Mummy Munch

It has been one of those weeks and I feel like my brain has been turned off for most of it. I would like to think it's the lack of chocolate and sugar in my life. Don't ask me what I was thinking, but 3 weeks ago I signed up to do a weight loss challenge with some of my neighbors. I feel like every pumpkin dessert is constantly calling my name. 

Yesterday, I made one of our favorite Halloween snack/treats. We like to call it Mummy Munch. I realized when I was practically finished bagging it, that I hadn't snapped any pictures. Not the most artistic shots here, but you get the idea. This is an easy treat to make and the kids love helping out with this one!

Mummy Munch

4 cups honey chex cereal

1 cup autumn mix (candy corn and little pumpkins

1 cup dry roasted or honey roasted peanuts

2 cups mini pretzels

12 oz package vanilla candy melts

In a large bowl, combine cereal, autumn mix, peanuts and pretzels. Mix to combine. Melt vanilla candy melts in a microwave safe bowl at 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds until completely melted. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until evenly coated. Pour Mummy Munch onto wax paper to dry. Once dried, break up into pieces and store in ziplock bags or an airtight container. I like to divide it into snack bags for lunch boxes or we divide it up between cute Halloween goodie bags and deliver it to neighbors. 

Makes about 8 cups

Adapted from Picky Palate

Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

This is one of our favorites and we (I) always make it around St. Patrick's Day. I originally got the recipe from Rachael Ray, but I have tweaked it over the years because some of the cheese she uses can cost an arm and a leg, and I really don't have any of those to spare. The flavor is just as good and it's always hard to find leftovers of this dish. 

Spinach Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
3 tbsp butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 box frozen spinach (10 oz), defrosted and wrung dry in a towel.
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 1/4 grated parmesan cheese, plus more for top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to boil. Salt the water and cook  the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, place another pot over medium-high heat and add butter. Once melted, add the onion and garlic and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 8 minutes. Turn heat up and add flour to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk the stock into the pan. Whisk in the milk and bring to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer salt until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add cheeses and stir until melted.

Toss prepared sauce with cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle more of cheese of the top and bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serves: 6

Cornbread Stuffing

I am not blogging as much as I once did. I am amazed at how busy my life got with another baby. I am out of the habit of taking pictures of the food I am making. And what's the point of sharing a recipe if you can't see how good it looks? I need to be better at that for my own cookbook that I have almost completed! 

I got this recipe at a cooking show I went to a few weeks ago. I am a stuffing girl and have never really liked anything other than my Grandma's stuffing recipe. But oh boy, this was dang good! I finally had to give my leftovers away so I would stop picking at it. 

Cornbread Stuffing

2 1/2 lbs Marie Calendar Cornbread mix

1 quart buttermilk

1 box Sage Stuffing mix (I used just an herb stuffing mix)

2 sweet onions

1 bunch celery

2 (12 oz) packages of sage sausage

3-4 cups of turkey or chicken broth, flavored with 1/2 a lemon and 1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 cup butter

3 tsp sage

Salt and pepper

Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions, but substitute buttermilk for water. Cool and keep covered to contain moister. Can be prepared the day before. 

Finely chop onions an 8-10 stalks of celery. Saute in 6 tbsp of melted butter. Cook until onions are soft and celery is a faded shade of green. Drain excess butter.

In a frying pan, cook sausage and season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 3 tsp of crushed sage. Drain excess fat. 

In a very large bowl, add onions, celery, and sausage. To that, add the cornbread and mix to combine. Add the box of stuffing mix and stir. (Don't be afraid to mix with your hands.) Add the broth, slowly until the mixture is well moistened. You want to be able to squeeze it in your hand and have it hold it shape without being mushy.) Stuff it in a turkey, heat it on a stove top, or heat it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. 

Serves 6-10 depending on how much you like stuffing:)

Rebecca Cressman

Patriotic Berry Trifle

You have no idea how much I have missed food, blogging, working on my cookbook, and did I mention food? I am finally feeling so much better and our crazy month of family events came to an end. I am 15 weeks along now. Food and more importantly cooking, is enjoyable again (for which my family is grateful). To celebrate my lack of nausea, I made a patriotic dessert I have had on my "to try" list for a couple of weeks. It did not disappoint! Pretty to look at and even better to eat!

Patriotic Berry Trifle

1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 pre-made angel food cake, cut into 1 inch slices

2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, at room temp

2 cups heavy cream, at room temp

2 pints blueberries

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Heat 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan over med-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

Brush both sides of each slice of cake with syrup. Cut the slices into 1 inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on med-high speed until smooth and consistency of whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13 cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with remaining whipped cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Serves 8-10

source: food network magazine

Earth Day Pancakes

After a brief discussion on earth day with my 3 year old this morning, breakfast was created. I will hopefully have these perfected by next year, but I thought it was a fun idea.

Spaghetti and Oozing Eyeballs

We love having fun with our food during the Halloween season. This recipe was a new one, but it was such a hit that I think it will quickly become a tradition. Next year I will be sure to post other fun Halloween recipes and fun food ideas. This month has just been so crazy! Happy Halloween!!

Spaghetti and Oozing Eyeballs

2 lbs ground beef (I use ground turkey)

1 pkg (6oz) chicken flavored stuffing mix

2 eggs

1 cup water

1 jar (26oz) spaghetti sauce, divided

4 sticks string cheese, cut into quarters

4 pitted olives, cut into 4 slices

1 pkg (1 lb) spaghetti

Heat oven to 375. Mix meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce. Shape into 16 (2 inch) meatballs. Insert 1 cheese piece into top of each meatball, with end of cheese piece just showing out of the top of meatball. Place on greased baking sheet. Top each cheese piece with olive slice to resemble an eyeball.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti and heat remaining sauce. Drain spaghetti and serve topped with sauce and meatballs.

Serves 8