Merry Christmas Eve and a Recipe!!

Merry Christmas Everyone! My presents are bought, wrapped and ready to go! Although I am missing a couple of presents that haven't been delivered yet!  I am hoping the mailman will come through for me today.

  I got up early this morning and made my Grandmother's Old Fashion Soft Sugar cookies because Tall kept "reminding" me that I needed to make some!

Old Fashion Soft Sugar Cookies

2 cups granulated sugar
3 egs
1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup buttermilk
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients together (I use a mixer)...drop by spoonfuls onto a greased (with Pam) cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar (can use colored sugar if desired)...bake at 350 degrees until bottoms start turning brown.

You can add a little more buttermilk if you want them more of a flat cookie.

They are very easy to make!

Enjoy!!
Ozzie

Venti arrived home safely from California on Thursday but we have yet to see him.....hummm...hope this isn't an indication of last year.  He did tell me that he is eating dinner with us at my parents house on Christmas Day so at least they are taking turns!

Short's Christmas program at school. He was a Shepherd!

I have not heard back about the job yet.  They told me they would let me know either way! Hopefully I will hear something soon!

Today we are going to 5:00pm mass which is the children's mass.  We have to get there about an hour before to get a seat because it gets that crowded!  After mass the 5 of us are going out to eat.  The boys picked Red Lobster!  Yum!  Bring on the biscuits!

After dinner we are stopping by Short's best friends house for a party.  Then its home to relax a little before tomorrow!


Merry Christmas to all of you!
Thank you all for being a friend, follower, or both as that is the best Christmas present I could ask for!  

Chicken Puffs Recipe!!

Here is my recipe for Chicken Puffs!  They are a huge hit in my household and are especially Venti's favorite!!
If you like crescent rolls, cream cheese and chicken, you will love these!!

Keep in mind that I make this for 5 of us...you can cut the recipe in half if you think its too much!

3 lbs fresh chicken tenderloins
2 packages 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
3 packages of 8 count crescent rolls
Chives
Milk
Salt and Pepper

Put chicken tenderloins in a casserole dish or pan and cover with water.  Bake at 350 degrees until done...approximately 45 minutes.

Drain the water and cut the chicken up into small pieces.  Add the cut up chicken to the softened cream cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste...sprinkle in chives (use as many or as little as you like..but don't skip them!)....add just enough milk make the mixture creamy....approximately 3 tablespoons.  Don't add too much!  Start off with 2 tablespoons and then you can always add more.  You don't want it runny!

Put a spoonful onto each crescent roll.  Crescent rolls work best when sat out for a little instead of when they are cold right out of the fridge.  If I forget to do this then I just take them out of the can and put all 8 into the microwave for 10 seconds...just enough time to take the "cold" out of them.

Fold up the sides to seal in all three sides.  Don't leave any gaps or the creaminess will run out when they are baking.

Put them on a cookie tray and bake at 325 degrees until golden brown!

They smell so delicious when they are baking and they taste so yummy when they are done!!

If you make these please let me know how they turned out!!

A New Beauty Tip and My Baked Corn Pudding Recipe!!

I am 20 again!  Okay well not really...but close!  I have found the best facial product yet!  I have been using this for about a month now and I'm telling you that my wrinkles are disappearing!  Yep!  This stuff really works!  I am not being paid to say this...I am really just amazed at the results!  What is it?

Positively Ageless with Multidefense Daily Moisturizer with SPF 42!!

See reduced appearance of lines and wrinkles in just 4 weeks with the Multidefense Daily Moisturizer. It provides multiple layers of defense to help protect and reveal younger, more vibrant-looking skin with natural antioxidants to help fortify skin, skin conditioning emollients for softer, smoother skin, broad-spectrum sunscreen to defend against both aging UVA and burning UVB rays and SPF 42 for high-level protection against sunburn. This elegant formula contains olive leaf and Natural Shiitake Complex to enhance the youthful look of skin.

 Give it a try!!  It is my favorite facial product that I've tried so far!


Now for my Baked Corn Pudding Recipe!  I do not have pictures to go with it because I won't make it until Thanksgiving day!  I wanted to share the recipe with you in case you want to make it for your Thanksgiving dinner!

Baked Corn Pudding

1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons salt
8 large eggs
3 pints whipping cream
1/2 cup melted butter
2 lbs frozen corn

• Combine first 4 ingredients and set aside.
• Beat eggs with a fork in a large bowl; stir in whipping cream...1 pint at a time...add melted butter.  Gradually dry ingredients...stirring until smooth; stir in corn.  Pour mixture into a greased (use Pam non-stick baking spray) large baking dish/pan.  I use a 15 x 11 pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until deep golden and mixture is set.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

Product Details

Short Description: 

Fight the signs of aging and reduce the appearance lines and wrinkles with this Natural Shiitake Complex formula that combines high SPF, natural antioxidants, and skin conditioning emollients.

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Active

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Active Natural Description: 

Reveal younger-looking skin with this exclusive collection containing ACTIVE NATURALS^® Natural Shiitake Complex, an antioxidant that works with your skin's natural renewal process.

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Homemade Soft Pretzels! Just like Auntie Anne's!

Joe and I were at the mall last week and smelled the delicious aroma of Auntie Anne's soft pretzels floating through the mall! Yum! No matter how full I am I always have room for a soft pretzel! We waited in line and ordered the special which was buy 3 pretzels and a large drink and get a pretzel free. We also ordered another drink and an extra pretzel so that we could take each of the boys one home! Well imagine the shock that I got when she said my total was $19.75! What!? For pretzels and drinks! We paid our total, grabbed our bag and sat down to enjoy our delicious...and expensive pretzels!

Yes they are good...but are they worth that much money? Surely there has to be a way to make them at home and have extra pretzels to share!

After doing some searching I found a recipe that is supposed to be exactly like Auntie Anne's and boy are they delicious..and way cheaper!

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels 

1 1/2 C. warm water
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast (1 1/2 pkg.)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 C. bread flour
3 C. regular flour
2 C. warm water
2 Tbsp baking soda
To taste, coarse salt
2 – 4 Tbsp butter (melted)

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often.

After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy!

Or for Auntie Anne’s famous cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.

Great to make on a rainy day, party or sleepover!! Enjoy!

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert! Yum!!

Here is something sooooooooo good that I have to share it with you because I thought maybe someone might want to make this for their 4th of July picnic!  I make this every couple of weeks because not only do I love it but Joe gets a craving for it!!  Some of you may have heard of it before or even had it before!  Here is the recipe and PLEASE let me know if you make it and how you liked it!

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Crust: 

2 cups crushed pretzels (I use ¾ bag Roll Gold Pretzels Thins- 1 lb bag) (I put them in a ziploc and crush them with a mug)
3/4 cup  melted butter
½ cup sugar

Mix together and spread into bottom of 13 x 9 pan (preferably glass) (spray with Pam)

Bake crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees

Put aside to cool

Middle layer:

8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
16 oz. cool whip (thawed in refrigerator)

Blend together and spread over COOLED pretzel crust.  Be sure to spread the whole way around leaving no crust to be seen (this is so the crust doesn't get soggy)

Refrigerate crust and cool whip while you make the top layer.

Top layer:

Large box of Stawberry Gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water

1 1/2 pint of FRESH strawberry (if you have a slicer, use that and  slice them thin)

Add the 1 cup of boiling water to the strawberry gelatin in a medium mixing bowl.
Add the 1 cup of cold water after the boiling water.
Add the sliced strawberries.

Put the bowl with the gelatin and strawberries in the refrigerator  until  the gelatin starts to gel.  You have to keep checking on it.  It usually takes about an hour.

Pour the strawberry gelatin over the pretzel crust and refrigerator until ready to enjoy!!

Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing!!

Yesterday at our Memorial Day picnic, I made a Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing and it got rave reviews so I wanted to share the recipe with you!  It is super simple and tastes delicious!!!

Salad:

Triple Pack of Romaine Hearts 
1 pt. fresh strawberries (or more if you desire)
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
(Optional: Almond slivers, onions)

DRESSING:

1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. 2% milk
2 tbsp. poppy seeds

• Make the dressing the night before and refrigerate   
• Chop romaine into small pieces
• Wash romaine and dry well (I use a salad spinner)
• Top off strawberries...rinse, dry and slice them thin.
• Put the romaine and strawberries into a large bowl.
• Sprinkle shredded parmesan on the mixture
• Toss well
• Add the dressing right before serving

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Memorial Day!!!

Easy Yummy Orange Cake!!

For Tall's birthday in March he requested his favorite Orange Cake! I wanted to share the recipe with you because it has been a favorite in my house for a very long time. My Grandma use to make it and it was always my favorite and now I make it for the boys. It is very simple and easy to make!

Ingredients:
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 Large Orange

2 lbs Confectioners/Powdered Sugar 
1 Stick butter (not margarine)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the cake mix as directed...set aside until cooled.

Melt the stick of butter in a large bowl in the microwave (about 35 seconds).

Add the 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to the melted butter.

 Beat butter and vanilla with mixer for about 40 seconds.

Take the large orange and use a grate and grate the peel into the bowl...go the whole way around the orange but only grate the very outside of the orange...don't go too deep!

The picture above shows you about how much of the peel you should have.

Next cut the same orange in half.  Squeeze as much of the juice as you can into the bowl.

Next add 1 lb of the powdered sugar.  Mix on medium speed.

Add the other 1 lb of powdered sugar and mix well.  You may need alittle more or alittle less powdered sugar depending upon how big your orange is and how much juice you squeeze out.

All done!!  Icing the cake!!

Yummy!!!  It is so delicious!  If you want your icing more "orange" in color you can add a couple of drops of food coloring.

Let me know if you make this and how much you enjoyed it!!

Creamy Peanut Butter Eggs! Mmmmmm

Here it is! My super creamy and delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Egg recipe! As I stated yesterday, I have never shared this with anyone! Here is how you make them:

You only need 5 ingredients!!



This recipe is doubled because they don't last long enough to only make 1 batch! The doubled recipe made 140 but it depends on how big or small you make them. If you don't want to make the double batch, then just cut the recipe in half. I will list both the single and double batch ingredients:

Single

3/4 pound butter (3 sticks) (do not use margarine) Room Temperature
2 pounds 10x sugar
13 oz. Marshmellow Creme
2 lbs. Peanut Butter (Jif seems to taste the best)
2 1/2 lbs. Chocolate Coating Disks (see below)

Double

1 1/2 pound butter (6 sticks) (do not use margarine) Room Temperature
4 pounds 10x sugar
26 oz. Marshmellow Creme
4 lbs. Peanut Butter (Jif seems to taste the best)
5 lbs. Chocolate Coating Disks (see below)

These direction will be for the DOUBLE batch!!
Once the butter is soft, use electric mixer and beat the butter and 1 pound 10x sugar on medium speed until creamy.

Add the 26 oz. marshmellow cream.



Beat with mixer on medium speed until mixed.



Add the 4 lbs of Peanut Butter



Beat with mixer on medium speed until smooth



Next add the remaining 3 pounds of 10x sugar....ONE pound at a time!!


I bought the 10x sugar in 1 lb bags which made it easier so I didn't have to measure!
When adding in the sugar, use a spoon and not the mixer as its too thick and you will probably burn up your mixer which I have done about 4 times now! lol



Lay wax paper on cookie sheets. Shape mixture into oval eggs. Place on cookie sheets.



I used 3 cookie sheets and put them close together.


Put cookie sheets in refrigerator for several hours or freezer for 45 minutes. They have to be really cold before you can dip them in the chocolate.

After they are cold, melt the chocolate in a double boiler.


Do NOT boil the chocolate. Heat only until the disks are all melted. I used this chocolate:





Use a thin, pointed object like a skewer or something. I use something I found in my kitchen drawer...I have no idea what it is, but it works! Dip one egg at time...let the excess drip off.


You can make your eggs alittle fancier if you want by drizzling some of the excess chocolate over an egg that has already been dipped:


Once the excess had dripped off, twirl your tool to "shake off" the egg onto the wax paper on a cookie sheet...then use your tool to dot a little chocolate over the hole that your tool was in.


Some extra tips:

You can't heat all the chocolate at once...I melted the chocolate 4 different times...while the chocolate is heating, put the eggs that you didn't dip back into the refrigerator...take one tray out at a time..keeping the other trays cold. Use a paper towel to wipe off your tool after each dip. The colder the egg, the easier it is to dip.

That's it! Don't they look yummy?


I purchased some wax bags at the candy store for easy giving!


Please let me know if you make them and how much you enjoyed them! Or if you have any questions!!