Spooky Witches Fingers and more Scary Stuff....

Oh how fun to make something 'spooky' to eat & to share...
(and to make me giggle...)

I found this cute recipe idea at allrecipes.com.
They are fairly simple to make and oh-so cute! 

SPOOKY WITCHES FINGERS
 1 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 - 2/3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. whole almonds
1 (.75 ozs) tube red decorating gel

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease baking sheets.

Remove dough from fridge in small amounts. Using 1 TB. at a time, roll onto a piece of waxed paper, shaping into a thin finger-shaped cookie. Press one almond into one end of each cookie to give appearance of long fingernail. Squeeze cookie near tip and again near the center of each to give the impression of knuckles. You may also cut into the dough with a sharp knife at the same points to help give a more finger-like appearance. Arrange shaped cookies on prepared baking sheets.

 Bake in oven until slightly golden in color, about 20 minutes.

Remove almond from the end of each cookie; squeeze a small amount of red decorating gel into the cavity; replace almond to cause the gel to ooze out around tip of the cookie.
Yield: about 40 fingers
(the recipe called for using 1 heaping TEAspoon of dough.  I found those to be too small for the almonds, so I used a TABLEspoonful instead.





Linked at Farm Girl Friday
Michelle's Tasty Creations Halloween/Fall Party
Full Plate Thursday
Meal Plan Monday

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I just had to share these darling foodie ideas from Mommy's Kitchen.  She has so many of them!  Tina's done much to make things fun and easy this time of year.


Combine butter, sugar, egg, almond and vanilla extracts in a mixing bowl. Beat together with electric mixer; gradually add the flour, baking powder and salt; continue beating until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 20 - 30 minutes.

Halloween Popcorn Mix

Mummy Dogs

Pumpkin-Shaped Sugar Cookies

Trick or Treat Brownie Cupcakes & Nutter Butter Ghosts

Halloween Cookie Bars

ENJOY A FUN AND SAFE WEEKEND!!!

Nutella/PB-Banana-Oatmeal Smoothie

I have thought about this recipe soooooo much since seeing the recipe at Grandma Loy's Kitchen

I woke up thinking about this the day I finally made it for the first time. 

Sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do right? 

In fact, I made it TWICE the first day I tried it!!!

Loy and I crossed paths a few weeks ago and have become good email buds, sharing many things in common. 

She fits into the 'grandma' category with me and hasn't been blogging long.  I think that's just so cool and know her grandkids have to be bustin' their buttons over all she does.

She also has a part time job as a quilter! 

Very talented too!

We share very similar tastes in our kitchens. It's so fun to connect with someone who thinks like you do, isn't it?

I appreciate all the 'DIY' recipes she shares at her blog.  Always GREAT ideas. Check out her recipe for Homemade Cake Mix. Please pay her a visit and show her some love.

This is a recipe I will enjoy again and again.  It's quick, easy and nutritious.

Just in case you're not familiar with Nutella, it is a chocolate-hazelnut spread. The texture is similar to peanut butter, and oh so satisfying!

Enjoying this smoothie is a great way to begin the day or as a pick me up in the afternoon!  Bedtime snack anyone???

I'd read somewhere (sorry - I don't recall what blog?) about blending dry oatmeal into a powder to use in a smoothie.  I really liked that idea, and so that's the only change I made to this delicious treat.

Can't go wrong adding more 'healthy' eh?

(I used MORE nutella the second time around, can you tell?=)

NUTELLA/PEANUT BUTTER-BANANA-OATMEAL SMOOTHIE

1/4 cup oats

2 bananas, sliced and frozen

1/4 cup nutella (or peanut butter)

3/4 cup milk

(I used skim)

Put oats in blender and blend until powder-y. Add remaining ingredients and blend until there are no more chunks of frozen banana. Garnish with fresh banana slices if desired.

Yield: 2 servings

Linked to Made it on Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Recipe of the Week
Weekend Potluck
Ingredient Spotlight
 Ingredient Spotlight - Peanut Butter
     Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Smoothies

Pink for the Cure/Eggland Giveaway {Update}

WE HAVE A

#6 comment...Angie said...


I am a "liker" of all your stuff....


Please contact me to confirm your win. Your gift package will be mailed directly to you from Eggland's Best Eggs.

Thank you to each of you who participated!


As most of you are aware, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I'm honored to team up with Eggland's Best Eggs once again as they raise support to help find a cure.

From now until November 15th, Eggland's Best have turned their egg-y 'birthmark/stamp' into a pink EB and Susan G. Komen Ribbon printed on them as well.

Aren't they are just adorable!

Eggland’s Best will also be pledging $50,000 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which will help expand the foundation’s mission to discover and deliver the cure for breast cancer across the globe.

Right now, in the U.S. there are more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors! This is a result from early detection and proper treatment! In the past year, with the help of great companies like Eggland's Best, SGK for the Cure has been able to invest $93 million in research, as well as provide more than 600,000 women with free screenings and over 100,000 with treatment assistance.

ISN'T THAT JUST PHENOMENAL!!!!

Read more details at this link....
Eggland's Best goes "Pink" to Fight Breast Cancer

If you want more information or are unsure about the signs of breast cancer, please visit the Susan G. Komen website. You will find answers there for any questions or concerns.

You can raise awareness by buying products, such as these, that contribute to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Eggland has also offered some lovely gifts for one of my lucky readers!

Check out this cool prize package...

The prize pack includes an eco bag, plush egg, spatula and an EB coupon for a free dozen EB eggs.

To enter the giveaway, all you simply do is...("Likes" below)

then leave a comment letting me know what you've done.

(Be sure to include a link or email address so I can contact you if you win)  

"Like" my "Recipes & Recollections" cookbook page at Facebook

    "Like" Eggland's Best Eggs at Facebook

"Like" Susan G. Komen for the Cure at Facebook

~Giveaway open to U. S. Residents Only~

{Must be 18 or older}

Winner will be drawn on Monday, Oct. 24th at 6:00 PM EST

The winner will be notified via email and I will share it on a blog post also.

Thanks for supporting Eggland's Best Eggs and Susan G. Komen in this awesome cause.

Disclosure: Eggland's Best provided me with coupons and is providing a prize pack to one of my readers. Source of information is provided from Eggland's Best & Susan G. Komen for the Cure

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Substitutions

to our first born grandchild -

Ashtyn McCrae Baker turns 17 today!

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN???

She's a gem..and a beaut...and yes, a redhead!

With the busy busy holidays coming upon us quickly, I thought it would be good to share these great ideas for substituting ingredients in the kitchen.

I love being able to DIY, and not having to run to the store when you can use what you have on hand.

These are some of the substitutes I often use in my kitchen....

Powdered sugar: Put 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tb. cornstarch in the blender; Blend on high continuously until the mixture is of uniform powdered consistency. Keep the lid on the blender until the powder settles.
(Saves you $$ too)

Pumpkin Pie Spice: 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. allspice and 1/4 tsp. cloves.

Apple pie spice: 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg,
1/8 tsp. allspice, 1/8 tsp. ginger

Unsweetened Baking Chocolate: For each sq. of chocolate needed, add 3 Tb. baking cocoa to 1 Tb. melted butter; stir until smooth.

Semisweet Chocolate, 6 ozs. pkg. (2/3 c.) Melted:

2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate plus 2 T. sugar

Self-Rising Flour: For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine.

Cornstarch: 2 Tb. flour or 4 tsp. quick-cooking tapioca.

Buttermilk: Place 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in 1 cup measuring cup. Add enough milk to fill.  Let mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Sour Cream:

Use plain yogurt in place of sour cream.

Heavy Cream Tip: To get maximum volume when whipping heavy cream, first place mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Heavy Cream:

3/4 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup butter = 1 Cup Heavy Cream

Corn syrup:  1 cup = 1 c. sugar and 1/4 c. water

or 7/8 cup honey (baked goods will brown more)

Eggs: whole, uncooked, 1 large =

 1/4 c. egg substitute (examples include: Egg Beaters,
Second Nature, Scramblers)


or 2 yolks and 1 T. water (for cookies)


or 2 yolks (in custards, cream fillings, and similar
mixtures)


or 2 whites as a thickening agent


or (up to half the eggs called for in a baked recipe)
3 Tb. water + 1 Tb. flax seed meal, mixed together first


Tomato sauce: 2 cups = 3/4 c. tomato paste plus 1 cup water

Source: Mommy's Kitchen and Google

EXTRA: FROM MAMA'S BIG HOME KITCHEN

Brown Sugar: 1 cup granulated sugar

            1 Tb. molasses

 In a medium mixing bowl, add the sugar and molasses and use a hand mixer to combine. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides as needed and continue to beat until all the molasses is combined. It will take up to 5 minutes, so be patient and you will have light and fluffy brown sugar.

Note: If you want to make dark brown sugar, use 2 T molasses per cup of sugar.

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes with Honey Cinnamon Butter

One of my favorite things about fall is PUMPKIN!  I've been making many dishes with this wonderful fall food, and am excited to share this one with you.

I had just baked up a couple of pie pumpkins (post soon to come) and had fresh pumpkin in the fridge just waiting to be used.

I'm not a big fan of pancakes.  They always seem to heavy to me...and I can't eat much of them at once. I normally prefer ordering french toast or oatmeal when we go out to breakfast.

But let this time of the year roll in, and I am ALL ABOUT Pumpkin Pancakes.  I just love them. 

I was excited to find this recipe at Making Life Delicious and made them for our dinner that very same day.

These are light and fluffy and oh so tasty. 

I love the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves combo along with the wonderfulness of pumpkin. The recipe calls for freshly grated nutmeg...I LOVE IT!

MMMMMM!

I didn't make any changes to this recipe and thought it was perfect 'as is'.

Enjoy these cooler fall days by warming up with a plateful of pumpkin pancakes.

(say that quickly 5 times!)

BUTTERMILK PUMPKIN PANCAKES

1-1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

(I used Splenda)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated

pinch of ground cloves

1 c. buttermilk

(Place 1 TB. vinegar in 1 cup measuring cup-allow to sit 5 minutes-a great substitute)

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

(I used fresh cooked)

1 large egg

3 Tb. canola oil, plus more for the griddle

In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spiced; whisk to combine.  (It already smells like pumpkin pie - oh my!)

In liquid measuring cup, whisk buttermilk, pumpkin puree, egg and oil. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until combined.

Preheat griddle or electric skillet at 300*. Using a 1/3 c. measure, pour the batter onto hot griddle.  Cook first side until bubbles begin to break on top and edge starts to look cooked, about 3 minutes.  Flip and cook the second side until golden brown, a couple more minutes.

Yield: about 9 pancakes.

Serve with butter, maple syrup or even honey cinnamon butter.
This is a delicious topping for any fruit breads also - pumpkin, banana or zucchini also

HONEY CINNAMON BUTTER

1 stick butter, room temperature

2 Tb. honey (or maple syrup)

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together in bowl until smooth. Store in refrigerator.

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