Halloween Eyeballs

I know it's a bit late to post this one, but it's soooo cute...a good one to have on record for next year's parties!

2 Cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup Karo syrup
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

Mix together peanut butter, Karo syrup and butter. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix until it is a smooth, soft dough. Roll into 1" balls. Place in cool area to set up (NOT the fridge or freezer)

1 pkg white candy melts (melted) you can get these at most craft stores...you can also try white chocolate chips, but I found the candy chips to work better
1 small package M&M candies
Red gel frosting (or- at specialty craft stores they have write-on decorating pens that work terrifically for this!)
Black gel frosting

Using a fork or dipping tool. I used a fork like a spoon and placed the ball on top of the fork, dropped it into the melted candy chips and just spooned the candy over it. Then pick up the ball with the fork (like a spoon) and gently shake it to let the candy evenly coat the ball and drip off the excess.

After dipping, immediately place and M&M on top, gently pressing down (if the chocolate sets before you put the M&M on, it will crack) Let the dipped balls sit to set up. Lastly, decorate with the red gel for blood vessels and black gel for the pupil.


Scarily Delicious!!!

Fried Green Tomatoes

What do you do with all those green tomatoes you have now your garden is through? This southern-inspired treat is the perfect solution! And sooo yummy, too!

Fried Green Tomatoes

-Sliced Green Tomatoes (slice about 1/4" thick)- figure 1 tomato per person

-2 eggs, beaten with 2-3 Tbsp of water

- 2-4 Cups bread crumbs (plain, or seasoned- doesn't matter)

Salt and pepper
Canola oil for frying

Dip tomato slices in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs. Dip again in eggs and breadcrumbs, then place in frying pan with 1-2 inches of hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides and remove to a paper-towel lined cooking rack or plate. Salt and pepper to taste. Eat with fantastic yogurt dipping sauce (below)

Fantastic yogurt dipping sauce:
1 C. plain yogurt
1/4 C. sour cream
1/4 C. parmesan cheese (the cheap Kraft kind in the bottle is great!)
1 Tbsp. Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Mix all together in a bowl and serve with fried green tomatoes! Yummy!!!

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

I got this recipe from a chain email that was going around forever ago and had never tried it, but this week I was feeling a little adventurous and wanting something sweet so I decided to give it a go. New favorite go-to-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe. So, so good! It makes a gazillion cookies (ok, I exaggerate, but it does make 112), so I made a 1/4 batch and it was perfect!

5 cups oatmeal
2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 (8 oz) Hershey's bar, grated (I don't like hershey's so I used an IKEA chocolate bar)
3 cups chopped nuts

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix together. Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips, Hershey's bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 7 minutes at 375 degrees.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Yes, that's right, I am still trying to find stuff to do with tomatoes and have been making tomato sauce using this recipe (as a guideline anyway...I don't have a kitchen scale so I basically use a bucket of tomatoes - which ends up being 8-10 cups - and then adjusting the other ingredients to taste). I have been freezing most of it, but I think you could can it if you wanted (if you process for 50 minutes). I used some for spaghetti the other day and you would have thought we were eating at a 5 star restaurant from the way my family reacted...to spaghetti!

20 lbs. tomatoes (peeled and seeded)
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh torn basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 yellow onion chopped

Crush tomatoes into stockpot (I pureed mine first). Turn burner to medium high and add remaining ingredients. When bubbling nicely turn down to a good simmer. Simmer 5 hours stirring occasionally.