Ooey Gooey Chex Mix (Christmas Crack)

I have this same recipe and made a bowl of this for Christmas.  My wife has threatened me if I ever make it again she is going to kill me.  It definitely crack because once you start you can't leave it alone.  This recipe comes from
the recipe critic.com

Ingredients

• 6 cups corn Chex Cereal
• 6 cups golden grahams cereal
• 2 cups coconut
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup butter

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix Corn Chex cereal, golden grahams cereal, coconut, and almonds. Set aside.

1. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine the corn syrup, sugar and butter. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for about two minutes.
2. Pour over the cereal mix and mix well until the cereal is coated. Spread on a cookie sheet to cool.

Chicken & Black Bean Casserole

This recipe comes from the web site of gardenmatter.com/

Ingredients

• 1 lg onion chopped
• 1 lg green pepper chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 (15 oz) bottle of chunky salsa
• 1 lg can (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
• 1 T. cumin
• 1 t salt
• 1 t black pepper
• 1 t red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 package 8-10 count flour tortillas
• 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

1. Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, beans, salsa, tomatoes and chicken. Simmer on medium to low heat for 10 minutes.
2. Spoon some of this mixture into a 13 x 9 baking pan or two 8x8 pans.
3. Cut the tortillas in half.
4. Line the pan with the tortillas by placing the flat cut side against the sides allowing the center to overlap.
5. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheese on top of the tortilla layer.
6. Spoon half of the chicken and bean mixture on top.
7. Place another layer of tortillas on next followed by cheese and the remaining chicken & beans.
8. Finish with the remaining cheese.
9. Cover with foil and cook for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
10. Serve with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

Peppermint Fudge

This recipe comes from a spicy perspective  It is one of two fudges I made this year.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon butter + extra for buttering the dish
• 1 pound dark chocolate chips/chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup Andes Peppermint Chuncks

Directions:

1. Grease a 8x8 or 8x11 bakibng dish.  Sprinkle half the peppermint chunks in the bottom of the dish and set aside.
2. Place a medium sauce pot over medium heat with 2 inches of water. Place a glass bowl over the top--making sure the glass doesn't touch the water.
3. Pour the condensed milk and butter in the bowl and heat.
4. Add the chocolate chips and salt in the bowl. Stir the chocolate and watch as it melts and thickens--about 5 minutes.
5. The mixture should thicken to a THICK cake batter consistency--almost too thick to pour.
6. Add both extracts and mix well.
7. Pour the mixture into the dish. Gently tap the dish on the counter for at least a minute to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface and to smooth the surface.
8. Sprinkle the remaining peppermint chips over the top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, maybe longer, to set.
9. To cut, dip a sharp knife in hot tap water, wipe and cut quickly. Dip and wipe the knife between cuts. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Broken Glass Salad

This recipe is one of the first things I ever made, when I first started cooking.  It is now a staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas.


1/2 cup butter (melted)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 box vanilla wafers

Crush wafers.  Add sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.  Press 1/2 cookie mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

1-3 oz box red jello
1-3 oz box green jello
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1 15 oz can pineapple tidbits (drained, reserving juice)
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Set a 3 oz. box of red jello and a 3 oz box of green jello in 1 1/2 cups hot water in 9x13 pans. I set these first.  When set cut into small cubes. Make cookie mixture.  Dissolve 1 envelope of Knox gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water.  Stir in 1/4 cup hot pineapple juice.  Whip 1 pint whipping cream along with sugar.  Add Knox gelatin mixture.  Stir in jello's, pineapple, and nuts.  Pour over crumb mixture.  Top with balance of crumbs.

Easy Chocolate Drizzled Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

5 candy canes, crushed (or peppermints if you don’t have candy canes)

This recipe comes from acultivatednest web site.  Some great things here.  I made this as part of my neighbor gift plate.  My wife loves Rice Krispie Treats and really enjoyed this one.



Ingredients
5-6 C. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
1 10.5 oz package of Peppermint Marshmallows (check the seasonal section of your store)
4 tbs. butter
4 oz. chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts, any brand (white chocolate looks pretty too)

Directions
1. Melt the butter and peppermint marshmallows on low heat stirring frequently until melted.
2. While the marshmallows and butter are melting, line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with some non-stick cooking spray. This will help tremendously with sticking.
3. Once the marshmallows and butter have completely melted, pour in the Rice Krispie cereal and stir well coating all the Rice Krispies.
4. Quickly pour the mixture in the baking dish and press down. Evenly. This is where sandwich baggie #1 comes into play. I wore it like a glove and sprayed it with non-stick spray and then evenly pressed down on the Rice Krispie bars making them even in the pan.
5. Pour the chocolate chips into a small microwave safe dish and heat in 20 second increments, stirring every 20 seconds until melted. Remove from the microwave and let cool a few minutes.
Scoop the melted chocolate into sandwich baggie #2 and snip the corner of the baggie with the kitchen scissors.
6. Gently squeeze the chocolate out of the sandwich bag over the Rice Krispie treats. It doesn’t have to be perfect, I just criss-crossed and went back and forth.
7. Lastly, sprinkle with the crushed candy canes (or peppermints). They will stick on top of the melted chocolate.
8. Cut evenly into 24 squares. 2 squares = 1 serving. Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Disneyland Monte Cristo

As you may or may not know, my family went to Disneyland without me last month due to a blood clot in my leg.  One of the things my daughter was looking forward to having at the park was the Monte Cristo Sandwich at the Blue Bayou Cafe, but due to time and may other factors she didn't get her sandwich.  I am putting a recipe on my blog just for her.  This recipe comes from the now defunct Disney Magazine.  It is printed on the web page titled "Theme Park Insider":   http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201404/3982/


Disneyland's Blue Bayou Monte Cristo

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 3/4 c + 2 T water

1 3/4 c flour

3/4 t salt

1 t baking powder

8 slices thick, high quality white or egg bread (challah's the best)

4 slices ham

4 slices turkey

4 slices Swiss cheese

3 c canola oil

Powdered Sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Batter:

 Whisk egg and water in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Then add flour, salt, and baking powder, whisking until smooth.

Sandwich:

Place one slice of ham, turkey and cheese on flour slices of bread, topping with remaining slices of bread.  Quarter each sandwich by slicing from corner to corner.

Cooking:

Heat oil in a skillet to 350 degrees.  Dip each quarter of sandwich into the batter, coating it completely, allowing excess to drip away.  Place each sandwich section in the oil and allow to cook for 3 minutes on each side.  Once fried on both sides, carefully remove the sandwich pieces and let sit to drain on paper towel-lined plate for a moment before dusting with powdered sugar.  Serve immediately.

Not Going To Change After All.................

I have decided to keep the individual pages for the time being.  So I will be posting here and hopfully adding a couple of new recipes each week.  Thanks for stopping by to look.