I can't just leave those fingers as the first thing you see...

So, I am introducing you to another "food blog" that I love. My cousin Megan is a great "baker" (which just happens to be her last name) so I added her link to the list on the right ------> over there

She's a stay-at-home mom to one "nursling", one picky little boy and one not-so-picky husband. She enjoys cooking, baking and creating. She loves to try new recipes and swap with cousins, sisters and friends. She tries to involve her son in meal preparation as often as possible, because their not just making food - their making memories!

Check it out for yummy new menu ideas and fun "kid friendly" recipes!
www.foodswelove.blogspot.com

SCARY halloween fingers

What you need for a SCARY treat:

Pretzel rods
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/4 cup powdered milk
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
almonds (slivered)
Wrap dough around pretzel. Put almonds on for fingernails.

They really do look spooky!!!

smore brownie

(image and recipe courtesy the food network website)

Try not to lick the screen....

Crust:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch fine salt

Brownie:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 large cold eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

• 4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Sunday Conference brunch - baked french toast

This is a recipe my sister just posted on her blog. I thought I'd share it with all of you. Who's making it this weekend??

"Here's my newest favoritest recipe for brunch (please note that it must be refrigerated overnight). Of course it has tons of butter, cream and sugar: deliciously sinful. A perfect dish to balance out all the spiritual stuff of Conference!"

Baked French Toast Casserole
(From Paula Deen, of course)

Serves: 6 to 8 servings
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
Butter, for pan
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Praline Cookies

15 Graham crackers (roughly)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1 tsp vanilla (opt)

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in sauce pan. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil and keep it boiling for 1 minute. Meanwhile, lay out graham crackers in greased 9x13 pan. Pour in pecans while the sauce is still hot. Pour mixture over the crackers. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then move the cookies to wax paper or a plate.

SO EASY and SO YUMMY!

Artichoke Dip

8 oz. mayonnaise
8 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves

Mix all ingredients
Bake at 325 for thirty minutes

I thought it was a little strong on the may-o, so I added some mozzarella cheese and then grated more parm cheese to cover the top before I baked it. The artichoke hearts can be found on the very bottom shelf underneath the canned vegetables at IGA.

Alton's Southern Biscuits

I used to have a huge problem making good biscuits. Until a good friend introduced me to the one and only Alton Brown (I'm sure you can guess who that was...). Now, I get really excited to make them. Here's a link to the recipe. And here's a link to the episode on YouTube. They're easier to make if you watch him do it first. Enjoy!