Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Scotch Kisses (like See's Candies)





1 pint whipping cream
1 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 (10 oz. each) bags regular marshmallows, cut in half*

Combine cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a DEEP medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage) (mixture will be milky white at first, but will turn a butterscotch color as it comes up to temperature). Remove from heat; let sit a few minutes until mixture begins to thicken slightly (it usually takes between 3-5 minutes....the test I use is I take the wooden spoon I was stirring it with and see if when it drizzles off, it looks a little thicker than when I took it off the stove-if it's boiling hot, the marshmallows will melt on contact). dip each marshmallow half in the butterscotch to coat, letting the excess drip off; place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Let sit, uncovered, overnight. Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Makes over 100.

*The easiest way to cut the marshmallows is with kitchen scissors....I dip them in hot water, dry them and cut the marshmallows through the middle, then put them cut side up on a tray. Make sure to keep the cut side up as that side is REALLY sticky and will stick to whatever you put them on. Cut the marshmallows before you get your butterscotch started....that's what I do. I have the "assembly line" all set up.....marshmallows...hot plate for the butterscotch and then the lined cookie sheets. I drop the marshmallow in the butterscotch-one at a time or they'll melt on you-then take my 2-tined meat fork and fish it out of the butterscotch, let the excess drip back into the pan and slide the marshmallow onto the lined cookie sheet with my metal cake tester...works like a charm! Also-when the hot butterscotch comes off the stove-since my saucepan isn't that heavy, I have the heating pad plugged in and on high-I set the pan on that, then wrap a hand towel around the pan and clothespin it....keeps the pan warm. As the butterscotch cools down, it will thicken and won't coat the marshmallows. You sort of have to work quick, but it's not that bad. Get your older kids involved if there are any in the house-they'd love it! I get hubby involved when I make them on the weekend and he's home-he actually enjoys it!
Oh-and as far as wrapping them...yes, that's a pain.....but....take one of the tips I posted about cutting an inexpensive roll of plastic wrap in half and use that......works SO good! I rip off a ton of pieces and lay them out 9-10 at a time...take a butter knife and run it under the marshmallow, taking up the butterscotch that "pools" around it, plop it on the plastic wrap, fold it over and twist the ends. These will keep for a good 2-3 weeks if stored air tight.

Now DON'T let the length of the explanation scare you! I just wanted to save you all the headaches I went through getting these right! Last year, I made 5 batches of these, between the Christmas Fair and gifts....and enjoyed every minute of it. They're not hard at all, once you get the hang of it and get a system going that works for you-and man are they ever good-they're downright addictive!
Also-that pinch of salt in the recipe is IMPORTANT....I forgot to use it one time and the butterscotch was SO gooey it stuck to the plastic wrap more than the marshmallow. That pinch of salt helps the butterscotch "dry out" a little...I call it "semi-tacky"....they're easier to eat right off the plastic wrap than to peel off and eat...your fingers might get a little sticky but it's all good!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Frosty Mandarin Oranges

1 (6 oz.) pkg. orange Jell-O
2 c. boiling water
1 can mandarin oranges
cold water and juice to make 1 cup
1 pt. orange sherbet, softened

Dissolve Jell-O in 2 cups boiling water. Drain oranges, reserving juice, add water to juice to make 1 cup. Add this to Jell-O mix. Chill until slightly thick. Blend in sherbet and oranges. Pour into mold and refrigerate.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Hershey Bar Pie

1 (6.0 oz.) HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bar, broken into pieces
1 tub (8 oz.) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
1 packaged crumb crust (6 oz.)
Directions:1. Place candy bar pieces in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute or until chocolate is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly.

2. Fold whipped topping into melted chocolate; spoon into crust. Cover; refrigerate 6 hours or until firm. Garnish as desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover pie. 6 to 8 servings.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Sour Cream Swiss Steak

1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons each salt,pepper,paprika and ground mustard
3 lbs boneless round steak,cut into serving size pieves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups (12oz) sour cream
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 to 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour

In a shallow bowl, combine flour,salt and pepper, paprika and mustard;dredge the steak. In a large skillet,heat oil and butter. Cook steak on both sides until browned. Carefully add water; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. In a bowl, combine the sour cream onion, garlic,soy sauce,brown sugar and flour; til til smooth. Transfer steak to a greased 2 1/2 qt baking dish, add sour cream mixture. Cover and bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Yield 6-8 servings

Lemon Buttermilk Pudding Cake

6 Servings

As it bakes, this homey classic separates into a layer of light cake on top of a delicious lemon curd.


3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp salted butter, melted
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1/3 cup lemon juice



In large bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale; beat in flour and salt.

Whisk in buttermilk, butter, lemon rind and lemon juice.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold one-third into milk mixture. Fold in remaining whites.

Pour into greased 8-inch (2 L) square glass baking dish. Place dish in roasting pan; pour in enough hot water to come halfway up sides of dish.

Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until top is golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from water; let cool on rack for 30 minutes.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Hearty Muffuletta



I found this @ Taste of Home on Facebook....can't wait to try it!!

8-10 ServingsPrep: 55 min. + chilling
Ingredients
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives, drained
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup giardiniera
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Canola Oil
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 round loaf (24 ounces) unsliced Italian bread
1/4 pound thinly sliced hard salami
1/4 pound provolone cheese
1/4 pound thinly sliced deli ham
Directions
•In a large bowl, combine the first 12 ingredients. Cover and
refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons
liquid.

•Cut loaf of bread in half; hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 1-in.
shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Brush cut
sides of bread with reserved liquid. Layer bottom of bread shell
with salami, half of the olive mixture, cheese, remaining olive mixture and ham. Replace bread top. Cut into wedges. Yield: 8-10
servings.

Giardiniera is a vegetable mixture available in mild and hot varieties. Look for it in the Italian or pickle section of your local grocery store.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheddar cheese 12-14 corn tortillas 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup sour cream 1 4 oz can of diced gr...