Getting Back on Track

No more procrastinating. I have to get back on track and get out of this funky mood I've been in for four months. I've been really busy and yet I feel like I haven't done anything constructive. You ever get in one of those moods where you are just mad or dislike everything? Food doesn't taste good, clothes don't feel good, bad hair days, bad face days, ya just want to crawl under and rock and sleep all day days. My two forms of entertainment lately have either been eating or sleeping. I'm one of those "emotional eaters". I get my feelings hurt....I eat. I get upset.....I eat. Depressed......eat. A celebration or a happy occassion......We EAT!!! Ugh!!! I spent the first five months of this year sweating and working my butt off and watching what I eat to loose 15 pounds. It only took two and a half to gain it all back!!! It's September 1st and I am making a vow that starting tomorrow I am going to get back on track and stay on track through the end of the year. Back to exercising, back to working out, back to eating healthy!!!! No more procrastinating! No more excuses! (although I did have some pretty good ones) Cracked my elbow, chipped my thumb, had my heart broken, and broke my toe. All of which were excuses to pig out or not work out.

Fortunately, most of those have healed and life will go on. I just need to stay focused and make healthy choices for myself, physically and emotionally. Now, check out this new cake recipe!!! Ha Ha!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Today's the big day!

Well, it's finally here!  The most fun day of the year, well for me anyway.  I've got my pumpkin earrings on, my Halloween socks on and the cutest Halloween shirt that my sister gave me for my birthday. The house is all decked out in ghost, witches and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes.  If only I weren't too old to trick or treat!

I've always felt that there was a little inner witch in me somewhere.  Not necessarily good and not necessarily bad, just wickedly fun with a few tricks up her sleeve.  My kids are grown so there won't be any trick or treating with them, but, I do have little nieces and nephews and some of us are going to trick or treat around our town square this afternoon.  It's a beautiful day outside today and so it should be great fun.  I'm going to dress Mr. Little Bob up in his bumble bee costume and put him in his stroller.  (Yes, I said stroller.  He has the cutest red stroller that I take him places with me!)  Anyway, after going to town this afternoon I plan to borrow my mother in laws house to pass out candy to the little ghost and goblins that will be haunting her neighborhood tonight.  I live too far out in the country and we don't get trick or treaters in my neck of the woods.  Afterwards I'll probably come home and watch something scary on TV.  My big Halloween celebration was this past Saturday night at a party held at my sister in laws house. It also happened to be my birthday so there was a lot to celebrate.  I had a fantastic birthday and great fun at the party.  Too bad I wasn't born on the 31st.  How fitting would that be for this witch at heart



                        Happy Halloween to all of my readers!  

Halloween Pretzel Rods

1 package of pretzel rods
1 package of candy coating, white chocolate or milk chocolate
Holiday candy sprinkles




Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt candy coating in microwave safe bowl in 30 minute intervals until melted and smooth.  Working quickly, dip or spread candy coating on pretzel rod, leaving about 2 inches at one end to hold on to while decorating.  Coat by dipping or by spreading chocolate with a spoon and then shake off or spin pretzel rod around to shake off excess chocolate.  Sprinkle liberally with candy sprinkles in colors of whatever holiday you are focusing on.  These were done using Halloween sprinkles but I have also made them for Easter and Christmas and they would also be cute for Fourth of July as well.

As soon as you coat the pretzel and sprinkle on the candy, place pretzel onto baking sheet to dry.  You can put all of the finished pretzels in the freezer for 10 minutes to completely set and cool the chocolate coating.  Store in a air tight container until ready to serve.

These are a great sweet/salty snack and very easy to make.  They look pretty if you package two or three in a variety of colors into holiday treat bags to give as gifts.

Almond Finder Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups toffee bits
3/4 cup finely chopped toasted almonds
5 dozen sliced almonds
2 cups red candy melts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.  In another large bowl, combine butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 - 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add almond extract, beating well.  Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir in toffee bits and chopped almonds.  Using your hands, roll into 5 dozen (2 x 1/2 inch) logs.  Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.  Place 1 almond slice at one end of the log to  make a fingernail.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Bake until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.  Cool on pans for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a microwave safe bowl, microwave candy melts on high in 30 second intervals, stirring until melted and smooth.  Working quickly, dip end of cooked cookie "finger" in candy.  Place on parchment paper.  Cool completely, repeat with remaining fingers.

These cookies were very tasty!!  The hard part is getting them to stay in the shape of a finger without spreading out so far that they end up looking like Big Foot's big toe!  I tried putting them in the freezer to get them colder than the fridge for 10 minutes and this seemed to help some but they still spread out too big.  I also tried making the logs smaller and thinner and that helped too but to me they still spread out more than finger size.  I think the key is to make them small, refrigerate for about 15 minutes or freeze for about 8 minutes before baking and maybe they won't spread out too far.  Taste wise, I would use this recipe again and just make them into round cookies and maybe just drizzle melted chocolate across the top to decorate.  This would work as a Christmas cookie, Valentines, etc.  Yummy, toffee, almond taste!

Mr. Little Bob Bumble Bee

Last year MLB was a pirate.  This year I decided to go with a bumble bee.  Needless to say by looking at the picture, he WAS NOT a happy camper about his costume!!!  It's just one day, I figure, deal with it!  Little does he know that in about two hours I am taking him down to our town square for some trick or treating with him dressed in the costume. (No, he's not going for the candy, we are going along with my little nieces.)  Hey, he should be lucky it's not cold and I don't make him wear a coat and hat over his outfit!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Witch Hat Cheese Ball

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, soften
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded Italian 5-cheese blend
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
2 tbsps Italian seasoning
1 tbsp ketchup
2 cups finely crushed blue corn tortilla chips
1 cup finely crushed green or orange tortilla chips
Assorted crackers


In the work bowl of a food processor, combine cream cheese and mayonnaise.  Pulse to combine.  Add cheese blend, mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese, pulsing to combine.  Add pepperoni, Italian herbs and ketchup, pulse to combine.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. Make a disk shape with half of the cheese mixture.  Cover with crushed blue chips.  Form remaining half of cheese mixture into a cone shape.  Dip flat bottom of cone into the crushed green or orange chips.  Press blue chips onto top and sides of cone.  Place on top of the disk.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serve with assorted crackers.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Mummy Cupcakes

1 package of devil's food cake mix
1 can of ready-to-decorate cake icing in white
black and red gel icing or candy googly eyes

Okay, this is a no brainer.  Prepare cake mix and bake into cupcakes as directed on cake mix box.  Devil's food or chocolate works best as you want a bit of a dark background to show through the strips of frosting that make the mummy's face.  Bake cup cakes 18-20 and cool completely.

Using a tub of ready-to-decorate cake icing in white (it comes with tips), use the flat open end tip and create random strips across the top of a cooled cupcake to simulate bandages to form the mummy's face.  If some of the cake is showing between the strips that is fine, it gives it more character and makes the strips easier to notice.   Place a drop of red gel icing in position for the eyes and a dab of black gel icing to make the pupils.  I used candy googly looking eyes instead that I found on the cake baking isle at the grocery store.  I figured this would be easier to do especially if you don't have a real steady hand to make the eyes with the gel icing.  These are easy to make and you don't have to be an expert to make them!


Another decorating idea is to create a spider web effect or you can also make bloodshot eyeballs.  You can use ready to decorate icing in red or black, starting at the center of the cupcake make a circular motion or spiral motion and go around and around from the center to the outer edge with the frosting.  Drag a toothpick through the icing starting at the center, making straight lines out to the edge of the cupcake.  Do this about 1/4 inch apart all the way around (about 5-6) times.  This is what gives the cupcake the spider web effect.  You could also spread white frosting on the cupcake surface and then use black or red in the spiral/spider web motion to create even better webs or bloodshot eyes.  Place a googly eye or use frosting to form the center of the eyeball.  (googly eyes may be a bit too small for this one)  Basically, just have fun and be creative!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Owl Pizza

1 owl, feathers removed
just kidding :)

1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 flat bread or prepared pizza dough/crust
1/2 cup shredded three-cheese Italian blend
2 slices onion (eyes)
12 slices pepperoni (wings and eyes)
1 black olive, sliced (eyes, I used green)
1/4 red bell pepper (nose)
1/4 orange bell pepper (ears)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread pizza sauce over flat bread or pizza dough/crust leaving a 1/2 inch border; sprinkle with cheese in the shape of an owl.  Use 5 slices of pepperoni per wing,  placing pepperoni on each side of body, slighly overlapping slices.  For the eyes, place onion slices on face.  Place a pepperoni slice on each onion; top each with a olive slice.  Cut red and orange peppers into triangles.  Place 1 red triangle in the center for nose; place orange pepper triangles for ears.  Bake at 375 for 8 - 10 minutes or until heated and cheese melts.  For a crisper pizza bake 12 - 15 minutes.

Cat Pizza

1 cat, hair removed
Got ya again!

1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 flat bread or prepared pizza dough/crust
1/2 cup shredded three-cheese Italian blend
1/4 orange bell pepper
1 black olive, halved (I used green, for eyes)
1 medium zucchini, peeled (for ears and whiskers)
1/2 red bell pepper (nose and mouth)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread pizza sauce over pizza dough or crust leaving a 1/2 to 1 inch border.  Sprinkle with cheese in center for the face, leaving a 1 inch border.  Cut orange bell pepper into pointy ovals, top with black olives for eyes.  Cut red bell pepper for nose and mouth.  (for the mouth, cut red bell pepper in 2 pieces)  Cut peeled zucchini into 2 triangles and place as ears.  Place 3 julienned zucchini on each side of the nose for whiskers.  Bake at 375 for 8 - 10 minutes or until heated and cheese melts.  For crisper crust bake 12 - 15 minutes.

Black Cat Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 tsps vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup baking cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
48 candy corn candies
24 red hot candies or red M&Ms

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.  Roll dough into 1-1/2 inch balls.  Place 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet.

Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.  (May need to moisten the glass bottom first)  Pinch top of cookie to form ears.  For whiskers, press a fork twice into each cookie.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes or until cookies are set.  Remove from the oven and immediately press on candy corn for eyes and red hots or M&Ms for noses.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Makes 2 dozen

I have to say that I expected a lot more from these cookies.  It takes a little patience to make them and frankly I wouldn't make them unless you are baking them for a class party for small children.  I've baked a lot of home made cookies in my day and having done so, my bunch expects a great tasting cookie.  These are on the bland side if you ask me.  I used cinnamon sugar on my cookies instead of regular hoping that it would improve the taste but it didn't.  If you were making these cookies in your own kitchen with small children then it would be a fun fall project to do together but I wouldn't make these and serve them to adults who are use to cookies with some sort of chips added in.  On a scale of 1 - 10 I give these a 4.  :(

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Grilled Mummy Fingers

36 (8 inch) wooden skewers
2 pounds extra-large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
Cocktail sauce

Spray grill rack with nonstick, nonflammable cooking spray.  Preheat grill to medium heat (300 to 350 degrees).
Soak skewers in water to cover at least 20 minutes, drain and set aside.
In a large bowl add shrimp and olive oil; toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Carefully skewer shrimp, head end first. Make sure entire shrimp is on the skewer all the way up to the tail to form the "mummy" fingers. Grill shrimp in batches, turning skewers once halfway through cooking until shrimp are pink and firm, about 10 minutes.  Serve with cocktail sauce.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Mummy's Taco Dip

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tbsps minced garlic
1 (1 pound) package ground sirloin
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce package shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 15.25-ounce can black beans, drained
3 tbsps olive oil
2 10-inch four tortillas, cut into 1 inch strips
Garnish:  tortilla chips, sliced green olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.  In a large saucepan or skillet, melt butter.  Add onions and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add ground sirloin; cook until browned and crumply, about 15 minutes.  Add taco seasoning and diced tomatoes and green chiles.  Cook, stirring often, for 10  minutes, or until liquid is almost completely reduced.  Add cream cheese and shredded cheese; cook, stirring often, until melted and smooth.  Stir in black beans.  Spoon mixture into prepared dish.  Lightly brush tortilla strips with olive oil.  Place tortilla strips in desired mummy-face pattern.  Bake taco dip mixture for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with tortilla chips and sliced green olives, if desired. Serve war with tortilla chips.

This dip was pretty easy to make and was extremly tasty.  My guys really liked it and so did I.  It had a nacho, taco, cheesy taste and it was good to have a dip that you serve warm as opposed to a cold dip.  You could make this dip any time and just top it with extra cheese before you bake it instead of dressing it up like a mummy.  It would make a great dip at Super Bowl time or when you have to bring a dish to a potluck get together.