Best Ever Pumpkin Bread

Best Ever Pumpkin Bread 2 big loaves or 8 mini loaves

Ingredients 2/3 c shortening 2 2/3 c sugar 4 eggs 1 29 oz can of pumpkin 2/3 c water 1/2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 1 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves 3 1/3 c flour *1 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
Cream together shortening and sugar.  Add eggs, pumpkin, and water, mix well. Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips.  Mix well.   Add chcolate chips and mix well.  Pour batter evenly in pans.  Sprinkle a cinnamon & sugar mixture over top of bread.  

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes for large loaves or 25-30 minutes for small loaves.  Bread springs back when tapped with fingers. 

Hump Day Package

Hump Day Package

I downloaded a bunch of camel pictues and I had all the family members take pictures with notes written on the bottom of photo.  Here is a like to a  camel pics. view , view, view,

Then I ordered the pics from Costco I like to order the white border around the pictures.  This way she has copies of the family pics for her wall.

 I ordered a shirt with the camel for HUMMP DAAAY! I just typed in hump day camel shirts! My daughter loved that commercial.  

Then we went to Hallmark store and bought a recordable sound charm.  The family sand Bon Jovi "Living On a Prayer"  WE sand the verse "Oh we are half way there OH living on a prayer."  But we changed it to Oh you are half way there. Oh you are living on prayers. Then we said we loved her on recording.  You have to practice doing it fast because you only have a few seconds to record.  It took us a few takes. My daughter loved it. The charm was her favorite part because she could hear our voices. The charms are $8.00 at hallmark.  Then I put candy to fill box. If it ships it fits. 

Harry Potter Package

Harry Potter Missionary Package Idea Things needed: Box to mail package  Brown lunch bags  Raffia gluesticks packaging tape  scissors card stock jewel tones: blue green maroon yellow  black silver bronze treats to put in bags
     

I first went to post office and got a if it fits it ships box.  Then I went to Joann's and got scrapbook paper in yellow, maroon, blue, green, silver, bronze and black. I cut one color for each house to fit the flap, then I cut the complimentary color in strips to go over the first piece to give allusion of stripes. We love Gryfinnidor and Slytherin the best so we made those the big flaps.  We used glue sticks to stick paper onto flaps.

I went to goggle images and found the house emblems.  I copied and printed then cut around the emblem.  I mounted them on left over paper. I used packaging tape to tape emblems on flaps.  Here is link hp-badge.jpg.

Next I copied Dumbledores quotes and cut them out and mounted them on leftover paper. I taped them on with packaging tape. Here is the dumbledore quotes link  harry-potterish.jpg

I got the stuff for inside packages.  I bought the chocolate frog and Harry Potter talking ornament from Hallmark store. I bought carmel apple pops for sugar quill lollipops, Sour gummy worms for jelly slugs, peppermint altoids for pepper imps, snitch truffles are the lindor carmel truffles, cockroach lusters are giradel garlic rye chips(Taylor's favorite) and Treacle tarts are dark chcolate covered Acai berries.  I made homemade pumpkin bread for pumpkin pasties . You can substitute other things for the treats.  I used brown lunch bag and glued the labels on and tied raffia around the top then cut off extra bag at top. Here is treat label link   Download Candy Labels Here.  And here is the second set of labels link  here.

I typed up a message saying Taylor has been sorted and placed in the house of Lousiville, Kentucky Mission.  I glued that on flap nest to gryffindor.  Then I typed I solemnly swear Taylor is up to much good!  Then Mission Managed!  Those are quotes from the books with personal changes.  I glued that on Slytherin Flap because of mischief. 

   Then I wrote a letter telling her how much I love her.  I said PS this is opposite of a howler.  I rolled it up and tied with raffia and wrote a tag that said howler for Sister Patterson.  

I wrote on outside of box miscellaneous qoutes from movie in sharpie. 

Best Blue Cheese dressing

Best Blue Cheese dressing 1 1/2 cups Blue Cheese dressing 1 cup mayo 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic 2 Tablespoons buttermilk or milk

In a jar or bowl mix all ingredients for dressing together. Mix well. 

Store in fridge with a air tight lid, I use a mason jar.  

*I prefer buttermilk but regular milk is fine.
**dressing has a little bite from fresh garlic.  You will love it.

Easy Egg Casserole

Easy Egg Casserole 12-16 servings cooking/preparing time 1 hour
1 lb bacon, cut into bite size pieces or 1 lb jimmy dean, I use sage flavored sausage 2-3 green onions, sliced thinly, use green and white of onion 1 24-36 oz shredded southwest style hash brown, I use simply potatoes brand, if using frozen thaw before  1 1/2  cups shredded cheese, I like sharp cheddar 12 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper

Spray a 9x13 with cooking spray. set aside.  Preheat oven to 350. Bacon Directions: In a large frying pan brown bacon.  Add the green onions cook for 1 minute longer.  Remove bacon with slotted spoon place on paper towel.  Drain 1/2 of fat from pan.

Sausage directions: Brown sausage.  Add green onions and cook 1 more minute.  Place browned sausage in bowl, set aside.  If there is no fat from sausage.  Add 2 TBL oil to frying pan.  Let fat or oil heat up on meduim high heat.  Add the hash browns, spreading evenly over entire surface of pan.  Let them cook without stirring for 3 minutes or until browned, then turn over and brown for 3 more minutes or until browned.  Then add the sausage or bacon to the hash browns.  Heat and stir until entire mix is heated.  Add the mixture to the prepared 9x13 pan. 

 Scatter cheese on top.  In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over cheese. 

Bake for 30- 45 minutes or until eggs set.  *These are the hash browns I use, but any brand that is southwest style will work.  The southwest style just adds extra flavor. 

*This is the type of Jimmy Dean I use, with the gray label, Sage flavored.  I think it adds a little extra flavor, but you can you whichever brand and kind you want.

Chocolate Volcano Cake

Chocolate Volcano Cake serves 12-16 people

• Ingredients
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 package German chocolate cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 10 bite-size coconut candy bars, chopped, such as Almond Joy
• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick butter), at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

• Chocolate Pecan Glaze, recipe follows

• Chocolate Pecan Glaze:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick butter)
• 1/4 cup milk (more if a thinner consistency is desired)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan with nonstick spray.

• Chop mounds bars.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Mix the coconut and nuts and spread them evenly in the pan

Prepare the cake by adding 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup oil and vanilla,

 mix well.  Stir in the chopped candy bars. 

Pour the batter over the coconut and nuts. 

Combine the cream cheese, butter and sugar. Randomly drop tablespoons of 

this mixture on top of the batter; do not spread them.

Bake until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan, 40 to 50 minutes. 

Pour the warm Chocolate Pecan Glaze over the cake.

Slice and enjoy.

Chocolate Pecan Glaze:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, milk, cocoa powder 

and vanilla extract.  

 Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat. Add the 

sugar and stir until smooth. 

Stir in the pecans.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen.

* This is the best cake ever.  It is better than german chocolate.

Spicy Five Bean Chili

Spicy Five Bean Chili 12 servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced green bell pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, preferably Mexican style

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

2 bay leaves

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, prefer fire roasted, do not drain

1-14 ounce  can great northern beans, drained

1-14 ounce can pinto beans, drained

1-14 ounce can kidney beans, drained

1-14 ounce can black beans, drained

1-14 ounce can navy beans, drained

Sour cream, grated Cheddar and chopped green onions, for garnishing, optional

• In a cast iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the meat until well browned, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper,and  coriander, and cook until vegetables are soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the bay leaves and tomatoes, bring the mixture to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all of the beans, stir to combine, and continue to cook another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the flavors have come together and the chili has a nice, thick consistency.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

• Serve hot, garnished with sour cream, grated cheese, and chopped green onions, if desired.