English Toffee

(Picture added by carizolli - Jenalyn and I made a delicious batch 12/13/08.)

This is for all of those who love toffee. It is so easy that you will want to make it all the time. But when you make it everyone will want some so make enough to satisfy you and your friends.

1 Cup Sugar
3 T. Water
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Margarine
2/3 Cup Chocolate Chips

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a sauce pan.
Heat slowly over medium heat and stir mixture until dissolved.
Bring to a boil until the color of a brown paper sack.
Stir often (15-20 minutes keep it boiling). Butter an 8x8 inch square pan.
Pour the mixture in the pan and place chocolate chips on top.
When chips are melted, spread evenly over entire surface.
Sprinkle chopped nuts on top, if desired.
Let cool and brake into pieces.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2 Eggs

1 C. Milk

1/2 C. Cooked Pumpkin

1 3/4 C. Bisquick

1 Tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

Chocolate Chips (Optional)

Mix all ingredients well, and cook on hot griddle until golden brown.

I love to top it with just whip cream. They are good enough that you don't need syrup. Although some people like to put syrup on them.

Pasta Caraba

Notes: I got this (kinda) from Rendy.   I hope that we can get him to add some of his recipes to this site

Fry some bacon in a large skillet until crisp (Take out of pan when done)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups sliced mushroom
3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 8 oz chicken breast or thighs, grilled and cut into strips
1 pound penne
pasta
Fresh Rosemary to taste
Fresh Basli to taste
2 cups grated Romano cheese
salt to taste
pepper to taste


1. In the bacon grease in the large skillet, add garlic and sauté for a few seconds , add mushrooms, sauté for 3 minutes over a medium flame.

2. Cook Penne in salted boiling water until al dente (13 minutes).

3. Add heavy cream, chicken and Rosemary to sauce. Bring to a boil. Drain pasta and add to sauce, along with the crumbled up bacon, and toss pasta and bacon with the sauce. Sprinkle cheese and Fresh basil evenly over pasta and toss until sauce is a creamy consistency.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nut Chewys

This was originally called Nut Noels but when it's not Christmas and you get hungry for them you have to change the name.

1 Cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
½ Cup Flour
1/8 t Salt
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 eggs
2 T Butter
1 t Vanilla

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Pour into a 8X8 pan that has parchment paper on the bottom and has been greased and floured and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Cool and cut into squares and roll in powdered sugar.

Crock Pot French Dips

So I follow a LOT of different recipe blogs because I love trying new recipes. I found this recipe and just had to try it! Now that I'm working full time twice a week, my crock pot is my best friend.

This dip reminded me of Sunday afternoons when mom would put a roast in the oven to cook while we were at church and when we got home from church she would dip a slice a bread in the juice and give it to us as a little pre-dinner snack. Ahh...fond memories! I love you, mom!

French Dip Meat

Pot roast (about 2-4 lbs)

1 can beef broth + about 1/2 can of water (depending on the size of your roast)

1 pkg. dry Au Jus seasoning

1 pkg. dry Zesty Italian dressing

Stick it all in your crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours...or until tender. Shred or slice beef (our's was too tender to slice). Serve the meat on rolls with mozzarella cheese. Ladle the juice into a small dish for dipping. We also sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. It was SO good!

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients:
CAKE
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup Libby' pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

FILLING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration

Directions:
FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack. (cool 45-60 min max.)
It's easier to un roll and re-roll.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

Un roll cake gently spread filling re roll cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hr. Enjoy!

Candied Apple Pie Cheesecake

I get the Kraft Foods magazine and I saw this recipe. I think it looks so good. I haven't tried it yet but it sure looks delicious and I wanted to share it.

1 cup crushed Ginger Snaps
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup Sour Cream
2 eggs
1 cup apple pie filling, divided
1/2 cup Walnut Pieces, divided (I don't personally like walnuts so I would probably make mine without it)
1/2 cup toffee bits, divided

HEAT oven to 325°F. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate.

BEAT cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each. Stir in 1/2 each pie filling, nuts and toffee. Pour into crust.

BAKE 35 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top with remaining pie filling, nuts and toffee before serving.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. This is a really quick and easy recipe. It makes a ton. Usually we will make one batch and hand them out to quite a few neighbors during the holidays.



Ingredients:

1 (15oz) can Libby's canned pumpkin
1 box Spice cake mix
1 (12ox) package chocolate chips



Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together cake mix and pumpkin until well combined. Add chocolate chips to mix.
Drop cookies on greased baking sheet or ungreased stone.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.