Dreamy Double Chocolate Malts

What You Need:

1 pint chocolate swirl ice cream, softened
1/2 C of milk, divided
1 pint of chocolate ice cream, softened
1/2 C of malted milk balls, chopped
2 tbsp malted milk powder
Canned whipped topping

How to Make It:

Place the chocolate swirl ice cream into the blender.
Pour 1/4 C of milk over the ice cream.
Blend the mixture until smooth.
Pour into 4 glasses and top each glass with 1 tbsp of the chopped milk balls.
Place the glasses in the freezer.
Place the chocolate ice cream into the blender and pour in 1/4 C of milk.
Add the malted milk powder and blend until smooth.
Spoon the chocolate malt mixture into each of the glasses.
Add a squirt of whipped topping and garnish with the remaining malted milk balls.

Makes 4 servings

Who doesn’t love a good malt? The kids will enjoy making these tasty treats. Use their favorite ice cream flavors for something a little different each time they make them. Its ok you can enjoy one with them YUM!

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Total Time: approximately 20 minutes

Strawberry Cookie Cake

What You Need:

1 (18 oz.) pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough
2 tbsp of sugar
1 qt. of fresh strawberries, washed, stems removed and sliced
1 (3.4 oz.) box of instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
1 C of cold milk
1 1/2 C of frozen whipped topping, thawed

How to Make It:

Allow the oven to preheat to 350 degrees.
Turn two nine inch round cake pans upside down and cover them both with foil.
Remove the foil, turn the pans over and carefully line each pan with the fitted foil.
Remove the cookie dough and cut in half.
Fit the dough pieces into the prepared cake pans and press it out with your fingers to cover the bottom of the pan all the way to the edges.
Sprinkle the sugar evenly over both pieces of dough.
Bake the dough for 20 minutes or until a light golden brown.
Place the pans on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the baked dough from the pans using the foil as handles.
Place them back on the wire racks and cool for 20 minutes.
Place the pudding mix into a bowl.
Add the milk and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Fold the whipped topping into the mixture well.
Remove the foil from 1 cookie layer and place the cookie layer on a plate.
Spread half of the pudding mixture over the cookie layer.
Top with half of the sliced strawberries.
Repeat the layers again using 1/2 of the remaining pudding mix and all the strawberries.
Top with dollops of the remaining pudding mixture.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 8 servings

This shortcake can be a little messy to make. Be sure to teach your children about being clean in the kitchen. It’s important they learn food handling, washing their hands and keeping a clean working space. Let them fancy up their cake by adding a few whole strawberries as garnish.

Preparation Time: approximately 30 minutes
Baking Time: approximately 20 minutes
Cooling Time: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: approximately 2 hours 20 minutes

Special Chocolate Scones

chocchips

chocobakingsheetWhat You Need:

2 C of flour
4 T + 1 t of sugar, divided
2 t baking powder
1/2 t of salt
1 stick + 2 T of unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 C of semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg yolk
1/2 C of half and half, chilled

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 375 degrees preheating the oven.
Place the oven rack into the center of the oven.
Spray a baking sheet with a non stick cooking spray and set aside.
Place the flour and 4 T of sugar into a mixing bowl.
Add the baking powder and salt and whisk to blend.
Add the butter to the flour mixture.
Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Whisk the egg yolk and half and half together in a small mixing bowl.
Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture.
Using a fork toss the mixture until a soft dough forms.
Lightly flour a cutting board or flat surface.
Place the dough on the flour.
Knead using your hands 6 times then form the dough into a disk.
Cut the disk into 6 equal size pieces.
Place the cut dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the 6 disks.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a golden brown on the bottom.
Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Makes 6 scones

Serve these special scones warm with a little cream or whipped topping. These scones are best if eaten on the day they were baked. If you have leftovers they can be reheated by wrapping them in foil and placing them on a baking sheet. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Christmas Cooking Grocery List

grocery-list

grocery-listCooking at Christmas is stressful enough without the hassle of forgetting something from the store. Every cook has been through it at least once and it makes for extra stress and bedlam. This grocery list will help with making sure you don’t have to experience that again.

Each holiday, most of us prepare the same things. There are favorite family dishes that we prepare year after year. That goes for desserts as well. Yet with the stress during the holiday it’s easy to forget. Be sure that the kitchen cupboards are stocked with the items you use the most.

The short list for your pantry or cupboard should include:

• Flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Dry yeast
• White, brown and powdered sugar
• Chocolate squares, chips and cocoa powder
• An assortment of chopped nuts
• Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper
• Honey
• Cooking oil and shortening
• Vinegar
• Beef, chicken or vegetable broth
• Dried fruits
• Assorted vegetables such as onions, garlic and potatoes
• Rice
• Dried pasta

You may find you need other items on this list depending on your tastes, likes and dislikes.

Stock the fridge with the following items:

• Milk
• Butter and/or margarine
• Sour cream
• Eggs
• Lemon juice
• Half and half

This list is also short and can be expanded upon according to your own personal needs.

There are also essentials that need to be stored in the freezer:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Pie crusts
• Juice concentrates
• Whipped topping
• Ice cubes

There are many staples necessary when it comes to Christmas cooking. Make your list and check it twice to be sure you don’t have to make that dreaded run to the store at the last minute.

Fruited Picnic Salad

fruited-salad

fruited-saladWhat You Need:

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges with juice
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice
1/3 C of sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 C elbow macaroni, cooked
1 C whipped topping
1/4 C pecans, chopped

How to Make It:

Drain the juice from the two cans of fruit and pour into a 1 C measuring cup.
Add enough water to the juice to make 1 C.
Place the fruit into a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
Place the sugar into a large saucepan.
Add the flour and salt to the saucepan and toss to combine.
Stir the juice water mixture into the pan and stir until smooth
Cook the mixture over medium high heat, stirring continuously, 5 minutes or until thick.
Reduce the heat to low, cook 1 minute stirring continuously.
Remove the pan from the heat and remove 1 T of the mixture.
Stir the 1 T of mixture into the egg until well blended.
Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and stir until combined.
Place the pan back on medium heat and bring it to a gentle boil.
Cook 2 minutes stirring constantly then remove from the pan from the heat.
Place the cooked and cooled macaroni into a bowl.
Pour the sauce over the macaroni and stir until coated well.
Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or overnight.
Before serving, fold in the chilled fruit, whipped topping and sprinkle with the pecans.

Makes 8 servings

Although this salad sounds sweet it really isn’t. There is also no macaroni taste to this salad. It’s just a nice refreshing salad to serve on a hot July day. Add maraschino cherries