Butterscotch Cookies in a Jar

Instead of doing countless hours of baking for each activity on my schedule this season I decided to make Cookies in a Jar. (Of course I will still bake goodies for my family) The children and I had loads of fun putting some together today. They are quick, easy, affordable and attractive, but the thing I enjoy most about them is that the recipient can make them at their leisure. Often people are bombarded with "goodies" during the holiday season. This is the perfect gift that can be enjoyed after all of the treats are gone. :)

Layer these ingredients in a one quart wide mouth canning jar in the following order:

• 1-1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

It will be a tight fit so be sure to firmly pack everything in place.

To decorate the jars choose a Christmas print fabric and cut out a 9" circle. Place the fabric over the lid and secure with a rubber band. Tie a raffia bow to cover the rubber band and attach a card with the following instructions:

Disclaimer

I know that I put chocolate chips in the recipe,

however I couldn't fit the word chocolate in the title

and make the card look as nice as I wanted, so.....

I just called them Butterscotch Chip Cookies. LOL

Just think of the chocolate as an added surprise.

Butterscotch Chip Cookie
Empty jar of cookie mix into large mixing bowl.

Add:

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1 Egg and
• 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla
  

Use hands to mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
When completely blended, roll into large walnut sized balls.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball.

Bake at 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes
Makes: 2 dozen

Brianna, Michele, Aimee and Nora,

what do think about getting together

and making up a bunch for the holiday season?

Dinner in a PUMPKIN

• Medium sized PUMPKIN 4-6 lbs.
• 2 Pounds ground beef
• 3/4 Cup chopped green pepper
• 1 Cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Can (7oz.) green chilies
• 1 Can cream of chicken soup
• 3 Cups cooked rice
  

Using a sharp knife, cut lid from PUMPKIN and scoop out PUMPKIN seeds and excess membrane with a scraping tool.

In a large skillet, combine ground beef. salt and pepper.

Cook until browned.

Add green pepper and onion.

cook over medium heat until onion is translucent.

Stir in green chili and Worcestershire Sauce.




Stir in Cream of Chicken soup.



Add rice.



Simmer for 5 minutes on low
stirring occasionally.



Place pumpkin on a foil lined pan.
Spoon meat mixture into PUMPKIN.

Put the lid on and cover PUMPKIN with tinfoil

to prevent over browning.

Remove the tinfoil for the last 30

minutes to brown.

Turn oven on 350 and bake for

1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the PUMPKIN is soft.

Doesn't that made a festive display?

To serve, scoop out part of the baked PUMPKIN

along with the meat mixture, onto each plate and ENJOY!

Cinnamon Streusel PUMPKIN Rolls

PUMPKIN Rolls
5-6 Cups Flour
4 Tablespoons Powdered milk
1/2 Cup sugar
2 Teaspoons grated orange peel
1 1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 1/4 Cup water
1 Cup fresh or canned PUMPKIN
1/2 Cup butter

Streusel Topping
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 Cup butter
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Glaze
2 Cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Teaspoon vanilla
2-3 Tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 Cups flour, sugar, powdered milk, orange peel, salt and yeast. Mix well.
In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together water, butter and pumpkin until hot.




Add to the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until moistened. Stir down sides. Beat on medium speed an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour 1 cup at a time by hand.



When it gets to stiff to stir, turn out on floured surface and knead in remaining flour. The dough should not be sticky. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover loosely. Let rise in warm area until double, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

In the meantime mix together the streusel topping by combining all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. With a pastry blender, or your hands (my preferred method) cut in the butter and mix until crumbly.

When the dough has doubled punch it down and let rest for a few minutes. Be sure to remove all air bubbles.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 18" x 14" rectangle.

Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the dough reserving some to sprinkle on top. If you are using nuts, sprinkle them over the streusel now.

Starting with the length of the dough, roll up tightly. Press the edges to seal together

Cut with thread into a dozen 1-1/2 inch pieces.

Place in a greased pan. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

We are almost there.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and sprinkle with the remaining streusel topping.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. While they are baking, mix together your glaze by combining all of the ingredients into a small bowl and stirring well.

Let them sit for 10-15 minutes before drizzling with glaze.

These are worth the effort and the wait.

*I doubled my recipe and baked them in three 13" x 9" pans glass pans.

** You can prepare the rolls the night before and complete all of the steps except for the baking. Once you have cut them and put them in the pan, cover and set in the refrigerator. They will rise slightly overnight. Plan on letting them sit out at room temperature for about 45 minutes in the morning until they have doubled their original size. Continue with the baking instructions. What a wonderful way to spoil your family with fresh rolls out of the oven on a Halloween morning.

SPOOKY Caramel Apples

If you want a "Spooktacular" dessert that everyone will love then this is it! This recipe is also"food storage friendly" and one we have enjoyed over the past few years.

Before you begin gather together your crew and set them to work washing the apples.


Apples purchased from a store have wax applies to them and may keep the caramel from sticking. I just added some baking soda in the water for the girls to scrub clean. Make sure that your apples are completely dry before dipping. Remove the stem and insert a popsicle stick in the center of the apple. Place on a pan that has been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking.




After preparing the apples just put them in the fridge until you are ready for them. Cold apples help keep the caramel from sliding off.




It has been years since I purchased sweetened condensed milk because you can make it for pennies.

• 1 Cup powdered milk
• 1 Cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup boiling water
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Put your powdered milk and sugar in blender. Pulse a few times.

Add the boiling water and butter and puree until it is blended completely about 1-2 minutes.

I was amazed the first time I made it how much the

texture was the same as canned.

In a large saucepan add:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 Cups dark brown sugar, packed

Over medium low heat stir constantly until the butter is melted and the mixture is creamy.

Stir in:

• 1 Cup light corn syrup
  
  

Next add:

• Sweetened condensed milk that you made
  
  
  

Stir well. Turn the stove up to medium high heat and stir constantly. Do not leave unattended! It will take approximately 30 minutes for it to reach the "firm ball" stage of candy making. This means that, upon dropping the caramel into cold water, a firm ball will form The ball should not flatten when you remove it from the water, but should still be easily manageable and change shape when you touch it. The best way if you have never made candy before is to use a candy thermometer. The temperature should read between 245-250 degrees F.

When a "firm ball" stage is reached turn off the stove and stir in:

• 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Take your apples out of the refrigerator. Tilt the pan and dip each apple into the caramel. Rotate within the caramel. Pull out and allow excess to drip off. Then turn the apple right-side-up for a moment and let the caramel settle for a few seconds. Place on prepared pan. While the caramel is still warm and soft you can decorate it with a variety of toppings.

For my Spooky Caramel Apples I melted a bag of chocolate chips with a teaspoon of shortening. I put it in a decorator bag, cut the tip and just swirled each apple.

Don't you think the SPIDERS

add just the right

finishing touch?

Other toppings might include:

• Sprinkles
• Nuts
• Chocolate Chips
• White Chocolate Chips
• M&M's
• Oreo Cookie Crumbs
• Crushed Candy Bars
• Candy corn

When it comes to eating caramel apples the best way I found with little children is to slice them up. No mess, No waste!

This recipe made 12 medium apples.

Bunny Buns

At General Conference time each Spring, our family makes and enjoys Bunny Buns. They are made with a basic sweet dough recipe, however, I add in orange juice and rind which makes them simply delectable and perfect for Springtime. They are topped with an orange glaze and then laid on a bed of tinted coconut surrounded by jelly bean eggs. It has been a tradition with our family for years and one that I hope my children will carry on with their own families.





Recipe:

1 Tablespoon yeast

1/4 Cup lukewarm water

1 Cup milk

1/2 Cup butter, or shortening

1/3 Cup sugar

1 Teaspoon salt

5-5 1/2 Cups flour

2 Eggs, beaten

1/4 Cup orange juice

2 Tablespoons grated orange peel

Soften yeast in warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes. In the meantime combine milk, sugar, butter or shortening, and salt in medium saucepan and cook on medium-low heat until the butter or shortening is melted. Set aside and cool until lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups of flour to the saucepan mixture and beat well. Add eggs, mix well. Stir into the yeast. Add orange juice and peel and remainder of the flour to make a soft dough.

Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Cover in a greased bowl and let rise until double. (About 2 hours)

Punch down and cover it again. Set it aside to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare two baking sheets by spraying with cooking spray.

Tear off a fist full of dough.

I put it on a small salad plate to give you

an idea of the size.

Roll out the dough into about 16 inch piece with tapered edges.

Lap one end of strip over other to form a loop.



Now bring the end that's underneath up over the top end,
letting the ends extend to each side to make the ears.

Add a cute fluffy tale, by rolling a small ball out of dough.

Cover and let rise until double, about 45 minutes.

Bake in an 375 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes.

Glaze:

4 1/2 Cups powdered sugar

1 Teaspoon orange peel

1/2 Cup orange juice

2 Tablespoons melted butter

When they are golden brown, take them out and

drizzle with orange glaze while still warm.

After they have cooled, lay them on a bed of tinted coconut

and jelly beans and watch your children's eyes light up.