Chex Barbeque Snack Mix

I am sitting here waiting for the girl child to wake up!
(Kids! They could sleep all day and STILL want to go to bed at night!)

We have plans today to do nothing but watch movies.
These days don't happen much, so we try to take advantage of them.

Some snacky type foods...like this snack mix from Chex...and some soup (maybe, if we are hungry still) later makes for an easy, lazy day.

Not sure what we have planned for movies, but we have about 10 that we own and haven't watched, not to mention Netflix, Prime, HBO Max, etc...
Enjoying the laziness!

Ingredients:

3 Cups Rice Chex cereal

3 Cups Corn Chex cereal

1 ½ Cup bite sized pretzels

1 ½  Cup bite size cheese crackers

¾ Cup honey roasted peanuts

½ Cup barbeque sauce

1 Tbsp Vegetable oil

¾ Tsp Onion powder

¾ Tsp Garlic powder

Directions:

1. In a large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, pretzels, crackers, and peanuts

2. In medium bowl. mix barbeque sauce, vegetable oil, onion powder, and garlic powder

3. Pour wet ingredients over the cereal mixture, stir until evenly coated

4. Microwave uncovered for 7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes

5. Spread on parchment paper to cool

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Crescent Layer Bars

I happened to have all these ingredients on hand, so I decided to whip these up as a treat for some of my co-workers.

They all asked for the recipe (which is adapted from Pillsbury).

J: She told me her hubby fell in love with them and demanded that she make these for him. She ended up making two...and they disappeared quickly.

D: Emailed me the next day telling me she ran right out and got all the ingredients. She is a self proclaimed anti-baker. She was cute "OMG you weren't kidding about how easy these are!! I am SO baking up a whole bunch for the next function so I can impress people"!

All I can do is giggle at my friends.

It's so rewarding when you can show someone how easy something delicious can be.

Ingredients:

1 Can Crescent rolls

1 Cup white chocolate chips

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 Cup Slivered almonds

1 Cup cashew halves and pieces

1 (14 oz) can Sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 13 pan

3. Unroll dough and place along bottom of pan. Press over bottom and ½ inch up sides.

4. Bake dough 5 minutes

5. Sprinkle partially baked dough with white chocolate, chocolate chips, almonds, and cashews.

7. Pour condensed milk evenly over top

8. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool.

9. Refrigerate 30 minutes until chocolate is set.

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Rocky Road Brownies

Hello again my long lost friends and family!

I hope this year has been as good as it could be for each of you- or that you managed to weather any unfortunate moments with those closest to lean on.

'Tis the holiday season for all- and I wish you all an enjoyable one.

Ingredients:

1 (19.9 oz) Box brownie mix

(all ingredients needed per package)

1 Cup Chocolate chunks

1 Cup Almonds (chopped)

1 Cup Butter (softened)

1 (7oz) Jar Marshmallow Fluff

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

½ Cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Prepare brownies per package directions

2. Add ½ cup chocolate chunks and ½ cup almonds

3. Cook in a 9 inch pan for 40 minutes

4. Cool

5. Beat 1 cup butter until fluffy

6. Add marshmallow fluff, beat until blended

7. Gradually beat in powdered sugar

8. Spread over cooled brownies

9. Sprinkle with ½ cup chocolate chunks, ½ cup almonds. and ½ cup mini marshmallows

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HAD to forget something, but of course!

Pecan Dainties

I was grocery shopping one day, and this recipe printed out on my receipt. Cool!

Not pleased to find out that this is a crumbly dough recipe. Crumbly dough is not my BFF. In fact, we are sworn enemies.
I never can seem to get it to work like other people do.
My cheeks are burning in shame.

This recipe says it makes 50 cookies. Are you kidding me? I got about 12 small meatball sized ones out of it.
They taste awesome, but, it's tainted for me because I feel inadequate.

Any tips or hints for me?

Ingredients:

½ Cup butter (softened)

¼ Cup powdered sugar

Extra powdered sugar for dusting

¼ Tsp salt

1 Tsp vanilla

1 Cup all purpose flour

1 Cup finely diced pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Mix butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla

3. Gradually add in flour and pecans

4. Chill dough 1 hour

5. Roll dough into marble sized balls

6. Cook for 15 minutes until firm but not brown

7. Roll gently in powdered sugar

8. Cool completely

9. Roll in powdered sugar again

Print

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Macadamia White Chip Cookies

My mother l-o-v-e-s white chocolate and macadamia. It has to be one of her very favorite pairings.

Since she lives so far away from me, I miss her a lot. We talk multiple times a week, sometimes multiple times a day.
Every now and again I like to ship her something delicious to make her day.

This was one of these moments.

I had bought Ghiradelli white chips for another recipe and saw this on the back of the bag. It went into the mountain-o-recipes and was forgotten until today.

Whipped them up (man, such a better deal on macadamia nuts at Target than at my local grocery!), packed them carefully, and entrusted my yummies to the USPS.
(I also sent her some salty kisses, just because they are fun)

Package made it, happy mother has been texting me every single time she grabs a cookie...and my heart is full!

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter (softened)

1 ½ Cup sugar

1 Cup brown sugar

2 Eggs (room temperature)

1 ½ Tsp vanilla extract

3 Cups flour

½ Tsp baking soda

1 Tsp salt

2 Cups (11 oz) white chocolate chips

1 ½ Cups macadamia nuts (chopped)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy

3. Add vanilla and eggs

4. Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt

5. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts

6. Bake on prepared cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes

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California Dreaming (Pizza)

There is a pizza place in this seaside town that we frequent each year. In all the years we have been going, we have not tried this particular place.

My aunt and uncle did one night, and had to call me and tell me about this particular pizza.
So, next time we went to visit, we ordered one.
Oh my word!

The girl and I enjoyed it so much we decided we needed to try to recreate it at home.

This is pretty close, but I would change the sauce I used.
I grabbed Ah-So, but that is more of a Chinese barbecue. The girl says she likes it just as it is, but I think I will play around with sauces more. It really is a true sweet and sour sauce that is needed.

As a reminder...there is no red sauce on this pizza!

Ingredients:

1 Lb chicken breast (diced and cooked)

Green Pepper

¼ Cup Sweet and Sour sauce

Pineapple

¼ Cup cashews

Pizza dough

4 oz mozarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven based on your dough directions

2. Toss cooked chicken with sweet and sour sauce

3. Sprinkle chicken on dough

4. Add green peppers

5. Add pineapple

6. Add cashews

7. Sprinkle cheese on top

8. Bake according to your dough directions

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Italian Walnut Pillow Cookies

Hubby is a firm subscriber of the belief that most men have...
the louder he screams at the T.V., the more he is controlling the game.

I mentioned it one day and my father happened to agree with hubby (shocker!) but added in that "waving your hands wildly while screaming at the T.V. ensures that you are heard"

I love the men in my life, even if they are armchair quarterbacks.

If this only lasted, say, for one sport...it wouldn't be so bad.
Hubby loooooves football (hello, his team is tattooed on him 2ce)
baseball (wanted to move our wedding date due to a "big game")
Hockey (oh kill me)
Golf
Tennis
Curling

I swear he would watch paint dry if you called it a sport.

Ingredients:

Dough

1 Cup sugar

1 Cup shortening

1 Egg

1 Tsp vanilla

1 Cup milk

4 ½ Cup all purpose flour

4 Tsp baking powder

½ Tsp salt

Filling

1 ½ Lbs walnuts (finely chopped)

1 Stick butter (melted)

1 ½ Cup sugar

4 Egg whites (lightly beaten)

Icing

2 Cups powdered sugar

1 Tsp vanilla

4 Tbsp milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper

3. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt

4. In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening

5. Add egg and vanilla, combine well

6. Add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, alternating. Add some dry, add milk, dry, milk.

7. Divide dough into 4 even pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until cold.

8. Mix nuts with sugar and then add in melted butter.

9. Add egg whites to nut mixture

10. Roll a piece of dough into a rectangle measuring about 6 inches by 18 inches

11. Spread ¼ of nut mixture onto rectangle

12. Roll dough with the short ends to the side (like a jelly roll)

13. Cut the roll into 1 inch pieces

14. Place dough on sheet seam side down

15. Cook for 15-20 minutes

16. Repeat with rest of the dough

17. Cool cookies completely

18. Mix sugar, vanilla, and milk

19. Ice the top of the cooled cookies

Print

Cookie Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

Icing Ingredients

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Rocky Road Fudge

When I make fudge, I usually stick to my basic, tried and true, auntie makes it all the time, recipe. That's all well and good...but branching out and attempting new things is the whole basis of this blog.

I was recipe hunting online and saw this one on the RecipeGirl site.
Easy? Check!
Delicious sounding? Check!
All ingredients on hand? Check!

OK...here we go!

The first thing I found "odd" was the use of sweetened condensed milk. All the fudge I have ever made called for evaporated milk.
But..being the wild and crazy girl I am...I kept on trucking.

This fudge is so super easy, and super yummy!
I found it a bit sweet for my tastes, so I cut them into thinner blocks than I would regular fudge. That way it is still just a taste.

Ingredients:

16 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped finely

2 oz Unsweetened chocolate, chopped finely

½ Tsp baking soda

⅛ Tsp salt

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 Cup mini marshmallows

1 Cup roughly chopped peanuts

½ Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Line 8x8 inch baking pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray

2. In a medium heatproof bowl, toss 1st two chocolates with baking soda and salt.

3. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

4. Set bowl over 4 qt saucepan containing 2 cups of simmering water,

5. Stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is almost fully melted

6. Stir in marshmallows, peanuts, and additional chips

7. Add fudge to prepared pan and spread in an even layer

8. Refrigerate until set.

9. Remove from pan using foil, peel foil off, and cut into squares

Print

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Cranberry and Walnut Rolls

When I first saw this recipe on the Brown Eyed Baker site, I thought to myself "this would be the perfect treat to make and send to my mother!"

She is a walnut junkie....and being a native New Englander, she is all about some cranberry!

Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans?

My dough looked awful odd...but I kept trucking along.

Not sure what went wrong and where...but I think I might rename these "Cranberry Walnut FLATS".

They taste alright, there is just no "roll" action going on.

Ingredients:

1 Cup coarsely chopped walnuts

3 ½ Cup bread flour

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 ½ Tsp quick rising dry yeast

1 ½ Tsp salt

1 ½ Cup whole milk

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Egg

1 Cup dried cranberries

Nonstick cooking spray

1 Egg (beaten for glaze)

Raw sugar

Directions:

1. Stir the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until toasted

2. Mix 3 ½ cups bread flour with the brown sugar, yeast, and salt.

3. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until thermometer reads 95 degrees

4. Add oil to milk and remove from heat

5. Add milk mixture and one egg to the flour.

6. Mix on low speed until a wet, coarse ball forms

7. Add nuts and cranberries

8. Mix dough until elastic and tacky, add TBSP of flour as needed.

9. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes

10. Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape dough into a ball and place in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours.

11. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

12. Transfer the dough to an unfloured surface, divide into 12 equal pieces.

13. Shape each piece into a smooth round ball. Transfer balls to prepared baking sheet.

14. Spray rolls with non stick spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature about 1 ½ hours.

15. Brush rolls with egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.

16. Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 425

17. Place rolls in oven, reduce temperature to 400 and bake for 7 minutes

18. Rotate baking sheet and cook for 7-8 more minutes

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Sticky Buns

We have an abnormal amount of grocery stores very close to us.
We have 2 Stop and Shop's, Market Basket, Shaw's, Price Chopper, Wegman's and two Hannaford's! On top of those we have a Super Wal Mart and a Super Target.
Not to mention the 3 BJ's in our close vicinity.

This is great for us, I am able to price compare and it really is no big deal for us to go to more than one store at a time.
I keep a running spreadsheet that shows each product and the normal price.
It does come in handy when the weekly flyers come in!

I know, I know, I over plan...but it's FUN!

Ingredients:

Dough:

6 ½ Tbsp sugar

5 ½ Tbsp shortening

1 Tsp salt

1 Egg (slightly beaten)

1 Tsp lemon extract

3 ½ Cups bread flour

2 Tsp instant yeast

1 Cup + 2 Tbsp whole milk

Cinnamon Sugar Mix:

6 ½ Tbsp sugar

1 ½ Tbsp ground cinnamon

Caramel Glaze

1 Cup unsalted butter (softened)
½ Cup granulated sugar
½ Cup light brown sugar
½ Tsp salt
½ Cup light corn syrup
1 Tsp vanilla extract
½ Cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
1. Cream together the sugar, shortening, and salt
2. Whip in egg and lemon extract until smooth.
3. Add flour, yeast, and milk
4. Mix until dough forms a ball
5. Knead for 12-15 minutes
6. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer dough, rolling it around to coat the dough
7. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until dough doubles in size

8. Make caramel glaze: Combine butter, sugars, salt for 2 minutes in high
9. Add corn syrup and vanilla extract. Cream until light and fluffy.
10. Roll out dough with a rolling pin until a 14 x 12 rectangle
11. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar all over dough
12. Roll the dough, long side facing you, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral
13. With seam side down, cut the dough into 8-12 even pieces
14. Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan with the caramel glaze and pecans
15. Lay pieces of dough over caramel sauce
16. Mist dough lightly with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap
17. Proof at room temperature for 75-90 minutes, or until doubled
NOTE: Instead of the second rise, you can place in fridge overnight and pull the pans out
3-4 hours before cooking
18. Preheat oven to 350 and adjust rack to lowest shelf
19. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes
20. Serve by flipping bun over and spooning warm glaze over the top

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Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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