Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

INGREDIENTS

6 Cups Rice Krispie Cereal
3 tbs Butter
10 oz Marshmallows (approx 1 Bag)
Red & Yellow Food Coloring (to make orange color)
24 Tootsie Rolls
1 Green Fruit Roll-up (you will only be able to find the blue/green combo)

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt your butter in a large sauce pan over low heat
2. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until melted
3. Remove from heat
4. Add approx 4 drops of red food coloring & 2 drop yellow food coloring- Add until you have a nice bright orange color
5. Mix in Rice Krispies
6. Form small balls into the shape of a pumpkin (Tip: Add Non-Stick Cooking Spray (Pam) or 7. Crisco to your hands before forming your balls)
8. Cut Tootsie Roll in Half and add a half into each pumpkin while still warm
9. Cut small leaves from the green portion of your Fruit Roll Up

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Apple Cinnamon Loaf

1/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 apple, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract.

Combine flour and baking powder together in another bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Next add half the apples and half the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. 

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Crockpot Soup

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 (15 once) can black beans-rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
Directions
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn, beans, and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup

school lunches are all ready!

Just waiting to fill one more bin with fresh baking of muffins, cookies and granola bars!
They can pick whatever they want from each bin, as long as it's the minimum amount written on it to keep it balanced!
No more arguing and they get their wish - no more sandwiches!!!
Now, all I have to do is keep the bins stocked!


Bin 1 - popcorn or veggie straws (I'll mix it up with what they call "junk food")
Bin 2 - goldfish, rice and ritz crackers (again, I'll mix them up but they don't have to have the same thing everyday)
Bin 3 - fruit to go and fruit & veggie source bars
Bin 4 - fruit cups and apple sauces (will do fresh fruit most often, but good back up and with 3 kids liking all different fruit, this is my compromise)
Bin 5 - cheese strings, babybell cheese an yogurt tubes. Again will mix it up with yoplait drinks and diced regular cheeses I have)
Bin 6 - Meat & veggies. The hardest one as all three kids are not big meat eaters! Here I have turkey lunchmeat rolled up, turkey pepperettes (Costco) and carrots or cucs from our garden! I will do hard boiled eggs or leftover diced chicken breasts from supper too!
Bin 7 - will be granola bars, banana muffins or cookies!  
This is all trial and error but the kids were so excited to pick what they wanted and told them I was open to suggestions!

candy bar party pups

CANDY BAR PARTY PUPS ARE BEST IN SHOW

 BY SANDRA DENNELER  MAY 29, 2015

These candy canines are so doggone cute, I had a hard time giving them away! I surprised my daughter’s second grade class with a great big litter of these chocolate dogs on the last day of school. The kids just loved guessing all the different types of candies that were used to make them – Twix candy bars, Hershey’s Kisses, Tootsie Rolls and chocolate chips.

They might appear a little time consuming, but they’re not really. I found that an “assembly line” method worked best. Have all of your candy unwrapped and make your Tootsie Roll tails and ears before you are ready to attach everything with the candy melt.

I love how their sweet puppy-dog eyes look up at you as if to say “Don’t eat me. I’m too cute.” Unfortunately, they are delicious. As if they weren’t adorable enough, I decided to add some tiny party hats to a few of them. They would come in Best-of-Show at any dog-themed party, for sure.

For this recipe, I used the smaller, fun size Twix bars. But now that I think about it, they would be pretty hilarious if you used the full size Twix bars, making extra-long wiener dogs!

WHAT YOU NEED

(Makes 12 chocolate dogs)Approximate time: 1 hour

• 12 small Twix candy bars
• 6 small Tootsie Rolls
• 12 Hershey’s Kisses
• 12 mini Hershey’s Kisses (found in the baking aisle)
• 48 chocolate chips
• 48 icing eyes (found at most baking or hobby and craft stores)
• ¼ cup chocolate candy melt wafers
• 3 or 4 black candy melt wafers
• Small plastic squeeze bottle

HOW-TO

STEP 1

To make the dog bodies, start by carving holes at the front of your Twix candy bars. (This is where the heads will connect.) Tear off tiny pieces of Tootsie Roll and roll to form the tails. Melt the chocolate candy melt wafers in a microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Pour into a small squeeze bottle. Attach the tails to the back ends of the Twix bars with a dab of candy melt. Squeeze four dollups of candy melt to the bottom corners of the Twix bars, and attach the chocolate chips for the legs. Set aside, letting everything cool and harden.

STEP 2

To make the dog heads, start by forming the ears with small pieces of Tootsie Roll. Attach the ears to the sides of the Hersey’s Kisses with dabs of candy melt. Attach the icing eyes with more candy melt. Then, attach the mini Hershey’s Kisses to the backs of the heads with more candy melt. (This will become the dog’s neck.) Allow the heads to cool and harden.

STEP 3

To attach the heads to the bodies, squeeze candy melt into the carved holes on the fronts of the Twix bars. Insert the mini Hershey’s Kisses into the holes and allow them to cool and harden. You may have to hold the heads in place for few seconds while they cool and harden.

STEP 4

Melt 3-4 black candy melt wafers in the microwave. Using a toothpick, dab the candy melt onto the tip of the Hershey’s Kisses to make the dog’s nose.

STEP 5

If desired, add some paper party hats!

Chocolate dogs will keep at room temperature for 3-5 days or may be stored in a sealed food container for up to a month.

APPLE PIE TACOS

Ingredients 

• 4 Apples peeled & sliced 
• 1/2 C Sugar 
• 2 tsp Cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2 C Water 
• Tortilla’s (flour) 6″ size 
• Oil (for frying tortillas) 
• 1/2 c sugar-cinnamon mixture 
• Whipped cream

Directions

1. Place apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water in a sauce pan.
2. Stir until well blended and cover and cook on medium stirring frequently For 10 minutes or until apples are semi soft. If needed, thicken sauce using 1 Tbl of cornstarch to 3-4 Tbl of water.
3. Mix into sauce and stir until thickened. Heat oil on medium heat in a skillet and holding the tortilla folded in half, place the bottom on tortilla in the oil for a few seconds.
4. Then lay it on one side until browned and then place other side down until browned. Remove from oil and Sprinkle browned tortilla with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Fill taco shells with apple pie filling and top with whipped cream, and sprinkle a little more of sugar-cinnamon mixture on top. 
5. Let it "set" on an upside down muffin tin.