Caramel Apples

Recipe from: Cooking Light

Yield: 16 apples (serving size: 1 apple)

Ingredients:

16 wooden sticks
16 small apples, chilled
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Push wooden sticks into the top of chilled apples. Return apples to the refrigerator until caramel is ready for dipping.
2. Place sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large saucepan; boil, stirring until dissolved. Boil, without stirring, 9 minutes or until light golden.
3. Combine half-and-half, vanilla, and salt; slowly stir into pan. Boil until candy thermometer reaches 235° (45 minutes), stirring frequently.
4. Pour caramel into a bowl sitting in a hot water bath. Swirl apples in caramel, and place on baking sheet lined with wax paper.

Dirt Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds of Oreo cookies (1 package)
1/2 cup melted butter
12-oz. container of Cool Whip (I used Fat Free)
8-oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 packages vanilla instant pudding mix
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Gummy worms (optional)

Directions:

1. Crush cookies in blender.
2. Using clean flower pot or bowl, put a layer of "dirt" (cookies) in the bottom. 3. Combine butter, whipped topping, cream cheese and powdered sugar and layer over "dirt".
4. Combine pudding, milk and vanilla; blend until thickened. Add a layer over first mixture.
5. Continue to alternate layers, reserving "dirt" for top layer.
6. You can decorate with Gunny worms.
7. Refrigerate.

Mocha Macadamia Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon boiling water
1 cup plus
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces semisweet chocolate candy bars, chopped
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until softened. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in egg, vanilla and salt.
3. Dissolve espresso powder in the boiling water, add to butter mixture and beat well.
4. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and beat combined. Stir in chopped chocolate and nuts.
5. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 36.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
2/3 cup water

Directions:

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt into a medium bowl.

2. Combine the sugar and oil in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin.

3. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the water, mixing well after each addition.
4. Spoon into 2 greased and floured 5x9-inch loaf pans.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the loaves test done.

6. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes two loaves.


If you need a sifter, splurge and buy the Williams-Sonoma Flour Sifter here. It was so easy and fast.

Zesty Spaghetti

Ingredients:

1 can (6oz.) tomato paste

-fill 3 times with water

1 package McCormick Thick & Zesty Spaghetti Sauce mix

1 small onion

seasonings to taste (I used red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and garlic powder)

1 lb. ground beef (I used 1 lb. ground sausage)

spaghetti noodles (or pasta of choice)

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef (or sausage) and drain.

2. Add tomato paste, water, mix, onion and seasonings.

3. Let simmer.

4. Serve warm over your choice of pasta.

Sophisticated Punch

Ingredients:
1 12oz. frozen orange juice
1 12 oz. frozen lemonade
1 large can of pineapple juice
-fill can with water
2 liter bottle of ginger ale
Raspberries or strawberries for show (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Serve chilled.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Recipe from: Cooking Light

Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (13.5-ounce) package baked tortilla chips (about 16 cups)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients (through spinach) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.