Sunday, October 30, 2011

Dirt Cake!

It’s a summer camp classic but this is also a fun dessert for Halloween.

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake (Betty Crocker box Bundt works well)
4 boxes instant chocolate pudding (8 cups milk)
1 box Oreo or off brand chocolate sandwich cookies
1 box vanilla cream sandwich cookies
1 box Whoppers (malted milk balls)
2 bags gummy worms
1-2 bags of small chocolate marshmallows

Fudge sauce:
1 oz bar Bakers chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
Handful marshmallows

Container:
New 10 quart bucket



Directions:

Bake chocolate cake.

Prepare chocolate pudding. Let set and chill in the fridge. (This is mud)

Crush/ smash up Oreo & vanilla sandwich cookies by putting cookies in a large freezer bag and using a kitchen mallet. (This is like sand.)

After cake bakes and rests, cut into slices.

Melt fudge sauce ingredients in the microwave. (Also like mud)

Combine ingredients in the bucket by layering them. Drizzle fudge sauce in the middle. The worms are of course because it’s pretend dirt. The marshmallows and malted milk balls are the rocks.

Let the dirt cake chill in the fridge. Serve with a clean garden spade or plastic beach toy or large kitchen spoon that resembles a trowel.

Fake flowers optional

Enjoy.

Almost Too Spicy Gumbo

Serves about 5

Ingredients:

2 14oz cans of vegetable soup
3 cups crab stock
2 cups raw (shelled, deveined) shrimp
2 raw Swai (or other mild white fish) fillets cut into small chunks
2 cups okra (I used frozen pre-cut)
2 6.5oz cans of clams in clam juice
4 cloves of fresh garlic crushed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (I used Zaatar)
3 sprigs of tarragon
1 jalapeño diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup rice
2 strips of bacon diced
Dash of chili powder
Dash or cayenne pepper
Dash pimentón

Directions:

Let ingredients simmer on low for 2-4 hours or use a Crockpot.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheese + Cream of Mushroom: And/Both!

I like mushrooms and I like broccoli cheese soup, so why choose? It doesn’t always have to be Either/Or.

Ingredients:

½ cup chopped onions
1 lb bag of frozen broccoli
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 cup water
Dash of ground mustard powder
½ cube of chicken bullion
Dash fresh ground pepper
2 cans Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup (gluten free)
Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Let broccoli thaw or add 1 cup boiling water.

Chop up broccoli, separating stalks from florets.

In a blender, blend broccoli stalks, onions, and water until puréed.

Pour mixture into pot over medium heat. Add butter, milk, bullion, mustard powder, pepper and florets.

Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the cream of mushroom soup and let simmer for about 15 minutes more.

Serve with cheddar cheese on top.

Enjoy.

Easy Sunday Morning Quiche

This quiche is easy like Sunday morning and vegetarian!

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper
½ onion
Salt & pepper
10 oz pack or 2 cups spinach
4 tablespoons cream cheese
8 eggs
¼ cup milk
1 pie crust
Dusting of Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Dice up red bell pepper and onion. Sauté with salt and pepper and a bit of oil.

Thaw spinach or chop up if fresh.

In a bowl whip eggs with milk

Grease a pie pan and insert crust. Scallop the edges.

Put red bell pepper & onions in first, then spinach.

Dollop and spread around the cream cheese.

Pour in the egg mixture.

Finish the top off with some parmesan cheese.

Bake until the crust is brown and the egg is firm at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!