Our First Online Party!

I guess I'll get this party started, right. It's almost like being at a school/church dance where you all are being wallflowers waiting for someone to make the first move.  I'm brave enough to do it so I'm hoping this gets the ball rolling. . .  My recipe submission comes from my love of the show Survivor and my all time favorite contestant Boston Rob. Yes the cute guy here, I must have a thing for Italian guys right? If any of you watched the All Star season when he won a million dollars it was amazing.  He had people so far brain washed it was incredible to watch. When the tribes merged he told his original tribe members not to talk to anyone from the other side and they listened!   It was jaw dropping to see how he played these people, it was something I had never seen in the 20+ seasons. These people went in knowing he was a villain of the show!  So in the end everyone respected the fact that he Out Wit, Out live and Out Played them all and handed over the big bucks.  So what does this have to do with food or my recipe? While he was brain washing one of his alliance members someone from the other side walked in on their conversation and he says, "Oh yeah I've heard of Snickers Brownies that you make from a cake mix"  Me being a recipe junkie immediately grab my phone and Google this recipe! Seeing it looked pretty simple to make I tried it and I have say Boston Rob got it right it's pretty yummy! Staying with the theme of candy bars here are some other recipes I like Home Made Twix Bars and Rolo Cake Mix Bars

SNICKER BROWNIES

1 (14 oz.) pkg. caramels 2/3 c. evaporated milk 1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix 3/4 c. melted butter 1 c. chopped nuts 1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips Combine 1/3 cup milk and caramels in saucepan and cook over low heat, stir constantly until melted. Set aside to cool. Combine milk, cake mix, butter and chopped nuts in mixing bowl; mix well. Press 1/2 of the mixture in a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust. Spread caramel mixture over chocolate and then crumble remaining dough over the top. Place back in oven for 12 minutes. Remove and cool. Place in refrigerator before cutting into squares.   MACKELPRANG'S ARE HERE Party Time !!!! .... Janelle was right, I had lots of recipes to choose from in this category and they are all sweet!  The issue for me is that parties are usually a rush job so many recipes I have I haven't tried yet.   So today I'm going to submit not one recipe, not two, but THREE party time recipes!   One recipe is a household favorite, one that my kids ate recently and thought they had died and gone to heaven and then made it twice the following week, followed by a recipe that once you see the picture you will know why it's next on my list to try.     #1  Leah's Fav. Oatmeal & Butterscotch cookie ......OK, so it's really from Better Homes & Garden Cookbooks. Makes: about 48 cookies; Prep: 25 minutes Bake: 8 minutes per batch Ingredients 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional) 1/4 tsp. ground cloves (optional) 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups rolled oats  1 cup semisweet chocolate, butterscotch-flavored, or peanut butter-flavored pieces and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. (see other options below) Directions  (truthfully, we bake a pan or two and put the dough in the freezer...the dough gets eaten before it gets baked) 1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and, if desired, cinnamon and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in rolled oats. 2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Makes about 48 cookies. Oatmeal-Chip Cookies: Prepare as directed, except after stirring in oats, stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate, butterscotch-flavored, or peanut butter-flavored pieces and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. Oversize Oatmeal Cookies: Prepare as directed, except use a 1/4-cup measure or scoop to drop mounds of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press into a 3-inch circle. Bake in the 375 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Makes about 10 cookies. Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies: Prepare as directed, except after stirring in oats, stir in 1 cup raisins or snipped dried tart cherries and, if desired, 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Nutrition Facts: Servings Per Recipe about 48 cookies; Calories 84, Total Fat (g) 4, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 17, Sodium (mg) 51, Carbohydrate (g) 12, Fiber (g) 0, Protein (g) 1.   #2  Cinnabun Popcorn  (Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans & White Chocolate)  Recipe by Our Best Bites    Ingredients: 12 C    popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)  * see alternatives below  1 C     roughly chopped pecans  1 C      brown sugar 3/4 tsp   cinnamon 1/4 C  Karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)      1      stick real butter (1/2 C) 1/2 tsp.   baking soda 1 tsp.   vanilla 3 squares almond bark * Options: You can use air popped or microwave popcorn. If using microwave, anything works, but I prefer a “natural” flavor that’s low in butter and salt. Directions: Preheat oven to 250 degrees 1.    Pop popcorn and chop pecans.  Place both in a large bowl and set aside.  (And by large bowl, I mean like, twice as big as you think you really need. Otherwise, the scorching hot caramel goo will burn your hands.) 2.    Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a big, microwave-safe bowl. Like a 2-quart bowl or Pyrex measuring bowl. Again, use a bowl larger than you think you need. 3.    Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup (or honey) over the top of everything. 4.    Microwave on high for 30 seconds (just to soften the butter a bit) and then stir to combine. 5.    Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more until nice and bubbly.  You can microwave it a little longer, but just beware that if you overcook; you do not want hard candy stage. 6.    Remove from the microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda.  The vanilla makes it bubble and pop and the baking soda makes it foam up. 7.    Now take that foamy sauce and pour it right over the popcorn and pecans. Stir right away, and stir lots. Keep stirring until everything is well coated.  Take too long and the caramel will harden on you. 8.    Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. It will be chewy and stick-to-your-teeth-like. That will change after you place it in oven and bake for 30 -35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until it’s crunchy when you sample it. 9.    Give it a final stir and let it cool off for a bit while you melt your almond bark (just nuke it in the microwave according to the package directions)*Mess free option: If you want, you can spread out your caramel corn on a clean piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.   Otherwise it sticks to the hot foil of the original pan.  10 Now, just use a fork and drizzle the melted almond bark over the popcorn mixture. 11 pop it in the fridge to speed the hardening process;  break into chunks and enjoy! #3 Untried, but will make this year... I recently came across these fabulous ideas by Melissa and Kellie from Icing Designs (here's the link)!  Actually there are 8 designs shown on the link, the others are more suitable for a baby shower or wedding reception.   Who ever thought marshmallows could look SO delicious?   Picture #1:   Chocolate Peanut Butter –    Dip your marshmallow in melted peanut butter chips, let it dry and dip again half way up in melted milk chocolate.     Picture #2:  Smores -     Dip in milk chocolate and roll in crushed graham crackers. -- Hope

Lots of Reasons to Celebrate!

The Johnson's are known for partying right? Well, we have many things to celebrate so we're throwing a huge online party and everyone's invited!  LOL For those of you that are scratching your head wondering what I'm talking about here's the low down. Brandon Johnson received the Priesthood in March (Wow he's already 12!), Robert Taylor graduate from BYU with his MASTERS Degree (and he's going to Europe so I'll expect some recipes when you get back Robert or a featured post on the food you ate so this is your advance notice ;) ), Marsha finished her dental hygiene schooling (YEAH, you must be so glad that's over now for the boards Good Luck!) and we have a new family member Kayla Mackelprang (Welcome to the family Kayla.) Lana you were not missed we will be throwing you a virtual Baby Shower soon! So lets all celebrate these exciting events by sharing your favorite party time recipe.  It can be sweet or salty but knowing this family it will probably be more sweet! Just email me the recipe and I'll post it ASAP. And the party starts . . . . NOW! and by the way leave comments when you visit so we know you stopped by!

Hope's Mother's Day Meal

So maybe it's already after Mother's Day, but with Richard's wedding and my Johnson trip to Washington DC, I feel confident that I will be pardoned.

Here's the full menu with a tidbit about the story behind it:

 

1. BBQ Ribs
2.  Spinach Salad with Heath chips (Romney's)
3. Cowboy Caviar aka Mexican Bean Salsa- Love, love, love - my body craves this.  I make it year round, but it is a ward 4th of July tradition here in Cary 2nd ward (Younce Family) I got the recipe at an enrichment meeting a few years back from a woman who gardens and swears by easy and fresh foods.  I tasted it and never forgot how wonderful it was.
4. Angel Food cake with fresh sliced sugared Strawberries  - no recipe provided.  I think this has always been a favorite dessert of mine.   

For the BBQ Ribs - Outback Style

                 Baby Back Pork Ribs (get from Costco/Sams)

                 slather them BBQ sauce 

                  Bake in the oven  and cover with tinfoil.  Bake @ 350 for  30 minutes for 1 rack and 40 minutes for two.  Cook until barely done - don't over cook.

                  Heat up BBQ grill 

                 Remove tinfoil,  put meat on the hot BBQ grill.  Pour the juice from the oven pan over the ribs.  The point is to use the grill to carmelize the juices and give it   a BBQ flavor.   Cook until carmelized and black stripes are on the meat.  (about 5-10 minutes per side depending on several factors:  amount of juice, amount of BBQ sauce in your juice and the heat of your grill).     EAT!!!  

For the Spinach Salad with Heath chips, Strawberries & Poppyseed Dressing

 

Ingredients:

 Feeds:  8 generous servings

Salad:

·         1 bag washed spinach

·         1 head romaine lettuce

·         1 lb. strawberries sliced (works with less)

·         1 bag chocolate covered or regular  Heath Bits  (only used a small portion)

Dressing (Sweet):  (Makes 2 Cups worth - enough for 2-3 of the above salads)

·         1 cup light mayonnaise  (Heilmans has the best flavor)

·         ¾ cup milk (adjust to preferred consistency)

·         ½ cup sugar (more or less to taste)

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         1 tsp yellow mustard

·         1-2 Tbsp. rice vinegar  (I use 2)

·         1-2 tsp. poppy seeds    (I use 2)

Directions:

·         Mix the greens.  

·         Just before serving toss in the strawberries, dressing, and Heath Bits.

 

For the Cowboy Caviar  aka  Black Bean Salsa   2 15 oz. Cans of black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup frozen corn kernels or one can corn, drained one large tomato, chopped ½ bunch cilantro, diced finely 8 green onions or  1/2 Cup purple onion chopped fine 4 Tbl. Fresh lime juice 2 Tbl. Balsamic vinegar ½ teas. Ground cumin ½ teas salt; pepper to taste.   If tastes bland, add more salt. Optional:  I clove garlic Mix together, chill and serve

--
Hope