Monday, November 28, 2011

Halloween Party Food Ideas For Kids

Halloween is a great time to host a kid's party. After all, what child doesn't like Halloween? One of the most enjoyable aspects of Halloween is the food. There are hundreds of recipes that have been specifically created for this spooky holiday. The following ideas will help you plan the yummiest menu possible.

Serve a minimum of sweet treats. You don't want your guests suffering from 'sugar overload' during the party. To celebrate the occasion, serve chicken fingers with a blood (any red dipping sauce.) If you prepare them from scratch, it's not hard to make them resembling the more human variety. Add a sliced almond for the finger nail for a realistic approach.

Cookie For Kids

Another dish to try is to add equal parts red, blue, and yellow food color to spaghetti after it's been cooked so it turns an ugly brownish color. Serve with a green pesto sauce and call it snakes in the swamp.

Make goofy eyeball meatballs. Shape seasoned ground meat into an oval with a flat top and bottom, bake until done. Cut a round circle out of mozzarella cheese about the size of a half dollar or one inch in diameter. Cut grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes into three slices. Cut black olives in half. Assemble the goofy eyeballs by placing a slice of cheese on the meatball, then a slice of tomato on the cheese and top with a black olive half. Vary the placement of the toppings so the eyeballs are looking in different directions.

If you will be serving punch, why not serve the ghoulish variety? Simply make your favorite punch and add a few ghoul hands. To make these hands, fill non-powdered rubber gloves with cranberry or other red juice. (Don't overfill, the fingers of the glove should still move easily.)
Close gloves tightly with rubber bands and freeze flat on cookie sheets, which have been lined with paper towels. When ready to serve, open gloves with scissors and add to punch. You may want to break off one or two fingers and add them separately.

A fun punch can be with one quart of lime drink, one quart of lemon lime soda and one cup of lime sherbet. The sherbet should be added right before serving. Stir so the sherbet foams up a bit with the soda. Dust the foam lightly with cocoa powder to resemble dirt.

It's not a good idea to use dry ice in your punch to make it smoke. Curious hands may try to touch the dry ice resulting in freezer burn. Instead place the dry ice in containers out of reach, such as the back of a table and you'll still have the atmosphere of the smoky fog without the worry of accidents.

Keep the food simple and familiar but with a twist. Rename favorites in the Halloween theme. Use food coloring in blues, greens, and browns to alter the way a dish looks. Or use familiar food in unfamiliar ways. For example blanch a cauliflower head, break apart and then reassemble (this makes the cauliflower easier to serve) cover the cauliflower with ranch dressing then using ketchup in a squeeze bottle outline each floret with the ketchup so it looks like a brain.

Have fun with your food at Halloween.

Halloween Party Food Ideas For Kids

Get your free booklet Party Ideas for Kids Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books and the novel, Over Time Dee's hobbies include gardening, and jewelry. She is the proud companion to Rose, the Irish Setter and Kate, the English Springer Spaniel.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Five Healthy Convenience Store Treats for Your Kids

Many people have traditionally thought of convenience store snacks as sugary, fatty, high in salt, and generally unhealthy. In recent years however, many food companies and convenience store chains have been stocking better, healthier alternatives to junk food.

Today, the convenience store is just as good a place to stock up on healthy snack options as your health food store or specialty grocer. Here are five example of delicious, healthy snacks found on convenience store shelves.

Cookie Recipes For Kids

1) Cereal in a Cup

Cereal isn't just for breakfast time -- it's also a great snack for those times your kids get a hankering for something sweet or crunchy, or both! Just hunt down one of those single-serve cups from the cereal aisle, add some chilled low-fat skim or soy milk, and your kids are good to go for snack just under 200 calories.

2) Single-serve Fruit Portions

Fruit is the perfect snack -- it's full of fiber and vitamins, is extremely portable, and comes in a variety of flavors. Pack your kids a banana, orange slices, or mixed fruit in a cup to provide a boost of healthy nutrients and distract them from fattening snacks chips and cookies.

3) Yoghurt

If your kids are screaming for ice-cream, compromise with them and give them a small cup of yoghurt instead. Get the ones with fruit flavors so that the fruit naturally masks the hint of sourness from the yoghurt. You can also opt ofr Greek yoghurt instead of regular ones, since its consistency is close to soft serve ice cream. You can also use yoghurt as a base for smoothies and milkshakes -- they taste great and are less fattening than whole milk and full- fat ice cream.

4) Trail mix and Mixed Nuts

Snacking is only unhealthy when you overeat, and often this happens because kids (and adults!) are not aware of how much food they put in their mouths. If you can't break out of the habit of having a little too many potato chips just yet, you can at least lower the salt and fat content of your compulsive snacking by replacing them with healthier alternatives. trail mix and mixed nuts provide the same satisfying crunch, but without the unhealthy fats and high sodium content.

5) Organic Juices and Purified Water

Instead of grabbing a soda for the kids, try getting them to drink a bottle of organic, sugar-free fruit juice instead. The high sugar content of soda and artificial juices damage teeth and upset little stomachs, on top of promoting childhood obesity. Better yet, give them a bottle of cold, purified water. Water is not just refreshing, it also cleans out toxins from your body.

The best thing about this list is that all items can be found in your corner convenience store. And if you live in West Virginia, One Stop offers all five and so much more -- just around the corner. With One Stop and this simple list, and you're on your way to a healthier and happier family.

Five Healthy Convenience Store Treats for Your Kids

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Monday, November 21, 2011

Temporary Tattoos- A Party Activity That is Fun For the Kids

Very popular among teens and young adults everywhere, temporary tattoos are in high demand, and a great activity for everyone when it is time to party! Since all the teens are getting tattoos, it is great fun for younger teens or kids to get temporary tattoos. These tattoos can be made from henna based dyes or non-toxic vegetable dyes. They normally last from one to seven days. They are easily removable with baby oil or alcohol. Just be sure you are getting FDA approved temporary tattoos, and you are sure to get quality temporary tattoos that are safe and nontoxic. The following is a list of safe ingredients commonly used in temporary tattoos:

o Acrylic Multipolymer

Cookie For Kids

o Alkyd Polyester Resin

o Petroleum Isopariffinic Hydrocarbon

o Petrolatum

o Cobalt Tallate Drier

o Black Iron Oxide

o FD & C Blue #1 Aluminum Lake

o FD & C Yellow #5 Aluminum Lake

o D & C Red #7

The adhesive used in the non-spray versions of temporary tattoos, is similar to that used in commercially prepared adhesive bandages, so if you are allergic to these, it is usually best not to use the adhesive temporary tattoos, and you might want to use the spray or paint on versions.

Temporary tattoos combine the fun of tattooing with the freedom of total reversibility. They can be purchased preprinted on sheets that are set with adhesives to be applied individually. They can be purchased in quantity or individually, and even custom designs are available, so you could personalize temporary tattoos specifically to commemorate your celebration.

Another option for temporary tattoos that last a little longer (up to two weeks) are to hire an artist to spray the temporary tattoos on. This usually costs a little more, but the tattoos will be individualized and, depending on the artist, can be done to various specifications. Whatever you decide, your temporary tattoos can be a great party activity that guests can take home with them when they leave the party.

Temporary Tattoos- A Party Activity That is Fun For the Kids

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for birthday party supplies and fun party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Themes including Party Supplies to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - How to Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar is an age old ingredient, found in just about any Snickerdoodle recipe. The common household baker rarely knows what cream of tartar is, let alone has this acidic based salt in their spice cupboard. Suffice it to say you can still enjoy delicious Snickerdoodles even though you may not have any on hand. You may even find you like the end results better with a simple common substitution.

Cream of tartar is commonly used in conjunction with baking soda when making Snickerdoodle cookies. Baking soda is the leavening agent while cream of tartar has no leavening qualities at all. It is the acidic counterpart that allows the baking soda to react and not leave a bitter taste in the cookie after it is baked. Baking soda must always be used with an acid based food such as buttermilk, yogurt, fruits, and cream of tartar. A Snickerdoodle recipe usually calls for two parts cream of tartar to one part baking soda. However, in the absence of cream of tartar you can replace this two to one formula with baking powder.

Cookie Recipes For Kids

Baking powder is also a leavening agent. It produces a gas during the baking process that raises the baked good in the oven. Baking powder makes a good substitution in this recipe because it is conveniently made of baking soda, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. If you have baking powder in your cupboard, then you have the cream of tartar necessary to make Snickerdoodles. However, although you can substitute baking powder in your Snickerdoodle recipe, you may arrive at a different finished result. It will taste every bit as good as you want it too, you will find that it is a thicker cookie that has spread less in the oven during the baking period. Since most people find this favorable in a cookie then it should not be a problem. If you have always enjoyed thinner, crispier Snickerdoodles, then stick with the original formula that uses cream of tartar. Whether you are using the baking soda cream of tartar combination or the baking powder alone, you will make a crackled, spicy, sweet treat enjoyed by all.

Try these Snickerdoodle cookie recipes: one with cream of tartar and one without to see which one you prefer the most.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - How to Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar

Try these Snickerdoodle cookie recipes: one with cream of tartar and one without to see which one you prefer the most.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes - Easy Fruitcake Bar Cookies

Instead of a big, heavy fruitcake, serve these delicious cookies.

3/4 cup butter, softened

Cookie Recipes

1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups candied pineapple, coarsely chopped

1 3/4 cups red and green cherries, halved

2 cups pitted dates, halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle pan with flour.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and walnuts; mix well.

Spread mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle walnuts, pineapple, cherries and dates on top; press lightly into dough.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes 96 bar cookies.

=> Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes: Quick Holiday Cookies

Whip up these fun cookies anytime you need to make cookies in a hurry.

1 (9 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix

2/3 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup red and green holiday M&Ms, or butterscotch chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the cake mix, oats, butter and egg; beat well. Stir in the M&Ms or chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan immediately and let cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies.

=> Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes: Easy Peppermint Cookies

These tasty cookies are sprinkled with peppermint candy.

2/3 cup butter flavored shortening

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup peppermint candies, crushed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar; beat in the egg.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in peppermint candy.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie edges begin to brown. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Makes 36 cookies.

Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes - Easy Fruitcake Bar Cookies

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Sunday, November 13, 2011

A Cookie Decorating Book - Most Rewarding Tool For Your Cookie Creation

Cookies are luscious little goodies bringing a lovely treat any time of the day. Everyone likes eating cookies, especially children. If you are a cookie lover, why not try creating your own delicious goodies than simply eating store-made cookies? It may be easier said than done, but with the different types of cookie decorating books today, you can prepare your own fancier and tastier cookies anytime. You will learn not only lip-smacking recipes but also unique ways of decorating your cookie.

No matter what your recipe is, there's something just wonderful about the blend of sweetness and buttery dough that has made cookies a long-time classic. With a Cookie Decorating Book, you will get magnificent cookie designs for your tea party, birthday celebration, picnic sprees, lunchboxes, church gathering pick-me-ups, or kid's sit-down favorites.

Cookie Recipes

A Cookie Decorating Book is a very useful tool to get practical tips in cookie designing. It provides easy step by step instructions from making cookie sticks to bouquets, piping to run-on icings, and stenciling to coloring dough. It also contains sweet photos of cookies that look like it must be every sugar baker's must-have book.

Not only is this book helpful for decorating cookies and ideas for wedding reception favors, you can use it the whole time you're making cookies. It's a merrymaking design book as well as a how-to book for your celebration cookie ideas. Even though it can give you the best of the world's cookies, this book is available at a very reasonable and affordable price.

You may have tried various Cake Decorating books, or some other Decoration Books, but trying a Cookie Decorating Book can give your homemade-flavored cookies with homemade-touch designs. Don't be surprised when you overwhelm your guests or customers and they start to ask you the secret of your masterpiece. Truly, the possibility of a wide cookie collection in a Cookie Decoration Book can make your purchase very favorable.

If you are a professional cookie maker and you want to turn your beautiful decorated cookies into amazing bouquet, or other arrangement, extract greater benefits from the book and develop your professional skill. If you like to adorn your finest bakes just like your grandma use to decorate, or how you want to add a polished top to your cookies without using icing and glaze, it's time you get your own copy of a Cookie Decorating Book.

There's one more thing you should know, on one occasion you give a few of these attractive flavorsome cookies as gifts, people who see them the first time will start asking you for more. Don't you think this is another perfect sweet idea for the coming holidays?

A Cookie Decorating Book - Most Rewarding Tool For Your Cookie Creation

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Saturday, November 12, 2011

Fruit Pizza Recipes

Do you have a craving for pizza, but don't want the usual tomato and cheese sauce fair? Are you craving a fruit pie that's less gooey? You don't have to despair because fruit pizza recipes can satisfy your every whim. You can enjoy a sweet rather than savory Italian slice of fruit joy using all sorts of fruit pizza recipes.

Some of the more dessert orient fruit pizza recipes involve cookie dough crust, and cream cheese in place of the sauce. It's then up to you to line the pie with any kind of fruit that suits your fancy. You can include any kind of fruit that you can imagine, as long as the flavors pair well together. If you really want a dessert treat, it makes perfect sense to drizzle your pie with honey or syrup. You can even put chocolate on it! Go nuts, and put nuts on it, it's your pie, after all. You will want to bake this masterpiece, and most fruit pizza recipes call for baking the cookie crust for about 10 minutes on 375 degrees. You can choose to bake the fruit and cheese too, or you can apply all the goodies and amenities after the baking process. It's really up to you. You could try it both ways just to taste the difference and determine which way you prefer it.

Cookie Recipes For Kids

If you don't want to mix up your own cookie dough, you can just get some from a can. They offer all kinds of dough in a can, most people like sugar cookie with their fruit, but you could really try anything. Peanut butter could be really tasty, and oatmeal could be really fun.

You might find yourself at a loss concerning wish fruits to put on this most anticipated pizza. Here's a few suggestions: the ever popular strawberry (great with chocolate!), bananas, kiwi, apple, pears, mango, sliced grapes, berries (like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries), and the list goes on. As long as you like to eat the fruit, you might as well pile it on. Anything tastes good with cream cheese.

Moms and dads who are concerned about their children receiving the required intake of antioxidants and vitamins for optimal health can sneak all the good things in through by disguising it so well with cookie and cream cheese. What kid's going to turn up a nose at such a heavenly concoction? You can even put whipped cream and caramel drizzle all over the whole pie to further conceal the nutritional goodness underneath. Your child will never suspect that what they're eating actually has some sort of nutritional value hidden in all the fat and sugar. But, considering all the dressing up you had to do, you might want to limit the intake of this calorific fruit fest. Fruit pizzas are truly fabulous, but if you don't watch yourself, you could end up with an extravaganza of saturated fats and processed sugars.

To cut down on the calories, make your pies with light cream cheese, whipped cream, and make your own cookie dough using healthier ingredients. You can even sneak in a little whole grain flour or flax seed if you're really adventurous.

Fruit Pizza Recipes

Matthew Finn is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about fruit pizza [http://mygreatpizza.info/fruit-pizza-recipes], please visit My Great Pizza [http://mygreatpizza.info] for current articles and discussions.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Best Raw Cookie Recipe - Free Raw Recipe

I have tried many raw cookie recipes over the years but haven't found many that were good. Usually the cookies were tart, never really sweet enough. Certainly not like I ate growing up when we used sugar and fats.

I did some experimenting and found the cookie base was the problem. I experimented with various fruits, nuts and seeds and came up with a combination that worked and will hold together. When I serve these cookies, no one knows they are not cooked. They are raw, alive, healthy, and easy to make. With all the enzymes, nutrients, vitamins and minerals, etc. No harmful, fats or sugars. Nothing but goodness.

Cookie For Kids

For this easy free raw recipe, you'll need a dehydrator. Usually the Excalibur brand is used by raw food chefs however there are others. Dehydrators with the fan in back are best, but any will work, just keep the temperature very low.

Equipment: A dehydrator and you'll need a food processor.

Now for the raw fruit cookie recipe:

Ingredients, soaked sunflower seeds, Jonagold apples, bananas, Medjool dates, walnuts, raisins, vanilla and cinnamon

You'll need to soak 2 cups of sunflower seeds overnight, drain and rinse. Set aside for a while to sprout - up to 2 hours or so. Seeds get bitter if soaked a long time.

Best Raw Cookie Recipe

2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked

2 Jonagold apples or other sweet apples, but Jonagold work best

2 ripe organic bananas

4 Medjool dates, pitted

1 cup walnuts

1 cup raisins

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

Place the walnuts in the food processor and process and pulse until you have partly very small chunks and partly very fine granular pieces. Empty food processor and set aside.

Place in the food processor: the cored Jonagold apples with peel on, bananas, pitted dates, raisins. Mix together, but not too long. Then add the walnuts and lightly mix. Then slowly add the soaked, rinsed and drained sunflower seeds along with the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix together until mixed but not too long.

Using a spring-action ice cream scoop place the cookie mixture on teflex sheets and press down lightly until about 1/2 inch thick or so. You'll need 2-3 teflex sheets depending on the size of your cookie.

Place in the dehydrator at about 95 to 105 degrees or so for about 6 hours and then turn over by using another teflex sheet and tray on top and flipping over. Pull sheet back. Dehydrate for several more hours - at least 8 hours or so. I like them a little soft. If too soft, then dehydrate longer. Store in airtight jar in the refrigerator. Ummmm- eat!

This is the best raw cookie recipe - healthy, alive and loaded with good nutrition. Great for the kids. They are not the kind of cookies that cause you to gain weight. These are so good for snacks and to take with you when you leave home instead of taking along expensive food bars. You can save lots of money on bars by making these cookies. Filling too. A truly healthy raw recipe.

Best Raw Cookie Recipe - Free Raw Recipe

For my easy raw food recipes go to http://www.RecipesRaw.com and for my raw food diet cure and secrets - how I used it to help cure my breast cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, acid reflux, digestive & sleep issues, headaches, pain, weight loss, etc. see a nurse/raw food expert's http://www.RawFoodDietCure.com.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Easy Recipes For Kids to Follow

Irrespective of their age or gender, kids love experimenting at the kitchen and easy recipes for kids to follow are therefore given so that your kid can spend time fruitfully. When you teach your kid these recipes you would observe that their basic skills in math, communication, reading and comprehension are also getting developed. Your kid would also learn to carefully follow the instructions provided which is really the preliminary lesson taught in primary schools. In addition to knowing the easy recipes for kids to follow you also need to get certain kitchen items handy for your kids like plastic/metal mixing bowls, wooden spoons, hot pads, cups, and apron.

The 2 easy recipes for kids to follow which would be discussed over here are "Krazy Kake", and "Mouse Cupcakes".

Cookie For Kids

For preparing the dish of "Krazy Kake", you would require 2 teaspoonfuls of baking soda, 1 teaspoonful of common salt, 2 teaspoonfuls of vinegar, and 1 teaspoonful of vanilla. You would also require 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of cocoa, 3/4 cup of oil and 2 cups of water. Before putting anything, preheat the oven to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all the dry ingredients in a baking pan. Make the ingredients smooth. With the aid of a spoon, you need to make 3 big holes in a dry mixture. Pour vanilla in one of the holes, in another one pour vinegar, and then oil in the 3rd hole. Pour water over the total mixture and stir with the help of a fork until the mixture becomes uniform. Bake this at the same pre-set temperature for approximately 40 minutes. Then take out the cake and allow it to cool. You can use powdered sugar as a topping for this cake. Ensure that your kid has understood the quantities of ingredients required and the process of preparation, which is quite simple.

The second preparation that is going to be discussed in easy recipes for kids to follow is "Mouse Cupcakes". The ingredients required would be 1 chocolate-cake mix, 8 scoops of vanilla ice-cream, small candies, skittles and licorice. The quantity of ingredients taken would be sufficient for preparation of 8 cupcakes.

First make the mixture for the cake preparation. Keep the muffin cups two-thirds full. Then make the preparation and allow it to cool after baking has been completed. When the cakes become cool, put ice-cream as a topping on them, and decorate them in a manner which gives a mouse's appearance. You can use 2 mint-cookies to make the ears of the mouse and candies to resemble the eyes and the nose. Cut the licorice and insert it appropriately for the whiskers of the mouse. If the cake has started to melt in between all this, place the cupcakes in the freezer for half an hour. This recipe is extremely easy to prepare and your kid would also use his creativity in giving the appearance of the mouse to the cake.

These easy recipes for kids to follow would help your kid to learn a lot about the cooking nuances and also improve his observation and improvisation skills.

Easy Recipes For Kids to Follow

Aldric Chang is a creative entrepreneur and educator who is at the moment building fun iPhone games and apps for kids and running an award-winning 3D animation studio. His creative accomplishments span across the production of several hundred animation projects, cartoon animated series, music compositions and a virtual world for kids.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Kid's Cupcake Recipes

Cup cakes are a favorite treat for kids of all ages. Cupcakes can be decorated for all seasons and reasons. These are quick, easy cup cake recipe that kids can prepare with the help of an adult.

These cupcakes could always be made starting with a boxed cake mix. But where is the fun in that? With these recipes, you and the kids start from scratch and create memories as well as some delicious mouth watering treats.

Cookie Recipes

Lemon Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients:

3½ oz. softened butter 3½ oz. softened cream cheese 2 tsp. finely grated lemon rind 2/3-cup superfine sugar 2 eggs ½ cup all-purpose (plain) flour 1/3 cup self-raising flour
Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325F

2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan, with cupcake papers

3. Beat the butter, cheese, lemon rind, sugar and eggs until smooth and creamy

4. Sift the flours together

5. Add the flour gradually to the cheese mixture
6. Beat on a low speed, until just combined

7. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin tins

8. Bake for 25 minutes until firm to touch

9. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Frost with purchased lemon frosting. Enjoy

Basic Vanilla CupCake Recipe

Ingredients:
*5 oz. Butter - softened *5 oz. superfine sugar *6 oz. self-raising flour *3 eggs *1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F

2. Line a 12-cupcake pan, with cup cake papers

3. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork

4. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl

5. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy

6. Divide the mixture in the muffin pan

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack

9. Allow to cool fully before applying the frosting

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Frost with purchased vanilla frosting. Enjoy

Kid's Cupcake Recipes

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Friday, November 4, 2011

Some Irish Recipes to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th, and it is a “day for wearing green” and other Irish traditions. Even though the patron saint St. Patrick was not born in Ireland, everything that is Green (which symbolizes spring and the prospering of the crops), fun and Irish can be worn or used to celebrate this holiday. And it is a holiday for all ages. Here are some entertaining ideas to use on St. Patrick’s Day.

A few drops of green food coloring goes into anything you might want green, even a mug of draft beer. Anything made with Irish cream or Irish whiskey has the Irish spirit, too.

Cookie Recipes

Authentic Corned beef and cabbage

Corned beef brisket, about 4 lbs.

1 juice orange

18-20 whole cloves

1 tsp. whole yellow mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. caraway seeds

1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns

1/2 tsp. whole coriander

Put corned beef brisket into large pot for cooking. Take cloves and insert them, then sprinkle remaining spices on. Cover brisket with water, bring to boil, then simmer for 3 hours or until tender.

3 lbs. small potatoes, peeled

2 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces

1 medium head cabbage

About 40 minutes before beef is finished, boil a large pot of water and cook potatoes and carrots. Add cabbage about 10 minutes before you're ready to serve as it doesn't need to cook long. Drain vegetables.

Arrange meat and vegetables on a platter and serve with your favorite mustards.

St. Patrick Day Cookie Pops (for the kids to make)

Box of Vanilla Wafers

Box of Popsicle sticks

Vanilla or chocolate frosting; or Peanut butter

Various decorations – chocolate chips, icing packs, assorted green candies, green sugar sprinkles, ju ju bees, sprinkles, etc.

Spread out ½ of the vanilla wafers, with the flat sides up on the plate. Take the vanilla, chocolate icing, or peanut butter and spread across flat surface. Next, take a Popsicle stick and lay it down with the end in the middle of the cookie. Top with another vanilla wafer to make a sandwich.

Now the kids can get creative! Turn the cookie pop into a green shamrock; apply vanilla icing and draw with green icing pack; make a pot of gold with candies; anything you want! They make a great treat for the kids to take to school!

Easy Hot Whiskey Punch (for the adults) Serves 1

1 measure of whiskey

2 teaspoons white sugar

4-6 cloves

2 slices fresh lemon

7 oz. boiling water

Put whiskey, sugar cloves and lemon slices into a strong glass. 2. Pour on the boiling water until the sugar has dissolved. 3. Sip contentedly by a blazing fire.

Irish Scones

1/2 cup butter

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk

Note: You can add raisins, dates or other dried fruits, if desired.

Makes about 18 scones.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, combine butter and flour until crumbly. Add baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat egg and milk. Mix into dry ingredients to make a dough. Turn onto floured surface and roll to one-inch thickness. With a cookie cutter or the bottom of a drinking glass, cut dough into 2-inch rounds. Place on greased cookie sheet, about one inch apart and bake for 15 minutes.

When serving your Irish creations don’t forget an Irish toast to bless the meal!

Some Irish Recipes to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Niall Cinneide loves entertainig and celebrating St Patrick's Day. He publishes views, information and news about St Patricks Day [http://www.St-Patricks.info] at St Patricks Information.

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright [http://www.Your-Holiday.info]

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Best Easy Cookie Recipes

Rookie cooks are often scared to get beyond opening pouches and mixing milk with cheese powder to make macaroni and cheese. The idea of taking raw ingredients and mixing them together to produce a finished end product scares them more than spiders and snakes. The sad thing is how many people go their entire cooking lives like that. Sometimes, all it takes is making a few easy cookie recipes to get their comfort level up and get them cooking on their own.

For all of these, it's perfectly fine to start off using a boxed mix. That will get you accustomed to the baking process and to the routine of dishing the batter onto the cookie sheets and then pulling the finished products off to cool.

Cookie For Kids

Eventually, though, it's time to leave the prepackaged mix nest and spread your wings to fly into the world of real cookie baking. Here are the four main types of easy cookie recipes:

Peanut butter cookies: For the kid whose favorite lunch was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, this is the king. There's no cookie easier to make, and they deliver on flavor.

Oatmeal cookies: These are the ones made by the kids whose moms wanted them to have cookies, but wanted something at least a little bit healthy. For the fiber-conscious sweet hound, they're great, and they're one of the greatest blank slates for add-ins from raisins to chocolate chips.

Chocolate chip cookies: From the classic Toll House to the vast world beyond, every recipe collection has at least one chocolate chip recipe. They are a universal favorite, and a good step to more complex baking as they are usually the most complex of the easy cookie recipes.

Sugar cookies: The holiday favorite, this will get you some great practice with a rolling pin and with producing cookies in volume and decorating them.

Whichever easy cookie recipe you choose, you're sure to have fun eating the results!

The Best Easy Cookie Recipes

Ann Marie Krause has been making cookies for over 30 years, at persent I am retired, for over 23 years I owned a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner.You can visit my site at http://www.annsgoodies.com

NOTE: You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end).

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Pfeffernusse German Cookies Recipe

This is a traditional recipe for Pfeffernusse cookies which are often made in Germany during the Christmas holiday season. They are spicy, crisp, peppery cookies which are wonderful for dunking in milk or coffee. Their taste even improves with age when kept in a sealed air-tight container at room temperature. Baked cookies can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:

Cookie Recipes

1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground anise seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Grease cookie sheets and set aside.

Melt butter or margarine over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Stir in the molasses and honey and continue to heat and stir until mixture is creamy and well blended. Remove the saucepan from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir eggs into the cooled mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, anise seeds and salt until well blended. Stir in the molasses mixture and mix well until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate dough for 1 to 2 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Roll dough into small balls about 3/4 inch in diameter. Place dough balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Use a spatula to move cookies to a cooling rack.

Place powdered sugar in a plastic bag. Adding a small amount of cookies at a time, shake gently to coat completely with powdered sugar.

Recipe yields about 5 1/2 dozen cookies.

Pfeffernusse German Cookies Recipe

K. Hupp enjoys cooking, gardening and unique collectibles. Visit a German Collectibles Haus to see the newest Steinbach Nutcrackers and Smokers for the holiday season.