Saltine Cracker Candy

Use the Flexipat for this one.  I like using the Grande Flexipat (fits on the Large Perforated Baking Sheet) so that I can make a lot at once!

1.5 packages of Saltine Crackers

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

Nuts of choice

Place Flexipat on Perforated Baking Sheet.  Line Flexipat with saltine crackers.  In a saucepan, bring the sugar and butter to a full boil for 3 min. (Use our stainless pans and heat resistant spatula for ease of use!)

Pour evenly over the saltine crackers and sprinkle with nuts.

Bake at 325 for approx. 10 min.

Remove and let cool completely before removing from pan.  Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Cake

PUMPKIN CAKE:
1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix, yellow works as well

Preheat oven to 325 *.

Mix ingredients together and bake in a 2 quart mold or larger for 40-55
minutes, depending on mold.  Or make cupcake in any individual tray.

Cranberry Orange Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½  teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

½ cup orange juice

Grated peel of 1 orange

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

2 tablespoons hot water

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (use less sugar if using dried cranberries)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl, beat egg.  Add orange juice, peel, butter and hot water.  Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in cranberries and walnuts.  Spoon into large-loaf tray, or your preferred mold/tray.  Bake at 325ºF for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool completely on wire rack. 

Spice-Roasted Nuts

1 egg white

2c. unsalted nuts

¼ c. sugar

mix of spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and some salt)

Whisk egg white until foamy.  Stir in nuts, sugar, and spices.  Place Silpat on perforated baking sheet.  Roast nuts on Silpat at 325 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Peanut Butter Balls or Buckeyes

2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb pkg powdered sugar
2 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a mixer, mix first 3 ingredients together, then gradually add powdered sugar. (You may
have to mix by hand towards the end.) Melt chocolate. Drop into Petit Four tray, about 1/
3 full. Roll peanut butter mixture into balls and press into chocolate lined molds. Gently
tap tray to allow chocolate to settle around peanut butter.

[You can also stick a toothpick into each ball and dip into melted chocolate leaving a little
peanut butter showing around the toothpick and allow to set on Roul’pat or Silpat.]

Almond Roca

1lb. butter
2T. water
2c. sugar
½ tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter)
2c. chopped almonds, divided
10oz. chocolate chips

Set Flexipat or Silpat on PBS, then on a cooling rack. Melt butter in heavy pan on medium-
high heat. Add water, sugar, and salt. Cook until bubbly. Add 1c. almonds. Cook and stir
to hard crack stage (300ºF), about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, pour into Flexipat.
Cool 3-4 minutes, sprinkle with half of the chocolate chips, spread when melted. Top
with almonds. Turn out onto Roulpat, chocolate side down. Top with more chocolate, then
almonds. Cool completely or place in fridge for a few minutes. Break into pieces. Enjoy!

Chocolates for the Holidays!

Click Here for Recipes!

Pumpkin Roll

Click Here for Recipe and Photo

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Click Here for Recipe!

Bread Cornucopia

Demarle at Home Senior Manager, Lori Brown recently instructed us on how to make a cornucopia out of bread dough. We would like to share the video we put together and the recipe instructions to make this beautiful holiday decoration. We would like to thank Lori for sharing this with us. The recipe instructions are shown below. Click here to watch the Cornucopia video.

Cornucopia Instructions

INGREDIENTS: 3 Loaves of White or Wheat frozen Bread Dough 1 egg for egg wash Dried berries (optional) TOOLS: Medium Silpat® (SP420295) Large Perforated Baking Sheet (MA500380) Aluminum Foil Large Silpat® (SP485365) 3 rubber bands Kitchen Scissors (TA000115) Pastry Brush (TA000113)   Cornucopia Tip: A Medium or Large Silpat® may be used for the cornucopia cone depending on the size you desire. This recipe is written using the Large Silpat® for the cone as is shown in the video.  A Large Perforated Baking Sheet is needed to support the length of the cornucopia both medium and large. Preparation Instructions - Place the 3 loaves of frozen bread on your Silpat® or Roul'Pat®.  Cover with a damp linen or towel and thaw for 4-8 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place Medium Silpat® on Large Perforated Baking Sheet and set aside. Make Foil Cone - Tear off a 30x18 inch sheet of aluminum foil. Fold it in half - 18x15 inches. Roll diagonally to form a hollow cone, about 18 inches long with a diameter of 5 inches at the widest end (cornucopia opening). Stuff cone with additional crumpled foil until form is rigid. Using additional piece of foil, form and attach tail of cone. Roll Large Silpat® around foil cone leaving the tail outside Silpat®. Secure with 3 rubber bands. Cut each thawed bread loaf into three sections lengthwise, one loaf at a time, making two cuts on each loaf. Pick up one piece and hold each end, now slowly turn like a jump rope to elongate into strips. Begin wrapping the thinnest dough roll around lower part of cone. Continue spiral wrapping cone, tucking ends into the row below it. Save the tail for last. Use the last three rolls from the third loaf to make a braid that will adorn the cornucopia top. Simply pinch the three rolls together at the top and braid. Place the completed braid on the outside edge of the cornucopia opening. Brush entire cornucopia with the egg wash using Pastry Brush. Optional Decorations - with leftover dough pieces, you can cut leaves and roll tiny berries to place on the braided top. You can also add dried berries to give color to cornucopia. Bake for 45 minutes or until bread is a rich brown. (If parts start to darken too much, cover them with a Silpat®.) Do not let the tail burn. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Gently pull foil from cornucopia, then carefully remove the Silpat®. Let cornucopia dry for at least 2 days before filling with bread rolls, flowers, fruits, foliage, or veggies. Wrap with clear wrap and big bow for your fall hostess gift! If you let this dry completely you can use this for years to come, or freeze. When you are done enjoying your centerpiece, pass along to your birds! They will truly be Thankful.

Christmas Morning Casserole in the Tree Mold

Click Here to get your recipe!

Fun S'mores Brownies

by Piper Cabebe:
Mix and Bake brownies following recipe (on box or your own). With 5 minutes left to bake remove from oven, top with mini marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate pieces. Bake for the last 5 minutes, cool and enjoy.


I like to use the Mini-Muffin Tray for these.

Last-Minute Patriotic Star Cupcakes

So, we're off to a picnic in a few hours for Memorial Day and I'm thinking . . . "help!  I didn't plan anything FUN!"  And then I remember I AM A DEMARLE AT HOME REP!  I can pull together ANYTHING!

So here's what me and the kids did:
Bake Cupcakes:
1 Yellow Cake Mix
3 eggs
1 can (approx. 7oz.) Mandarin Oranges (with juice)

Mix in Mixing Bowl with Whisk and pour into Flexipan of choice (make sure Flexipan is on the Perforated Baking Tray).  We used the Mini-Muffin Tray and the Star Tray. Bake at 350 for approx. 20 min. (depends on size of tray/mold - test with a toothpick)

Frosting:
8oz. cream cheese (let sit on counter until at room temperature before mixing)
1 tsp. lemon flavoring
2 cups Powdered Sugar (more or less to your taste).
1/8 cup milk (pour a little at a time to make sure it doesn't get too runny)

Mix in electric mixer in order above.  Use pastry bag and tips to swirl onto cooled cupcakes.  For the patriotic part, we used red sprinkles and blueberries in the middle.  So cute and delicious!

It's time for chocolate!

This is an assortment of:

Tartlets with Strawberries and Ganache (made in the Mini Tartlet Tray)

Maraschino Cherry Chocolates (made in the Petit Four Tray)

Brownie Bites (made in the Mini Square Savarin Tray)

Chocolate Hearts (made in the Mini Heart Tray)

These are the Maraschino Cherry Chocolates.

Our stainless cookware is perfect for melting chocolate!  No need for a double boiler!

This Cookbook not only features MY FAMILY, but it also has great ideas for making chocolate creations! With COLOR PHOTOS!

Four-Leaf Clover Rice Krispies

Submitted by Demarle at Home Senior Manager, Kim Wahler

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups mini marshmallows or one 10 ounce bag regular marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies
Green food coloring

TOOLS:
Magnetic Measuring Trio (GRP00001)
Demarle Difference Medium Sauce Pan (DD901020)
Flexipan® Flower Mold (FM000426)

Melt butter in Sauce Pan. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Add
a few drops of green food color. Stir until well blended. Add Rice Krispies and stir
until well coated. Pour into Flower Mold and using buttered hands, press into Mold.
Let cool completely and unmold onto plate. Cut out little sections of the rice treats
between each heart shape leaf. Use those sections to shape the stem.

Upside-Down Pear/Blueberry Gingerbread

This decadent dessert is a recipe from our Cooking Light Every Night Cookbook.  I highly recommend this cookbook!  And of course the cookbook that features my family - the Dessert Cookbook!

Ice Cream Birthday Cake

Ice cream cake was my favorite birthday treat growing up and now I know how to make it simply and best of all, cheaply!  (Have you seen how much those cakes cost in the store???)  The most important feature of this cake is the love that was poured into it by even the littlest of our home chefs!

Tools:  Medium Round Mold (having 2 makes it quicker) and Perforated Baking Sheet(s), Mixing Bowl, Set of 3 Spatulas, Heat Resistant Spatula, Pastry Bag and Tips.

Ingredients:

2 boxes of cake mix OR 2 boxes of brownie mixes

WARNING!  Using brownies AND frosting is a sugar overload!  Only make this combo if you are serious about your sweets!

1 gallon ice cream of choice

frosting of choice

Bake two cakes according to box instructions and cool completely.  Let ice cream soften while cakes are cooling.  Leave bottom layer in the Medium Round Mold to cool (on the Perforated Baking Sheet), then once cooled, add ice cream on top of it.  Put the other layer of cake on top of the ice cream, cover (Octagonal Silpat works great for covering) and put the cake in the freezer.  After a couple of hours or overnight, unmold cake on serving plate and decorate with frosting and sprinkles.  Light candles and sing your song!

Christmas Jello by Judy Wright

Use 4 small  pkgs of  Jello 2 Green & 2 Red
Mix each package of small Jello mix with:
1 pkg. Knox gelatin
1 c. boiling water


MILK MIXTURE:
3 pkg. Knox gelatin
1 1/2 c. boiling water
3/4 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. Eagle Brand milk

I used the Mini Muffin Tray in the photos above, but you can use any Flexipan Mold or Tray, including the Christmas Tree Mold.


For the first layer put 1-tsp of jello in each cup of the tray, cool 15 min in fridge, the second layer is 1-tsp of the milk mixture, cool 15 min in fridge. Alternate the colors and milk until the cup is as full as you want it.


You can use any color combination you like, I  use the red & green for Christmas. You can put a dollop of whipped topping on the top of each one before serving.


NOTE: I make all the jello and milk mixture up before I start, so it isn't real hot for each additional layer. Sometimes the jello will get a little thick while it sits on the counter so I just heat it up a tiny bit until it is liquid again and continue layering.


Children (even adults) love this colorful, refreshing dessert!

Apple Spice Pancakes

This is what happens at our house on a snow day . . . use what you have available!

2 cups Krusteaz Pancake Mix
1/2 cup oil
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large apple diced
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
dash nutmeg

Mix and pour into Flexipan Tray of choice (make sure the tray is on the Perforated Baking Sheet) - I used the Christmas Tree Tray.

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 min.

Cream Cheese Smoked Bacon Apple Dip

Freeze your favorite dip in your favorite mold and create a centerpiece! 
Best if dip is thick (use cream cheese). 

The recipe for this is a combination of the Apple Blue Cheese Bacon Dip recipe (below the pumpkin cheese cake post) . . . it is an example of how to turn an accident into something savory!

I over-baked the recipe below (forgot to set the alarm) and it ended up with a burnt crust all around it.  So, because I needed it for Thanksgiving, I scraped out the inside (which was not burnt and tasted delicious, but strong) and added it to 16 oz. of softened cream cheese in my mixer.  I whipped it together and then scooped it into my Flexipan Tray.

I froze the cream cheese mixture in the Charlotte Tray (one of my favorites!); once they were frozen, I popped them out and re-wrapped them in plastic wrap and placed them back in the freezer; now I have eight appetizers ready for the holiday season!

Thaw on counter (in serving dish) for at least an hour before serving . . .