White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn

We love popcorn at our house! Usually its just air popped with salt and butter, but this one is for special occasions. Like when you need to use up the leftover candy canes that have been sitting in your cupboard for who knows how long! ( Actually, I made this recipe in January or February, but who knows, maybe someone else still has candy canes sitting around?) This is SUPER delicious. Next Christmas I am buying a pack of candy canes especially for this!

White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn


16 oz. white chocolate (can use white chocolate baking morsels) or almond bark

1 cup finely crushed (like sand) peppermints (about 10-12 candy canes or 40 mints) I crushed my peppermints in my food processor.

4 quarts popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup  corn kernels) I used this to pop my corn, so it had salt. If you are using air popped corn, throw in a pinch of salt when you sprinkle in the crushed peppermints.

Slowly melt white chocolate or almond bark in the microwave or on stove-top with double boiler. Stir often to keep chocolate from burning.  Stir  1/2 cup crushed peppermints into the white chocolate.  Place popped corn into a large bowl.  Pour melted white chocolate and peppermint mixture over the popcorn. Gently stir to coat popcorn while sprinkling remaining crushed peppermints over the popcorn.
Pour out onto parchment paper and allow coating to harden.

Source: skiptomylou.org

Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes

We had these delicious "griddle" cakes for dinner on International Pancake Day on February 28th (yes, February that's how far behind I am). Mmm, mmm, these are to die for. I think I might make them tonight for dinner...

 Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 cup frozen, canned or fresh corn
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
warm maple syrup, for serving

 In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture for topping the griddle cakes upon serving- and set it aside.

 While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner than those pictured, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.

Heat and grease a griddle or large skillet. Pour a heaping 1/4-cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve stacks of griddle cakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon/onion and a good dose of warm maple syrup.

Source: RecipeGirl.com

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Mmmm, mmm, I love me some nice hot oatmeal on a cold morning. One of my favorites is pumpkin pie oatmeal.

I'll be honest and say I didn't write down exact proportions, but here's the list of ingredients. In the parenthesis next to the ingredients are my guesses to measurements for a family of four. Portion sizes, family sizes, and personal preferences are different. That's why I am just doing a list.

Oatmeal (1 1/2 c.)
Pumpkin puree (either from a can or homemade) (1/2 - 3/4 c.)
Cinnamon (1 1/2 tsp.)
Nutmeg (1/2 tsp)
Water or Milk (3 c.)
Nuts (4 Tbs.)
Maple syrup, to taste
Whipped cream, a dollop  (optional)

The technique: cook desired amount of oats in milk or water. Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Serve with nuts, maple syrup, and whipped cream.

Go ahead, experiment and figured out what you like!

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

I know this post is late...really late. I had planned on posting it around Christmas as a way to use up extra candy canes. Ahem...but maybe you still have candy canes lying around. If not you can use regular mint candies. Regardless, these cookies are good any time of year! The original recipe was from Woman's Day. But I changed it up a bit and used the Reese's cookie chocolate base, and the Womans Day ganache and technique. The Reese's cookies are so much more soft, and I'm a sucker for soft, moist cookies! So, I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe!

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
 
For the cookie:

2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350° F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoon-fulls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 mins. (Do not overbake, cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

For the Ganache:

3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 Tbs. heavy cream

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the heavy cream on high until simmering, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 3/4 cup chips to the cream and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. 

Put it all together:

8 candy canes (or other mint candies), about 3/4 cups, smashed
 
Spread the chocolate mixture on top of each cookie (about 1/2 tsp each); top with the candy canes. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

South-of-the-Border Macaroni & Cheese

We love this super easy, super yummy, crock pot mac and cheese! It is perfect for "one of those days!"

South-of-the-Border Macaroni and Cheese

5 c. cooked rotini pasta
2 c. (8 oz) American cheese, cubed
2 c. milk
1 c. (4 oz)shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilis, drained (I have used 1 jalepeño to replace this before. Spicy, but I like the heat.)
2 tsp. chili poder
2 med. tomatoes, seeded and chopped
5 green onions, sliced

Combine all ingredients, except last two, in slow cooker, mix well. Cover, cook on HI 2 hours, stirring twice.

Stir in tomatoes and green onions, continue cooking until hot. 

Rocky Road Ice Cream

We had some cream we had to use up, so we tried another ice cream. It was yummy!

Rocky Road Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2/3 c white sugar 
• 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 c mini marshmallows 
• 1/4 c chopped pecans 
• 1 3/4 c heavy cream 
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder until well combined.  Stir in the marshmallows and pecans.  Whisk in the heavy cream, milk and vanilla.
Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions. 
Enjoy!

Source: CookingCreation.com

Caramel Apple Pancakes

Ahem...this was supposed to be posted just after Halloween with some clever...something about needed to get rid of your surplus of Halloween candy. But, it's been sitting on my desktop since then haunting me. Don't read too much into that! They are really good, and I don't know why I haven't taken the time to post them yet.

Caramel Apple Pancakes

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 apple, peeled and grated
1/2 cup caramel bits

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Add beaten eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Peel apple and grate over a separate, smaller bowl.

Fold in apple and caramel bits. Spoon onto a hot, greased griddle and flip when the edges begin to get dry, cooking on both sides.

Source: Baking Serendipity