Halloween Mummies

A couple of years ago I came across this idea for Halloween.  The kids go crazy over these mummies.  They are super easy and pretty fast.  Serve them for lunch with some fruit or along side a bowl of chili for dinner.

1 pkg. Hot Dogs
1 pkg. Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out the crescent roll dough into a large Rectangle.  Cut very thin strips (about 1/8") with a pizza cutter.  Cut the hot dogs in half and wrap a strip around each half leaving a place for eyes to be added after they are baked.  Place the wrapped mummies on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Before serving add mummy eyes with mustard or ketchup.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Dessert

Prepare to be wowed.  This dessert is the best thing I have tasted in a long time.  The combination of ice cream and pumpkin is just meant to be and the toasted pecans take the dish from a 9.5 to a 10 in my book.  If you like pumpkin pie this dessert is bound to become one of your very favorites.

1/2 C. Butter, melted
2 C. Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 1/2 Quarts Vanilla Ice Cream
2 C. Pumpkin
3/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 tsp. Ginger
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 3/4 C. Sugar
1 Small Container Whipped Topping
1 C. Toasted Pecans

Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter then press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Freeze for at least 1 hour.  Take ice cream out of your freezer and allow it to soften for about 10 minutes.  Scoop out ice cream and spread in an even layer over crust.  Combine pumpkin, sugar and all spices.  Mix well then pour over top of ice cream.  Freeze for at least 2 hours.  Toast pecans in a small skillet on medium heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Before serving spread whipped topping over pumpkin layer and sprinkle pecans over top.

Lettuce Wraps

The lettuce wraps from PF Changs are to-die-for!  If you haven't tried them you are really missing out.  I am not going to tell you that these lettuce wraps are a duplicate of the experience you have had at PF Changs but they are really good.  I love the hoisin sauce in them.  Hoisin sauce is like an Asian BBQ sauce, you find it in the Asian section of your grocery store.  The recipe is pretty loose.  They can be made with chicken breast, ground beef or ground turkey, any kind of lettuce works great, you can eat them with rice or just the meat mixture, there is basically a lot of room for personal preferences.

 I head of Lettuce
1 lb. Lean Ground Beef/ Ground Turkey OR 2 Large Chicken Breasts, diced small
2 tsp. Sesame Oil
1 Large Onion, diced small
2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
1 T. Soy Sauce
4 T. Hoisin Sauce
2 tsp. Fresh Ginger, minced (or in a pinch 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger but fresh is best)
1 T. Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Can Water chestnuts, diced small
1 Carrot, grated
1 Bunch Green Onions, sliced
1 C. Cooked Rice

Individually remove leaves of lettuce, wash them and pat them dry.  Lay them on a large platter and set aside.  Heat oil in a skillet and brown your meat, onion, garlic and ginger.  When meat is cooked through and onions are translucent add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, water chestnuts, carrots and green onions.  Cook for 2-3 minutes then remove from heat.

To serve, either spoon meat mixture alone onto individual lettuce leaves OR spoon some rice onto lettuce first then some of the meat mixture.

Fresh Peach Pie

One of the foods I really dislike is cooked peach pie or cobbler.  Yuck!  Why ruin the delicious flavor of fresh peaches by cooking them.  I had ruled out peach pie entirely until I came across this recipe.  It is AMAZING!  I am in love with the flavor of almond and it is so good along side fresh peaches.  Combine those with a great homemade pie crust and I'll tell you what you have...heaven!

Pie Crust
1 1/3 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 C. Shortening
About 5 T. Cold Water

Mix together flour and salt.  Add shortening and cut in with a pastry cutter or two knives until it looks like bread crumbs.  Add water and mix with a spoon until you have a soft ball of dough.  On a floured surface rollout dough into a circle and transfer to your pie plate.  Tuck extra dough behind edges of dough to thicken dough around the perimeter of your crust.  Pinch edges of your crust however you like or use a fork to press designs into the crust.  Prick your crust all over the bottom with a fork to create air holes.  This prevents the crust from bubbling up while cooking.  Bake crust at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until edges turn light brown. 

Peach Filling
3 Peaches, peeled and sliced
1 C. Sugar
4 T. Corn Starch
1/2 C. Water
2 Peaches, diced small
1/4 tsp. Almond Extract
3 T. Butter
1 small container whipped topping

Place the sliced peaches into the bottom of your cooled pie crust.  In a small sauce pan combine the sugar, corn starch, water and diced peaches.  Heat to boiling and boil for 1-2 mintues stirring constantly until mixture becomes very thick.  Add almond extract and butter.  Stir to combine then pour over fresh peaches.  Top with whipped topping and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Ham and Broccoli Pinwheels

These are so pretty, they would be perfect for a bridal shower or luncheon.  The filling is delicious, the flavors blend perfectly.  My kids really liked these.  They are especially good when served warm, soon after they come out of the oven.  The trick to making them all this pretty is to separate each pin wheel so they won't touch as they bake.  They also need to be baked longer than you would typically bake rolls.  They taste better when they are a little brown around the edges.   

1 roll recipe that makes 12-15 rolls.  (I like this one.)
*Don't use a sweet dough for this recipe.
Fresh Broccoli 
2 C. Diced Ham
5-6 Green Onions, sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
1 T. Olive Oil
Salt Pepper
Parmesan Cheese (about 4 oz.)  
1 8oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/4 C. Butter, at room temperature

Make your bread dough.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle like you would for cinnamon rolls.  Using a hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese and butter.  Spread evenly over top of dough.  Chop broccoli pretty fine until you have about 2-2 1/2 cups.  Heat oil in a large skillet and add garlic.  Saute at medium heat 1-2 minutes then add broccoli, ham, green onions and salt/pepper.  Saute about 3 minutes until broccoli begins to get a little soft.  Spread evenly over the cream cheese.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top and roll up.  Cut into pinwheels using a sharp knife or dental floss like you would cut cinnamon rolls.  Place on a large cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Like I said before, you want to place these apart from each other so they aren't touching when they bake, kind of like when you make cookies.  Sprinkle more parmesan cheese over top of each pinwheel.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Orange Walnut Muffins

Orange flavor is so fresh tasting and orange anything just sounds awesome for breakfast.  So when I came across a recipe for orange muffins I was intrigued.  I had never in my life tasted or even heard of orange muffins.  You know how I feel about muffins and I am always looking for new breakfast ideas.  The results: So. Good. 

2 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp.Baking Soda
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 C. Sugar
1 Large Orange, zested
2/3 C. Orange Juice
1/2 C. Butter, melted
2 Eggs
1/2 C. Walnuts, coarsely chopped
Cinnamon and Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and orange zest until well mixed.  Add orange juice, butter, and eggs and mix until everything is combined but don't over mix.  Fold in walnuts and divide into 12 muffin cups lined with papers.  Sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar over top of each muffin.  Bake for 20 minutes. 

Choco-Banana Bars

I am slightly addicted to the combination of chocolate and banana as evidenced by the chunky monkey pancakes, double chocolate banana bread and chocolate banana cookies all posted on this site!  My kids really enjoyed this as an after school snack.  They are very moist bars, not like a cookie but more a cake or bread-like texture and with the use of applesauce, they aren't bad in the health department either.  My son took one to school in his lunch and he said all his friends were asking what in the world that thing was.  Apparently it didn't look that appetizing to them.  But what it lacks in appearance it makes up for in flavor, I promise!

1/4 C. Butter, melted
1/4 C. Applesauce
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Over-ripe Bananas
1 1/2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 T. Cocoa Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix butter, applesauce, egg and vanilla until frothy and light.  Mix in bananas until they are blended smooth.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix until just combined, don't over mix.  Remove 1/2 the batter to a different bowl.  Add cocoa to one bowl of batter and mix well.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and spread the cocoa batter into the bottom.  Drop spoonfuls of the white batter over top then swirl it all around with a butter knife until the chocolate and white batters are marbled.  Bake for 25 minutes then cool for 30-60 minutes before serving.