Blankets for Baby Jerzi

Needed an alternative to knot-tying fleece. So I used a thick ribbon, ironed it in half and sewed a pattern around the edges. Turned out super cute, will be able to do edges better next attempt! Leave a good 1-2 inch length of ribbon on edges.

Brownies (Karlene's)

1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt


On stove melt butter, add cocoa. Take off stove and add sugar, stir well. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla, flour, and salt.
Pour in greased/floured 9x13 in. pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350

Mini Caramel-Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites (picky -palate.com)

8 whole Oreos, finely ground in food processor
1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 Cup pumpkin puree (I used Libby’s)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
3 Litehouse Lowfat caramel dip (comes in a package of 6 20z little cups)
12 Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine ground Oreos and melted butter into a bowl until well combined. Spoon into 12 mini cheesecake cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Press into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat. Partially bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.
2. In a stand or electric mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined. Pour evenly into the 12 cups filling about 3/4 way full. Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel into the tops of each filled cup and swirl with a toothpick gently. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through. Let cool completely.
3. Remove cheesecakes from pan and top each with a spoonful of remaining caramel and a Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kiss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
12 mini cheesecakes

Grasshopper Tarts (By Peabody)

Chocolate Tart Shell:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Green and Black’s)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
½ cup unsalted butter, chilled, diced into small pieces
2 large egg yolks
1 TBSP Crème de Mente (or 1 tsp peppermint extract)
1 TBSP whole milk

Using a food processor, add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar. Pulse for about 10 seconds until all ingredients are combined.
Add the butter. Make sure to spread the pieces evenly through out the bowl. Pulse until the dough forms into pieces (about the size of couscous).
Add egg yolks, Crème de Mente, and milk. Pulse until completely combined and it has formed into dough.
Divide in half. Form into disc shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to overnight).
Remove from fridge and lightly flour a work surface. Roll out and form into tart pan/tart rings. Prick the dough with a fork. Cover with parchment paper and use beans or pie weights to hold dough down.
Bake for 8 minutes on 350F. Remove from oven. Carefully remove parchment paper and weights. Place back into oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Filling:
8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
5 TBSP unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup water
handful of mint leaves

In a small saucepan bring 1 cup (but you will only be using ¼ cup of it) water and mint leaves to a boil. Remove from heat. Let sit for 1 hour. Strain out the mint leaves and set aside.
Using a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together, just until smooth. Set aside.
Bring ¼ cup of the mint water to a boil.
Whisk egg yolk in small heatproof bowl.
Gradually whisk in ¼ cup boiling mint water to temper the egg yolk. Place bowl over a small saucepan that has shallow simmering water (or you can use another double boiler) until instant-read thermometer inserted into egg mixture registers 160°F, about 3 minutes.
Whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.
Pour chocolate filling into crust. Cover and chill overnight or up to 2 days.
Garnish with marshmallow topping in whatever patterns you would like.
Before serving, let tart soften slightly at room temperature.

Marshmallow Topping:
1 ½ cups marshmallows
1 TBSP Crème de Mente
1 TBSP whole milk
couple drops of green food coloring
In a small saucepan combine all ingredients and melt marshmallows down over low heat. When marshmallows have melted and it looks sauce-like, remove from pan. Decorate tart.Grasshopper Tatrs

Pretzel Salad

2 1/2 cups pretzels (crushed)
1 1/2 cups butter (melted)
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 containers cool whip (or one large perhaps?)
1 large box raspberry Jello
2 cups pineapple juice
1 bag frozen raspberries

Mix pretzels and butter; Bake 10 minutes on 400, cool.
Mix cream cheese, sugar, and 1 container cool whip, spread on cooled crust.
Mix Jello and pineapple juice making jello following recipe.
When partial set add raspberries, and layer on cream cheese. Refrigerate to set and top with cool whip.

Cookie Salad (Aunt Debbie)

First time I remember having this salad was at Bunco in Mona with aunt debbie and her friends. It was so much fun, I loved having that time with her and will remember that experience every time I eat this salad! Love her!!



3 oz pkg vanilla pudding
1 cup buttermilk
20 oz can mandarin oranges (drained)
15 oz can pineapple chunks (drained)
10 oz cool whip
1/2 pkg mini marshmallows
1 pkg keebler fudge striped cookies

Mix pudding and buttermilk. Add other ingredients. Break up cookies and add. Mix well, chill and serve. But actually I only add the cookies right before the salad is served otherwise they get soggy! Top with a few large pieces.

Cafe Rio Salads (Grams and my own twists)

Cafe Rio Pork (or chicken)

1 pork roast
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 can dr. pepper
salt and pepper

Put roast in crock pot, season with s&p and garlic. Add dr. pepper (or other soda- pepsi, coke etc.) Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. Make dressing. When roast is done drain and pull pork with forks. Wipe out crock pot and put pork back in. Add:

1 small can diced green chiles
3/4 cup brown sugar
add some green enchilada sauce to wanted consistency (1/2 cup- 1 cup?)

warm up 20 minutes. Start making beans and rice.

Beans and Rice

1 box Zatarains Black beans and rice

Cafe Rio Dressing

1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as recipe says. Mix with sour cream)
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic (minced)
lime juice (jesse likes ALOT)
1 jalapeno (do not use seeds unless want it HOT)

Use food processor or blender to blend all ingredients well. Refrigerate.

Warm up tortillas one at a time in frying pan, top with cheese before serving.
Add your meat, some cooked corn, beans and rice, dressing and top with tortilla strips.