Candy Corn Jello Shots... How Festive! 

Candy Corn Jell-O Shots

Mix the white layer first and fill your Jell-O shot cups about 1/3 full (about ¼ inch deep on a 2oz cup), then chill till firm. Mix the orange layer and fill the cups till they’re about 2/3 full. Keep in mind that you’ll need a little room at the top because you won’t be filling the cups to the brim with the final layer. After the orange layer has chilled, mix up the yellow layer and top off the shots.

White Layer

1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water 

1/2 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk 

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Vanilla Schnapps 

Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk and water in a saucepan and let sit for a few minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin starts to dissolve. Add the sugar and stir till dissolved. Cool till just warm. Stir in the vanilla schnapps.

Orange Layer

3 oz. pkg Orange Jell-O

1 cup water 

4 oz. Orange sherbet (about one scoop) 

1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps

3 Tbsp Butterscotch schnapps (optional)

Orange food coloring (if desired)

Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Add sherbet while still warm and mix thoroughly as it melts. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and butterscotch schnapps. Add a few drops of orange food coloring to make the color more vivid if you want to.

Yellow Layer

3 oz. pkg Pineapple Jell-O

1 cup water

1/2 cup canned coconut milk 

1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps

Yellow food coloring (if desired)

Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in coconut milk and vanilla schnapps. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring for more vivid color.

I have to go to a wedding shower at work this coming week.  It's one of those things where you are forced to go celebrate and join in because everyone at work is going, so you don't want to be the odd one out.

Luckily I like the woman so I will put more effort into what I do!  Isn't that sad but oh so true.  I have been searching for the perfect recipe.  I want to make something different and fun.  I don't know how I stumble across some of these things but I just seem to find them.  I am thinking about trying to make the Chocolate Chip Dip.  Doesn't that just sound yummy.  Let me know if you have made this before and what you thought about it or you can make it to from http://www.tasteofhome.com.

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 ounces) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese (softened or cubed), softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (6 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• Graham cracker sticks

Directions

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Serve with graham cracker sticks.

Peach Cobbler

When you think of summer what do you think of?  There is always something that will trigger a feeling or a memory.  When I think of summer I think of watermelons, beach trips, and spending lots of time out doors with friends and family grilling.  

I went to my boyfriend's parents house last weekend for dinner and had the most amazing peach cobbler I have ever tasted.  It was one of those where if it was the last food you could eat this would be on the list.  Peaches are one of those summer time fruits that can bring back those child hood memories.  Here is a great recipe thanks to Paula Dean for a cobbler. 

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepanand mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice ofwhipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

It is definitely tomato season, and the garden is in full bloom.  I love finding new recipes to make with my fresh picks.  Any suggestions are much needed.  I found this great new twist to use up some of those tomato's before they go bad.

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tomatoes, halved horizontally
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Bacon,Egg, and Toast Cups

I just love Martha Stewart!  I think she has some great ideas.  I just so happen to be on her web-site and found this great breakfast recipe.  Who doesn't love breakfast?  Take a look for your self!

Bacon, Egg, an Toast Cups

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 8 slices white or whole-wheat sandwich bread
• 6 slices bacon
• 6 large eggs
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter 6 standard muffin cups. With a rolling pin, flatten bread slices slightly and, with a 4 1/4-inch cookie cutter, cut into 8 rounds. Cut each round in half, then press 2 halves into each muffin cup, overlapping slightly and making sure bread comes up to edge of cup. Use extra bread to patch any gaps. Brush bread with remaining butter.
2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium, until almost crisp, 4 minutes, flipping once. (It will continue to cook in the oven.) Lay 1 bacon slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until egg whites are just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts. Serve immediately.

With summer right around the corner and pre-paring my garden, I am always looking for great healthy recipes to create.  One of my favorites is the black bean salsa.  It is so easy and quick to pre-pare, not to mention healthy and you can grab things right from your pantry and garden!

1 cup of chopped tomatoes

1 can (19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and serve in a bowl with tortilla chips on the side or spice it up and place on top of a salad.

So I just love finding great new recipes, granted these are not for the people who are dieting... but who cares, we all need a little sweetness in our lives!  For those of you who have a sweet tooth you will love this!  Doesn't it look delish!  Thank you http://www.youngmarriedchic.com for this!

Brownie Candy Cups

*1 package Duncan Hines Chocolate Lovers Double Fudge Brownie Mix

*2 eggs

*1/3 cup water

*1/4 cup vegetable oil

*30 mini Reeses cups unwrapped

*1 Box Reynolds 2-inch aluminum foil mini cups for muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Place 30 foil liners on baking sheet

3. Combine brownie mix, contents from fudge packet in mix, eggs, water and oil.

4. Stir with spoon until well blended. (about 50 strokes)

5. Fill each liner with 2 tablespoons of batter

6. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and remove from oven

7. Push 1 Reeses in center of each “brownie cupcake” until even with surface of the batter.

8. Bake 5-7 minutes longer.

9. Cool 5-10 minutes in pan and then move to cooling rack to cool completely

Muffin Tin Pot PiesFrom The Rachael Ray Show

Makes 6 individual pot pies

Total time: about 45 minutes

*1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 bay leaf
*1 medium onion, halved, divided
*1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
*a handful of mushroom caps, sliced or chopped
*1 small rib celery, finely chopped
*½ cup defrosted frozen peas and carrots
*2 tablespoons butter
*2 tablespoons flour, plus a sprinkle to roll out dough
*¾ cup chicken stock
*¼ cup cream or half-and-half
*1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
*2 tablespoons fresh thyme or dill, finely chopped
*salt and pepper
*8-ounce sheet frozen puff pastry dough, defrosted
*1 egg, beaten with a splash of water

~Preheat oven to 400ºF.

~Place chicken in a pan with 1/2 of the onion and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Gently poach chicken until cooked through. Remove from liquid and dice or shred with forks in a mixing bowl.

~Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and brown 5 minutes. Finely chop remaining 1/2 onion and add to the pan along with the celery. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, a few minutes more. Add frozen veggies and heat through, a minute or 2 more. Add veggies to bowl with shredded or cut chicken.

~Return the skillet to the heat and add butter. Melt butter, add flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in stock and let thicken a minute or 2. Stir in cream and heat through. Add Dijon, dill or thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and pour over chicken and vegetables, and stir to combine.

~Wipe a large, 6-cup muffin tin with oil or spray with cooking spray. Roll out dough and cut into 6 squares. Place each square in a cup, fill with chicken, vegetable and gravy mix. Pull in all four points of the crust over the filling so they meet in the middle, forming 6 individual pot pies. Brush pies with egg wash and bake 25-30 minutes until crisp and deeply golden. Let stand a few minutes before removing from the muffin cups. Serve with a green salad or other leafy green vegetable alongside.

Monkey Bread!

I found the easiest but most delicious recipe, Monkey Bread.  It doesn't take that many ingredients and it looks fairly easy to make.

You will need:

(3) cans of buttermilk Biscuits

(1) cup of Sugar

(2) teaspoons of cinnamon

(1/2) cup of margarine

(1) cup of brown sugar

1. Cut each biscuit in fourths with scissors.

2. Shake the biscuits in bag with sugar and cinnamon.

3. Layer the biscuits into a greased pan.

4. Melt the margarine and brown sugar and boil for 1 minute.

5. Pour over the biscuits

6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

7. Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

8. Simply Enjoy!