Salted Caramel Candy Corn Bark

This recipe comes from I Heart Naptime. It could have been made for Halloween, but also during the Fall, especially with Thanksgiving coming up, it could be a nice treat to set out for gatherings. Since I always try to make recipes more affordable for the average family, I switched some ingredients out for others that were still suitable and yet cost less.

The original recipe called for a 16 oz bag of white Candiquik coating, which was $3.74, so I substituted a 12 oz bag of Wilton’s white candy melts, which was $2.47. The difference in weight didn’t matter; the price per ounce was still less for the Wilton’s and I had plenty of them left for another recipe, making it even more thrifty.

Also, the recipe called for an 11 oz bag of Kraft caramel bits, which were $2.86, so I bought an 11 oz bag of Kraft caramels for $2.00. They were individually wrapped, but get the kids cooking with you. Even a toddler can sit and unwrap them to help.

The original recipe also called for a bag of M&Ms candy corn, which are white chocolate inside. I purchased a bag of M&Ms that were all yellow, orange, and brown and used those instead. I wanted the chocolate flavor because it would go well with the caramel. Doing it my way saved $2.13, and I had plenty of the candy melts and M&Ms left for another recipe I made, plus leftover caramels and the rest of the pretzels for the kids.

So, let’s get cooking!

Put parchment paper on a sheet pan. Line up the waffle pretzels. Melt the Kraft caramels in a saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently to help melt and prevent burning.

Spread the melted caramel over the pretzels.

While the caramel is cooling on that, use a double boiler to melt the candy melts. I just rigged up two pots that could go together with enough space in between and added some water to the bottom pot.

Spread the melted white chocolate over the caramel. I did half and then my lovely daughter Megan helped me press the M&Ms into the melted chocolate. This is another fun step for the kids, a great job for little hands.

I did half at a time because I didn’t want the melted chocolate setting up too firmly for the M&Ms to press in. Let it cool completely and cut with a knife to break up into pieces.

And you’re done! Enjoy! ~TMMF

Salted Caramel Candy Corn Bark

1 bag waffle pretzels
1 11 oz bag Kraft caramels
1 12 oz bag Wilton candy melts, white
1 bag M&Ms, Fall colors

Philly Cheese Steak Casserole

So…..we meet again…. ;-) This is another of my original recipes that had been rolling around in my head for a while until I finally made it. It was delicious the first time and equally as heavenly the second time when I tweaked and perfected it. One thing you can count on with me is that I will not release a recipe on TMMF until I’m satisfied with it. Sometimes that can mean making it twice, or sometimes it can mean making it four or five times.

With this recipe, I was trying to create a casserole based on the all-time favorite Philly Cheese Steak sub. I wanted it to be loaded with delicious peppers and onions, have a creamy, cheesy sauce, and be easy to make. While this recipe does take a little more time than most of the ones I share, they are all easy steps, and the best part: you use ONE pan to do all the prep work! That means one pan to clean. You are welcome. ;-)

So, let’s get cooking!

Set a pot of water to boil for the pasta and when it’s done, drain.

Meanwhile, sauté the frozen shaved steak in a large skillet until cooked through, stirring and separating as necessary. When done, set aside in a bowl.

And while those two things are working out on the stove, mince the garlic. Slice the onions by cutting the onion in half, then place it cut side down, and slice. Cut the slices into thirds: simply hold the sliced half onion together and make 3 quick cuts.

Slice the peppers and then cut each slice into thirds or halves, depending on how long they are. What you want is pieces about an inch long. I loved using red, orange, and yellow bell peppers for this to make the color really stand out.

Now, in the same skillet you cooked the steak in, sauté the onions, peppers, and minced garlic. No need to clean it, just go ahead and use it. If you have some grease left from the steak, great. If not, use the 1 Tbl of oil. Only cook the veggies until al dente, about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside in a bowl when done.

And in the same pan, pour in the cream of mushroom soup and milk, mixing thoroughly. Cook on medium heat to help blend. Add the salt and pepper, then the cream cheese, cut into chunks, whisking frequently to melt and blend in.

While that’s cooking, you can place the pasta in a large baking pan, and add the cooked veggies.

Mix in the cooked shaved steak.

Turn the heat off for the sauce, and whisk in the mozzarella until thoroughly melted. You just know this is going to be good, don’t you?

Mix the sauce into the pasta mixture in the baking dish.

Next, in the same skillet, which you will wipe out easily with a paper towel, melt the butter and add the panko bread crumbs, browning. If you want to do it quicker, turn the heat up higher, but don’t walk away, and stir continuously. If you step away, they can burn *very* easily.

Place the round slices of provolone cheese on top of the casserole. There were ten slices (I think, haha) in the package I bought, so I laid four end to end on each side, then cut the last two to fill in the middle.

Top with the browned panko crumbs.

Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes. Omgoodness, can you see how bubbly and yummy it looks?? And when you dish it up, look at the cheesy strings from the mozzarella!

Now, serve and listen to the moans of gastric delight. Enjoy! ~TMMF


                                                                                                     
Philly Cheese Steak Casserole

See the sauciness and the colorful veggies?

12 oz rotini
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
   (or a combo of red, yellow, etc)
1 Vidalia onion
1 lg clove garlic
1 14 oz pk frozen shaved steak
1 Tbl oil
1 10 ¾ oz can cream of mushroom soup
2 soup cans milk
8 oz cream cheese
1 c mozzarella
1 8 oz pk provolone cheese
1 tsp salt
¾ tsp black pepper
1 Tbl butter
1 c Panko bread crumbs

My Ham & Black Bean Soup

This soup is so easy to make, and such a good hearty meal for a cold rainy night. It’s very easy, and I just threw it together one night, putting in whatever I thought would go good together. The result was a hit that we also had for lunch the next day. Then there was no more, and we were sad. But it’s quick and easy, so I can make it again! ;-)

So, let’s get cooking!

First dice the onion and celery, and mince the garlic.

Peel and slice the carrots.

In a large pot, sauté the onion, celery, and minced garlic in the oil until tender.

Add the beef broth, liquid smoke, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or so, until carrots are cooked.

Cut the ham into chunks. Drain and rinse the black beans.

Add the ham and beans to the soup, heating through about ten minutes.

See how quick and easy that was??

Enjoy! ~TMMF

My Ham & Black Bean Soup

1 Vidalia onion
2 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbl oil
6 carrots
4 c beef broth
2 tsp liquid smoke
3 15 oz cans black beans
1 lb ham

Apple Smiles and Zombie Heads

I don't "do" Halloween, but I know many others who do, and since I love cooking with my kids and also doing crafts with them, I decided to post something for the season, starring my main assistant chef, Megan.

Here are two very easy and very cute Halloween treats you can make with your younger children for a Halloween party or just to enjoy. Older kids will enjoy making them also, but these two are particularly great for the younger kids, and snacking on them after is always fun. They also didn't break the bank to make, which is always one of my goals.

So let’s get to it!

First, the Apple Smiles. You’ll need apples, peanut butter, and mini marshmallows. The first two steps are for the adult or older child: quarter the apple and cut out the seeds. Slice each quarter into fourths.

To make the smiles, spread peanut butter on two slices of apple. Fix 5 mini marshmallows onto one slice, standing up, not lying down. Place another peanut buttered apple slice on top. Easy, right? And so much fun to make!

Here’s my lovely assistant, my daughter Megan, who has Down syndrome, making Apple Smiles with me. At first she was laying the marshmallows on their sides, but then I showed her how to make them stand up. You can see how happy she was afterwards to show off what we made.

Now for the Zombie Heads. You’ll need a bag of white Candy Melts (Wilton), food coloring, white yogurt covered pretzels, and decorations. We used pearl gems, Halloween M&Ms, and those tiny colored ball sprinkles. Use whatever you have on hand.

Melt about 25 or so of the Candy Melts in a double boiler or in the microwave. Then place about 2-3 tablespoons worth in a small bowl and add food coloring. We did the different colors one at a time because if we did them all at once, they would harden and have to be melted again. So here you see the blue we used first.

With a butter knife, spread a little of the colored mixture into the top two wells of the pretzel. These are the eyes, with the bottom being the gaping mouth.

Add decorations in the middle of the colored eyes, to be the eyeballs. Press them down slightly to hold them there.

Here is my lovely assistant Megan again, making Zombie Heads with me. And showing off the finished product. She really was happy, but the photo with her smiling real big was blurry! ;-)

So there you go, two easy treats to make together for a time of  fun and making memories with your children. I hope you enjoy making them as much as Megan and I did.

Garlic Butter Shrimp and Quinoa

Quinoa is one of those lovely grains of which we actually eat the seeds, like buckwheat. I’ve used quinoa flour for several years, which was interesting, but for the first time this year, I used the quinoa seeds. They have a very unique texture, and I’m saying that as one who has sensory issues, so I notice texture a lot. I really liked it; it was not unpleasant to me at all. It’s somewhat expensive, but if you can get it at a natural foods store in bulk, it’s well worth it.

This recipe combines the delicious flavor, high protein, and unique texture of quinoa with shrimp, garlic, and a touch of red pepper flakes for some spice. I nixed the celery and added in broccoli florets instead. I also used cooked small shrimp to spread the shrimp further, and decided against the oregano. The result was so delicious, the leftovers were fought over! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this too.

So, let’s get cooking!

Dice the onion, green and red bell pepper, and mince the garlic.

Cut the broccoli into florets.

In a little oil, sauté the peppers, onion, and garlic in a skillet for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent.

Add the quinoa and cook for a minute to toast somewhat, stirring.

Pour in the chicken broth and the dried thyme. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Stir and level the ingredients in the skillet. Place the broccoli florets evenly on top of the quinoa mixture. Cover and simmer again until broccoli is al dente, about 10 minutes or so.

Add the shrimp on top, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes to heat the cooked shrimp. Stir in the melted butter and red pepper flakes.






Serve and enjoy! ~TMMF

Garlic Butter Shrimp and Quinoa

4 c fresh broccoli florets
1 Vidalia onion
1 bell pepper, ½ green, ½ red
4 cloves garlic
1 c uncooked quinoa
2 c chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1 lb small cooked shrimp
2 Tbl butter, melted
½-1 tsp red pepper flakes

Valerie's Creamy Mexican Soup

This is a recipe that I made based on one I found on All Recipes, called Amy’s Mexican Soup. It sounded so good, but when the rubber hit the road, I changed it so much that it seemed silly to keep her name for it. So I named it Valerie’s Creamy Mexican Soup. To see the original, go look it up; it‘s too much to list all the changes here. You just *know* I added a boatload of veggies to it. ;-) As for what this soup is now, stay tuned and I’ll show you what I did. ;-)

So, let’s get cooking!

Prep the veggies. Remove the seeds and dice the jalapeño peppers small. Remember to use gloves, and wash your hands well afterwards. And the knife, And the cutting board. ;-)

Dice the sweet onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Mince the garlic. I use my garlic press most of the time for that.

Peel and dice the carrot into small pieces.

Cube the chicken breast. I like to make the pieces rather small; it spreads it further in the recipe. Sauté in a large pot with a little oil. Then set aside.

In the same pot, use a little oil to sauté the celery, bell and jalapeño peppers, onions, garlic, and carrot until tender, about 8 minutes or so.

Drain and rinse the kidney and black beans. Add to the sautéed veggies, along with the chicken, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, chili powder, and cumin.

Bring to a boil and turn down the heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

Cut the cream cheese into chunks. Turn off the heat and add the cream cheese to the soup, whisking in until thoroughly combined. Serve with shredded Fiesta Blend cheese on top if desired.

Enjoy! ~TMMF

Valerie’s Mexican Soup

1 lb chicken breast
2 lg jalapeño peppers
½ green bell pepper
1 sweet onion
2 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
1 carrot
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4 c chicken stock
1 14.5 oz can kidney beans
1 14.5 oz can black beans
1 Tbl chili powder
1 tsp cumin
8 oz cream cheese
shredded Fiesta Blend cheese

Pizza, Part 14: Stuffed Crust Pizza

Stuffed Crust Pizza….ever since the pizza places came out with it, I’ve loved it. It’s always so much more expensive than the regular crust, so you know I had to try and recreate it. ;-) It took me a few tries to figure out the best way to do it, so the cheese would stay inside the crust, but I finally got it. I think you’ll really like this one. And I put ground meat on mine with a couple veggies. Use whatever you want, but I’ll show it the way I made it.

So, let’s get cooking!

In a skillet, sauté the hamburg or ground turkey until cooked. I generally use the ground turkey because I can’t afford hamburg unless it’s on clearance. ;-) When done, set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables you plan on using.

Spread the pizza dough on a greased round pizza pan. The one I have is a 15” diameter pizza pan. You can find my pizza dough recipe here. Spread the dough evenly, all the way to the edge.

Taking the mozzarella sticks, place them about half an inch from the edge of the dough, with the sticks end to end.

Start folding the dough over the mozzarella sticks and roll it a little bit more towards the middle of the pizza dough. Press down the dough on the inside side of the sticks, to seal it good.

You have to kind of keep the sticks end to end with no spaces in between, and kind of curve them the best you can. It’s not going to be perfectly round, but the Geometry Police won’t be stopping by to measure. They don’t know where you live anyway. ;-)

Spread the sauce on the pizza and then sprinkle the cheese on top.

Top with the meat and veggies, or whatever toppings you’ve chosen.








Bake in a 425° oven for 18 minutes exactly, and you’re ready to roll. Enjoy! ~TMMF

Stuffed Crust Pizza

1 pizza dough
8 ½ mozzarella sticks (approx.)
1 c sauce
1½ c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 lb ground turkey
½ green bell pepper
½ sweet onion