Beignets

After watching Disney's The Princess and the Frog ...set in New Orleans in the 40's where the main character Tiana, is an aspiring chef and she makes these sweet southern 'doughnuts' and they look scrumptious... I decided to try them this week... I highly recommend this cute and funny movie.

I found this recipe on All Recipes dot com and I must say...what's not to like about a recipe like this? My mouth is watering just planning it!

 Beignets

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, eggs, evaporated milk, and blend well. Mix in 4 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Add the shortening, and then the remaining 3 cups of flour. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
2. Roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. Fry in 360 degree F (180 degrees C) hot oil. If beignets do not pop up, oil is not hot enough. Drain onto paper towels.
3. Shake confectioners' sugar on hot beignets. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting

Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting
from Cammie Moomey's Website

2 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 15oz. can pumpkin
4 c. flour

Icing:
4 Tbs butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. milk
powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 2 tsp vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in pumpkin. Add flour and stir until well combined.
Drop by heaping tablespoonfulls onto an ungreased (or stoneware) cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

For icing:
Beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add maple syrup and milk, gradually add enough powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency, you want it to be spreadable but not thin enough to drip off the cookie. Add vanilla. After cookies are cooled, spread a little icing on top and let each cookie set.

Peanut Butter Fudge Crispy Treats

Rice Krispie Treats

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray.

Cool. Make Peanut Butter Fudge.

Peanut Butter Fudge

1 cup butter, plus a bit more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes.

Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.

Pour over the Rice Krispie treats in the pan and spread evenly.
Let cool in the fridge while you make the Chocolate Fudge.

Easy Chocolate Fudge

2 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Combine butter, milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate, and vanilla,. Beat for about 1 minute, or until marshmallows melt and mixture is thoroughly combined.

Pour over peanut butter fudge, spread evenly and place in the fridge to harden and cool. Cut into one inch pieces.

DIRT CAKE

2 (20 oz.) pkgs. Oreo cookies
1/2 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
3 1/2 c. milk
2 sm. French vanilla instant pudding boxes
1 (12 oz.) Cool Whip
Cream the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Mix pudding together with the milk, add the Cool Whip to pudding mixture. Then blend in with the cream cheese mixture.
Crumble the Oreo's in a blender, leave the cream in the Oreo's.
Line the inside of a clay flower pot with foil. Alternating cookie crumbs and filling, ending with the cookie crumbs on top. Top with gummi worms and a plastic flower. Enjoy!
*Note: The clay pot can be sterilized in the oven by baking it at 350° for at least 2 hours. It turns our really nice, like Terra Cotta. After it cools down, wash it with soap and water. A new, sterilized garden trowel can be used as a serving spoon for extra fun.

Fruit Swirl Cake Bars

Unique, yummy, moist and not that hard to make.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 lb. butter or margarine

4 eggs

3 cups SIFTED flour (measure then sift)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tbsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. vanilla

2 cans pie filling

Instructions:

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and cream some more. Add rest of ingredients except pie filling. Beat until blended. Batter will be thick.

Spread 2/3 only of batter on jelly roll pan. Won't spread easily, don't worry. Spread pie filling evenly over batter.

Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls on top. Place in 350 degree over for 5 minutes. Remove and swirl top with spoon, spreading out batter you dropped on top. Now bake 30-40 minutes. Let cake cool.

Glaze: (optional, I don't usually use it but it looks pretty)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

Powdered Sugar

Bring butter, regular sugar and milk to boil. Remove, add enough powdered sugar to make a thin icing. Dallop of cool whip if desired or ice cream.

Cocoa Brownies

Cocoa Brownies

1 cup margarine or butter, softened
5 Tbsp. Cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 beaten eggs
2 cups flour

Mix butter and cocoa. Add sugar and eggs and beat. Add flour and mix well. Spread into 9x12 greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for around 30 minutes. If you double the recipe, you can bake it on a jelly-roll pan (bake that one for around 35-45 minutes). Watch them closely because you don't want to them to be overdone.

Note: I added the scrabble tile decorations on the brownies in this picture since I made them for a Cub Scout pack meeting with a "Games, Games, Games" theme. I received this recipe originally from a college friend (Becky) who lived in the dorms with me. It is quick, easy and yummy and my kids LOVE them.

Mixed Nut Bars

From Ma
(Double this recipe and bake on a jelly roll pan for sharing)

1 1/2 C Flour
3/4 C Sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C plus 2 Tbs Cold Butter (divided)
1 Can Mixed Nuts
1 C Butterscotch Chips
1/2 C Light Corn Syrup

Combine flour, sugar, salt, cut in 1/2 C butter until crumbled. Press into greased 13x9 inch pan. Bake @350° for 10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle on nuts. Melt butterscotch chips, add corn syrup and remaining 2 Tbs butter and mix well. Pour over nuts. Bake for 10 more minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Yield 3 dozen.

Homemade Marshmallows

Homemade Marshmallows

Approximately 9 dozen marshmallows

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

For regular marshmallows:

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

For miniature marshmallows:

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Line 4 half sheet pans with parchment paper, spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray and dust with the confectioners' sugar mixture.

Scoop the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round piping tip. Pipe the mixture onto the prepared sheet pans lengthwise, leaving about 1-inch between each strip. Sprinkle the tops with enough of the remaining cornstarch and sugar mixture to lightly cover. Let the strips set for 4 hours or up to overnight.

Cut into 1/2 inch pieces using a pizza wheel or scissors dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining sugar mixture and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

From Food Network

Rolls or Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup Warm Water
1 1/2 Tbs Dry Yeast
1/2 Tbs Sugar

1 Cup Warm Water
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Butter (softened)
3 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
5-6 cups All Purpose Flour

Mix 1/2 cup warm water with yeast and 1/2 Tbs sugar in a large bowl (I use my stand mixer with the dough hook). Let stand for 10 minutes. Add salt, sugar, butter, eggs, 1 cup warm water and slowly add flour while mixing. Dough should be sticky. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 1 hour. Punch down and cover and let rise one more hour.

For Cinnamon Rolls-Push dough out with hands into a rectangle to 1/2 inch thick, Spread 1/2 cup soft butter over dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Roll dough into a long log. Cut into 1" slices using a piece of string under the log. Place rolls on a greased baking sheet (jelly roll pan is best) barely touching each other. Let rise 20-30 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Yeild 20 big rolls.

Frosting
1/4 cup Softened Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 TBS Milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar.

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl using a wisk or hand mixer. Frost Cinnamon Rolls right after they com out of the oven.

For rolls- After letting the dough rise twice, break off dough into a little larger than golf ball size pieces and roll into balls and place on greased baking sheet or jelly roll pan barely touching, let rise 40 minutes and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

I got this from a friend in Brentwood named Diane Low and we make the rolls a lot!

Pam Walton's Cranberry fluff

1 cup Chopped Cranberries
1 cup Chopped Apples
1/2 cup Sugar (more or less to suit your taste)
2 cups Mini Marshmallows
1 lg Cool Whip
Chopped Nuts if desired

You can mix the cranberries, apples & sugar earlier and put it in an air tight container. Mix the marshmallows, cool whip, nuts in at the last minute. Yum yum yum!

Skinner's Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

These are very yummy and easy peasy!

2 cups (12 ounce pkg) chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
3 large eggs - slightly beaten
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9x13 inch pan

In a large heavy duty sauce pan, melt butter and 1 cup chocolate chips over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and baking soda. Stir in remaining chocolate chips & nuts. Spread in pan.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan. Makes 2 dozen (HA!).