best dessert recipes: November 2012

Weekend Company {Guest Blogger Colleen}

Whew....it's December 1st! Can you believe it? I am still in disbelief myself, because I'm pretty sure Labor Day was just yesterday, but alas the calendar doesn't lie. However, I will say with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season upon us, it's nice to know ALL of my Christmas shopping is not only DONE, but also WRAPPED!!! (I realize some of you are leaving now in disgust, and I apologize.)

I hope you had a great week, and are ready for something yummy for the weekend. The is perfect for a brunch, or keep it bookmarked (or pinned) for those family visits that are just around the corner! Please welcome Colleen back to EMM~

Hi Everyone! I'm Colleen and I'm so happy to be back doing a guest spot at my favorite foodie blog. The recipe I'm going to share with you was given to me fairly recently by my dear friend, Shawna. When I told her that we were going to have a wedding rehearsal brunch for my son's upcoming wedding, she said "I've got just the recipe for you!" I was so impressed with this one that I immediately took pictures knowing that I would one day want to share it. This dish got rave reviews for the rehearsal brunch. I hope you all give it a try and enjoy it as much as we all did. I think it would make a great holiday brunch item, as well. Or maybe you could just liven up your weekend and serve this to your family one morning! They'd be thanking you all day.

By the way, just in case you're wondering, the wedding rehearsal went great and was followed a couple days later by a beautiful wedding. The newlyweds have been married almost 2 months now and are doing very well. I'm happy to have them living just down the street from me and enjoy having them pop in now and then ... even though it's mostly to raid my refrigerator. LOL! The picture I'm including is of me with the happy new couple on their wedding day. :)

French Toast Casserole

2 tubes of refrigerated cinnamon rolls

1 cup maple syrup

6 eggs

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

1 - 2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to the temp listed on the package of cinnamon rolls (they can sometimes be different) and grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Cut the cinnamon rolls into bite size pieces, reserving the icing packets for later. Place all the cut up pieces of cinnamon rolls into the buttered casserole dish. Pour the maple syrup over top of the cinnamon rolls covering as much area as you can.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and whipping cream just until it all comes together nicely. Add in the vanilla and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Pour this mixture over the cinnamon roll mixture.

Add the chopped nuts to the top, if you are using.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the mixture doesn't jiggle when you shake the pan slightly. When you take it out of the oven, open the reserved packets of icing mixture and drizzle them over the casserole. Serve warm.

Notes: This is best done in a glass casserole dish but if you do bake it in a metal or foil pan, don't add the nuts to the top until halfway through the baking process to avoid burning them. You can also bake this the day before you want to eat it. Just leave off the icing and refrigerate the casserole overnight. The next morning, heat it in a moderate oven just to re-warm it and then top with the icing after warming.

Thanks to Mrs. Everyday for allowing me to come by and share with you all once again. I hope you all have a very happy weekend full of family, love and good food. :)

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French Toast Casserole

2 tubes of refrigerated cinnamon rolls

1 cup maple syrup

6 eggs

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

1 - 2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to the temp listed on the package of cinnamon rolls (they can sometimes be different) and grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and whipping cream just until it all comes together nicely. Add in the vanilla and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Pour this mixture over the cinnamon roll mixture.

Add the chopped nuts to the top, if you are using.

Thanks to Mrs. Everyday for allowing me to come by and share with you all once again. I hope you all have a very happy weekend full of family, love and good food. :)

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Meal Plan Dec. 2- Dec 7

*New Recipe
Links to recipes on blog

Sunday
Beef Roast
Roasted Baby Potatoes
Black Eyed Peas with Bacon*

Monday
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Sliced Pears

Tuesday
Mini Pizzas
Wedge Salads

Wednesday
Lemon Shrimp Over Wild Rice*
Steamed Asparagus

Thursday
Soft Tacos
Chips and Rotel Dip*

Friday
Spaghetti
Bread sticks

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Holidays or Football...or Both!

The biggest party season of the year is quickly approaching. You and I both know our calendars are getting full of holiday parties, rather they be Christmas or New Years, or even college football championships. (In case you don't know my Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be playing in the BCS Championship Game Monday January 7, 2013!!) We all have so many family and friend gatherings this year, coming up with new dishes to take is sometimes a daunting task. Especially if you are like me and have guest "overlap". By that I mean many of the same people are going to be at multiple parties, and you don't want them thinking you are only capable of bringing one thing because they have seen it 3 times in the course of two weeks. So, maybe this absolutely delicious dip could be one of your new offerings!

I first had this 3 years ago when we were celebrating Thanksgiving with my Grammy, and thankfully she remembered how much I loved it this year when we were there too. When she got out the container, I got this huge smile on my face for I just knew by the sight exactly what it was. It's perfect with crackers, veggies or even chips. Honestly, I'm such an addict I can eat the stuff with a spoon!! The slight crunch with the creamy texture will have your guests saying "Hmmm...what is that." And they might just be surprised when they find out the answer!

If you are trying to get your holiday party menus planned, and appetizers are on the top of those lists, be sure to try this dip this year!

Spinach Dip
10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
16 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. mayo
1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable Soup/Dip Mix, dry NOT mixed
8 oz. water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Mix well. Chill several hours before serving with crackers, chips, or veggies.

Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012
Shared on Make Ahead Meals Dec. 3, 2012
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Dec. 4, 2012

Spinach at Very Good Recipes
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Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012
Shared on Make Ahead Meals Dec. 3, 2012
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Dec. 4, 2012

Spinach at Very Good Recipes
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Jar Cakes For The Holidays {A Giveaway}

Tis the season to give! I love this time of year because of many things, but one of them is because I get to treat my friends and family to extra special treats. From the perfect gift, to a yummy homemade treat, I love giving almost more than I love getting during the holidays. (I'm not going to lie...I love getting treats too though!)

So I am excited to include my EMM family in the extra giving this year too. I've already launched my Very Merry Christmas Giveaway, which is a very cute, holiday inspired prize package from me to you. But today I'm happy to have another foodie friend teaming up with me to offer you yet another fun holiday giveaway.

My sweet friend Kim at CK Bakery Shop makes the cutest, moistest, most delicious jar cakes I've ever had. Yep, that's right, an entire cake cooked and shipped in a mason jar! They are the perfect gift for troops overseas, or even college students!

And Kim has been kind enough to offer 2 of her fabulous jar cakes to one lucky EMM fan! Keep them both, or give one as a gift. OR heck, give them both as a gift and you've got even more shopping done!

********Giveaway********

Rules:

1. This contest is open to US Residents 18 and older ONLY.

2. The winner will be chosen by Random.org

3. The winner will be notified by email and Facebook. He/she will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. I will then pass on your address to the sponsor for shipping.

4. When leaving comments for entries, they MUST BE SEPARATE ones AND include an email address so it's easy for me to find the winner. If entries are together, it will only count as (1) and if no email, entry will not be considered.

5. If any of the extra entries are items you are already doing, please just remind me!

6. Contest Ends: December 7, 2012

One Lucky Winner Will Receive

(2) Jar Cakes:

(1) Banana Bread

(1) FaLaLa Cake (Plain cake with Christmas sprinkles)

Mandatory Entry:

1.Become a fan of CK Bakery Shop on Facebook. Leave a comment when you have.

Extra Entries:

1. Become an EMM Facebook fan. Leave a comment when you have.

2. Follow EMM on Twitter. Leave a comment when you are.

3. Follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment.

4. Follow me on GFC, Networked Blogs or Linky Tools...all on homepage, left hand side. Leave a comment when you have.

That makes up to 5 entries per person!!!

Good Luck!

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********Giveaway********

Rules:

1. This contest is open to US Residents 18 and older ONLY.

2. The winner will be chosen by Random.org

3. The winner will be notified by email and Facebook. He/she will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. I will then pass on your address to the sponsor for shipping.

5. If any of the extra entries are items you are already doing, please just remind me!

6. Contest Ends: December 7, 2012

One Lucky Winner Will Receive

(2) Jar Cakes:

(1) Banana Bread

(1) FaLaLa Cake (Plain cake with Christmas sprinkles)

Mandatory Entry:

1.Become a fan of CK Bakery Shop on Facebook. Leave a comment when you have.

Extra Entries:

1. Become an EMM Facebook fan. Leave a comment when you have.

2. Follow EMM on Twitter. Leave a comment when you are.

3. Follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment.

4. Follow me on GFC, Networked Blogs or Linky Tools...all on homepage, left hand side. Leave a comment when you have.

That makes up to 5 entries per person!!!

Good Luck!

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Gumdrop Fudge

Do you have a sweet tooth? Well this fudge is guaranteed to satisfy any sugar craving. Sugary gumdrops are suspended in an almond bark base - you might want to make an appointment at the dentist before you eat this. Well, not really, but it is sweet! This fudge is perfect for a Christmas cookie tray, and I like that it's different from many other candies at this time of year.

Start by combining the almond bark, salt and sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan.

Heat this mixture until it melts - use low heat, it won't take long. When it's melted, remove from the heat then add the vanilla

and stir until smooth. Stir in the gumdrops.

Line a 9-inch pan with aluminum foil, then pour the fudge mixture in.

Refrigerate for at least four hours or until set. Remove the fudge from the pan using the foil, then cut the candy into small pieces - first columns and then rows.

I love seeing those colorful little gumdrop pieces in there!

One year ago: Dulce de Leche Chocolate Bars
Two years ago: Oatmeal Spice Drop Cookies (another gumdrop recipe!)
Three years ago: Sara's Chili

Find more great ideas at Full Plate Thursday, Recipe Box, Thursday's Treasures, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Friday Finds, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2), Food on Friday: Christmas treats.

Gumdrop Fudge

1 - 20 oz. package almond bark (or white chocolate candy coating)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups gumdrops, chopped

Coarsely chop the almond bark or white chocolate candy coating. Combine the bark, sweetened condensed milk and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture melts. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and the gumdrops.

Pour the mixture into foil-lined 9-inch pan. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Remove the fudge using the foil, then cut into row and columns. Makes 36 pieces.

Recipe Source: Adapted from ValSoCal

Heat this mixture until it melts - use low heat, it won't take long. When it's melted, remove from the heat then add the vanilla

and stir until smooth. Stir in the gumdrops.

Line a 9-inch pan with aluminum foil, then pour the fudge mixture in.

Refrigerate for at least four hours or until set. Remove the fudge from the pan using the foil, then cut the candy into small pieces - first columns and then rows.

I love seeing those colorful little gumdrop pieces in there!

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Bucket List Soup {A Review and Giveaway}

I think if you are a foodie, and more than likely if you are reading this, you are, you probably have a "bucket list" of foods you want to try. I know I do. And they don't have to be anything exotic. I mean, we aren't all Andrew Zimmerman dying to try fermented eggs that have been buried for ions. (Seriously, if you never saw that episode of his show....GROSS!) For most of everyday people, they are probably dishes we have heard about, or seen on television and we say to ourselves "Oh, that looks good. I need to try it." Until last week, one of mine was Pasta e Fagioli, which literally means "pasta and beans." But to be honest I had never found a recipe that spoke to me...but now I have! See, my wonderful foodie friend, and fellow blogger, Carrie has written a lovely cookbook, and was kind enough to share a copy with me. For those of you who don't know her, Carrie's blog, Carrie's Experimental Kitchen is amazing; and now she has an entire cookbook of the same name!

With over 250 pages and categories including: Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Poultry, Beef/Pork, Sides, Pasta, Desserts and more, this book as a little something for everyone. I couldn't wait to start thumbing through it and find one I could test in my own kitchen. Well, I only had to "thumb" to page 49 when one of my bucket lists meals jumped off the page at me. And what really caught my eye was the word "meat"! I had never seen a version of the hearty soup made with it, and well, we are meat people and look for it whenever we can!

This soup is so hearty and warming on a cold winter night. And I love that it's super simple, and easily adaptable too. Don't eat beef? Substitute ground chicken or turkey and stock. Want it completely vegetarian? Omit the meat altogether and use vegetable stock.

We loved every bite and I am so happy to check it off my list! Plus, Carrie has been so kind to offer one lucky EMM fan a free DIGITAL copy of her amazing book. (See below for GIVEAWAY). But if you have a foodie on your shopping list for Christmas, you can get a copy, paperback or digital, on Amazon.

Thank you, Carrie for sharing your delicious food with not only my family, but the world!

Pasta e Fagioli (With Meat)
1 lb. ground beef
1 TBS canola oil
1/4 c. Spanish onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 plum tomato, small dice
5 c. low-sodium beef broth
3 c. water
2 TBS Hunts tomato pasta
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c. Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (I used Parmesan)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. ditalini pasta

In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, heat oil and add onion, garlic, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes until the veggies start to soften. Add the ground beef, broth, water, tomato paste, oregano, beans, cheese, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook for another 15 minutes.

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 29, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012

**GIVEAWAY**

Rules:

This contest open to US residents 18 years or older ONLY.

All comments act as entries and MUST be accompanied by an EMAIL ADDRESS. Any chosen comment w/o an email will not be considered.

Winner will be chosen by Random.org, notified on EMM, Facebook, and emailed. He/she will have 48 hours to respond to claim the prize. If not, another winner will be chosen.

(1) Winner Will Receive

(1) Coupon for a DIGITAL Download of Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

Contest Ends December 8, 2012

Mandatory Entries:

1. Like Carrie's Experimental Kitchen on Facebook. Leave a comment when you have.

Extra Entries:

1. Like EMM on Facebook. Leave a comment when you have.

2. Visit Carrie's blog Tell me a recipe you would like to try.

3. Follow EMM on Twitter. Leave a comment when you have.

4. Follow Carrie on Twitter. Leave a comment when you have.

5. Follow EMM on Instagram: everydaymomsmeals. Leave a comment when you have.

That is up to 5 entries per person!

Good Luck!!!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a cookbook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Thank you, Carrie for sharing your delicious food with not only my family, but the world!

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 29, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012

**GIVEAWAY**

Rules:

This contest open to US residents 18 years or older ONLY.

All comments act as entries and MUST be accompanied by an EMAIL ADDRESS. Any chosen comment w/o an email will not be considered.

(1) Coupon for a DIGITAL Download of Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

Contest Ends December 8, 2012

Mandatory Entries:

1. Like Carrie's Experimental Kitchen on Facebook. Leave a comment when you have.

Extra Entries:

1. Like EMM on Facebook. Leave a comment when you have.

Good Luck!!!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a cookbook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Christmas Brownies

This is the time of year that I sometimes meet myself coming and going. Because of all that I need to get done, I look for ways to keep things as simple as possible. One example of keeping things simple is these Christmas brownies.

With just a little extra effort a plain brownie can be made fancy enough for a holiday tray.

Use your favorite basic brownie recipe, or simplify like I did and use a brownie mix. I baked two 9 x 13-inch pans of brownies, then cut them into 2 x 3-inch pieces.

I used green Wilton candy melts, mini M & M's in red and green, and regular M & M's in yellow. I used a squeeze bottle to apply the candy melts.

On each brownie I applied a line shape to resemble a Christmas tree.

For each brownie, I used 3 red and 3 green mini M & M's on the tree and one yellow M & M on the top of the tree.

The candy melts dry quickly and hold the M & M's in place, so these brownies are also suitable for packaging.

This post was shared with:
Mandatory Mooch Tasty Thursdays
Full Plate Thursday
Creative Juice Thursday
Jam Hands Recipe Sharing Monday
Mop it Up Monday
Arkansas Women Bloggers
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Potluck

With just a little extra effort a plain brownie can be made fancy enough for a holiday tray.

Use your favorite basic brownie recipe, or simplify like I did and use a brownie mix. I baked two 9 x 13-inch pans of brownies, then cut them into 2 x 3-inch pieces.

I used green Wilton candy melts, mini M & M's in red and green, and regular M & M's in yellow. I used a squeeze bottle to apply the candy melts.

On each brownie I applied a line shape to resemble a Christmas tree.

For each brownie, I used 3 red and 3 green mini M & M's on the tree and one yellow M & M on the top of the tree.

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Childhood Christmas {Indiana Family of Farmers}

When I was a little girl, Christmas was never spent here in Indiana. See, each year we would go "home" to Pennsylvania for the 2 weeks of Christmas and New Years. All of our family is there, and we would load up the car with presents and suitcases and not see the Hoosier state again until the New Year. It was what Christmas meant to us; and I can be honest and tell you as life and circumstances changed and we started celebrating the holidays in our own home...it wasn't easy! In fact, I would say that first year waking up in my own bed on Christmas morning and just having it be the 3 of us was down right weird. But we began making new traditions and pretty soon Christmas in the Hoosier state was our normal.

In fact, I now know we were very lucky to call this state home, because it has more to do with Christmas than I ever realized! Did you know Indiana ranks #4 in the country for peppermint production? And we are also #11 in the US when it comes to growing Christmas trees, with more than 20,000 tree farms that produce more than 200,000 trees annually! I guess Indiana was more "Christmas-ey" than we thought!!

And now that I'm a mom, I want to give my son a little piece of those Christmases from my childhood. Even though we don't celebrate in PA anymore, and he will never know those two week long vacations of family every day, great food and memories galore, I want to bring a little piece of that into our holiday traditions; and there is no better way than through food.

Every year, there were two desserts my Grandma made for the holidays that we looked forward to more than any other. I've already shared one with you in my Cherries Jubilee, which is both yummy and beautiful. Now I'm going to share with you the other...Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. These were always my favorite and I could never get enough of them. I realized this year that I have never made them myself, and I knew it was something I wanted to share with my little boy. I wanted to be in the kitchen with him, stirring, baking, and telling him about all those wonderful Christmas memories from when I was his age. I wanted to take him back to that kitchen in the big white house in a valley in Pennsylvania when times were simpler and I was the happiest little girl in the world.

Family traditions, both old and new, are some of the most precious things about the holiday season. I hope you and yours are busy remembering ones of the past, and making brand new ones to enjoy for years to come.

Manning the mixer

Stirring in the chocolate chips

Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan. Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.
*NOTE* We love these in the freezer. Grandma always made hers into "icebox" chocolate chip bars! Just thaw a few minutes before eating.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Nov. 28, 2012

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 29, 2012

Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012

Please visit Indiana Family of Farmers for more info and tips. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter. I was provided with a gift package for inspiration. The thoughts and opinions are all my own.

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Manning the mixer

Stirring in the chocolate chips

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Nov. 28, 2012

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 29, 2012

Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012

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Holiday Party Planning

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending the Taste of Home cooking show and for the second year in a row, it was an entertaining evening with me coming home with new yummy ideas. This dish was one our fabulous chef made live during the event, and the minute I saw it, I knew I wanted to recreate it at home...with just a few Krista adaptations. First off, the original calls for a grilled steak. That's great, and normally I would have done the same, but the day I knew I was to test this recipe I was going to be gone most of the afternoon at a bridal shower and knew I would be pressed for time. So I decided to use some pre-cooked steak, but if you have the time, by all means, make it fresh; and if you do, I recommend using sirloin. I also chose to use larger slices of bread for mine, they used a small baguette. With my version. one per person will be plenty, but with the smaller, you should probably figure on two. Two things I didn't mess with were the tomatoes and onions, and to be honest, they make this dish! The flavor of the roasted tomato and caramelized onion pop in your mouth and are so refreshing and balance with the steak so well.

This time of year, we are all looking for new appetizer and party food ideas. Things we can serve our guests to wow them, but are still simple enough to be made during the busy holiday season. These fit the bill perfectly. The colors really pop, and are beautiful presented on a big platter; but at the same time they aren't too complicated. If you have started your holiday party menus, and are still looking for some ideas, I am happy to help!

Steak Roasted Tomato and Caramelized Onion Bruschetta Adapted from Taste of Home
1 loaf French bread or baguette, sliced on a diagonal and toasted
1 bag Tyson Seasoned Steak Strips (found in meat section)
1 TBS Montreal steak seasoning
1 c. grape tomatoes
3 TBS olive oil, divided
1 (10 oz) tub Philadelphia Cooking Cream Italian Herb & Cheese
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Place tomatoes in a shallow baking dish. Add 1 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir well. Roast for 10-15 minutes until skins begin to break. Using a potato masher, gently smash and remove with a slotted spoon. Set aside. In a medium skillet on medium heat, saute onions in 2 TBS olive oil until tender, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking about 30 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove onions and mix with tomato mixture. In the same skillet, place steak strips and seasons with steak seasoning. Saute for 5-7 minutes until heated through and slightly crisp on outside. To assemble: Spread about 1 TBS of cooking cream on each toasted piece of bread. Top with a few steak pieces and about 1 TBS tomato/onion mixture. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Makes 10-15 large

Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Nov. 27, 2012
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Nov. 28, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 29, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012

Appetizers at Very Good Recipes
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Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Nov. 27, 2012
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Nov. 28, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 29, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012

Appetizers at Very Good Recipes
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Avalanche Bark

'Tis the season for making holiday treats! This is a great one to start with - a sweet peanut buttery candy filled with krispy rice, chocolate chips and marshmallows. I suppose a person could call this a Rocky Road bark of sorts - with the added crunch of the cereal. It's super yummy, and super addictive. And since it takes less than an hour from start to finish, it's great to whip up for a last minute party. It's also great to whip up to just have in the fridge - after all, it's the season for celebrations - even if your celebration is just eating this delicious candy!

Start by combining the almond bark (it will melt better if you chop it slightly first) and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl.

Melt it in the microwave, at about 50% power, for 30 second intervals, stirring between each heating time.

When the mixture is melted, stir well to incorporate it all together, then add in the rice krispies,

marshmallows,

and chocolate chips.

Turn the mixture out into a 9-inch pan that is lined with parchment paper. Slightly press it down into an even layer.

Place the pan in the fridge and let set up, about 30 minutes. When it is set, remove the candy from the pan using the paper, then cut into rows

and then into chunks.

One year ago: Dulce de Leche Chocolate Bars
Two years ago: Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Three years ago: Sara's chili

Find more great ideas at Mangia Monday, Mop it up Monday, Mix it up Monday, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, What's on the Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday (#3), Crazy Sweet Tuesdays, Clever Chicks.

Avalanche Bark

12 ounces almond bark, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

Place the miniature chocolate chips on a plate and place in the freezer until ready to use.

Combine the almond bark and peanut butter in a medium bowl and microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted. Remove from microwave and stir in Rice Krispies. Gently stir in the miniature marshmallows, then the miniature chocolate chips.

Turn the mixture into a 9" square pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Press into an even layer. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Melt it in the microwave, at about 50% power, for 30 second intervals, stirring between each heating time.

When the mixture is melted, stir well to incorporate it all together, then add in the rice krispies,

marshmallows,

and chocolate chips.

Turn the mixture out into a 9-inch pan that is lined with parchment paper. Slightly press it down into an even layer.

Place the pan in the fridge and let set up, about 30 minutes. When it is set, remove the candy from the pan using the paper, then cut into rows

and then into chunks.

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No More Turkey

So I guess the question on my mind today is "Are you tired of turkey yet?" Have you had your fill until next Thanksgiving? Or are you simply taking a break for 3 weeks before another roasted bird is the star of your Christmas table? Well, if you are in the first group, I have a real treat for you today. It's Italian, it's pasta, it's a casserole...those are far from a turkey sandwich! And to be honest, after a long holiday weekend, not only does nobody want to go back to work, but who wants to come home and cook something complicated? It's also very versatile because you can make it like I did, or you can split it to make an extra one. (See note below) Sometimes when parents ask me for tips to get their kids to eat certain things I just have to respond with "hide it". I even heard a chef say the other day that her nieces and nephews don't eat veggies...at all. So when auntie makes mashed potatoes...guess what! Yep, there is mashed cauliflower in them too! Ha! That's sneaky. Now luckily as you know, Monkey is not a picky eater at all. But for some reason he got it into his head forever ago he doesn't like sour cream. Which is fine, he doesn't have to eat it, but if it's in a recipe he's going to because I'm not a short order cook and won't make something different. So I've learned if it's "hidden", even in plain sight, he's fine with it. Basically as long as it's in a dish that doesn't taste like sour cream, I'm good. See, little does he know, but there are a ton of things he has eaten without even noticing because I hide it well. (Let's face it, if it has cheese, most kids are going to eat it without any questions.) This casserole will feed an army, which is good because if any of your neighbors catch a whiff of it, they will be right over! My son declared it "super yummy" and I hope your family thinks so too!

Spaghetti Casserole Adapted from Taste of Home
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
1 lb. ground beef
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded
1 c. sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. While pasta is cooking, brown beef, seasoned with salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain if necessary. Add tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce. Stir well. Adjust salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl combine sour cream, soup and Italian seasoning. Stir well. When pasta is cooked, drain well. Grease a 9x13 pan. Add half the meat sauce. Top with half the pasta. Spread with half the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with 1 c. cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45-55 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove foil, and sprinkle with parsley. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
*NOTE* You can also split this between two 8x8 pans, and freeze one for later. When ready to bake, allow to thaw for about an hour and then bake as directed.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals Nov. 26, 2012
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Nov. 27, 2012
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Nov. 28, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 29, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Nov. 30, 2012

Pasta at Very Good Recipes
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Holiday Sweets With Truvia®

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Truvia® Natural Sweetener for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

With all the holiday cookies, candies and desserts headed our way, it's nice to know there is a way to lighten things up a bit.

Truvia® Baking Blend is designed for easy, at home baking and is a blend of natural sweetner and sugar. It provides sugar like taste in recipes, but with 75% fewer calories and twice the amount of sweetness than sugar. Baked goods make with Truvia® Baking Blend will have sugar-like texture, moistness and will brown just like those made with actual sugar.
One 1.5 pound bag of Truvia® Baking Blend (Closable with an easy to pour spout) has equivalent sweetness to 3 pounds of sugar, approximately 7 cups- enough to make 13 pies, 9 batches of cookies or 6 batches of brownies. Now those numbers sound like the holidays to me!!
And it's not just for baked goods! Look at this delicious dessert fondue that would be perfect for a holiday party or even New Year's Eve! So much fun for your guests to choose their "dippers" and enjoy a rich chocolate dessert.

Chocolate Fondue
²⁄₃ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¹⁄₄ tsp salt
1 cup skim milk
4 Tbsp Truvia^® natural sweetener spoonable*
¹⁄₂ tsp vanilla extract
Possible Dippers
Strawberries
Pineapple
Pound Cake
Graham Crackers
Pretzels

Place cocoa powder, salt, milk and sweetner in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Whisk in vanilla and transfer to fondue pot. Serve warm with various dippers.

So, what's your favorite holiday recipe you would like to substitute Truvia® Baking Blend in? Please feel free to comment! And remember to Visit the Truvia® website for more tips and information on Truvia® Baking Blend

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A Very Merry Christmas {Giveaway}

Yes, it's that time of year again! The time for giving!!! I love hosting giveaways all year long, but my annual Christmas one is always my favorite! Not because the prize is something extravagant or even extraordinary, but because each and every thing is hand picked by myself and my mom. That's right!! There are no other sponsors for this adorable prize package other than your Everyday Mom, and her Everyday Mom!! We had so much fun coming up with these cute items, and were like little kids every time we found something else. It's easy to enter, and easy to win! It's just my small way of saying of BIG thank you for supporting me and loving what I do over the past year. The only think I ask of the winner is to ENJOY each item, and maybe pay it forward a little too!

I wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

********Giveaway********

Rules:

1. This contest is open to US Residents 18 and older ONLY.

2. The winner will be chosen by Random.org

3. The winner will be notified by email and Facebook. He/she will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. I will then pass on your address to the sponsor for shipping.

5. If any of the extra entries are items you are already doing, please just remind me!

6. Contest Ends: December 12, 2012

One Lucky Winner Will Receive

(1) Christmas Towel (With recipe printed on it)

(1) Christmas Potholder

(1) Set of Christmas Recipe Cards

(1) Set Christmas Cookie Cutters

(1) Rubber Spatula

(1) Peppermint Ornament

(1) Magnetic Notepad

Set of (2) small purse size holiday notepads

(1) Gooseberry Patch Christmas 10th Anniversary cookbook

***************************************

Mandatory Entry:

1.Leave a comment telling me your favorite Christmas memory. I LOVE reading all of them!

Extra Entries:

1. Become an EMM Facebook fan. Leave a comment when you have.

2. Follow EMM on Twitter. Leave a comment when you are.

3. Follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment.

4. Follow me on GFC, Networked Blogs or Linky Tools...all on homepage, left hand side. Leave a comment when you have.

That makes up to 5 entries per person!!!

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: All prizes were bought and purchased by myself and my lovely mom. Gooseberry Patch or other vendors have in no way sponsored this giveaway.

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I wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

********Giveaway********

Rules:

1. This contest is open to US Residents 18 and older ONLY.

2. The winner will be chosen by Random.org

3. The winner will be notified by email and Facebook. He/she will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. I will then pass on your address to the sponsor for shipping.

5. If any of the extra entries are items you are already doing, please just remind me!

6. Contest Ends: December 12, 2012

One Lucky Winner Will Receive

(1) Christmas Towel (With recipe printed on it)

(1) Christmas Potholder

(1) Set of Christmas Recipe Cards

(1) Set Christmas Cookie Cutters

(1) Rubber Spatula

(1) Peppermint Ornament

(1) Magnetic Notepad

Set of (2) small purse size holiday notepads

(1) Gooseberry Patch Christmas 10th Anniversary cookbook

***************************************

Mandatory Entry:

1.Leave a comment telling me your favorite Christmas memory. I LOVE reading all of them!

Extra Entries:

1. Become an EMM Facebook fan. Leave a comment when you have.

2. Follow EMM on Twitter. Leave a comment when you are.

3. Follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment.

4. Follow me on GFC, Networked Blogs or Linky Tools...all on homepage, left hand side. Leave a comment when you have.

That makes up to 5 entries per person!!!

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: All prizes were bought and purchased by myself and my lovely mom. Gooseberry Patch or other vendors have in no way sponsored this giveaway.

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Church Supper #65

Good Morning and welcome to another Sunday! I hope this finds you enjoying your weekend and ready to share in some good fellowship and great food!

I also hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We celebrated with family in Pennsylvania, and it was a fantastic holiday. See, even though I'm a born and raised Hoosier, PA will always be "home" to me. And the holidays I spent there as a child, surrounded by family I love so much, created some of the best memories I have; and I'm so blessed to share just a little of that with my son!

Thanks for stopping by today. I truly appreciate you sharing with our foodie family!

Please link up your favorite recipes from the week. And remember I wish you God's blessings all week long!

" Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

Last Week's Most Viewed Recipe:
Butter Buns

From:

Family Home and Life

Congrats! Please feel free to grab my "Featured On" button!

Now, let's eat!

Rules:

1. Feel free to link up as many recipes, but recipes ONLY please, as you like!

2. Link up to your ACTUAL recipe, not just your homepage. Much easier to find you that way!

3. Include a link back to EMM on your recipe post or grab my button!

4. Leave comments so I can visit you back!

5. Visit at least 2 other sites and tell them you joined them at my Church Supper!

6. Follow my blog here w/ GFC and on Facebook :)

Thanks for stopping by today. I truly appreciate you sharing with our foodie family!

Please link up your favorite recipes from the week. And remember I wish you God's blessings all week long!

" Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

Last Week's Most Viewed Recipe:
Butter Buns

From:

Family Home and Life

Congrats! Please feel free to grab my "Featured On" button!

Now, let's eat!

Rules:

1. Feel free to link up as many recipes, but recipes ONLY please, as you like!

2. Link up to your ACTUAL recipe, not just your homepage. Much easier to find you that way!

3. Include a link back to EMM on your recipe post or grab my button!

4. Leave comments so I can visit you back!

5. Visit at least 2 other sites and tell them you joined them at my Church Supper!

6. Follow my blog here w/ GFC and on Facebook :)

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Mission Organization: Week 47 - Cleaning the Oven Door

We had a great Thanksgiving at our house this year with all the children and grandchildren and some family friends. I did my best to use mise en place in the preparations so that I could get it all together a little easier this year. The usual family favorites were on the menu, as well as one new recipe that I tried. I made a Southern Living Sweet Potato Casserole, and it will now be a regular Thanksgiving dish. Too bad I didn't get pictures of it for a post, but I'll have my camera ready next time. If you have ever been the "designated cook" for a holiday meal, then you already know how much planning has to go into efficiently rotating the various dishes through the oven. It's kind of like a relay event because the casseroles have to be grouped by oven temperature, then various timers set, then the oven temperature adjusted for the next round, and more timers set, and on and on until the last pie is baked. Amazingly, everything turned out great. There were no disasters this year unless you count the oven door.

By Friday this was the look my glass oven door was sporting! It wasn't only the Thanksgiving meal preparation that caused it to look this bad, because it's a rare day that my oven is not used. But man, did it ever need to be cleaned now! I really hate using oven cleaners, so I took the advice at DIY Home Sweet Home and let baking soda do the work for me.

I used to only buy baking soda in small boxes for baking purposes, but I have found it to be it so useful I now also buy the large size for cleaning purposes.

For the oven door project, I used about a half cup of baking soda mixed with enough water to make a paste about the consistency of pancake batter.

Using one of my kitchen brushes, I spread the paste all over the dirty glass of the oven door.

Once I had it all covered well, I set the timer for 20 minutes, then went to play on Pinterest while the baking soda did the work. If you have more pinning to do, you might want to leave it as long as 30 minutes.

After 20 minutes I used a warm wet cloth to wipe away the paste and the mess!

Rinse the cloth out several times until everything is wiped away, then use a dry cloth or paper towels to dry the glass.

I now have a nice clean oven door ready for more baking, and baking soda made it such an easy, fuss-free cleaning method!

This post was shared with:
Creative Juice Thursday
The Bulletin Board

I used to only buy baking soda in small boxes for baking purposes, but I have found it to be it so useful I now also buy the large size for cleaning purposes.

For the oven door project, I used about a half cup of baking soda mixed with enough water to make a paste about the consistency of pancake batter.

Using one of my kitchen brushes, I spread the paste all over the dirty glass of the oven door.

After 20 minutes I used a warm wet cloth to wipe away the paste and the mess!

Rinse the cloth out several times until everything is wiped away, then use a dry cloth or paper towels to dry the glass.

I now have a nice clean oven door ready for more baking, and baking soda made it such an easy, fuss-free cleaning method!

This post was shared with:
Creative Juice Thursday
The Bulletin Board

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