Pretzel Spider Webs

Recipe and Photos from:
Making Memories

What you'll need:
* stick pretzels
* white melting chocolate
* raisins


Arrange the pretzels like this

Melt the chocolate according to package directions. Spoon into a plastic sandwich bag with a small hole cut in the tip.

Squirt some white chocolate in the middle to secure the pieces and then make 3 circles around the pretzels. Add raisins for spiders.

Boo Cups

Recipe and Photo From: Meet the Dubiens

What You Need

3/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg.(3 oz.) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
2 cups ice cubes
2/3 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
8 miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Make It

ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice; stir 3 to 5 min. or until gelatin is thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. Whisk in 1/3 cup COOL WHIP until well blended. Pour into 4 dessert dishes. It will be pretty liquidy at this point but will firm up nicely in the fridge.

REFRIGERATE 30 min. or until firm.

Top with Cool Whip to make a ghost shape and add mini chocolate chip eyes.

Deviled Egg Eyeballs

Another fun Halloween idea! I have not made these yet, but I will be tomorrow!

Recipe and Photo from Recipe Shoebox

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 c mayonnaise
1-2 tsp yellow mustard
salt/ pepper to taste
black olives
red and blue food coloring
toothpick
piping bag


The Directions:
Slice your hard boiled eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop (or pop) out the yellow yolk into a small bowl.
Mash up the yolks with a fork and then add mayonnaise and mustard. Blend well to make as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper according to your tastes. You may also want to add more mayonnaise or mustard depending on your taste. Add a couple drops of blue food coloring and mix well.

Cut your olives into slices. You can choose to leave them round and have round black eyeballs in the middle, or cut smaller pieces of olive to represent the iris. Place your olives in the middle of the yolk.

Squeeze a little red food coloring onto a plate or even a spoon to use. Take the tip of your toothpick and dip it in the food coloring. Now draw red squiggle lines to make it look like the eyes are blood shot.

Marshmallow Ghosts

I have not actually made these yet, but I wanted to post before Halloween so you would have a chance to make this super cute treat! I will be making mine this weekend and I can't wait!

Update...
*I had a lot of chocolate left over...enough to do another bag of marshmallows!

You will need a food marker for the ghost face, which I heard you could buy at Walmart. I couldn't find any when I looked though. I would guess Hobby Lobby or Michaels carries these markers?

Update...
*Could not find a food marker, instead bought a bottle of Wiltons black icing in a jar. I used a lollipop stick to stamp on the ghost face.

** Adapted from Yum! Magazine for Kids

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon shortening

Graham Cracker crumbs

Pretzel sticks

Large Marshmallows


Draw a ghost face on Marshmallows.

Melt the chocolate chips and shortening together in the mircrowave for about 1 minute. Stir until completely melted – don’t overheat or you’ll burn the chocolate!

Stick a pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip the bottom of the marshmallow in the chocolate and then in the graham cracker crumbs.

Set on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in the frig for about 15 minutes, or until chocolate sets.

Menu Planning Monday

Ok, so I have been falling behind on getting all the meals that I have planned to make-actually made. This week I will play "catch up" going back over the last few weeks to make some recipes that never became a reality.

Here are the ones I am hoping to actually get to this week.

3 Meat Soup
Hasselback Potatoes and Steak
Beef Tenderloin Steak, Cheesy Ranch Twice Baked Potatoes

Boo Cups
Watermelon Lemonade
Apple Cookies with Carmel

Ok- we will just try to accomplish this much this week...here's to hoping it happens.

Parmesan Garlic Rolls

Ingredients:
24 frozen Rhodes rolls
5 tbsp. melted butter
parmesan cheese-to taste
garlic salt-to taste

Directions:
Place frozen rolls in well greased muffin tin. Brush butter on tops with a pastry brush-this was Destrie's job.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese and garlic salt on top.
Let rise according to the directions.
Bake according to the directions on roll package.

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 8
Kiley:
Madee:
Destrie: good

Johnny Fries

This is a recipe for baked Fries. This lovely seasoning makes them absolutely delicious.

I have also sprinkled this seasoning on french fries after they have come out of the fryer. YUM! Anyway, on to the recipe.

Ingredients:
4 large russet potatoes
4 Tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
Johnny's salt-to taste

Directions:
Wash potatoes, pat dry, cut into wedges. Coat with light layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with Johnny's salt. Bake in 350 degree oven for about an hour.

*variation-can coat fries in buttermilk instead of olive oil before baking... I will try this next time!

Rate It!
Yum! from everyone

Pumpkin Bread

Recipe and photo from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two loaf pans.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, vanilla and sugar until well blended.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

* I added 1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 8.5
Kiley:
Madee: 8
Destrie: 10

Menu Planning Monday

We are looking at a busy fun filled week ahead of us. The kids will be out of school on Thursday and Friday, so we plan on making some yummy treats. Here is a look at what we will be eating this week:

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup/ BreadSticks

Healthy Johnny Fries-
*****Yes sometimes we just eat fries for dinner! Especially when we have all those lovely Idaho potatoes to eat! But these are at least kinda healthy and not fried, so it's all good...right?

3 Meat Soup with Garlic Parmesan Rolls

Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes with Steak and Beans

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bake

Other Yummies:
Pumpkin Bread
Boo Cups
Watermelon Lemonade
Apple Cookies with Carmel

Zesty Ground Beef Potato Topper for Baked Potatoes

*picture to come soon!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
2 T. oil
1 pkg. Lipton dry onion soup mix
1 tsp. paprika
1 8 oz sour cream

Directions:
Brown ground beef in oil until no longer pink. Add onion soup mix, Remove from heat, stir in paprika and sour cream. Spoon over baked potatoes.

*Recipe from my new potato cook book


Rate It!
Jen: 8-
Kile: not home
Kiley: not home
Madee: 6
Destrie:6...he had only one bite.

Ooops!

Well, you may have noticed there was no menu planning going on here yesterday. We were at the condo at Snowbird and got home late last night. The hubby is in St. George this week for training so it's just me and the kiddos and Kiley is working most nights. I will have a few more potato recipes to share though this week and us girls plan on making some fudge later in the week, so check back for that. Kiley is getting a recipe from her friend Emmy, who makes fudge often with her mom. Can't wait it's going to be fun! Have a great week!

Parmesan Potato Wedges

*Recipe from my mom- DeeAnne Godfrey

Ingredients:
3-4 Russet Potatoes
1/2 butter-or
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray
Parmesan Cheese
Garlic Salt
Mrs. Dash Seasoned Salt
Parsley Flakes

Directions:
Wash potatoes and cut into wedges. Lay on cookie sheet. Drizzle butter over all potatoes. Sprinkle with garlic salt, Mrs. Dash, parsley flakes, and parmesan cheese. Make sure potatoes are evenly covered with seasonings. Bake at 350 degrees until fork tender. Serve with sour cream or ranch dressing for dipping.

Rate It!
Jen: 8.5
Kile: not home
Kiley: didn't have any
Madee:
Destrie: good

Beef Stew with Potatoes

Recipe and photo from Jamie Cooks It Up


1 pound beef stew chunks
4 carrots, sliced
4 medium potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
1 1 oz. package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 10.5 oz cans cream of mushroom soup
1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1. Cut up your vegetables.
2. Spray the inside of your crock pot. Layer the beef, carrots, potatoes, and onion in the crock. Place the bay leaf on top.
3. In a medium sized bowl combine the Soup Mix, cream of mushroom soup (undiluted) and tomato sauce. Stir them all around until mixed well.
4. Pour the soup mixture over the top of the veggies and beef. Don't stir.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Rate It!
Jen: 7
Kile: 8
Kiley: not home
Madee: 5
Destrie: ok

Country Boy Microwave Scramble

*Recipe from my new potato cook book

Ingredients:
1 large potato-peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
dash garlic powder

Directions:
Combine potato, onion, and pepper in a greased 9x13 pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes. In separate bowl combine eggs, milk and all other ingredients. Beat slightly. Pour egg mixture over ingredients in pie plate. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes-stirring after 2 minutes. Let stand 1 minute before serving.

Rate It!
This meal came together quickly when I was in a pinch for time. Not a fancy dish... just your basic eggs and potatoes. We liked it enough to eat again- not really something we felt the need to rate though.

Menu Planning Monday

Announcing our "theme" for the month....

It's Potato Month here on the blog!!!

I will be featuring several potato recipes...from potato toppers, to side dishes, and on to soups and main dishes. There will even be some bread and roll recipes and also, are you ready for this???...dessert recipes that use potatoes. There will also be some fun Halloween recipes popping up here on the blog-because of my great love for Halloween! Get ready...Here we go!


Every September, a trek is made to Grace, Idaho to get potatoes. Check out how big these potatoes are. We had a baked potato bar for dinner last night and one potato fed me, Kile, and Destrie!

Let me tell you, this is one of my favorite times of year. Those of you who know me know that I LOVE potatoes. If I had to pick one food to eat the rest of my life, it would be a potato.... in some shape or form!

This year, there was a cookbook available at the place where we get our potatoes, so several recipes will come from this book.

My menu plan for the week:

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Potato Wedges, Watermelon

Potatoes with Zesty Ground Beef Topping, Grapes

Beef Tenderloin Steak, Cheesy Ranch Twice Baked Potatoes

Country Boy Microwave Scramble with Toast

Light Potato Soup, Breadsticks


Also, if any of you have a favorite potato dish...please send me your recipe. I would love to try it!