A few Pictures from SouthDakota Hunting

The Root Beer Explosion

I am posting a pic for those that wanted to see what happens when "RootBeer Making Goes Wrong"

Baking: Bumblebee the Transformer Cake and Cookies

A Treat: Marshmallow Caramel Corn

Marshmallow Caramel Corn

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 cups mini marshmallows
2 bags microwave popcorn (popped)

Melt butter in bowl in microwave. Stir in brown sugar. Microwave 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups marshmallows. Cook 1 minute. In large bowl mix 2 cups marshmallows and popcorn. Pour sugar mixture over popcorn and mix well. Enjoy!

Halloween Iced Sugar Cookies

80's Rock Star Costumes

Cindy Lauper and Bret Michaels - enough said

Baking: Scooby Do Cake and Cookies

Quinn's Field Trip To Vala's Pumpkin Patch

Halloween cookies from the past

Trying to decide what kind of iced halloween cookies to make this year???

Easy Chicken Recipe: Russian Chicken

Not the same old chicken.....

4 pound chicken
1/4 cup mayo
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/2 cup Russian Dressing ( i used Western)
1 cup Apricot preserves

Arrange chicken in an ungreased 13x9 baking pan; set aside. Mix remaining ingredients; spread over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. Serves 4.

Making: Halloween Tags

Weekend Project: The Boys Made Rootbeer

The boys are anxiously waiting to try the finished product. The Rootbeer will be ready to try in 7 days!

Cute hamburger cupcakes!

Cute hamburger cupcakes!
Originally uploaded by smileys sweets

We are Going to make these for a cub scout snack and project today.

First Snow in October

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup unsalted butter
* 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
* 1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
* 2 eggs
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups white chocolate chips
* 1 cup chopped pecans


DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda.
2. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Beat in pumpkin pie puree. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the white chocolate and pecans.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 20-22 minutes until just set.

Beef Brisket with Ginger Gravy

2 pkgs dry onion soup mix
2 cups water
8 to 10 pounds of beef brisket
12 ounces chili sauce
10 ginger snap cookies

Pour dry onion soup mix into bottom of a large roasting pan. Pour in water and stir to combine. Place brisket into pan and cover meat with chili sauce. Break cookies into pieces and sprinkle around meat. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Check occasionally and add more water if needed. Remove meat from pan and thinly slice. Return sliced meat to pan and spoon sauce over meat. Cover and cook another hour. Then turn heat down to 250 degrees and cook another 2 to 3 hours until meat is very tender. Serves 8 to 10.

Paper Crafting: Halloween die Cuts

What to Do will all those Green Tomatoes

Cooking green tomatoes

Because green tomatoes are not fully ripe, they can be a tad bitter and not nearly as sweet as red tomatoes. Green tomatoes won’t be your first choice for a salad or sandwich, but they will become something deliciously special if you cook them.

You can certainly fry green tomatoes, but they are equally pleasing when cooked into a soup, pickled, or transformed into sauce, jam, salsa or marmalade. You can also stew green tomatoes, include them in a tomato pie, or even stuff them with tasty ingredients.

Go out to your garden, pluck those green tomatoes off the vine and use them in the following green tomato recipes or a few of your own inventive green tomato dishes.
Green tomato recipes
Green Tomato and Squash Soup

Green Tomato and Squash Soup Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup diced bacon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 bay leaf
2 pounds green tomatoes, chopped
1/2 pound yellow squash, diced
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Creme fraiche

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Add green onions, garlic, and bay leaf, cooking until fragrant, about 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, squash, broth, water, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes are very tender.

3. Let soup cool and transfer half of it to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour blended soup back into pot with the rest of the soup and heat again to serve.

4. Top each bowl with a dollop of creme fraiche.
Green Tomato Salsa Verde

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 tomatillos
2 fresh jalapenos, halved, seeded
4 green tomatoes
1 large red tomato
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse well.

2. Cut tomatillos in half and arrange, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Broil for 5 to 6 minutes or until skin is lightly charred. Remove from oven and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes and jalapenos in a pot of boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain vegetables.

4. Combine jalapenos, tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro in a blender. Pulse until thick and chunky.

5. Serve with tortilla chips or over grilled chicken or steak.
Cheesy Green Tomato Casserole

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon butter, softened
1 pound green tomatoes, thickly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh basil, minced
1 day old French baguette, cubed and toasted
4 tablespoons shredded fontina cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Saute onion and garlic in melted butter in a skillet over medium heat until translucent and tender.

3. Arrange half of the tomato slices on the bottom of the baking dish and season to taste with salt, pepper, and basil.

4. Spoon half of the onion mixture over top of the tomatoes then top with half of the toasted bread and half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tomatoes, onion mixture, and cheese.

5. Bake casserole 45 to 50 minutes or until cheese is melted and tomatoes are softened. Serve warm.


Information from Sheknows.com