No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

There is something about chocolate and peanut butter that seems like a natural go-together! You know,peanut butter pie,Reese's peanut butter cups,and best of all,the ever-present Hershey-bar/peanut butter sneak-dip!!!! (you do know that if no one sees you do it,it is calorie free-right?
Well these peanut butter Bars are quick,easy and satisfies the craving! The Kids love 'em too!

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARS
(From my Swan Agency Real Estate Cook Book)

2 CUPS PEANUT BUTTER (DIVIDED)
3/4 CUP (1 1/2 STICKS)BUTTER-SOFTENED
2 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR
2 CUPS (12 OZ PKG) SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE BITS(DIVIDED)
3 CUPS GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS
COOKING SPRAY

Beat 1 1/4 cup peanut butter and butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in half the powdered sugar. Work in remaining powdered sugar,graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup of morsels. Press evenly into a 13 x 9-inch pan coated with cooking spray. smooth the top with a spatula. Melt remaining morsels with remaining peanut butter in a medium sauce-pan over the lowest heat,stirring constantly until smooth(don't let it get hot to fast or it will be scorched on the bottom). Spread over the graham cracker base in pan. Chill for at least one hour-or until chocolate is firm; cut into bars.

makes about 60 small bars. Store in the refrigerator.

I usually make a double batch and freeze half. If you do freeze them-thaw in the refrgerator(if you must) in this house-Hubby likes 'em frozen!

BLUEBERRY SYRUP

It is bluebrry season here in Florida! I recently picked 4 1/2 pounds in 1/2 hour! Although Florida blueberries are not as flavorful as Maine wild blueberries,they are large juicy and taste wonderful!
I try to freeze several gallons to use throughout the year for pies,molasses blueberry bread,etc.,but ALWAYS manage to cook a bunch down for this delightful syrup! It is so nice on a pound cake or ice cream and if you like pancakes or waffles it is a great flavor !


Blueberry Syrup

4 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 quarts of blueberries
3 tablespoons lemon juice

combine sugar and water in a large sauce pan and bring it to a boil.allow this to boil intil it spins a thread. add the cleaned and washed blueberries and bring back to a boil-cook down for 5 minutes remove from heat and stir in lemon juice-pour into hot serilized jars. this will make appx 1 quart to 1 1/2 quarts of syrup.

For you liquer-lovers......strain the blueberries out of the syrup and set aside the berries,,,now divide the syrup into 2 decorative 1 Fifth Bottles,and fill the bottle with vodka.....This makes a lovely after-dinner sipper!

ERROR CORRECTION AND RED-FACED APOLOGY!!!

For all of you who looked at the latest entry of "CRAP BOURSIN" OBVIOUSLY- it was a typo!!! My fingers have a speech impediment!!!! it is supposed to be
FOULTON'S CRAB BOURSIN!!!!
SORRY ALL-I WILL ENDEAVOR TO EDIT MORE CAREFULLY!!!!

Foulton's Crab Boursin

e had the rare opportunity to get to the Disney Marketplace this past Saturday.. Having met up (and rounded up) our "Long-time-no-see" relatives,we decided to go to Foulton's Crap Shack for lunch.
We were delighted to fine a lovely diningroom(cloth napkins and fancy-dressed waiters) overlooking the lake. It was quiet(away from the blaring musak outside) so we could chat and catch up on family,new news and and remember younger days!
We were evenly MORE pleasantly surprised that not only was the food OUTSTANDIND- it was reasonably priced. We were immediately brought a dish of spread and water-crackers-This spread was SOOOOOO good-I thought I would share the recipe with you all!

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese
1/4 cup roasted garlic
1/2 tbl chopped green onions
1/8 cup fresh basil
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 tbls horseradish
1 tbl crabmeat
1/8 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 tbl Hickory Smoked Mustard

Mix all ingredients except the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Cut the cream cheese into cupes and place in the mixer-mix until smooth.Stop scrape the sides and mix again. When the cream cheese is very smooth,add the rest of the ingreadients to the mixer.Careful not to overmix. Store in a covered container until ready to serve with an assortment of crackers..

Trust me folks-this is WORTH the effort!

Tuna Quick-Lunch

I know that alot of people are trying to stretch a dollar and everything else these days-it isn't easy! But here is a quick and easy way to stretch a can of tuna from 2 sandwiches to a meal for 4!

1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of tuna fish
1 can of pease or 3 handfuls of frozen peas(I prefer the frozen myself)
12 crackers crumbled up
1/3 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste


Place by layers in a loaf-tin and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees
Serve on texas toast or use as a hot dip with ritz crackers!

Pecan-Mocha Meringues

I found this recipe in Bon-Appetit magazine and thought it sounded good! Well-trust me on this one folks-If you like pecans chocolate and coffee all wrapped up in a light crispy cookie-give this a try-they are truly delicious! Hubby agreed-I need to remember to have these on hand for special occasions!

PECAN-MOCHA MERINGUES
1/2 (packed) brown sugar
1 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
3 egg whites (large eggs)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp instant espresso powder(I didn't have any,so I ground up regular coffee to a fine powder-it worked well!)
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
have about 24-36 pecan halves on hand for the top
you will also need parchment paper

pre-heat oven to 300 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
press brown sugar and cocoa powder through a sieve(I used a sifter) then whisk to completly mix together
using an electric mixer on high speed-beat eggwhites kosher salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
with the mixer still running,gradually add sugar,then espresso powder.
continue to mix until medium peaks form.
again,while mixer is still running-gradually add brown sugar mixture and beat until stiff peaks form].

drop by a tablespoon onto parchment paper-space about 1 inch apart-and place i peacn-half into the top of each spoonful.
bake for appx 25-30 minutes then shut the oven off and let the cookies cool in the oven(keep the door closed)

the result is a crispy cookie on the outside with a yummy fillling-like inside-they are light,sweet and taste "JUST LIKE ANOTHER"!!!!!

Molasses Doughnuts

I know-the whole world is fat! Everyone is fighting obesity-Tough patooties! There is NOTHING finer than hot MOLASSES DOUGHNUTS in the morning! Moderation in all things is the key here folks-so just don't make a double batch-OK?
(If you can help it.....)
YOU NEED:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 tbls wesson oil
1 cup sour or buttermilk
(make whole milk sour by adding a tsp of lemon-juice)\
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
a dash of lemon
3 1/2 cups of flour

mix all ingredients together to form a sticky ball
It will roll out easier if you place the dough in the fridge for about an hour to chill
flour the board,the rolling pin and the doughnut cutter!
if you do not have a doughnut cutter-clean and reomve both ends of a vegetable can and do the same with a smaller juice can(I have been known to use a large presciption bottle for the doughnut-holes)
Now roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick slab and cut the doughnuts(be sure to keep the cutting-tool well floured)

in a large-deep skillet put wnough wesson-oil to egual appx 1 inch deep-heat to 450 degrees
drop the doughnuts in the oil -appx 3 at a time(the oil needs to stay hot to prevent the doughnuts from becoming to saturated) cook each side to a rich brown.remove and place on coffee-filters to drain and cool.(ok you can use paper-towels but the filters absorb more-new ones please!

optional: place a cup of sugar in a paper bag and drop the doughnuts in seal the bag and shake until all are coated!!!!
This step not only coats the doughnuts with sugar, you can use the action towards you accumulative exercise for the day! (Although if you eat a doughnut,I suppose it is considered -NEGATED!)

It is time now to put on a pot of coffee-sit back grab a doughnut and DUNK-Away!

Choclate Chip Cupcakes

Every time you purchase a bag of Toll House Chocolate Chips, the recipe for cookies are on the package-right? Well here is a wee bit of a take-off if you love Toll-House Cookies,but really LOVE Cupcakes! Make them for bake-sales or for your child's classroom party. They are easy and best of all-delicious!


TOLL HOUSE CUPCAKES

you need:
1/ cup softened butter
6 tbls brown sugar
6 tbls white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg-beaten
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

For the TOPPING:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 6 oz.pkg.semi-sweet chocolate bits

Beat the first 5 ingredients together until creamy. Add flour.bking soda and salt. Mix well. Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 350 for 10 minutes

while the muffins are in the oven-beat brown sugar and egg until thick.Add nuts and chocolate chips; stir in.
remove the cupcakes from the oven and spoon the topping onto the muffins and replace in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Note: I the cupcakes are not completely set when you add the topping,it sinks into the cake and becomes the filling!! No worries!!! They are YUMMY either way!

I guarantee the kids will return for seconds! (I make double batches....)

Helpful hints on the Parsimonious side!

This was emailed to me by a friend! I must admit,it has probably floated around several thousand times,but because coffee filters are so versatile and can be used for infusing herbs into soups,covering reheats etc...thought I would make it a part of this blog. Vinegar ,hone,baking soda all have so many different uses-I will save them for a later date!


COFFEE FILTERS . . . .

Coffee filters .... Who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing even the large ones.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome... Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book.

25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

APPLE DUMPLINGS

Now that we can get apples year round this is a year-round favorite!(Time was you could only get nice firm apples in the late summer-early fall) Covered with rich cream it is "Caloric Heaven"!

APPLE DUMPLINGS'You Need:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
heavy cream(optional)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
6 baking apples(I prefer MacIntosh or Granny smith)peeled and cored(keep 'em whole)
1 1/2 cups sugar
dash of cinnamon

preheat oven to 400 degrees
Sift together flour,baking powder and salt
Cut in shortening until mixture resembles meal,then stirin milk until you have a soft dough.
Roll out into a large rectangle on a floured board and cut into 6 inch squares.
Place an apple in each square,moisten the edges and fold to enclose the fruit,pinching seams securely.
Set dumplings in a shallow baking dish.
Slowly bring remaining ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan,stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Pour the hot sauce over the dumplings.place in pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower the heat (no peeking) to 300 degrees and baked for 45 minutes more.
Serve the dumplings with pan juices and pass the cream!!!!!

Jimmy's Fine breakfast!

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized? This has been a question asked by generations of "foodies" and snackers!! Then there are those creative cookers who open the fridge and KNOW what they are looking for! My FB Friend Jimmy Hall has breakfast down to a science!


Jimmy Hall- I stack two pieces of bread up in a pan on stove, cut hole in center, poor in two eggs, shredded cheese, salt, pepper, and butter, and cook! Also cooking hickory-smoked bacon, and cinamon-raisin English Muffins with melted strawberry jam and butter atop them.... I may do more!!!! Hazelnut Coffee and juices, also.... :-)