Caramel Frosting to make Salted Caramel Cupcakes!

•  1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup  shortening
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the brown sugar and the salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.  Mix shortening and caramel mixture together until creamy.  Add powdered sugar and beat for 3 minutes.

 I drizzled melted Kisses over the frosting to add decorative detail & sprinkled with salt for salted caramel flavor!  You can kind of see the salt in this picture:

  Enjoy!  I know I did!!

See where I linked up:  Link Parties

Filled cupcake recipe

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the butter and shortening together.  After it is whipped together, add the sugar until it is completely mixed.  Add in the milk and vanilla and whip until it fluffy (about 3 minutes).

This is for 36 cupcakes to be filled.  I only wanted to fill 7 cupcakes... so I made frosting with the rest.  I used about 1/4 of the mixture to fill the cupcakes.  I added approximately 1/4 cup of cocoa to the remaining filling to make an awesome frosting.  I put the lot of it into my kitchen aid mixer bowl and let the wire whisk whip it for about 3 minutes.

I had a cupcake recipe that I had made and used it for these.

 

I seem to like taking pictures of my food almost as much as I enjoy eating it :)  I shared my photo's today on:  Sweet Shot Tuesday

Strawberry Chocolate Footballs

For the chocolate strawberries
*20 Hershey Kisses
*1 Tablespoon Crisco
*20 medium strawberries

For the lines:
*2 Tablespoon white chocolate chips
*1 teaspoon Crisco

These were super easy and fun to do.  I melted about 20 hershey kisses for a minute and mixed it together with a tablespoon of Crisco.  Stir until melted.  Dip the strawberries into the chocolate and then I place into the fridge to cool and then I pipe the lines on.

I put the white chocolate into a baggie and snip off the end of the bag to create a small hole.  This is easier than using a pastry bag :)

Heart Shaped Pizza Mini's

We had some little friends over the other day and with Valentines day approaching we decided to make some fun food.  So, we made Heart Shaped Pizza mini's. 

Recipe:

*Pizza dough (store bought works fine in a hurry)
*Pizza Sauce
*peperroni's
*mozzerella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 (or package directions).  Roll out pizza dough on floured surface.  Cut out desire shapes.  Put about a tablespoon of pizza sauce on each pizza mini; spread to the edges without going over.  Sprinkle with cheese and desired toppings. 

*If using store bought, the leftover dough is tricky to reshape, so we made it into a little pizza for my husband to eat :)

Savory Pot Roast with Onions

Since I don't follow recipes exactly when I am reading them (for one reason or another) I have trouble sometimes making the item again.  That is what is happening to me now :(  I made a pot roast back in November that tasted really really really good.  Usually if I can find the base recipe, I can remember... but I can't even find this base recipe.  So here goes what I remember with a few changes. 

We loved it!!

Sear the beef and season with salt and rosemary.

Flip the seared beef and it should have a nice brown cast with slight bronze streaks.

Put into dish and put onions around the beef.

Mix together sauces for the gravy.

Place the gravy over the roast and sprinkle with more rosemary

Serve with Roasted Root Vegetables

Savory Pot Roast:

*1 1/2 pound Roast ( I used a beef chuck roast shoulder)
*2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (or butter)
*1 pressed garlic clove
*salt
*1/2 teaspoon rosemary

*1 onion chopped lengthwise

Sauce:
*1/4 cup red wine vinegar - or- red wine
*1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
*1/2 jar of Heinz low fat gravy
* 2 Tablespoons water (if double, use 1/4 cup)
*1 teaspoon rosemary
*1/2 teaspoon bay leaf or 3 whole bay leaves (whole to be removed after cooking)

Preheat the oven to 375.  Put the olive oil (or butter) into a skillet & turn on.  I trim the fat off of the meat and then pierce the meat with the fork several times on both sides.  I sprinkle with salt and then I place the meat into the hot skillet.  Put the rosemary and pressed garlic onto the top of the roast.  At this point, the bottom is ready to be flipped.  I look for a nice even brown color with a few carmel streaks.  This locks in the flavor when it is baked in the oven.

Set the meat aside in the dish you will be using.  Put the onion on the sides around the meat.

Combine the gravy, red wine, Worcestershire Sauce and water.  Mix well and pour over the top of the roast.

Cook at 375 for an hour.

Note:  When I make a roast this way, I cook the vegetables separately.  I have found the potatoes get too soggy with this roast.  I use my Roasted Root Vegetable recipe to accompany this dish.

If doubling this for a 3-4lb roast, do not double the vinegar.  If using wine, double :)

Roasted Root Vegetables

Before roasting...

Served with Savory Pot Roast

Roasted Root Vegetables:

*3 potatoes
*3 medium carrots
*1 large turnip
*1 onion
*3 Tablespoons olive oil
*1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop vegetables into small pieces (nickel and quarter size).  Toss with the olive oil.  Place into roasting pan and season with salt.  Bake for 45 minutes or until vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.

Other items you can add:  turnips, sweet potatoes and any other root vegetable.  This dish even works well on the grill in grill packets.

Bok Choy and Onion Stirfry (HAPPY Chinese New Year!)

I lived in China for a year back in 2001-02.  I love good Chinese food and I really should make it more often - especially since the Chinese restaurants taste different than what I got used to eating.  This recipe was definitely a keeper.

Bok Choy and Onion
*Baby Bok Choy - sliced into long pieces
*One white onion
*1 Tablespoon olive oil
*1 Tablespoon soy sauce
*1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Mix the olive oil and soy sauce together and saute/stirfry the bok choy and onion for approximately 5 minutes.  When the leaves are wilted, it is done.

We ate it over a long grain rice mixture.  It was tasty!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Baked Mac & Cheese

I think the only time I ever follow a recipe exactly is when I am baking.  Here is yet another example of me not following the recipe as written.  I found this recipe through Pinterest, which had people claiming it was the worlds best mac and cheese.  I had to try it (and change it, so it really is something pretty different I am sure.

*8 oz. small Penne pasta
* Sauce:

•  3 Tablespoons of butter
• 1 1/2 Cups of milk
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons of flour
• 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
• 1 Tablespoon white cheddar popcorn seasoning

*1/2 Cup of Cheddar Cheese

Set oven temperature to 350.
Directions for making the sauce: 

1. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes.
2. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, chile powder, and garlic powder. Stir until cheese has melted and all ingredients are well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days.

Add the sauce to the cooked penne pasta and coat.   Put mixture into 8x8 ungreased pan and place into oven for 20 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before eating.

Sadly, I couldn't eat it because of the dairy - but my family LOVED it.

Makeover Oreo Cake Balls!

I love desserts!  I love sweets!  And, I love to eat a lot :)  But, I don't want to gain - so I love when I can modify a recipe (lose some calories) and still get rave results!  I found the original recipe here:  Oreo Truffles and I am so glad that I found this recipe on her site!

Here is my updated version:

*half package of reduced fat Oreos
*3 ounces of neufchatel cheese softened (like cream cheese)
* 1 1/2 cups of white chocolate chips

Chope Oreos up finely in a food processor.  Save a Tablespoon of the crushed Oreos to decorate the tops later; set aside.

Combine the softened cheese and crushed Oreos until well combined. Roll into balls and place on wax covered cookie sheet (I used aluminum foil instead of wax).  Place sheet into freezer for 15 minutes to set the Oreo balls.

Melt chips in microwave by heating for approximately a minute.  I find that if the chips have retained their shape but are glossy on the outside, they are ready to begin mixing. I mix until it becomes a smooth dip.

Take the Oreo cake balls out of the freezer and dip into chocolate.  Dust with the leftover Oreo crumbs before the white chocolate hardens.  Let the chocolate harden and store in the fridge.

Warning:  Be prepared to keep eating these!  :)  I made these for two separate parties and didn't have any to bring home either time!

Kale Soup

Winter has surely set in - no more odd 60 degree January days here.  It snowed this week, which my girls loved and my oldest said, "It's finally Christmastime."  Uh.  Nope, Christmas is past.  She had made these window clings this summer and I thought the little astronaut looked so cute against the snow.

One of my most favorite things in the winter time is soup.  A family favorite soup that I make several times every winter is Kale Soup.  My mom always made it and I have heard she learned to make it from my Great Aunt Ethel (who passed away this past year at 101yrs old).  I LOVE Kale Soup!!

Ingredients:

5 Potatoes cut 

15 Baby carrots diced

1 cup of fast Oatmeal (plain!)

3 bunches of Kale

2 links of Polish Kielbasa 

8 cups water

salt to taste

Boil the water and add the potatoes and carrots.  I usually simmer until the potatoes and carrots are soft and a fork can pierce them.  During this time, I shred the Kale into small pieces that are as large as my palm or smaller.  Add the kielbasa and oatmeal when the potatoes are soft.  Then add the kale.  Allow to continue to simmer for 5-10 more minutes.  I prefer my Kale to lose the bright green color and become limp; and I use this as my guide to when the soup is complete.  Salt to taste.  

If your soup gets too thick, you can always add more water, a cup at a time until it is the desired consistency.  This soup is packed with wonderful nutrients!  Let me know if you try our family recipe!

Homemade Granola Bars

I have to cut out dairy due to Drew having a dairy intolerance.  Trying to find things that lack dairy is challenging!  So, I decided to make some homemade granola bars.  I haven't made them before; they taste super!!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups instant oatmeal
• 1 cup ground nuts - I used 1/2 pecans and 1/2 pistachios
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup ground dried fruit - I used a mixture

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 8x12 pan with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat bran.


Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
Place the olive oil, honey, brown sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Mix the fruit, nut and toasted mixture.  Cook sauce and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

Modified from Barefoot Contessa's orginal recipe:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/homemade-granola-bars-recipe/index.html