Bob's Salsa

Recipe Courtesy Bob Kelley, Photo Courtesy Google.com
This is a base recipe to add to. If you like it spicy, add some peppers. If you want more tomatoes, add more. You get the point.

INGREDIENTS:
20-ish tomatoes
5 onions (I like red)
7 jalapenos/other hot pepper (optional, of course)
5 carrots (the better to see you with)
2 stalks celery
1/4 cup salt
1/8 cup sugar (neither Bob nor I use that)
3 cloves garlic (I used about 6)

DIRECTIONS:
A few options here:
1) Bosch it
2) Cuisinart it
3) Chop it (if you don't have the previously mentioned awesome kitchens appliances).
Size does matter. The smaller the better.

Simmer it all for 20 minutes. Pack into hot, sterilized jars.

If you have a pressure canner, process for 15 minutes. If you don't, water bath it for 25 minutes. If you aren't going to can it, refrigerate it and eat it within 2-3 weeks.

2-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake

Recipe Courtesy BigRedKitchen, Photo Courtesy NoblePig
INGREDIENTS:
One Cake mix- I used yellow
1 -15 ounce can 100% pumpkin- puree, not pumpkin pie filling

1 cup powdered sugar
2 T. apple cider
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl mix cake mix with pumpkin filling using a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour batter into a greased 7 x 11 inch baking dish. Bake for 28 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

In a small bowl blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour over Pumpkin Cake letting it drizzle down the sides of the cake. Let set before covering.

Chex Muddy Buddies

Recipe & Photo Courtesy Chex.com
This should be a staple in every one's diet, it is so stinking good! Next to chocolate chip cookies, it's my favorite snack.

INGREDIENTS:
9 cups Chex® cereal
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Try not to eat it all in one sitting.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS:
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 pinch salt
Mix together in a coffee mug (larger would be better). I didn't use salt, but found out afterwards it would definitely add the extra taste it needed.

1 egg
Add to the mug and mix well.

3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add to the mug and mix well, again. You could add in a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips, if you dare.

Microwave it on high for 3 minutes. Watch it in there. That's half the fun. The cake will rise pretty high out of the mug, but it will go back down (it should anyway). Let it cool a minute.

OPTIONS:
#1: Eat it straight out of the mug,
#2: Dump it on a plate and be more formal about it, or
#3: Dump it in a bowl, plop some vanilla ice cream on it, douse it in Hershey's syrup, and dig in like a pig.
The choice is yours.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Recipe and Photo Courtesy: Small Notebook











I stumbled across this recipe and thought, "Sure I'll try that one day". Well, 3 days later, I was craving chocolate milk, and guess what, no Hershey's in the fridge. Well, 10 minutes later, I got my chocolate milk and oh my goodness! Delish!

INGREDIENTS
½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Mix the cocoa and the water in a saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve the cocoa. Add the sugar, and stir to dissolve. Boil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the salt and the vanilla. Let cool. Pour into a sterile glass jar, and store in the refrigerator. Keeps for several months. Yields two cups.

Caramel Popcorn

Recipe Courtesy AllRecipes.com; Photos Courtesy Kendra Benson

On completely random days, I get the request from Rob for caramel popcorn. I always dread this request because I remember it being a pain to make. But then I make it and it's always easier than I remembered. And it's absolutely worth it. Store-bought caramel-corn can't even come close to this stuff.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 quarts popped popcorn

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 250F, then pop the popcorn. I prefer using a hot oil popper. We also have an air popper, but I think it makes the popcorn have a slight stale texture. Too squeaky, not crisp and fresh. If you use a hot oil popper, use coconut oil. Much tastier.


Pour the popcorn into a brown paper grocery bag. This is the easiest way to mix it all up without making a huge mess. And then you can throw away the bag. Less to clean. Bonus!


Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

Boil for 4 minutes, without stirring.
Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and baking soda.
As you stir it, you will notice a complete change in the caramel. It will puff up and get more opaque. This is perfect.
Very quickly (and this is usually a 2-person job) pour the caramel over the popcorn in a thin stream, while person #2 is shaking the bag to mix it up. You also may want to take 2 large spoons/spatulas/whatever to mix it in the bag and break up an clumps.
Spread the coated popcorn on rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour.
Remove from oven and let cool before breaking into pieces.
Enjoy!

All-In-One-Place Recipe (no photos)

Caramel Popcorn

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 quarts popped popcorn

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 250F, then pop the popcorn. I prefer using a hot oil popper.

Pour the popcorn into a brown paper grocery bag. This is the easiest way to mix it all up without making a huge mess.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 4 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and baking soda.

Very quickly (and this is usually a 2-person job) pour the caramel over the popcorn in a thin stream, while person #2 is shaking the bag to mix it up. You also may want to take 2 large spoons/spatulas/whatever to mix it in the bag and break up an clumps.

Spread the coated popcorn on rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool before breaking into pieces.

Five Minute Ice Cream

Recipe and Photo courtesy AllRecipes.com











INGREDIENTS
1 (10 oz) pkg sliced, frozen strawberries (or other frozen fruit)
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS
Combine the frozen fruit and sugar in a food processor or blender. Process until the fruit is roughly chopped. With the processor running, slowly pour in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Allow to freeze for at least 5 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve into the cream and for the ice cream to firm up a bit. Freeze for up to one week.

ALTERNATE METHOD
If you do not have a food processor, you can still make this yummy treat! Simply blend the fruit and sugar in the blender to get the same results. Remove the top (or if your blender has a small plastic center, remove that and leave the top in place) and pour in the cream. Voila, ice cream.

Cake Balls

Recipe and photo courtesy Kendra Benson











This is perfect for cake scraps.

INGREDIENTS
Cake Scraps (any kind), or a whole cake if you're feeling ambitious
Frosting (canned or homemade)
Dipping chocolate or milk chocolate morsels
Sprinkles, white chocolate, other decorations (optional)

DIRECTIONS
While the cake is still warm (but not hot), crumble it into a bowl into semi-fine crumbs. There should be some larger-than-crumb pieces, but not too big, about 1/4" or smaller. Let the crumbs cool to room temperature.

Spoon in frosting a little at a time and mix together with a fork or the back of a spoon. Continue adding frosting until your "cake" sticks together and you can form a ball from it.

If you have a melon baller (or some similar kitchen tool), scoop out the "cake" and roll into balls. Place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze them for a minimum of 10 minutes to hold their shape.

While the cake balls are freezing, melt the milk chocolate according to the directions. Dip the cake balls in the chocolate and refrigerate to harden. Decorate as desired and serve in mini muffin cups.

Creamy Peanut Butter

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, Food Network

INGREDIENTS
15 ounces shelled and skinned roasted peanuts
(you can roast raw peanuts yourself or buy them already roasted)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
(I used more for creamier peanut butter)

DIRECTIONS
Place the peanuts, salt and honey into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Place the lid back on and continue to process while slowly drizzling in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Place the peanut butter in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

After School Fruit Rolls

Courtesy Kendra Benson

INGREDIENTS
4 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 bananas, thinly sliced
1/4 c raisins
2 T honey
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c chopped peanuts or other nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine fruit, honey and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

Spread each tortilla with 1 T each of peanut butter, leaving a 1" border. Spoon fruit filling down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

Fold in 2 sides of tortilla to meet in the center, then roll up, bottom to top. Place seam-side down. Cut each tortilla in half on a sharp diagonal.

Benson Bites

named by the LDS Missionaries
Courtesy Kendra Benson

INGREDIENTS
Rolls:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (8-oz.) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
16 large marshmallows
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 16 medium muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon; mix well.

Separate dough into 16 triangles. For each roll, dip 1 marshmallow in melted butter; roll in sugar mixture. Place marshmallow on shortest side of triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Completely cover marshmallow with dough; firmly pinch edges to seal. Dip 1 end in remaining butter; place butter side down in sprayed muffin cup.

Bake at 375°F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. (Place foil or cookie sheet on rack below muffin cups to guard against spills.) Cool in pan 1 minute. Remove rolls from muffin cups; place on wire racks set over waxed paper.

In small bowl, blend powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls (although they usually get eaten before this step). Serve warm.

Candied Walnuts

Courtesy AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound walnut halves
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread nuts in a single layer over a baking sheet. Roast for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts start to turn brown and the smell of roasting nuts fills the kitchen.

Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, or until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage of 236 degrees F (113 degrees C). Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla immediately.

Add walnuts to sugar syrup, and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto waxed paper, and immediately separate nuts with a fork. Cool, and store in airtight containers.