A Recipe Collection--Top 3 Most Requested Delicious Desserts

A Recipe Collection--Top 3 Most Requested Delicious Desserts
When you are thinking about serving dessert at your next
party, consider offering your guests one of these
delicious, homemade desserts. I have found that of all the
desserts I have served, these are my "Top 3 Most Requested
Delicious Desserts" (in no particular order). Enjoy!

Number One Most Requested Delicious Dessert--Raspberry
White Chocolate Dream Bars

1 box white cake mix
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1-1/2 sticks melted butter
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
12 oz. white chocolate chips

Combine cake mix, milk, butter and nuts. Makes a very gooey
dough. Spray a 9 x 13 pan and spread half of the dough into
the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Melt the jam in the microwave (about a minute) and spread
on top of hot crust. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips
over jam. Crumble remaining dough on top and bake an
additional 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

For bigger parties, this recipe easily doubles and can be
made in a 15 x 10 pan.

Once you get the hang of this technique, you can think of
all sorts of combinations. How about using chocolate cake
with mint chips? Or lemon cake with white chocolate?

Number Two Most Requested Delicious Dessert--Chocolate
Amaretto Bundt Cake

1 pkg. chocolate devil's food cake mix
1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1-1/2 oz. Amaretto liqueur
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup fresh raspberries (optional)
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)

Glaze

1 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Amaretto

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine first 6 ingredients
and blend well. Stir in chips. Grease and flour a bundt
pan. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Melt glaze ingredients in a saucepan or microwave. Pour 2/3
of glaze over top of cake while cake is hot from oven and
still in pan. Allow cake to remain in pan for 25 minutes.
Remove cake from pan and drizzle with remaining glaze.

When I make this cake dessert, I fill the middle with fresh
raspberries and present it on my grandmother's crystal
pedestal cake stand which is very dramatic.

Just before serving, I make a raspberry sauce by melting
the jam in the microwave.

Each lucky guest gets a plate with some of the sauce, a
slice of cake, a few berries and some whipped cream. Yum!

Number Three Most Requested Delicious Dessert--Mystic Mint
Cookies

These are melt-in-your-mouth heaven!

Dough
1 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and
cooled
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugar, butter, vanilla, egg and unsweetened chocolate.
Stir in flour and salt.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart
onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie with
fingertips. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Remove to
cooling racks and cool completely.

Peppermint Frosting
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mix all frosting ingredients until smooth and of spreading
consistency.

Chocolate Drizzle
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1-6 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips

Simmer all drizzle ingredients over low heat. Stir
constantly until butter and chocolate are melted.

Spread peppermint frosting over cooled cookies then drizzle
each with chocolate mixture. Leave on counter for 2-3 hours
until frosting is set.

If you serve any of these homemade desserts, you can count
on your guests being very happy. And I will bet that you
will be handing out recipes, just like I do at my house.

----------------------------------------------------
Sandee Lembke from Theme Party Queen.com
(http://www.theme-party-queen.com ) invites you to visit
her site for more great theme party ideas and recipes.

How to Fight High Food Costs, Part 1

How to Fight High Food Costs, Part 1
Food costs are going up fast. Some foods, such as rice,
are already being rationed at Sam's and Costco. What's
worse, there is no relief in sight as the prices for your
favorite foods are rising at an inflated rate of 4.5% per
year.

That means your eggs have already gone up 30 % in the last
year, and your milk, cheese, flour, bananas and even peanut
butter will be more expensive to buy. All that comes on
top of rising gas prices, which are predicted to double in
the next four years.

In spite of all that bad news, can you still be in control
of how far your food dollars stretch?

Here are 21 simple ways you can start saving money today.

1. Learn the secret food codes

Bread companies have their own codes for when bread is
baked and delivered. Each company is different, but the
general code is alphabetical. Monday-blue, Tuesday- green,
Thursday- red, Friday-white, Saturday- yellow. Learn the
codes, and look toward the back of the shelf to find the
freshest loaves.

2. Do most of your cooking ahead of time

This saves time as well because you are more organized.
Freeze the food and bring it out for individual meals as
your family needs them. You can also give them more
variety and choices. If someone would rather have spaghetti
instead of a casserole, for example, they can warm up an
individual serving. Invest in a deep freeze and freezer
aids which will more than pay for themselves over time.

3. Get out of the grocery store as quickly as possible

Buy only what you need and leave. The longer you stay, the
more you will buy and the store knows that. That's why
your store's layout may not always make sense to you. They
want you to wander around and yield to temptation to buy
more than you need. Always ask yourself if you really need
that gallon of "Death by Chocolate" ice cream just because
it's on sale. Those extra impulse dollars can add up fast.

4. Never shop when you're hungry

Always eat first before you go to the store. The hungrier
you are the more you will spend, and your spending will get
out of control.

5. Always check label dates

You may be surprised at how much difference in food
freshness you will find on one shelf. For example,
prepared salad fixings can vary by several days. Again,
look toward the bottom of the shelf. That's where they
will put the latest deliveries. Get in the habit of
rummaging through. You'll be richly rewarded for the effort.

6. Go for bulk

Join a warehouse club like Sam's Club(Walmart) or Costco.
If you don't want to pay for a membership by yourself, go
in with a friend and shop together.

Buy the stable items only such as canned vegetables,
coffee, rice, spaghetti sauce, mayonnaise. These will be
the items you use most often and they are the foundation of
your pantry. Stay away from the bakery and free food
sample give-aways, although some people have been known to
eat lunch going from counter to counter.

7. Do most of your shopping in one trip

A Sam's or Costco is perfect for a full morning of
shopping. Get it all done at once. This helps you stick
to your inventory and budget because it eliminates
unnecessary trips to the grocery store. Tuesday's are the
absolute best day for shopping if you want to avoid crowds
and get individual attention from the sales staff. (I know
this for a fact because I grew up in retail.) The one trip
shopping days will also help you save on gas, and you can
even fill up your tank at Sam's.

8. Don't buy individually packaged foods

Don't guy grated cheese, or individually packaged cheese
slices. These cost more. Grate your own cheese and stay
away from the cute convenient packaging, especially for
snack foods that appeal to children. Also avoid vending
machines at work. If you want a soft drink, take your own.
You can also buy those in bulk at a warehouse store.

9. Don't buy as many snacks

Fix your own, because this is where food companies really
come in for the kill. Many of today's snacks are full of
salt, sugar, and high fat. They are bad for you anyway,
but cutting down on them may help you cut down on your
medical bills later. Substitute muffins, fruits, and
homemade cookies instead if you have to have snacks.

10.Eat less meat

Needless to say, meat can be very expensive, especially if
you buy meat with big bones. Stick to the lean meats and
watch for the sales. Also you can save by buying frozen
chicken in bulk.

Dried beans or legumes can be substituted for meat and you
can fix tasty recipes using them that your family will love.

11. Learn when your grocery store brings out the best
specials

Every store is different, but they all have the same
problem of how to sell day old bakery items and bread.
Also, ask for ripened produce that will be cheaper. Make
friends of the staff and learn when they first mark
everything down and get to the head of the line.

Even if food inflation seems out of control there are many
ways you can still stop up huge holes in your budget, eat
well, and keep more of your hard-earned money.

----------------------------------------------------
Alice Stevens writes about issues concerning the elderly
and their caregivers for the blog Aging Parents Authority.
http://www.agingparentsauthority.com

A Recipe Collection--Top 5 Most Requested Summer Drinks

A Recipe Collection--Top 5 Most Requested Summer Drinks
When most people host summer parties, they usually have the
basic alcoholic beverages, like beer and wine, but rarely
do you see a host offer a selection of really special
summer drinks.

I have perfected my list of offerings over the years and
now I share my "Top 5 Most Requested Summer Drinks" with
you (in no particular order).

Number One Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Limoncello Mint
Lemonade

1/2 cup lemonade concentrate
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Ice cubes
1/4 cup Limoncello (lemon liqueur)
1/2 cup club soda
Lemon slices and mint for garnish

In a small pitcher, "muddle" mint leaves together with
lemonade concentrate and lemon juice. Muddle means to
bruise the leaves so they release their flavor. I use the
end of a wooden spoon.

Stir in ice cubes, Limoncello and club soda and pour into 4
glasses. Top them off with a lemon slice, a sprig of fresh
mint and an umbrella.

Makes 4-10 oz. drinks.

Number Two Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Pomegranate
Blueberry Martini

Made with 1/2 juice so not as strong as most martinis.

1/2 part vodka
1 part pomegranate mix (I use "Rose" brand)
1 part pomegranate blueberry juice (I use "Tropicana" brand)
Orange slices for garnish

Shake ingredients with ice for 1 minute in a martini
shaker. Pour into some martini glasses and garnish with an
orange slice. Crisp and refreshing!

Number Three Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Pineapple Bleu

2-oz. Hypnotic Liqueur
1-oz. Grey Goose Vodka
Splash of pineapple juice
Lemon twist for garnish

Shake together Hypnotic, vodka and ice until chilled. Pour
into a martini glass, top with pineapple juice and garnish
with a lemon twist and an umbrella.

Number Four Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Sangria Punch

This one is great for summer barbeques because you can
easily make it a pitcher at a time or can serve it from a
punch bowl.

1 lemon
1 lime
1 orange
1-1/2 cups rum (spiced rum works well too)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry red wine
1 cup orange juice
Chill the fruit, rum, orange juice and wine. If desired,
make ice cubes out of the orange juice. This is a good way
to keep drinks icey cold without diluting them.

Slice the lemon, lime and orange into thin rounds and place
in a large glass pitcher. Pour in the rum and sugar. Chill
in refrigerator for 2 hours to develop the flavors.

When ready to serve, crush the fruit lightly with a wooden
spoon and stir in the wine and orange juice (cubes if you
made them). Adjust sweetness to taste.

Number Five Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Fruited Brandy
Punch

This one has become a favorite at my home and a lot of the
parties I attend, most likely because everyone loves it and
you can make a huge amount and serve it in a punch bowl.

1/2 part brandy (I use Christian Brothers brand)
1 part lemon-lime soda
2 parts fruit juice (Cranberry-Peach blend is my favorite)
1/2 bag frozen fruit (Blueberries and strawberries look
great)
1 fruited ice ring (see recipe below)
Slices of lemons, limes and oranges, if desired

Mix fruit juice and frozen fruit together in a nice punch
bowl or container.

Pour in lemon-lime soda, gently stir and then float an ice
ring on top (see recipe below). Rather than spike the
punch, I serve the brandy on the side so my guests who
prefer non-alcoholic punch can drink it too.

To make ice ring

Pour 1-2 cups of the juice mixture from above into a Bundt
pan or another mold. Add some of the fruit and/or fresh
citrus slices. Freeze overnight.

Just before serving, set the pan into some hot water to
loosen the ice ring and then turn it into the punch bowl.
It makes a really beautiful presentation, cools the punch
and since it's made with juice, it will not water down the
punch. Perfect!

This recipe can easily be altered so you can serve it from
a Drink Fountain which is really gaining popularity lately.
Just leave out the fruit and the ice ring.

So, now you have five classic summer cocktails to WOW your
guests with. They will be so surprised when you hand them
one of these special summer drinks instead of the usual
beer and wine.

----------------------------------------------------
Sandee Lembke from Theme Party Queen.com
(http://www.theme-party-queen.com ) invites you to visit
her site for more great theme party ideas and recipes.