Monday, November 30, 2009

Snowman Poop

Ingredients

9 cups of Rice Chex
1/2 package Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Put Hershey's chips into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth. While the chips are melting, gently put the Rice Chex into a separate bowl. Gently pour the melted chocolate over the Rice Chex. Gently stir the chocolate and Rice Chex together until all the Rice Chex are covered. Put 1/4 of the mixture into a zip lock bag with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and shake gently until Rice Chex are covered with sugar. Pour into a storing dish. Cover the remainder of the Rice Chex with powdered sugar in the same manner.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Gingerbread Guys

I'm making some of these to put on my tree this year! They are smelling so yummy!

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 eggs, beaten
5 cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon soda

Directions

Mix sugar, butter, spices and molasses. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Add vinegar and eggs. Mix well. Add sifted flour and soda blending to a smooth dough. Chill. Roll out on floured board and cut with a 4 or 6 inch cookie cutter. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Decorate and eat or hang on your tree!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Tis the Season!

Hi Everyone! I'm so excited for the Christmas season this year! To start the season off, here's a wonderful recipe to enjoy with your friends and families! Perfect for snacking on while you trim that tree and blast Christmas music! By the way, one of the reasons I love this time of year is the creating of so many special goodies!!!

Ingredients

5 quarts air popped corn (1 1/2 cups unpopped)
1 cup white sugar
1 stick oleo
1/4 cup white corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup red hot candies
1/4 teaspoon soda

Directions

Mix all ingredients except corn and soda in microwave safe bowl. Cook on high in microwave 1 1/2 minutes. Stir with wooden spoon. Cook in microwave again until red hots melt. Add soda and pour onto popcorn that has been place in brown paper bag. Stir until mixed well. Place bag in microwave and cook on high 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Repeat twice more. Pour out on counter and spread out to cool. When cool place in air tight container.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Butternut Squash Bisque

So I know I've blogged about my bisque before, sometime last year I believe. Well the other day I was called by a person from the Daily Herald an asked for a great harvest recipe and an interview. Today it came out in the paper!!! I'm so excited about it! It's such a wonderfully savory recipe and I'm just thrilled to share it! Here's the link and article also:

http://www.heraldextra.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/recipes/article_c92ae68e-70ca-5c04-a24a-1b455d46d10a.html?mode=story

Butternut bisque busters

Visit the Harmons grocery store in Orem and you'll likely find Sina Kunz slicing, dicing and chopping fresh fruits and vegetables. As lead produce sous chef, Sina, 29, loves the freshness offered daily at Harmons.

"Not only is fresh produce packed with essential vitamins and minerals, fresh produce adds such amazing flavors, textures and colors to every meal!" she says. Phytochemicals, naturally occurring chemical compounds in plants, work together with vitamins and nutrients and may provide disease protection, Sina adds.

Sina and her husband, Thomas, live in Orem and have two children. Her full name is Sinalei, which in Samoan means Lei of Flowers. "My dad served an LDS mission to Western Samoa and named his daughters with Samoan names," she says. Her sister's name is Tiana, meaning Little Grain of Sand.

Sina loves riding horses and team roping with her dad. "I grew up in Jackson, Wyo., around horses and cattle," she says. "My family is a rodeo family." While growing up, Sina focused on barrel racing. Now she's learning team roping with her dad.

"The header catches the horns of a steer with a rope and a heeler catches the hind feet of a steer with a rope," she says. Sina takes the heeling end, while her dad works on heading. Of course, they try for the fastest time -- all the while on the backs of their horses. "I'm still learning ... but loving it," she says.

Sina's love of food began with her mom and grandma, who both taught her how to cook. She collects cookbooks and enjoys tweaking recipes "for just the right appeal."

Her favorite harvest produce is winter squash. She shares a bisque made from it. "You can serve the bisque in a bread bowl with a sprinkle of Asiago cheese, or as one of your courses during Thanksgiving dinner," Sina says.

Butternut Squash Bisque

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 3 medium carrots, chopped

• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning or to taste

• salt and pepper to taste

• 32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 cup half and half, whipping cream or broth

In a large pot, melt butter. Saute vegetables in the butter 5 minutes. Add seasonings. Cover vegetables with broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until everything is very tender, stirring occasionally.

Transfer all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot, bring to a simmer and add half and half to obtain desired consistency.

Cook's notes: This recipe freezes very well for up to 6 months. Don't add cream. Package in freezer-safe containers. When you are ready to use, thaw, heat up and then add cream.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Pumpkin!

I love fall as you all know. The colors, the smells, the crispness in the air, everything! In celebration of Autumn, I'm going to share with you a very easy, very yummy recipe! Yum Yum!

What you need:
1 package spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
1 egg
2 cups milk chocolate chips
Cream Cheese frosting

What to Do:
Combine all the ingredients together, except chocolate chips. Once the batter is mixed thoroughly, add in the chocolate chips. Now here's the fun part. You can either spoon the batter into muffin tins, put dollops on a cookie sheet or fill up bread loaf pans with the batter. The sky is the limit! Bake in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes for cookies, about 20-25 minutes for muffins and about 30-35 minutes for a loaf pan. A sure way to check that the pumpkin mix is done, insert a tooth pick into the center and if it comes out clean it done! Let what ever you've made cool for a few minutes and remove from the cookie sheet, muffin pan or loaf pan. Top with cream cheese frosting and ENJOY!