One Ingredient Caramel Dip

Brenda made this up at Scout Camp this summer! I had no idea caramel could be soooo easy! I know we have a lot of caramel recipes, but each one has different ingredients. So if you don't have an item from one recipe you can try another! They are all really good, just taste a little different!

1. First off you need a can of sweetened condensed milk. Take the paper off of the can so it wont become floating mess in your pan.
2. Place your can in a pot and cover the can with water.
3. Next bring the water to boiling and then let it simmer for 3 hours. Make sure to check on it periodically, because you will have to keep adding water as it boils

Once the 3 hours are up, open it up and enjoy!
My kids loved this easy treat! I was able to make it with one ingredient and got many other things done at home while it cooked!
So go out and enjoy some good crisp apples and caramel!

Pumpkin Haystack Cookies

I found this recipe on JackandJillskitchen. I am always on the lookout for a good pumpkin recipe, especially this time of year. She found this recipe in a Lion House cookbook.

I thought the cookies were moist and scrumptious! I do think maybe too much coconut and I might add less next time! But I will say these turned out really good and I will keep this recipe!

Pumpkin Haystack Cookies

(from JackandJillskitchen, and Lion House Bakery)
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, softened (I used 1 cup butter flavored crisco & 1/2 cup real unsalted butter)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (16 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans (I made these optional)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add pumpkin, then gradually add the dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. Scoop batter onto lightly greased cookie sheets and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
Makes 4 dozen cookies

Poppy Seed Chicken

I found this recipe on Sisters Stuff and it had rave reviews from her and many other commenters. I am always loving a new idea to do with chicken!

This was a very good recipe, my children were a little skeptical because of all the poppy seeds, but they did eat it! I did saute the chicken in a skillet instead of poach it, and I like the taste of the chicken better that way~

Poppy Seed Chicken

(www.sistersstuff.blogspot.com)

• 4-6 chicken breasts, boiled and cubed (or browned in a skillet)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• Ritz Crackers (I used about 1/2-3/4 of a sleeve)
• 1/2 cube butter, or 1/4 cup
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

In a casserole dish, place cubed chicken.

Heat soup and sour cream together, but not to boiling. Pour over chicken.

Melt butter. Crush crackers. Add crackers and poppy seeds into melted butter and mix together. Sprinkle on top of soup mixture.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over rice!

Sugar Cookies

I don't have a picture of these cookies, but they were soft and very yummy!

While I was in Utah, we wanted to decorate sugar cookies with the kids. My dad has a milk allergy so I couldn't use my favorite Sour Cream Sugar Cookie recipe.

My sister's friend gave us this recipe and they were super good too! These are a great alternative to my favorite recipe, especially if you have a milk allergy at your house! (Also there is no putting in the refrigerator time either!)

Sugar Cookies

(a friend in Utah!)

• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Sift ingredients all together.

Cut in 1 cup butter with a pastry blender or fork. I would recommend cutting your butter up in small pieces to make this easier. Next put in your mixer and add:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend in mixer until incorporated. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes.

Frost and enjoy!

Trick or Treat Popcorn Balls

I know it is too late for Halloween this year, but I had to post this for thoughts on next! I also think that candy corns are great through Thanksgiving, so why not give this a try now (if your sugar high is starting to lower!!)!

I found this last year, but didn't get a chance to try until now! I am not a huge candy corn fan, but really liked these. I also think I may try these again with M&M's in it instead!

Trick or Treat Popcorn Balls

(Cooking Light)

• 8 cups popped light butter microwave popcorn - about 1 bag (I used the full butter!)
• 1 cup candy corn (or try M&M's)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 (10 ounce) bag marshmallows
• Cooking Spray

Combine popcorn and candy corn in a large bowl.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; stir in salt and marshmallows. Reduce heat to low; cook for 7 minutes or until the marshmellows melt and the mixture is smooth, stirring frequently.

Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn mixture, stirring well to coat. Lightly coat hands with cooking spray; shape popcorn into balls and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. You may need to reapply the cooking spray to your hands as you go!

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Bread

I love Pumpkin and especially love the smell of it as it bakes! I found this recipe on the Pioneer Womans Tasty Kitchen blog and was really enticed by the streusel topping.

The streusel was super good! I wasn't sure if the pumpkin bread was pumpkiny enough the first day, but I really really liked it the second day! Maybe it just needed time to meld together!

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Bread

(Tasty Kitchen blog)


•¾ cups Butter, Softened
•¾ cups Granulated Sugar
•¾ cups Dark Brown Sugar
•1 teaspoon Vanilla
•4 whole Eggs
•2-½ cups Pumpkin Puree
•3 cups All-purpose Flour
•3 teaspoons Baking Powder
•¾ teaspoons Baking Soda
•1 teaspoon Salt
•1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon
•¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger
•¼ teaspoons Allspice
•¼ teaspoons Grated Nutmeg
•⅛ teaspoons Cardamom
•½ cups Buttermilk
•_____
•FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
•¼ cups Butter, Softened
•½ cups Brown Sugar
•¼ cups Oatmeal
•¼ cups All-purpose Flour
•1 teaspoon Cinnamon
•3 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seed
•¼ cups Chopped Pecans (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease and flour the bottom of two 8″ loaf pans. To make the topping, mix together all the topping ingredients using a fork or pastry cutter until combined thoroughly.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. Stir in pumpkin puree.

In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cardamom. Whisk together until no lumps remain. Add half of the flour mix to the pumpkin mix, blending well. Beat in buttermilk. Add remaining flour mix and beat lightly until smooth.

Pour batter evenly into the two prepared 8″ pans. Cover each with half of the topping mix. Bake at 350º F for 70-80 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Slice and enjoy.

Black Cat Cookies

I found this on the Taste of Home site. I needed a quick treat for a RS mtg and these seemed to be a fun Halloween idea and they got the kids involved. The boys put the candy corns and M&M's on and had great fun doing it!

One thing, make sure not to over bake! Them need to firm up and not be doughy, but I would watch the time!

Great fun idea to give the kids at school!

Black Cat Cookies

(Taste of Home)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 24 wooden craft or Popsicle sticks
• candy corn
• red-hot candies (or I used M&M's)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually add to the butter mixture.

Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Insert the wooden stick into each ball. Flatten the ball with a glass dipped in sugar. Pinch the top of the cookie to form the ears. For whiskers, press a fork twice into each cookie.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove from oven and immediately press the candy corn in for the eyes and a red hot or M&M in for the nose.

Remove to wire racks to cool!