JACK-O-LANTERN COOKIES

                                          HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

CAMPING CAKE

Camping theme birthday cake 

Pretzel Rod Pine Trees...

Pretzel Rod Bonfire and Graham Cracker Sandy Pond...

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKES

Today I spent a few hours creating some Spooktacular cupcakes for my little ghosts and goblins....

First there was Frankenstein made from marshmallows...

                Color a large marshmallows with green food color
1.Color some sugar with black food color.
2.Smoosh one side in black sugar.
3.Place on top of your frosted cupcake.
4.Add some dots of white and black frosting for eyes.

                                 Add some drama with red frosting.

              These are tombstones are  made from Milano cookies .

                                    Mummies and Spiders OH MY!!!

                              So cute when they hang out together!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!!!!

STEAK PIZZAIOLA

Steak pizzaiola is a traditional Italian favorite.  You can use any  cut of beef that you like,even cheaper cuts like flank and chuck steak, I have even used pork chops and chicken. It is served with a tomato sauce made from canned tomatoes and a pan sauce from the lovely brown bits left by the steaks cooking in the pan.  Serve this with  your favorite pasta or garlic mashed potatoes, hot Italian bread to soak up the lovely sauce, and a salad.They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and this recipe will surely win him over!
*A suggestion  if time allows is to marinate the meat in chopped garlic and olive oil overnight.This step is totally optional, but if you have the time it really adds a added dimension of flavor!

I cut my steak to the appropriate size

Then put in a baggie with  the olive oil and garlic.Marinade in the refrigerator overnight

Ingredients

---

• 2 pounds bottom round steak sliced 1/4 to 1/2  inch thick (tender cut left thicker)
• salt & pepper To Taste
• red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh  oregano
• 1 medium onion, Finely Chopped
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes(optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juice
• 1  bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 tblsp. beef bouillion
• a dash of sugar
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 cups sliced white button mushrooms (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4  cup Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese 
• 3 drops Lavender oil(my secret ingredient, totally optional)
• The smell of the lavender as it cooks just adds a whole lot to an otherwise very simple dish.

How to make it

---

• Put meat between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thick with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin. 

Discard plastic wrap .

• Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, and brown the meat well on both sides.

• Remove it and keep warm in a baking dish..

• Add the onion, mushrooms,sliced  pepper,and garlic to the pan and saute until tender,but do not brown your garlic.
• Add the tomatoes and the wine ,cook on medium high heat until reduced to 2/3. Add a dash of sugar and Lavender oil for balance.  
• Add beef bouillon,oregano,balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper as needed.

• *At this point I put my sauce in the blender and pulse a couple times because my husband hates bell peppers, but if hidden he can't tell. I normally would not do this as the dish is much prettier without this step.
• Pour or spoon sauce over meat and bake at 300 for 2 hours  . Serve sprinkled with the fresh parsley and cheese before serving.

                              YUMMY!!!

Mamma needs some sexy hair

Hey ya'll please .please. please stop over and like this link for me mamma needs some free sassy hair!Thanks~Suzy aka DD

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=498190916867037&set=a.494542283898567.118958.385267554826041&type=3&theater

CAPRESE FONDUE

INGREDIENTS
* 16 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into cubes
* 1/2 pkg. cream cheese
* 5 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1 package grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
* 2 cups dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
* Freshly ground white pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped red onion and 
* 1/2 cup  chopped fresh basil 
* 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
*  2 T. Zesty Italian Dressing
* Drizzle of  the best Balsamic Vinegar you can get
* Bite-size pieces of focaccia,tortilla chips, french bread, avocado, for dipping

Directions

Toss the  cheese cubes with the cornstarch in a medium bowl to coat.  Pour the wine into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium. Whisk 1 handful of the cheese mixture into the wine until it is almost melted. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture in about 4 more batches. Continue whisking until the cheese is completely melted and the fondue bubbles, about 1 minute. Stir in  cream cheese, Italian dressing, red pepper,onion,tomatoes and basil. Season the fondue with pepper, to taste.

Transfer the cheese mixture to a fondue pot. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Set the pot over a candle or a canned heat burner. Serve with bread , chips and vegetables.

                                               ENJOY!!!!

Barnyard Cake

     

YOU WILL NEED

1 BOX ANY FLAVOR CAKE MIX

(Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box)

3 containers any canned vanilla frosting

*Red liquid and gel food coloring

*Tray or cardboard (20x15 inches), covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil

*thin pretzel sticks

*graham cracker squares

1-2 cups shredded coconut

*Yellow liquid food color

Green food color

Decorations

Reserved yellow coconut (from barn)

brown M&M's

small orange gumdrops

Sheep Decorations

red M&M's

brown M&M's

miniature marshmallows

Pig Decorations

red M&M's

brown..M&M's

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350°F .Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour 2 1/4 cups batter into square pan; divide remaining batter among muffin cups. Bake cupcakes 15 to 20 minutes and square pan 20 to 26 minutes)  Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cool. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze square cake 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.

In small bowl, tint 1 cup of the frosting with red liquid food color to make pink frosting. In medium bowl, tint 1 1/2 cups of the frosting with red gel or paste food color to make desired color of red frosting for barn; set aside. Reserve remaining white frosting. Decorate square cake to make barn ; decorate cupcakes to make 4 chicks, 4 sheep and 4 pigs .

• Barn: Trim 1 side of square cake to form roof of barn; place cake near top of tray with roof at top of tray. Spread thin layer of red frosting over entire cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining red frosting. Make vertical lines on top of cake to look like boards (use spatula or toothpick).
• For window, break 2 pretzel sticks in half; place near top of cake in square shape.
• For shutters, place 1-inch-square piece of graham cracker on each side of window.
• For sides and top of doorway, place 3 pretzel sticks near bottom of cake.
• For doors, place 2 1/2x1-inch graham cracker rectangle on each side of doorway.
• For roof, arrange eight 2 1/2 x1-inch graham cracker rectangles on top edge of cake, overlapping to form barn roof shape.

 For hay, place 1/2 cup of the coconut in resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add 2 drops yellow liquid food color; seal bag and shake to mix. Place small amount of yellow coconut at bottom of window and doorway (reserve remaining yellow coconut to decorate chick cupcakes).

• For grass, place remaining 1 cup coconut in resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add 2 drops green liquid food color; seal bag and shake to mix. Scatter green coconut on bottom half of tray. Decorate cupcakes and arrange on coconut grass.

Chicks: Frost 4 cupcakes with white frosting. Top with reserved yellow coconut. For eyes, add brown M&M's. Cut orange gumdrops to look like beaks; place on cupcakes.

Sheep: Frost 4 cupcakes with white frosting. For muzzle, spread 1/2 teaspoon pink frosting in small circle on each cupcake; add red M&M's for nose. For eyes, add brown M&M's. Place marshmallow's  on face for wool.

Pigs: Frost 4 cupcakes with pink frosting. For snout, spread additional 1 teaspoon pink frosting in small circle on each cupcake; add red  M&M's for nostrils. For eyes, add brown M&M's. For ears, cut mini marshmallows in half diagonally and place on cupcakes. 

Thanks for stoppin" by !