Frozen Dog Treaties

I am a big dog lover and always try to find a way to give them different treats. If you have a dog that loves to eat peanut butter and ice then this will be a win-win for you and your beloved pooch. I went to the Dollar Store and picked up some ice cube trays for my boy Teddy. He's a loveable knucklehead.

Frozen Dog Treaties

• Peanut Butter
• Water
• Ice cube tray

Place a small dollop of peanut butter into each ice cube tray section and top off with water.

Place in freezer until frozen solid.

Empty into a Ziploc freezer bag and store in freezer. Pull out a cube for a treaty as needed.

The Healthier Nacho

• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½-1 tsp. ground chipotle powder
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¾ cup water
• 1.3 lb. Shady Brook Farms ground turkey, 99% lean
• 1 medium sized diced sweet onion
• 1 can fat free refried beans, 16 oz.
• 1 jar pickled jalapeño slices
• 1 bag Utz Baked Tortilla chips
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. Sargento 4 Cheese Mexican reduced fat cheese

In a small bowl mix together first 7 ingredients. In a 2-cup measuring cup put ketchup, water and spice powders. Whisk together and set aside.

Brown ground turkey and onion in a medium nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking oil and cook over medium heat. When meat is no longer pink and is cooked through add spice mixture to meat while stirring well until all meat is coated. Add refried beans and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 450º at this time if you are going to bake them.

You need to decide whether or not you would like to bake or microwave them.
• Option #1: Bake at 450º on a cookie sheet for about 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Option #2: Microwave on plate until cheese is melted, my microwave took 60 seconds.

Now that you have decided whether or not you want to microwave or bake, prepare the munchies. Place chips in a single layer on a plate or cookie sheet without any gaps and a spoonful of the turkey/bean mixture onto each chip then top with grated cheese and some jalapeños.

You may make the turkey/bean mixture aday ahead if you wish, just heat mixture up before preparing Nachos. Also you may add additional toppings such as sliced black olives, freshly chopped green onion, fat free sour cream, etc.

DIY Kissing Ball Project

Supplies list

1. Five to six inch wet foam ball, clink on this link to see.
2. Decorations such as: pine cones, red berries, mini X-Mas balls, ribbon at least 3ft long, and wire.
3. Bucket.
4. 4 large pine branches cut into pieces into 6-7 inches long with about a 2 inch stem to stick into foam ball.
5. Wire to hang ball, I recommend bending an old wire coat hanger.
6. Make sure you wear long sleeves and gloves because the pine is very prickly.

Directions

1. Soak foam ball in bucket filled with cool water for about 10 minutes.
2. Send your Stud Muffin outside to cut the pine branches.
3. Place wire through the wet foam ball leaving a 3 inch stem at bottom then bend it at a right angle. This will stop the ball from slipping back out and you will have a spot to hang the ribbon on the bottom wire. I recommend you do this over a sink or a bucket as it will drip the whole time.
4. Start at the bottom of the ball and start sticking pine cutting into the ball in a random order about an inch apart.
5. After the ball is full of greens then randomly add decorations.
6. Attach ribbon onto the bottom of wire sticking through the ball.
7. Hang outside and spritz with water everyday. Last year our lasted for many months.

      This is a messy project and it would be best done in a utility sink, basement or garage.

Apple Praline Cake

I nailed this one on the first try, oh how I love that! If you want an easy to make moist cake then this baby is for you. I only wanted to take one taste test bite but I made all gone with mine because it was so scrumptious. A perfect dessert for the holidays and you don't have to tell them that it starts with a cake mix. We can keep a secret.

Apple Praline Cake

• 1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
• 1 can Apple pie filling, 20 oz.
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/8 cup canola oil
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven and bake according to package directions but do not follow their mixing instructions. In a large bowl sift together 1 tsp. cinnamon with the powdered cake mix, then set aside. This step will blend the cinnamon well and remove unwanted lumps when mixing later on.

In a medium size bowl mix 1 tsp cinnamon with the apple filling mix until well blended. Then add to the cake mix; apple mixture, eggs, oil and water. Stir well by hand and mix thoroughly through, mixture will be thick and mud like.

Bake according to package instructions or until cake tester comes out clean, mine took about 38 minutes. Meanwhile toast pecans over medium heat in a 12 inch non stick skillet stirring occasionally while toasting them, this will take about 8-10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Once cake is baked remove from oven and set cake pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 - 15 minutes. Meanwhile as the cake is cooling on a rack it's time to melt the brown sugar and butter in a medium size saucepan whisking constantly over a medium heat. Slowly bring to a boil for 1 minute then turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the stove. You want to make sure the sugar is melted and not gritty, it will take about 8 to 10 minutes.

As soon as butter/brown sugar mixture is ready invert the cake onto plate and immediately drizzle the mixture on the top and then sprinkle on the pecans.

This would bake well in a 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Pour brown sugar mixture over top of hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, then sprinkle pecans evenly over the top.

Sassy Egg Salad

This is what a perfectly cooked hard boiled egg looks like. Notice that the yolk is yellow and just cooked all the way through. The yolk is moist and the white of the egg is tender. An overcooked egg has a green ring around the dry yolk and the white part is tough. I remember asking my Mom why hard boiled eggs looked like that when I was a kid, she said that is what happens when you hard boil them. Needless to say I did not like hard boiled eggs until I had them cooked the right way. Sorry Mom.

Now on to the Sassy Egg Salad. Yummy! It's nice and spicy but not too hot, just right. It's time to revamp the old traditional Egg salad with some pizzazz. Sometimes I just get tired of eating the same old thing. I'll tell you that this is a satisfying sandwich for lunch. I loved mine on a pretzel roll but any nice roll or bread will do. Make those fat cells and taste buds sing with delight. Enjoy!

Sassy Egg Salad

• 6 large eggs, hard boiled
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 2-3 green onion trimmed and sliced thin, green tops too.

This is how to hard boil the perfect egg. Do not use fresh eggs, they are too hard to peel. Get rid of your older eggs with dignity. Not expired ones!  Place eggs in a large pot big enough for a single layer, then add enough cold water and 1 tsp salt to cover eggs and bring to a boil uncovered. As soon as you see big bubbles start to come up lower it to a simmer at just below boiling. Immediately set your timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off take the eggs to your sink and start running cold water over them until cool. Once cooled you may remove them from the cold water bath and chill overnight in the fridge. Or you may speed up the cooling down time by adding some ice to the pot and wait about 30 minutes for them to chill down.

Slightly crackle the eggs shells and gently peel away. I find that it helps to start at the wide end of the egg and peel down while running cold water over egg while peeling. Once all eggs are peeled slice in half. Chop eggs for the salad and you get to choose how chunky you want it. Add eggs to a large bowl and add remaining ingredients, gently mix well with a soft spatula. Chill until ready to eat, but it tastes even better if you chill it overnight for the flavors to meld.

This is a zesty egg salad and it screams for a hearty roll. I had mine on a pretzel roll and it was perfect. Enjoy!

Shrimp Fried Rice

I just love this recipe! It's pretty easy to make and it is so flavorful. I use brown rice in this one and it still tastes great. I always try to slip in something to make it a little healthier to eat but I refuse to compromise on flavor. Enjoy!

Shrimp Fried Rice

• 2 cups white or brown rice
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• cooking spray
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 cup green onion cut into ½ long, green tops too
• ½ cup frozen petite peas, thawed
• ½ cup grated carrot
• 1 Tbsp. bottled minced garlic
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1 Tbsp. rice wine
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 16 oz. cooked diced chicken, or, 16 oz. peeled and deveined cooked salad style shrimp 100/150 ct. (optional)

Cook rice according to package directions.

Mix together  rice wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil, set aside

Meanwhile in a small 8 inch nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking oil over medium heat, scramble the eggs, set aside. In a large 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the canola oil. When heated up add onions, peas, carrots, garlic and ginger, sauté for 2 minutes.

Add cooked rice to skillet with vegetable mixture, add soy mixture and scrambled egg, stirring constantly. If adding chicken or shrimp do so now. Stirring constantly for about 2 more minutes, or until mixed well and all is heated through.

Jewish Apple Cake

It's Fall and this is a great way to use up our bounty of fresh apples that are in season now. Get rid of those crispy critters with dignity! I may be Italian but I make a mean Jewish Apple Cake. I'll tell you that my Mom made this cake more times then I could count. So her memory lives on in this recipe.

This one tastes like Apple Pie in a cake form. Now that sounds scrumptious doesn't it? Life is too short, eat dessert first. Enjoy!

Jewish Apple Cake

• Peel 5 small apples and cut into small pieces.
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 2 ½ tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare apples and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix together 1 Tbsp. of cinnamon and ¼ cup sugar, then stir into diced apples and mix well, set aside.

Add next 8 ingredients and beat with an electric until smooth. Pour half of batter into a greased & floured 10 inch tube pan. Arrange apple mixture over top of batter evenly, then pour remaining batter on top of apples. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake is golden brown. Remove from pan and let stand on rack to cool for 30 minutes.

My mom made this cake more times then I could count. It was one of her favorites. I like to use McIntosh or Cortland apples, or you may use any firm apple of your choice.