Homemade Mounds Bars–Save Room for Dessert

Homemade Mounds Candy Bars
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
2 cups powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (14 ounce) bag flaked coconut
24 ounces dark chocolate chips
  • Mix the first four ingredients together. The mixture will be very firm.
  • Form into desired shape (I formed mine into an oval shape). Place on cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate for about an hour.
  • Melt chocolate chips in the microwave on 10 second intervals in a microwave safe bowl.
  • Dip coconut bars into melted chocolate. After covering each bar with chocolate I placed them on the end of a fork and tapped them on the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate.
  • Place each bar on wax paper and allow chocolate to harden.
I got 25 candy bars out of this mixture.
Please come visit me at Paper Plates and China

PARTY MEATBALLS

These are a great recipe for a potluck or buffet.
I always make too much on purpose because the leftovers freeze so well.

MEATBALLS*

2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, finely minced
1/2 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon minced garlic from the jar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 jumbo egg, beaten

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and blend well.
  • Shape into 1 inch balls.
  • Place meatballs on un-greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes until browned and baked through.
  • For frozen meatballs, put the sauce in the crock pot first and then stir in frozen meatballs. They’ll be ready in 3-4 hours.

*I sometimes cheat and buy the bags of meatballs from Costco or Sam’s Club

SAUCE
3/4 cup cranberry sauce**

3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 3/4 cups Heinz chili sauce
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin slivers

  • In a large saucepan combine jelly, chili sauce and vinegar.
  • Bring to a soft boil and simmer 5 minutes stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
  • Layer meatballs, peppers and spicy sauce in crock pot.
  • Warm meatballs in sauce for 3-4 hours before serving.

**I always have some leftover from Thanksgiving or Christmas at this time of year.

You can put all the leftovers in the freezer together. Be sure to thaw them thoroughly before reheating.

TAILGATING TIME 2.0

IT’S OFFICIAL – FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE!
We have decided to make a change this year in the way Tailgating Time will work. Instead of a new linky for each week we will be using the same linky to keep all the great recipes in one place. This will provide easy access to the recipes and create one big awesome recipe index collection. There is no limit to how many you add – of course we hope you will add a new recipe each and every week! Tailgating Time will generally be posted each week on Sundays at noon.

It doesn’t matter if you are a football fan or not, great party food is always a good thing. Bring over your grilled goods, chips and dips, appetizers, chili and chowders, cocktails, or any recipes that would be great for the football party buffet!

If any of you would like to host along with us you can click –> get the InLinkz code to add the linky to your blog too. You can post it once in awhile or every week during football season, that’s up to you. The only thing we ask is that you leave a comment here to let us know you are co-hosting, and that you visit and comment on as many of the participants as you can. 
 
 We can’t wait to see what you will bring to the party. Let the games begin. Whoo-hoo!

TACO SOUP – SIMPLY DELICIOUS SUNDAY

Taco Soup Adapted from Paula Deen
Serves 12 to 16
2 pounds ground beef

2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Directions:  Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

Modifications:
-I cut this recipe in half.  There was still more than enough.
-I elminated the stewed tomatoes.


Here’s what you’ll need:
  • Diced up one onion.
  • Brown the ground beef and add the onions.
  • Once cooked, transfer the drained meat and onions to a crockpot.

  • Add the beans.
  • Drain and add the corn.
  • Add the tomatoes.
  • Add the green chilies and the black olives. 
  • Add the taco seasoning and the ranch seasoning. 
  • Cook for 6-8 hours and here’s what you’ll end up with:
  • Garnish with chips, sour cream, green onions, jalapenos, guacamole, lettuce . . . taco stuff.
Our Thoughts:
We thought this dish was pretty good.  It reminded me of just a chunky chili (except I didn’t add any chili powder).  The whole time I was eating it, I kept thinking that it would make great nachos or even a “chili/taco” dog.
Scott said that he really enjoyed it and that it would be great football food.  I think that I will actually make this for my next football party instead of chili to see how it goes over.

CHICKEN KIEV

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 large whole eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
2 cups Panko crumbs + 1/4 cup for filling
1/4 bag frozen broccoli florets, chopped
salt and pepper to taste for chicken pieces
Safflower oil for frying

  • Combine butter, parsley, tarragon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
  • Fold in broccoli floret pieces.
  • Place mixture on plastic wrap or waxed paper and roll into small log; place in freezer.
  • Place chicken breasts, 1 at a time, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Spray chicken lightly with water as well as the top of the plastic wrap. Pound to no less than 1/8-inch thickness. Season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper.
  • Lay 1 chicken breast on a new piece of plastic wrap and place 1/4 of the compound butter and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs in the center of each breast. Using the plastic wrap to assist, fold in ends of breast and roll breast into a log, completely enclosing the butter; roll very tightly. Repeat with each breast. 
  • Place chicken in refrigerator for 2 hours, or up to overnight.
  • Place egg and water mixture in 1 pie pan and 2 cups bread crumbs in a different pie pan.
  • Heat 1/2-inch of safflower oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat until oil reaches 375 degrees F.
  • Dip each breast in the egg mixture and then roll in the bread crumbs. 
  • Gently place each breast in oil, sealed-side down, and cook until golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. 
  • Remove to a cooling rack set in sheet pan and allow to drain for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Eggnog Fudge

eggnog-fudge-sl-1675060-l

 

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup refrigerated eggnog
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped red candied cherries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
  1. Line an 8″X4″ loaf pan with aluminum foil; butter foil, and set aside.
  2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a 4-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Wash down crystals from sides of pan, using a pastry brush dipped in hot water. Insert a candy thermometer into eggnog mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 238°. Remove from heat and cool, undisturbed, until temperature drops to 190° (15 to 18 minutes).
  3. Stir in pecans and remaining 3 ingredients; beat with a wooden spoon until fudge thickens and just begins to lose its gloss (5 to 8 minutes). Pour candy into prepared pan. Cool completely; cut into squares.

Christmas with Southern Living, 2005, Southern Living
JUNE 2005

 

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Happy Christmas…