You've Been Boo'ed

I seriously love love love this time of year. My cookbook gets messier, the smell of a hot glue gun fills the air, random scraps of paper layer the floor and treats all around. This year for family night made the treats and bags for out ding dong ditching. Each kid picked a family and Eric and I picked one too.
So.. we made some bags for the goodies to be delivered in.

Then we made some goodies and wrapped them in baggies. And decorated the tops of the bags with folded over stock paper.

I seriously love getting goodies... and the only thing better than getting the goodies... is getting the recipe for the goodies so I can make them later! There can never be enough goodies!!!!

Trunk or Treat Cupcakes

At our PTA General Meeting we wanted to get volunteers for the upcoming Trunk or Treat at our school. Our chairman has been putting in countless hours organizing it. GO HEATHER! And now it was time for the real work to begin (sorry Heather!). We enticed with the best marketing strategy EVER ... cupcakes (some chocolate and some tie-died -- way cool!) and I made the sign! She got 15 volunteers and no cupcakes to take home! So... IT WORKED!!!

Yummy Yummy Strawberry Jam!

I haven't made strawberry jam since I was about 11 years old. I had forgotten what heaven tastes like on toasted sourdough bread. Ohhhh.... so YUM! This year I made freezer and cooked jam. I prefer freezer...Which one do you prefer? Is there another jam out there as heavenly as this?Well, I couldn't let the outside of the jars look so blah when the insides were beyond words... so I "Dahled UP" the jars! AH! Who knew the recipe inside the pectin box would be that good?VINYL:

$3 for sheet of 42 Strawberries 2011

HOW TO ORDER:
Email: AllDahledUp@gmail.com

YUMMIES! - - Buttermilk Syrup

My sweetest bestest friend in the whole wide world (because I am "like 12!")... Keri! Among a coutless number of other reasons... introduced me and the rest of our friends to this recipe. I think the title should be changed to "Caramel Buttermilk Syrup That We Put On EVERYTHING". The typical french toast, pancakes and waffles will due, but we have brought it to a whole other level... ice cream, banana nut bread, pumpkin pie, cinnamon rolls, zuchini bread and even popcorn. A single batch will never due... we ALWAYS double it.
Ohhh and btw, the best thing to make french toast with is Franz Texas Toast. I just wish for you that this blog this was a smellablog or even tasteablog (kind of like smell-avision - I am trying to be funny here - is it working? --insert cricket noises here!--)...

The following is a single batch...
1 1/2c sugar
3/4c buttermilk (I use the milk and lemon juice substitute)
1/2c butter
2tbsp corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda

Put the preceeding ingredients in a LARGE pot. It may not look like much, but it will when it begins to boil.

Bring to a boil on medium medium-high heat (like a 6 on my stove -if you could see it HA!)

Cook for 7 minutes, then remove from heat.

Add 2tsp vanilla.

Happy Eating! And of course there is NO CALORIES in this recipe!!!! Right????

All Things Pumpkin Recipe

You know how some of your friends are into things that just make you chuckle?

Ohhhhh dear dear Shannon. She just delivered her second child about a month ago. However, while she was pregnant she craved all things PUMPKIN! Pumpkin rolls, Costco pumpkin pie, Burgerville pumpkin milkshake, pumpkin... pumpkin... pumpkin. It was awesome! She recently announced that they are moving to Arizona. NOT GOOD! So... Vicki and I created this to help her remember her friends in the Pacific Northwest... rather the Pumpkin Northwest!

What recipe would you display?

YUMMIES! - - Buckeyes

I have so many dear friends. Jenn Southworth in particular bakes like NO ONES BUSINESS! She tells us what she is making for dinner and the rest of us go "yeah yeah... but what did you make for dessert????"

We received a plate of cookies for Christmas. But this was no ordinary plate, she had written out her family tradition of each item included. SUPER CUTE IDEA!

One of the items she included was "Buckeyes". Peanut butter and powdered sugar dipped in chocolate. HOW COULD YOU GO WRONG???? So I decided to make them for my Sunday School class today. Got milk?
~The RECIPE~
Buckeye Candy (Nestle Very Best Baking Holiday 2005 edition)

2 cups creamy peanut butter [not all-natural]
¼ cup softened butter
3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (OKAY... milk is much better!)
2 tbsp shortening

Line baking sheets with wax paper. Beat peanut butter and butter in large bowl until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar until mixture holds together and is moistened. Shape into 1-inch balls (in this instance - bigger is not better! We tried it... trust us!) and place on prepared baking sheets. Freeze for 1 hour.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in medium bowl for 1 minute and stir. If needed, microwave at additional 10-15 second intervals, stirring until just melted. (I used a double broiler idea.)
Dip peanut butter centers into melted chocolate using a wooden toothpick, leaving a portion of the center uncovered. Shake off excess chocolate and scrape bottom of candy on side of bowl. Return to baking sheets and refrigerate until chocolate is set. Store in covered container in refrigerator. (Like they are going to last that long. SERIOUSLY!)