Sweet & Salty Chex Mix

Did some more Holiday baking today. One of my favorite snacks is the Sweet & Salty Chex Mix. I saw this on the back of one of the holiday shaped chocolate chips bags many years ago and have made it part of my tradition to make for Christmas and Halloween. I adapted it to my taste adding preztles and my favorites Bugels. Bugels are tough to find sometimes, you have to really look hard in the chip section. Hope you enjoy!

Note: Change up the M&M colors to suite whatever holiday or event you are making it for.

Sweet & Salty Chex Mix

• 9 cups chex mix (your choice of flavors)
• 4 cups of popcorn (I use microwave) 1 bag is more than 4 cups
• 1 1/2 cups of dry-roasted peanuts
• 1 cup pretzle sticks
• 1 cup bugels
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 bag of your favorite colored M& M's

Preheat oven to 250,grease large cookie sheet or 2.

Mix: cereal, popcorn, peanuts, pretzles and bugels in a large bowl.

Combine: brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a medium heavy duty sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stirring constantly. Boil, without stirring for 5 minutes (watching carefully). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over the cereal mixture and stir to coat evenly.

Bake: for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan stirring frequently to break apart.

ADD M&M'S AFTER MIX IS COMPLETELY COOL. If not you will have a gooey mess.

Store in airtight container.

Tis the Season!

Tis the Season to make "Peanut Butter Balls". Super easy to make and so delicious. It's a tradition in our house to make these every year. I will be making these babies on Weds. night.

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter; softened
• 2 cups rice krispy cereal; crushed in a ziplock bag.
• 2 (12 oz) pkgs milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips.

Combine sugar, peanut butter and butter in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add cereal and gently stir until combined. Roll mixture into individual balls and put on a coo

kie sheet. Refridgereate for 20 minutes. Melt chocolate and dip each ball into chocolate. Keep in a cool area or in refrigerator.

Enjoy!
Kimm

Crockpot Carnitas

This is a wonderful recipe for crockpot carnitas. I make this and have tacos and any leftovers we make green enchiladas with.

I just rub this mixture all over the pork and let sit a few days before I put in crockpot.

Crockpot Carnitas

Serves 6-8

• 1 (4 lb) pork shoulder or pork butt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• 3 teaspoons seasoning salt 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2-2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 onions, thinly sliced

Put meat in crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4 hours. If you have too much you can use the left overs and put BBQ sauce on it and then make BBQ beef sandwiches.

Homemade Clam Chowder

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. Things have been busy with work and keeping up with the kids. Today was a nice cool and rainy morning and I wanted to make some sort of soup. Just seemed like the perfect day. I decided on making Clam Chowder. Everyone in my house loves Clam Chowder so it was a safe call.

Here is the Simple recipe.

CLAM CHOWDER

Serves: 4-6

2 Cups Water

1 pinch of Salt

4 Cups of peeled chopped potatoes (I cube mine)

1/2 C finely chopped onion

1/4 cup butter

3 T all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp celery seed

2 T dried parsley flakes (I used 1)

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

2 (10oz) cans baby clams (I only use 1 can as it was way too many clams for us) It's your preference.

salt and pepper to your taste

1. Cook potato in 2 cups of water with pinch of salt until tender, but DO NOT drain.
2. In a small pan, saute onion in butter until tender, add flour, cayenne, and celery seed; stir well.
3. Drain juice from clams into potatoes and reserve clams for later.
4. Add parsley and milk to potato mixture, and stir well.
5. Heat potato mixture, and add onion/flour mixture, stirring constantly until thickened slightly.
6. Stir in clams, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Cook for 5-10 minutes till heated through.

Enjoy with some nice crusty french bread.

"T's" Pizza Dip

This is a dip that my friend Tina makes all the time and it gets rave reviews ALWAYS. You can do your own variation of it adding different toppings of your choice but I am the kind of gal who likes to keep things simple. Here is my version of the Pizza Dip.

Pizza Dip

• 2 (80z) Cream Cheese; softened
• 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning (McCormick)
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed or crushed
• 1 jar pizza sauce
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 cup Mozzerella cheese; shredded
• Pepperoni (they have some cool mini ones in the grocery store) any will do.

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix cream cheese , italian seasoning and Garlic. Spread into a baking dish.
2. Pour pizza sauce over top and spread evenly over cream cheese mixture.
3. Spread chopped onions over sauce evenly.
4. Top with cheese and pepperoni.
5. Now you can add whatever extras you want like: Olives, Bell Peppers etc... its all up to you

Bake at 350 until cooked through. Serve with Tortilla chips.

Halloween Spider Eggs

These were some fun eggs me and alyssa made for her soccer party. We were really happy with the way they came out. We used olives to make the spiders.

Deviled Eggs

1. Store your eggs in the carton sideways in the fridge (see pic below). this will center the yolk.

2. Place eggs in pan and cover eggs with cold water. Bring water to a boil.

3. Once water is rapidly boiling, shut off heat and cover with lid. Let sit for 15 minutes.

4. Drain and run cold water over eggs until completely cooled.

5. Peel eggs and cut in half. Remove yolks from the centers and place in a bowl.

6. Mash eggs add ingredients and mix well.

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs; boiled
• 2-3 T Mayo (add one at a time to get desired consistency)
• 1 tsp pickled relish
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Couple drops of yellow mustard (I use for color)

Note: On ingredients, add a little at a time so you don't make too wet. You may end up adding more mayo or other ingredients to your taste.

Bakerella

Last week me and Wendy went to South Coast Plaza to meet and get our cookbooks signed by Bakerella. For those of you who are not familiar with Bakerella you need to check out her blog http://www.bakerella.com/southern-california/. She is the Cake Pop Queen. She makes the cutest cake pops and cake balls. Wendy and I have been following her blog for over a year know and were really excited to meet her. Now that I am working at The Shirt Cannery I made us a couple cute shirts to wear. Today I got onto facebook and WE MADE HER BLOG!!! I was so excited. You need to pick up her cookbook, its filled with so many great cake pop recipes and amazing decorating tips. I have to do some handy work on my pics my color didn't come out like I would have liked. I will post some pics of us with her and of her book as soon as I go clean them up a bit. Here is one that Bakerella posted on her blog of me and Wendy. This is a gal who works at the Mission Viejo mall William Sonoma she hung out with us.

Carnitas Chili

The Fall weather is finally looking like its here. I love fall. I love soups, chili's and all the warm comfort foods that come along with it. This Chili recipe was shared with me by a friend Laura Benvenuto. She saw it at a Trader Joes demo several years ago and kindly shared it with me and it's been a favorite since.

Carnitas Chili

• 3-4 lbs of Pork Roast (precooked & shredded). Traders has a great microwaveable one in there meat dept. or make your own.
• 16 oz can of chicken broth
• 1 can white kidney beans (or whatever beans you like) I use pinto, chili and white beans because I can.
• 1 diced onion
• 1 half of package of TJ's frozen bell peppers (red, green & yellow).
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1 large jar of salsa verde (the green stuff)
• 2-3 tsp cumin
• Cilantro; fresh

Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce and simmer for 1 hour. Top with grated cheese and tortilla chips.

Sorry I have been MIA

Note: You can click on the recipe and right click your mouse and save to your computer.

Sorry to be MIA. I finally got a part time job and have been working a lot the past 3 weeks. Anyways, thought I would pop on here really quick and post a recipe. This recipe was given to me by my friend Keri Garcia who makes this chili every year for her school Halloween Carnival Chili cook off. I ran into her in the grocery store last year and was stumped on what to make for my Halloween Party and she gave me the recipe on the spot. The best part is its a crockpot meal and only 5 ingredients. Its really called White Bean Chili but she named it Zombie Chili for Halloween so I am sticking to that.

I made it up on a recipe card in my Creative Memories Storybook software to make it festive.

BBQ Sauce and Chicken

Well me and the husband are trying to eat more lightly so we have been trying salads for dinner. It's from one of my favorite sites Our Best Bites which is awesome. This has 2 recipes from their site "BBQ Chicken" and "BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad". I made the BBQ chicken for dinner one night and then used the leftover chicken the 2nd night for the salad. We got 2 meals out of this which is awesome. I did make a homemade ranch dressing which was good but you can use whatever you want (blue cheese or your favorite bottled dressing).

BBQ Sauce

• 1 1/2 C Ketchup
• 1/4 C Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 C light brown sugar
• 1/2 C red wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 T dry mustard
• 2 t smoked paprika
• 2 t tobasco
• 2 t kosher salt
• 1 1/2 t coarse black pepper
• 1/2 C water

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and use as a marinade or to baste meat while grilling. This sauce tastes better as it sits for a day.

BBQ Chicken

• 2-3 lbs of chicken (I use thighs)
• 1 recipe of BBQ sauce above (reserve one cup for later)

Marinade chicken overnight in a 9x13 dish. Grill over medium and baste with reserved sauce. I actually just warmed it up in a measuring cup and drizzled over chicken when was done. Serve with your favorite side (corn on the cobb, baked beans).

Here is the link to the BBQ Chicken Cobb salad , my husband loved this salad, I received a text that said "This salad rocks".

Basic Beef Stew

I know it's not a summer meal but I was really craving a basic beef stew yesterday even in this heatwave. It turned out really good. The best part is the kids actually loved it which is huge.

Beef Stew

• 3lbs of boneless chuck roast, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 3 T of vegetable oil
• 2 t salt
• 1 T freshly ground pepper
• 2 yellow onions, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/2 t dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 4 carrots, peeled, cut into 1 inch slices
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch slices
• 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut in eighths

1. On medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil to a large heavy pot, with a lid.


2. When it begins to smoke slightly, add the beef and brown very well. Add the salt and pepper as the beef browns.


3. Once browned, remove the beef with slotted spoon set aside.


4. Add the onions and saute for abou 5 minutes, until softened.


5. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring often.


6. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.


7. Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. The flour will start to thicken the wine as it comes to a simmer.


8. Simemr wine for 5 minutes, and then add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and the beef.


9. Bring back to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on very low for about a hour.


10. Add potatoes, carrots, and celery and simmer covered for another 30 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are tender.


11. Turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Note: I had to let mine simmer a lot longer before my vegies got tender.

Happy Anniversary

It's my 20 year wedding anniversary. What a great 20 years it has been and we are looking forward to many more. My husband made us some delicious filet mignon for dinner tonight which was so tender and melted in your mouth. I pondered a dessert for days and finally came across Paula Deen's Southwest Pound Cake. We served it with whipped cream and strawberries. Boy it was good. I definately recommend this one.

Paula Deen's Southwest Pound Cake

• 1 cup (2 sticks) buter, softened
• 3 cups of sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan.

Usinge a electric mixer; cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and heavy cream o butter-sugar mixture beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in a cold oven (this is important) set overn temperature at 325 degrees and bake for 1 1/4 hours without opening the oven door. Bake for an additional 15 minutes if necessary. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto a cake plate.

To Die For Dessert

Okay want a dessert recipe that won't break the bank and will knock peoples socks off when they taste it? Then this is a must try. I found this recipe on http://www.pioneerwomancooks.com/ and let me tell you EVERYTIME I make this people go nuts. Definately not low fat, sorry :o)

Apple Dumplings

• 2 whole Granny Smith apples
• 2 cans (8oz cans) Crescent Rolls
• 2 sticks of butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Cinnamon: to Taste
• 1 can (12 oz) Mountain Dew Soda (I only use enough to drizzle around my pan) not the whole can.

Instructions:
Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9x13 buttered pan. In a saucepan, melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir and pour entire mixure over apples. Drizzle Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinke with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream and spoonsome of the sweet sauce from the pan over the top.

I will apologize in advance for making you try this. It's evil evil evil....

Jalapeno Popper Dip

If you like Jalepeno Poppers you will love this dip. This is a recipe which I obtained from http://www.allrecipes.com/ it is so good. Bring this to your next event and it will be a sure hit.

Jalepeno Popper Dip

2 - 8oz cream cheese; softened
1 cup mayo
1 (4oz) can green chilies; drained
1 (4oz) can jalepeno's (I only use half) recipe called for 2 ounces and couldn't find 2 ounce cans
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (plain)

Combine the first 4 ingredients. in a bowl and mix thouroughly. I use a hand mixer seems to mix easier that way. Place mixture in a 8x8 baking dish. In a seperate bowl; mix parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle the parm/bread crumb mixture over dip. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Serve with frito's or corn chips.

Caprese Bites

Back from a mini vacation which was well needed. Here is a easy and quick summer appetizer that impresses and is easy to make.

Caprese Bites

1 package of bite size tomatoes (Trader Joes) Not cherry tomatoes they are a little bigger.
1 container of (Trader Joes) Marinated Mozzerella Balls.
1 package of basil leaves

Instructions:
Wash the tomatoes and scoop out the inside pulp. Take one basil leave and place around one mozzerella ball and push into the tomatoe. Drizzle a little of the marinated olive oil from the mozzerella container over tomatoes. You can drizzle a little balsamic vinegar to add a extra punch or serve as is.

Great no cook simple appetizer for those hot summer days.

I am back!!!

Sorry I have been a little getaway for the past few days. A friend invited me to go to San Diego and do some Digi Scrapping. Digi scrapping is so great, you just bring your laptop sit in a hotel room, have cocktails and enjoy your quiet time with your friends while making wonderful memories. Got several pages done and learn some new things. I will be gone beginning Thursday and won't be back in town until Monday. Going to see a friends new cabin in Lake Arrowhead.

Todays recipe is a simple salad which one of my wonderful neighbors from my old neighborhood shared with me many years ago and I make it all the time. Thanks Hilleri :o). It has a great presentation to it too which is great for holidays. The best part is you don't have to really make anything. Simple and delish.

Champagne Pine Nut Salad

2 bags of Spring Mix (the leafy pretty salad)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 can corn, drained (15oz)
2-3 roma tomatoes;chopped
1 medium red onion;sliced thinly
1 (4oz) feta cheese; crumbled
1 large cucumber seeded and diced
1 bottle of "Girards" Champagned Dressing

Place lettuce in a pretty bowl. Then place all your ingredients except the dressing on top of lettuce. I like to put the vegies in a pile around the bowl like a wheel. Then when ready to serve shake dressing really good and pour over and mix.

Marinated Flank Steaks

Happy Sunday, hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful day. Today's recipe is a delicious marinated flank steak. It's a favorite with my family. Great as you can prepare a day in advance.

Marinated Flank Steak

3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 honey
1/4 water
3 scallions chopped
4 garlic cloves; pressed
1 (8oz) flank steak

Instructions:
In a large zip lock bag place all ingredients except the steak. Once all ingredients are in bag add steak and let marinate for 2 hours or longer. Remove steak from bag and reserve marinade into a small sauce pan. Grill or broil steak until medium. While steak is cooking heat up the marinade to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. To serve slice against grain. Great with rice.

Blue Cheese Dressing

If you like Blue Cheese you will love this dressing. This is highly requested by Tony (my hubby) a lot. It's not a strong dressing for those like me who don't care for the strong tasting blue cheeses. Makes a great salad wedge with ice berg, bacon bits and red onion.

Blue Cheese Dressing

2/3 cup Mayo
2/3 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup blue Cheese
1 tsp white vinegar
1 crushed garlic clove
Fresh Cracked black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Enjoy. Please leave a comment if you try it.

Great Summer Dip

This dip is great to serve in the summer. It's a cold delicious dip that makes a large batch. Shared with me by my friend Tricia George.

My Favorite Cold Corn Dip

1 cup mayo
8 oz sour cream
2 to 3 cujps grated cheddar cheese
1 bunch of green onions; sliced thin
24 oz can Mexicorn
4 oz can diced jalepeno
4 oz can green chilies
1 tsp sugar
splash of tabasco

Drain liquid from corn, jalepenos and chiles. Mix everything together and chill for 2 hours or overnight is best. Serve with scoops or Fritos.

Hasan's Jalapeno Cilantro Hummus

Our friends Sam and Donna make this amazing hummus. They were kind enough to share the recipe with us. This is always a hit when I bring it somewhere.

Hasan's Jalepeno Cilantro Hummus

1 can Alwadi Hommus (yes it's spelled with a "O" I found at a persian market.
1 bunch of fresh Cilantro stems on (I cut mine off at the bottom)
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup Jalepeno's (I use he jarred nacho kind and pour some of the juice in)
Pinch of Salt
1/2 lemon
Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Put Hommus in a bowl (it's already blended so you just need to add to a seperate bowl).
2. In a blender at all the ingredients except the lemon. Carefully add olive oil a little at a time while blender is going until all ingredients blend into a liquid.
3. After thouroughly blended pour into the hommus and squeeze the lemon into the mixture.
4. Mix until the hummus looks green.

Dip with pita bread or pita chips. If you live by the persian market and they make this homemade flat bread that is warm and to die for get that. It's amazing.

Here we go again....

Well, so many people are always asking me to create a cookbook or start a blog with all my recipes and creative stuff. I promised myself that after school was out and I was finished with all my Girl Scout and PTA adventures I would focus on a blog. I am so clueless when it comes to making a blog so bare with me and feel free to make any suggestions. My goal is to be able to create tabs at some point seperating my subjects to make it easier for people to find but as of right now I can't figure it out. I am sure as I become familiar with the blogging world I will learn.

My plan is to have a area for:

• Creative Memories (templates, tips and more)
• Recipes
• Printables (party favors etc...)

Wish me luck, I am sure going to need it.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake - Oh My!

I admit I am not a huge fan of baking. However; I have recently gotten bit by the bug. It started with the Pioneer Woman's Chocolate sheet Cake. I made this sinfully delicious cake for one of my functions here at the house and it was a huge hit. While scrolling through some other sites I just happen upon this site who had a Peanut Butter sheet cake. Being a huge fan of peanut butter it peaked my curiosity. Let me tell you it is amazing. If you want a easy quick dessert you can throw together this is it. A definite must try.


Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
By: Nina Jones at http://http//stellasolablog.blogspot.com

Mix in pan and bring to a boil:
1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of butter

Sift the following and add to above mixture:
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of brown sugar
2 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Mix and add to above mixture:
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Stir well and pour into greased or parchment lined cookie sheet pan (jellyroll). Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

While the cake is baking prepare the frosting:

Frosting -Mix in a pan:
3/4 cup of butter
6 T of buttermilk
1/2 cup peanut butter
Take off stove and add: 1 T of vanilla and 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. (I mix in a food processor it is way easier than mixing by hand).

As soon as cake comes out of the oven, pour frosting over hot cake and spread evenly.

Enjoy!