Elephant Ears

These were really easy, really quick and pretty tasty. I didn't think they were terribly authentic (I did grow up in the town with the world's largest free fair!)... but I think these would make a great dessert component, like with some ice cream or some apple pie filling or drizzled with caramel/chocolate/icing. Imagine the possibilities! Thanks Molly.


Elephant Ears


Ingredients:
* Refrigerator biscuits - 1 roll
* 1 cup cooking oil
* 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (I made a mix of 1/2 c sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon)
* Paper lunch bag

Directions: Place cinnamon sugar in paper lunch bag. Heat cooking oil in large (10"+) frying pan. Test for hot enough: Drop of water will sizzle. Separate dough into individual biscuits-"ear". Stretch each biscuit until they just about have holes in them. They do not have to be perfect. Gently drop each "ear" into the hot oil. As soon as one side becomes golden, flip them and let second side get golden. DO NOT WALK AWAY. They burn quickly. Place "ears" on paper towel to soak up excess oil. Shake "ears" in paper bag of cinnamon sugar. Serve warm with ice cream or just plain. Make lots, they will go quickly.

**I just used premade cinnamon sugar and sprinkled it on both sides because I didn't have a paper bag. These really only take like 2 minutes per side. I used regular buttermilk biscuits.

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Molly gave me this suggestion for Easter/mom's birthday. Everyone loved how cute and bite sized these little cakes were. It was a huge pain in the butt having only one 12-mini muffin pan so I suggest having more than that if you plan to do them this size. Yes you can use regular muffin pan size, just increase everything accordingly.... but they won't be this cute and bite sized!

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
Yield: About 48 cakes?

Ingredients:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (18.25 ounce) package pineapple cake mix (Duncan Hines has a Pineapple Supreme flavor)
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
maraschino cherries, quartered

1. Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter; mix well. Spoon a tiny bit into greased mini muffin cups. Place a small piece of cherry in the center of each cup. Spoon a little bit of pineapple around each cherry. Yes mini muffin cups are tiny... so you only need a tiny bit of everything.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oils and mix well. Spoon over pineapple, filling each cup almost full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Watch them!! Time may need to be adjusted for the size of the cup.

3. Immediately pop out onto wire racks to cool. This can be messy and you can burn your hand if you don't have mad baking skillz like I have. Yes these will be a bit sticky... what can you expect from sugary pineapply goodness?

**I made one larger cake in my 4" round pan with a full sized pineapple ring and cherry to place in the center of the tray with all the mini cakes around it. Super cute.

Plantain Chips

I was making one of our favorite semi-Cuban style sammiches
and I wanted something more fun that fries or tater tots to go with them. I have seen plantain chips on many cooking shows and decided to give them a try. Matt said "I would definitely eat these again" so I guess that means success! Please be advised... plantains are not the same thing as bananas... so buy the right thing and don't take a bite of one thinking it will taste the same.

Plantain Chips
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
-1 large plantain (should be kinda green still)

-Veggie oil
-salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper

1. In a small fry pan, heat up enough veggie oil so it covers the bottom of the pan about 1/4" deep. Medium high heat should work.

2. Peel the plantain (you will need a knife, cut off the end and carefully slice the length of the peel). Slice in very thin slices... thin as you can get without being like paper. Place the slices in the oil (carefully!) a few at a time. Fry for about 2-3 minutes and flip over and repeat. You want them to be browning but not blackened.

3. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to your tastes.

Chocolate Pretzels

I had some extra chocolate from the mini cupcakes so Matt was wonderful enough to take little Murray up to 7-11 to grab me some pretzels. I need all the practice I can get for Katie's wedding! These are really easy to make and you can get really crazy with all the stuff you can sprinkle on them. Just a couple notes on a makeshift double boiler:

1. In a small saucepan, heat about an inch to 2 inches of water on low (I used a 1.5-2 on a burner tha goes up to 10). You want some small bubbles to form but you don't want it simmering or boiling. While the pot is still room temperature, place a room temperature pyrex bowl on top.

2. Place a handful of Wilton candy melts (my fave) in the pyrex bowl and stir until melted.

3. Dip the pretzel in and shake off the excess. Put on wax paper to cool. Immediately add sprinkles or whatever if you are going to. It is reeeeally easy if you don't dip 100% of the mini twist pretzels and they look cute. Just hold the bottom and do a scooping motion in the chocolate. Cool completely before removing from the wax paper.

HAVE FUN!

Superbowl Wings

Matt wanted wings during the Superbowl and the frozen bag of wing sections was on sale. I have never made these before so I kind of 'winged' it (hahahahaha). Matt and his cousin sure liked them so I guess I did ok.


Superbowl Wings
Serves: 2-4

1. Preheat oven to whatever the frozen wings say. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with Pam.

2. Rinse and pat dry 18 wing sections.

3. In a large plastic baggie, mix together 3/4 cup flour, palmful of oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Toss the wings into the bag and coat with the flour mixture. If you have the time it is best to let the wings sit for an hour before proceeding, but I didn't.

4. In a large bowl, pour about 1/3-1/2 bottle of Franks buffalo sauce and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. With tongs place each flour coated wing in the sauce to coat. Place on the cookie sheet. Repeat as necessary.

5. Bake according to bag directions... about 50 minutes if frozen turning halfway thru cooking. Broil for the last 5ish minutes. Watch carefully or they could burn.

6. In a new bowl, dump some more sauce in and toss the hot wings in and coat them. Ta da! Wings!

Grown up hot pocket

This is just a quick meal for when you don't have time for anything fancy. It is not really a recipe because you can stuff it with whatever you want. I just wanted to give you another idea for your weekly list.

Grown Up Hot Pocket
Serves: 1 each

1. Roll out a tube of refrigerated pizza crust.
2. Stuff with slice of genoa salami, provolone, roasted red peppers, onion etc.
3. Fold up and brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with italian seasoning. Bake per crust directions.
4. Serve over pizza sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Dill Dip

I have been eating and making this ever since I can remember. It has always been a favorite in our family and something really easy to take to parties. It goes great with veggies and chips. But carrots are the perfect match. I like to make it with low fat/no fat ingredients, but of course it tastes better with the super fatty stuff.... but my way you get to eat a lot more!



Dill Dip
Serves: a party

1. In a medium bowl combine the following:
*1 cup (8 oz) fat free sour cream
*1 cup (8 oz) low fat mayo (NOT miracle whip)
*3 tablespoons dried dill weed (not seed)
*3 tablespoons dried parsley
*3 tablespoons dried minced onion (not chopped)
*3 teaspoons seasoning blend (look here)
*3 teaspoons Accent (look here)

2. Transfer to your seving dish and refrigerate a few hours or even better overnight.

3. Serve with veggies or whatever you want. Keep it cool. (see below)

Fancy Schmancy Tip: I am sure most of you understand this, but it is something to consider when bringing a dish to pass like this. Get a slightly bigger container than your serving bowl and fill it halfway with crush ice. Set the dip bowl on top. That way it can sit out for longer and still be safe to eat. Just something to consider.

Chili Cheese Dip

This is one of my all time favorite things to feed my guests! So easy and addicting. I brought this to a get together night and forgot to take a picture.... but a cheesy spoon laying next to the crock pot is the most common sight to see with this recipe, so this picture is only appropriate.

Chili Cheese Dip

Serves 12-15

1. Get your crock pot heating up on high.

2. Throw in the following:

• 1- 8oz bar of cream cheese, reduced/fat free works too
• 1 can of Hormel Hot no bean chili
• 1-16 oz. jar of your favorite salsa
• 1- 2 pound brick of Velveeta, cubed

3. Stirring occasionally, heat until melty and combined. Warning, this could take an hour.

4. Reduce heat to low and serve with tortilla chips (2 regular sized bags). Make sure you set out a paper plate for the spoon, this gets messy!

Boyscout Pizzas

These are so easy I am almost embarassed to blog about them! Matt used to eat these in boyscouts and I remember them from being a kid. Every once in awhile we get a craving for them. I really like to make them because they can bake in the toaster oven, my favorite kitchen appliance! So nice when it is hot out and you don't want to heat up the oven.


Boyscout Pizzas

1. Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees.

2. On a toaster oven pan, split 2 or 3 (however many will fit) english muffins and lay on pan.

3. Spread on a couple spoonfuls of your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce.

4. Add lots of shredded mozzerella cheese.

5. Dice up whatever toppings you like. Smaller pieces are better when working with a small pizza! We used pepperoni, onion, green and red peppers, and mushrooms. Basically anything you want. Sprinkle the toppings on.

6. Add a little more sauce on top and sprinkle with a little extra italian seasoning.

7. Bake until melty and crunchy... about 10 minutes.



Serves: 2 halves per person.