FOOD FOR LIFE - REVIEW 2017
 In the next 14 days I will outline how to build a

Today we start the meat and potatoes I will talk about something most marketers don’t do and that’s why they are failing. In marketing there are a few things you need to realize. You want to be unique and you want to use strategies that are different and help your business succeed. If the crowd is moving in one direction you want to go the other way. In day 3 of the training we talk about a strategy that most marketers aren’t doing see they take the easy way out.. You don’t want to do it that way because you are doing work anyway why not do it right. Here is a diagram to help out A is the way most marketers run their business and B is a smart marketer with a better strategy.   Let’s go a little deeper and explain, most marketers use the company landing page and send people straight to the offer. Oh no bad idea if you are doing this I can bet you are not doing very well…

 Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Of Goodness

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Of Goodness Before cooked Having a party maybe Birthday, Fathers day, Christmas or any other kind of party well this is the cookie for you. It is easy to throw together and you can make it all kinds of ways like the examples above. I have put nuts in it or bigger nuts on the top. I have used Hershey kisses on top and you could ice it if you have the right tools. Your imagination can run wild. You can just be lazy like me instead of waiting for 7 dozen cookies I can have this done between 13 and 17 minutes depending on your oven. Now let’s get to it… 

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Smash

Chocolate Chip Cookie Smash I love chocolate chip cookies and I love ice cream sandwiches. So today I put the 2 together. What about the world’s best chocolate chip cookie recipe and your favorite ice cream? What could be better than that? I will give you the world’s best chocolate chip cookie mix and help you put together a special delight.

 Best Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Best Breakfast Casserole Recipe (revised from food.com) This casserole can be made in advance, refrigerated and then baked the next day or done at the same time.  You do not have to use all of the vegetables that are in this casserole but it is delicious when you do. Makes enough for 10 - 12 people.

 Get Empowr Fans

  How To Get Over 9000 Fans In 30 Days

 Mouth Watering Buttermilk Pancakes

Mouth Watering Buttermilk Pancakes These are the best tasting pancakes I have even tasted and it's easy to make. My wife makes these all the time. When we go out for breakfast I always tell her when I get pancakes out we could have stayed home and got better pancakes. Here's the recipe. You will love these.

 Amazingly Delicious Divinity Candy Recipe

  Amazingly Delicious Divinity Candy Recipe You can add the nuts you like or cherrys.   Divinity Candy Light and fluffy, divinity is a classic! This recipe does not do well in humid conditions when the weather is hot and humid, so it is best to attempt divinity in low-humidity conditions.

 Simple Delicious Holiday Cookies

  Simple Delicious Holiday Cookies Put Icing and Favorite Toppings Make Them Fancy Cut Them Into Circles  Keep Them Simple   These cookies are usually made around the holidays but they are great anytime. If you enjoy to bake for your family or maybe your having a party these would work out great for you because you would have enough for everyone with 6 to 8 dozon. Grab this recipe for your next holiday.

 Super Moist Banana Bread

  Easy Moist Banana Bread My favorite way has to have walnuts... Could make muffin style...   This will be a family favorite taste good year round. Great for a treat or breakfast or anytime. Don’t throw away those bananas that are going bad make banana bread instead…

 Home Grown Zucchini Bread

Home Grown Zucchini Bread This is the way I like it with walnuts...   I grow my own zucchini I let them get really big like 17 inches or more and 3 to 5 inches thick. Then we sherd then up and what we don't use we freeze for a later time. Really great for breakfast or in anytime in my case. It will be a hit with the whole family...

 Super Cool Strawberry Lemonade Slurpees

  Super Cool Strawberry Lemonade Slurpees   This is an easy but a super cool strawberry lemonade slurpee for the hot days that are coming. Great for the family or having some friends over and enjoy something cool and refreshing. EASY Strawberry Lemonade Slurpees        makes three servings   Everyone loves slurpees, but not everyone has a convenience store nearby and these can get expensive.  Make your own quick and easy. 

 Southern Style Banana Split Cake

Southern Style Banana Split Cake This one used banana pudding instead of cream cheese.   This recipe is best for parties, church gathers, something at work. It makes a lot and its best to eat it up fast. Great favorite of my child hood. Banana Split Cake This cake is the best cake to make; almost all the people at my work love this.  It is awesome goodness!

 CLassic Texas Sheet Cake

CLassic Texas Sheet Cake Everyone this is one of my very special favorites My Aunt May Jane used to make this for me as a kid and I always loved it. She has passed now but it is still a favorite of mine to this day. It is so good and makes a lot. It is a rich  chocolate delight I even add a little vanilla ice cream to make it even better. If you're having a party, work get together or a church gathering and you have to bring a dish this will be an excellent choice. I could eat the whole thing myself.

 Dreamy Banana Cream Pie

Dreamy Banana Cream Pie   Cream pies are my mom’s specialty, and this dreamy dessert has a wonderful banana flavor. It looks so pretty…and it cuts easily, too. This will be a big hit with the family or guess you may have at the house. You will really like this pie...

 Southern Classic Hummingbird Cake

  Southern Classic Hummingbird Cake Southern Classic Hummingbird Cake  A classic southern cake filled with banana, pineapple, and pecans, and topped with a thick cream cheese icing. If you have never made this your missing out... If you have parties, guess or church pot luck dinners you will be the hum of the party with this cake.

 Seven Layer Italian Cookies

Seven Layer Italian Cookies Seven Layer Cookies, Rainbow Cookies, Tri-Color Cookies, Italian Layer Cookies… it doesn’t matter what you call them – if you have ever eaten them, you probably love them! These will be a big hit with your family, church gathering or a party. They are time consuming...

 Refreshing Mint Julep

Refreshing Mint Julep After a hard days work once in a while you may want a refreshing splash of something different. Try this drink on for size. Works great at parties and holiday meet and greats.

 Chicken Curry From India

Chicken Curry From India There are several ways to make this dish as you can see. In our church one of the missionaries brought this home from her trip and put in our church cookbook and wanted to share it with you. Great for a different meal for the family. 

 Coconut Cream Pie Bars {From Scratch}

  Coconut Cream Pie Bars {From Scratch} Your family is going to love this recipe. You could make this for a small get together or make more for a larger get together.. This dreamy desert will wow your guess...

 Scrumptious Snicker Doodles Cookies

  Scrumptious Snicker Doodles Cookies Tasty snickerdoodle cookies are all time favorites and are a hit anytime of the year and are really easy to make. Bake up some for the family today and watch their faces light up and the smile on their faces... 

 Delightful Carrot Cake

Delightful Carrot Cake Could make cup cakes easly.. Truly our best-ever carrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home.

 Double Layer Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Double Layer Pineapple Upside Down Cake This cake will be the hit of the party or family gathering there will be plenty to go around but at the end there may not be any to take home.

 Individual Chocolate Melting Cakes

  Individual Chocolate Melting Cakes As you can see there are different ways you can fix this recipe and make it different for your guess. Your family will love it and is great for the little secret get away you may like yourself... (Chocolate Delight)  

 Double Layer Black Forest Cake

Double Layer Black Forest Cake   Cakes are great for parties and when they are rich like this one the piece you cut are smaller to feed more people. This is an excellent recipe for a party or the family. They will absolutely love it.

 Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

  Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies These irresistilbe peanut butter cookies will be a hit to your family or a snack at tea time. As a cookie monster myself peanut butter cookie seem to be one of the hardest to prefect. But with this recipe it will be a snap. 

 Get Results Private Coach

Hello, I'm selling my services to you as a private coach. It is 60 minutes and you can have 30 days to use them. Meaning you don't have to use them all at once. Because I know questions come up later. Right! Now you’re probably wondering why do I need you I already have a coach. Well, coaches give you vague answers and it takes forever for an answer at least that's what I come across. I can help you on things like getting you more success. Plus I will be more available to you and can share screen shots on Skype so you can see what I'm talking about. I can't help you with problems with your account or something that involves Empowr. I may be able to give you an answer then will tell you to see your coach. I can start you on a success path. I have a great understand of Empowr but to be honest I don't know everything, there are probably only a few that do.  Let me give you a little background so you have an idea who I am and what I have done and what I can do for you.  My name is Glenn Byers I started online 7 years ago in August. I do internet marketing like affiliate marketing and network marketing. I am constantly learning new thinks from people that make tons more than I do. Came into Empowr to help people on my list that didn't have any money to buy other product I had.. They would write me and I could never find anything for them till I got involved with Empowr. I got really interested in Empowr it is kind of fun. At this time I have been in for 64 days now, I'm 21 on the leader board and I am a First degree Blue really ready to jump to the next spot in a day and the date is 5/14/2016. So if you’re in the USA you can check the leader board but may be in a different position. I’m 292 in the world wide at this time.. I have also passed the coaching test but think I can do better to help people this way... Now I'm not bragging here I just want you to know that you will get taken care of and get your money's worth... So what is next and how will this work. We need to meet or setup a time that we can get together so I can look at what you have done. Look over your page and see where I can help you the fastest. So you get those results you’re looking for. This is where Skype comes in handy because we can screen share and show you instead of just chatting or emailing. Sometimes emails get read wrong...This should take 15 minute of your time so you will be left with 45 minutes for the next 30 days to ask questions. But if you don’t speak English but can write it that’s the way we will have to go… Look if you just want a few questions answered this may not be for you. If you want to climb the ranks get on the leader board get success this is for you. My goal is for you to get results and hopefully you will tell others. Here's what to do next if you’re interested copy my email so we can set up a meet at  support@idealonlinehomebusiness.com Also include this tell me you bought the coaching Your Name so I can find your page on Empowr and give it a quick look over before we meet. All you have to now is hit read more pay and email me support@idealonlinehomebusiness.com Let's Get Some Results Glenn Byers

 Warm Apple Dumpling Treat

Warm Apple Dumpling Treat Our recipe for easy homemade apple dumplings is inspired by the traditional apple dumplings that are still so popular in the Amish areas of Pennsylvania. We think it's our best apple dumpling recipe 'cause it's such a cozy option when you're looking for a warm dessert. This Amish apple dumpling recipe sure is a keeper, especially when paired with a big ol' scoop of ice cream.

 Delightful Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Delightful Peanut Butter Cupcakes Here's how you become the hit of the bake sale. First, you start by making these easy Peanut Butter Cup "Cupcakes." Second, you tell them what they are. Third, you sit back, relax, and let the cupcakes do the selling for you!

 Tasty Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake   This cake is a chocolate lovers dream! A delicious homemade chocolate cake with melted marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting poured on top. Trust me, it’s as delicious as it sounds! 

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Ultimate Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake This Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake really is the ultimate in cookie cakes! With three layers and three kinds of cookie, there is something for everyone to love.

 My Strawberry Dream Cake

Strawberry Dream Cake This gorgeous cake is even more amazing when you slice into it, revealing the rows of perfect strawberries.

 Delicious Pumpkin Pie

Delicious Pumpkin Pie This pie is easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy. Just mix, pour, bake for a delicious homemade tradition. The whole family will love this pie for dessert.

 Best Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

  Best Raspberry Cheesecake Bars Layers of cheesecake, raspberry filling, almonds and coconut form dessert bars perfect for the Fourth of July or anytime.

 Rich Rocky Road Brownies

Rich Rocky Road Brownies Remember old-fashioned rocky road ice cream? Get that same delicious chocolate, marshmallow and peanut taste all on a rich, fudgy brownie. 

 Chocolate Chip-Caramel Poke Cake

Chocolate Chip-Caramel Poke Cake Enjoy this delicious caramel topped chocolate cake with family or friends even makes enough for small party or church gathering.    Prep time 30 minutes

 Apple-Butterscotch Ring Cake

Apple-Butterscotch Ring Cake This old-fashioned cake combines tart apples and sweet butterscotch for a perfect dessert.  

 Butterscotch Peanut Butter Cake

Butterscotch Peanut Butter Cake I love butterscotch.  I love cake.  And that is the inspiration for this sweet treat. The whole family will love this sweet treat after dinner.

 Heavenly Angel Food Cake

Heavenly Angel Food Cake 8 Ways you can change up your Heavenly Angel Food Cake. This way you can always keep your guess wondering what next...  If you would like to sponsor this product

 Chicken Jalapeño Popper Pasta

Chicken Jalapeño Popper Pasta   This Chicken Jalapeño Popper Pasta is loaded with creamy cheesy goodness! It has the right amount of heat and cool and is such a flavor packed meal the whole family will go crazy over! 

 Old Timer Mac-Cheese

Old Timer Mac-Cheese Classic cafeteria-style goodness, this recipe yields enough to serve as a side for a crowd, or it could be dinner for a family of four.

 Cheesecake-Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cake

Cheesecake-Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cake This an awesome cake to make for your friends, a party or even a church gathering. There is plenty to go around so everyone will get a taste of is delicious cake. You will be the hit of the party. 

 Spaghetti with Marinated Tomatoes and Mozzarella

    Spaghetti with Marinated Tomatoes and Mozzarella   This recipe couldn't be easier to whip together. Start with 8 ounces of cooked pasta, stir in our Mouthwatering Marinated Tomatoes with desired amount of vinaigrette, and, as the finishing touch, add 1/2 cup small mozzarella balls. You'll love how quickly this fresh dinner recipe comes together. 

 Chicken Parmesan Pizza

Chicken Parmesan Pizza Here is a quick and easy dinner that you can through together very quickly after a busy day on Empowr.

 Salted Caramel Strawberries

Salted Caramel Strawberries Here's a super easy and quick treat for the whole family. Have the kids help you for more family time together.

 Almond Pavlova with Peaches, Cream,

Almond Pavlova with Peaches, Cream, and Salted Peach Caramel Every cook needs a ta-da moment. Come to the table with this--crackly meringues layered with satiny homemade caramel and the season's best peaches--and you've got yours. You can make most of it one day ahead.

 Best Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

Best Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting   Get ready for cake that’s a chocolate powerhouse and discover why it's called the best!

 Peanut Butter-Banana Pops

Peanut Butter-Banana Pops These crunchy banana pops are coated in peanut butter, rolled in crushed Chex™ cereal and chopped peanuts, making a fun and delicious snack for the whole family.

 One-Pot Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Rigatoni

One-Pot Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Rigatoni This incredible one-pot pasta dinner is full of flavor thanks to Cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce, and even better, is ready in just 20 minutes!

 Easy Walnut Lovers Brownies

  Easy Walnut Lovers Brownies Fudge brownies topped with easy-to-make candied walnuts - a walnut lovers delight!

 Chocolate Eclair Masterpiece

  Chocolate Eclair Masterpiece "This is a no-bake pudding dessert that's so quick and easy to make--everyone loves it. I always keep the ingredients on hand in case I need a quick dessert. It's best if it sits overnight before serving."

 Protein Breakfast Blast

Protein Breakfast Blast Every morning I work on Empowr and then when I get hungry I have this very same breakfast. I do change the fruit when other fruits are in season. I change the meat from turkey to ham or any other meat we have. The bread changes too could be a bagel or an English muffin.  But the picture you see is one of my favorites.   In the directions below I will share with you how I make it incredible. This powerful protein breakfast of mine keeps you going all day long. Did you know most people don't have enough protein in their diet each day?

 Amazing Taco Crescent Ring

  Amazing Taco Crescent Ring This taco-filled crescent ring is the perfect meal for Taco Night! Dress it up with fresh shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and taco sauce for a fun twist on tacos!

 Pineapple-Sour Cream Pie

  Pineapple-Sour Cream Pie Pineapple and sour cream add a distinctive flavor to this meringue topped pie this will add a very nice touch for a Sunday dinner with the whole family.

 Amazing Apple Turnovers

Amazing Apple Turnovers "Delicious, yet so easy to make. Anyone can do these classic apple turnovers!" The whole family will enjoy these for breakfast, dessert or a snack.

 Chicken Fajita Bubble-Up Bake

Chicken Fajita Bubble-Up Bake Turn classic fajitas into a quick-prep, veggie-packed dinner bake that everyone will devour. This meal is only 15 minute prep time and the rest is bake time so you can do what you want to do.

 Delicious Red Velvet Cake

    Red Velvet Cake Not-too-sweet ingredients furnish this cake with its delicate taste and texture. Vanilla icing coats this four-layer temptation. This the kind of cake that will wow your family or the guess you have over at the next party.

 Red Velvet Snowball Cake

Red Velvet Snowball Cake Give this classic cake a wintry makeover with a coconut cream-cheese frosting. The coconut love in your family will just love this cake.

 Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies Peanut butter and chocolate come together in these great cookies one of my favorites. The whole family and even your guess will love the taste of peanut butter and chocolate together and the party will be a hit. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO

 Mexican Beef Tater Tot Pie

Mexican Beef Tater Tot Pie Get your Mexican fix with this beefy, cheesy tot-topped pie. After you serve this the first time  the whole family will be waiting for the next time you serve it up.

 Reindeer Brownies Project

  Reindeer Brownies Have fun with the kids today with this fun reindeer brownie project. Bring everyone to the kitchen for fun and enjoyment.

 Raspberry Mousse Brownies

Raspberry Mousse Brownies Brownie mix, chocolate chips and whipping cream create a chocolate lover's dreamy indulgence. This elite dessert is one you will have to have...

 Raspberry Brownie Surprise

Chocolate Brownie Meringue Cake With Raspberry Cream This heavenly dessert – gooey brownie and squidgy meringue sandwiched with whipped cream and raspberries – is perfect for any celebration.   By Miranda Gore Brown From The Great British Bake Off

 No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

NO BAKE OATMEAL COOKIES A no bake cookie recipe with oatmeal, peanut butter and cocoa made in the microwave for a quick dessert or treat.

 Skillet Chicken And Zucchini Parmesan

Skillet Chicken and Zucchini Parmesan   I bet your family has been craving the flavors of Chicken Parmesan and a delicious tomato sauce to sop up with crusty bread or pour over pasta. This going to make a great dinner and if you lucky someone will do the dishes for you...   Written by Katie of GoodLife Eats. This time of year I start looking for foods that are a little more comforting and a little less just something quick to get on the table. But it still feels like summer as it hasn’t quite cooled down much yet so I don’t want to turn on the oven very often. Skillet dinners are perfect for that. This Skillet Chicken and Zucchini Parmesan doesn’t require very much babysitting at the stove. It cooks, for the most part, unattended and doesn’t make my kitchen as hot as turning the oven on.   I’ve been craving the flavors of Chicken Parmesan and a delicious tomato sauce to sop up with crusty bread or pour over pasta. Right now things are still feeling a little hectic as we settle into our new school and work routines so I’ve adapted a more time consuming Chicken Parmesan into a skillet meal to cut down the time. In this version, the chicken doesn’t need to be pounded super thin, just pounded a bit to tenderize it. There’s no dredging in flour and frying in butter or oil which cuts down again on prep time and also on calories. And the chicken breasts are cut in half so they cook faster (really a full breast is usually too large for me anyway). I rely on Aimee’s fabulous and easy 4-Ingredient Tomato Saucewhich can be made ahead and stored in the freezer rather than preparing a more time consuming Sundried Tomato Sauce like I usually do. Being that it is the end of summer, I threw in some sliced zucchini for good measure.   My favorite pan for cooking one-dish skillet style dinners is hands down the Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3.5 -Quart Round Braiser. It is the perfect size for our family of four. I love that it is deeper than a traditional skillet and has a lid that fits just right. Not to mention that it moves seamlessly from stove to oven if you have a dish that needs both methods of cooking.

 Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps & Ginger Garlic Sauce

  Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps With Ginger Garlic Sauce  It’s Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps Day! Which is obviously my best kind of day. Even if it is a Monday which, in my previous life as a teacher, would have been a holiday, which, in my current life as a blogger, I now don’t have as a holiday because I have the world’s strictest boss ( –> myself). My boss is actually so strict that she requires me to eat a minimum five lettuce wraps for lunch every day. I KNOW. It is seriously rough around here sometimes. I probably don’t even need to tell you that these lettuce wraps are totally my jam right now. From the savory chicken, peanut, and rice noodle filling to the crunchy, beautiful peanut and cilantro toppings to the just-barely tangy sauce that goes over the top, and right straight into the fresh, delicate lettuce leaves that will then transport the overflowing boat of deliciousness into your mouth… OHMYGOSH. It’s all just really, really good. These lettuce wraps are a little different, though, because HI RICE NOODLES. That’s right – I just added rice noodles to my lettuce wraps. Whatcha gonna do about it? It all started because I was bringing these over to a friend’s house for an appetizer dinner (by the way – when was the last time you had an appetizer dinner? it’s the best thing ever and you need to make it happen. asap.) and I realized before I even got there that I was going to be sad after I ate these lettuce wraps as an appetizer. Because I have this thing: I am consistently plagued by the I’m-Still-Hungry dilemma anytime I eat lettuce wraps. Ugh. Like, I get two bites of filling and then somehow they’re gone and I still need more food. Wh-hy-hy-hyyy? Black magic, I tell you. Being firm in my convictions about food, I cannot morally support any kind of skimpy, un-filling lettuce wraps any longer. So naturally, I made lettuce wraps that are appropriately sized for small giants. Filled with chicken, peanuts, and rice noodles (my favorite!) and meant to be eaten as a MEAL. None of this two bite business, my friends. No thank you.   Go lettuce-wrap-big or go home. Please hear me when I say that these are as simple as they are delicious. I mean like 20-minute simple. It’s totally a Monday and WE CAN TOTALLY DO THIS. Step one: Sauce. The best things in life always start with sauce. Step two: Marinate chicken and peanuts. For, like, .37 seconds because we have hangry people in the house. Step three: Brown the chicken and peanuts and rice noodles. There they are, those sneaky rice noodles. Step four: Wrap, sprinkle, drizzle sauce, and DEVOUR IN BLISS.   May these Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps for The Hungry Girl bring you much joy, friends.

 Jam Thumbprint Cookies

  JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES   Buttery soft cookies with a sweet surprise. These simple, delicious jewel-hued cookies are my new favorite for the holidays, and after one bite they’ll be yours, too! Well, they say you get a spring in your step in the second trimester, and they weren’t kidding. In the last few weeks, my energy (and productivity) has been up tenfold. Every to-do list item, from work deadlines to Christmas presents, is getting wrapped up and it feels gooood. As does my bed at 9:30pm, which is when I end up falling into it after a long day! The thing about finishing one project is, you usually get a little zeal to start another one. And then another one. And before you know it you have five different batches of Christmas cookies, zero things left on your to-do list, but zilch for energy. You get into a pattern. You get it done, then you get even more done than you anticipated, then you get exhausted. This was me for two weeks. The cookie equivalent of a cat lady. Amidst the holiday rush, I found these jam thumbprint cookies refreshingly quick and simple. Just six basic ingredients and a collection of colorful jams is all you need. Whip together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in one big bowl. Toss in your flour and salt, stir it all together, and form a few dozen little dough balls. Press into each with your thumb, bake for a bit, and then fill with your favorite jams. Back into the oven they go for a few more minutes, and voila! Honestly, they produced my absolute favorite new holiday cookie. Buttery and soft, with a sweet surprise. No sprinkles, no frills, no red-and-green. Just lovely and delicious! These were the last cookies I made, rounding out what seemed like endless batches before Christmas. Enjoying a couple cookies with a cup of tea, I was reminded to slow down a bit. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. It’s all done. It’s all taken care of. So, now it’s just time to snuggle up and enjoy the season… with more cookies. For the baby, of course. Jam thumbprints make perfect holiday gifts and sweet treats for someone special year-round. Bake a batch with ingredients you probably already have, and share them this weekend!

 Special Waldorf Salad

  Special Waldorf Salad This waldorf salad is one of the favorites that my mother made for me a few times a year. The whole family will love it and if you have a church gathering or party it will surely be a hit...

 Confetti Cake with Chocolate Filling and Vanilla

Confetti Cake with Chocolate Filling and Vanilla Buttercream I have been so excited to make this cake! I used my blog theme for inspiration and I absolutelyadore it! It makes me very, very happy! Sweet pink stripes, a pretty mini tiered cake for a topper, and my adorable birdie for a whimsical final touch…everything about it makes this girly girl smile from ear to ear!  I wanted it to be pretty much fondant free, so I made my favorite ever vanilla buttercream, tinted it a soft pink, and spread a layer over the whole cake before piping the fun stripes up the sides, and across the top to the center. I love the look of these stripes, and I’m gonna practice the technique more, so that next time I can achieve straight lines. I also put a simple shell border around the base of the cake to look like the scalloped bottom of my banner. For the topper, I drew inspiration from the little cake in my banner above. I’ve always loved the sweet tiered cake and I knew I wanted to try and recreate it. All I did was tint three different sized pieces of fondant to the colors I was going for, then I just shaped each one into the tiers of the cake. I used leftover frosting and a fine writing tip to add sweet swirls, tiny flowers, and fun polka dots to them. My favorite part of the cake is my cute, pink birdie. I made my little bird for the blog myself, so I’m pretty proud of it and I couldn’t wait to put it on my cake. All I did was shape a piece of pink fondant into a teardrop shape, then I turned the pointed end up to create the birdie’s tail. I used a leaf tip and more buttercream to create the wings, a little yellow, diamond shaped sprinkle to make the beak, and I added eyes with a black food writer. Birdie was the perfect tip top to my lovely cake. What’s a birthday cake without a candle?! I’m so happy to celebrate this milestone…I hope I get to celebrate many more! Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of me! I hope you continue to enjoy what I have to blog about!  Oh yeah, you’re probably wondering what kind of cake I made…or maybe not. Either way, I’ll tell you! I was craving a basic yellow cake for this for a long time. But I wanted chocolate too. I was really torn. I considered doing alternating layers like I did for my Halloween cake, but I decided I wanted yellow cake more than chocolate, so I chose to add a chocolate filling instead. I just made my favorite yellow cake recipe (just a basic homemade yellow cake), but you can make any cake recipe for this, or even use a box mix if you want to. On a whim, and because I wanted my cake to look as fun and festive on the inside as it does on the outside, I threw some fun confetti quins into the cake batter before baking it. I love the fun little touch of color they add, and the whimsy and happiness the give to my celebration cake. I told you…this cake makes me very, very happy! This ended up being a perfect birthday cake…quintessential yellow cake with the delicious buttercream frosting (I love, love, love this frosting), and the chocolate adds the perfect amount of depth to this to keep it from being a super sweet overload. If you have a birthday or other celebration coming up, this is definitely a party cake! Enjoy!

 Stuffed Cabbage (Pigs In Blanket)

Stuffed Cabbage (PIGS IN BLANKET) My mom would make this recipe about 4 times a year my dad really loved                       it and this could be something you make serveral times for your family.           &nbs

 Momma's Fair Funnel Cake

Momma's Fair Funnel Cake The last time you went to the fair or amusement park remember smelling the funnel cakes and you had to have one. Now you can make one at home and turn your house into a fun place for your family...

 Awesome Funnel Cake Bacon Cheese Burgers

Awesome Funnel Cake Bacon Cheese Burgers If you never had one of these burgers it might be something you want to put on your bucket list or get this recipe and make it happen...

 Video Version Of the Private Coaching Course

Video Version Of the Private Coaching Course If you don't know me at this time I'm on day 91 it is June 11 2016. Reason I give you the date is blogs and videos standstill but here at Empowr things are constantly changing. Here is the rundown of my accomplishments with Empowr. I am currently sitting at the 13th position in the USA leader board and 193 in the worldwide. I got 9250 fans in my first 30 days. I am sitting as a Basic Red at this time. I have had great success with my students up to this point and can't see any reason you can't do the same. This is yesterdays stats which is three days behind the present date. Here's what my gause look like. Why am I showing you all this well it'snot to brag but to show you I know what I'm doing. I actully started Empowr with the purpose to help my list. I am a marketer and I like to teach people how to succeed and my list was crying out for some thing free. So I searched and found Empowr and had to prove to them it works. I liked it so much I started my own private coaching. Mostly on skype but I want to reach out further and I though this video would do the trick. I appologize for it being so long I should have broken it up but there is a reason why I didn't and when I was doing it it didn't seem like it was 2 hours long. I guess when you love what your doing time doesn't count. So in this course I know everyone is wondering about the money. I get tons of emails daily about this subject well I talk about it a couple times. You're going to learn exactly what I do daily so you can depending on what level your at either do better than me or at least get to where I'm at. There is know theory here it is what I do and I'm always testing new things to help us out. OH yes I mean us I have created an inner circle it is small at this time but will grow huge. We comment and like each other's post and we buy from each other it is a bonus for buying the course. I even opened a skype group so you can build relationships.  So let's recap I will show you exactly what I'm doing daily to get the results I'm getting. You will have the group for more support. This video will show you everything but if you would like to jump on skype that would be great to we can screen share so I can see what your problem is or the help you need. Maybe you're missing a step and I can help fix it. Or if I'm not around everyone in the group has taken the course they can help too. Oh yeah I will show you how to get traffic like this look below. I do want to tell you, you have to work for this it will not fall into your lap because you took the course. I use different strategies than most do here on Empowr and I'm getting results. Are you getting 263 likes a day 54 or 71 comments. Well I don't get this every single day but I do get a lot of traffic.  So are you ready for this. Are you ready to start working toward a goal? Here's how you get this course you have to buy it there is no sponsoring at this time. Once you click the order button you need to go to the I've bought tab in the market place. If you don't know where that is look to the left and the icon looks like a shopping cart click on that and when it comes up go back to the same side and you will see different tabs you can click on. Click the I've bought and find the product. Go to the action button and pick buy product. If you want send me your skype if you have one so I can add you to the group if you don't have one it is free. Then I will send you the video. I check my email a lot so I may send you one first. When Empowr send me the green light to send out the product you will get it... For all of you that read this and can't afford the course I have something for you I have made several videos that may help you on You Tube. Please like and comment or even repost this blog for me . You can find my You Tube channel under Glenn Byers or gcattleman1.  I appreciate all your support Empowr Fans see you soon. At this time the read more doesn't take you to the order form so here is

 Special Times German Chocolate Cake

  Special Times German Chocolate Cake One tasty forkful is all you'll need to recognize the distinctive crunchy-chewy filling — pecans and coconut cooked to a sublime finish — of our German Chocolate Cake.

 Butterscotch-Pecan Cake

  Butterscotch-Pecan Cake This statuesque cake hides a sweet secret underneath its pecan sheath: brown-butter frosting and butterscotch-soaked layers spiked with rum, both of which make familiar flavors seem sophisticated

 Mini Molten Butterscotch Cakes

  Molten Butterscotch Cakes Love butterscotch man your going to love this favorite mini dessert with the delicious surprise molten center.

 Chocolate Butterscotch-Chip Cookies

Chocolate Butterscotch-Chip Cookies Just the Butterscotch Chips Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies well we add a special treat for butterscotch lovers butterscotch chip changes the taste of just a chocolate chip cookie and makes it better...

 Banana Split Bombe Surprise

Banana Split Bombe Who knew everyone's favorite split would grow up to be such a looker? Beneath a drizzle of chocolate lie stripes of vanilla, chocolate, and pistachio ice cream, all atop a surprise core of banana cake.

 Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting This banana layer cake with smooth cream-cheese icing is dressed with shaved chocolate. Make the cream-cheese frosting first so it can chill while the cake is being prepared.

 Sparkling Fresh Lemonade

Sparkling Fresh Lemonade With the hot days ahead a nice refreshing glass of lemonade would be great to cool you down. Right now the read

 Best Blueberry Smoothie

  Best Blueberry Smoothie Creamy from the yogurt and milk, and sweet from the blueberries and honey, this milk shake remains virtuous: The yogurt is low fat and the milk is skim.

 Refreshing Peach Iced Tea

Peach Iced Tea   Peach nectar, mint, and lemon give strong-brewed tea a special zing. Summer is here and I like lots of cool drinks... If you would like to

 Almond Honey Cake with Strawberry Ripple Cream

  Almond Honey Cake with Strawberry Ripple Cream Because of the honey bath this cake gets when it comes out of the oven it’s pretty much like having a super healthy, sweet snack right at your fingertips.

 Stunning Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake This cake is a smashing sweet lemon cake with lots of blueberries all topped off with a cream cheese frosting. Everyone will be asking for this recipe.

 Banana Split Protein Shake

Banana Split Protein Shake This makes for a wonderfully creamy shake that tastes like you are eating dessert for breakfast! 

 Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Carrot Cake Cheesecake If you like carrot cake or cheesecake, you have to try this one! It’s an elegant dessert that is certain to impress your family and guess at your next party. 

 Yummy Oreo Cake Surprise

 Yummy Oreo Cake Surprise This Chocolate Oreo Cake is to die for! A moist chocolate cake full of Oreo icing! And not just any Oreo icing – it is FULL of crushed up Oreos. An Oreo lover’s dream.

 Doughnut Cake With Mocha Wipped Cream

Doughnut Cake With Mocha Wipped Cream I know you you have had doughnuts and coffee but I can almost guarantee you never had it like this before...

 3-Layer Pistachio Cake

3-Layer Pistachio Cake Made-from-scratch 3-layer Pistachio Cake covered in silky smooth cream cheese frosting will be the hit of the party. All you friends will be asking for this recipe...

 Red Velvet Cheesecake Protein Shake

  Red Velvet Cheesecake Protein Shake A slice of red velvet cheesecake for breakfast and snack or anytime you like. Let's pack into a rich creamy protein packed milkshake for exceptional taste.

 Decadent Nutella Chocolate Cake

  Decadent Nutella Chocolate Cake   Decadent Nutella Chocolate Cake – moist, rich and super chocolaty cake frosted with rich and buttery Nutella frosting . You can see how you can change this cake easly...

 French Toast Protein Shake

French Toast Protein Shake Making you protein shake something you will drink everyday is easy by picking the favors you like. If you would like to make ex

 Lemon Blackberry Cake

Lemon Blackberry Cake The berries cut the sweetness and tartness of the lemon a bit and balanced out the flavours.

 How To Sponsor A Product

How To Sponsor A Product Hello Empowr fans how are things going for you today? I would like to show you how to sponsor a product. I will write it out and give you a video version too.

 Salted Caramel Protein Mocha Frappuccino

  Salted Caramel Protein Mocha Frappuccino What could be better than a drink that is blended with caramel and chocolate in a frozen coffee drink. Try this lightened up version, (which also happens to pack a powerful protein punch) and you may never spend your money on another blended drink again.

 Teriyaki Shrimp with Vegetable Fried Rice

Teriyaki Shrimp with Vegetable Fried Rice   Placed some skewered shrimp in the following marinade:  2 parts teriyaki sauce 1 part hoison sauce 1 part honey.  The measurements depend on how much meat you have to marinade.  I didn’t have much with just 4 skewers of small shrimp, so only used about 6 tablespoons of teriyaki, and a few tablespoons each of the hoison and honey.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Then set a pot of brown rice to cook. 

 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake This Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake is like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup blended into a rich and creamy shake for breakfast or snack..  

 6-Layer Chocolate Sprinkle Cake

6-Layer Chocolate Sprinkle Cake 6 layers of moist, dark chocolate cake filled with birthday cake whipped cream and sprinkles, covered in creamy, rich malted Belgian chocolate frosting and covered in a medley of more sprinkles. 

 How To Solve A Rubik's Cube Today

How To Solve A Rubik's Cube       Hey evereyone what I did for you here is set you up with 2 videos and you can choose one or watch them both. They will show you how to solve a rubik's cube. This can be a fun thing to kill some tiime or even show off at a party... Hope you enjoy this and learn how to do it in a minute.

 Green Protein Shake

Green Protein Shake This smoothie is packed with vitamins and protein to keep you healthy, and fueled through the day! 

 Marshmallow Frosting Delight

Marshmallow Frosting Delight Easy lemon cake with marshmallow frosting plus   toasted coconut all together make a delightful treat.

 Oatmeal Cookie Protein Shake

Oatmeal Cookie Protein Shake This Oatmeal Cookie Shake is like eating an oatmeal cookie blended up into a thick creamy milkshake!  This shake makes an excellent breakfast or snack, and is a great way to get your cookie fix in a healthy way! 

 M&M Kit Kat Candy Cake

M&M Kit Kat Candy Cake Your kids are going to love you and all candy loves in your family will adore you because this cake packs sweetness... 

 Overnight French Toast Surprise

  Overnight French Toast Can't wait for Saturday to have some overnight french toast. You can see by now I have a sweet tooth and this is something worth waiting for.  Have this one time and the family will be asking for it every week... 

 Create Your Own Banner

Create Your Own Banner Hello Empowr fans did you ever wan t to build your own banner. Maybe you wanted to put your own quote on you own picture and you just don't know how. Its really not that hard and you can do it for free. We are going to use some free software called GIMP and you can Google it and download it for free. It is a system that you should be paying for ,it that good. We are going to start off with some simple stuff that anyone can do the first day. Just follow alone.  If I see enough comment wanting more I will do more of these kinds of blogs. Using GIMP... Here is an example of an easy banner Thanks and enjoy..

 Red, White and Blue Protein Smoothie

Red, White and Blue Protein Smoothie Celebrate the Fourth of July with this creamy and cool treat that is packed with protein- not all the sugar and empty calories of other frozen drinks! These red white and blue smoothies are sure to impress your family and guests this holiday weekend!  If

 Carnival Corn Dogs

Carnival Corn Dogs Everyone like the corn dogs at the carnivals and I did a lot of car shows just about 30 a year so that was 30 weeks out of the year I was around the corn dog trailer. At a few of the shows I was right across from them and the lines where a mile long. It was good for my business because they could look while they were waiting.  Anyway you could actually make this at home if you like because I got the recipe just for you... Chech it out below... Your going to love it and now you can imagine be at a carnival in the middle of winter. LOL "I made up this recipe many years ago, because I loved the corn dogs you buy at carnivals but could not find a recipe for them. Great served with mustard."  

 Carnival Ice-Cream Cake

  Carnival Ice-Cream Cake   Angel food cake, ice cream and three kinds of fruit pack this show-stopping frosty cake with incredible texture and unforgettable flavors.  

 Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie This Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie is the is the perfect breakfast, snack, or even dessert!  This thick and creamy shake is delicious, and satisfies cravings in a healthy way!  

 Frozen Princess Cake

FROZEN PRINCESS CAKE Really good job... Do you have a little girl in the family or maybe your daughters going to her best friends house for a birthday party. Make this cake for them and I think you would end up being the coolest mom around. 

 Unicorn Rainbow Poop Cookies

Unicorn Rainbow Poop Cookies OMG this going to be fun to make grab the kids because they won't want to miss out. This is a crazy fun recipe for all ages...

 Young Talent Chloe Channell

    Young Talent Chloe Channell

 Colorful Rainbow Cake

How To Make A Rainbow Cake If you know my blogs I try to give you inspiration to what you can really do the ideas are endless. In these next couple blogs they will be very colorful. Great for kids and just having fun in the kitchen. This video is the recipe it's not very hard. I like these girls because they and some fun, goofiness, crazy and weird you'll see in a minute. If you

 Chocolate Java Protein Shake

Chocolate Java Protein Shake A Chocolate Java Protein Shake is just what I need to get yourself going make this up for extra protein to get you moving for the rest of the day. 

 31 100 Calorie Snacks

  100-Calorie Snacks That Actually Keep You Full and Satisfied   Healthy eating isn’t all about calorie counting. Nutritious foods are key, but sometimes it’s nice to know you can grab a quick snack that doesn't deliver an entire meal's worth of calories. The next time hunger creeps up when it’s least convenient (like 30 minutes before a dinner reservation), turn to this list for a small and satisfying bite that won’t ruin a healthy day.   1. Pumpkin Yogurt Combine 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek Yogurt with 1/4 cup pumpkinpurée. Sweeten with stevia, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice blend (or cinnamon). Pumpkin is a low fat way to increase this snack’s fiber and flavor profile. 2. DIY Chunky Apple Sauce Dice up half a tennis-ball sized apple and add it to 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce. (So much apple!) You’ll get the spoonability of apple sauce, but with an added fresh crunch—not like that store-bought mushy stuff. Sprinkle with some cinnamon for an extra flavor kick.

 Hundred Dollar Cake

Hundred Dollar Cake       There is a story that my mother told me about a person who went to a famous restaurant in New York City in the 1930's.  They had a delicious dinner and were served the moistest chocolate cake.  Being so surprised and delighted at the moistness of the cake, the lady asked to speak to the chef.  When the chef came, the lady gushed over the cake and told him she just had to have that cake recipe so she could be the talk of her small town.   The chef did not want to give out the recipe, but relented.  Upon handing the bill to the couple the recipe was attached.  The bill included $100 for the cake recipe.  They paid it and here is the recipe. 

 Glazed Carrot Cake

Glazed Carrot Cake This recipe is great for those who hate carrots because they do not taste the carrots.  As a kid I did not care for carrots but learned to like them after tasting a carrot cake.  This cake is delicious served with coffee or tea. 

 Captain America Cake

CAPTAIN AMERICA CAKE If you have been buying from me for a while I have been doing do different kind of cakes. Like the princess cake or the unicorn rainbow poop cockies and even the colorful rainbow cake.  This are just a few remember the carnival recipes. That's why I'm doing this cake. It is part crazy video to get the idea and part recipe because in this video the left you up in the air. So I got your back.

 Amazing Brownie Ice Cream Squares

  Amazing Brownie Ice Cream Squares I don't know if you remember the chocolate chip cookie smash it was a smashing hit. It was one of my first recipes and this one is similar and I know it will be a big winner too.

 Checkerboard Neapolitan Cake

  Checkerboard Neapolitan Cake This cake is going to bring a wow factor for your guess and you are going to be famous in their eyes well at least for the night... Everyone is going to want this recipe and how you did it.

 Chess Board Cake

Chess Board Cake Here is something unique that hopefully you have never seen before and your guess are going to say wow that is amazing. If you have been following my cakes recipes you will be the cake queen again. &

 Mirror Glaze Cake

  Mirror Glaze Cake I have never seen this before and I think it will be a special cake at any party and should draw a lot of attention. 

 Rose Cake Pops

Rose Cake Pops This is something you can have fun with roses can be used at anytime like Valentines, Weddings or any occasion so make some today... 

 Rainbow Heart Cake

Rainbow Heart Cake We have for you today is a special cake you could make any time at all. It has a stunning rainbow striped heart shape hidden inside a bundt cake isn't that amazing!!! 

 Donut Ice Cream Cones

Donut Ice Cream Cones     This could be a fun project for family members and will crate family time for you. With project who could say know the reward is very satisfying... 

 Any Celebration Cake

    Any Celebration Cake This has been one of my favorite cakes to make.  I make a different variation depending on the holiday or celebration and no one has gotten tired of eating it yet! It takes a little prep time but I have also listed shortcuts. With Christmas just around the corner, shortcuts are a necessity! *If you would like to skip the preparation, a quick way to take a shortcut is to use a cake mix and substitute half of the vegetable oil portion with apple sauce. You can also substitute the lemon curd with your favorite jam, I would suggest strawberry or raspberry.*

 Pecan Butterscotch Cake

   Pecan Butterscotch Cake   This cake won a contest and was the lucky winner of a $2000.00 prize.When you make this cake for your family or that special party you will know you have made a cake that is extraordinary.

 Spanish Rice and Fish

Spanish Rice and Fish  This is a great and easy meal that you can put together in a jiffy and the fish is actually good for you...

 American Chicken Pot Pie

  American Chicken Pot Pie Here we go an all American meal chicken pot pie epic yes I know but its true.

 2 Thirty Minute Dinners

2 Thirty Minute Dinners Here are 2 thirty minute or less dinners you that you can make for your family in a jiffy. One is with chicken and one with beef enjoy...

 Summer Time Cake

  Summer Time Cake   A very beautiful and easy cake where cherries, strawberries and red currants are baked into a lovely light vanilla cake.

 Mini Lime Tarts

Mini Lime Tarts   I created this post as part of a sponsored series with Socialstars and SPLENDA® Brand; all opinions are my own. #SweetSwaps #SplendaSweeties With warmer days upon us, I have been thinking of ways to lighten up dessert.  These Mini Lime Tarts are the perfect individual dessert that satisfies your sweet tooth and won’t leave you feeling guilty!  To start these Mini Lime Tarts, you’ll need to make the lime curd filling which consists of lime juice, egg yolks, sugar, butter and salt.  To make these lighter, I swapped the regular sugar withSPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated.  After cooking the curd in a pot until thickened, I strained the curd into a bowl, covered it with plastic wrap and chilled it for 2 hours.  As the curd chilled, I got started on my mini tart shells.   This tart pastry is really simple to make since more than likely you have all of the ingredients on hand.  I combined soften butter, flour, salt, an egg yolk and SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated in a large bowl and kneaded it together until a soft dough formed.  Just know that at first the dough will seem a bit dry but keep on kneading.  The heat from your hands will help the butter melt into the flour and form the dough. Once the dough was ready, I covered it in plastic wrap and chilled it for an hour.  This allows the dough to rest and for the butter to solidify a bit before baking.  Perfectly smooth and chilled!  To make the shells, I measured out 8 balls of dough and placed them in an ungreased cupcake tin.  You want to be sure they are fairly large so that the tart shells are a bit thick.  This particular pastry is very delicate and crumbly after it bakes.I then pressed the balls of dough firmly into each cavity being sure to work the dough up the sides.   Now it’s off to the oven to bake! Be sure to keep an eye on them as they are baking.  If any air bubbles form in the pastry, use a fork to gently press the air out. After 25 minutes, they turned out nice and golden brown!  I removed the shells from the cupcake tin right out of the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack before assembling.  To assemble the Mini Lime Tarts, I filled the cooled tart shells with about a tablespoon of lime curd.While these are perfect as is, I decided these little tarts needed something extra.  FRESH WHIPPED CREAM! No need for the canned stuff here! To dress these tarts up, I piped the whipped cream and garnished each one with a tiny lime wedge. How cute are these little tarts?!  All they need is a party to attend! There always little get together's with friends or family or maybe even a group meeting where you have to bring something and this is a perfect treat to bring. 

 Regal Fruit Cake

Regal Fruit Cake Now's a great time to get some practice making your fruit cake. Get the some family time and invite them to help... 

 Spanish Mixed Paella Valenciana

  Spanish Mixed Paella Valenciana    "Paella is built up from four basic elements: seafood and meat, sofrito, rice, and broth. The proteins can by any combination of shellfish, meats, and sausage. I used a chicken breast, shrimp, and Portuguese chourico (chorizo). The sofrito consists of sautéed onions, garlic, and tomatoes (sometimes with the addition of pepper). For variety and because I needed to use it up, I used a leek along with the garlic and tomatoes. The rice is always short or medium grain with the Spanish Bomba rice considered the most authentic. I used medium grain rice from the Hispanic foods section of my local supermarket. The broth is commonly shellfish stock or chicken stork, but I used a vegetable stock I made from the green parts of the leeks." A shrimp and vegetable delight very easy mean to prepare once all the prep work is done.Your family will love it..  

 Marbled Red Velvet Cake

  Marbled Red Velvet Cake A twist to the famous Red Velvet cake, this is marbled with plain white batter. The cake can be prepared up to three days if kept covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

 Caramel Chocolate Banana Cake

  Caramel Chocolate Banana Cake Some effort is needed to make this cake, but it is worth every spoonful. Some tips: Make the sauce and ganache ahead of time to ease assembly time, and use disposable bags for drizzling the sauces for easier clean-up.  

 Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread Cake What is Christmas without gingerbread, right? Ah, gingerbread…gingerbread cake. Molassesey and gingery cake in a warm cozy room while looking out the window watching the snow dust everything white. Laughing at dogs trying to walk in snowshoes. It’s the perfect December cake. It took me a while to get this one right. Several iterations to get the sweetness and the spice level just right. I thought I wouldn’t have any trouble developing this one. Heh. I was so wrong. Definitely took more batches than I planned. Of course nothing ever goes to plan especially during the busy holiday season! Batch after batch, it was something. Too bitter, no ginger notes. Would it be better with coconut oil? Can I get away without coconut sugar (Nope. Coconut sugar is magical.) I started doubting myself and wondered if my unhappiness with these trials is because I’m unreasonably picky. That’s crazy isn’t it? About halfway through started to get really frustrated and almost scrapped the entire thing. But then not post any cake for December? Absurd. It’s been too long since I posted a cake recipe. So I had to get this right. I like to believe that I’m just pickier with some foods more than others. This is especially true for fall and winter desserts. For gingerbread, my “window of taste appeal” is far less narrow than other cakes. So, the slightest off-balance of spice and sweet would be enough to make me very sad. Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses, are such strong flavors that are a challenge to get them all to mesh. Imagine a room full of very loud and vocal people, and your job is to get them all to sing a beautiful chorus. One spice off balance is just like the off-key singer.   I had to get help from my best girl. She was kind enough to test out my recipe and offer a suggestion on the spice ratio. And it’s incredible. Funny how just half a teaspoon more of ginger and cinnamon made it incredible! The spice and sweet are all singing harmoniously. Can’t forget the crowning glory: the frosting! Yes, cream cheese! Such a perfect pair. You may wonder why butter must be added to cream cheese to make it into “cream cheese frosting.” Keyword there, frosting. Frosting is light and fluffy and makes elves sing happy tunes. To get that light and fluff, you need a good amount of saturated fat from butter to hold in those air pockets during whipping. Without extra butter, the cream cheese is just a spread. Flat, very tasty though, but flat. All that is worth it. 

 Glenns Watermelon Cake

  Watermelon Cake Your going to love this one...   Summer is here and watermelons are in season so let's have some fun with it. This is a refreshing desert that just about everybody I know loves watermelon. If you can't eat real cake this will be just for you. This will also be a big hit at any kind of gathering even a picnic. Remember though it must be cooled. So have the cake first then have the picnic later.. People are going to flip out at any party you bring this cake to and they will love it... You could actually make this on site if you have a way to keep the cool whip cool and all the toppings. Have a great time with this and let me know if you made it in the comments below.. In only 10 minutes you can make a delicious and healthy dessert, a watermelon cake, with a few ingredients. 

 Strawberry Cream Pie

  Strawberry Cream Pie Luscious hot fudge topping sits between a flaky crust and a creamy filling for a fruity dessert with something extra!  If you would like to sponsor this product CLICK HERE Black Bottom Strawberry Cream Pie INGREDIENTS 1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box 2/3 cup hot fudge topping 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, quartered 1/2 cup strawberry pie glaze 1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream, whipped, if desired

 Ooey Gooey Walnut Sticky Buns

Gooey Walnut Sticky Buns   These are one of my favorite treats. Ooey Gooey Walnut Sticky Buns These sticky buns topped with gooey syrup and walnuts are quick and easy to make with frozen bread dough.  

 Learn How To Screen Shot and Send It

Learn How To Screen Shot and Send It   Today I would like to show you how to give your coach a screen shot. You can use this for lots of other purposes too. This will not cost you a dime and I use it to take pictures from a video to put up on Empowr or my websites. There are lots of uses as you will find out.

 Voice Your Opinion

    Building A Blog   Today I will show you how to build a true blog. It’s really easy. Come join the fun and maybe you learn something.   Hello everyone, If you asked a question yesterday you may want to check yesterdays post. Thanks for all the great comments a lot of you are really engaging. That’s what I made this blog for. So you can sometimes get help faster from the community of bloggers. Today I would like to share with you how to build a big blog. A real blog has posts with lots of content. I have talked to some of

 Traditional Pizzelles

Traditional Pizzelles I make these tasty Pizzelle cookie year round because the pizzelle iron was handed down to me and I remember my grand mother making these every year. I would eat as many as I would make everyone else would say wheres the cookies and I would eat them. LOL Did you know? Pizzelle irons were often adorned with family crests and passed down through many generations.    Traditional Pizzelles   3½ cups flour, sifted ⅔ cup ground pecans 2 tsp. baking powder 6 large eggs

 Rose Cake Surprise

  Rose Cake What an awesome project and the reward will be the surprise you see from who will eat your tasty cake. Great for any occasions.    2 recipes one video and one writen hope you enjoy them... I

 Dress Up Your Cup Cakes

Dress Up Your Cup Cakes Everyone loves cupcakes how can you make them more fun. Dress them up involve the kids get creative... I have given you a lot of ideas here with these pictures and I'm sure your thinking about more. You have tons of different cakes you could use and toppings are in the 1000's so what are you waiting for make some cupcakes today. Special Note : If you don't have anyone to eat them you could always send them my way...LOL Have fun... Easy Cupcake Recipe  Ingredients • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

 Old Time Raisin Filled Cookies

Old Time Raisin Filled Cookies   Quite a few years ago my Chief Culinary Consultant made mention of raisin-filled cookies and how much he loved them as a kid. He wondered if I could try making them, but there was one problem – I had no idea what these cookies were that he spoke of. I had never heard of them or seen them myself. So, I set about on some research and started poking around online for recipes and did end up finding a few. Not long after that, I spotted a box of these cookies at Sam’s Club. I snapped a picture and sent it to him and he confirmed that those were, indeed, the cookies. I had a visual! I picked up those cookies and we’ve since found them in a couple of other places, so I finally got to taste the cookies as well. However, I then displayed some seriously questionable behavior because I totally and completely dropped the ball on these cookies. I’m talking, for years. A thousand apologies to him, and to you. It wasn’t until I was digging through a pile of my grandma’s old recipes looking for something else that I came across the recipe for these filled raisin cookies. This was it. THE recipe. I knew it immediately. But… if this recipe was in my grandma’s recipe collection… why had I never heard of these cookies before? Or tasted them? I asked my mom and she said that my grandma made these cookies all the time for my grandfather, who adored raisins. However, once he passed away (when I was 5), she stopped making them because no one else in the family really cared for raisins. How sad! The recipe has been officially resurrected and is definitely one that will get a lot of use in my kitchen.

 Amazing Alabama Lemon Cheese Cake

  Alabama Lemon Cheese Cake This Southern delicacy contains no cheese, but a buttery filling with a hint of cheese-like curd adds color and luscious flavor.   INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE: 1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature 2 cups/360 grams sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 3 cups/270 grams sifted cake flour ¾ cup milk 6 large egg whites, stiffly beaten FOR THE LEMON FILLING:

 Basic Chocolate Cakes

Basic Chocolate Cakes

 Tasty Nanaimo Bars

  Nanaimo Bars This layered bar is originally from Nanaimo (pronounced nah-NIGH-moe), a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It was born in 1952, when a fund-raising cookbook from the island featured three recipes for chocolate squares. These recipes were reprinted under the name Nanaimo Bars in the Vancouver Sun. Canadian food companies adopted them as a convenient vehicle for their products, and they've been growing in popularity ever since. These bars are exceedingly rich; a little goes a long way. And while the original didn't include coconut flavor in the filling, we think its addition is absolutely perfect. Crust 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 

 Inspiring Your Life Today

    Mother & Daughter Heart Touching Real Story    Hello everyone Inspire your kids to try different things Like this video they had no money. The mother saw that her daughter was trying to learn… So she taught her Then strike and idea with the pineapple pops Which brought inspiration to the girl. This started the whole business of selling these to make a profit Mother gave more direction And well you know the rest if you watched the video. There is a lot of inspiring point in this video if you look for them. On another note you guys have been kicking butt… I have seen tons of new blogger… I have seen the average comments go from 90 to 130 or 140 That is awesome. Keep spreading the word… Have a wonderful day Glenn    #InspiringYourLifeToday 

 Cannoli with Pistachio Cremeux

Cannoli with Pistachio Cremeux This indulgent Italian dessert is made with white wine, white chocolate, cream and raspberries.  Ingredients   Cannoli Dough 65g caster sugar 65g unsalted butter, room temp 1 tsp ground cinnamon 375g plain flour 150g dry white wine Oil spray 1 egg yolk Vegetable oil for frying

 French Dinner Party With Recipes

Give yourself an excuse to bring Paris to your kitchen or favorite venue and plan a French dinner party! France is known for its art, the Eiffel Tower, delicious crepes, and beret hats. Incorporate all of these cultural icons into your party including traditional French dinner party recipes! Most importantly, greet guests at the door by saying, “Bonjour!”   French dinner party ideas include:   Invitations: The invitation to your French themed dinner party will give guests an immediate impression of what is to come later. Select dinner party invitations that are elegant and sophisticated for a French flair. You'll find a beautiful collection of designs in Punchbowl's Digital Invitation Studio. Menu: The French dinner party menu is the main source of enjoyment for the evening. It is also one of the ways guests will rate the success of the party. Superb appetizers, a stunning main course, and a delicious dessert can and should lead to major brownie points! Appetizers: For a hot appetizer, serve pea and potato soup to guests. For a cold appetizer, serve a salad with berries and almonds with a vinaigrette dressing. Main Course: For dinner serve herb roasted chicken with bean risotto. Another option is cod with a side of pommes frites or sautéed spinach with parmesan. In the winter months, consider a traditional French dish like cassoulet.  Dessert: For a tasty treat to top off a delicious meal, serve traditional crepes for dessert. Offer a variety of fillings such as melted chocolate, bananas, and other fruit. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of the crepes and sprinkle some powdered sugar. Consider hiring a caterer to make the crepes one-by-one for guests, based on their individual preferences. Drinks: Serve up a classic cocktail, like this Kir Royale: Ingredients: • 3 oz. creme de cassis • 1 bottle Champagne • 1 orange for zesting Directions: • Right before serving, pour 1 tbsp. creme de cassis into a cocktail glass. • Top with bubbly, and garnish with orange zest! Serves 6. Decorations: Decorate the dinner party room like a scene from Paris! Concentrate on the colors white and gold for the theme. Display groups of gold and white balloons and have a white table cloth with gold napkins, plates, cups, and cutlery. Purchase or make a large Eiffel Tower for the table centerpieces. Another option for centerpieces is to blow-up pictures from Paris and place them on easels in the middle of each table. If you hire caterers to help with the dinner party, request that they wear berets while serving guests. For the male caterers, request that they paint on a black mustache, with the sides curled upward. Play French music in the background to enhance the ambiance. French party food and traditional parisian decor will transform the venue into a virtual vacation for guests and everyone will feel like they've just stepped off the plane in France! Source   Fresh Herb Risotto INGREDIENTS 7

 Japanese Dinner Party With Recipe

  Japanese Dinner Party With Recipe   Enjoy a delicious chicken teriyaki dinner while sipping on sake and anticipating green tea ice cream for dessert. You can savor all of these wonderful treats by gathering family and friends and throwing a Japanese themed dinner party! Follow Japanese tradition and greet all guests at the door of your home by saying, “yokoso,” or “welcome,” in Japanese. Japanese dinner party ideas include: Menu: Appetizer: Choose traditional dishes when creating the Japanese dinner party menu. Serve miso soup for an appetizer in Japanese-style bowls with Japanese soup spoons. Main Course: After guests finish their appetizer, serve chicken teriyaki mixed with vegetables as the main course. If there is enough room available, hire a chef to bring a teppanyaki grill and cook in front of the guests. Another option is to hire a professional sushi chef to run a sushi bar for the night. Allow guests to visit the sushi bar and select their favorite sushi roll. Dessert: For dessert serve a fruit salad mix with cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, and strawberries. Another sweet treat is green tea ice cream! For beverages prepare green tea, both hot and cold. Also consider sake as an alcoholic beverage. Table Setting: Set each place setting at a coffee table or other low table. Cover the table with a white or black table cloth and red napkins. Use bamboo place mats and provide guests with plates and chopsticks. Surround the table with decorative and comfortable pillows for seating. Ambiance: Create a traditional Japanese ambiance by decorating the room with Japanese lanterns. Use the colors red, white, and black for the color theme. Play Japanese music in the background.   A Japanese dinner party is a unique way to entertain and celebrate with friends and family. Enjoy the wonderful flavors of Japan in the comfort of your own home!    TERIYAKI CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES Miryam's original recipe

 Spanish Dinner Party With 2 Recipes

    Spanish Dinner Party   A Spanish dinner party is a great way to gather family and friends together for yummy sangrias and mouth-watering tapas. Transform the evening into a fiesta by planning a paella dinner party! Hold the Spanish themed dinner party at a local venue or in your home. For parties held at a residence, contact a party rental company to set up a tent in the backyard. Hire caterers to cook and serve the food to guests.   Spanish dinner party ideas include: Drinks: Start guests off with thirst-quenching sangrias. When concocting the sangria, cater to your guests’ requests about whether the drink should be strong or just contain a splash of alcohol. Make sangrias that will leave your guests raving for weeks! Sangria recipe: 2 cups of fruity red wine 2 cups of seltzer water 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup of sugar

 Italian Dinner Party

  Italian Dinner Party For an evening complete with delicious Italian food, family, and friends, throw an Italian dinner party. Host the party in your home and consider hiring a local caterer. You can also explore the possibility of hosting an event at a local party venue such as restaurants or rental halls in your area.   Italian dinner party ideas include:   Invitations: Invite guests to your Italian dinner party with email invitations. Look for an invitation with a design suitable for Italian dinner parties, featuring elements like utensils, food, or a chef. Browse Punchbowl's collection to view a large variety of digital dinner party invitations. Consider ideas for Italian dinner party wording like, "Family and friends will get you in the mood / To mingle, drink and eat some great food!" Menu: Italian dinner parties are known for delicious traditional food. Plan a spectacular and flavorful Italian dinner party menu. Start by serving a traditional Italian dish such as antipasto. For the main course cook pasta and meatballs covered in a homemade sauce. Other ideas for the main course include chicken or eggplant parmesan. Serve garlic bread on the side and offer parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the food, and cloves of garlic to accompany the Italian bread. Decorations: For Italian dinner party decorations, place traditional colors such as red, white and green throughout the room. Incorporate these colors into the tablecloth, plates, napkins, cups and cutlery. Make the table look like an Italian flag by using a white tablecloth and red and green table runners. Music: Play famous Italian dinner party music in the background to liven up the evening. Make a playlist of the music on a mp3 player or burn a CD with the songs. Choose songs such as Volare, Buona Sera, Santa Lucia and Tarantella. Ideas for an Italian dinner party are easy to come by if you use traditional Italian food for inspiration. Count on the fresh flavors and vibrant smells of basil and oregano for table decorations and use them to spice up the food too! Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs Recipe

 Raclette Dinner Party

    Raclette Dinner Party   If you’re looking for a unique dinner party theme for your next get together, try hosting a raclette party! Never heard of it before? You’ll find all the raclette tips you need right here. This dish is indigenous to parts of Switzerland and France and is made by pairing different varieties of meats and potatoes with melted cheese. Often served with dry white wine, tea, or other warm beverages, it is a hearty and satisfying meal to prepare especially when the weather is chilly outside. For raclette party ideas, keep reading to learn more! Raclette Dinner Party Prep: To start, you will need to find a raclette grill that will melt the cheese. These often come with individual pans, making this meal a fun and interactive occasion for all of your guests. Look for raclette cheese at the grocery store or use suitable alternatives such as Swiss Gold, Gruyere, or Mozzarella. Next, pick which accompanying ingredients you would like to serve with your cheese. Pre-slicing ingredients will allow the dinner party to flow smoothly. Choose a raclette party theme menu from the raclette dishes suggestions below for a meal that will suit your tastes: Classic: ham, small onions, gherkins, boiled or baked potatoes Vegetarian: potatoes, asparagus, capsicum, and mushrooms Pizza: chewy Italian bread, ham, pineapple, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and fresh oregano Gourmet: crusty French bread, prawns, smoked salmon, dill, and avocado Raclette Recipes: One of the wonderful things about raclette dishes is that you will be amazed how simple foods pair deliciously with others. Feel free to create your own combinations! Here are some simple recipes that will delight your tastebuds. Prawns in Cream Sauce: Serves 4. Clean and peel 12 cooked prawns. Mix together 9 ounces Mascarpone and 2 tbsp chopped parsley. At the grill, place one prawn in your pan with a spoonful of the Mascarpone mixture and a small piece of raclette cheese. Once melted, serve over bread with a little ground pepper. Tomatoes and Mozarella: Serves 6. Cut cherry tomatoes in half, slice mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle with chopped basil. Remove the rind and fat from 3 strips of bacon and set aside along with a cup of croutons. At the grill, place all ingredients in a pan and cook until cheese has melted and bacon becomes crispy. Enjoy your unique raclette party menu and learning how to master this simple and delicious method of cooking. To send your dinner party invitation, check out the selection of free online invitations on Punchbowl! Create an event for start to finish party planning. Resourse

 Sophisticated Dinner Party

    Sophisticated Dinner Party   Break out your fancy dishes, get ready to show your sophisticated side, and gather together your best dinner party ideas. Plan the guest list, menu, decorations, and music in advance to throw the perfect dinner party. Take advantage of these sophisticated ideas for dinner parties and become more familiar with how to host a dinner party. Guest List: Plan your guest list based on the amount of available space in your home or venue and your budget. Invite family, or a specific group of friends, or both. Decide in advance whether or not the guest list will include or exclude children. Menu: Decide on the menu, and how much food to make based on your guest list. Consider the food preferences and any food restrictions of your guests. Create a theme for the dinner based around the menu. Add some wine and hard liquor as additional dinner party ideas for adults. Choose from a variety of dinner party themes, such as: Fondue: Create an interactive meal and have guests dip meats and bread into cheese and dip fruit, cookies and cake into chocolate.   Moroccan: Serve kebabs and couscous to set a unique and tasty scene.

 Spring Dinner Party

    Spring Dinner Party A spring dinner party is a great way to spend quality time with family and friends, and celebrate the beginning of a new season. Plan to hold the dinner party outdoors (weather permitting). If the night air is chilly, rent heat lamps from a local vendor. Spring dinner party ideas include: Invitations: Send out spring dinner party invitations to those who make the guest list. Visit Punchbowl.com for a large variety of invitation options. Select an invitation with light, pastel colors and spring themed designs. Decorations: Decorate the spring dinner party with pastel colored tablecloths, napkins, plates and cups. For centerpieces, place flower arrangements in the middle of each table. Select flowers such as tulips, carnations, roses or hydrangeas. Surround the flower centerpieces with votive candles. Hang string lights and lanterns around the yard to create soft and calming light. Menu: The spring dinner party menu plays a large role in determining the success of the party. Since spring is a season that is light and refreshing, plan spring dinner party recipes that reflect the same feeling. For an appetizer, serve Japanese spring rolls that contain shrimp, cabbage and other vegetables wrapped in a rice wrap. Offer a spring roll dipping sauce on the side. For the main course, offer guests delicious sushi. Serve both traditional sushi and also vegetarian style sushi. Ginger, wasabi and soy sauce are all condiments that work well with sushi. Edamame makes for a great side dish. Place an empty bowl next

 Desserts for Dinner Parties Plus Recipe

    Desserts for Dinner Parties After an evening filled with outstanding appetizers, mouth-watering main dishes and delightful drinks, guests are still likely to leave room for dessert. Even though it's nearing the end of the evening and the hosts may be tiring, leave a lasting impression with a tasty dessert. Desserts for dinner parties make for a great end to a perfect evening!   When planning desserts, base your choices on the number of guests and also their preferences. For example, if you have 100 guests at your dinner party, you will not have time to cut multiple cakes or pies and serve slices one-by-one. The exception is if you hire a caterer or have many hands helping in the kitchen. For a large number of guests consider dessert platters. For a small, intimate gathering of friends, the options are a little more flexible. Treat your guests to something sweet with one of these easy dinner party desserts:   Cakes: Cakes make ideal desserts for a smaller group of dinner guests. Bake a traditional vanilla cake and enhance the flavor by incorporating a raspberry filling with lemon frosting. Another option is cheesecake with strawberries and strawberry sauce to add spice to the slice. Pies: Traditional dinner party dessert pies are blueberry, apple, and pecan. Consider serving pumpkin pie and pecan pie if the dinner party is held in the fall or winter. Serve the pies warm and offer guests a scoop of ice cream and whipped cream on top of their slice! Platters: Make or order platters of smaller desserts such as cookies, brownies, and mini éclairs. Place each dessert in a mini cupcake tin or wrapper, and arrange them in a decorative pattern on a platter. Easy dinner party desserts such as mini cake squares and cupcakes are perfect to serve to a large group of guests. Fruit: Fruit salad is always a winning choice for dinner parties. Mix a variety of selections such as watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, strawberries, and grapes for a healthy dessert option. Cut the fruit into small squares or use a melon scooper. To add a special gourmet touch to the evening, offer chocolate dipped fruits such as strawberries, apples, and oranges. A dinner party is rarely complete without a little something sweet at the end. It's also always a perfect way to close the evening, have a toast, and offer nightcaps. source

 Vegetarian Dinner Party Plus Veggie Lasagna Recipe

Vegetarian Dinner Party A vegetarian dinner party is an enjoyable way to gather family and friends together. Many people have individual likes and dislikes based on personal preferences, religious beliefs, and dietary restrictions, and more and more people have made the decision to become vegetarians. There are many different types of vegetarians such as vegans, lacto-vegetarians, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, pesco-vegetarians and pollo-vegetarians. Some will not only stay away from meat, but egg, fish, and dairy products as well. Check with guests in advance to learn of their dietary restrictions before planning a vegetarian dinner party menu.      Vegetarian dinner party ideas include:   ·        Appetizer: Kick start the evening by planning fondue stations for an appetizer with a variety of different cheeses. Supply small pieces of bread at some stations and vegetables at other stations. Guests will love serving themselves and taking part in the active part of the dinner menu. The unique appetizer selection will encourage guests to mingle with one another as they make their way around to the various stations. ·        Main Course: There are many scrumptious vegetarian dinner recipes to consider for the main course of vegetarian dinner parties. Give guests options such as a mixture of sautéed vegetables with eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, roasted tomatoes, and roasted red peppers. Another delectable dish is a pasta, broccoli and mushroom combination, all mixed in a white alfredo cream sauce. Finally, make a vegetarian lasagna or broccoli quiche. Arrange all of the dishes side by side to create a buffet for your guests. ·        Dessert: Add the “cherry on top” to complete a great evening by selecting sensational desserts for your guests. Purchase a variety of toppings such as sprinkles, hot fudge, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and cherries, and set up a make-your -own-sundae station. Another great option is to clean the fondue stations from earlier in the evening and offer guests chocolate fondue with strawberries and other fruits. Other tasty desserts include cheesecake, carrot cake, brownies and cookies. A party based on a vegetarian diet can be one full of flavor and beautiful colors. Experiment with taste combinations and an endless selection of recipes! source   Veggie Lasagna    In electric skillet, place onion and 1⁄4 of the pasta sauce. Layer dry noodles over onion and sauce. Add 1 cup (226g) of cottage cheese, spreading across the noodles, making sure to cover all of the exposed noodles. Add spinach, zucchini, squash, mushrooms and carrots. Spread across top of cottage cheese and sprinkle with oregano and basil. Add cheddar cheese, another 1⁄4 of the paste sauce, and layer with dry noodles. Add remaining cup (226g) of cottage cheese, spreading across noodles, making sure to cover all of the exposed noodles. Add the remaining pasta sauce on top of cottage cheese, spreading evenly. Cover with mozzarella cheese and spread evenly across the top. Set electric skillet heat control touch pad to 325°F/163°C. When Vapo-Valve™ begins to click, reduce temperature to 200°F/93°C and set timer for 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve. 1 onion, strung, use Cone #2 24 ounces pasta sauce (340

 Game Night Party Ideas Plus Recipe

  Game Night Party Ideas Host a game night party as a fun way to get together with friends, celebrate a special occasion, or just to make a rainy day more enjoyable! There are many ways you can tailor your game night to be kid-friendly, for adults, or for anyone in between! Here are some easy tips to help you plan the game night that fits your style. Invitations: Get guests excited about the event with free game night invitations you can customize and share via email or social media! Include important information that guests will need to know – date, time, location, and if they should bring their favorite game. Punchbowl offers several game night online invitations featuring Scrabble, Candy Land, Twister, Clue, and Monopoly! Decorations: Add a few classic party decorations to your party space to get it ready for the big night! Solid colored items such as tablecloths, napkins, and plates are an easy way to match the theme to the games you’ve chosen. You can also create simple DIY game night decorations like a Scrabble welcome banner using thick card stock and a black marker.  For table decorations, fill small glass jars with different kids of dice for a colorful and festive look. Menu: Retro sweets and snacks are a must-have at your game night! Serve popcorn, Chex mix, pizza and mini hotdogs as appetizers for your guests.  For the treats, make Domino-tile cookies by drawing different patterns with black icing on rectangular-shaped sugar cookies. Another option is to host a potluck. Be sure to include this information on your game night invitations. Activities: 

 Moroccan Dinner Party

    Moroccan Party Host an exotic Moroccan party to put a Middle Eastern twist on your next celebration. A Moroccan party theme is a unique and festive way to celebrate any occasion, such as a milestone birthday, anniversary, or a coming home party. Here are a few party planning tips to help you create a Moroccan themed party.  ·        Decorations: Moroccan party décor is an extremely important part of your party planning. Create the right décor to make your guests feel like they've been transported to an exotic destination in the Middle East. Jewel tones and exotic looking fabrics mark the Moroccan style. To achieve this look in your party space, go to a fabric store and try to find Moroccan inspired fabric to hang on your walls, to use tablecloths, and to make pillow covers. Also, decorate your tables with lots of candles and jewels to create the perfect ambiance. Tea lights and votives will work well to set the scene. ·        Music: Create a playlist with Moroccan or Moroccan influenced music to play it throughout your party. The music is key to make your guests feel like they are truly halfway across the world. ·        Menu: Try to serve Moroccan cuisine at your party for an added authentic touch. A great appetizer to serve is a variety of flavored humus with pita bread for dipping. Additionally, marinated olives and a variety of cheeses are good appetizers. For an entrée, serve marinated chicken with lots of vegetables and couscous. ·        Activities: A few Moroccan party ideas that are ideal for this type of celebration are hookahs and belly dancing. Hookah is a popular device in Morocco that is used to smoke flavored tobacco. While

 Bring Down the House with Homemade Chili

    Bring Down the House with Homemade Chili With your Super Bowl & Fall parties just around the corner, you are probably searching for recipes to ooh and ahh your guests during the big game. Well if you're like me, there is nothing more enjoyable to eat during the Super Bowl than a big bowl of homemade chili. But you have no recipe you say? Fortunately I'm about to share with you the secret ingredients to the most homemade, delicious chili you have ever tasted.  Here's what you'll need:  ·        3 lb ground beef ·

 Taco Bar Ideas & Recipes

    Taco Bar Ideas & Recipes With a holiday like Cinco de Mayo, coming up with unique and interactive entertainment ideas can be a struggle. A usual crowd-pleaser is a Cinco de Mayo taco bar, complete with all the fixings for a killer taco. A taco bar party can be easy to set up and a great way to encourage your guests to mingle and socialize. Taco bar ideas can go beyond just a crispy shell and fried meat, check out our taco bar party ideas to be inspired!  Taco Bar Menu Ideas:  Ground beef or turkey is, of course, a fine filling for a yummy taco, but try to mix it up with grilled steak, pork, chicken and vegetarian options like grilled veggies or tofu. Hard and soft taco shells are great to offer, as well as tortilla chips (to make nachos) and shredded lettuce and tortilla bowls for salad. A tiered set-up with multiple options can be a huge space saver, so put those cupcake towers to good use! Offer a variety of taco bar ingredients like different kinds of cheeses (gouda, monteray jack, shredded mozzarella), fresh corn off the cob, shredded carrots, avocado, cucumber, chopped onion, black and pinto beans, cilantro, different color tomatoes, a variety of salsas and taco sauce, sour cream and olives. Include some signs which explain what each topping is, and offer ideas to guests of different topping combinations. To make nachos, include a melted queso dip and larger plates or shallow bowls. Check out the easy and delicious recipes for taco fillings and Mexican side dishes below. Beef Taco Filling Recipe    Ingredients: ·                  2 tbsp. olive oil ·           1 1/2 cups minced onion ·                  2 tbsp. minced garlic ·                  3 tbsp. ground cumin ·                  2 pounds lean ground beef ·                 1 tsp. ground red pepper ·                 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt ·                 1 cups beef broth ·                 1/4 cup tomato paste Warm the olive oil in a large pan and cook the onions until translucent. Add garlic and cumin and saute for one minute. Add the beef and cook until brown. Add pepper, salt, beef broth and paste and bring to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until the liquid is gone.   Pork Carnitas Taco Filling Recipe    Ingredients: ·                  1/4 cup olive oil

 Halloween Cake Pop

  Halloween Cake Pop Delight your guests with one of these bite-sized Halloween cake pop recipes: Pumpkin Cake Pops: This pumpkin cake pop recipe is delicious and super simple. Incorporate one of the most classic flavors of the fall season and decorate for Halloween fun. Ingredients:   ·           1 (18.25 ounce) package spice cake mix ·           1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin ·           1 tub of cream cheese frosting ·           Candy sticks ·

 Halloween Punch Recipes

Halloween Punch Recipes  Every Halloween party needs a spooky Halloween punch! Serve your guests a themed punch to quench their thirst whether you are planning a full food menu or not. A Halloween punch is the perfect addition to any costume party, cocktail party, kids party or dinner party. Just make sure you serve at least one cocktail punch and one mock-tail punch to appeal to everyone’s tastes. Here are some easy Halloween punch ideas for adults and kids to try at your monster bash.  Halloween Punch for Adults:  Bloody Vampire Punch ·        4 cups clear rum ·        4 cups orange juice, ·        6 cups pomegranate juice ·        1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lime or lemon juice ·        1 liter seltzer (pomegranate seltzer works best)

 Oktoberfest Party Recipes

    Oktoberfest Party Recipes   Plan a fantastic Oktoberfest menu to celebrate the sixteen day harvest festival with family and friends. Plan Oktoberfest food for the appetizer and main course, and finish the celebration with a delicious dessert.  Here are some menu ideas for Oktoberfest foods: Appetizer  ·        Soft Pretzels: Start guests off with delicious soft pretzels to absorb the beer in their bellies. Supply a side dip of sweet, sharp, or tangy mustard to complement the soft pretzels. Make it easy on yourself and purchase frozen pretzels from your local grocery store, or if you’re keen, take the time out to make them yourself. ·        Currywurst: Purchase bratwurst style sausages, cook them, and cut them into pieces. Whip up some curry ketchup for a pop of flavor. Pour the curry ketchup over the sausages and sprinkle curry powder over the delightful treat. Serve the Currywurst with bread rolls. Main Course  ·        Potato Pancake with Toppings: Make delicious potato pancakes to celebrate Oktoberfest with a few simple ingredients such as potato shreds, eggs, flour, salt, ground pepper, and vegetable oil. Add flavorful toppings such as ham and sauerkraut, smoked salmon, and BBQ curry chicken. ·        Beer-Marinated Chicken: Continue the Oktoberfest tradition and incorporate beer into the main course. Make a mouth-watering beer-marinade for your chicken with peanut oil, German mustard, German beer, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, thyme. Dessert  ·        German Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownies: Create an end to a great day with sticky, gooey melt-in-your-mouth fudge brownies. Make the brownies with German dark chocolate, black cherry preserves, spiced apple butter, honey, eggs, salt, vanilla extract, flour. Top with walnuts for an optional flourish.   Enjoy a delicious Octoberfest menu during your celebration! Make your menu in advance of the celebration or ask family and friends to help with the dishes. source   I changed their desert to make it easy on the guess and you. It may take you a little extra prep time but it will be worth it. Remember these guys will be drinking and a small desert will hit the spot.

 Fun With Fish Dinner Party

Fun With Fish Dinner Party   Get your fish recipes together and prepare to throw a fantastic dinner party. Play up the fishing theme in your dinner party invitations. Create your event on Punchbowl for some excellent fishing invitation templates for your party planning needs. Be sure to incorporate some great fish recipes into the fish dinner party. Try simple fish recipes such as almond encrusted salmon, or ask guests for suggested dinner party fish recipes. Try this recipe for almond encrusted salmon, as one of your seafood dinner party ideas:   2 egg whites 1 tbsp. of dried cilantro flakes 1 tsp.

 Festive Pumpkin Recipes

  Festive Pumpkin Recipes Fall offers a number of seasonal foods to cook with: apples, pumpkins, cranberries, and more. Especially with pumpkin, the spotlight falls on sweet dessert recipes like pumpkin pie or pumpkin cookies, but here we focus on four delicious savory recipes that feature pumpkins.      Try one of these festive pumpkin recipes for your next fall celebration or dinner party:    Pumpkin Cheese Fondue    Ingredients:  5 to 6 lb sugar pie pumpkin 1 ½ cups milk or heavy cream  1 loaf crusty bread (baguette), sliced ½ cup chicken broth  ½ teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 ½ cups Gruyere 2 cups Swiss cheese 1 Tbsp. olive oil   Preparation:  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast until tops are slightly

 Building Summer Time Memories

Building Summer Time Memories Who says you have to go anywhere to have fun in the summer? Use your very own backyard as the setting for a kid's campout, a farmer's market buffet dinner, a fresh fruit cocktail party or a s'mores-themed get-together. Start by assessing the size and capacity of your backyard. How many people can you fit? Where will everyone sit? What will you do if it starts to rain? Once all those questions are answered, write up a guest list and send the invitation. Punchbowl offers a wide variety of festive digital invitations geared toward a backyard celebration:   As with any party, planning can be overwhelming. We've put together the following 'how to's' so you're able to party plan like a pro and actually enjoy the event without stressing about the details. Backyard Campout for Kids: For every child, there comes a point when the idea of sleeping outside seems like the ultimate adventure. Treat your kids and their friends to an overnight in your backyard and you'll be the favorite parent on the block! It's helpful to limit the number of kids to under ten so you are able to manage and supervise everyone the entire time. The limited number will also help if the weather doesn't cooperate and everyone has to camp indoors. Follow these helpful guidelines to ensure your party is a hit while also being super safe and organized. On the invitations, ask the parents to pack a sleeping bag, lightweight tent (if possible), flashlight, blanket, swimsuit and a warm change of clothes. Once everyone arrives, set up the tents and sleeping bags so no one has to do it in the dark. Make sure all the kids know where the bathroom is indoors. Put out bug spray, bottles of water and a first aid kit. Before the party officially begins, outline any rules you have. For instance, emphasize that no child is to leave your yard without telling you first. It's also wise to have at least one adult sleep outside with the kids if they are under 13 years old. Food: It's likely that all the kids will be very excited and running around, so set up a food table where they can grab snacks throughout the night. Pack paper bags with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips and boxes of raisins. Make homemade pizzas, grill and cut into squares. Put a variety of fruit juices in beverage dispensers and set out reusable water bottles. The kids can serve themselves and then take the bottle home with them as a party favor. Make trail, snack or candy mixes and distribute evenly into small plastic bags so they are easily transportable. Set up an ice cream bar at the end of the night and let all the kids make their own sundaes. Serve muffins, orange juice boxes and fresh fruit cups to the hungry campers the next morning. Activities: While they may be just as happy playing impromptu tag, there's a chance you'll want to plan several activities before bedtime. Here are a few no-fail outdoor pasttimes: Hand out mason jars with lids poked with holes and start a competition for who can catch the most fireflies. If it's warm, set up the sprinkler and hand out water balloons. Arrange a scavenger hunt (find a red flower, collect three gray stones, pluck a three-leaf clover, etc.) and award prizes to the kids who complete the hunt.          Farmer's Market Dinner Party: Get on the local food bandwagon and take advantage of all the fresh, locally-grown food found at a regional farmer's market. Planning, set up and food can be easy - arrange for your dinner party to be on the same day as the farmer's market and grab as many of the party items as possible just hours before everyone arrives. That way, the food will be at it's peak freshness, the flowers will be spritely and full of color and you won't go crazy making plans all week long! Scope out the market the week before. Ask vendors what produce they'll have coming in the following week so you can build the menu based on what will be available. If there aren't any local markets in your area, purchase menu items from the grocery store but check to see if they have a section of locally-grown food. Buy what's in season - you'll get the most bang for your buck! The friendlier you are with vendors, the more you'll get. See if they're willing to sell you fruit baskets for centerpieces, special produce or flowers that they save for their favorite customers, etc. Food: Flavors abound in fresh fruits and vegetables. These recipes will bring out the natural beauty in all the ingredients and every guest will be asking for seconds! Beet Salad with Feta 3 cups of fresh beets (yellow or red), washed, peeled and cubed 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 cup crumbled feta Mix lemon juice and a dash of salt in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive

 Wine Tasting Party Recipe

    Wine Tasting Party Recipe Have a blast hosting a wine tasting party for family and friends. Learn how to host a wine tasting, along with the different varieties of wine and try new or unusual selections. Do a little pre-planning and gather your ideas for wine tasting parties in advance. Host a wine tasting like an expert! Send out your wine tasting invitations in advance, to ensure your family and friends will be in attendance. Create your event on Punchbowl to access a variety of fantastic and customizable free invitations. Incorporate these five wine tasting party ideas into your event: Lightest to Heaviest: When you're organizing the wine tasting at home, arrange for the guests to start with light wines first and then move on to the heavier wines later. Move from lighter to heavier wines to make it easier for guests to fully experience each wine individually.

 Ice Cream Birthday Cake

    Ice Cream Birthday Cake Make a delicious homemade ice cream cake to help celebrate a birthday party or other special occasion. Add creative flair to a homemade ice cream cake and select a favorite flavor combination. Vanilla and chocolate are traditional ice cream cake flavors, but you can think outside the box and try combinations like chocolate and mint, vanilla and caramel or strawberry and chocolate chip. The ingredients for making an ice cream cake include:

 Voice Your Opinion 2.0

Farewell To Voice Your Opinion 2.0 Farewell to Voice Your Opinion this will be my last post for this blog. Hate to see it go but it is time… Check it out…   Hello everyone, A lot of you may be wondering why and I will tell you in a second. But first I want to thank you for making Voice Your Opinion for what

 Sweat 16 Birthday Cake

    Sweat 16 Birthday Cake  Sweet 16 cakes can be made as simply or as extravagant as you want them! Between the size, style, frosting, and flavor of the cake, you can customize the cake to match the theme of your party. Here are a few tips for how to choose the perfect sweet sixteen birthday cake: Homemade or store-bought: The first step on the road to the perfect sweet 16 party cake is to decide who will make the cake. If you make your cake at home, you have the luxury of customizing it however you want. If you decide to order your cake from a bakery, it often requires pre-planning with the baker on the design of the cake and other important details. Many bakeries also deliver so talk to your baker about this option as well! Plus, with a bakery, you can often do a taste test!

 Paris Themed Birthday

    Paris Themed Birthday The fashion, the art, the romance… Paris is certainly known for its beauty and charm. And what better place to celebrate your birthday than under the glimmering lights of the Eiffel Tower, even if you are only going as far as your living room! Host a modern, chic affair or get inspired by the movie "Midnight in Paris" and throw a vintage, 1920s soiree. With the right decorations, music, and food, you will be able to create a gorgeous ‘Night in Paris’ ambiance that will make your birthday simply unforgettable. Decorations Hang up large posters of French landmarks, nightspots, and buildings. Use black and white tablecloths to create an elegant atmosphere and accent it using red napkins and dishes. Replace existing lampshades with fringed lampshades to further transform the feel of your place. Food To start, serve a cheese plate with traditional French cheeses, grapes, and baguette.  Follow the cheese plate with a notable French dish like coq au vin (a braise of chicken cooked with wine and mushrooms), or cassoulet. If your celebration happens during the winter months, serve a French onion soup as your first course. Find French wines or champagne to serve during your Night in Paris party.  Finish up the meal with delicious crepes for dessert! Set out a buffet of fillings for your guests to choose from. Music

 Wedding Shower Cupcakes

  Wedding Shower Cupcakes Make delicious and creative wedding shower cupcakes to serve to guests at a bridal shower. Surprise the bride-to-be and guests with unique cupcakes for wedding shower celebrations that satisfy both the eye and the taste buds! Consider bridal shower cupcake ideas such as: Word Cupcakes: Serve cupcakes to guests with words on top. Select words that represent the bride-to-be or engaged couple. Alternatively, take the opportunity to turn dessert into a game and serve a bridal shower cupcake to each guest. Ask each guest to answer the question on the cupcake and share it with the party group. The bride-to-be can confirm whether the guess is correct or incorrect. Questions to include on a bridal shower cupcake: Place the couple met Location of wedding Wedding dress designer’s name Color theme of wedding Maid of honor’s name City of the couple’s home Name of couple’s pet Honeymoon destination Date of the wedding Date the couple met Engagement Ring Cupcakes: Make cupcakes for guests with a picture of an engagement ring on top. Bake simple chocolate or vanilla cupcakes and frost them with white frosting. Apply yellow frosting with a decorative frosting tip and create a hollow circle. Make the outline of the diamond with black frosting in the shape of an upside-down triangle. Fill the inside of the black outline with sugar sprinkles in any color and you have tasteful bridal shower cupcake toppers! Theme Cupcakes: Bake cupcakes based on the theme of the bridal shower. Decorate cupcakes with fondant flowers for a spring themed party or place a small piece of pineapple and a cherry on the cupcakes for Hawaiian luau wedding shower cupcake toppers. Decorate cupcakes with items as simple as sprinkles and chocolate shavings for a color specific themed party. Select an appropriate color for the sprinkles and either milk, dark or white chocolate shavings.

 Apple Ideas Apple Recipes

Apple Ideas Apple Recipes Apple picking is one of the best past times of the fall season. It’s a fun activity to do with family and friends with the added benefit of getting yummy fresh apples. Often you end up picking too many and have no idea how you’re going to eat them all. Recipes using apples help you get rid of some, but there are so many other uses for apples. What you need is a list of how to use up apples so you don’t have to throw them away! We have put together a list of your favorite apple crafts, apple recipes, and other uses of apples. Try out these creative ways of using apples when you’ve got too many extras:   Apple Dumplings: This simple apple recipe is easy and has a fun secret ingredient. 3 cored, peeled and sliced apples 1 package crescent rolls 1 cup butter ½ cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 can Mountain Dew Wrap each apple slice in a triangle of crescent dough and place in a greased casserole dish. Melt the butter, sugars and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Drizzle the butter mixture over the dumplings and spread so they’re covered completely. Pour the mountain dew into the corners of the pan so that the whole bottom is covered. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

 Homemade Caramel Apples

  Homemade Caramel Apples Homemade caramel apples will satisfy every sweet tooth and is a traditional fall treat that everyone appreciates. They’re wonderful desserts to have at a Halloween or Thanksgiving party - you can even use them as party favors!

 Advanced Pumpkin Carving

  Advanced Pumpkin Carving If you’re tired of seeing the same old scary faces on every jack-o-lantern and want to make your own work of art this Halloween, you may be ready for advanced pumpkin carving! There are so many new options you can try this year that will give you original ways of pumpkin sculpting. Check out these tips for advanced pumpkin carving techniques that will allow you to make a statement with your decorations this year. Here are some unique pumpkin carving techniques to get you started:

 Pumpkin Seed Recipe

    Pumpkin Seed Recipe This Halloween, learn how to bake pumpkin seeds in the oven for a special post-pumpkin-carving treat. When you sit down to make your jack-o-lanterns, save the seeds you clean out of your pumpkins to roast later. Baking pumpkin seeds is easy and makes for a yummy, healthy snack during the autumn months. Here's everything you need to know about how to bake pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin Seed Recipe Ingredients and supplies: Pumpkin seeds Olive oil Non stick cooking spray (optional) Salt Baking sheet Spatula Directions: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Clean your pumpkin seeds under cool water. Make sure there is no excess pulp left on them from the pumpkin. Then set them on paper towels to fully dry. Spray your baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or coat with a thin layer of olive oil. Spread your clean, dry pumpkin seeds on the baking sheet evenly. Coat them with a tablespoon of olive oil and toss to make sure they are covered evenly. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds with salt. Tip: If you want your seeds to be extra salty, boil them in salted water for ten minutes. Drain and dry; then bake. The most common question when it comes to this recipe is how long do you bake the pumpkin seeds. Bake the pumpkin seeds in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to stir or toss the pumpkin seeds every 10 minutes. Allow the seeds to cool before you begin your snacking! If you’d like to get creative with this recipe for baking pumpkin seeds, mix it up by trying different spices. For a sweet twist on your roasted pumpkin seeds, use cinnamon and sugar or nutmeg instead of salt. Alternatively, you can drizzle honey on the warm roasted seeds when they are done baking. For a spicy kick, add curry powder or cumin in addition to the salt before baking. Garlic-lovers will enjoy topping the pumpkin seeds with a little garlic powder before roasting. Enjoy your tasty Halloween pumpkin seed snack! Source

 Candy Corn Dessert Recipes

  Candy Corn Dessert Recipes Candy corn is an iconic Halloween treat and the holiday doesn't seem complete without them. In addition to eating this classic candy as is, try making one of these delicious candy corn recipes that takes its inspiration from these colorful candies. Serve the tri-colored treats at a Halloween party or place them in boxes or cellophane bags as favors for guests. Here are some sweet and tasty recipes with candy corn: Cupcakes: Bake scrumptious candy corn cupcakes for a Halloween party or even just as a special treat for the kids. Bake either vanilla or chocolate cupcakes and frost with orange, yellow or white frosting. Use a decorative frosting tip to make your first layer of frosting in the color yellow. Create a second layer of frosting in the color orange. Add white frosting to the top. Apply the frosting to create a triangular cone shape to resemble a piece of candy corn. Place a piece of candy corn at the top of the frosting stack. Cookies: Make delicious candy corn cookies for Halloween. Ingredients for the candy corn cookie recipe are: 4 tbsp. unsalted softened butter, ½ cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, ¼ tsp. of vanilla extract, ¼ tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. salt, ¾ cup flour and a few handfuls of candy corn (35-40 pcs). Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine the butter and sugar, and beat the mixture in a bowl. Add the egg yolk, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Slowly add the flour and form the cookie dough. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the dough and roll the dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Once out of the oven, press a piece of candy corn into the middle of each cookie. Rice Krispy Treats: Make chewy, gooey candy corn Rice Krispy treats for a Halloween party. Ingredients include: ½ cup butter, 10 cups Rice Krispy cereal, 9 cups small marshmallows and 2 cups candy corn. Place the rice cereal and candy corn in a bowl. Melt the marshmallows and butter in a large pot, and mix it until smooth. Add the rice cereal and candy corn mixture to the butter and marshmallows. Butter a baking pan, and spread the cereal mixture on top. Once cool, cut the Rice Krispy treats into triangular candy corn shapes. Serve the Rice Krispy treats on a Halloween platter, or send your guests home with favors by placing the treats into individual cellophane bags with orange and yellow ribbon around the top. Popsicles: Make refreshing candy corn popsicles for a Halloween treat. Ingredients for popsicles are: 3/4 cup coconut water, 1 cup cream of coconut, 1 cup pineapple juice, 1 cup mango juice, and red food coloring. Mix the cream of coconut and coconut water in a bowl and divide evenly into popsicle molds. Freeze. Combine the mango juice with a drop of red food coloring and pour evenly over the frozen coconut portion. Stick in a popsicle stick and freeze.  Lastly, divide the pineapple juice evenly into the popsicle molds, and freeze.     source

 Kids Halloween Snacks

    Kids Halloween Snacks   Halloween food is always about the candy but doesn't always make for the healthiest Halloween snacks for children. Mix it up this year by making fun kids' Halloween snacks for them to munch on as an after school snack, lunch treat, or dessert. Here some easy Halloween snack ideas for kids to make for your little ghost and goblins. Meringue Ghosts These scary Halloween snacks are a great alternative to traditional Halloween candy. 6 large egg whites ½ cup superfine sugar Black decorating gel Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then, in a large mixing bowl using an electric beater to whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold in the sugar slowly while continuing to mix. On a baking sheet, place tablespoon-sized dollops of the meringue about 1 inch apart. Form each meringue ball to look like a ghost.  Turn off the oven and put meringues in to cook overnight or for 6 hours.  Remove the ghosts and add eyes using the black decorating gel. Rotting Eyes, Witches Fingers and Severed Toes If your want to get your kids to eat more veggies during the Halloween season, then these fun Halloween snacks are for you. 1 cup baby carrots ½ cup black (pitted) olives 1 cup blanched green beans or snap peas 1 cup favorite vegetable dip (ranch is always a kid favorite) On a large serving platter place a bowl of dip in the center. Surround it with the baby carrots, olives and green beans. Print out labels that say the Halloween themed names of each vegetable and use a creative name for the dip such as “white slime”.  Get even more creative by adding in more types of raw vegetables if you kids are not happy with the ones in this recipe. Dirt Cups These are sweet and easy Halloween snacks for children that work as dessert or lunchtime treats. ½ cup chocolate pudding (homemade or store bought) 3 Oreo cookies Gummy worms In a parfait glass or clear cup, fill the bottom with half of the chocolate pudding. Crumble the Oreo cookies into small pieces and place about half of the cookie crumbs over the pudding and add a few gummy worms. Repeat using the rest of your ingredients. Ghost & Bat Cereal Bars This kids' Halloween snack is a twist on the classic Rice Krispy treat. It is also a terrific recipe that the kids can help to make. 1 batch Rice Krispy marshmallow treat mix 24 oz. white chocolate ½ bags M&M’s (for decorating) Ghost and bat cookie cutters Start by preparing the Rice Krispy treats as directed. When the marshmallow treats are cooked and cooled use the cookie cutters to cut out ghost and bat shapes. Next, in a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the white chocolate. Dip the ghosts and bats in the white chocolate and cover them completely. Use the M&M’s to decorate the ghosts and bats by adding eyes and mouths. Let the bars cool on a baking pan or cooling rack for about one hour or until the chocolate has hardened. Mummy Pizzas This is a satisfying after-school Halloween snack that children love. These mummy pizzas are great because the kids can help and it can serve as a Halloween themed lunch or dinner. 1 plain bagel, sliced 1 can tomato sauce or pizza sauce 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 4 sliced black olives Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Start to assemble your pizzas by spreading an even amount of sauce on each bagel slice. Arrange the shredded cheese horizontally on the bagel slice to look like wrapped bandages. Top each pizza bagel with two sliced olives to make them look like they have mummy eyes. Bake the mummy pizzas for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Make all of the above for a Halloween party and every guest will be asking for seconds! Source

 5 Fall Cocktail Recipes

  5 Fall Cocktail Recipes The change in seasons changes tastebuds too. Try experimenting with fall cocktails at upcoming events and family gatherings. Fall flavors include apple, spices, mulled ciders, amber beers, and pumpkin--all of which can be incorporated into an autumn cocktail. Recipes abound, but here are some tried and true favorite fall cocktail recipes that will add a little spice to any occassion.  Some wonderful autumn cocktail ideas: Ginger Drop Ginger Syrup: 1 cup sugar 1 cup hot water 2 ounces ginger root, peeled Cocktail: 1 sage leaf Ice 2 ½ ounces gin ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice ¾ ounce ginger syrup 2 dashes water, add squeezed orange Make the syrup first. Stir sugar into water until fully dissolved. Muddle the ginger root and add to sugar/water mixutre. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, then strain. Muddle sage gently in cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Add gin, lemon, ginger syrup, and orange water. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist. Sweet Cherry Bomb 1 pint pitted cherries 2 ounces rye whiskey 3 cups cola 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice Combine cherries, half the whiskey, and one cup cola in a bowl; cover and chill. Let remaining cola flatten, then freeze in ice cube trays. Place five cherries and one teaspoon whiskey-cola mixture in a double rocks glass and muddle cherries. Mix remaining whiskey and lemon juice in a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into glass with cherries and add 4 or 5 cola ice cubes. Leaves are Falling Punch 2 tsp. whole cloves 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 1 64 ounce bottle apple-cranberry juice 4 medium purple and/or green plums, pitted and sliced 1 750 milliliter bottle of fruity white wine (Moscato or Riesling) Cheesecloth Place cloves and vanilla bean in center of cheesecloth. Bring corners of cloth together and tie with clean string. Pour apple-cranberry juice into a large container or pitcher and add plums and spice bag. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours. Remove and discard cheesecloth bag. Stir in white wine. Serve beverage and plum slices over ice. You can also serve warm in mugs. Harvard Cooler 1 1/2 ounces Calvados (or American apple brandy) 1/3 ounce fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. simple syrup 1 1/2 ounces chilled club soda Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the brandy, lemon juice and simple syrup and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass, then stir in the club soda. Cinnamon and Spice 1.5 oz Kahlúa Cinnamon Spice 3 oz Sparkling Apple Cider Small squeeze of lemon Shake Kahlúa and lemon and top with sparkling cider. Garnish with dash of nutmeg or cinnamon and an apple slice. Transform your favorite drink into a fall cocktail by adding flavored liquors, a dash of cinnamon or apple cider ice cubes. Or, experiment with craft beers which incorporate flavors like chocolate, licorice, pumpkin and a variety of herbs. source

 Gourmet Pumpkin Bread Recipe

  Gourmet Pumpkin Bread Recipe When Autumn comes, everyone craves pumpkin treats. Whether you’re looking for a yummy fall pumpkin bread recipe for the fall, or just the best pumpkin bread recipe for any time of year, you’ve come to the right place. This gourmet pumpkin bread recipe combines the amazing flavor of a fresh baked loaf of pumpkin bread with cream cheese and sweet tomato chutney.  Try this recipe for pumpkin bread and wow your friends at your next celebration.   What you'll need for Pumpkin Bread recipe: 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 4 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup water 3 cups white sugar 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 pkg Cream Cheese Tomato Chutney: 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 1 mango, peeled and finely diced 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro Directions for Pumpkin Bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease three loaf pans. Mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, sugar, and water until well mixed and smooth. Wisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a separate bowl, removing all clumps. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir until smooth. Pour into the pans and bake for 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Directions for Tomato Chutney: Cook the onion and garlic by sautéing on medium heat in the olive oil until the onion is tender. Then add the tomatoes, brown sugar, ginger, lime juice, vinegar, salt, and red pepper to the pan and cook for another ten minutes or until the mixture reduces and most of the liquid evaporates. Finally, stir in the mango and cook for 1 more minute. Let the mixture cool and stir in the fresh cilantro. Let cool in the refrigerator before serving. To serve your gourmet pumpkin bread, cut the bread into individual serving sized slices and spread a thin layer of cream cheese on one side. Spoon the desired amount of chutney on top of the cream cheese and serve. Out of all the pumpkin bread recipes you’ve tried, this is sure to be the best! Your friends will be impressed with your moist pumpkin bread recipe. Source Ultimate Pumpkin Bread The best pumpkin bread you'll ever taste. Author: Amy Wilson Serves: 14 Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp ground cloves 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder 3 cups granulated sugar 1 cup butter, really soft, half melted really 3 large eggs 1 16 oz can of pure pumpkin ½ cup chopped pecans (optional) Instructions Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray two medium loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the wire whisk attached, dump in the sugar. Take the butter and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, so that it is half melted. Dump it into the sugar. Add the eggs. Cream these three ingredients together on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the pumpkin and combine well. In three batches, add the dry ingredients and mix gently until each batch is just incorporated. Scrape the sides between each batch. Pour half of the batter into a one of the prepared pans. Fold the pecans into the remaining batter and then pour it into the other prepared pan. Bake side-by-side for about one hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean the top is golden. Notes Yields 2 loaves source

 Porch Decorations for Halloween

    Porch Decorations for Halloween   Half the fun of Halloween is decorating your house with all the spook-tacular effects for the scariest day of the year. Dress up your entry, porch or front door and give all the trick-or-treaters a little fright when they come to the door. Regardless of how much space you have, there are plenty of halloween decoration ideas to try this year. Here are some of our favorite fall decoration ideas for you to try this Halloween season: Halloween decorations for porch or entryway: It's pumpkin season, so utilize the easy access to the most usable decoration prop available. Carve some of the pumpkins and leave others plain. Place several fake black crows all over the space, you could even hang tree branches and place the crows on them. For another scary detail, string paper bats on clear string and hang from the ceililng. Use cornstalks tied to outdoor structures as a simple way to dress up a bare space.  Pumpkin decorations: Instead of carving faces into pumpkins, try carving shapes or patterns. Another fun effect is to scrape patterns or quotes into the pumpkin, leaving a thin layer of skin. A lit candle completes the spooky look. Fake pumpkins (found at craft stores) come in a variety of colors and are light enough that they can be hung from different places and used to make wreaths or in flower arrangements.  Halloween door decor: Paint large cardboard letters in any Halloween-related word you want (found at craft stores) with glossy black paint and hang them from the door. Add some pumpkin lights or regular Christmas lights around the doorway. Add a spider web or two and you have the perfect Halloween doorway.  Whether you like to go over-the-top or be understated with decor details, decorating for such a fun holiday is a great way to get everyone in the spooky spirit.  Here's a link to help you with Pumpkin Carving Click Here Source

 3 Tailgating Recipes

  3 Tailgating Recipes   Changing seasons from summer to fall means shorter days, cooler nights and plenty of tailgating. Feed your tailgaters right with these yummy tailgating recipes that will keep spirits up and bodies warm. The key to making the perfect tailgate food is choosing comfort over the wow-factor. A tailgate recipe that sticks to your ribs is a surefire hit with the crowd. Here are some of the best tailgating recipes: Sweet Chipotle Spareribs Ingredients for rub: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tbsp. mixed pork spice 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1 tbsp. oregano Ingredients for sauce: 1 cup spicy barbecue sauce 3 puréed cooked peppers 1/4 cup red vinegar 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup brown sugar Additional ingredients: Apple juice 3-4 racks of pork ribs Combine all ingredients for the rub in a bowl. Arrange ribs on a baking sheet and generously rub the pork spice on both sides. Pour 1/4 cup of apple juice in the pan and cover ribs with foil. Bake ribs for two hours at 300 degrees. Uncover and let cool. Cut the ribs and pack for the tailgating party. Place on the grill, brushing both sides with sauce. Grill until browned.  Hungry Man Baked Potato 4 large baking potatoes 1/4 cup whole milk 1/4 cup sour cream 2 tbsp. butter 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese 8 pieces of bacon, cooked, crispy and crumbled 1/4 cup chopped chives 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1/4 teaspoon of pepper 1/2 cup of salsa Bake potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for an hour. Allow potatoes to cool and cut lengthwise. Scoop out the inside and place in a medium bowl. Mash the potatoes with milk, sour cream, butter, salt and pepper. Fold in 1/2 cup of cheddar and monterey jack cheese and bacon. Spoon mixture back into potato shells and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Top with leftover cheeses, chives and salsa. Mint Cream Chocolate Cake Cake: 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (plus more for pan) 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup warm water 1/2 cup whole milk 1/4 cup sour cream 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted (plus more for pan) 3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract Frosting: 2 large egg whites 1/2 cup sugar 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoons 2 1/2 tbsp. creme de menthe 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 12 Peppermint Patties 36 white sprinkles Prepare and bake the cake first. Butter a cake pan (8-by-12-inch) and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust with cocoa powder. Combine cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda and powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk and stir in eggs, warm water, milk, sour cream, butter, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour batter into pan and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. For the frosting, mix whites and sugar in a mixer bowl over simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and remove from heat. Whisk until stiff peaks form and add butter, tablespoons at a time. Add creme de menthe and vanilla, and beat for two minutes. Cut a football shape out of each patty and press three sprinkles into each, using frosting as glue. Frost cake once cooled and add footballs for decoration. Whatever the sport, tailgating a festive and fun way to show your support and spend time with friends and family. For even easier tailgating food ideas, have each tailgater bring his or her favorite appetizer and make it more of a cocktail hour before the big game. Also try making your favorite chili tailgating recipe and bring a bunch of toppings to avoid the mess of multiple dishes. source

 Best Recipes for Tailgate Drinks

Best Recipes for Tailgate Drinks Tailgate season just isn't complete without several tailgating drinks to warm things up before the big game. Since the temperatures dip during fall tailgating season, it's tempting to make a few heated and fuzzy tailgate drinks that can be easily transported anywhere in a portable thermos. We've put together a list of easy, favorite tailgating recipes to try this game season. Try one or try them all!  Tailgate drink recipes:  Classic Bloody Mary - Perfect for a morning game or brunch-time on Sunday.  4 cups tomato juice 2 large lemons, juiced 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp. horseradish 1 1/2 cloves of pressed garlic 2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce 1-6 shots plain vodka (one per drink) Celery sticks Combine tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic, pepper and Tabasco in a plastic container with seal-tight lid. Shake for several minutes, until thoroughly mixed. Pour equally into six glasses and add a shot of vodka. Add a celery stick for munching and garnish.  Irish Coffee - A warm and tasty cocktail plus a caffeine pick-me-up for anytime of day.  1 shot Irish cream liqueur 1 shot jigger Irish whiskey 1 cup hot brewed coffee 1 tbsp. fresh whipped cream 1 dash ground nutmeg In a coffee mug or thermos, combine Irish cream and Irish whiskey and add the coffee. Top with fresh whipped cream and nutmeg.  Spiked and Spicy Apple Cider - Perfect for fall and best when made with fresh apple cider.  1/4 gallon apple cider (fresh is best!) 1/2 cup dark rum 1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps 1 in-season apple, peeled, cut into large chunks 1/2 lemon, juiced Grated cinnamon Mix together cider, rum and schnapps in a large pitcher. Add the apples to a small bowl and toss them with the lemon juice and cinnamon. Thread the diced apples onto skewers. Pour equal amounts of spiked cider into glasses with ice, then garnish with an apple skewer and serve. Strawberry Beer Cocktail - A refreshing take on the classic flavored beer.  3/4 cup fresh strawberries, washed and smashed 3 1/2 (12-oz.) bottles pale ale beer, chilled 1 (12-oz.) container frozen strawberry lemonade concentrate, thawed 1/2 cup vodka Combine beer, lemonade, strawberries and vodka in a pitcher. Serve equal amounts into beer mugs with crushed ice and garnish with fresh strawberries.  Apple Pie Moonshine - Almost as delicious as dessert, this is a yummy cocktail for the last minutes of any game.  1/2 gallon 100% apple juice 1/2 gallon apple cider 4 cinnamon sticks 1 whole clove 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 3 cups 190 proof grain alcohol (such as Everclear®) 2 cups vanilla vodka Combine the apple cider, apple juice, cinnamon stick, whole clove, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a large pot and heat at medium low and then simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Stir in the grain alcohol and vanilla vodka into the cooled mixture and serve or pour into bottles and refridgerate.  Have fun trying these tailgating recipes during any sports season and add a little refreshment to the celebration.  source

 Kickoff Football Season

Kickoff Football Season For many people, the start of the football season is a much-anticipated event. Start the season off on the right foot by throwing a football opening day party for friends and family. It's a great reason to get together after all the summer festivities and celebrate fall, weekend games, and rooting for your favorite team. Here are some fun NFL opening day party ideas: If the weather cooperates, prepare everything on the grill and host the party outside. Take advantage of the warm temperatures and wire your TV (be careful with too many extension cords!) so everyone can watch it luxuriously from the deck or yard. Grill all the traditional BBQ favorites plus vegetables, kabobs, and even some s'mores. Even if your favorite team isn't playing on opening day, dress in your team colors or jersey and get into the spirit. Make it a Mexican-themed football party and serve nachos, chili in bread bowls, queso dip, and margaritas. Host an old-fashioned football party in your driveway! Hook up the radio, put out some lawn chairs and kick open a keg. If too many fans are frustrated by not seeing the game, take it inside once everyone has enjoyed some beer nuts and watching the kids ride their bikes around the neighborhood. Let everyone know about the party with a free football party invitation created in Punchbowl's free digital invitation studio. Once you create your event, there are lots of football-themed invitations that can be customized with specific colors and text. Guests will be able to RSVP, add items to a virtual potluck list, and make comments about the party. Once your football party invitations have been sent, start planning all the yummy eats and get the party started! source Amazing Taco Crescent Ring This taco-filled crescent ring is the perfect meal for Taco Night! Dress it up with fresh shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and taco sauce for a fun twist on tacos!   Ingredients 1  lb ground beef  1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix1cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)2cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rollsShredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced ripe olives, taco sauce or salsa, as desired1 of 5Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning mix and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly thickened. In medium bowl, mix beef mixture and cheese. 2 of 5Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 16 triangles. On ungreased large cookie sheet, arrange triangles in ring so short sides of triangles form a 5-inch circle in center. Dough will overlap. Dough ring should look like the sun. 3 of 5Spoon beef mixture on the half of each triangle closest to center of ring. 4 of 5Bring each dough triangle up over filling, tucking dough under bottom layer of dough to secure it. Repeat around ring until entire filling is enclosed (some filling might show a little). 5 of 5Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until dough is golden brown and thoroughly baked. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into serving slices.  

 Thanksgiving Cakes

  Thanksgiving Cakes   Every Thanksgiving feast needs something sweet as the finale. In addition to serving the traditional pies, make a variety of Thanksgiving cakes as part of the dessert table. There's no such thing as too much dessert, but if there are leftovers, simply freeze and serve at the next holiday celebration! Ask friends and family for their favorite Thanksgiving cake recipes and get the dessert party started. Find inspiration in these Thanksgiving cake ideas: Commission a local bakery to make a Thanksgiving cake for your celebration. They can customize the type to fit the season. Try a pumpkin or cranberry flavored cake! Make a simple vanilla cake and frost with your favorite frosting. Decorate with dried cranberries, shaved chocolate, and sprigs of mint. Bake a carrot cake! It's a perennial favorite and fits the season. For Thanksgiving cake decorating ideas, top a cake with edible chocolate pinecones, leaves, or a turkey. The simpler, the better! If you're in the mood to make everything yourself, try a new Thanksgiving cake recipe with a traditional gingerbread flavor: Gingerbread Cake Recipe Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1 egg 1 cup hot water Whipped cream as frosting (optional) Directions: Heat oven to 325 degrees and grease/flour a square pan. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir together the butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and water separately. Add this to dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on medium for a minute. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or fresh fruit. As a special twist on a more traditional cake, and serve a variety of flavored Thanksgiving cake pops. Most bakeries and specialty cafes make them to order, so ask for an assortment of flavors in different colors and toppings. source

 Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

  Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes   Like all parts of the Thanksgiving meal, desserts for Thanksgiving are extremely tasty. However, many times, people barely have room for dessert, and many beautiful, fresh pies must be thrown away. If you want to go easy on the desserts this year, try some Thanksgiving desserts that are easy to make and light enough to eat after a big Thanksgiving meal. The fun part about many of these recipes for Thanksgiving desserts is that they are decorative. Set them near your Thanksgiving table to add a festive flair! Complete your Thanksgiving feast with these Thanksgiving dessert recipes: Fruit and cheese “tail feather” skewers: All you need to do to prepare this dessert is create medium-sized kabobs (wooden skewers will work best) of fruit and cheese. Then, find a model turkey and replace its tail feathers with the skewers. The most complicated part of this dessert will be finding the turkey. Check local party stores and convenience stores to find plastic and Styrofoam turkeys. If you can’t find one, have your kids make one out of Styrofoam, construction paper, markers, and googly eyes. This is a fun project and Thanksgiving dessert for kids—they’ll love plucking the “feathers” off the turkey. Turkey cookies: There are many ways that you can make delicious turkey cookies for Thanksgiving. One option is to make sugar cookies using store bought cookie dough. Then use frosting, candy corn for feathers, and M&Ms for eyes to decorate your cookies so that they look like turkeys! Another option is to use Oreos, Reese’s peanut butter cups, whoppers, candy corn, and frosting to create turkey cookies. Use one Oreo as the base where your turkey will sit, and use some white frosting to attach another Oreo, standing up, as the back. Stuff a row of candy corns into the white filling of the cookie that is standing up to represent the turkey feathers. Use some more frosting to secure a Reese’s peanut butter cup as the turkey’s tummy. Add a whopper above for the head. Add candy corn wings and a beak. Use the frosting to create feet and eyes. Caramel apples: All you’ll need for this dessert are some apples, melted caramel, and chopped nuts. Stick a popsicle stick securely into each apple. Then, dip it into the melted caramel and roll it in chopped nuts. Finally, put it on wax paper to cool. If it begins to drip, put it in the refrigerator until the caramel hardens. Turkey cupcakes: Make chocolate or vanilla cupcakes and decorate them to look like turkeys! Cupcakes are easy to make, especially if you buy pre-made cake mix. Simply follow the steps on the box to make them. The most important part of this recipe will be making the cupcake look like a turkey. Use dark frosting, like brown, grey, or black to frost the top of the cupcake. Toward the center, create a ball of frosting—this will be the head. On the head, make two eyes with white and black frosting. Then, use candy corns for the beak and tail feathers. Enjoy these easy and beautiful Thanksgiving desserts. They are sure to delight your guests’ eyes and stomachs! Source Oreo Turkeys and Cookie Pilgrim Hats Posted By sara wells On 11.12.2010 @ 12:01 am   Ingredients/Supplies Double Stuff Oreo Cookies Candy Corn Whoppers Peanutbutter Cups Chocolate frosting Yellow Frosting Optional: Red frosting Optional: black sprinkles for eyes *For these kinds of things I love to use the little pre-filled tubes of colored frosting you can buy in the baking isle.  The chocolate is easy to make, and homemade actually works a little better because you can make it stiff.  However for the colored details like yellow and red, these little tubes are great.  It doesn’t really matter what they taste like and they last forever (which is both cool and disturbing at the same time.) I’m using store-bought tubes for everything here purely for convenience- works great! First step:  Grab a cookie.  You don’t have to put frosting in there, but I like to because it holds in the candy corn a little better. Just give it a little squeeze of chocolate. Then stuff in your candycorn.  If you’re in some sort of candy corn shortage, you can cut off the white tips to use later for your beaks.  I think the candy corn sticks in better with the tip so I leave it on.  Go ahead and do all of the cookies through this step. Next put a dab of frosting on the opposite end of the cookie and secure it to the “base” cookie.  It helps to place them next to a wall as they dry so they stay put. While those are drying, unwrap your PB cups.  Take a sharp knife and cut a sliver off of one end.  (I don’t need to tell you what to do with the sliver, do I?)  It helps to gently cut in a sawing motion so you don’t break the PB cup.  (Although I wouldn’t have to tell you what to do with a broken one either, would I?)  Cut it from the bottom like I show here: Once those are ready, flip your cookies over, but you may find it’s easy to keep them next to the wall.  My frosting was a bit soft, so they needed the extra support. Place a dab of frosting on the pb cup, and place it on the cookie like so: Now those little guys will need heads, so glue a whopper on there with frosting as well. I put frosting on the side of the whopper that hits both the cookie and the PB cup.  Wouldn’t want a turkey running around with its head cut off, would we?? While they’re still laying there, use a dab of frosting (I use yellow) and glue on the white tip of a candy corn for a beak.  Put two yellow dots on for eyes, and for the black spots in the eyes you can use a dab of chocolate frosting, or a mini chocolate chip, or a little sprinkle like I’ve used.  A sprinkle is really the perfect size if you have them. Once the beak stays put you can flip them over and draw on some little yellow feet.  If you have red frosting too (usually comes in a set with the tube of yellow) you can add a little gobble gobble. Or whatever that thing is called.  What is it called?  I’m too lazy to google.  Extra giveaway entry for the first person who can tell me.  Okay not really but I’ll think you’re awesome. And there you go, cute as can be! These make really cute place card holders too, for either a kid, or adult table!  I just made little name tags with my Silhouette (what’s that you say?  You’re bummed you didn’t win a Silhouette and you wish we’d give away another one?  Okay how about this month?  You didn’t hear that from me. Yes you did.  Don’t tell.  Do tell.  Tell Everyone.  Forget it) and then I popped them in there on toothpicks. How cute is my little turkey family? Stick one on each plate and everyone will say “Awwwwwwe….” If you have kids old enough to handle making them, it’s a fun project for them to be in charge of. They’re also darling combined with pilgrim hats. Those are just marshmallows dipped in chocolate and placed on a fudge strip cookie.  Use yellow frosting to make the buckle.  (Pretty much the Thanksgiving version of the Halloween witch hats seen in this post!) source  

 Thanksgiving Cupcakes

  Thanksgiving Cupcakes    Bringing your family and friends together at Thanksgiving is a great time to show off your recipes, but don’t forget about dessert! This year, try shaking things up a little, and change up your usual pies. Try making some Thanksgiving cupcakes for some delicious desserts that everyone will enjoy. The great thing about cupcakes is that you don’t need a knife to cut pieces, or to take time to serve them! Just grab one and dig in! Try out these Thanksgiving cupcake flavors and Thanksgiving cupcake decorations that we’ve gathered for you! Try out these decoration tips with any of your favorite cupcake recipes, and make them perfect for Thanksgiving: Pilgrim Hat Decorations These decorations look great on any type of frosting as a yummy cupcake topper! Simply glue a round, chocolate covered shortbread cookie, chocolate side up, to an upside-down mini peanut butter cup with some frosting. Then use some yellow frosting to pipe on a ribbon and little buckle to the hat. Put this decoration on any cupcake! Turkey Cupcakes This is a great Thanksgiving cupcake for kids, as they’ll love the colorful turkey! Just frost your favorite cupcake with chocolate frosting, really layering on the frosting so it makes a substantial mound. Press a Nutter Butter cookie into the cupcake, so only one part sticks out. This will be the head. Decorate the face however you would like. Use multicolored gummy candy to make the tail. Fruit roll candy works well for this. Just cut it into small feather-like shapes and support it with more frosting. If your “feathers” are long, put a tooth pick inside them to support them. Try your hand at these Thanksgiving cupcake ideas with some great flavor combinations: Espresso Cupcake The rich coffee flavor of this cupcake will go perfectly with your after-dinner coffee. Pair this cake with a rich buttercream frosting to balance out the bitterness of espresso. You could even try a cinnamon buttercream frosting and blend the espresso and cinnamon flavors for an indulgent treat. Sweet Potato Cupcake Try out this spin on the classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole. Make a sweet potato cake that is just sweet enough to pass as dessert. Then top it with sticky marshmallow frosting. You can use a cooking torch to quickly harden the top of the marshmallow to give it that toasty flavor. Pumpkin Pie Cupcake This sounds like one of the most classic of all Thanksgiving cupcake recipes, but this particular cupcake is different. The recipe makes the outside of the cupcake crisp up like piecrust, and the inside stay soft like pie filling. Top it with plain whipped cream and let the flavor speak for itself. 2/3 cup all purpose flour ¼ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree ½ cup white sugar ¼ cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup half and half (or evaporated milk) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, removing all lumps. In a larger bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and half and half. Whisk in the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Spoon into the cupcake liners, filling about 1/3 of the way. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown, and cool completely before serving. These Thanksgiving cupcake recipes and ideas are perfect for your celebration this year. Involve friends and family for a fun holiday activity that is creative and yummy! source

 Vegetarian Dinner Party

  Vegetarian Dinner Party A vegetarian dinner party is an enjoyable way to gather family and friends together. Many people have individual likes and dislikes based on personal preferences, religious beliefs, and dietary restrictions, and more and more people have made the decision to become vegetarians. There are many different types of vegetarians such as vegans, lacto-vegetarians, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, pesco-vegetarians and pollo-vegetarians. Some will not only stay away from meat, but egg, fish, and dairy products as well. Check with guests in advance to learn of their dietary restrictions before planning a vegetarian dinner party menu.     Vegetarian dinner party ideas include:   Appetizer: Kick start the evening by planning fondue stations for an appetizer with a variety of different cheeses. Supply small pieces of bread at some stations and vegetables at other stations. Guests will love serving themselves and taking part in the active part of the dinner menu. The unique appetizer selection will encourage guests to mingle with one another as they make their way around to the various stations. Main Course: There are many scrumptious vegetarian dinner recipes to consider for the main course of vegetarian dinner parties. Give guests options such as a mixture of sautéed vegetables with eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, roasted tomatoes, and roasted red peppers. Another delectable dish is a pasta, broccoli and mushroom combination, all mixed in a white alfredo cream sauce. Finally, make a vegetarian lasagna or broccoli quiche. Arrange all of the dishes side by side to create a buffet for your guests. Dessert: Add the “cherry on top” to complete a great evening by selecting sensational desserts for your guests. Purchase a variety of toppings such as sprinkles, hot fudge, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and cherries, and set up a make-your -own-sundae station. Another great option is to clean the fondue stations from earlier in the evening and offer guests chocolate fondue with strawberries and other fruits. Other tasty desserts include cheesecake, carrot cake, brownies and cookies. A party based on a vegetarian diet can be one full of flavor and beautiful colors. Experiment with taste combinations and an endless selection of recipes! Source Ingredients 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 8 ounces linguine, uncooked 1 small onion, halved and sliced thin 1 pound broccoli crowns, cut into large florets (about 2 cups) 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 2-inch pieces 4 ounces sliced white button mushrooms (about 1 cup) 4 large cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (less for milder heat; more to increase heat) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 3/4 cup frozen peas 1 small handful fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped) 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest Additional salt and pepper to taste Additional Parmesan cheese for serving, if desired Instructions Add the broth, linguine, onion, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to a large pot set over high heat. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. As soon as it comes to a boil, set the timer for 7 minutes and start tossing constantly with long-handled tongs. Continue boiling and tossing. As soon as the 7 minutes is up, add the peas, parsley, heavy whipping cream, Parmesan, and lemon zest and continue cooking, tossing constantly, for 1-2 more minutes, until the pasta and veggies appear tender. Remove from heat. Note that much of the liquid will have evaporated, but not all. And that's okay! Let the pasta sit for a couple of minutes to cool; the sauce will continue to thicken during that time. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese. source

 Award-winning Appetizer Recipes for your Emmy Part

  Award-winning Appetizer Recipes for your Emmy Party Delicious appetizers are the perfect way to kick-off your Emmy Awards-viewing party. You and your friends can gather around an impressive party snacks table as you gossip about the best and worst dressed stars while they walk down the red carpet and prepare for the big event. Here are a few Emmy Awards appetizer ideas to serve at this show-stopping event. Emmy party recipes: Baked Cranberry Brie 4 sheets phyllo pastry 1 round (8 oz) of brie cheese 3 tbs. cranberry sauce ¼ cup melted butter Brush the top of each sheet of pastry with the melted butter and layer the pastry sheets on top of each other. Place the brie in the middle of the pastry and coat it with cranberry sauce. Twist the edges of the pastry around to enclose the brie in the pastry and brush with the remaining butter. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until the crust is nicely browned. Let it sit for 20 minutes before serving.     Bacon-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes 1 ½ lbs. bacon, cooked until crisp ½ cup green onions, chopped ½ cup mayonnaise 24 cherry tomatoes, stems removed After cooking, drain bacon on paper towels. Dice or crumble into small pieces. In medium bowl, mix bacon, onions and mayonnaise. Place tomatoes stem side down on a cutting board. Cut a thin slice off the bottom. Scoop out the pulp with a spoon or melon ball scooper. Turn tomatoes over on a paper towel for 30 minutes to drain. Fill tomatoes with bacon mixture. Refrigerate several hours, or overnight.   Spinach Artichoke Dip 1 cup grated Parmesan 1 cup sour cream ½ cup mayonnaise 3 tbsp. lemon juice 1 garlic clove, pressed 5 oz. shredded Pepper Jack cheese 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped Combine first six ingredients and a cup of Pepper Jack cheese. Add spinach and artichokes and spoon into greased baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with crackers and cut vegetables. Give guests a reason to mingle with a wide variety of Emmy appetizers at your viewing party. Start planning your Emmy Awards party food menu today! source 

 Girls Night Spa Party

  Girls Night Spa Party Hosting a girls night spa party for all of your close girlfriends? There are lots of great ideas that you can incorporate into your party planning process so it's relaxing and fun for everyone. Here are a few things to think about when planning your spa party for girls: Location: The first thing to think about when planning a spa party for girls is the location of your party. One option is to have a do-it-yourself spa party at home. If you and the girls really want to be pampered, a girls night out spa party is the better option. Check out the local spas in your area to see if they offer any special package deals. If you are celebrating someone’s birthday, many places have special birthday packages. Decorations: If you are hosting your spa party at home, try to make the environment as serene as possible. Throw some fresh linens and white tablecloths over your table and remove any clutter. Set up plenty of aroma therapy candles to set the mood with relaxing scents like lavender, jasmine or rose. Place a few vases of fresh flowers on tables and make a playlist of some light, soothing music to play in the background. Guest Arrival: As the guests arrive at your spa party, give them a chenille or terry cloth robe for them to wear. They will feel more relaxed and will really enjoy your spa party. Spa Treatments: Have a variety of different spa treatments for guests to try during your girls night spa party. Set up different stations for facial masks, manicures and pedicures. Ask everyone to chip in some money and invite a professional massage therapist to come for a few hours to give everyone a chair massage. Set up a separate space so that each of the girls can enjoy a comfortable, quiet massage. Food/Drinks: As the host for your spa party, put out some food for your guests to snack on while being pampered. Serve light and healthy foods during your event like fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, sushi and vegetables with dip. Serve herbal tea, ice water, wine and cocktails for refreshments.  Party Favors: There are many different party favors that you can give to your guests to thank them for coming to your spa party. Some ideas are lip gloss, body lotion, scented candles and bath salts. Place all of the items in a cute little gift basket for the guests to take home. Everyone needs a little pampering now and then, so send out an invite and get ready to relax! source  

 Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet Potato Recipes Complement your holiday meal with simple sweet potato recipes and add delicious side dishes to the main course. Choose from a variety of easy sweet potato recipes such as a casserole, a mousse, and stuffed sweet potatoes. Check out these ideas and find the best sweet potato recipe for your family! Sweet Potato Casserole Make a mouth-watering sweet potato casserole recipe for a sweet treat, topped with yummy gooeyness. Ingredients: 4 ½ pounds of sweet potatoes 1 cup of sugar ¼ cup of milk ½ cup of softened butter 2 eggs, large 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon of salt 1 ¼ cups of crushed cornflakes cereal ¼ cup of chopped pecans 1 tablespoon of brown sugar 1 tablespoon of melted butter 1 ½ cups of miniature marshmallows Directions: Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake them for around one hour. Next, remove the skin, and mash the sweet potatoes. Use an electric mixer to mix the mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, softened butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Put the mixture into a greased, 11x7 baking dish. Combine the cornflakes, pecans, and brown sugar in a bowl, and sprinkle it over the casserole, in rows, to create a pattern of diagonal lines. Reduce the heat to 350ºF, and bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Once complete, remove the casserole from the oven. Place the miniature marshmallows in the rows that do not have the cornflake mixture and place the casserole back in the oven for 10 minutes. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Serve stuffed sweet potatoes for one of the most simple sweet potato recipes. Enjoy this quick and easy holiday side dish. Ingredients: 4 sweet potatoes ¾ cups of chopped pecans ¼ cup of butter 1 large chopped apple ¼ cup of golden raisins ½ cup of packed brown sugar ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg Directions: Place aluminum foil over a baking sheet and put the potatoes on top. Bake the potatoes at 425ºF for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Use a skillet to heat the nuts over medium-low heat. Stir the nuts and cook them for five to seven minutes. Once complete, take them out of the skillet. Put butter in the skillet. Once melted, add the chopped apple and raisins. Cook the ingredients for around two to three minutes. Add in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut the potatoes in half with a knife, lengthwise. Carefully remove the pulp and place it into a large bowl. Keep the potato skin shells. Add the apple mixture to the bowl and stir the ingredients together. Spoon the sweet potato/apple mixture into the potato skin shells, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake the stuffed potatoes at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Sprinkle nuts over the top, if desired. Sweet Potato and Carrot Mousse Serve a delicious spiced sweet potato recipe for a tasty purée side dish at Christmas. Ingredients: 4 sweet potatoes (large) 1 lb of carrots 2 ½ cups of water 1 tablespoon of sugar 12 tablespoons of butter (sweet and softened) ½ cup of crème fraiche (1 part sour cream to 1 part heavy cream) ½ teaspoon of nutmeg Dash of salt and pepper Sprinkle of parsley Directions: Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Clean the potatoes well with a scrubber. Use a knife to cut a slit in the top of each potato. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and put them in the oven, on the center rack, to bake for one hour. Peel the carrots, and cut them so they are in one inch pieaces. Place the carrots in a saucepan. Add the water, sugar, two tablespoons of butter, and a dash of salt and pepper. Over a medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Cook the ingredients, uncovered. Watch for the water to evaporate, and observe as the carrots sizzle in butter. Remove them from the stove. Remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and mix the potatoes together with the carrots, crème fraiche, butter, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and butter in a food processor until you have a smooth mousse. Delight in the beautiful, harvest colors of these sweet potato side dishes, and share them with all your loved ones during the holiday season! Ready to kickoff the holiday celebrations? Here's one of our favorite free Christmas invitations you can personalize and send via email. source Sweet Potato Pie Ingredients Crust: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water Filling: 1 1/2 pounds garnet yams or sweet potatoes (about 3 medium) 3/4 cup heavy cream 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 2 large eggs, lightly beaten Topping: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch kosher salt 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut Whipped cream, for serving, optional Directions For the crust: Pulse the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor until combined. Add half of the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Add the remaining butter and continue pulsing until no pieces are larger than peas. Add 2 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse until combined. Add just enough of the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, a little at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together and holds its shape when squeezed. Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, gather into a disc and wrap well. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to an 11-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp the edges and refrigerate the dough until chilled, about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust several times with the tines of a fork. Fit a piece of aluminum foil over the crust and fill the foil with pie weights or dry beans. Bake until the edges of the crust are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and weights, return the crust to the oven and continue to bake until the bottom of the crust is lightly golden and no longer shiny, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cool completely. For the filling: While the crust cools, use a fork to prick the yams all over. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and roast with the oven still at 350 degrees F until very soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel and mash until very smooth; you should have about 2 cups. Transfer the mash to a medium bowl and add the cream, brown sugar, vanilla, allspice, ginger, salt and eggs. Whisk just until smooth. Gently tap the bottom of the bowl a few times to release any air bubbles. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake until the center of the pie is set and no longer shiny, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes; if the edges of the crust brown too quickly, cover them loosely with foil. Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool. For the topping: Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until melted. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla and salt, stirring until the mixture starts to bubble. Stir in the pecans and cook until the nuts are toasted and have absorbed most of the buttery sugar mixture, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the coconut. Spoon over the pie and press gently to adhere to the filling. Let stand at least 20 minutes to cool. Serve the pie with whipped cream if desired. Cook's Note: When making the filling for the pie, be sure to whisk the batter only until the ingredients are combined. Too much whisking will incorporate excess air into the filling and can result in a pie with puffed edges and a cracked center. Source

 Vegetable Recipes Kids Will Eat

  Vegetable Recipes Kids Will Eat It’s no easy task to get kids to eat vegetables, especially on a big holiday like Thanksgiving where tasty appetizers and delicious desserts are more than plentiful. This Thanksgiving cook up some vegetable recipes that your kids with look forward to eating. What makes these veggies taste so good is the combination with something sweet (marshmellows), something savory (cheese), or a dash of spice that adds a yum factor without losing the healthiness. Try out these vegetable recipes on your Thanksgiving table this year:    Sweet Potato Casserole   Ingredients: 2 ½ to 3 lbs. sweet potatoes   ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (packed) 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted ¼ cup cream 1 tsp. vanilla  1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg 2 eggs, lightly beaten   1 1″ piece ginger, grated Salt & pepper ½ cup flour  ½ cup dark brown sugar (packed) 5 tbsp. unsalted butter (chilled)  ¼ cup mini marshmallows Instructions:  Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the sweet potatoes on top. Bake for about 1 ½ hours. Let cool and then take off the skins. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to blend potatoes lightly. Then place into a bowl with sugar, butter, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, eggs, ginger, and pepper. Pour mixture into a 1½-qt. baking dish. Put flour, dark brown sugar, and butter into bowl. Rub together until you have big crumbles. Sprinkle the crumbles over the potatoes and place marshmellows on top. Bake marshmallow tops are slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.     Crispy Brussel Sprouts   Ingredients: 24 brussel sprouts  3 tbsp. olive oil Sea salt 2 tsp. nutmeg ½ cup parmesan cheese  ½ cup crushed nut of choice (pistachio, macadamia, hazelnut) Instructions:  Clean the brussel sprouts and cut them in half. Place them in a large bowl and toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium head. Add the sprouts - cut side down - to the bottom of the pan. Place the cover on the saute pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Don’t let them burn, but you want them to crisp up a bit. Once you can stick a fork in the sprouts, sprinkle them with nutmeg, cheese, and your nut of choice. Serve and enjoy.    Zucchini Fritters   Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini 2 eggs 1 yellow onion ½ cup parmesan cheese ¼ cup flour 1 tsp. basil Salt & Pepper  Instructions:  Heat the oven to 400 degrese. Grate the zucchini with a cheese grater or processor. Add salt to the grated zucchini, wrap in a cheesecloth or paper towels, and squeeze to remove excess water. Place zucchini in a bowl and grate the onion in as well. Add eggs, cheese, flour, and spices, and mix it all together. Place tablespoon-sized drops onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes. You want the tops to be slightly brown. Serve with ketchup or an aioli of choice!

 Classic Homemade Gravy Recipe

  Homemade Gravy Recipe Thanksgiving is a great time of year to gather with friends and family and show off your cooking skills. But no Thanksgiving is complete without great gravy to go with your turkey! Making homemade gravy is a great way to step up the flavor and impress your guests. It can seem daunting to make homemade gravy from scratch, but all you really need a great Thanksgiving gravy recipe and the tricks of the trade. Start out with these basic tips on how to make homemade gravy and then try out a recipe: The base of any good gravy is a roux—equal parts fat and flour mixed and cooked on a stove top until slightly browned The second important step is to add 4 -6 parts liquid and simmer on the stove top The last key ingredient is seasoning Using different types of fat and liquid will make different types of gravy. For example, you can make homemade chicken gravy using chicken stock and chicken fat, or homemade turkey gravy from turkey drippings. You can also add in extras like mushrooms, onions, or garlic to really boost the flavor. Try this recipe for this Thanksgiving. Homemade Gravy with Mushrooms Recipe Ingredients: 2 cups unsalted butter 1 pound portobello mushrooms 2 pounds whole white mushrooms 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth 1 ½ cups turkey pan drippings 2 cups chopped onions ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper salt and pepper to taste Directions: Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Clean the mushrooms by wiping them down with a paper towel, and then sauté them in the butter until completely cooked and browned (about 1-1½ minutes). Remove the mushrooms, and chop them coarsely. Add the flour to the butter in the pan and whisk together, cooking for about 20 minutes, or until medium-deep brown. Add the chicken stock and simmer to thicken. In a separate pan, add the turkey drippings and onions, and cook over medium heat until the onions are brown (about 20 minutes). Add this mixture to the gravy and simmer for another 20 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and seasonings and keep warm until serving. This homemade gravy recipe is sure to impress your guests! Feel free to add or subtract extra ingredients to make your own special homemade brown gravy, but remember the basic tips! source  

 Vegan Thanksgiving

    Vegan Thanksgiving If you want to throw a vegan Thanksgiving this year, never fear. There are many menu options that will be enjoyed by all of your guests. By preparing vegan Thanksgiving recipes, you will be sure that nobody is left out of the feast and others will have the opportunity to try something new.  Here are some tips and suggestions for planning a vegan Thanksgiving meal: First, it’s important to understand the dietary restrictions that vegans follow so you can put together a proper vegan Thanksgiving menu. In general, vegans try to eliminate all animal products from their lifestyle. This, unlike vegetarians, includes dairy. Some vegans also prefer to avoid eating honey or using bone china. If you’re unsure of what your guests’ vegan practices are, simply ask them directly so you know what to expect when preparing your vegan Thanksgiving menu. Still unsure of where to start? Vegan recipes for Thanksgiving don’t have to be foreign; they really are just a modification of traditional favorites. For a refreshing and healthy first course, open with seasonal salads. Try whipping together a vegetable gratin and substitute nut cream for the butter or bacon fat. Thanksgiving is also the perfect season for winter squash and corn. Best of all, you won’t have to skimp on dessert either. Classic staples like pumpkin pie or apple cobbler can be made using soy milk or other purees. Here's a classic side dish vegan-style: Vegan Coleslaw Recipe: 6 cups shredded cabbage 1 cup c

 Wonder Women Is Back

  Wonder Women Is Back When I was a kid if I was could to read something most of the time it was marvel comics. Then they put wonder women on TV and to tell you the truth TV was as far along as it is today. The show was a little farfetched but I still watched it ever week.  They picked the perfect person for the job Linda Carter the body of a Goddess for a young boy. Updating today the movies have come a long way out TV have come feather. As an adult I enjoy watching these films. I love the action and it inspires me that one person and change thing just like many of us our doing today.  Just like you can find love and hate in everything you can find inspiration too.   Be that one person to inspire the revolution of people just waiting to follow you and your vision...

 Great Holiday Trifle

    Great Holiday Trifle Christmas trifles are the perfect dessert to serve at a large Christmas or holiday gathering you’re hosting—they serve a large crowd and look sophisticated and elegant. Trifles are also fabulous because you can personalize them by adding favorite flavors into the trifle such as different types of fruits, nuts, or toppings.   This recipe for Christmas trifle can be served family style, which takes the pressure off of the host to plate and allows family and friends take as much or as little as they wish. For smaller gatherings, create individual trifles in fun goblets, wine glasses, or mugs. Either way, the holiday trifle will und

 Cookie Exchange Party Ideas & Recipes Blog

Gingerbread House   Our last recipe and I thought I would make the gingerbread house a finale to this Christmas cookie recipe cook book…   Remember it started out as a cookie exchange party well you can still use it that way or save it for Christmas cookie recipes. I put some extra songs on this one for your enjoyment. It will be up for sale so you can make money from it every day till Christmas. Merry Christmas From Our Family To Your Ingredients 1/4 cup (30 g) millet flour 1/2 cup (85 g) potato starch 3/4 cup (120 g) brown rice flour 3/4 cup (155 g) sweet rice flour (also called glutinous rice flour) 2 1/2 teaspoons (12.5 ml) baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) xanthan gum

 Tiramisu Cheesecake

  Tiramisu Cheesecake   "Tiramisu-flavored cheesecake combines the flavors and richness of tiramisu and NY Cheesecake. Just before serving, grate some semisweet chocolate on the top."   Ingredients 1 (12 ounce) package ladyfingers 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur, divided 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese 1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese   1 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate Directions   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a pan of water on the bottom of the oven. Crush the package of ladyfingers to fine crumbs. Mix the melted butter into the crumbs. Moisten with 2 tablespoons of the coffee liqueur. Press into an 8-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar until very smooth. Add 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, and mix. Add the eggs and the flour; mix slowly just until smooth. Pour batter over crust in the springform pan. Place pan on middle rack of oven. Bake until just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Open oven door, and turn off the heat. Leave cake to cool in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and let it finish cooling, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Grate semisweet chocolate over the top right before serving. source  

 Amazing Italian Cream Cake

Amazing Italian Cream Cake   Italian cream cake recipes are basically the same, and true to form, this version has evolved through the years in my kitchen.  Traditional Italian cream cake recipes often call for shortening in the batter. However, I prefer using all butter in my cream cake.  I also like the depth of flavor you gain by adding brown sugar to the batter and a touch of almond extract.  Take the time to toast the coconut to use as a garnish for the sides of the cake not only making it pretty, but adding spectacular flavor as well.  It’s a special cake for a special occasion.   Ingredients you’ll need: 2 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 cup [2 sticks] salted butter, softened 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp pure almond extract 5 large eggs 1 cup whole buttermilk 14 oz package sweetened flaked coconut, divided 1 1/2 cup pecan pieces toasted, divided Frosting: 2 [8] oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup [2 sticks] butter, softened 2 lb powdered sugar 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp pure almond extract reserved coconut, toasted 1/2 cup reserved toasted pecans  INSTRUCTIONS 1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 3 [9] inch round cake pans or spray with baking spray. Set aside.  Coupons

 Strawberry Cake Delight

  STRAWBERRY CAKE RECIPE    A huge plus with this Strawberry Cake recipe is that it calls for frozen strawberries. No matter what time of year it is, whether it is strawberry season or not, you’ll be able to enjoy this fantastic Strawberry Cake recipe. Hooray! INGREDIENTS 4 large eggs, room temperature ( can warm the eggs by putting in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes) 1 1/2 cups (340 g) strawberry puree ......I used frozen strawberries that were lightly sweetened, you could also use fresh.....puree the strawberries in food processor or blender 1 teaspoon (4 g.) vanilla 2 teaspoons (8 g) strawberry extract 2 to 3 drops AmeriColor Pink or your pink coloring of choice (optional but makes for a prettier shade of pink) 3 cups (300 g) cake flour 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon (14 g) baking powder 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt 1/4 cup (50g) vegetable oil 1 stick (1/2 cup) (113 g) unsalted butter, cut butter into small pieces so it can be added slowly during mixing process. I cut mine into 1/2 to 1 inch slices onto waxed paper on the countertop, letting it soften only about 5 to 6 minutes. DIRECTIONS - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (This recipe uses the reverse creaming method.) Grease and flour three 8 x 2 inch round pans In a separate bowl, combine eggs, strawberry puree, vanilla, strawberry extract, pink coloring (as desired). Blend together with a fork. In the bowl of your mixer, hand whisk the dry ingredients (cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt) for 30 seconds to combine. With your mixer on low to medium speed, add the pieces of butter, a few pieces at a time, also add the oil at this time. Mix until the dry ingredients form moist crumbs that look like coarse sand. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Method is important when using Reverse Creaming, so with the mixer on LOW speed, SLOWLY add 1/2 of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, increase the mixer to medium speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes, the batter will be thick and fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating 20 seconds after each. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pans 10 min. then turn out. Makes 7 1/2 cups batter IF USING FONDANT: This recipe does not hold up well to fondant unless frosted with ganache to give it a nice firm shell. Cupcakes: This recipe will work for cupcakes, they will have only a slight dome**We frosted our cake with this Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe. (I piped spirals of frosting in varying sizes with my Wilton star tip 21.) source  

 Yummy Toffee Crunch Cake

  Toffee Crunch Cake What a beautiful yummy looking cake that will be a hit for your family or any party that is coming up. Use chocolate-covered toffee bars to make this fuss-free and delicious cake. Ingredients Cake ½ c. butter ½ c. firmly packed brown sugar 2 c. finely crushed vanilla wafers 2 c. finely chopped pecans 1 c. butter 1¼ c. firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 c. granulated sugar 4 large eggs 2½ c. all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. baking soda 1 container sour cream ½ c. Buttermilk 2 tsp. vanilla extract Frosting 1 semisweet chocolate chips ½ c. heavy cream ½ c. butter 6 c. powdered sugar 1 c. chocolate-covered toffee bars Directions For the Cake:Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together ½ cup melted butter and brown sugar until blended. Add vanilla wafers and pecans; toss to coat. Spread mixture in a lightly greased baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once after 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; in a separate bowl stir together sour cream and next 2 ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; line with parchment paper. Sprinkle 1 cup of pecan mixture in the bottom of each pan. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Drop pans lightly on counter to release large air bubbles. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans to wire racks; remove parchment paper. Cool completely (about 1 hour). For the Frosting:Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and ¼ cup cream at medium (50% power) 2 to 3 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30 second intervals. Let cool to room temperature. Beat softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and remaining ¼ cup cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Beat in chocolate mixture until light and fluffy. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Stir together remaining pecan mixture and finely chopped toffee bars; press on sides of cake. source

 French Butter Sponge Cake

  French Butter Sponge Cake   This tender sponge cake is a base for the classic Boston Cream Pie, but it also makes a terrific layer cake, brushed with flavored syrup and layered with your favorite buttercream. 2 oz. (1/4 cup) unsalted butter; more for the pan All-purpose flour for the pan 3-3/4 oz. cake flour (scant 1 cup, spooned into a dry measure) 7 large eggs, separated 1 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. table salt Position a rack in the lower third of the oven;  heat the oven to 325°F. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and set it aside to cool. It must be no hotter than tepid when used. Butter the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and line it with a round of parchment or waxed paper; butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with all-purpose flour; knock out any excess. Sift the cake flour three times onto a sheet of waxed paper, return the flour to the sifter, and set the sifter on the waxed paper. Beat the egg yolks until “ribbony”: Using the whip attachment on your mixer, whip the yolks on medium-high speed until thickened, about 3 minutes. Continue beating on medium high and gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar, about 2 Tbs. at a time; beat for 20 to 30 seconds between additions. You may need to stop to scrape the bowl occasionally. Beat on high speed until very thick and pale, about another 3 minutes. When the whip is raised, the yolks should fall into the bowl and form a slowly dissolving ribbon. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape the mixture into a large, wide bowl. Wash and dry the mixing bowl and the whip. Whip the egg whites: Combine the egg whites with the salt in the bowl of the mixer and begin mixing on medium low until frothy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the whip leaves distinct traces in the whites and forms peaks that curl softly at their tips when the beater is raised, about 4 minutes. With the mixer running on medium, gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, about 2 Tbs. at a time, beating for 20 to 30 seconds between additions. Continue beating on medium to medium-high speed until the whites hold a firm shape and form peaks that curl only very slightly at their tips, another 1 to 2 minutes. Don’t beat until the whites form stiff, unwavering upright peaks. Check the melted butter to be sure it’s tepid (about 95°F) and liquid. The butter must not be at room temperature or it won’t blend into the batter properly. If necessary, rewarm it briefly. Fold the whites into the yolks: Scoop about a quarter of the whites over the yolk mixture and fold together gently with a few broad strokes of a large rubber spatula to lighten the mixture. Rotate the bowl a bit with each fold, and don’t be too thorough at this point: It’s all right if streaks of white remain. Sift about a third of the cake flour over the mixture and scoop about a third of the remaining whites over the flour. Fold together gently, turning the bowl as you go; but again, don’t be too thorough. Sift half of the remaining flour and scoop half of the remaining whites onto the batter and fold in the same manner. Sift on the last of the flour and add the last of the whites; fold gently but thoroughly, only until the batter is an even yellow color. Fold in the melted butter: Drizzle half of the tepid butter on top of the batter and partially incorporate it quickly with three or four broad strokes, turning the bowl a little with each fold. Pour on the remaining butter and fold it in only until no butter shows. Carefully scrape the batter into the prepared pan (the pan will be about half full), spread it evenly, and put the pan in the oven immediately. Bake the cake: Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, about 40 minutes; don’t overbake. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge to release the cake from the sides; unclasp and remove the bottom of the pan and the paper liner. Replace the paper on the cake bottom and, cover with another rack, and invert. Let cool completely, right side up. If storing, wrap the cake tightly in plastic when completely cool.   source

 French Coffee Cake

French Coffee Cake This cake will be a great addition to your coffee cake recipes it is very good and not to sweet.   ABOUT THIS RECIPE "I got this from an Episcopal Church cookbook on a visit to St. John's/Divine in NYC. The cake is very good and not real sweet." INGREDIENTS   2 cups sifted cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 pint sour cream 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup margarine 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon cocoa 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee FILLING DIRECTIONS Sift flour, soda and baking powder together. Cream sugar and margarine together. and beat in eggs. Add 1/4 of flour mixture and 1/3 of sour cream; continue to alternate. and cream until blended. Add vanilla. Grease and flour loaf pan. Combine ingredients, pour 1/3 batter into pan. Sprinkle 1/2 filling over batter. Add another 1/3 batter and remaining filling. Cover with remaining batter. Page 2 of 2French Coffee Cake (cont.) DIRECTIONS Marble with knife. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minute Dust with powdered sugar when cool. 12 servings. source  

 Easy Chocolate Cookies

Easy Chocolate Cookies  Your kids will love these cookies and you can have them help you make them because they are easy to make. Plus family time is always good Right! For an easy cookies recipe for kids, why not try and make these fun chocolate cookies? They are perfect to entertain kids on a rainy afternoon or if you are having a baking themed kids’ birthday party. If you are baking with very young children, you might want bake the biscuits in advance and let them decorate them. The recipe makes about 30 biscuits so they are also ideal if you’re sharing them at work or including them in a bake sale. Whatever the occasion, these bold little biscuits are guaranteed to brighten everyone’s day! For more easy recipes that are sure to make every one smile check out our Pinwheel Cookies Recipe and How to Make Smarties Cookiespost. To make these you will need the following ingredients: 350g of plain flour 200g of salted butter cut in small pieces 120g of golden caster sugar 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 2 egg yolks 200g of chocolate (we used chocolate cake covering) Sprinkles, small sweets and other edible decorations Preparation – follow the easy steps detailed below: Whizz the flour and butter with an electric mixer or work it by hand until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks and mix into a smooth dough. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and roll on a lightly floured surface into 2 sausage shapes about 4-5cm in diameter. Wrap the cookie dough in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut the dough into 4mm-thick slices and arrange on some baking sheets, spaced slightly apart. Bake the biscuits for 15 mins or until pale golden and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. When they are cold, melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl placed in a pan of simmering water. If you are baking with kids – check the chocolate has cooled enough to handle and cover the cookies with chocolate and decorate to taste! source  

 Yummy Black Forest Cake

Yummy Black Forest Cake This cake is everyones favorite it is made for party's, get togethers and the good old family gathers. This recipe is a must have... Black Forest Cake Prep time: 60 min Cook time: 45 min Serves: 8 Main Ingredients: flour cocoa powder cherries whipping cream Ingredients Flour - 2 cups Sugar - 1 1/2 cups Cocoa powder - 3/4 cup, unsweetened Baking soda - 1 1/2 tsps Baking powder - 1 tsp Salt - pinch Milk - 1 cup Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup Vanilla essence - 1 tsp Instant coffee powder - 1 1/2 tbsps Hot water - 1 cup Eggs - 2 For layering: Whipping cream - 2 cups (I used Rich's) Tinned cherries - 1 tin Chocolate - 1/2 cup, grated or chocolate shards to decorate Method Preheat oven to 175 degrees Centigrade. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans or three 6" cake pans. I used three 6" cake pans. Add a tbsp of instant coffee powder to the hot water and keep aside. In a large bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the sugar and mix well with the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, vanilla essence and beaten eggs and mix. Finally add the hot coffee mixture and mix. Do not over mix. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 40 mts or until a skewer comes out clean. Start checking from 35 mts onwards. Cool on a wire rack for 30 mts before inverting onto a wire rack. Bring to room temperature. If the cake has a dome shape, use a serrated knife and slice the dome off and level the cake till it has a flat top. While the cake is cooling, prepare the whipping cream. Place a very large bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 mts before beating the whipping cream.. Place ice cubes in a plate. Place the cold bowl on the ice cubes and pour two cups of whipping cream in the bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, approx 5-6 mts. Place the whipped cream in the fridge till you start assembling the cake. Open the tinned cherries and drain the liquid (cherry syrup). Measure 1 cup of syrup and add 3 tbsps powdered sugar and mix. This is to reduce the tartness of the cherry syrup. Pit 1 cup of cherries, chop into small pieces and keep aside. Reserve 1/4 cup of whole cherries for decoration. To assemble the cake: On a turntable, place a cake board that has been lined with shiny silver or gold paper. Invert the cake and place it upside down on top of the cake base so that the cake has a flat top. Drizzle 5 to 6 tbsps of cherry syrup or sugar syrup over the cake layer covering the entire cake. Do not drizzle too much syrup as the cake might get soggy, Using a spatula spread a cup of whipped cream . Leave a gap of 1" along the edge of the cake. It should be a thick layer. Over the layer spread some of the chopped cherries. Place another layer of inverted cake over the first layer and repeat the same process with cherry syrup, whipped cream and chopped cherries. Finally place the inverted cake layer with the flat top and drizzle with cherry syrup all over and spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top and along the sides of the cake. Use a cake comb along the sides and create a comb effect all around the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours at this stage. Place the remaining whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip and place in fridge. At the time of serving, remove the cake from the fridge and pipe stars along the top edge of the cake and at the base of the cake as shown in the picture above. Place a cherry on top of each piped out star and sprinkle grated chocolate. You can also place chocolate shards along the sides. You can decorate as your fancy. Place the cake in the fridge for at least another hour and serve. If you are rushed for time, you can go ahead and serve the cake. Tips The whipping cream makes 4 cups of whipped cream. Instead of cherry syrup, you can use sugar syrup. Mix 3/4 cup of powdered sugar to 1 1/2 cups of water and mix. Chill till use. 2 tbsp of rum can be added to the cherry syrup for a touch of alcohol. I have not added any rum to the above recipe. The flavor of the cake is best when the cake sits in the fridge for a minimum of 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Remove the whipping cream from freezer the earlier day and place in the fridge. The left over whipping cream can be frozen for a few more weeks. But do not store the cream that has been whipped. Use it as required for cake decoration and discard the left over whipped cream or use it to prepare another dessert. The left over cherry syrup can be stored in a clean plastic or glass container and kept in the freezer up to a few weeks. The left over cherries can be stored in a clean plastic or glass container and kept in the freezer. Discard the can and do not store the left overs in it. You can skip the step 17 above and complete the final cake decoration and refrigerate the cake for a few hours and serve. source

 Under The Rainbow Cake

Under The Rainbow Cake Here is a cake that you can make for a kids birthday party. It is colorful and sweet they will love it.     Ingredients For the sponge   225g margarine or unsalted butter, softened 225g caster sugar 4 large eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 225g self-raising flour 2 tbsp full-fat milk For the decoration   500g icing sugar 125g unsalted butter, softened 3 tbsp full-fat milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 drops of blue food colouring N.B. retain some uncoloured buttercream for the middle and to secure the icing rainbow 2 tbsp strawberry jam Smarties Dr Oetker Ready to Roll Coloured Regal Ice Icing Method Prepare 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. grease and line the bases lined with buttered baking parchment . Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. In the bowl of a free-standing mixer, cream the margarine or butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Add the flour and milk and mix until light and fluffy. Divide equally between the prepared sandwich tins, spread level and bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 22–25 minutes until golden and a skewer comes away clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes. Turn the cakes out of the tins onto a wire cooling rack and leave until cold. To make the buttercream, tip all of the ingredients into the bowl of the free-standing mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Then add a couple of drops of blue food colouring and mix together. Lay one cake layer on a serving plate and pipe or spread the blue buttercream around the edge of the top of the sponge and if you’ve got a steady hand you can do a curved pattern around the edges. Spread the rest of the top of the sponge with strawberry jam. Sandwich the other sponge on top carefully.  Spread the second cake layer with the blue buttercream and finish with a circle of Smarties around the outside edge. Now for the rainbow, roll five sausages of different coloured fondant icing, then with a damp finger wet each edge, then 'glue' them together. Use an upturned egg-cup on a piece of parchment to shape the rainbow around. Place a cocktail stick into the bottom of each rainbow sausage, leaving half the stick visible so you can secure the rainbow onto the cake. Leave the rainbow overnight to dry. Place rainbow carefully onto the cake by submerging the cocktail sticks into the buttercream and sponge. Then pipe uncoloured buttercream to look like clouds and to hide the join. source &nb

 Oreo Layer Surprise

Oreo Layer Surprise Oreo layer cake is the ultimate birthday cake! Two massive chocolate sponge layers sandwiched with loads of delicious cream and crushed Oreos. This really is the ultimate cake for an Oreo or chocolate lover, as it's super indulgent and looks stunning. If you bring this cake out at a birthday party on a lovely cake stand, it'll be the ultimate surprise that will get cheers all round (and everyone will be asking for the recipe!). Ingredients 225g plain flour 35g cocoa powder, plus extra to dust 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 1tsp baking powder 100g dark chocolate, finely chopped 185ml hot strong coffee 200g unsalted butter, softened 225g caster sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten To decorate: 225ml whipping cream 150g Philadelphia cream cheese ¾tsp vanilla extract 4tbsp icing sugar, sifted 8 Oreo biscuits, roughly crushed Oreo and mini Oreos (8-10 of each), to decorate Coloured sprinkles You will need: Lollipop sticks Method Heat the oven to 170C, gas 3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a bowl. Put the chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot coffee over. Once the chocolate has melted, mix until smooth, then leave to cool. Cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour mix each time. Fold in the rest of the flour mix, followed by the melted chocolate mixture. Divide the mixture between 2x18cm round cake tins, greased and lined with baking paper, and cook for 50-55 mins, then allow to cool. Neatly trim both cakes so that the tops are flat. Whisk the cream, Philadelphia, vanilla and icing sugar until thick enough to spread, then lightly fold in the crushed Oreos. Put a sponge on a serving plate, spread over the cream, keeping a little aside. Flip the other sponge, so the trimmed side is underneath, dust with cocoa powder and set on top. Fill the gap between the sandwiched biscuits with the leftover cream, so it comes to the edge. Roll the creamy edge in the sprinkles. Just before serving, push a lollipop stick through the middle of a few of the biscuits, then use to decorate the top of the cake along with the remaining Oreos.  

 Banana-Caramel Dream Cake

Banana-Caramel Cake This banana caramel cake will be the sweet of everyone's dreams you will love the banana taste with the sweet of the caramel so good.   Ingredients 2½ c. cake flour 2½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt ½ c. unsalted butter 1¼ c. granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1½ tsp. vanilla extract ½ c. Buttermilk 1 c. very ripe, mashed bananas Ingredients Icing 3 c. light brown sugar 1½ c. heavy cream ½ tsp. lemon juice 5 tbsp. butter Directions Make the batter:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small brush, lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with softened butter or vegetable-oil cooking spray. Dust with flour, tap out any excess, and set aside. Over a surface covered with a large sheet of waxed or parchment paper, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Into a medium bowl, resift the flour mixture and set aside. In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the butter until light -- about 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue to beat for 2 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition, and mix in the vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and bananas and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition. Bake the cake:Divide the batter equally between the pans and bake on the middle rack of the oven until a tester inserted into each cake layer comes out clean -- 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the cake pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake layers from the pan sides and invert the layers onto the wire rack to cool completely. Ice the cake:Use a serrated knife to trim the mounded side of the cake layers, if necessary. Line the edges of a cake plate with 3-inch-wide strips of waxed or parchment paper and place a cake layer, trimmed side down, on top. Place 1 cup Caramel Icing on top of the layer and spread evenly. Place the second layer, trimmed side down, on the first and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing. Directions Make the icing:In a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer attached, stir sugar, heavy cream, and lemon juice together. Cook the mixture, without stirring, over medium-high heat to soft-ball stage (238 degrees F). Remove from heat and cool the caramel mixture to 140 degrees F. Place the butter on top of the cooled caramel mixture. Remove the thermometer and, using a handheld mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the caramel until it thickens enough to hold its shape, lightens in color, and changes from translucent to opaque -- about 5 minutes. Apply icing immediately. source

 Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake

  Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake with Spiced Pumpkin Frosting Chocolate brown sugar butter cake with spiced pumpkin frosting that title is a  mouth full right and so is this cake.   Ingredients Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake 1 c. butter 1¼ c. firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 c. granulated sugar 4 large eggs 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa ¼ c. hot water ⅔ c. chocolate syrup 2½ c. all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. baking soda 1 container sour cream ½ c. Buttermilk 2 tsp. vanilla extract Spiced Pumpkin Frosting ½ c. pumpkin puree ¼ c. heavy cream 2 white chocolate baking bars 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 package cream cheese ½ c. butter 1 box powdered sugar ½ c. lightly toasted pecans ½ c. lightly toasted walnuts pecan halves Directions For the Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake:Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. In a small bowl, stir together unsweetened cocoa and hot water until cocoa is dissolved. Stir in chocolate syrup until blended. Set aside. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; in a separate bowl stir together 8 oz. container sour cream and next 2 ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Finally, stir in the cocoa mixture. Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Grease (with shortening) and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Drop pans lightly on counter to release large air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on racks (about 1 hour). For the Spiced Pumpkin Frosting:Stir together pumpkin puree and cream in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and stir in 2 (4 oz.) white chocolate bars until melted. Stir in pumpkin pie spice. Chill 2 hours or until thickened and completely cold. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Add pumpkin mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in chopped pecans and walnuts until blended. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Store cake in refrigerator. Garnish with pecan halves. Source

 Yep! Maple Walnut Cake

 Yep! Maple Walnut Cake Maple syrup isn't just for pancakes. Designed for those who simply can't get enough of the ever-popular flavoring, our Maple Walnut Cake's layers and frosting are both generously doused with this all-American syrup. Ingredients 2½ c. all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ c. butter ½ c. granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1½ c. pure maple syrup 2 tsp. vanilla extract ½ c. water 1 c. finely chopped walnuts 6 walnut halves Directions Make the batter:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small brush, lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with softened butter or vegetable-oil cooking spray. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl using a mixer set on high speed, beat the butter and sugar for 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each addition. Add 1 cup maple syrup and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the water and ending with the dry ingredients. Gently stir in the walnuts. Bake the cake:Divide the batter equally between the two prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until a tester inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean -- about 30 minutes. Cool in the cake pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake layers from the sides of the pans and invert the layers onto the wire rack to cool completely. Make the cake garnishes:Lightly coat a sheet pan with cooking spray and arrange the walnut halves about 3 to 4 inches apart. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1/2 cup maple syrup over medium-high heat. Cook the syrup until it reaches hard-crack stage (300 degrees F), or when a drop placed in a glass of cold water becomes hard and brittle. Remove from heat and carefully spoon boiled syrup over the walnuts, allowing it to run in streams around the sheet pan. Set aside to let cool completely. Frost the cake:Use a serrated knife to level the mounded sides of the cake layers, if necessary. Line the edges of a cake plate with 3-inch-wide strips of waxed or parchment paper and place a cake layer, trimmed side down, on top. Place 1 cup ofMaple-Sugar Frostingon top of the layer and spread evenly. Place the second layer, trimmed side down, on the first and cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing. Decorate the top of the cake with candied walnuts and the hardened maple sugar. Remove paper strips and serve. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days. Frosting Ingredients 2¼ c. confectioners' sugar ½ c. brown sugar 8 tbsp. unsalted butter .13 tsp. salt ½ c. maple syrup 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tbsp. whole milk Directions Make the frosting:In a medium bowl with a mixer set on medium speed, beat sugars, butter, and salt until combined. Continue beating and add the maple syrup in a slow stream. Add the vanilla. Increase speed to medium high and continue to beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, add up to 4 tablespoons of milk to achieve a smooth spreading consistency. source  

 Coconut Layer Cake Delight

Coconut Layer Cake Delight This a cake that will wow your guess at your next party and the taste is out of this world.   Ingredients 3 c. cake flour (not self-rising) 2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 c. (1 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 1 c. sweetened cream of coconut 2/3 c. low-fat buttermilk Cream Cheese Frosting 2 bricks (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. salt 3 c. confectioners’ sugar 6 oz. unsweetened coconut flakes Directions Prepare Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper; grease parchment. In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium-low; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk cream of coconut and buttermilk. On low speed, add flour mixture alternately with coconut mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, occasionally scraping bowl with spatula. Beat just until blended. Divide evenly among prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Run small knife around side of each layer; invert onto racks. Cool completely. Layers can be made up to 1 day ahead; wrap well and store at room temperature. Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt until incorporated. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy. Assemble cake: Place 1 cake layer on cake plate, flat side up. Spread with 3⁄4 cup frosting and top with another cake layer, flat side up. Spread with 3⁄4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, flat side up. Lightly frost side and top of cake with frosting to barely coat. Refrigerate assembled cake and remaining frosting at least 1 hour Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting. Cover top and side of cake with coconut flakes. Cake can be refrigerated up to 6 hours. (Cover loosely with plastic wrap.) To serve, let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

 Gooey White Chocolate S’mores

    White Chocolate S’mores Gooey Cake Bars

 Sandwich & Dessert

  Buffalo Bleu Cheese Chicken Sandwich Ingredients 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2/3 cup bleu cheese crumbles 1/2 cup finely chopped sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Hot Sauce) 2 tablespoons white vinegar 4 whole grain rolls, toasted 4 red leaf lettuce leaves Directions Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray an 11 x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket horizontally into each chicken breast and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine bleu cheese, sundried tomatoes and parsley. Stuff chicken breasts with bleu cheese mixture and press edges of opening together to seal (you can seal with toothpicks, if desired). Place chicken in baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together oil, honey, hot sauce and vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Remove foil from baking dish and pour hot sauce mixture evenly over chicken breasts, brushing with a pastry brush to coat, if necessary. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with whole grain rolls and a leaf of lettuce. source Basic Chocolate Cakes Basic Chocolate Cakes are really tasty and it is one of the demandable cakes. So do you want to prepare this cake in your home? Then just follow these procedures. Sum Time: 40 Minutes Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes Temperature of Oven: 400 F Ingredients: Cake flour sifted 1 ½ cup Dutch-process Cocoa 1/3 cup Salt 1/2 teaspoon Sugar 1 cup Coffee 1 cup, strong, brewed and warm Lighter Olive oil 1/3 cup Vanilla extracts 1 ½ teaspoon Balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Directions: After heating the oven on 400 F, coat a round cake pan of 8-inch lightly with butter which is softened. Then dust it will flour all-purpose. Setting aside, whisk cocoa, sugar, soda, salt and cake flour together in a big bowl. The oil, vanilla, coffee and vinegar should be stirred together and whisked in the mixture of flour till being smoothened. The batter should be poured into the pan which was prepared and baked in the oven on the center rack. You can use wooden skewer in order to determine when the cake can be brought out. The cake will take for about 25-30 minutes. Bringing it out, cool it on a pan situated in wire rack completely. With applying one cup chocolate gaze which is deep, you can serve the cake. You can also decorate the cake and increase the test by using some more things like cream and caramel. Enjoy the taste of it. Source Thank you #Sandwich&Dessert

 Classic Carrot Cake Favorite

  Classic Carrot Cake  This yummy, moist carrot cake was entered in the Colorado Outfitters Association dessert contest, and it took first place!    Ingredients 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple 4 large eggs 2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 medium) 1 cup sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup canola oil 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup chopped walnuts FROSTING: 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9-in. baking dish. 2. Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons juice (discard remaining juice or save for another use). In a large bowl, beat eggs, carrots, sugars, oil, drained pineapple and reserved juice until well blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into carrot mixture until blended. Stir in walnuts. Transfer to prepared dish. 3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. 4. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cake. Yield: 15 servings.   Nutritional Facts 1 piece: 555 calories, 34g fat (10g saturated fat), 88mg cholesterol, 361mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate (44g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.   source  

 How to Make Christmas Candy

    How to Make Christmas Candy Treat your holiday guests to delicious sweets and learn how to make Christmas candy. Have a blast making Christmas candy recipes 

 Chocolate Orange Cookies

Chocolate Orange Cookies Citrus in winter is the perfect pick-me-up to take the chill off of those cold days. Pair it with chocolate and those winter days go straight to the top of my happy list. One of my favorite citrus treats are the skinny chocolate and orange jelly sticks, the perfect union of rich chocolate and sweet, tangy oranges. Since I’m not as adept at candy making as I am at baking, I was inspired by my cravings to turn these sweet favorites into a cookie. Using

 Mint Oreo Cake

Mint Oreo Cake Sorry, is this freaking you out? Too much for your brain to handle? Allow me to break it down for you. Two layers of devil's food cake sandwiched together with minty cream cheese frosting and crushed mint Oreos, smothered in more mint frosting and covered in cake balls and mint Oreos. HELLO. I made it for Bellie's 11th birthday, which brought with it a new member of the family. Do not let her innocent fluffiness deceive you. She's an agent of the dark side, there's no denying. At least she always makes me sneeze. I guess I'm allergic to the dark side. I'm

 Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nutella, Brown Butter

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nutella, Brown Butter and Sea Salt  Well, that right there?  That’s about all you need to know.  I rest my case. Haha, just kidding…sort of.  Seeing a title and picture of these cookies was all I needed to know they should be in my life.  Chocolate chip cookies may just be my favorite dessert of all.  They are so classic, comforting…they are the thing I crave.  For me after the kids are finally in bed, my happy place is on the couch with a cookie, small glass of milk and a good book.  Normally this is a classic that, in my opinion, needs no improving.  But…it’s just so hard to argue against brown butter, Nutella and a sprinkling of sea salt.  I mean, really. I used a technique suggested by a reader for the filling of the

 Brown Butter Rum Cannoli's

Brown Butter Rum Cannoli's Honestly, I’ve been wanting to make cannolis for some time now and bought the forms a year ago, but never got around to it because they seem too labor intensive. I also don’t like frying anything because I don’t really have the right tools to do it. But then I got the idea of using wontons after I had some left over from another meal. I gave it a go and love it. Of course it’s not the same. The wonton cannoli cookies are crisp, thin and a little crunchier. They do not have the deep fried flavor, nor the flaky crispness that crumbles at the slightest bite. But then again, maybe the wonton cannoli cookies if deep fried would be a good contender against the classic since it would

 CREAMY ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA WITH BLACK PEPPER

CREAMY ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA WITH BLACK PEPPER CHICKPEAS Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Black Pepper Chickpeas. Elbows pasta in roasted red pepper sauce with crisp black pepper thyme Chickpeas and fresh Basil. Vegan Soy-free Recipe. Can be gluten-free with gluten-free pasta. Pastas are dinner savers on days when I need some comfort food. Easy, creamy, filling.  This pasta has a simple roasted red pepper sauce and pasta of choice. Topped with peppery herbed chickpeas and fresh basil, the flavors come together amazingly. Crisp up the chickpeas on a skillet or in an oven. Meanwhile cook the pasta, blend up the sauce, combine and bring to a boil. Add veggies if you like. Serve loads of pasta with a good helping of the chickpeas.    Roasted Red pepper sauce lightly adapted from Isa’s Roasted red pepper pasta.  CREAMY ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA WITH BLACK PEPPER CHICKPEAS

 Vegan Holiday Nog

  Vegan Holiday Nog Upon my first look through Homestyle Vegan, it became very clear to me that the title was dead-on. Page after page is filled with glorious, comforting recipes and with so many photos throughout! Amber has included chapters like “Meals that will stick to your ribs”, “Crowd-pleasers”, “Bake-sale worthy baked goods” (my personal favorite), and “Stock your pantry”. And, if you’re not into tofu or faux meats, she has prominently displayed on the cover that you will find none of that in this book! Not to mention, many recipes include soy-free and gluten-free options.

 Pecan Pumpkin Pastries with Maple Glaze

Pecan Pumpkin Pastries with Maple Glaze. So, I relied on ol’ faithful: frozen puff pastry! (Vegan of course, there are a couple of brands but Pepperidge farm is easiest to find) And after I saw some beautiful squash, I knew it was time for me to finally make a pumpkin recipe, for this fall season. Of course, I cheated and bought pumpkin puree; but like I said, I’m trying to make this easy! All you have to do for this dessert is cut pastry, stir up a simple pumpkin filling made with Silk Organic Soy milk, bake, and make a maple drizzle! Overall, after you thaw the puff pastry (which you can do in the fridge over night), it takes about 30 minutes to whip these up. So, when you’re worried about making a dessert for the holidays that people will enjoy, check these Pecan Pumpkin Pastries out!

 Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars. No Bake Glutenfree     This. Edible. Cookie Dough = Awesomeness. Please make this cookie dough asap! Oh and try to treat them like a treat and not eat all of it together you know all that sugar high These soft fudgy bars have blanched almond flour and oat flour, with coconut palm sugar, raw sugar, a lot of vanilla, just 2 Tbsp coconut oil, and loads of mini chocolate chips. Each small bar is a moment of happiness. I mean who wants to bake a chocolate chip cookie in Summer right. It was supposed to be summer here. We still are at high 60s, sometimes 70s this week. meh. We picked up the Eat Pastry cookie dough jar during our shopping spree at Vegan Haven store. I tried that cookie dough raw, and it did not work for me. The baked cookies from the dough were really good. So I decided I needed my own edible raw cookie dough. Tada! You can use this vegan chocolate chip cookie dough anywhere really. Make some cookie dough ice cream. Add a bit to oatmeal, cereal. Make balls, Coat them in chocolate and gift There is no vegan butter or palm oil in the cookie dough. The mini chocolate chips might have palm oil. Use dark chocolate chunks like these from Theo Chocolate which use cocoa butter to make the cookie dough palm oil free.    mmm mmmm mmmm. melt in my mouth!

 Vegan Queso Blanco (Mexican White Cheese Dip)

Vegan Queso Blanco (Mexican White Cheese Dip) I am officially obsessed with making cheesy creamy vegan sauces and dips. And that makes you the lucky recipient of my efforts. THIS. This is one of my new favorites! I set out to create a dip that was super simple, not a lot of prep and quick to make. And I definitely wanted it made with whole foods. There are quite a few Mexican white cheese dips out there that include things like vegan cheeses such a Daiya, vegan sour cream, oil, butter, etc. but this one has none of those! The creaminess is a combo of potato, cashews and cashew milk, with flavor coming in from all of the other ingredients. All whole food, all amazing. My dirty little secret is the pickled jalapeño juice, it gives it that true white queso dip flavor: creamy, cheesy, with the jalapeño tang! This vegan queso blanco dip is perfect for Cinco do Mayo, the upcoming days of summer, or really any time!   I’m going to warn you, if you make this, prepare to eat it and try not to burn your tongue. I may or may not have a few less taste buds due to cheese burn. Just sayin’.  I brought this vegan queso blanco to a party, slipped it on the table and watched as it was devoured. No one knew it was vegan. Everyone stuffed their face and it was glorious. It’s best served warm, like borderline hot. I put it in a mini crockpot and it was perfect. Be careful not to put it on high because it will burn. So, let’s talk healthy for a second. Remember a while ago I mentioned my new favorite skincare

 Southwestern Kale Salad

Southwestern Kale Salad This salad is vibrant with color, has many flavors and textures, plus is very nutritious. We all know what a powerhouse kale is, but add some fiber and protein from the black beans and pepitas, vitamin C from the bell pepper and healthy fats from the avocados and you have yourself a well-rounded meal!   Southwestern Kale Salad Author: 

 BLT Salad by Dez Starnes

BLT Salad This salad isn’t exactly… healthy. What it is, exactly, is delicious. And it has a surprise. There’s no lettuce. The greens are baby spinach, and raw kale. Stay with me, here! Yes, I said raw kale. I know you are thinking that I have finally gone off the vegan deep end. But I swear, the water is nice! You can eat raw kale, too, if you pay attention to these three things: the kind, the cut, and the preparation. Follow these three steps and I swear you’ll be eating your kale raw and loving it. Kind The first step is finding the right kind of kale. Lacinato kale is perfectly suited to eating raw. I find that it’s thinner and more tender than the other varieties, but sadly, it’s not nearly as common. Look for long, thin, flat leaves that are slightly dimpled. Cut It’s not always obvious what the best cut is for a certain dish. Small, thin strips of kale is integral for this salad, or any meal where the kale is served raw or lightly cooked. When the kale is cut this way, the dressing has a much easier time tenderizing the kale without having to cook it. Larger pieces of kale would be much harder to eat. Preparation With regular lettuce, you wait to add the dressing until just before serving. Otherwise the salt and acid in the dressing starts to break down the fresh, crisp greens, leaving you with a soggy mess. With a kale salad, this is to your advantage! Dress the salad ahead of time and

 Chinese Cabbage Salad With Tofu and Spicy Peanut D

Chinese Cabbage Salad With Tofu and Spicy Peanut Dressing [Vegan] Serves 2 Ingredients For the Salad: 3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage 3/4 cup shredded napa cabbage 1 cup finely sliced baby bok choy (about 1 small) 1 small carrot, grated

 This savory salad is brimming with nourishing food

This savory salad is brimming with nourishing foods. There's tender kale, roasted cauliflower, black rice, three types of seeds, and fresh pear slices. All of the components are tossed in a unique, salty-sweet dressing made with miso paste, garlic, apple cider vinegar, tamari, pear, and maple syrup. Make a big bowl of this salad for yourself or serve it at a get-together as a pleasant deviation from the typical garden salad. Roasted Cauliflower Salad With Miso Pear Dressing [Vegan] Ingredients For the Salad: 1 small head of cauliflower,

 Caesar salad is one of the simplest salads out the

Caesar salad is one of the simplest salads out there, but that is its strength. In this recipe, it's recreated for fall with hearty sweet potatoes, creamy vegan Parmesan dressing, and a sprinkling of cheesy breadcrumbs. It’s filling thanks to the sweet potatoes, full of flavor, satisfying, drool-worthy, and it offers so much more satisfaction than any salad you'll order in a restaurant. Trust us, you won’t want to go back to old routines if you ever do it homemade. Sweet Potato Caesar Salad [Vegan]

 Green Bean, Corn, and Squash Salad With Basil Dres

Green Bean, Corn, and Squash Salad With Basil Dressing [Vegan] This is the perfect recipe for when you're craving greens and you’re up to your knees in squash. The green beans and corn are given a quick blanch using a kettle of boiling water just to brighten the colors but keep the crunch. The garlicky, lemony basil dressing can act as a marinade if you have time to let the salad rest before serving. The toasted pine nuts add those creamy and rich notes, along with more crunch. Use whatever you have one hand or in the garden. Ingredients

 Zucchini Ribbon and Caramelized Hearts of Palm Sal

Zucchini Ribbon and Caramelized Hearts of Palm Salad [Vegan] This salad is a salad like no other. It has a base of zucchini ribbons topped with sweet corn, blackberries, herbs, and avocado with caramelized slices of hearts of palm mixed in. The vibrant, lemony, and herby dressing would steal the show if it weren't for the slightly sweet, crisp hearts of palm. The balance of basil, salty, sweet, and sour in this salad is near perfection. Zucchini Ribbon and Caramelized Hearts of Palm Salad [Vegan] Serves

 Watermelon Salad With Fried Tofu and Basil-Lime Dr

Watermelon Salad With Fried Tofu and Basil-Lime Dressing [Vegan] Say hello to the most flavorful summer salad ever. This watermelon salad stands out from all other watermelon salads — and the secret is warm ingredients. Adding one or two warm ingredients to a cold dish is a great way to mix things up and add dimension to your summer salad. This salad has a base of fresh greens, tangy kalamata olives and red onions, crunchy sprouts, and juicy watermelon. Then, you add the fried tofu and padrón peppers and toss everything in a refreshing basil-lime dressing. Watermelon Salad With Fried Tofu and Basil-Lime Dressing [Vegan] This Recipe is :

 Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad [Vegan]

Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad [Vegan] This unique, Thai-style salad has all sorts of deliciousness happening! It starts with a medley of bright and vibrant veggies – green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers – then there are the salty-sweet candied cashews, then some crunchy ramen noodles, all tossed in a spicy red curry sauce. You'll never look at salads the same after this one. Serves 6 Cook Time 10

 Peanut and Daikon Radish Noodle Salad [Vegan]

Peanut and Daikon Radish Noodle Salad [Vegan] This warm, pad Thai-inspired salad is made from spiralized daikon radish noodles instead of rice noodles. It’s sweet, spicy, savory, crunchy, and full of bright flavor from the raw vegetables. Daikon radish is spiralized and then tossed in a creamy peanut dressing and stir-fried baby corn, edamame, and bell peppers. It's the perfect option for a light lunch or picnic option. Serves 4 Ingredients

 Hungarian Nut and Lentil Loaf [Vegan]

Hungarian Nut and Lentil Loaf [Vegan] If you're looking for a hearty, comforting entrée that will keep you full, look no further. So many vegetables are packed into this nutrient-dense baby! Carrots, leek, bell peppers, mushrooms, lentils, and nuts, it's as nutritious as it is delicious. The tomato-pimento sauce is terrific, adding moisture, although the loaf is not dry. The loaf batter can easily be prepped the night ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator until the next day. Serves 6-8 Cook Time 60 Ingredients For the Loaf:

 Thai Barbecue Cauliflower [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Thai Barbecue Cauliflower [Vegan, Gluten-Free] BBQ cauliflower wings are an amazing creation on their own, so why not make this savory snack even better by adding a bit of Thai flare? This recipe is almost like a red curry but in crispy appetizer form. Cauliflower is tossed with curry powder, Sriracha, garlic, and coconut milk to contrast the heat and then baked (or air-fried) until tender and toasted. Serve these with a cooling and creamy dip and plenty of carrots and celery sticks!

 No-Bake Sweet Potato Chocolate Mousse Pecan Pie [V

No-Bake Sweet Potato Chocolate Mousse Pecan Pie [Vegan, Gluten-Free] This holiday dessert masterpiece will be the first to disappear from the table. A chocolatey crust made from pecans and gooey dates is filled with a rich, decadent chocolate mousse filling made from sweet potato and sweetened naturally with dates. Not only does this pie taste delicious, it is made from nourishing ingredients, so that's cause for even more celebration! Serves 9 Cook Time 60 Ingredients For the Crust: 1 1/2 cups raw pecans 1 1/2 cups soft Medjool dates, pitted 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 1 1/2 tablespoons cacao powder 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (no alcohol) 1/3 teaspoon sea salt For the Mousse:

 S'mores Doughnuts Vegan

S'mores Doughnuts [Vegan] You'd be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn't enjoy the amazing flavor trifecta of s'mores. Chocolate? Marshmallow? Graham crackers? Each one is tasty in its own right, and amazing when put together, a point perfectly proven by this recipe for fluffy doughnuts coated with cocoa icing, drizzled with melted marshmallow, and topped with crushed graham crackers. Absolutely delicious. Ingredients

 Cinnamon Maple Crunch Pie

Cinnamon Maple Crunch Pie [Vegan, Gluten-Free] When chilly breezes start blowing outside, there's no better time to get cozy and bake a delicious pie. And you are going to fall in love with this irresistible combo of sweet maple cinnamon cream and crispy skillet granola! Coconut milk, almond butter, maple syrup, and plenty of cinnamon is blended together, poured onto a simple almond crust, and then frozen until firm and dense. The crunch from the granola on top is the perfect compliment to this otherwise silky dessert. Serves 10 Cook Time 15

 If you like mushrooms, you’ll enjoy this simple ve

If you like mushrooms, you’ll enjoy this simple vegan gravy, which is great over seitan, tofu, brown rice or other cooked grains, veggie burgers, and best of all, mashed or smashed potatoes. In other words, this makes comfort dishes even more comforting. Easy Mushroom Gravy (Vegan) This Recipe is :

 These creamy cheesecake bites are made from a chew

These creamy cheesecake bites are made from a chewy crust made from dates, figs, and nuts, a layer of cashew cream, and a vibrant, pumpkin-spiced mamey sapote cheesecake layer. Mamey sapote is a unique, tropical tree fruit with an interior texture that is both creamy and sweet, with a vibrant salmon-colored flesh that is unlike anything you have ever tasted. The flavor is a combination of sweet potato and pumpkin with undertones of almond, chocolate, honey, and vanilla. It pairs well with traditional fall flavors, especially pumpkin pie spices! Raw Pumpkin Spiced Mamey Cheesecake Bites [Vegan, Gluten-Free] This Recipe is : Dairy FreeGluten-free Recipes

 Cinnamon White Chocolate Cheesecake

Cinnamon White Chocolate Cheesecake This no-bake cheesecake is an easy-to-make dessert that will stun your guests. It's perfectly flavored thanks to cinnamon and dates, creamy thanks to coconut milk and cashews, and chocolatey to boot from the vegan white chocolate. Simply blend the ingredients for each component of this cake, layer them onto one another, and chill until set.  [Vegan, Gluten-Free] Serves 16

 Date Caramel Banana Pie

Date Caramel Banana Pie You know you've got a great pie recipe when each component of the pie is delicious in its own right. Decadent date caramel that instantly makes anything better? Check. Sticky-sweet caramelized bananas and whipped banana cream? Check. Cookie crust? Check! These different layers are a cinch to make and once you've arranged them, you simply have to pop this pie in the fridge and wait ever so patiently for your pie to set. Trust us, the results are worth the wait!  [Vegan] Serves 9 Ingredients For the Crust:

 Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Casserole

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Casserole This casserole is comfort food heaven. Sweet, creamy butternut squash is paired with decadently cheesy macaroni elbows and sealed with a unique flatbread topping. The finishing touches really put it over the top, from the smoky Shiitake bacon to the red pepper flakes and maple syrup. Normally, we'd say this casserole is perfect to make for a week of easy meals, but we know this one will only last a few days. [Vegan] Ingredients For the Pasta: 1 5-ounce pack of crackers 2 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash 1 14-ounce box elbow macaroni 1 cup plain almond milk 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon rosemary plus more for garnish

 Sweet Potato Beet Burger

Sweet Potato Beet Burger These gorgeous burger patties encapsulate some of the best flavors of fall: juicy, sweet beets and creamy sweet potato. To balance out the sweetness of these vegetables, they are mixed with onions, bell pepper, red chili flakes, and garlic bread crumbs. After some gentle pan-frying, you have a deliciously crispy and vibrant burger to stack up on burger buns with your favorites, we suggest a classic lettuce, tomato, cucumber combo!  [Vegan, Gluten-Free] Serves

 Raw Spiced Cashew Cheese

Raw Spiced Cashew Cheese Besides the cashew soaking process, this nut cheese is a breeze to make! Simply blend the ingredients, shape it, and wait a few hours until your cheese is dense and ready to be spread. Add some extra flavor (and color) by coating your cheese in your favorite spices, red pepper, rosemary, and turmeric all add a gorgeous color and taste.  [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

 Gingerbread Pumpkin Pretzel Protein Bars

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pretzel Protein Bars These protein bars are layer upon layer of awesome. They start off with a unique, half crunchy-half chewy base made with 

 In the next 14 days I will outline how to build a

Today we start the meat and potatoes I will talk about something most marketers don’t do and that’s why they are failing. In marketing there are a few things you need to realize. You want to be unique and you want to use strategies that are different and help your business succeed. If the crowd is moving in one direction you want to go the other way. In day 3 of the training we talk about a strategy that most marketers aren’t doing see they take the easy way out.. You don’t want to do it that way because you are doing work anyway why not do it right. Here is a diagram to help out A is the way most marketers run their business and B is a smart marketer with a better strategy.   Let’s go a little deeper and explain, most marketers use the company landing page and send people straight to the offer. Oh no bad idea if you are doing this I can bet you are not doing very well…

 Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Of Goodness

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Of Goodness Before cooked Having a party maybe Birthday, Fathers day, Christmas or any other kind of party well this is the cookie for you. It is easy to throw together and you can make it all kinds of ways like the examples above. I have put nuts in it or bigger nuts on the top. I have used Hershey kisses on top and you could ice it if you have the right tools. Your imagination can run wild. You can just be lazy like me instead of waiting for 7 dozen cookies I can have this done between 13 and 17 minutes depending on your oven. Now let’s get to it… 

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Smash

Chocolate Chip Cookie Smash I love chocolate chip cookies and I love ice cream sandwiches. So today I put the 2 together. What about the world’s best chocolate chip cookie recipe and your favorite ice cream? What could be better than that? I will give you the world’s best chocolate chip cookie mix and help you put together a special delight.

 Best Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Best Breakfast Casserole Recipe (revised from food.com) This casserole can be made in advance, refrigerated and then baked the next day or done at the same time.  You do not have to use all of the vegetables that are in this casserole but it is delicious when you do. Makes enough for 10 - 12 people.

 Amazingly Delicious Divinity Candy Recipe

  Amazingly Delicious Divinity Candy Recipe You can add the nuts you like or cherrys.   Divinity Candy Light and fluffy, divinity is a classic! This recipe does not do well in humid conditions when the weather is hot and humid, so it is best to attempt divinity in low-humidity conditions.

 Simple Delicious Holiday Cookies

  Simple Delicious Holiday Cookies Put Icing and Favorite Toppings Make Them Fancy Cut Them Into Circles  Keep Them Simple   These cookies are usually made around the holidays but they are great anytime. If you enjoy to bake for your family or maybe your having a party these would work out great for you because you would have enough for everyone with 6 to 8 dozon. Grab this recipe for your next holiday.

 Super Moist Banana Bread

  Easy Moist Banana Bread My favorite way has to have walnuts... Could make muffin style...   This will be a family favorite taste good year round. Great for a treat or breakfast or anytime. Don’t throw away those bananas that are going bad make banana bread instead…


 Get Empowr Fans

  How To Get Over 9000 Fans In 30 Days

 Mouth Watering Buttermilk Pancakes

Mouth Watering Buttermilk Pancakes These are the best tasting pancakes I have even tasted and it's easy to make. My wife makes these all the time. When we go out for breakfast I always tell her when I get pancakes out we could have stayed home and got better pancakes. Here's the recipe. You will love these.

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Smash

Chocolate Chip Cookie Smash I love chocolate chip cookies and I love ice cream sandwiches. So today I put the 2 together. What about the world’s best chocolate chip cookie recipe and your favorite ice cream? What could be better than that? I will give you the world’s best chocolate chip cookie mix and help you put together a special delight. 

 Super Moist Banana Bread

  Easy Moist Banana Bread My favorite way has to have walnuts... Could make muffin style...   This will be a family favorite taste good year round. Great for a treat or breakfast or anytime. Don’t throw away those bananas that are going bad make banana bread instead…