Potato Tart with Bacon, Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Rosemary: Secret Recipe Club

     I was a little bit worried about this month's Secret Recipe Club reveal date.  I had a lot going on around Thanksgiving and December is always extremely busy so I wasn't sure how I was going to find the time this month, but of course I managed.   The blog I had to choose from this month was Fifteen Spatulas which is written by Joanne.  She has a fabulous blog with a ton of delicious looking recipes.  A few that I've marked to make later are her Bourbon Butterscotch Brownies, Lavender Shortbread Cookies, and the Salted Caramel Tart.

    While I wanted to make one of her yummy desserts, I decided to go with a savory dish since this month will be filled with cookie making.  Of course, once I decided on a savory dish I immediately went to the pasta and potatoes section.  I came across a potato tart with bacon and cheese that looked interesting.

     Peeling and slicing the potatoes took forever.  If you have a food processor that slices or a mandolin, I suggest you use it for this.  The potatoes need to be very thinly sliced.  In addition to the gruyere cheese I added in some mozzarella too.  I also sauteed a few onions with some garlic and added it to the dish as well.  The result was really tasty.  The potatoes on top were crispy and the dish was cheesy and delicious.  I liked the way the pie crust kept it all together and made it easy to serve.  This would be a great dish to make for company.

Potato Tart with Bacon, Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Rosemary (adapted from Fifteen Spatulas  )
Pie crust (I used Pilsbury refrigerated pie crust)
3 large russet potatoes
6 slices bacon
½ c. Gruyere cheese, grated
½ c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 t. dried rosemary
2 t. salt

2 t. black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until it is crispy. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. Allow to cool and then crumble and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the pie crust into a pie pan and flute the edges.

3. Remove all but 2 teaspoons of bacon drippings from the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat and add in the onions, cooking for 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.

4. Slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch slices. Line the bottom of the pie crust with a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of bacon, 2 tablespoons of both the Gruyere and mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons of the onion mixture.

5. Repeat 3 more times, until there are 4 layers of potatoes. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the potatoes.

6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the potatoes are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before cutting. Serve while hot.

This post linked to:

Mangia Monday, Making You Crave Monday , Made From Scratch Tuesdays,

Tuesdays at the Table

Pork Medallions in a Balsamic Reduction

     I made this pork with pork chops instead of a pork loin, cut into pieces.  The balsamic vinegar reduction had a great flavor when the Dijon, shallots, and garlic were added into it.  The vinegar thickened up, had a slightly sweet taste, and was flavored with the herbs.  It was great over wild rice.

Pork Medallions in a Balsamic Reduction (adapted from Cooking Light)

2 T. olive oil, divided
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. balsamic vinegar
2 t. sugar
1 t. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 t. parsley, chopped
1 t. black pepper
1 t. Dijon mustard
4 pork chops, cut into 4 pieces each
1 t. salt
2 green onions, chopped

1.  Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Add in the shallots and garlic.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add in the vinegar, sugar, rosemary, parsley, Dijon, and black pepper.  Cook until it is reduced to half a cup.

2.  Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Sprinkle the pork with salt and put in the pan.  Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side. 

3.  Add the balsamic reduction to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with green onions and serve over rice.

 

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Sundae Scoop Sundays

Your Recipe, My Kitchen , Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

Gluten Free Cheesy Dill Bread

     I've had half a box of gluten free Bisquick mix in the back of my cupboard for the past month and I've been dying to get rid of it.  I wanted to make soup for dinner along with some type of biscuit and the only thing I could think of was a cheesy biscuit. 

     I finally went with a cheesy dill biscuit.  Making it with the gluten free Bisquick made it incredibly easy.  They baked up puffy and golden brown.  My husband couldn't tell that they were gluten free.  They were light and fluffy with a lot of cheddar cheese and flecks of dill in them.  These are perfect for anyone who is on a gluten free diet and looking for a delicious biscuit to go with dinner.

Gluten Free Cheesy Dill Biscuits(adapted from Sweet Beginnings)
1 c. gluten free Bisquick
1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 t. sugar
1/2 c. low fat milk
1 egg white, beaten
1 t. vegetable oil
1/2 t. dill
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. parsley

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the Bisquick, cheese, and sugar.  In another bowl combine the remaining ingredients. 

3.  Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well removing the large lumps.  Pour the batter into 6 muffin cups, filling about 2/3 of the way full.

4.  Bake for 17-23 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

This post linked to:

Friday Potluck, Bacon Time with Hungry Hippo

Refrigerator Cookies (Mint, Cinnamon, and Chocolate)

     I first heard about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap on the blog Love and Olive Oil.  Lindsay was putting together a cookie swap for food bloggers all over the world.  All I had to do was sign up, make 3 dozen cookies, and send them to each of my three food bloggers.  In return I would get 3 different dozen cookies from 3 amazing food bloggers. 

     I thought this was such a great idea.   To my amazement over 450 food bloggers signed up to participate!   I was excited because not only would I receive 3 dozen cookies, I would also find out about a lot of cooking blogs that I haven't been to before.  There will also be a cookie round up where all the cookie recipes from each of the food bloggers will be posted.

     One of the stipulations of the swap is that I had to make a cookie that I've never blogged about before.  This left out some of my old stand by favorites that I love to make at the holidays.  However, it did give me a chance to make the beautiful and colorful pinwheel cookies I've been eyeing up on Pintrest.  Creativity goes along with these cookies as you can add any color or flavor you'd like to the dough.  I went with a green mint cookie, red cinnamon cookie, and brown chocolate. 

      All three cookies are buttery and melt in your mouth.  The chocolate cookies were the favorites of many of my friends.  Surprisingly I liked the cinnamon cookies the best.  They were sweet and spicy at the same time.  The best part of these cookies are that they freeze really well so I made double and have 3 cookie dough logs freezing to use before Christmas.  I had a great time look at all the participating blogs and sharing in this fun holiday event with other bloggers in the food blogging community.
   
Cinnamon and Mint Refrigerator Cookies  (adapted from Our Italian Kitchen)
2 1/3 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. sugar
2 sticks butter
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 c. holiday sprinkles

For mint cookies:
green food coloring
2 t. mint extract

For cinnamon cookies:

red food coloring

2 t. cinnamon

1.  In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla.  Beat until fluffy.  Add in the flour while mixing at low speed.  Increase speed and mix until a dough ball forms.

3.  Divide the dough into four pieces.  Return one portion to the stand mixer and add in the mint and green food coloring. Mix until well combined.   Remove and place one other dough portion in the stand mixer and add in the cinnamon and red food coloring.  Mix until well combined. 

4.  Roll out all four portions of dough on a sheet of wax paper, forming an 8 x 10 rectangle.  Place the dough rectangles in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to firm up. 

5.  Remove from refrigerator and place the red dough on top of one of the white doughs and peel off the waxed paper.  Repeat with the remaining green and white dough.  Starting at the long end, roll up each dough until it forms a log (I used the wax paper to help because my hands were causing the buttery dough to fall apart).

6.  Pour the sprinkles onto a large, flat plate.  Roll each of the logs in the sprinkles until they are covered completely.  Wrap the logs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (or freeze for up to 3 months).

7.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.  Slice into 1/4 inch slices and place on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.  Remove from cookie sheet and cool on a wire wrap.  Store in an air tight container. 

Chocolate Pinwheel Refrigerator Cookies (adapted from the Charlotte Observer)

1 1/4 c. unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1.  Beat the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy and light. 

2.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Slowly pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture keeping the mixer on low speed until it is all added.  Continue mixing until a soft dough forms.

3.  Divide the dough in half, returning half to the mixer.  Add in the cocoa powder and mix until well combined.

4.  Divide both the vanilla and chocolate doughs in half, giving you two of each.  Roll out each dough ball on waxed paper making an 8 x 10 rectangle.  Shape the edges to make them straight.

5.  Place the vanilla dough directly on top of the chocolate dough, pinching the edges to seal.  Roll up the tub starting at the long end, pressing at the end to seal the seam.  Repeat with remaining chocolate and vanilla dough.

6.  Wrap each cookie dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  (At this point you can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months.)

7.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Unwrap the dough and slice into 1/4 inch slices.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until starting to brown.  Gently remove to a wire rack and cool.  Store in an air tight container.

This post linked to:

Shine on Friday,  Sweet Tooth Friday ,  Fusion Friday

Sweets for a Saturday,   A Themed Baker's Sunday,  Seasonal Inspiration

Holiday Food Blog Hop

Coffee-Chipotle Pulled Pork

    When my brother decided he was coming to visit and staying for dinner I told him to let me know what he wanted, I would make anything.  After a week of talking it over with his girlfriend he decided on coffee-chipotle pulled pork.  I was thrilled by his choice as I've have this on my "to make" list for several months.

     Because I was making several new dishes the same day, I changed up the recipe to make it as a crock-pot recipe.  The rub smelled sweet and spicy and turned the pork a gorgeous deep red when it was rubbed on it.  The chipotle BBQ sauce was smoky, spicy, and sweet as well.  Next time I'll make a double recipe of the BBQ sauce because it is so delicious and would be good on many different types of meat.

     My brother was thrilled by the results of the pork.  It was tender and juicy with just a slight taste of coffee.  The chipotle was easy to discern in the pork and the sauce.  I served it over top of cheesy grits which was the perfect accompaniment to this sweet and spicy dish.

Coffee-Chipotle Pulled Pork  (adapted from Sunny Side Up in San Diego)
3 lb. boneless pork roast
1 c. water

For the coffee-chipotle rub:

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. black pepper
1/8 c. finely ground dark coffee
2 T. paprika
1 T. kosher salt
1 chipotle pepper, minced
2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. cumin

For the chipotle BBQ sauce:
1 t. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c. ketchup
1/8 c. yellow mustard
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. water

3 canned chipotle peppers in adobe (not full cans, just 3 peppers)

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. white vinegar

1.  In a small bowl combine all the ingredients for the coffee-chipotle rub.  Mix well.  Rub the pork roast on all sides with the rub making sure to massage it into the pork. 

2.  Add 1 cup of water to the crock-pot and put the pork into the crock-pot.  Heat on low for 4 hours.

3.  Place all of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a food processor and process until smooth.  Add half of the sauce to the crock-pot making sure to mix the sauce with the water in the pot.  Make sure the top of the pork roast is completely covered in the sauce.  Continue cooking on low for an additional 4 hours.

4.  Remove the roast from the crock-pot and shred using 2 forks.  Return the shredded pork to the crock-pot and pour another cup of the BBQ sauce on top.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes.

5.  Serve with remaining BBQ sauce.

This post linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesdays,  Totally Tasty Tuesdays , Full Plate Thursdays,

Frugal Food Thursdays, Turning the Table Thursdays, It's A Keeper Thursdays

BLOG TOUR: Monsters of L.A.

    I am pleased to be the second stop on the virtual blog tour for the book Monsters of L.A. by Lisa Morton.   This book is a collection of 20 short stories that bring out many twists to the monsters we all grew up loving.  There's Dracula, Mr. Hyde, The Devil, The Slasher, and many other monsters that hide in the dark.  Lisa Morton brings all of these monsters to life in a very unique way.

     First there is Frankenstein.  His real name is Dan and he is a homeless vet that lost his leg and so much more in the Vietnam War.  The doctors put him back together again and everyone who saw him began calling him Frank because of his stitched up appearance. 

     Then there is Dr. Haley Jekyll, an amazing doctor who has just discovered a drug that will help with gender reassignment.  In order to test the miracle drug Dr. Jekyll tries it on herself and becomes the allusive Mr. Hyde.  Follow this female/male twist of the classic Jekyll/Hyde saga.

    Meet Dracula, a star studded actor with a major attitude.  He only works at night and thinks he can upstage anyone in his movies until he meets young Eddie Cee.  Eddie is definitely more then Dracula bargained for.

     There are 17 other characters in this collection of short stories.  Each story is unique and interesting to read.  Seeing the similarities between the monsters of the past and the characters in the book is great for discussions.  There is a section in the back of the book that tells where the author got her ideas and who the characters are based off of.  Some are merely figments of her imagination while others are based on people she has known or met in L.A.

     The book is easy to pick up and read just one story at a time or to read the entire collection.  Some of the stories go into details and fun to read.  A few of the stories ended abruptly and I wished there were more to them.  It's a different look into the world of monsters.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

**For more information on Lisa Morton or to follow the tour please go to Pump Up Your Book!**

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation

Homemade Pizza Crust

    After making the homemade pizza crust for my deep dish pizza I've decided I need to start making pizza dough more often.  It's easy to make, freezes great, and taste so much better then anything I could buy.  I wanted a thin crust for my pizza and was looking for a recipe that made more then one crust so I could use one and freeze the other.

     The pizza dough that I made is fabulous.  In my opinion there is almost no better smell in the world then yeast dough rising and the baking of fresh bread.  This was no exception.  There are only a few ingredients in the pizza dough so it's simple to make.  I had to add in a little more flour because it was sticky, but otherwise I had no problems.  The dough rolled out nice and think and I just doubled over the edges to make a thicker crust to hold on too.

    The crust tastes thin and fresh.  I made a pizza with half pepperoni for Frank and half vegetables for me.  It was great.  The bottom of the crust was crispy and the end of it was light and delicious.  I can't wait to use it to make stromboli's next time!

Homemade Pizza Crust (adapted from Annie's Eats)
1/2 c. warm water
2 1/4 t. yeast
4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. salt
1 c. water at room temperature
2 T. butter, melted

1.  Put the warm water into a small mixing bowl.  Sprinkle the yeast over the top of it. 

2.  In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt.  Mix to combine.

3.  Measure the room temperature water and add it to the bowl with the yeast mixture.  Stir gently to combine.  Add the yeast mixture and the melted butter to the flour mixture.  Then either mix on low speed or by hand until a dough ball is formed.

4.  Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.  (You can also use a dough hook and knead for 5 minutes.)  Spray a large mixing bowl with cooking spray and put the dough into the bowl, turning once to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap then a clean towel and let sit 2 hours or until doubled in size.

5.  Once the dough has doubled punch it own to deflate.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.  Divide the dough into 2 pieces.  If freezing the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap at this point and place in a freezer bag.  If using right away roll each piece of dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth.  Let it rise for 20 minutes.

6.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Shape the dough with your hands and place on a greased pizza pan or a pizza stone lightly covered with cornmeal.  Arrange toppings on the dough and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Note:  If freezing the dough remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.  30 minutes before baking remove the dough from the refrigerator, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 30 minutes. 

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Mangia Monday, Making you Crave Monday,

Your Recipe, My Kitchen, Tuesdays at the Table, Made From Scratch Tuesday

Coffee Blends, Tea Blends, and Hot Cocoa

    I wanted to end my week of homemade gifts with a few that I made last year and were such a big hit that I'm making them again this year.  Since it's winter, I think people always appreciate hot beverages at this time of year.  Last year I made several coffee and tea blends that the people on my gift list really enjoyed.  I also made hot cocoa and homemade marshmallows and packaged them together.

     First are my tea blends which can be found HERE.  I made a lemon black tea blend and a citrus green tea blend.  This year I've made both of those and added a peppermint black tea blend and a spiced orange black tea blend.  Adding in fruit peels, extracts, and spices help to flavor the teas.

    Then I made the coffee blends, which can be found HERE. This year I'm sticking with the three blends I made last year because they were so popular.  I came up with a pumpkin spice blend, a peppermint mocha blend, and a vanilla blend.  I am making the vanilla one in decaf as well as regular.  It's easy to combine your favorite ground coffee with extracts and spices to make new blends.  Make sure you keep them sealed in air tight containers. 

     The final beverage, and the most popular, is my hot cocoa (found HERE).  I was shocked by just how much better real hot cocoa is then the packaged stuff I used to make.  Place the hot cocoa mix in a bag and pair with homemade marshmallows (found HERE) for the perfect holiday gift for just about anyone on your list.  The marshmallows are easy to make and last much longer then store bought ones.  I know for a fact several companies charge over $10 for 18 marshmallows where as you can make around 100 for under five dollars. 

This post linked to:

Seasonal Inspiration, Sweets for a Saturday, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hippo

Sundae Scoop Sunday, Not Baaad Sundays , Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Vanilla Extract

    Last Christmas I was extremely jealous of the people that thought far enough in advance to make vanilla extract to use for gifts at holiday time.  I vowed this year I wouldn't be left out and in August I remembered to start my vanilla.  I had no idea how easy it is to make vanilla.  This recipe makes so much that it is much cheaper then buying it at the store.  I also think that homemade vanilla extract has a much strong flavor and it tastes amazing in homemade baked goods.



Day one of vanilla extract



    The key to making the vanilla is to have good quality ingredients and a lot of time.  I bought 30 Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans on Amazon.com in the summertime.  They are much more reasonably priced online then I've found in the stores.  I think bought a bottle of good quality vodka and the rest was simple.  Put the vanilla beans into the vodka and store in the basement.  I used single serve wine bottles to pour the vanilla into and created personalized labels for the people on my gift list!



Vanilla Extract

12 vanilla beans

1 (750 ml) bottle vodka

small bottles for the vanilla

Three weeks after beginning vanilla.

1.  Pour a cup of the vodka out of the bottle and reserve for later use. 

2.  Cut 12 vanilla beans down the middle and place in the bottle of vodka.  Replace the cap and give it a shake.  Store in the basement for at least 6 weeks, shaking the bottle at least weekly.



3.  When ready to use the vanilla, simply pour into smaller bottles and secure with a cap.  You can pour more vodka into the bottle with the remaining vanilla beans and continue the process, adding a few new beans to your new vanilla batch.

**Whenever I need more vanilla I go down to the basement and pour some into a small jar.  When the bottle is half empty I add more vodka.  The vanilla stays good for a long period of time.  Keep the bottle of vodka in the basement or a cool, dark place.**

Two months after beginning vanilla.

This post linked to:
Friday Potluck, Shine on Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday

BLOG TOUR: Farsighted

        I am excited to be the first stop on the blog tour for the book Farsighted by Emlyn Chand.  Farsighted is a young adult paranormal novel that follows Alex Kosmitora, a blind tenth grader that hasn't had an easy life.  The kids at school bully him, he doesn't have any friends, his father lost his job, and weird things begin happening to him at the beginning of his tenth grade year.

      Just when Alex begins to think that this year will be just as bad as all the years before he meets Simmi, a beautiful girl who has recently moved to his school from India.  Not only is she good looking but she is smart, funny, and wants to be his friend.  Soon another girl new to the school, Shapri, becomes the third in their group. 

     Just when things are going well Alex starts to "see" things that aren't really there.  These visions begin getting him in trouble at home and at school as he realizes what he is seeing is the future.  At first he tries to ignore the visions but when one of them shows his new friend Simmi in grave danger he knows he has to do everything in his power to stop that from happening.

    As Alex begins his journey with his gift of seeing the future, he learns he's not the only one who has a gift.  It turns out both of his new friends have their own unique gifts as well.  With the help of his friends and Miss Teak, the psychic next door, Alex begins to embrace his gift and sets out on a journey to change the future and save his friends.

    I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the characters.  Alex is a teen that has had it rough his entire life living with a disability that has always made him different.  He is a believable character who speaks in the straightforward way teenagers often do.  He is unsure of his gifts and comes into them slowly and naturally.  Shapri is sarcastic, witty, and unafraid of anyone but herself and her own ability.   Simmi is sweet and lovable.  The unlikely trio have a wonderful chemistry that works well in the dialogue and storyline of the book. 

    While I really do like vampire and werewolf books it's a nice change to have a paranormal book with human characters that simply have extraordinary gifts.  The teens look to the adults who understand their gifts and work with them to strengthen their psychic abilities.  The story is not only one of overcoming obstacles and coming into psychic gifts, but it's also one of friendship, family, and trust. I thought the book ended a little abruptly so I'm glad to hear that this is just the first in a new series of books.

I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.



Emlyn Chand



Farsighted was written by Emlyn Chand.  Readers can connect with the author at:

Website: http://www.emlynchand.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emlynchand?sk=wall

Twitter: @emlynchand

**To follow the tour please go to Lightning Book Promotions**

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation, Goodreads

Making Crayons

    As an elementary school teacher, I have access to a LOT of crayons.  Each year I buy boxes and boxes of crayons and it seems as though the reds, the browns, and the blacks dissappear half way through the year.  I'm not talking about violet-red, red-violet, red-orange, etc. I'm talking about your basic red, brown, and black.  Also, I always end up with about 20 white crayons that have not been touched.  Another issue I'm always having is that the crayons get broken into little tiny pieces that no one wants to use.

    Last year I finally came up with a solution.  I had 2 silicone molds just sitting in my cupboard at home when I had the idea to melt down my old, broken crayons and make fun new ones!  I have a star mold and a flower mold.  The first time I did this I gathered up all the broken crayons, nasty crayons, "nudie" crayons, and the white crayons.  If they were a little bit longer then I'd like I broke them into smaller pieces.  Then I grouped them into colors.  The blues (light blue, dark blue, cornflower blue, blue-purple, etc) all went into a pile.  I then split up the white pieces in between all the groups.

    Next I put like colors into the molds together.  I heated them in the oven until they liquified and then took the out to cool.  Once they had cooled they were easy to pop out.  I took them to school and the kids were fighting to use them because they were so cool.  I ended up making them again for Christmas and giving them to the kids as gifts.  They loved them!  This is also a great project for kids to help with.

Homemade Crayons

2-3 cups of broken, peeled, crayons

Silicone baking mold

1.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Put each of your silicone baking molds on a cookie sheet.

2.  Peel the paper off the crayons and break into small pieces if needed.  Group the crayons by color.

3.  Put the crayons in the molds acording to color filling to the top.  Put in the oven on the baking sheet for 15 minutes (or until they are completly melted). 

4.  Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes.  Take the silicone molds off the baking sheets and place on a cooling rack and additional 20 mintues.  Pop out and enjoy!

Martha Stewart's Toffee

     I had several people I wanted to send homemade gifts to this holiday season. I originally thought of making homemade cookies, but I do that every year. I also feel like around the holidays there are always cookies around. I recalled someone making toffee and went on a search for a good toffee recipe.

     I decided on Martha Stewart’s recipe. It seemed easy enough-boy was I wrong. It took a lot longer to come to temperature then the directions state. Then, I was able to get the toffee out of the cookie sheet pans, but not out of the baking dish. I fought the good fight with the baking dish and the baking dish won. I had to throw out the entire pan because it wouldn’t come out. The other toffee came out greasy on the bottom because of the cookie spray. I was seriously distraught.

     However, after letting the toffee dry out for 24 hours, the bottoms dried out and the toffee hardened. It turned out rather tasty. I have to admit that while it took some series effort, the toffee was worth it.   It was great to give as gifts and people told me how much they enjoyed it. Next time I’d make sure I have several types of nuts to sprinkle on the toffee and I’ll use all baking sheets and line them with parchment paper so the bottoms won’t be greasy.

Martha Stewart’s Toffee (slightly adapted from Martha Stewart)
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¼ c. light corn syrup
½ c. water
2 ½ c. sugar
1 pound chocolate almond bark, chopped into pieces
2 c. almonds, finely chopped
Cooking spray

1. Spray a 15 x 10 baking pan, a 9 x 13 baking pan, and an 8 inch square baking pan with baking spray.

2. In a large saucepan combine butter, sugar, water, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over high heat stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir an additional 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stop stirring. Place a candy thermometer on the side of the pan.

3. Let the mixture come to a boil without stirring. Continue boiling at low heat until the mixture reaches 285 degrees (between 40-60 minutes. It took me 65 minutes). Remove from heat and immediately pour evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth if needed. Let cool for one hour at room temperature.

4. Melt the chocolate almond bark in the microwave heating at 30 second intervals until it’s totally melted. Pour over toffee, spreading with a spatula. Immediately sprinkle with nuts.

5. Let stand for 24 hours. Use a knife to score the toffee pieces or else break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks.

This post linked to:

Made From Scratch Tuesdays,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays , Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Turning the Table Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, 12 Days of Christmas Goodies

Skittles Vodka

    There's nothing like a homemade gift to wow your friends and family during the holidays.  All it takes is a little time, a little planning, and a little work to make fabulous holiday gifts for everyone on your wish list.  During the next week I'll be sharing five easy and wonderful homemade holiday gifts that I am personally giving this year for Christmas.

    First on the list is Skittles Vodka, perfect for those that enjoy flavored martinis or like to add a kick to an alcoholic beverage.  My favorite part of this flavored vodka is the brilliant colors of the finished vodka.  Another great twist is that you can make Skittles Vodka in any flavor that you can find the candy in.  I made lemon, lime, strawberry, and orange. 

     When giving the vodka I tied a ribbon around the lid and tied a bag of Skittles to each jar.  I'm also attaching a drink recipe to each flavor vodka.  This vodka is quick to make and is ready in a week.

Skittles Vodka
1 bottle vodka
10 fun sized packs Skittles

4 or 5 pint sized mason jars

1.  Divide the Skittles into colored piles.  Put all the Skittles of one color into each of the jars.  (I did not use purple because I hate grape flavoring).

2.  Fill each jar with vodka leaving 1/2 inch of room in the top.  Put the lid on and shake the jar for a minute.  Let it stand overnight.

3.  Continue shaking the jar each day for a week.  After the week is up either skim the sugary foam off the top or strain the mixture through cheesecloth.

4.  Tie a ribbon around the lid, attach a package of Skittles, and a recipe for using the flavored vodka.  Keep the lid on tight and use for up to 3 months.

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Mangia Monday , Making You Crave monday
What's Cooking Wednesdays, Turning the Table Thursday, Sweets for a Saturday