Red Hots Popcorn

Nothing this good could be any easier!!!  This is now a new tradition in my house- At Christmas time- we'll call it: "Christmas Crack Corn."  Valentines Day: "Red Hot Love Corn."  For any other time of the year, it can just be what it is. 

Red Hots Popcorn

5-7 cups Popped Popcorn

1/2 cup Red Hots

1/4 cup water

• Put popcorn in a plastic bowl and set aside.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with parchament paper. 
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
• In a saucepan over low heat, melt red hots with water <- Be Patient!
• Bring your melted candies mixture to a simmer for at least a minute.
• Carefully pour the mixture over the popcorn stirring continuously and carefully. It helps to have a baking buddy to stir while you pour.
• Pour the popcorn onto the cookie sheets into as close to a single layer as possible. I was triple batching it and got a little over zealous with my layers.

Bake for 20 minutes (stirring after 10). You can bake for longer if you want it crispier.  If you want it chewy, don't bake at all.  Just let cool.

I actually added peanuts and candied almonds to this batch.  If you want to add nuts, put them in the bowl with the popcorn before pouring the melted candy on it.

*Note- Red hots can be very pricey!  I found a large bag in the candy aisle (at Christmas time) but you can also get them in the bulk section at Winco for less than $2/lb.  I actually was able to find a whole cart of them on Clearance yesterday- $1.50 per bag- Each bag = 3 batches of this popcorn!

Gyros

If I get a chance to shop at Winco, Gyros are in our future.

You'll need:
Precooked Gyro slices
Pita Flatbread
Tzaiki Sauce
Cucumber
Tomato
Red Onion




Cook the meat and then warm each side of the pita.

Slice your veggies.

Assemble and enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole in the Crock

I *LOVE*LOVE*LOVE* Chicken Cordon Bleu.  The hubs, not so much.  I got sneaky the other night and made this.

You'll need:

3-4 Chicken Breasts (depending on how many people you are feeding)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
5 (or more) string cheese pulled in half and cut into 1" pieces
Leftover diced ham
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp sage
1 box stove top stuffing (I used chicken)

Crock your chicken breasts (frozen) with a small amount of water for however long you are gone (It was 10 hours for me) or until they are done.

Once you get home, get the chicken broken up in pieces, shredded, chopped or however you want.  Make the box of stuffing according to the package. Add the soup, mustard, ham, string cheese, poultry seasoning & sage to the crockpot.  Mix well. 

Top with the stuffing and crank the temperature to high.
Crock for 1-2 hours or until nice and bubbly.

Brownie Bottom Banana Cream Pie

My New Years Resolution for 2013 is to blog all my dinners for the year.  OK, so what if we eat out or have leftovers?  I guess I'll just have to track it that way!  Last night we had leftovers so today I am blogging a 'Holiday Favorite' dessert that started by accident.  About 6 years ago I really wanted to make a Banana Cream Pie for Thanksgiving.  Great!  No problem.... except when I went to make it, I had forgotten to purchase a pie crust. *This was back before I was smart enough to just make one*

Aaaah.... what to do?!  I rummaged through my pantry and found a brownie mix. Hmmmmm... chocolate covered banana?  Yep.  That'll do.

Get out your ingredients:

Make Brownies according to package. 

Make Banana Cream Instant Pudding (chill).

Bake Brownies and let cool completely.

Now start your layers:

1. Sliced Bananas

2. All of the pudding

3. Mini Chocolate Chips

4. Another layer of sliced bananas





5. Cool Whip and sprinkle with more mini chocolate chips

A beautiful disaster turned into the *MOST* requested holiday dessert.

New Years Day: Hoppin John in the Crock

One of my New Years Resolutions is to blog all my dinners for the entire year.  New Years Day holds a cooking tradition in my household.  Click here to see what Hoppin John is all about.

I typically do a basic recipe with the collards and blackeyed peas, then mix with rice.  This year I did it a bit different and really enjoyed the outcome.

Everything in the Crock!

3 tbsp minced garlic
2 bags black eyed peas
2 boxes frozen spinach or 1 bag frozen collards
2 cups leftover ham + the bone
1 can diced tomatoes
8-10 cups stock (1 used 5 chicken & 5 beef boullion cubes + 6ish cups water)
I added a bag of frozen okra this year (<- Definite keeper!)

Crock 8-10 hours on low or keep warm.

My daughter thought 'poor mans stew' was good enough to have more often than once a year!!!

Steam rice and serve atop.

Happy NEW YEAR!

Curd Filled Lemon Poundcake with 5 Minute Frosting

My daugher asked for a lemon cake for her birthday.  Since it was a fairly general request- I ran with it.

Ingredients:

Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 small package instant lemon pudding
1 jar Lemon curd (for filling)

Cake:

• 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant lemon pudding and pie filling
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (2) circle cake pans.

2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pans.
3. Bake at 350°F for 31 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto heat resistant serving plate. Cool completely.

Once cooled, Flip one cake onto serving platter.  Raised side will be down giving you a flat surface for your filling.  Using chopsticks, poke holes evenly over bottom layer.  Spread entire jar of lemon curd over bottom layer of cake.

Place top cake layer on top of bottom layer (also raised side down so the top of the cake is also flat.)

When close to being ready to serve, make 5 minute frosting and frost.

5 Minute Frosting

Beat 2 egg whites until fluffy and form peaks.

Combine the following in a microwavable container and microwave for 5 minutes or until boiling.

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

1/4 tsp Cream of tartar

Dash of Salt

Stir to make sure everything is thoroughly dissolved and then add hot syrup slowly to the egg whites and beat for 5 minutes.  Add vanilla last.  Frost immediately.

I would equate this to homemade marshmallow fluff.  DELISH!

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Crockpot Ham & Egg Breakfast Bake

Leftover Ham?

First, make some Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches :)

Then dice the remaining leftover ham and portion into 2 cup increments.
I made this into a freezer meal and then pulled it when I was ready to Crock.

<- Grilled cheese :oP

In a Gallon sized freezer bag:
4-5 cups frozen tater tots
2 cups diced ham
2 heaping cups shredded cheese

When ready to cook, layer into crock:
3 tbsp butter (On the bottom)
The Freezer mix (above)
14 eggs/1 cup milk whisked
Tony's seasoning

I 'crocked' on {keep warm} starting at 11:45 PM and it was perfectly done at 6:15 AM

Super delicious with Franks hot sauce!!!