Yum Yum Salad

This molded salad is a holiday meal staple at my house. The first version was one made by my mother. She softened cream cheese with mayonnaise, added a small can of crushed pineapple and added this to lime jello. One daughter still makes it this way. Everyone aims the serving spoon to get the balls of cream cheese.

In an old Women's Circle paper cookbook I bought at a used book store, I discovered this version and have been making it ever since:

1 (3 oz) package lime gelatin
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese softened
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cool whip (they call for whipped whipping cream)
1 small can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I leave these out as a family member is alergic to tree nuts)
Toated coconut (optional)

Place gelatin, hot water and cream cheese in pan and stir over low heat until cheese is blended well into the mixture. Remove from heat; add crushed pineapple and pecans. Place in refrigerator until it begins to thicken. Add whipped cream (cool whip) and let set until firm. Sprinkle with toasted coconut before serving.

From my holiday table to yours.

New Recipe

I love easy and yummy recipes and found another featuring chocolate chips in the newspaper the other day that I thought I would share.

Baked Somemores

You will want to use some of the non-stick cooking spray on a 10 X 15 cookie sheet, the old kind with the rimmed sides, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together 3 cups of graham cracker crumbs, 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted and 1/3 cup sugar. Pat this mixture on the bottom of the sprayed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the marshmellows on top. I haven't tried this but I would be inclined to put the oven on broil and toast the marshmellows a bit to get the flavor you get when roasting them over an open fire. Top the marshmellows with 12 oz broken up (6-8) chocolate bars or chocolate chips and bake 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and cool than take a pizza cutter and cut into desired size squares. Makes 35-40.

I am immersing this thought into my mind, "Let God sort it out." Whenever I want to holler not fair or why me over things I have no control over, I remind myself to let God sort it out.

Best wishes from my book to yours,

Susan

POV and A New Recipe Using Chocolate

POV: Even more important, whose head do you want the reader to be in? See my earler posts on the subject of POV.

If you've seen my earlier recipe postings, you know chocolate is a favorite ingredient and easy is my favorite method.

Here is another easy and yummy cookie.

Crunch Bars

35 saltine crackers
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margerine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg (8 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a foil-lined 15x10x1-inch pan in a single layer line the crackers on the bottom
Stirring constantly, cook butter and sugar in a saucepan on medium-high heat until butter is melted and mixture is well-blended. Bring to boil and then cook 3 minutes without stirring.
Spread on crackers.

Bake 5 to 7 minutes until topping is golden brown. Remove and immediately sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate is soft and then spread the chocolate to cover the first topping. Sprinkle with nuts. Cool and then break into pieces.

Chocolate Ganache Sandwiches

A recipe from my newspaper taken from Real Simple.

What could be easier of yummier? A chocolate lover's dream of perfection.

1 12oz. bag of semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
2 9oz. boxes of Nabisco Famous Chocolate wafers

Melt the chocolate chips in the heavy cream over low heat, sitrring occasionally until blended. Remove from heat and chill in refrigerator until cool but not firm.

Beat the chocolate cream (ganache) with an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Assemble each sandwich with a few tablespoons of the ganache between 2 wafers. If you want to keep the wafer crisp assemble right before serving. Or you can acheive a more cakelike wafer by assembling them a day ahead and keeping them covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 30.

Brownies In A Jar

These ingrediant jars make great gifts. This one is from the Hershey website and calls for a combination of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips. I should think you could substitute any flavor chip combination as long as you use the one and a half cups called for.

So find a clean 1 quart class canister or jar and layer (tapping the jar gently on the counter to settle each layer before adding the next layer) the ingredients in the following order: 1-1/2 cups sugar; 1/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa; a combined 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt; 1 cup of whatever chips you choose, ending with 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate mini chips.

Cover and attach baking directions.

Baking directions: Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour an 8x8x2 inch baking pan. Combine 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted and cooled butter and 2 slightly beaten eggs. Gently stir in jar contents. Spread in pan. Bake 35 minutes. Cool in pan then cut into 16 bars.

Chocolate Haystacks

Satisfy a sweet tooth and get your crunch at the same time. Keep the ingredients in your pantry and you can whip up a batch whenever you get the urge.

Chocolate Haystacks

1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate)
1 Tbs. shortening (must be the solid at room temp. kind)
1 1/2 cups (3 oz. can) chow mein noodles--broken coarsley

Line a tray with wax paper. Put all chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) for 1 minute. Stir. If not completely melted, Microwave on MEDIUM another 15 seconds and then stir. Repeat 15 seconds until mixture is smooth.

Add chow mein noodles. Stir to coat. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto wax paper. Let stand until cool enough to eat (or until firm). You may have to refrigerate to firm. Store in covered container in refrigerator. Makes 2 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Pie

If you live in Kentucky, you might put bourban in this pie, but it is good enough without the bourban--so good in fact you might eat more than your share.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

You will need a single 9-inch pie crust--bought or homemade--unbaked--fitted into a pie tin.

Then mix together 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Stir in 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Pour mixture into the pie shell and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cool before diving in.

Black Bottom Mini-Cupcakes

Another recipe utilizing that wonderful product--the chocolate chip. Oh yum!

If you don't have two mini-muffin pans, rush out and buy them and a package of mini-paper liners. They are handy.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin tins with paper liners.

Make Filling: Blend 8 oz. of room temperature cream cheese with 1 large egg and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth.

Make Cake Batter: Combine 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup water; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Fill paper-lined cups 1/2 full. Top each with a half-teaspoon cream cheese mixture. Press 2 chocolate chips into cream cheese. Backe in center of oven for 14 minutes until firm.

Yield: 60 mini-cupcakes.

For standard cupcake pans: Line 24 muffin cups and follow above instructions except use 1 Tablespoon cream cheese mixture and 3 or 4 chocolate chips. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Yield: 24 cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

To make these yummy cookies:

Melt 1/2 cup of butter over low heat (or in the microwave). Mix 1 (16 oz.) jar peanut butter and 3 3/4 cups of powdered sugar together. Blend in the melted butter. Stir in 3 cups crispy cereal or corn flakes. Spread over the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.

Melt 1 (16 oz.) package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Sparead evenely over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate to cool. Cut into 30 bars.

This recipe is taken from the top of a jar of Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter.

Chocolate Chip Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt one stick butter. Combine the butter with 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup self-rising flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt in mixer bowl and beat on high speed until well blended.

Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans and 1 6-oz package chocolate chips. Pour into an unbaked pie crust. Bake 35 to 45 minutes.

Friendship Tea

If you are looking for an inexpensvie and welcome gift to give, try this. You will need: 2 and 1/2 cups powdered orange-flavored breakfast drink (think early astronauts); 1 3/4 cups powdered instant unsweetened tea; 2 to 2 1/2 cups sugar; 1 small package unsweetened lemonade; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Mix well and store in an airtight container with lid. To make a glass of cold tea, use 1 to 2 rounded teaspoons to 6 to 8 ounces of water. Stir. Add ice.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

You will need two twelve ounce bags of semisweet chocolate chips, one and one-half cups of heavy cream, two tablespoons light corn syrup, one-half teaspoon vanilla extract, four Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature.

Put all of the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water until the chips have melted. Remove from heat. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla and corn syrup. Let cool on the counter so the butter won't melt from the heat. When cool, add the butter and mix with mixer until thick.

Book News

BROMPTON MANOR, my first soon-to-be published novel, is a sweet romance set during the Regency period in England. I am anxiously awaiting a look at the cover.

Inspiration

All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.
Walt Disney

Chocolate Chip Cookies

To dunk in preferred beverage or eat straight up.

Do not turn on the oven. You will be chilling dough. If you really need a cookie, finish mixing the dough and head to the nearest store or bakery.

Get out your mixer and beat like it was the devil a combination of one-half cup soft magerine, one-half cup shortening (comes in a can), one-half cup sugar, one cup brown sugar and one-half teaspoon vanilla.

Rub a bit of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger. If you don't feel grit, the stuff is beat enough. Now beat the devil out of two eggs (only the inside part, throw away the shells). Done? Pour those beat eggs into the beat sugar/buter mixture and beat again.

Now you get to dirty up the one-fourth cup measure. Measure out two cups and one-fourth cup of flour, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon baking soda. Combine in a separate container and stir them around until blended. Mix into the beat mixture.

Here's the yummy stuff. You get a choice. You want nuts? Measure out one cup of your preferred tree nut or whatever nut is on hand and not rancid. You can give them a toast in the microwave to bring out the flavor. Stir em in. Authentic chocolate chip cookies require chocolate chips. The chip makers have gone wild--choose whatever flavor of chocolate chips you want. Stir in twelve ounces of chocolate chips.

Do not eat the unbaked dough. You must put this tempting mixture in the refrigerator for four hours or longer before baking.

Ding, ding. Three hours and fifty minutes later. Get out your cookie pans. Fire up the oven to 350 degrees. I use a small scoop (like a mini ice cream scoop), it is equivilant to a level Tablespoon. Dot the pans and bake for 10 minutes. If they look done (you don't want them too dry) remove and cool.

Romance Reads

My first book, BROMPTON MANOR, will be published in February. Look for it at Amazon.com.

Inspriation

This is a day the Lord hath made; rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24