California Medley Soup

I am a big soup person and I think this is one of my favorite soups! One of my former bosses used to make this for me all the time and I forgot all about it until the other day. The veggies I used were leftovers from a relish tray I had from a football party! This soup is fairly easy to make and tastes great! And, it's great on a chilly day!

California Medley Soup

small head Broccoli, chopped
small head Cauliflower, chopped
10 baby Carrots, chopped
4 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 lb. velveeta cheese
1 can cream chicken soup

In a large soup pan, boil veggies with water and bullion, covered for 15 minutes or until tender on high. Drain most of the water and add chicken soup. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Slowly and while stirring, add velveeta. Continue to cook and stir until cheese is melted. Goes great with a baguette roll.

Halloween & Fall Ideas

Be sure to check out my Halloween and Fall ideas from last year. You'll find yummy recipes like my fudge, pumpkin roll, and pumpkin spread! And, fun crafts like treat bags, specimen jars, and spooky candy dishes!


Halloween '08
Fall '08

Pumpkin Roll

This was my first ever attempt to make a pumpkin roll. I have always been intimidated to make them. I decided to make one and it turned out wonderful! Since then I have made a total of 4 more.

If you have been wanting to make one, go ahead!! They aren't hard to make, just a little messy. The most time spent making them is the cooling time.

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)*
2 tsp. cinnamon

Filling
1 c. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
2 T. butter, very soft
8 oz. cream cheese, very soft

Extras
wax paper
powdered sugar for dusting
15x10x1 jelly roll pan

Mix all cake ingredients except eggs and pumpkin. Add eggs and pumpkin and mix well. Spread cake in to the greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Take cake out of oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Lay a sheet of wax paper on table. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen. Turn cake onto wax paper. Roll cake into a roll bring wax paper into the roll also. Be careful, cake will be hot. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

When cake has cooled, unroll. Spread filling on cake as even as possible. Roll cake back up but this time leave the wax paper just on the outside of the cake. Place in fridge for about an hour. Dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve. Cake is easier to cut when it is refrigerated.

I have heard that these rolls can be frozen but, I have never tried it.

*A 29 oz. can of pumpkin makes 5 roll.

Indian Corn

I think this is so neat!!! Jaiden's teacher at school made Indian corn to put in their activity table. I think the table is actually called a sand and water table but her class puts all kinds of neat stuff in there. Jaiden's teacher, Mrs. Donner bought big bags of popcorn kernels at GFS (bulk store) and used food coloring to get the different colors. She said she poured the popcorn in 4 different tubs. She used red on one tub, left one tub regular, One tub was red and yellow mixed, and used a mix of green and blue to get the brown like color.

The kids were having such a fun time playing with this yesterday! They love to stick their hands in it and pour it into different containers. She had already switched the table over to Christmas when I came to pick Jaiden up. I wished I could have got a picture of it in the table!!

Strawberries & Cream Fudge

I couldn't help myself! Yes, it's another fudge recipe!! This is quickly becoming my new favorite. It smells so good and looks so pretty!

Strawberries & Cream Fudge

You'll need:
White Chocolate Fudge Recipe
Strawberry Syrup (kind you add to milk)

1. Make white chocolate fudge and pour into 9x13 pan.
2. Pour small amounts of syrup on top of fudge and swirl with a fork.
3. Refrigerate fudge for 1-2 hours before cutting or removing from wax paper.

This fudge will be a little sticky. But, it has great flavor!

Buckeyes

What most of you call peanut butter balls, we call buckeyes here in Ohio. This is a good recipe given to me by my grandmother's sister. Just make sure to make more that what you need because they disappear fast!

Buckeyes

2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 sticks butter, very soft, almost melted
2 lbs. peanut butter
2 c. Rice Crispies (I use generic)
12 oz. chocolate chips
3/4 block of paraffin wax

1. Mix all ingredients except for chocolate and wax very well.
2. With your hands, form mixture into small balls.
3.Chop wax into small pieces and melt in small sauce pan.
4. Add chocolate chips and continue to stir. When chocolate is completed melted, remove from heat.
5. Using a fork, dip balls into chocolate, leaving a bare spot on the top. (This creates the eye of the buckeye)
6. Put on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper to harden. Place in freezer for about 10 minutes to allow chocolate to harden and set.

Makes about 125 Buckeyes


Here are my tips for making these:
1. Use your hands to mix the peanut butter, sugar, and butter. You will know it is well mixed when you cannot see the powdered sugar.
2.Make sure to chop the wax into small pieces so it will melt faster.
3. I do not use a double boiler to melt my wax and chocolate. (I do not own one) I just use a medium low heat and watch it carefully.

4.Some people like to use a toothpick to dip the balls into the chocolate. I do not like to do this because you can see the toothpick hole when you are finished.

Thanksgiving Snack Mix

This is what I am giving Jaiden's teachers for a Thanksgiving gift this year. Really easy to make! It is equal portions of candy corn to peanuts and half portion of raisins. I got the containers at the Thrift Store for a big $0.29!!

They are really festive and they make a nice, inexpensive gift for teachers!

$3 Fall Wreath

This is the wreath Jaiden made for our front door. I got all the supplies at the dollar store. Jaiden used her low temp glue gun to glue the leaves on. I made the bow for her on top. (I am not good at bows!)

This would be a great project to do with the kids. All you need is a wreath, ribbon, and silk type leaves. The leaves were packaged in a plastic bag that contained about 100. I have also seen the leaves at Walmart in the craft section.

FYI: We tried Elmer's glue, glue stick, and rubber cement. None of them worked! I went to Hobby Lobby and purchased a mini low temp gun for her to use. I of course, had to help but, she handled it quite well.

Old Fashion Kentucky Pecan Pie

This is my all time favorite pie! I love pecan pie!! This recipe is so simple and easy to make. I like my pecans on top of the pie, not chopped up on the inside. You can easily chop up the pecans and mix them in the pie if that is what you prefer.

Old Fashion Kentucky Pecan Pie

1 c. white corn syrup
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. butter, softened (I use Blue Bonnet)
3 eggs
1 c. pecans, whole (I just use the small packets of pecans sold in the baking aisle)
1 uncooked pie shell

1. Beat all ingredients well except for pecans and pour into pie shell.
2. Bake at 350F (175C) for 15 minutes. (I like to place the pie on a cookie sheet.)
3. Sprinkle pecans on top and continue baking for 35-45 minutes.

To really add some calories to the pie, pour a little melted butter over the pie right before serving.

Smores Fudge

Every year I try to come up with a new fudge flavor. This year I decided to try a smores fudge. So straight from my kitchen to yours...

Smores Fudge
You'll need:
Base Fudge Recipe
10 graham crackers
2 handfuls mini marshmallows

1. Freeze marshmallows so they will not melt in the hot fudge.
2. Break graham crackers into small chunks and place in bottom of pan.
3. Make base fudge recipe.
4. Slowly pour fudge over graham crackers in pan.
5. After cooled slightly, place marshmallows over fudge. Press slightly into fudge.

Amaretto Fudge

I am a fan of amaretto and cokes so this fudge is also one of my favorites. Amaretto is a fairly cheap liqueur so there is not a big expense in this fudge.

You'll need:
Base Fudge Recipe
1/4 c. amaretto
1/2 c. almonds, chopped or slivered
1 tsp. almond extract

1. Make base fudge recipe.
2. Add amaretto, almonds, and almond extract after chocolate chips and marshmallow fluff.

*I'll have the picture up later

Chocolate Cherry Fudge

This is a great fudge to try if you like chocolate covered cherries. It is not personally one of my favorites but, a lot of people like it.

Chocolate Cherry Fudge

You'll need:
Base Fudge Recipe
6 oz. cherry chips (found next to chocolate chips)
6 oz. chocolate chips

1. Make base fudge recipe and only use 6 oz of chocolate chips instead of 12 oz. Also, add the cherry chips to the fudge at the same time as the chocolate.

For a different variation, you can use 12 oz of chocolate chips and add maraschino cherries to the fudge.


*I don't make this very often so, I do not have a picture at this time.

White Chocolate Fudge

This is a super rich tasting fudge. Looks really pretty swirled with chocolate!

White Chocolate Fudge

You'll need:
Base Fudge Recipe
12 oz white chocolate

1. Make base recipe using white chocolate instead of the chocolate chips.

Cayenne Pepper Fudge

Yes, cayenne pepper fudge!! This is chocolate fudge with a kick!! The heat of the cayenne pepper hits you a few seconds after you eat the fudge. It doesn't give the fudge a "taste" just a little kick! As far as I know, this is my own "creation".

Cayenne Pepper Fudge

You'll need:
Base Fudge Recipe
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. Make base fudge recipe and add cayenne pepper after marshmallow fluff.

Cookies & Cream Fudge

Ooh, cookies & cream fudge!! So good! This fudge tastes almost like the ice cream but better because it's fudge!

Cookie & Cream Fudge

You'll need:
Base Fudge Recipe
12 oz. white chocolate
10 Oreo cookies, crushed

1. Crush oreos in food processor. I like to leave some "chunky".
2. Make base fudge recipe and substitute white chocolate of chocolate chips.

Reece Cup Fudge

This is one of my most popular fudge flavors. It tastes just like eating a Reece cup.

Reece Cup Fudge

You'll need:
Base fudge Recipe
12 oz Reece cups or 6 oz. peanut butter and 6 oz. chocolate chips.

1. Make base fudge recipe and substitute chocolate chips for Reece cups.

Peanut Butter Fudge

I do not like peanut butter but, for some reason this this my favorite fudge! So creamy it will melt in your mouth!

Peanut Butter Fudge

You'll need the Base Fudge Recipe
1 small jar of peanut butter* (18oz)

1. Make base fudge substituting peanut butter for chocolate chips.

*You can use peanut butter chips instead of jar peanut butter, but I think it tastes better with regular peanut butter.

Orange Cream Fudge

If you like the dreamsicles, you will love this fudge!! It tastes just like the orange Popsicle with the ice cream in the middle.

Orange Cream Fudge
You'll will need the Base Fudge Recipe
1 tsp. orange extract
12 drops yellow food coloring
8 drops red food coloring
12 oz. white chocolate

1. Make the base fudge recipe substituting the chocolate for white chocolate.
2. Add orange extract and food coloring.

"Base" Fudge Recipe

I think the key to fudge making is do it the old fashion way; on the stove! Also, make sure to stir your fudge with a wooden spoon!

This base recipe is the key to making any flavored fudge.

"Base" Fudge

3 c. sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (I use Blue Bonnet)
2/3 c. evaporated milk*
7 oz. marshmallow fluff
12 oz. chocolate chips**

1. Before you start, open all packages and line a 9x13 pan with wax paper.
2. Stir together sugar, milk, and butter in a medium sauce pan.
3. Cook over medium high heat (I use 7). When mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent scorching and sticking.
4. After 5 minutes boiling time, turn heat off and add fluff. Stir, stir, and stir.
5. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted.
6. Pour into pan and let cool.

As a tip: I cut fudge as soon as it is completely set. I then will put it in the fridge to chill it. After it is cold, I lift it out of the pan by the wax paper and run the knife over the slices again. They should now peel right off the paper without sticking of falling apart.


Another tip: If your fudge gets hard from being exposed to the air, put it in a metal tin with a lid. It will soften back up and still taste great!

* A 12oz. can of evaporated milk will make 2 batches of fudge.
** Might be substituted in making different flavored fudge.

Pumpkin Craft

Today during craft time with Jaiden and Arya, we made pumpkins. The one on the left is Jaiden's and the one on the right is Arya's.

Really easy to do with your kids! I bought the plates at Walmart in the party section for $1.00. The leaves are fun foam and the stems is a brown pipe cleaner.