Delish Candy

 Oh Snaps!  (Gingerbread men gummies) From Clever Candy 

We went downtown Denver to go to the Giving Machines in a December, they were right next to Rocket Fizz.  A fun candy/pop store.  Oh snaps!  Are so yummy, even my husband who doesn’t like gummies enjoyed them.  

Potato Wedges

 From Dinner at the Zoo

https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/baked-potato-wedges/

Megan made these for me when I had surgery.  

▢ 4 medium Russet potatoes scrubbed and cut into eighths

▢ 1/4 cup olive oil

▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder

▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder

▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

▢ 2 teaspoons salt

▢ 1/2 teaspoon pepper

▢ 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

▢ cooking spray

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat the foil with cooking spray.
• Place the olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese in a gallon sized resealable bag. 
• Place the potato wedges in the bag and seal the bag. Shake to coat the potatoes evenly with the seasoning.
• Spread the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and fork tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

 Janine Sherman

(from Sister LeDuc made these for our youth after baptisms.  Think chocolate, with a dop of cheesecake.  She used to make these for the girls at girls camp.)

Cream Together:

8 oz. cream cheese--softened

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

Stir in 6 oz pkg or 1 cup of chocolate chips

Set Aside

Cake mixture:

Stir together:

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

Add:  

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1 T. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

Fill cupcake papers 1/2 full add 1 T. cheese mixture. Drop on top, bake 350 for 30-35 min.

Shannon’s Popcorn

Carmel popcorn

2 sticks of butter

1 cup brown sugar

Heat over the stove and mix until they slightly bubble

Than mix in 1/2 can of marshmallow cream or about 1/4- 1/2 a bag of marshmallows and mix until the marshmallows melt together. 

Pour over 2 bags of popcorn 

(Don’t forget to take out the seeds)

Hollys beans

 So yummy. 10 out of 10

Quick and Easy Black Beans 

2 Cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed 

1/2 T olive oil 

2/3 C diced onion 

2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced 

2/3 C chicken broth (or water, I use broth for extra flavor) 

1/4 t cumin 

1/4 t coriander

1/4 t oregano 

1/2 t salt 

1/4 t pepper 

1 lime 

In a saucepan on the stove, heat the olive oil to med-high heat. Saute onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute abut 30 seconds more. Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are done cooking, remove from heat and add in a few squeezes of fresh lime juice. Then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula so smoosh (yes, that's a technical culinary term) some of the beans. You don't want to pulverize them, but you want to take a bunch of good smooshes so that some of the beans are smashed, which will thicken the sauce. I like mine on the thicker side so I smoosh quite a bit. They will thicken more upon standing.

Aunt Kathy’s Toffee

Kathy's English Toffee (Kathy Mackay)

 1) Preparation: Line cookie sheet with tin foil. Cover evenly with abt. 2 cups pecan halves. 

 2) Cooking:

 1 cup sugar 1 cup butter 2 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. salt 

 Put the 4 ingredients in a heavy sauce pan (no reflon). Cook over med/high heat,STIR CONTINUOUSLY with wooden spoon until candy is a dark tan/camel color. (NOTE: if recipe "doesn't victite stirring Keep edge on better work" it will be because it wasn't cooked long enough or was of pan burned ©). Lift pan off heat (keep stirring). Pour immediately to cover pecans on cookie sheet (it won't reach to edges). Do not scrape pan- the bottom may be burned by now. 

3) Assembly: After candy has cooled slightly, sprinkle with abt. 1 cup chocolate chips (Semi-Sweet or MilkChocolate. I often do one side of each). When the chips have melted, spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Chop very finely: abt. cup pecans. Sprinkle on melted chocolate, & press lightly with hand. Let candy cool slowly until set (many hours or over night). Break into pieces.

Barley Soup

from my friend Beth, so good! 

Ingredients:

1. 8 0z beef

2. 16 oz barley (1 cup)

3. 6 cups beef broth

4. 2 carrots diced

5. 3 celery stalks

6. 1 onion diced

7. 8 oz mushrooms

8. Thyme

9. 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

10. 1 T olive oil

11. 1 tsp salt

12. Garlic

 

Saute beef in olive oil and take out. Then

saute carrots, celery, onion, garlic for 3 min

Add mushrooms, beef, and all other seasonings, broth and Worcestershire. 

 

Instant pot for 10 min