Spinach Dip

Appetizers are the life of a party! Great little snacks to serve before a meal, or go versatile, and only do appetizers as your whole dinner! Admit it... you've ordered an appetizer as a main meal more than once in a restaurant! I know I have.

I would love to hear what your favorite appetizer is!

I Love spinach dip. Love it. And, this family recipe is the best one I've ever had. There is just something so... craveable about smooth dip, with the crunch of water chestnuts and the soft flavor of spinach. Then, you pair it with sourdough bread...mmm...

This recipe takes literally 10-15 minutes to put together. The only time constraint is that you should make it a night before serving, or several hours before so that the flavors can blend.

Spinach Dip
The Double Dipped Life


1 round sourdough bread loaf
1 pkg frozen spinach
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 pkg dry Leek soup mix
1 can water chestnuts
2 green onions, chopped

Cook the spinach according to package directions.
While spinach is cooking, mix all the other ingredients (except for the bread of course!) in a large bowl.
Add the spinach.
Refrigerate overnight or for several hours.

Right before serving, cut a large hole in the bread to make it hollow. Preserve the insides: they will be used to dip into the dip!

Arrange on a platter and fill the bread with spinach dip.

Also great as a vegetable dip!

Christmas Molasses A.K.A. Ginger Cookies

**These cookies were featured in The Daily Herald!

December 28, 2011
These cookies are part of a link-up on Secret Recipe Club Cookie Party!

Christmas is in the air! Christmas means snow, presents, pine, family, friends... and food!

I was thinking about Christmas cookies and I remembered a Molasses cookie that an old college friend used to make. The cookies were soft and full of flavor. I rushed to the kitchen, opened my college cookbook and searched for the cookies....

They weren't there!

I wasn't about to give up though! I started searching again by the friend's name, and I found them! The problem was that she called them Ginger Cookies, not Molasses cookies!

Here's my question. Why do we call Molasses cookies Ginger cookies? They only have 1 teas of ginger, but 1/2 cup of molasses! Shouldn't they be called Molasses cookies? I think so.

These cookies were everything I remembered and more. They were easy to make, and baked up beautifully. They are soft and thick, and the sugar sprinkled on top makes them perfect!

I did NOT eat at least 6 cookies within 30 minutes...

So, without further ado...

Molasses Cookies

1 1/2 cup shortening

2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

1 t. cloves

1/2 t. salt

4 t. baking soda

1 t. ginger

2 t. cinnamon

4 cups flour

Sugar to coat

Cream shortening and sugar together. Add molasses and eggs, mix well. Add in all dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Shape into small balls and roll in a bowl of sugar.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

**The cookies will not appear to be done at 8 minutes. RESIST cooking them longer! Leave them on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a rack. Trust me, they will be perfect!

Happy Holidays!

 Merry Christmas! I hope you all enjoy this special time of the year. I pray that we can remember the Savior's birth as the reason for Christmas. Thank you all for a great year. I'll see you in 2012! 

Merry Christmas!

White Chocolate Lemon Bars

This is a treasured recipe from a very good friend.
One of those on-line, I've-never-met-in-real-life-friends.
One of those, I-don't-think-we-would've-been-friends-if-we-didn't-meet-online friends.
But she's one of the best women I know.

You know what I mean?

She was kind enough to share her secret recipe for her amazing lemon bars. You've gotta try these! I'm not a huge white chocolate fan, so I hesitated, but the white chocolate matches perfectly with the tart lemon.


White Chip Lemon Bars

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white chips

2 eggs slightly beaten

The zest and juice from one lemon

Powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Stir together 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture onto the bottom of 9-inch baking pan.

3. Bake 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; sprinkle with chips.

4. Stir together eggs, lemon juice, lemon peel, remaining 1/4 cup flour and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in medium bowl; carefully pour over chips and crust.

5. Bake 10 minutes or until set (you can touch center and it's springy). Cool in pan on wire rack; sift with powdered sugar when completely cool. Cut into bars.

EAT!!

Trust me. These will be gone quickly!

Christmas Chocolate Bark Candy

Peppermint bark with Dark Chocolate. Eggnog Bark.

Chocolate Candy Bark is perfect for Christmas! There are so many variations to make, that you could probably make a new one every day!

What is bark? Chocolate Bark is a little like candy bars. Chocolatiers take melted chocolate, lay it out flat, and add toppings either mixed in, or on top. When the chocolate sets, you are left with a delightful treat!

Now, the pictures here are some of the variations that I used to make in my Candy Shop. I thought I would share with you how to make your own!

Apple Pie Bark

Mint Crunch on top; Dark chocolate Cherry on bottom!

Nutty Bark- White chocolate dyed orange for Halloween- and peanuts

Coconut

Before we get to the recipe, take a look at some of these other mouthwatering flavors!

*Pina Colada
White Chocolate, Pineapple, Coconut, and Macadamia Nuts

*Lemon Cream
White Chocolate, Lemon Zest, Lemon Flavor

*Caramel Apple
Chocolate, Caramel, Dried Apples, more chocolate!

*Chocolate Banana -Think Chunky Monkey!

*Pumpkin Pie Spiced Bark
White Chocolate with our Pumpkin Pie Spices mixed in

*Cookies and Cream
White Chocolate and Oreos

*S'mores Bark
Milk Chocolate, Marshmallow, Graham Crackers

*Toffee Crunch
Milk Chocolate, Toffee Pieces

*Fruit of any flavor, with or without nuts

*Spiced Pecan turtle
White Chocolate, Caramel, and Spiced Pecans

Chocolate Bark
*I used quality Guittard A'Peel chocolate in my shop. You can hunt some of this down, or just use chocolate chips!

1 cup chocolate chips- choose your flavor
Toppings of your choice!
Wax or parchment paper

Place the chips in a microwave safe bowl. melt at 50% power for 1 minute.
Stir.
Microwave again, at 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until the chips are melted.

Lay wax or parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

** If you want to mix in your toppings, do so now!

Spread melted chips (and mix ins) onto the wax paper; spreading evenly.

Add toppings while the chocolate is melted.

**If making a two chocolate layer bark, pour 1st chocolate and let harden before pouring the 2nd layer!

Let the chocolate sit until hardened, or place in refrigerator.

Break or cut into pieces and eat!


Now you've got yourself a fast and delicious holiday gift!

Cake Bites

Cake bites are all the rage right now. Why wouldn't they be? Tiny, heavenly bites of cake with frosting mixed right in...and dipped in creamy chocolate... mmm...

Plus, the flavors and matches that can be done are almost limitless. All you need is your favorite cake flavor, pair it with frosting, and pick your favorite chocolate!

My absolute favorite flavors are Coconut Cake Bites dipped in milk or dark chocolate. I also love Strawberry cream cheese with white chocolate and sprinkled with graham crackers... devil's food cake with chocolate frosting, dipped in milk chocolate... mmm... Spice cake with cream cheese frosting, and white chocolate... see what I mean? I could go on all day!

Now, mine aren't as fancy as some, but they taste just as good! The great thing about cake balls is that one cake mix and frosting makes dozens of balls.

The last thing Cake Balls are great for is that cake you made that just didn't come out right. It should still taste good, but maybe the top was a little burned... or it fell. Just cut off the burnt part, and turn that "oops" into a delight!

Cake Balls

1 cake mix or homemade cake mix
Ingredients to make cake
1 batch (jar) of frosting
Chocolate*
*I use Guittard A'Peel chocolates- you can use chocolate chips for easier access.

Bake cake as directed on package. Let cool.
When cakes are cool, break the cake into small pieces in a large bowl. Go ahead, have fun destroying your cake! Crumble it until all you have left are crumbs!

Mix the frosting into the cake. Only mix 1/2 at a time. If you add too much frosting, the cake balls will taste soggy. We don't want that!
Mix until the cake resembles dough!

Scoop the cake out in tablespoons, and form into a ball. Place on cookie sheet. You can put as many as will fit on the sheet. Don't waste any space!

Place cookie sheet in the fridge for an hour, or in the freezer for 20 minutes... or until you are ready to dip! I've left mine in the freezer overnight before. Just make sure you let them partially defrost (about an hour) before dipping.

Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.

With a large fork, dip the cake balls into the chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off, and place the cake ball onto wax paper.


If you would like to drizzle another chocolate flavor on top of the cake, or sprinkles, or coconut, or graham cracker crumbs, or... you get the idea...make sure you do it before the chocolate dries.

You can let the chocolate set on the counter, or put the cake back into the fridge/freezer.

Package in cello bags, or cute little boxes and give to your neighbors! Believe me, they will be begging for more!

Graham Cracker Snickerdoodles

 

My 7 yr old is the Snickerdoodle king. He's not a big fan of chocolate, so this cookie is perfect for him. He's such a fan, that he's taken bakery snickerdoodles to school for his birthday for the last 2 years. 

When I saw this recipe from Crepes of Wrath, I was intrigued. Graham Cracker? I expected a snickerdoodle with crunch. But that's not what I got! 

The result was a thick, moist, flavorful cookie. The graham crackers get crushed to crumbs, so there really isn't any crunch. 

So, the verdict? My son took one small bite and told me they were wonderful! He then politely asked if he could have the rest of the cookie! Well, of course, silly boy! 

The only problem is that the recipe only makes 15-20 cookies. I got 19. I will have to double it next time so there is enough goodness to last.

**Edited 1/12/11: I doubled this yesterday and they did NOT turn out! Do not double! **

Since this cookie is just divine, I'm entering it for the 4th week of The Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies! 

Graham Cracker Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teas vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 crackers, which is one sleeve)

1 teas baking powder

1/4 teas salt

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

1/2 cup white sugar

2 teas cinnamon

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and/or line your baking sheets.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined.

3. Crush your graham crackers in a blender or food processor, pulsing until they are just crumbs. (I put them in a bowl and my son pounded them!)   In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.  Add to the butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. 

4. Combine the Cinnamon Sugar Coating ingredients in a small bowl. Roll the dough into balls, then roll the balls in the Cinnamon Sugar Coating.  Place on baking sheet and flatten a bit with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until baked through but still soft, and just barely golden.

Makes 15-20 cookies.

Nanaimo Bars

Look at that. Chocolaty, coconuty, creamy goodness.  Nanaimo bars are native to Canada, and were all over the internet a few months ago. That's how long I've been drooling over them! I finally got into the kitchen this last weekend and whipped some up.  They were divine.

This is also my entry into the Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies! Check out all of the yumminess below! Thanks to Abby Sweets for hosting this great carnival!

I followed the recipe on Barbara Bakes. Hers look different then mine though- her middle layer is bigger. I found that I loved the 1st 2 layers, but the 3rd- all chocolate- was a little over the top. I think that when I make these again I will just drizzle a small amount of chocolate over the top, and double the middle layer.  I found it hard to spread the layers as well, so mine aren't as pretty, but I bet they tasted just as good! ;)

The really great thing about this recipe is that while you do melt some things on the stovetop, there is no baking involved!


Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 Tb unsweetened cocoa
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup Almonds, finely chpped
1 cup coconut, shredded

Middle Layer (I might double this next time!)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 Tb and 2 teas Heavy Cream
2 Tb Vanilla Custard Powder (or Vanilla pudding mix)
2 cups Powdered Sugar


Top Layer  (I doubled this layer, but will not next time!)
4 ounces Semi-sweet chocolate
2 TB Unsalted Butter

Directions:

1. For bottom layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar, and cocoa in the top of a double broiler. Add beaten egg, and stir to cook and thicken (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat.  Stir in crumbs, nuts, and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8x8 inch pan.

2. For middle layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and powdered sugar together well. Beat until light in color. Spread over bottom layer.

3. For top layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer, and chill.  *I sprinkled fresh coconut on top!

These bars are super sweet, so cut small! They also freeze well!

Enjoy!

Monday Me

When I started this blog, it was meant to be about Home, Family, and Food. It's become just about food. I'm okay with this, but I've realized that I miss the personal posts from my old blog. I've missed having a place to discuss my life, and the funny, odd, frustrating, or just weird things that happen. Since I'm starting Thai Tuesday's tomorrow (say that 5 times fast!), I don't want to post a new recipe on Monday, because it won't get a lot of lovin' before it's old. So, I thought I'd make Monday's all about ME!! Everyone needs some "me" time, right?

More than likely, "Monday Me" will be about my family, not just about me. And that's a good thing. My kids are a lot funnier than I am!

So... for my first "Monday Me", I would like to share some pictures from Christmas. These are the kids seeing Santa. We haven't done this in a few years... I don't think my youngest has ever done it! (How sad!) So, I hauled the kids over this year. And they loved it! (Despite the look on Michael's face). Let me show you the ooohh and awww pictures, and then I'll tell you something funny. Something not for your kids ears. Something that I should have brought to Santa's attention, but I just couldn't do it.

On to the cuteness...

Okay, now the funny. Thank GOODNESS you can't see this in the pictures. I'll have a hard enough time looking at these and NOT remembering... Santa's Wardrobe Malfunction.

His fly was open.

No zipper, or buttons. It was just gaping open. Now, I didn't see anything totally disgusting; just underwear...but oh, how that image will stay in my mind....

I almost pulled the photographer aside and told him. But I just couldn't make myself do it. My kids would have wanted to know what was going on, and there was the cutest couple with their new, and I mean NEW baby waiting behind us... plus I was just too embarrassed! So, I just scooped the kids back into the car, and hoped that the pictures on my camera didn't "reveal" too much! (nice pun, huh?) I was sooo relieved when they showed nothing but modesty.

What would you have done??? I'm hoping this is an experience that will never repeat itself...but what would you have done?

Have a great week!

Sweet Holiday Favorites in review

First off, if you are here after reading about this blog in The Daily Herald, Welcome! Get comfortable, and take a look around. You will find lots of recipes to tantilize your tastebuds!

For the last 2 weeks, I have been posting Sweet Holiday Favorites. Here they are in all their glory! Click on the photo to be taken to the recipe!

**Appetizers are up next this week! Come back to find the perfect dish to take to your holiday parties!

White Chocolate Lemon Bars Cinnamon Rolls



Pudding Cookies Snowflake Candy


Apple Cider Donuts Molasses Cookies


Christmas Bark Peanut Butter Popcorn



Cake Bites Punch Bowl trifle

Remember! All followers from now until we reach 200 are entered into a drawing for a free Custom Caramel Apple!

Punch Bowl Cake Trifle

This divine little recipe came to me a few years ago through the apartment management newsletter. I kept it until I had the perfect occasion to use it, and I try to make it for every large gathering. You see.... this recipe makes A LOT of food! So, it's the perfect party food!

You can buy plastic punch bowls at party stores for pretty cheap.

Punch Bowl Cake Trifle

1 8qt glass/plastic punch bowl
1 yellow cake mix, and ingredients to make cake
2 small pkg. 4oz instant vanilla pudding- make as directed
2 large cans of cherry pie filling
2 pkg (6oz each) shredded coconut
1 large can fruit cocktail, drained
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 cartons 8oz Cool Whip
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Make cake according to package directions. You need 2 layers. So, either do 2 round pans, or one 13x9 and cut it in half. It's all going to get cut up and jumbled anyway, so looks aren't important! Let cool.
Prepare instant pudding and refrigerate to set up.
Break 1 cake into pieces and place in bottom of punch bowl.

Add in layers: 1/2 of pudding, cherry pie filling, fruit cocktail, pineapple, nuts, coconut, cool whip.
Break the 2nd cake into pieces and add the other half of the ingredients, in the order listed above, Except I add the coconut after the cool whip so that it is on top! It looks prettier that way!
Garnish with nuts, cherries, coconut.
Refrigerate!

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

Every year at Christmas, my family continues a tradition that I grew up with. We gather together with our scriptures and the manger scene. Father reads the story of Christ's birth out loud from the Bible, as Mother sets up the manger scene. This tradition brings not only the Spirit into our home, but the Christmas spirit as well. It helps us remember what is truly important in our lives.

Afterward, since refreshments are so vital to any gathering, we usually have Cinnamon rolls and Egg nog. This year, I forgot to go buy the pre-made cinnamon rolls, so I pulled out my cookbook to find my mom's recipe.

This was a new recipe for me, and it was amazing. The process was easy, and the results were phenomenal! The rolls are soft and moist; the filling and glaze is not too sweet.

The recipe makes up to 50 cinnamon rolls, so I was able to take 3 dozen to 3 different families in our neighborhood. Sharing the delights really brought the Christmas spirit alive. I've had all of my gifts ready, but now my heart is ready as well.

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

3 rounded TB yeast

1 cup warm water

1 TB sugar

Mix together and let sit until mix is foamy.

Next:

2 cups scalded milk; cooled

3/4 TB salt

6 beaten eggs

2 cubes (1 cup) margarine or butter

1 cup sugar

Raisins (optional)

12+ cups flour

Mix all ingredients together except raisins and flour.

Begin adding flour until knead consistency. Dough should be soft. Knead for 10 minutes.

Allow dough to rise until double.

While dough is rising, mix together the cinnamon filling:

1 cube (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 TB cinnamon

Divide dough into 4 even pieces. Roll out each piece of dough to form rectangles about 1/2 inch thick.

Spread with 1/4 of the cinnamon filling. Add raisins if desired. Roll dough up on long end and slice in 1 inch slices. Repeat with the other 3 sections.

Place rolls in greased baking pans (or on a greased cookie sheet). Sprinkle with Streusel topping:

1 cube (1/2 cup) melted butter

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

Cut butter into flour until pea sized pieces.

Sprinkle sliced almonds on cinnamon rolls if desired.

Sprinkle tops with more cinnamon.

Let rolls rise until doubled.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375.

While rolls are baking, prepare Glaze:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 TB vanilla

Enough evaporated milk to make glaze the consistency of glue. It doesn't take much!

Pour glaze over warm rolls and enjoy... with Milk!

Apple Cider Spiced Donuts

I've never made donuts. I've always thought it would be difficult. I was wrong. There, I said it. I. Was. Wrong.

I found this great recipe on OurBestBites.com. Can you tell how much I love these ladies? They are masters at wonderful recipes!

I'm not going to post the recipe here, just the yummy pictures. I'll just send you over to the wonderful land of Our Best Bites. Make sure you take these bread crumbs with you so you can find your way back!

I only made one batch of actual donuts. By then, the kids were ready for some mommy time. So, we quickly rolled up the rest of the dough and made donut holes! Yum!

One note about the holes: Don't make them too thick or round, or they won't cook all the way through. Also... on the round donuts... My middle cookie cutter was too big, so I got skinny donuts. Wait until you see Kate's on OurBestBites...mmm...

Enjoy!

Check Mex Snowflake Candy

I first made this devilish snack in Jr. High Home Eco. I've been addicted to it ever since. Luckily, I don't often have the "need" to purchase the huge amount of Chex cereal this calls for, so I can keep my cravings at a minimum! But, if you want a great snack for a party, or for school, here it is!

You can use this snack in a Christmas theme by calling them "Snowflakes"!

Chex Mex Snowflake Candy

9 cups Chex (see, I told you it was a lot! Actually, it's a little less then a 14oz box)
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
Large Ziplock bag or huge bowl

Place the chex cereal in the ziplock or bowl. In a large bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter on high for 1 minute, stir. ontine stirring at 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until melted.
Add vanilla and stir.
Pour mixture over the cereal in the bag.
Shake until evenly coated.
Add powdered sugar to bag, and shake again.
Spread cereal out on wax paper and allow chocolate to set.

Eat by the handfuls!

Chocolate Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies have been a family favorite for a few years now. I found the original recipe on Allrecipes, but have since changed them so much, that they don't match the original!

You can use any flavor pudding for these cookies. The original recipe called for vanilla- making regular chocolate chip cookies- but I was not impressed. The chocolate is MUCH better!

The cookies are thick and soft. One oddity; they are better the day after they are baked. So, plan ahead! It is fun to experiment with these, adding peppermint, coconut, nuts, etc.

Cookie dough with Peppermint pieces.

Chocolate Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes roughly 8 dozen cookies!

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teas baking soda
1/2 teas. salt
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 small packages of INSTANT chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1 teas vanilla
3-4 cups of your favorite chocolate chips
**Optional toppings or mix-in's: Peppermint chips, Mint, Coconut, Nuts! Press into the top of dough, right before baking.

Preheat oven to 350, or a convection oven to 325.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a very large bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended.

Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
Blend in the flour mixture. (Dough will be very thick! I mix by hand... or my husband's hand...)

Finally, stir in chocolate chips. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (I use a flexible scoop from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Makes great thick cookies!)

Bake for 10-12 minutes. If you are using a convection oven, bake for 10 minutes.

Leave cookies on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, and then transfer to cool on wire rack.

EAT! (Make sure you have milk!)