Cake Pops

Ingredients



•1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
•1 can frosting (16 oz.)
•Wax paper
•Candy melts (1 lb. pkg.)
•Candy decorations
•Lollipop sticks


Preparation:

 
Bake cake according to directions and cool completely

Crumble Up Cake



Using hands, or a fork, crumble cake into a large bowl. I used a butter-rich cake batter. Next time, I'd use another mix, as this one was actually too moist.



Add in Frosting


Add in one container of frosting a little bit at a time and mix thoroughly, using the back of the spoon or your hands
 

Mix Until Evenly Distributed



Roll Into Balls


Roll mixture into balls of your desired size and place on wax paper
 

Add Sticks


Insert sticks a little less than halfway into the cake balls. Place in the freezer to firm up.



Melt Candy Coating


Using a microwave or double boiler, melt the candy coating.


Melt Thoroughly

Ensure the candy is thoroughly melted

 

Coat Cake Balls

Dip cake balls into the candy coating by slowly rotating the lollipop stick until the ball is covered. Remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Coat in sprinkles, sugar, or other toppings. Store pops right-side-up in styrofoam or place head down on wax paper for different result. The results were a bit overwhelmingly sweet for my taste, but the kids loved them!

Thanksgiving Turkey..."The Perfect Turkey"

Ingredients:

• 1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed


• 2 cups kosher salt


• 1/2 cup butter, melted


• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped


• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped


• 4 stalks celery, chopped


• 2 sprigs fresh thyme


• 1 bay leaf


• 1 cup dry white wine

Preparation:


Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.

Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.

Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Brie Cheese Fondue

Serve with Ideas
Use fresh baguette slices or chunks of flavorful artisan breads, lightly blanched vegetables, fruit (fresh figs and green apples are our favorites), cooked and sliced flavored sausages or chicken, and an array of relishes, jellies (pepper jelly rocks with this), mustards, olives, hot peppers, capers, cornichons, and spreads- whatever you have on hand.

4 servings

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1 lb Brie cheese, rind removed and cubed
• 1 TBS cornstarch
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• salt and white pepper to taste

Preparation:

Rub the garlic all over the inside of your fondue pot, leaving the crushed pieces in the bottom. You can also make fondue in a regular sauce pan and transfer to the fondue pot, but why get two pans all crazy cheesy? Add the white wine and sherry to the pot and heat over medium-low heat.

Toss the cheese cubes in cornstarch to coat. When the wine is hot, add the cheese. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon at first and then use a whisk. Stir constantly to keep it from scorching on the bottom of the pot. When the cheese has melted, remove it from the heat and grate in a little nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The fondue should be smooth and coat a wooden spoon. If it seems to runny, add more cheese. If it is too thick, add a splash more wine --sparingly.
Prepare your fondue pot base and keep fondue warm over low heat. Get out the good linen napkins and set the table. This is a meal to be proud of!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Be Mine

24 servings

• 16 ounces milk chocolate chips
• 2 TBS shortening
• 1 lb frsh strawberries with leaves

Preparation:
Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into Styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.

Rockin Oysters Rockefeller

16 servings

• 48 fresh unopened oysters
• 1 1/2 cups beer
• 2 cloves garlic
• seasoned salt to taste
• 7 black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces fonitna cheese, shredded
• 8 ounce mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 TBS fine bread crumbs

Preparation:
Clean oysters, and place in a large stockpot. Pour in beer and enough water to cover oysters; add 2 cloves garlic, seasoned salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain, and cool.
Once oysters are cooled, break off and discard the top shell. Arrange the oysters on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter until soft. Reduce heat to low, and stir in spinach, Monterey Jack, fontina, and mozzarella. Cook until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Stir in the milk, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over each oyster, just filling the shell. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
***great article on Shucking Oysters click HERE.

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. sweet potato
• 1/2 cup better, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 unbaked pie crust

Preparation:
Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixute is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.
Serves 8

REALLY Easy Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, juiced (or 2 TBS. of orange juice)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tart apple such as Granny Smith, peeled and cut into a small dice
• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Preparation:
In a small saucepan over high heat, add all the ingredients. . Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan partially.
Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, the apple is tender and the cranberries have burst, 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 1 hour before serving. Or cover and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving

Healthy Herb Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 2 Tsp Olive Oil
• 3 cups celery, chopped
• 3 cups onions, chopped
• 2 tsp thyme
• 2 tsp marjoram
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sage
• 3 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb. Jennie-O Turkey italian sausage, browned (remove from casings)
• 1 lb. Ezekial Whole Grain bread crumbs cubes for stuffing
• 2 eggs
• 16 oz. low sodium chicken broth

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute celery and onions in olive oil, add browned sausage and all the seasonings. Simmer 3 minutes.
Put bread cubes in a large bowl. Add the beaten egg and egg whites. Stir in sauteed vegetables and parsley. Add enough of the chicken broth to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover baking dish with foil.
Bake stuffing 25 minutes
Remove foil; turn oven up to 375 and bake stuffing until top begins to brown, about 10 minutes longer.
Serves 6-7 people

Pumpkin Rolls

Pumpkin Roll:

• 3/4 cup (100 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspooon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup (150 grams) pumpkin puree

Filling

• 8 oz (226 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 TBS (28 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar

Garnish:

• Confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar

Preparation:
For the pumpkin roll:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non-stick vegetable spray, a 15 inch x 10 inch baking pan, line it with parchment paper, and then butter and flour the parchment paper.
Sift into a large bowl, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
Place eggs along with the sugar in your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (can also use a hand mixer). Beat on high speed for 5 minutes, or until thick, pale yellow, and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) Beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Gently fold in the sifted flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, evenly spreading the cake batter with an offset spatula or knife.Bake for about 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake, when lightly pressed, springs back.
Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven invert the pumpkin roll onto a clean dish towel that has been sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Carefully remove the parchment paper, sprinkle lightly with confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, and roll up the pumpkin roll, with the towel, while it is still hot and pliable. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Filling: Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.

To Assemble:
Unroll the pumpkin roll, spread with the filling, and reroll. Transfer to your serving platter. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. (You can serve this cake immediately but chilling it for a few hours, or even overnight, sets the filling and makes it easier to slice.) Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.
Serves about 6-8 people.