Cinnamon Candy

My big sister, over at Burnt Toast likes to give me challenges for Simple Cooking. The other day she challenged me to make a Cinnamon Candy recipe she found. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! I love candy, particularly cinnamon candy. This was a really great and fun recipe. And like the goal of the blog says, simple! You can find the original recipe here.

So lets get started!

Ingredients:

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of water

1/2 cup of light corn syrup

1/2 a tsp cinnamon extract

1/2 a tsp red food coloring

You will also need a candy thermometor. You can get one at Walmart for just under four dollars. :)

Alright! So lets get started. In a pot start cooking the water, sugar, and corn syrup on a medium heat.

Let it cook to a boil on the medium heat, we wanna heat this up slowly. As it rises to boiling be sure to stir it occasionally. Once boiling, place a lid over it and let it cook for three minuets. Go a head and take the lip off then and turn the heat to a medium/high heat. From here on out let it boil, and do not stir. The mixture will thicken severely as it boils. Use your candy thermometer to check the temperature. You want it to be at 310 Fahrenheit, also known as the Hard Crack Point. It will take about 15-20 minuets for it to reach that point, just keep an eye on the thermometer.

Once it's reached the hard crack point, remove the pot from heat and add in your cinnamon extract and red food coloring. Mix well and fast, and be sure it's all well away from your face as the fumes will be strong.

Quickly pour onto a greased baking sheet and using a spatula spread it out so it cover the whole surface.

Using a sharp knife, or a pizza cutter, start to score the sheet of liquid candy into roughly one inch squares. You can cut them as big or as small as you like, however. The gel will trying to form back together, you just have to keep repeating the scoring lines until it's cooled enough for the lines to stay in place. I had some issues with it pushing around on the sheet so mine are all deformed, but the over all shape really doesn't matter.

Let it sit at room temperature till it's completely cooled and hardened. This only takes about ten minuets or so, not too long at all. The pieces break apart easily into their squares, like sugar glass, and that is all there is to it!

The texture is the same you would get in say, jolly ranchers, and things, so just by changing the flavore of the extract this recipe opens up a lot of candies to you, if you want to make others.

Note about the cinnamon, I felt the flavor wasn't enough for me, next time I'll probably add a full teaspoon instead of just half, but it's still very good.

LEFTOVERS! This makes a lot candy.

Who will like this: Children will love this! It's homemade candy, I don't think any kid wouldn't like it! Also, anyone who enjoys cinnamon flavored candy!

That's all there is to it my loves! Go out and enjoy the cinnamon goodness that is this candy!

Alyce Sheahen's Banana Bread

An Introduction to This Recipe:

This recipe started belongs to Cassie's great Grandmother. She never wrote down her recipes. So if a family member wanted it, they had to follow along with her and write it down as she went. Cassie shared this with us on the Simple Cooking Group .

This is actually my third attempt at this recipe, which is why it's taken so long to post a new blog. I have been hell bent on this recipe being the next entry. The first time I attempted it, I cooked it exactly as instructed. The very middle didn't cook at all and the top caved in because of it. The second time I cooked it for longer and on a higher temperature, and it turned into a Banana Brick.

I knew it wasn't my oven, because it cooks everything else just fine. And I was following the recipe exactly. It had to be the pan. Well a few days ago I bought some 9" round pans, and decided to use those instead of the traditional loaf pan. Today I gave it my third try and SUCCESS! I now have banana bread in the shape of round cakes! Enjoy!!!

First, oreheat oven to 350 degrees. Next....

Cream Together:

1/2 cup shortening (See note at bottom of entry on Shortening)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 bananas

Sift Together:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Little by little add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mix well, and repeat till all is mixed together well. Don't worry if it is a bit chunky, it doesn't have to be smooth.

Now add in a tsp of vanilla. This is also where you add in nuts if you choose to do so.

Pure dough into pan. If you use a bread loaf pan, as tradition dictates, I suggest splitting it into two pans or cooking half now and half after the first, as the center tends to not cook for me if I place it all in a bread pan at once. Alternately you can use round pans or small casserole/cake pans, they work just as well, and in my experience, the 9" rounds take about half the time to cook.

Whatever your choice in baking dish is, place the dough into it after spraying it with non stick cooking spray.

Place in the hot oven and cook for 40 minuets. If using a more sallow pan like a round pan, keep a close eye on it, it should be ready after about 20 minuets.

When is is all done it make appear slightly under-cooked. This is alright as long as it's ONLY slightly and not drastically under-cooked. You can keep it in the oven for longer, but be careful, because if it gets over cooked it will be dry and not as good. Let it cool for a few minuets then go a head and cut right into it! It's delicious! Especially when its still warm and has butter on it. Hope you enjoy it!

Note on shortening: Shortening and butter were used to replace the use of lard in recipes. The shortening and butter, when melt in the oven, create the little air like pockets we see in cakes, breads, and other baked goods. The most common shortening is Crisco, but you can replace shortening with butter if you like. The ratio for that is..

1 cup shortening + 2 tbs water = 1 cup butter

Roughly a cup for a cup then. It is recommended, however, that if you choose to replace shortening with butter, you chill the batter before cooking it. Butter melts at a lower temperature than shortening does, and in baking, timing is everything. If the butter melts too soon, it can create a problem with the turnout, but chilling the dough and subsequently the butter will help it last a little longer, to melt at a more opportune time.

Who will enjoy this: EVERYBODY! I honestly don't know a single person who doesn't like banana bread unless they have an allergy, in which case, shame on you for eating noms in front of somebody who can't have it!

April's Oreo Balls

Alright this is a wonderful recipe directly from one of our Simple Cooking group members, and one of my best friend's April. They are Oreo Balls. I don't know where she came across this recipe, but Jay and I took one look at it and decided it was a must try. I took pics in hopes it would be yummie enough to be blog worthy and dear lord it really is! So without further ado, the Oreo Balls!

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package of Oreo Cookies, crushed.

1 (8ounce) package of Cream Cheese, softened.

1 (24 ounce) package of Almond Bark (This can be subsituted for White Chocolate Bark too).

1 (24 ounce) package of Chocolate Bark.

Alright, step one is going to be the hardest thing of the whole process. I'm sorry to be the barer of bad news but you need to crush up the entire package of Oreos into a bowl. It's hard I know but I promise it IS worth it!

Next, make sure your cream cheese is nice and soft, I had to soften mine in the microwave for about 40seconds. Then with a blender or hand mixer, mix the Oreos and cream cheese together well..

Roll the mix into balls, April suggest about the size of a walnut. An ice cream scoop can work wonders for this part, otherwise your hands end up really covered in the stuff. Not that that's a bad thing. You want place the Oreo balls on a cookie sheet and chill in the fridge or freezer for about an hour.

As the hour draws to a close, pull out your double broiler, or whatever you use to melt chocolate, and heat it up. Toss in your almond bark. You want to use at least 3/4 of the package, though I used the entire thing in the end. Melt the bark down and then either with toothpicks in the Oreo balls, or with a tongs, dip the balls into the melted bark and place back on the cookie sheet.

Back into the fridge or freezer for about 20 min. Wash out your pan during this time and rinse well, then go a head and get started on melting your chocolate. When the almond bark is hardened pull the cookie sheet out and drizzle over the Oreo balls with the melted chocolate. Use as much or as little as you like. Chill for another 10 min, and you're ready to eat!!!

These are SO good, delicious, and simple!

Kids will LOVE to make this happy treat. Like the peanut-butter balls, this is a fun messy thing to make, and an easy hand help treat they can march off with the nom on while playing.

ENJOY!!!!

Burnt Toast

No this isn't a recipe, this is a shameless plug for my big sister. She's been such a huge contributor to the Simple Cooking group on Facebook (find the link on the right hand side.) She'd an admin, she keeps the discussions going and now shes taken it a step farther to support the group, and her own interests.

I am proud to introduce to you Burnt Toast! My big sister's new cooking blog. Please check it out. The first recipe is mouth watering and new! That's something great about what she brings to the table, chances are it's always something new! So check it out!!!! Thanks all!

~Alex~

Chocolate Covered Peanut-butter Balls

This is a crazy yummie treat, its great as a special holiday dessert/snack. I was asked to do a blog on deserts, this is one of my favorites! Any time of the year this is a wonderful treat for everyone! Special thanks to my friend Scott for this! He gave it to me about a year ago and it's been a big hit with everyone ever since!

Ingredients:

• 1lb bag of powdered sugar
• 16oz jar of creamy peanut-butter
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 2 (13 oz each) bags of chocolate chips (i preferr milk chocolate but it's up to you)

You'll also need a double boiler, but if you don't have one, don't worry because I have a special tip to use instead!

Steps:

Mix the sugar, butter, vanilla, and peanut-butter well, until creamy. The sugar will try to clump up so just do your best.

Next you're going to use your double boiler to melt the chocolate. If you don't have one, use a glass pie plate sitting on to of a pot of boiling water, or some sort of glass or ceramic dish. Just place it on tops and pour in about half a bag of chocolate chips. Don't add all the chips at once because you really do need it later.

Using the drop spoon method or an ice cream scoop or something, make peanutbutter balls and roll into the melted chocolate. Then place on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper.

Melt more chocolate as needed and repeat.

Remember to roll quickly or the heat will melt the peanut-butter.

When you're all down place cookie sheet in the freezer or fridge to cool for about an hour, then.. ENJOY!!!

Who will like this: CHILDREN: Kids will LOVE IT! Its fun and messy to make, and it's small enough to fit into their hands as you give them one and send them one their way happy.

Enchiladas and Salsa

Its been a goodly while I know it. I've been so busy with work that I haven't had time to cook, and then when I got time I haven't had the money for ingredients. That is over and done with though, as I have time AND money again hahahahahah!!! So here for your viewing pleasure is Awesome Sauce Enchiladas with my own home made Salsa. Enjoy it! And please be sure to stop by the Simple Cooking discussion group to talk about this meal and lots of others!

Rissa's Cooking Challenge

Okay, so my big sister challenged me to make Sausage-Stuffed Shells. So, I did. It was really good. The original ingredient list from the site is ...

24 jumbo pasta shells (from 12-oz box)
1 lb lean Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1 container (15 oz) light ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded reduced-fat Italian cheese blend (8 oz)

1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (1 medium)
1 jar (25.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic Italian herb pasta sauce

Some items were left out entirely from my first try as I do not like carrots and Jay doesn't like spinach. The plan, next time is to split the stuffing into two bowls, one with spinach for me and one with carrots for Jay.

Other things were changed out for what I was able to obtain. For sausage the site says you can simply use Italian pork sausage. That's what I did, I chose the Jimmy Dean brand because I know it, I've used it before and it's really good. The Italian cheese blend according tot he site can be substituted for 3 cups mozzarella shredded cheese. Again this is what I did. The ricotta cheese i was simply UNABLE to find. I was going to use Provolone instead but it's expensive for 15 ounces so I settled for the Hy-vee shredded Pizza blend which is a blend of mozzarella, provolone, romano, and parmesan.

Alright now that we've got all of THAT out of the way lets get to cooking!

First your going to fill a nice BIG pot with water. Not all the way, but you ARE going to be cooking BIG shell noodles so make sure it's enough so the shells can move around while boiling. Then set your over pre-heat to 350. Next you get to pull out a pan and brown up your sausage. Same rules as burger, nice and brown with no pink.

ALRIGHT! So while that's going on, take all of your Ricotta (or the replacement of your choice) and get it all in a good sized mixing bowl. Add in all but 1 cup of the Italian blend (or Mozzarella if you replaced it) and also the Basil. I added a TON of basil just because I love it. Half a teaspoon isn't enough for me haha! This is also the time where you add in your spinach and carrots. When I do use the spinach I plan on using fresh leaves no frozen crap. Use your hand (make sure they're clean) to fold in the basil, spinach and carrots. There is so much cheese the only way to get it all well blended is to use your hands. It's too think to get a spoon of any size through there. Just fold it through with your hands and BE SURE to get the cheese in the center and at the bottom, that was the hardest to get at to mix in.

Okay by this time your water should be boiling, go a head and pure your shells in.

Alright so now you get to pull out your casserole dish. A 13x9 is recommended but work with what you've got I like to say :) Use non-stick cooking spray, or coat the dish in a light layer of butter. Now the site says to put half a cup of the tomato sauce in the pan and spread it around, but that is really VERY little sauce. I used a cup of it instead and a rubber spatula to spread it out.

You should have been keeping an eye on your cooking meat during all of this. Just like cooking up ground burger. It should be nice and brown.

Strain out the little bit of grease into a bowl or a pan. Then you can put the ground sausage into the bowl with the cheese and basil and other good things. THIS TIME you do want to use a spoon to mix it around. That meat is still hot. It's gonna fight against you, the meat will try to melt the cheese a little bit but it won't be too bad. And don't worry if you forget to strain the meat. The grease makes the cheese taste insanely good.

Your shells only need to cook for at the MOST 15 minuets. Any longer and they're over cooked. 15 is even pushing it. When they're done, strain them out and rinse them in nice cold water. This allow then to stiffen up a little as well as make them ale for you to handle them. be sure while rinsing them, that you take apart shells that have slipped inside each other. They fit so well like puzzle pieces that they just slide one inside another while cooking lol.

Right, so now you get to start stuffing the shells! WHHOOO!!! This is a little messy, but it's fun. The original recipe on the site says to fill each shell with 3 tablespoons. NOT gonna happen. 1 you won't have enough filling, and 2 the shells barely hole a single generous tablespoon. Here is what you do. Fill each shell with just a single generous table spoon of the cheese, sausage, basil, etc mixture. And place in the sauced baking dish with the open side up.

Keep filling the shells in this way and lining the pan. If you have any of the cheese and sausage mixture left over, go a head and fill in any shells that look like they could use some more. :) I had extra shells left over i put them in the fridge knowing i can cover them in some sort of sauce tomorrow for lunch. Here was my finished stuffing product.

Now take the rest of your sauce and spread it out over the top of the shells.

Now get some tin foil and spray it with non-stick, and cover the pan. Place it in the over for 40 min. Don't have to check on it, or anything, just leave it for 40 minuets, and it'll be just fine. Then take it you and take that last cup of cheese that you left out of the mixture earlier...remember that? Haha, sprinkle the cheese on top after removing the foil.

Toss the foil and place the dish in the oven for just a few minuets, until the cheese has melted.

Now you're ready to serve it up!

I wound up taking too many shells and had to put 3 back int he pan later! But It is so amazingly yummie!

LEFTOVERS! You'll have a lot left over. Put them in a container and in the fridge. If you want a quick snack, take one out and eat it cold. Good finger food since everything is held in the shell :)

Who will like this: KIDS! The shells are big something they aren't used to seeing and since it's less physically on their plate, they're more likely to eat it quickly since they don't view it as a lot. They'll also like the finger food snack option with the cold leftovers :)

That is all for tonight my loves. This was a super easy meal just takes some time. So if you have a free night, give it a try, it's worth it and with so much for left overs, you'll have snacks and lunch for the next few days :)