Follower Friday: Mint Melt Away

IT'S FRIDAY!

(Don't forget....I'm compling everyone's favorite holiday recipes for the month of December.  Hurry and send me your favorite recipe!  I'll link it back to you.  Email: willtherebefoodthere@gmail.com)

Allison was chosen to do today's Follower Friday.  Allison married my brother's best friend.  We were all at BYU-Idaho together and I remember when she started dating her husband.  I kept hearing a lot about her and when I finally met her - I loved her  She is FUNNY, smart, creative, and an avid runner (gosh I wish I could be an avid runner!)  She has an adorable little boy.  

And....they live 2,000 miles away from me.  So sad.

ENJOY HER RECIPE!

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First off, thanks Tiff for the opportunity to do a post.  What a wonderful time of year to be featured on a food blog. Thanksgiving and Christmas are so much better with yummy food/treats. I don't know about anyone else but this is my favorite time of year for baking treats. I try to give them away to neighbors or friends so that I don't end up eating all of them, but I'll be honest, that is one of the reasons that I run, so that I can indulge sometimes all the time on delicious goodness.

One of my favorite Christmas cookies to make/eat since I was little is called the Mint Melt-Away.  It has a nice combination of chocolate and mint, and who doesn't love that combo? (Ok maybe some don't but I love it).

Mint Melt-Away

3/4 C butter

1 1/2 C dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp water

2 C semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 1/2 C flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 lb of Andes mints broken in halves  

(you could also use the crushed Andes mints in the chocolate chip aisle)

Cook the butter, sugar, water until melted, add chocolate chips until melted.  Remove from heat.  Pour into mixing bowl.  Let stand for about 10 minutes then mix at high speed.  Add the eggs.  At lower speed, add mixed dry ingredients.  Blend until just blended.  Chill for 1 hour.  Line cookie sheet with foil.  Place small balls 2 inches apart.  Bake 350° for 12-13 minutes.  Place 1/2 of Andes' mint on hot cookie, right from the oven.  When melted swirl around on top of cookie with spoon, end of knife, or toothpick.

P.S. You are more than welcome to follow me and my shananigans on my blog here .

Chocolate Chip Cookies

 These are my favorite cookies.  They're tasty and let's be honest, who doesn't have a nice, warm, memory about chocolate chip cookies and their Mom?  Here's the recipe I grew up eating and now make for my two babies.  Enjoy.

 CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 lb butter (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups white ugsar

2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

3 eggs

2 T vanilla

6 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars.  Mix in vanilla, salt, and soda.  Mix in eggs.  Mix in flour.  Stir in choclate chips.  Drop spoonfuls onto greased chookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

This batch makes between 8-10 dozen (depending on size)

I make a big batch, freeze some cookies or refrigerate leftover cookie dough.  It stays good in the fridge for about 3 weeks.  Then you can have warm cookies anytime!



Banana Creme & Chocolate Creme Pie

Have you been thinking about what yummy foods you're going to make for Christmas?  I have this itch to start making all kinds of baked goods right after Thanksgiving.  Remember to send recipes and pictures to my email: willtherebefoodthere@gmail.com

I know it's over but an all time MUST for Thanksgiving is Banana Creme and Chocolate Creme Pie.  For years I only liked Banana Creme Pie...not any other kind of pie.  Just Banana Creme.  I loved it.  My mom usually made at least THREE Banana Creme Pies - that's how much we liked it.

I went to my in laws for Thanksgiving.  They are BIG into making pies.  The pies are beautiful!  Now I love to bake but nothing I make looks pretty.  So I'm definitely out of my league there when it comes to making gorgeous pies.  BUT I was not going to have Thanksgiving without my favorite pies.  So I made them and they turned out GREAT!

(I was in a rush while making these pies...and took two pictures.  Sorry!)

BANANA CREME PIE

1 baked and cooled pie shell

(I bought two frozen pie crusts this yr...)

2 cups milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

4-5 T flour

2 T cornstarch

2 eggs yolks

2 T butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 large bananas

Slice bananas into small pieces and lay on the bottom of the baked pie crust.

Scald milk in saucepan.  Combine sugar, salt, flour and cornstarch in bowl and mix together.  Pour slowly into saucepan with the milk.  Mix fast to avoid lumps.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly (which becomes very annoying) until mixture is bubbly and thickened.

 Cook for 8 minutes stirring constantly. (Again..annoying)  Beat egg yolks slightly.  Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks.  Return yolk mixtre to the saucepan - stir to blend.  Cook for about 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly.  Remove from heart.  Add butter and vanilla, mix well.  Pour into banana filled pie crust.  Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to eat!

CHOCOLATE CREME PIE

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups milk

2 egg yolks

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 T. butter

2 tsp vanilla

1 baked and cooled pie shell

Scald milk in saucepan.  Combine sugar, flour and salt bowl.  Mix and slowly add to heated saucepan.  Mix fast to avoid lumps.  Boil 2 minutes stirring constantly.   Add 2-3 tsp to egg yolks, mix well.  Add yolk mixture back to boiling saucepan.  Boil for 1 minute while stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate chps.  Stir well until blended.  Pour into baked pie shell.  Cover with plastic and refrigerate unil ready to eat!



Follower Friday: Blueberry Scones

How was your Thanksgiving?!?!  But more importantly how is Black Friday going?  Are you out there getting those toys for your kids or awesome electronics?  I love Black Friday.  The thrill and excitment of trying to get the hot item...just too much to handle! :)

 

Today's post belongs to Shelley.  I met Shelley at BYU-Idaho.  We were in at least 2-3 classes together - the first being Child Development.  I thought she was beautiful and smart.  I was a timid freshmen and was amazed how she wasn't afraid to share her opinions. I also remember walking by her and her future husband sitting on a bench together.  They were holding hands, smiling, and I could see the happiness and love they had for each other.  I remember thinking I wanted that one day ;)  Anyway - it's all yours, Shelley!

 

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Yay for Follower Friday! I think I might love food as much at Tiffanie. Might being the operative word. :) Love ya Tiff! Thanks for letting me do this post!

I love November. Crisp nights. Sweaters. Maybe the first snowfall. I love Thanksgiving and getting ready for the holidays. I love Thanksgiving so much that I decided to have a baby on Black Friday last year. Wasn't that nice of my nine-pounder to wait until after the turkey and pie were consumed? 

Thanksgiving can also be a little stressful. I guess it depends on who you have Thanksgiving with. I don't have any horror stories of crazy family feuds during the holidays, but planning a huge meal with all the fixin's can be overwhelming.

I suggest a little therapy. My husband is in his last year of medical school, which means one things:
(As Oprah would say)
WE PO'
(Translation: We're poor)
Nope, can't afford real therapy, or even a day at the spa. My therapy is baking. Ahhhh. Nothing better than mixing ingredients into something truly delicious, and piping hot from the oven.

This recipe is my all-time favorite therapy. Warm scones, like true love, can conquer all!

Blueberry Scones
(From Better Homes and Gardens)


Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar
4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/3 C. butter, cut into pieces
2 beaten eggs
3/4 C. whipping cream
1/2 C. blueberries
Milk
Sugar




1. In a medium bowl combine flour, the two tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Or if you don't have a pastry blender, use two knives to cut in the butter like this:

Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, whipping cream, and blueberries. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Using a fork, stir just until moistened.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing dough for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges.

4. Place wedges 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush wedges with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar.

5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Remove scones from baking sheet; SERVE WARM!

Mmmm... Warm scones with a mug of hot cocoa and a good book... Sounds like the best kind of therapy there is! Enjoy!

Cheeseball

Have you been thinking about what yummy things you want to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas?  If you've made them already, you should take a picture!  And then send me the picture and recipe ;)  I'm anxiously awaiting all of your delicious recipes!  

Email: willtherebefoodthere@gmail.com

And I'll start posting ALL of them on December 1st.

BUT..I've decided I'll fill the next few weeks with some of my holiday favorites!!

Cheeseball is another one of those Merrifield traditions.  My mom always made an easy, basic cheeseball that her six children just devoured over Christmas break!  And here it is...

CHEESEBALL
(makes two)

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese

2 cups of cheddar cheese

6 strips of bacon

optional: garlic and onion

Set cream cheese out to soften.  Fry bacon - nice and crispy!  Dice the bacon once it's cooled.  Combine soften cream cheese, bacon and cheddar cheese in a large bowl.  It takes a really good wooden spoon to stir it all together.  Roll into two separate balls.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for flavors to blend together.

NOW...my mom would have one regular cheeseball and then add a clove of crushed garlic and 2 T. of diced onions on another.  I LOVE garlic and onion.  But a lot of people don't so it's good to have one without.

Place on a beautiful plate, surround with all kinds of crackers.  Smother each cracker with a spoonful of cheeseball and...DEVOUR!

I'm taking this as an appetizer for Thanksgiving dinner. You should too!