Everyday Waffles

The boys wish I made these every day! I do make them quite often, but not that often. We really love these things. They are especially delicious with fresh strawberries and whipped cream! They are also good at Christmas time made with half egg nog.

1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 egg yolks

Mix well.

Add:

1 3/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mix well. Fold in 2 stiff egg whites.

Cinnamon Crock Pot Punch

I found this recipe on a crock pot blog that I really like and decided that this would be the perfect day to try it. It was nice to have it sitting on the counter ready for whenever I wanted a warm drink on this snowy day.

Although it sounded a little weird, it was actually pretty good. I did make a change, but I think it would be good either way.

4 cups cranberry juice

4 cups pineapple juice

2 1/2 cups orange juice (optional)

1/3 cup cinnamon candies

1 cinnamon stick

Put in crock pot and heat on high for 2 hours or low for 4-6 hours.

Mock Egg Nog

I got this recipe last Christmas from my friend Megan. It is a wonderful hot spicy drink that tastes a lot like warm egg nog, only better. (It's not so thick) We had it last year on our annual Christmas lights tour.

4 eggs

1/2 tsp each of allspice and cloves

1 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg

2-4 cups of sifted powdered sugar

Mix well with wire whisk. Store in fridge.

Add 2 tablespoons per mug of hot milk.

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Popcorn

What makes caramel popcorn even better??? The same thing that makes all caramel better… dark chocolate and salt!
This is a really easy recipe and is also delicious just the way it is!

16 cups of popped popcorn (1/2 cup unpopped)

Bring the following ingredients to a slow boil over medium heat.

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

Let boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring after every minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp vanilla. The mixture will foam.

Pour slowly over popcorn in a large bowl. Stir with spoon and mix well.

Spread on large baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake at 250 for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

Be sure to stir and break it up while it cools or you will have a really HUGE popcorn ball!!! :o)

Remove about half of the cooled caramel corn and spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Melt 1 cup of dark chocolate chips and 1 Tablespoon of shortening for 1 minute in microwave. Stir well and microwave for another 15 seconds. Stir until smooth.

Pour chocolate over the popcorn on the baking sheet. Toss carefully to coat all the popcorn as evenly as possible.

After the chocolate has set up for a few minutes but is still slightly melted, sprinkle with coarse salt.

Place chocolate covered popcorn in fridge so it can harden.

Toss the two together and serve. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container. But it doesn’t save well and is better to eat right away! It shouldn’t be a problem…

 

 

Baked Potato Soup

This thick and hearty soup is a favorite around our house. It is best served with hot biscuits from the oven and garnished with real crumbled bacon, cheddar, green onion and cracked black pepper.

3 -4 large potatoes, baked and removed from skins or boiled

3 tbsp sliced green onion

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp dill weed

salt and pepper

4 cups milk

Cook green onion in butter. Stir in flour, dill weed, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once. Whisk until smooth. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook 1 minute more. Add potatoes and mash lightly.

Busy Day Pumpkin Dessert

This is a great alternative to traditional pumpkin pie for the holidays and smells heavenly while it's baking. I got this recipe from my friend, Trena in Fergus Falls. I love getting to see her when we go back for Annual Conventions. This recipe makes me think of her and maybe that's why I like it even more. :o)

30 oz can of complete pumpkin pie filling
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
12 oz can of evaporated milk
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans


Heat oven to 350. Mix first four ingredients and pour into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over the pumpkin. Drizzle melted butter over the cake mix and top with pecans. Bake 60-75 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


Serve warm or cold with ice cream or whipped cream.

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie

Zack, Andy and I love pumpkin pie. This one is our favorite. I make it every Thanksgiving and perhaps for Christmas. One year, Zack requested it for his birthday (in April).


1 (15oz) can pumpkin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each ginger, nutmeg, and salt
1 graham cracker crust
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cold butter or margarine
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 425. Combine pumpkin, condensed milk, egg, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Mix well. Pour into crust.

2. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350.

3. Combine sugar, flour and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle strusel mixture over pie.

4. Bake 40 minutes or until set. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Refridgerate leftovers.