CaRaMeL aPpLe TriFLe

The recipe is from Taste of Home Holiday Magazine.

(serves 14)

Ingredients:

3 TBS butter

4 cups chopped peeled tart apples (about 5 medium)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. apple pie spice, divided

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese

1 jar (12 oz) caramel ice cream topping, divided

1 carton (12 oz) whipped topping(or make homemade), divided

2 loaves (10 3/4 oz each) frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 1 inch cubes

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the apples, walnuts, brown sugar and 1/2 tsp of apple pie spice. Cook and stir for 8-10 minutes or until apples are tender.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1/2 cup caramel topping and remaining apple pie spice. Fold in 2 cups of whipped topping.

In a a 3 1/2 quart trifle bowl or glass serving bowl, layer a third of the cake cubes, cream cheese mixture and apple mixture. Repeat layers twice. Garnish with the remaining whipped topping and drizzle with caramel topping. Sprinkle with additional apple pie spice if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

FrAnKeNsTeIn MaLLoW MoNsTeRs

These are marshmallows dipped in melted green candy chocolate and chocolate mint for the hair. Use Wiltons Glittery Gel for the scar, face, and bolts! After you dip them in the green chocolate place them in fridge for 12 min.....then dip just the tops in the chocolate and again place in fridge for 12 mins..... finish with the face.

PiNa CoLaDa sLuSh

Ingredients

• 3 cans (6 ounces each) unsweetened pineapple juice
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (10 ounces) frozen non-alcoholic pina colada mix
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tub sugar-free lemonade soft drink mix
• 6 cups lemon-lime soda, chilled

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the pineapple juice, water, pina colada mix, lime juice and soft dring mix; stirl until drink mix is dissolved. Transfer to a 2-quart freezer container. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

Remove from the freezer 45 minutes before serving. For each serving, combine 1/2 cup slush mixture with 1/2 cup lemon-lime soda.

Yield: 12 servings (3 quarts). Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 115 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein.

Pina Colada Slush published in Simple & Delicious July/August 2007, p33

LeMoN CrEaM PuFFs

Ingredients for pâte à choux:

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup water
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 eggs

Ingredients for filling:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 12 oz. of cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/8 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Additional powdered sugar for dusting

1) In saucepan, combine butter, water and salt and bring to a boil. Add flour, stirring rigorously until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add mixture to a mixer, and beat eggs in one at a time until smooth. If you don’t have a mixer, mix with a wooden spoon. On a cookie sheet, drop batter by teaspoons about 4 inches apart. (I used my cookie scoop to drop the batter. I got 29 puffs) Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. DO NOT open the oven to check until 25 minutes of bake time is over; the puffs will collapse if oven is opened too early. Cool on wire rack.

3) To make the filling: beat heavy cream with a mixer until whipped, and set aside in a bowl in the refrigerator. Then start blending the cream cheese with powdered sugar, adding a little sugar at a time until combined. Add 1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest. Fold in 1/3 of whipped cream by hand until well blended with cream cheese. This will help lighten the cream cheese making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream. Then fold in remaining whipped cream.

4) Carefully cut the tops off the puffs and add a spoonful of cream cheese filling to each. Dust with powdered sugar, serve and enjoy!

**If you are serving at a later time, keep the puffs and the filling separate in the refrigerator until you’re ready to combine them. That way they won’t get soggy. If serving in the distant future, the puffs can filled with filling then frozen in zip-lock bags (for up to 2 months), then defrosted at room temperature.

Recipe Source: realmomkitchen.com

LeMoN cHeeSeCaKe FrUiT DiP

1 (6 oz) container Lemon Burst yogurt
1 (7 oz) container marshmallow cream
1 (8 oz) container Whipped cream cheese
Zest of one lemon (Optional)

Pour all above ingredients into a medium size bowl and blend with a mixer until smooth. Mix in zest of one lime if desired. Serve with apples, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, grapes, etc.

Recipe Source: realmomkitchen.com

LoAdEd BaKeD PoTaTo SoUp

4 lg. baking potatoes (I had 8 small to medium leftover baked potatoes that I used)
2/3 C butter
2/3 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 C milk (I used 5 cups of skim milk and 1 cup cream)
1 C sour cream (I used reduced fat)
4 thinly sliced green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 C shredded cheddar cheese

1. Scrub potatoes, pat dry & cover with foil. Bake for 75 minutes at 350 or until tender; cool completely.(Or use leftover potatoes from another meal)
2. Peel and cube potatoes.
3. In a large pot melt the butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Use a whisk to make sure any lumps from the flour are smoothed out.
4. Gradually add milk a 2 cups at a time. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for a couple minutes or until thickened.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cubed potatoes. Heat until warm.
6. Garnish with bacon, cheese, and green onions. Yield 8 servings.

Recipe Source: realmomkitchen.com

ScHooLyArD cUpCaKeS

CuPcAkEs.......
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 squares (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

FrOsTiNg......
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 18 muffin tin cups with paper liners.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate on 50% power for 1-2 minutes. Stir and continue melting on 50% power for 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Blend in the vanilla. Add the eggs and beat until the batter is creamy. Blend in the melted chocolate. Add one-third of the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream and mix. Add another third of the dry ingredients and mix together. Add the other half of the sour cream and mix. Finally add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until well combined.

Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The key to not drying out these cupcakes is to make sure and not overbake them! Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream, cocoa, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Gently heat and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the cocoa has blended into the mixture. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

With an electric mixer, whip the frosting until it is smooth and forms medium peaks and has a spreading consistency. It will be quite firm. Frost and garnish the cupcakes as desired. I use a large piping tip (Wilton 1M tip to be exact) to make the decorative swirly frosting.

Recipe Source: from melskitchencafe.com/adapted from The Chocolate Book by Sara Perry