff enough to frost cupcakes. I've been know to eat the leftover frosting with a spoon!

Frosting Tip:
This frosting can be used to fill cupcakes if you work quickly. You can fill a pastry bag with the warm frosting and fill your cupcakes. Extra yummy!

Chocolate Dipped Orange Biscotti

Chocolate Dipped Orange Biscotti

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1 egg white 1/2 cup chopped almonds 2 tablespoons orange zest 4 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in the egg and egg white, then mix in almonds and orange zest. Knead dough by hand until mixture forms a smooth ball. Roll the dough into a log about 10 inches long; place on the prepared cookie sheet. Press down, or roll with a rolling pin, until log is 6 inches wide. Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. After baking, cool on a rack. With a serrated knife, cut into 1 inch slices. Place slices, cut side down, back onto the baking sheet. Return them to the oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes; turning over half way through the baking. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave oven. Allow chocolate to cool but not harden before dipping one side of the biscotti into it. Place cookies on wire racks, chocolate side up, until cool and dry.

blackberry & apple cupcakes



Ingredients for cupcakes

225 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)
215 grams golden caster sugar
225 grams self raising flour
4 large free range eggs (very lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon Madagascan vanilla extract
1 – 2 tablespoons milk
2 crisp granny smith appleslarge shot of ‘sour apple liqueur’ (Luxardo) or use calvados brandy for an even ‘tipsier’ flavour10-20 grams golden caster sugar (to taste)
filling & topping500 - 600ml fresh double cream300 grams fresh blackberries (reserve 12 blackberries to top cupcakes)splosh of ‘sour apple liqueur’10-20 grams caster sugar (to taste – depending on tartness of berries)
You will need a sturdy 12 bun muffin tin lined with 12 muffin cases & a large piping bag with a 15ml plain round nozzle.
For best results make sure the baking ingredients are at room temperature and try not over beat mixture once eggs & flour are added.
method

1. preheat oven to 170-180, gas mark 4 (fan assist 150-160 depending on oven – mine is very fierce so that’s why it seems low temp, adjust accordingly ).
2. peel, chop & gently cook apples, sugar & ‘sour apple liqueur’ in a small covered pan (until very slightly soft). Strain apple and put to one side to cool. Reserve all the lovely apple liquid, as this will be added to whipped cream when cooled.
3. using the same pan put the fresh blackberries, sugar (to taste) & a splosh of ‘sour apple liqueur & cook until ‘jammy’. Leave to cool.
4. in a separate bowl cream butter with wooden spoon adding sugar & vanilla extract beat until light & fluffy.
5. gently mix in the beaten egg & fold sifted flour with a metal spoon.
6. fold cooled apple pieces into cake mixture & add a tablespoon or so of milk if required to ‘slight dropping consistency’ but not too much or apples won’t ‘hold’.
7. using a metal ice cream scoop, spoon mixture into the 12 muffin cases & fill until three quarters full.
8. cook on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Test with skewer. Remove tray from oven & leave for a few minutes. Transfer cupcakes onto wire tray to cool completely.
9. cut out a teaspoon sized piece from top centre of cooled cupcake using a serrated knife.
Add a teaspoon of ‘fresh blackberry jam’ into the centre.
10. start to whip the cream (add the reserved ‘apple liquid’ as just as cream begins to thicken). Whisk into soft peaks & just firm enough to pipe. Fill piping bag with cream mixture. Pipe the cupcake with the cream and top with a fresh blackberry.

Chocolate Mousse





Yield: 2 Quarts
10 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate - cut into 1/2" pieces 2 oz Whole Butter - cut into 1/2" pieces 1/4 cup Strong Coffee or Espresso (room temperature) 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream 6 each Eggs - separated 2 Tbl Granulated Sugar Additional Whipped Cream for garnish Fresh Berries for garnish

Step 1 - Melt the Chocolate, Butter, Coffee and Vanilla over a hot double boiler “DO NOT BOIL THE WATER” stirring frequently until smooth and the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool until the Chocolate is just slightly warmer than room temperature.

Step 2 - Whip the Cream to soft peaks and place in the refrigerator.

Step 3 - Whip the Egg Whites in a bowl until they are foamy, add the Sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.

Step 4 - When the Chocolate is just above room temperature stir in the Egg Yolks. Gently stir in a third of the Whipped Cream, fold in half of the Egg Whites just until incorporated, fold in the remaining Egg Whites and the remaining Whipped Cream.

Step 5 - Portion the mousse into serving glasses or bowls and wrap with plastic, keep in the refrigerator least 4 hours before serving.

Step 6 - When ready to serve garnish with 1 heaping tablespoon of Whipped Cream, fresh Berries and a sprig of Mint.

Holiday Treats