Chex Scotcheroos

Answer..... "Just Because!"
Question... "Why do you make the yummy looking goodies that your hubby posts on your Facebook page?" 

Chex Scotcheroos

6 cups rice or corn chex
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

grease a large round bowl and pour the cereal in set aside.

grease a 9x13 inch pan set aside.

in a pan on the stove, combine the corn syrup and sugar, and stir over medium high heat until it comes to a boil.

immediately remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter and then immediately pour this mixture over the cereal and fold in pour into the 9x13 pan.

in a microwaveable 4 cup measuring cup, combine the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of peanut butter and vanilla microwave for 30 seconds at a time.

Make sure you stir very well after each interval until it is completely melted and smooth

it should take about 1 minute and 30 seconds

pour over the bars allow to cool completely at room temperature before cutting

TWD: "Baking With Julia" - Torte Milanse

Feeling all "PUFFED" up today... our "Baking With Julia" challenge today was TORTE MILANSE. We made our's without the ham and served it as a side dish to compliment our pork roast. iT was beautiful and if you have ever wanted to trying making your own puff pastry dough, this is this recipe to use. iT is very easy and very yummy. There is a great video found here... http://video.pbs.org/video/1174110297/ showing you how to make the whole thing.

Butternut Squash Soup & Charity...

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
  
• 2 cloves garlic diced 
• 1 celery stalk , diced 
• 1 onion , diced 
• 6 cups cubed butternut squash , fresh or frozen 
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add garlic, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butternut squash, thyme, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to purée soup or you can let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in an upright blender. This recipe is also good made with sweet potatoes. 

Monte Cristos

feeling very spoiled... Spent Another great day watching General Conference and then was served Homemade Monte Cristos (dinner) in bed by my favorite boyfriend...

A Monte Cristo is a fried ham and cheese sandwich, a variation of the French croque-monsieur and is Rumored to have first been served in Los Angeles in the 1950s, the Monte Cristo sandwich is still a staple on the lunch menu at Disneyland Blue Bayou Restaurant. 

Ingredients to make 3 Sandwiches...
9 slices of sturdy white bread
3 slices deli thick sliced turkey
3 slices deli thick sliced ham
3 slices of American or Cheddar cheese

3 slices of Swiss Cheese

For Batter...
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Place turkey and Swiss cheese on one slice of bread and ham and American cheese on another slice of bread.
2. Place third slice in-between and secure the triple-decker sandwich in the corners with tooth picks.
3. Place egg in mixing bowl, add water and beat together. Add salt, sugar, flour, and baking powder. Beat batter until smooth.
4. Dip sandwich in batter and carefully cover all the sides and surface. Carefully place in hot oil and fry until golden. When sandwich has turned a warm gold color remove from hot oil and place on paper towel.
5. Let cool for a few minutes before removing the tooth picks. Before serving slice into fourths and sprinkle with powder sugar. Serve with Grape or Red Current jam.

Bottling Pears

We kept the traditions going today for our Super Saturday... Watching General Conference, bottling pears, talking Genealogy and playing with Grandma! Only this year... I am the GRANDMA, my how time flies. 

YOU WILL NEED:

• 8-12 lb ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, halved, treated to prevent browning and drained (about 24-36 medium)
• 1 batch hot light or medium syrup
• 8 Ball® (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

DIRECTIONS:

1. PREPARE pears by peeling, coring and halving them. To prevent browning, use Ball® Fruit-Fresh® or submerge pears in a mixture of 1/4 cup lemon juice and 4 cups water and drain. To prepare syrup, combine 2-1/4 cups granulated sugar and 5-1/4 cups water for light and 3-1/4 cups granulated sugar and 5 cups water for medium in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until needed, taking care not to boil the syrup down.
2. PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.  Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
3. WARM pears, one layer at a time, in a large stainless steel saucepan, over medium-low heat, in syrup until heated through, about 5 minutes.
4. PACK hot pears , using a slotted spoon, cavity side down and overlapping layers, into hot jars to within a generous 1/2 inch of top of jar. Ladle hot syrup into hot jar to cover pears, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot syrup. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
5. PROCESS pint jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Steamed Persimmion Pudding

Persimmions... Who has tried them?

Our "Beekman's 1802 Heirloom Dessert" challenge was to make Steamed Persimmon Pudding. Where we live they look at you like you are crazy when you ask for Persimmions. I have eaten them before while I lived in South Carolina. They are okay... not my favorite fruit.

Anyway, since we couldn't get any Persimmions here, we decided to use the little Asian Apple pears in the recipe instead. They were very tasty, We really enjoyed them. I would love to try the recipe again with Persimmions.