Cracker Brittle Crunch

 


What you'll need:
1 sleeve of saltine crackers
1 cup of butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Nuts




Instructions:

Line baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray.
In saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil for three minutes.
Remove from heat and add baking soda, stirring well.
Pour over crackers and bake 6-8 minutes.

Remove from the oven and top with nuts.
Cool and break into pieces.

The Real Scoop
by Andrew
These were very sticky and sweet.  I think it should be called "Ghetto Peanut Brittle."



Out of the mouths of babes.

Another Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 4 cups broccolini florets, chopped broccoli rabe or broccoli florets
• Salt
• 1 pound whole wheat penne, twists or elbows or brown rice pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, very finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small Fresno chili pepper or red cherry pepper, seeded and very finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded yellow sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup aged Gouda cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Parmigiano Reggaino cheese, freshly shredded
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped

Preparation:
Bring a few inches of water to a boil. Salt the water and parboil broccolini, rabe or broccoli for 4-5 minutes. Drain and cold shock, then dry on kitchen towels.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and undercook the pasta by about 2 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
Heat a saucepan over medium heat with the EVOO and butter. Sauté the shallots, garlic and chilies for 2-3 minutes, then add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and season the sauce with salt and pepper; melt in the cheddar and Gouda.
Combine the pasta with the broccolini, rabe or broccoli and the sauce and transfer to a baking dish. Top with the Parmigiano Reggaino cheese, sprinkle with fresh thyme and bake until brown and bubbly.


Of course, I was out of broccoli when I made this.

I was also out of thyme.

We all thought it needed more salt and pepper, but it was pretty good overall.  The only complaint I had was the cost.  With all of those cheeses, it became a bit pricey.  At any rate, it dressed up our meager fish sticks and asparagus.

The Real Scoop
by Andrew

Now THAT'S CHEESY!

Breakfast Curls

What's needed:
2 cans croissants
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup of nuts
1/2 cup melted butter

Instructions:
Mix together dry ingredients.
Roll up croissants as usual.
Dip in butter then roll in the dry mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees till golden, approx. 10 minutes.

This picture doesn't do justice to the yumminess.  These tasted like Monkey Bread!

Southern Shortbread Cookies

1/2 cup of softened butter
5 tablespoons of sugar
1 cup of flour
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
whole almonds


Cream butter and sugar.  Add flour, salt and vanilla.

Roll into small balls, then flatten by pressing an almond into the top.

Bake 20 minutes or till golden.

The recipe only made as many cookies as shown (plus the three for neighborhood children I used as taste-testers).  That's 14 cookies total.  BOO!  The recipe said it made 30 cookies, and as you can see, I made them small...not much bigger than the almond on top.

Also, since this dough had no liquid but the vanilla, they were very difficult to roll into balls.  In fact, I had to squeeze the dough into balls.

They were tasty, but I probably won't make these again.

This recipe was borrowed from Eat Dessert First! by Sue Ellen Cooper.

Buckeyes

Look at this picture.  There is no better sight than rows and rows of Buckeyes.

Question:  I used a toothpick to dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate.  A hole was left.  Do you fill in the hole?  It looked weird if I didn't.

Here is the recipe I used. 
(Note - it does NOT require paraffin.)

1 1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. soft butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp. salad oil
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi sweet morsels

Cream butter, peanut butter. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Roll into balls and place on waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate.

Melt oil and chocolate pieces together. Drip half of ball into chocolate mixture. Return to cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

Very rich if you use milk chocolate chips!

Christmas Cookies

Using a basis sugar cookie, I made several shapes this year.  I have to admit, though, that they kicked my ass.  I don't know if it's the difference in humidity or the new oven or WHAT, but these cookies were puffing up to unrecognizable (and unusable) shapes.  What's here are the only designs that turned out. 

Mimi Bites

I think it was Plato who said that necessity was the mother of invention.  Mom didn't like the new Wheaties Fuel cereal, so she invented a yummy new way to use it.  Go, Mom!

Mimi Bites
6 cups Wheaties Fuel
4 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
Slowing heat marshmallows and butter. Butter a 9X12 pan. When marshmallows melted take off heat and stir in cereal. Turn into pan, Put wax paper on your hand and flatten. Cool, cut and eat!