I promised to show how to make Igor and his buddies

Here is what you are going to need: 

For the eyeballs:  Whoppers, empty gelatin capsules,

 You can buy these at a drug store or go here:  http://www.capsuline.com/index.php?app=ecom&ns=catshow&ref=gelatin_capsules

We used size 00.  (It would NOT be a good idea to go empty some old medicine out of capsules if you intend to eat these things)

You also need nerds or some other small candy that will fit into the gelatin capsule.  Large sprinkles would work if they are round and dark colored.  Also those Hersheys ice cream toppers... but we cannot find them anymore.  Maybe they quit making them.

For the cookie:  You need 2 bags of chips-- semi-sweet chocolate and butterscotch  (a bag of each) and 2 cans of chow mein noodles or about 10 to 12 oz. total.

You need to make the eyeballs one day and let them set up before making the cookies the next day.  Start by carefully shaving about a third of a whopper off with a sharp knife.  Keep your fingers out of the way. 

Make a good flat surface on it.

Then take a gelatin capsule apart and use the longer end as a tool to carve a circle into the whopper.  This works better if the whoppers are really fresh.  

Set aside this part of the gelatin capsule to use as a tool for all of your eyeballs. 

  Use a screwing, motion to make the cut.

The cut should be deep enough to hold the gelatin capsule in.

Now you need to take a different capsule.  You will only be using the long side because the short side is just a fraction bigger than the long side (that is how it slips over the top of the long one).  You need to cut the long one down until it is about 1/4 inch long.  Make a slit up the length of the capsule then cut around it.  If you try to just cut across both sides at once, it will mash and break the capsule.

Put a nerd into the capsule and push into the slit you made in the whopper.  Be sure it is pushed in really good.

Make plenty of eyeballs for all your cookies.  When you have a bunch done, line them up and take funny pictures of them.. 3;o)

Melt about a quarter cup of the chocolate chips in a little bowl in the microwave.  Put them into a ziplock baggie to melt them.  Be careful not to get them too hot.  Cut off a corner of the bag and make a little blob of chocolate on a piece of waxed paper.  Stick a long chow mein noodle (pick out the coolest ones from the package) into the blob of chocolate and set an eyeball on top.  Arrange it so it will stay the way you want it to look.  Do this with all the eyeballs and put them in the freezer for several minutes.  Melt some more of the chocolate in a small bowl and holding the eyeball part, dip the noodle in the chocolate coating the entire stick.  Set back onto the waxed paper and allow to stay in the freezer for several hours or overnight.  Keep your leftover chocolate to add to the chips when you make the cookies.

After several hours, or the next day, melt the 2 bags of chips (and any leftovers from all the foolishness with the eyes)  in a large bowl in the microwave.  Heat them on high for 30 seconds at a time, then stir and repeat until they are creamy.  Throw in the chow mein noodles and stir to coat them all.  Working with a friend, make blobs of cookies on a waxed paper and arrange the eyes into the mound so they stay upright.  When you get tired of doing that, just put the eyeballs on the blobs and forget the stems.  That is what we did because we ended up with 36 eyeballs and not that much patience. 

It takes a little practice, but after a while, you will get the hang of it and make some really cute little aliens.  They will need to set up in a cool room or the fridge if there is room in there.  You can put them out on the porch if it is cool outside and there are no neighborhood cats, squirrels, or bobcats running around who will disturb them.  They will keep in a cool room for several days if you can keep them that long without devouring them all.  Oh yeah-- we discovered that although the capsules are edible (That is what they put your medicine in) they are not pleasant to eat.  It is like chewing a piece of plastic.  So we actually threw the capsule part away.  If you like chewing plastic, go for it-- it won't hurt you...................

OK. Here is who the eyeballs belong to



Presenting.....  the Blob!



Watch out behind you, Igor.
  Those eyes seem to be glowing in the dark.

Focus, Herman, Focus!





I think I scared myself a little!  Oh, that was my shadow....

Recipe tomorrow  (and instructions on how to make those eyeballs......)

Coming Soon- Maybe tomorrow

This is just a hint of what is coming.  These eyeballs are edible!  We will tell you how to make them and show you who they belong to.   bwahaaahaaa

Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes

We tried something new today.

It  is  was a Cinnamon Swirl pancake.  It did not last long.   All you have to do is make a wonderful fluffy basic pancake, then swirl in a melted butter/ brown sugar/ and cinnamon mixture.  After you flip it, the cinnamon swirl melts and becomes craters of crusty sugary cinnamony heaven.

Start with your favorite basic pancake recipe.   (We used a Buttermilk Pancake mix.  It is our favorite.  Who am I kidding?  We are lazy.)  If you don't have a pancake recipe here is one:

Pancakes

4 c. all purpose flour

8 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

4 c. milk

1/4 c. vegetable oil

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Mix the dry ingredients into one bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients into another bowl.  Then stir them together until everything is moistened.  It can have a few lumps. 

This recipe makes a lot-- maybe for a large family.  You can cut it in 1/2 or even 1/4--- or just use Buttermilk Pancake Mix.

Cinnamon mixture

1 cup butter melted

1 1/2 cup brown sugar packed tightly

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Melt butter and mix sugar and cinnamon into it.  Put the mixture into a ziplock bag and cut a SMALL corner off the tip.   You could also use a disposable cake decorating bag.  That is what we did and it worked great.  Just be sure you have a tiny hole.

Again--- this makes a LOT  (enough for the family size recipe of pancakes)  so cut it down.

Very important:  Heat your griddle to about 325 degrees. (spray cooking spray onto the griddle--  We used something Mom had called "Waffle Off."  It worked great.)  If you have just a pan on the stove like we do, be sure your heat is just below medium.  You DO NOT want the pan too hot, but be sure it is heated through before you do your first pancake.  Splash a drop of water off it.  If it sizzles, it is hot.

Pour a pancake the size you like.  Starting in the center and working your way out, swirl the cinnamon mixture on top of it.  We found that you don't want to get quite to the edge or it will run off and burn, so try to stay about 3/4" from the edge. 

Let the pancake get REALLY bubbly (really almost done through) before you flip it.  You don't want the cinnamon to burn (hence the low heat).  However, don't let the underside burn while you wait for the bubbles.... that would indicate the heat is too high.  Experiment with the first one.  (Our first one was really ugly!!  By the 4th one, we were pretty good at it.)

Flip the pancake and finish cooking it.  Try not to cook too long on the second side.  Remove from heat and enjoy.  Oh wait--- there is more than one way to enjoy it.  We will get to that.  First I need to tell you something else IMPORTANT:  Very Carefully wipe the excess cinnamon mixture off the hot pan before you do the next pancake.  It builds up and gets really ugly.  I used a WAD of paper towels.... enough to keep from burning through and burning my fingers.  Then I sprayed the pan with my Waffle Off again.

OK.  Now how to enjoy it.  We liked it just like it is.  The cinnamon turns a little crusty on the edges.  YUM!However, the recipe we used said to make a cream cheese glaze to pour on it.  Ick, too much sugar, but if you must, here is the recipe:

Cream Cheese Glaze

1/2 cup butter

4 oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 T. Vanilla

Microwave the butter and cream cheese to melt and stir together.  Whisk the powdered sugar and vanilla into it.  Add a little milk to thin it if needed.

With a little practice, you can make these beautiful and YUMMY.  This could be your very favorite breakfast.  We may even have them for dinner sometimes....

Mom's Chicken Pasta Salad

Mom's Chicken Salad posted by request.   It may sound gross at first to some people (my Mom's Boss :P) but it has always been one of my favorites.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked pasta, shape of your choice
• 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
• 5 stalks celery, diced
• 2 large apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cup seedless grapes, halved
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Chill pasta and chicken thoroughly.
2. Mix chicken, celery, apples, grapes, pineapple, mandarin oranges and pasta in large bowl.
3. Mix the mayonnaise, milk, sugar, salt, dash of pepper and a dash of nutmeg.
4. Combine mayonnaise and chicken mixtures and toss. Store in the refrigerator.

Halloween Dinner

This fun Halloween dinner consists of soup in a decorated pumpkin, inside out apple pie, orange apple cider in a hollowed out orange peeling, and salty bone bread sticks. (All recipes included below.)

Salty Bone Bread Sticks
Ingredients:

Salt (I prefer Sea Salt)
Pillsbury Bread stick dough
Directions:

1. Unroll  a tube of refrigerated bread stick dough and separate the rectangular pieces
2. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough to lengthen it a bit and then use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a 11/2-inch slit in the center of each end
3. Roll or shape the resulting four flaps of dough into knobs that look like the ends of a bone
4.Place the dough bones on an un-greased baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart, and sprinkle on a little salt.
5. Bake the bones until they are golden brown, about 12 minutes

Taco Soup
Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger

1 med. onion

1 pkg. taco seasoning

16 oz. can corn

17 oz. can kidney beans

28 oz. stewed tomatoes

8 oz. can tomato sauce

Directions:

1. brown hamburger & onion

2. pour the corn, taco seasoning, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, browned hamburger, and tomato sauce into a large pot and heat until at desired temperature

3. serve over tortilla chips, with sour cream & cheese on top
For serving bowl:
          hollow out a large pumpkin as best you can and try not to make any holes and NO carving it or you'll have a soupy mess. you can decorate it with markers or light carving that is not deep enough to make holes.


Inside Out Apple Pie (Serves 4)
Ingredients:

4 good sized apples
Pillsbury pie dough
Apple pie filling
Directions:

1. hollow out the large apples with a spoon or anything that you think would work, and leave an edge about 1/4 of an inch from the edge
2. fill the hollowed out apples with the pie filling
3. unroll the pie crust and flatten it out
4. cut into circles big enough to cover the top of the apple, you can use a cookie cutter or even just scissors
5. put some sugar on the top of the crust
6. bake at 350 for 30 min or until the filling is bubbly and crust is browned

Orange Apple Cider (Serves 4)
Ingredients:

Four large oranges

Apple cider mix

Enough water to fill all of the oranges plus extra

Directions:

1. mix the apple cider mix and the water together and heat up in a pot on the stove until desired temperature

2. hollow out the oranges leaving just the peel on the inside and out (be sure to no make any holes in or your cider will leak out.

3. when the cider is ready fill up your orange and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Caramel Dipped Little Apples

Perfect little sweet, healthy apple with barely enough caramel to even come close to ruining your diet or teeth (unless you eat more than two of these in one sitting).  They’re also perfect little Halloween party favors, or a great trick-or-treat goodie.  AND they have peanut butter in the caramel.  Who doesn't love peanut butter on apples?

Peanut Butter – Caramel Dipped Little Apples dozen of the smallest apples you can find.

12 twigs or popsicle sticks.

1 cup granulated white sugar, divided

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hot heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup Planter’s Peanut Butter
Optional:  sprinkles, nuts, or other toppings

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Thoroughly wash and dry apples and twigs.  Stick twigs into apples and set aside on a waxed paper or parchment lined baking sheet. I sprayed the waxed paper with cooking spray.  It worked really well to keep the paper from sticking.  If you are going to set them on leaves, wash the leaves thoroughly and spray with cooking spray also. 

2.  Bring heavy cream to a boil, take off the heat, and set aside.   Place 1/2 cup of the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium-high heat and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until light amber in color, about 5-7 minutes. Use a pastry brush, dipped in water, to wash down sides of pan to prevent crystallization as the mixture boils.

3. Remove saucepan from the heat and gradually whisk in the remaining half cup of sugar, corn syrup,, hot heavy cream, salt and butter.  Return to the heat and insert a candy thermometer.  Cook until the thermometer registers 248 Fahrenheit – about 6 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the vanilla extract and the peanut butter.

4. Working quickly, dip the small apples into the caramel, letting any excess drip back into the pan.  We used a table knife to cut the excess off the bottom before we set it down.   Set the apples on the prepared baking sheet (roll in toppings immediately after dipping, if using.  We had trouble doing this without the caramel sticking to the dish with the sprinkles in.  It was easier to pour the sprinkles over the apples as we turned them--- but messy). If the caramel becomes too thick, gently rewarm it over low heat. Let the caramel apples cool for 1 hour before serving. 

     We poured the caramel mixture into a microwave safe measuring cup so it would be deep and the apples just fit. They were easier to dip in that than the pan.  Then when the caramel got a little cool, we heated it for 30 seconds in the microwave.  You have to watch really closely, because if it starts to boil, It boils really high and tries to get out of the cup.

Cheater tip: 

     You can also do this using packaged caramels.  Melt the caramels in the microwave and add a little cream and some peanut butter. This is where it is just a suggestion.  Experiment until you get it just right.  We found that if you use Western Family caramels, the coating gets really hard on the apple.  Next time, we will just stop being cheap and get the Kraft kind.

Halloween Treats

CANDY CORN PARFAIT

Ingredients:

Pudding:  white, yellow, chocolate

Candy corn

Chocolate puff cereal

Whipped Cream 
Sprinkles

Layer into glass in the following order:  (Just a little bit of each or you will run out of room)

        (or choose any order you like---- you be creative)

Cocoa Puffs

Vanilla pudding

Whipped cream

Cocoa Puffs mixed  with candy corns

Chocolate pudding

Butterscotch pudding

Cocoa Puffs mixed  with candy corns

Dollop of Whipped cream

Garnish with candy corns and sprinkles.

Chill for about 30 minutes (no more than an hour) before eating