Mary’s Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen/36 Servings

Ingredients:

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo by A. Jones

  • 1 cup butter (or 2 full sticks), softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. pure peppermint extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp. green food coloring
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set aside.
  3. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, food coloring and mint extract; mix well.
  4. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.
  5. Drop by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto un-greased baking sheets.
  6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
  7. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute.  Remove to wire racks and cool completely.
  8. Eat and Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Secret Ingredient Stuffed Eggs Recipe

After finding hidden Easter eggs, discover this recipe by Taste of Home©

Yield: 1 dozen

Secret Ingredient Stuffed Eggs

Photo by Taste of Home©

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 6 hard-boiled large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese, divided
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans, divided
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons mango chutney
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

 

 

Directions: 

  1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; set whites aside. In a small bowl, mash yolks. Add 3 tablespoons goat cheese, 2 tablespoons pecans, mayonnaise, celery, chutney, salt and pepper; mix well. Stuff into egg whites. Refrigerate until serving.
  2. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining goat cheese and pecans.

 

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 94 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 110mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 3g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein.

Originally published as Secret Ingredient Stuffed Eggs in Country Woman April/May 2010

Betty Crocker’s™ Bunny Butt Cake

Yield: 15 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ yellow or white cake mix  (Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box)
  • Tray or cardboard covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil
  • 1 container Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting or make the Buttercream Frosting recipe below
  • Red food coloring
  • 1 large marshmallow, cut in half
  • 3 cups shredded coconut
  • Green food coloring
  • 2 strawberry or cherry stretchy and tangy taffy candies (from 6-oz bag)
  • 1 roll Betty Crocker™ Fruit Roll-Ups® punch berry chewy fruit snack (from 5-oz box)
  • 3 green-colored sour candies, separated into strips
  • Construction paper

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl (8 inches across top) with shortening; coat with flour (do not use cooking spray). Lightly grease 3 muffin cups in regular-size muffin pan.
  2. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour cake batter in 3 muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Pour remaining batter into 1 1/2-quart bowl.
  3. Bake cupcakes 17 to 21 minutes, bowl 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from muffin cups and bowl; place rounded sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. If necessary, cut off rounded tops of cakes.
  4. Spoon frosting into large bowl. Add red food color to make desired pink color. Place bowl cake on tray cut side down; spread 1/3 cup frosting over cake. Use frosting to adhere cupcakes to bowl cake for feet and bunny tail. Use toothpicks if necessary. Place marshmallow halves, cut sides down, on tops of 2 cupcakes to make heels of feet. Spread thin layer of frosting over side and top of cake to seal in crumbs. Freeze cake 30 to 45 minutes to set frosting.
  5. Spread remaining frosting over cake. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the coconut; press gently to adhere. Shake 1 cup coconut and 3 drops green food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Use rolling pin to press strawberry candies into 2 large rectangles. Cut 2 large ovals and 6 small circles out of candy. Press onto bottoms of bunny feet, using frosting if needed.
  6. Roll up fruit snack to make carrot shapes. Cut green sour candies in half crosswise; press into large end of each carrot to make greens on carrot. Cut ears from construction paper; wrap ends that will be inserted into cake with plastic food wrap. Insert into cake. Remove ears, plastic wrap and toothpicks before serving. Store loosely covered.

Further Instructions on how to assemble your Bunny Butt Cake, click here!

Betty Crocker™ Bunny Butt Cake

Click here for assembly instructions for the Betty Crocker™ Bunny Butt Cake (Photo by Betty Crocker™)

Expert Tips: 

  • Need to bake cake layers in batches? Just cover and refrigerate batter in the mixing bowl while the first batch is baking. An extra minute or two for baking the second batch may be needed.
  • Sprinkle chocolate cookie crumbs behind the feet and around the carrots to make it look like the bunny was digging.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Directions:

  1. In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and shortening with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in milk and vanilla on medium speed until smooth. If necessary, stir in milk, a few drops at a time, until spreadable.
    Frosts two 13×9-inch cakes, or fills and frosts two 8- or 9-inch two-layer cakes.

Martha Stewart’s Turmeric and Lemon “Tea”

Here’s a little recipe from Martha Stewart that should soothe the throat and relax the nerves.  A cup of tea helps any situation, right?

Homemade Turmeric and Lemon Tea

Recipe photo courtesy of Aaron Dyer

Yield: 1 Quart

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • Peel (without pith) of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Pinch of cayenne

 

Directions: 

  1. Bring the ingredients to a boil in a saucepan.
  2. Remove from heat; steep, covered, until the liquid cools to room temperature.
  3. Strain and reheat to serve.

 

The brews can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

 

 

Bacon Cheese Wreath

Recipe by Taste of Home contributor Lisa Carter of Warren, Ind. 

“My grandmother makes this smoky bacon and Parmesan spread for parties and holiday get-togethers. For a pretty yuletide presentation, decorate you cream cheese wreath with parsley and pimientos”. —Lisa Carter

Bacon Cheese Wreath

Photo by Taste of Home©

Ingredients: 

 

  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions, optional
  • 10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
  • Parsley sprigs and diced pimientos, optional
  • Assorted crackers

 

Directions: 

  1. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese and onions if desired. Stir in bacon. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  2. Invert a small bowl in the center of a serving platter. Drop cream cheese mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls around edge of bowl. Remove bowl. Smooth cream cheese mixture, forming a wreath. Garnish with parsley and pimientos if desired.
  3. Serve with crackers.

 

 

Nutrition Facts

2 tablespoons: 87 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 15mg cholesterol, 116mg sodium, 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.

 

Originally published as Bacon Cheese Wreath in Country Woman Christmas 2002

 

Grandma K’s Turkey Gravy Recipe

Here’s a stress-free recipe that’ll impress Grandma herself! Seasonings and a shallot add wonderful flavor` to this velvety gravy, which tastes just as good the next day. —Jesse Klausmeier, Burbank, California

 

Grandma K's Turkey Gravy

Photo by Taste of Home©

Yield: 2 cups (approx. 16 servings)

Ingredients:

  • Reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Directions: 

  1. Pour drippings into a 2-cup measuring cup. Skim fat, reserving 1/4 cup. Add enough broth to the drippings to measure 2 cups.
  2. Saute shallot in reserved fat in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour, salt, onion powder, poultry seasoning and pepper until blended; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until browned (do not burn). Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

 

Originally published as Grandma’s Turkey Gravy in Simple & Delicious October/November 2012, p46

Southern Corn Bread Dressing Recipe

Southern Corn Bread Dressing

Photo by Taste of Home©

Yield: 10 Servings

Ingredients: 

  • 8 cups coarsely crumbled corn bread
  • 4 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • Turkey giblets, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 cups chicken broth

 

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine first 10 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk eggs and broth. Add to bread mixture; stir until moistened.
  2. Transfer to a greased 13×9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned and a thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°.

 

Originally published as Southern Corn Bread Dressing in Simple & Delicious October/November 2010, p51

Fast & Creamy Buttermilk Salad Dressing

Yield: 2-3/4 cup or 22 Servings

Creamy Buttermilk Salad dressing

Photo by Taste of Home©

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c. buttermilk
  • 2 c. (16 ounces) 2% cottage cheese
  • 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

Directions:

  1. In a blender, combine the buttermilk, cottage cheese and salad dressing mix; cover and process for 20 seconds or until smooth.
  2. Pour into a small pitcher or bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Stir before serving with salad.

 

Nutritional Facts
2 tablespoons (calculated without greens a: 23 calories, 1g fat (0.550g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 177mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (0g sugars, 0g fiber), 3g protein Diabetic Exchanges:1/2 fat-free milk

 

 

 

Originally published as Buttermilk Salad Dressing in Light & Tasty October/November 2001, p29

Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad

“Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can’t find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper. This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that’s ready in 25 minutes.”

Ingredients:

    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 large egg
    • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
    • 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
    • 1 pound chicken tenders
    • ¼ cup grapeseed or canola oil
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
    • 5 ounces mixed baby greens

Directions:

  1. Place flour in a shallow dish and lightly beat egg in another shallow dish. Mix breadcrumbs and everything bagel seasoning in a third shallow dish. Dredge chicken tenders in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
  2. Heat grapeseed (or canola) oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F, about 7 minutes total, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent burning.
  3. Whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey and pepper in a large bowl. Add greens and toss to coat. Serve the greens topped with the chicken.

 

 

Cranberry Brie Appetizer — Your Homebased Mom

Appetizers are my favorite part of a meal and this Cranberry Brie is at the top of the list. It’s the perfect holiday appetizer for any parties on your calendar or your own holiday meals. Many times appetizers are an overlooked part of a meal but I love to fix a couple of really good…

via Cranberry Brie Appetizer — Your Homebased Mom