Froggie Cupcakes

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix

1 (16 ounce) can prepared vanilla frosting

6 drops green food coloring, or as needed

12 large marshmallows

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

Bake cupcakes according to the directions on the package. Allow them to cool completely. Scoop 2/3 of the frosting into a small bowl and mix with green food coloring. Frost the cupcakes.

Cut the marshmallows in half to make two circles. Dip half of each marshmallow piece into the green frosting to make the eyelids. The remaining white will be the eyes. Place on the cupcakes. Use a little bit of white icing to glue a chocolate chip into the center of each eye for the pupil.

You can use chocolate frosting or melted chocolate chips to create the mouths.

Chill for one hour and enjoy!!!

Photo:cutestfood.com

Yogurt Face Mask

Yogurt is a natural source of lactic acid, which organically dissolves dead skin and leaves your face feeling smoother.

1 cup plain Yogurt

1 tbsp. Turmeric powder

Clean face and remove all makeup. Combine Yogurt and turmeric and brush evenly on face, neck and chest using a clean makeup brush or a small paintbrush. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse. Follow up with moisturizer.

Photo: girlishh.com

Fruity Delight

1 c. drained fruit cocktail bits

1 c. chopped pineapple bits

1 c. marshmallows

½ c. drained maraschino cherries

1 ½ c. sour cream

Combine everything and mix together lightly. Chill for at least 1 hour and serve

Photo: insanemamacita.com

Toffee Diamonds

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, separated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts  

1 cup chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease 15-1/2 x 10-1/2-inch jelly-roll pan; set aside.
Beat butter, flour, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Evenly spread dough into prepared pan. Beat egg white slightly with fork.  Brush egg white over top of flour mixture with pastry brush. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. 
melt chocolate for 30 seconds in the microwave or until melted. spread chocolate on pastry and sprinkle with walnuts. 

Normally serves 12 but if a teenager is in your the house, you have to fight to get one... YUMMY!!!

 

Photo:sweetescape.blogspot

Muddy Buddies

 

I was sitting here thinking about what I could make the boy and his kool-aid gang for a snack, when I remembered when I was in grade school, a girl from the class would always bring this treat in for her birthday and I thought, what a great snack! This was so incredibly easy to make, I had the boys make it. They had fun making it and eating it too!

9 c. Chex cereals (corn, rice and/or wheat)
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
½ c. peanut butter
¼ c. butter
½ tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Pour cereal into large bowl and set aside. Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in 1 quart microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth (stir after 1 minute). Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal and stir until all pieces are evenly coated.
Pour cereal mixture into large container (with seal) with powdered sugar. Seal securely. Shake until all pieces are well coated. Spread on wax paper to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 9 cups.






Photo: auntpegsrecipebox.blogspot.com

Red Skinned Potato Sala

 

2 lbs new red potatoes

6 eggs

1 lb of bacon

1 small sweet onion

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped

2 cups of mayo or salad dressing (miracle whip)

Salt and pepper to taste

Steam potatoes with skins until tender but still firm, roughly 15- 20 minutes. Put in the fridge until completely cooled in the center. (Steam the potatoes instead of boiling otherwise potatoes get water logged and all the yummy flavors are comprised.

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with COLD water. Bring the water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in the hot water for 10-13 minutes. ( this procedure makes it easier to peel the eggs). Remove from hot water and run under cold water for 2-3 mintues and place in fridge for 1 hour. Once cooled, peel and chop into desired chucks.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place bacon on a boiler pan and bake bacon for 30-40 minutes for desired crispyness. (baking it makes it less messy on the stovetop and the grease gets drained off the bacon.) Let cool, crumble, and set aside.

Chop the potatoes, leaving the skin on. Add to a large bowl, potatoes,eggs,bacon and celery, mix slightly, then add mayo,salt, and pepper. DO NOT over mix or the salad will becomes pastey.

Chill for an hour then enjoy!  

Cedar Plank Pork Loin

1-2 1/2 lb Pork Loin

1/2 cup Teriyaki Sauce

1 untreated cedar plank

olive oil

Start by soaking the cedar plank overnight.  Completely submerge the cedar plank in water, place a weight (heavy can) on top to keep it submerged.   Place the pork loin in a gallon size plastic bag and pour in the teriyaki sauce.  Place in fridge to marinade at least 4 hours.

 Heat outside grill to med heat.  Remove plank from water and brush  a small amount of olive oil on one side of the plank.  Place meat on oiled side of the plank and carefully place both on grill and close the lid.  I kept a close watch on the pork using a spray bottle of water to spray down any flare ups which did indeed happen several times.  Close lid and cook for about 1 hour until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F.   Remove from grill, cover and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Throw away the cedar plank.

^{photo: Martha Stewart.com}

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie

• 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 quart chocolate chip ice cream softened

• Coat bottom and sides of an 8-inch pie plate lightly with butter.
• Combine chocolate syrup and chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until hot, about 45 seconds. Stir until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture.
• Combine remaining chocolate mixture and cereal in a medium bowl and mix to coat cereal. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Freeze until firm about 15 minutes.
• Combine reserved chocolate mixture and the sour cream in a small bowl and mix well. Spread half the ice cream in the prepared pie plate. Drizzle with half the sour cream mixture. Top with remaining ice cream and drizzle with remaining sour cream mixture. Freeze pie covered, Until firm., about 1 hour

Photo: Grandmas Kitchen

Absinthe Minded

3 oz Gin

1/2 oz Absinthe

1/2 oz Grand Marnier

Dry Vermouth

1 Orange peel

Properly chill 1 cocktail glass. In mixing glass with ice, pour gin and absinthe, and stir. In your cocktail glass, roll 1/2 oz of dry vermouth and throw away the excess. Strain other ingredients into cocktail glass and float 1/2 oz of grand marnier over top. Garnish with orange peel.

photo: dailyplacebo.com

Absolut Lemonade

1 oz Absolut Citron

1 oz Amaretto

2 oz Sweet and sour

Ice

Sprite

Slices of lemon for garnish

Mix alcohols and sweet and sour in shaker. Add Ice and a lemon slice in a high ball glass. Add liquor and top off with Sprite and another lemon slice.

photo: barnonedrinks.com