French Breakfast Muffins

My kids always eat the top of these muffins first, but the bottom half is equally delicious!

-Aunt Kristi

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup if only dipping top)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 15 (12) muffin tins (I use paper liners). Thoroughly mix shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and egg together. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg alternately with milk. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes. In separate bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together.

Immediately after baking, roll muffins in melted butter, then in cinnamon mixture. Serve hot.

Mango Salsa

I love the savory/sweet flavors of mango salsa. This recipe is a combination of several different recipes and was quite tasty!

3 medium ripe mangos, peeled, pittted and diced
1-1/2 cups diced seeded roma tomatoes
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chilies or if you like more heat: 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup each diced green, red and yellow bell peppers (whatever you have on hand)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. lime juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 -1/2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. lime zest
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.

Warm Bacon Cheese Spread

I've been wanting to try this recipe for a long time and last night's National Championship game provided the perfect opportunity! It took about 1 1/2 hours at 325 for my spread to be heated all the way through. Yummy 'loaded potato' type flavor. Make sure you have extra bread cubes on hand!

-Kristin Topham

1 (1 lb.) round loaf sourdough bread
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c. chopped green onions

Cut the top fourth of the loaf of bread; carefully hollow out the bottom, leaving a 1 inch shell. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese. Add the sour cream, Cheddar, and Worcestershire sauce until combined; stir in bacon and onions. Spoon into bread shell. Wrap in a piece of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 325 for 1 hour (1 1/2 hours) or until heated through. Serve with crackers and reserved bread cubes. Makes 4 cups.

Caramel Cereal Snack Mix

This is super yummy and addictive! A new family favorite!

-Taste of Home

8 cups Corn Pops cereal
1 cup salted peanuts
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a large bowl, combine cereal and peanuts; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Mine came to about 165 degrees)

Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda (mixture will foam). Immediately pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat.

Spread into two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans (I used my roasting pan). Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in airtight containers. Yield: 14 cups.

Fruit Turkeys

It's a little late to use this idea for Thanksgiving, but these turkeys still provide a fun way to get some healthy fruit into little bodies!

-Family Fun?

Pears

Oranges

Apples

Cashews

Raisins

Mini Marshmallows

Chocolate Chips

Perky Olive Penguins

How cute are these?! I come from an olive-loving family, and family functions wouldn't be the same without kids and their olive-topped fingers. We don't often have olives at our house, since Paige and I are the only ones that like them, but I recently came across this cute appetizer recipe, and she and I had a fun time today making them together!

I swapped out the horseradish and seasonings for some ranch dip mix, and recommend drying the pimentos with a paper towel before trying to assemble the penguins.

-Adapted from Taste of Home

Jumbo pitted olives, drained
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. powdered ranch dressing mix
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4 inch slices
Small pitted olives, drained
12 toothpicks with cellophane frilled tops
1 jar (2 oz) sliced pimentos

Cut a slit from the top to bottom of 12 jumbo olives; set aside. In a bowl, combine the next six ingredients; mix well. Fill a small heavy-duty plastic bag with cream cheese mixture. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag; carefully pipe mixture into jumbo olives. Set aside.

Cut a small triangle out of each carrot slice; press triangles into small olives for a beak. On a each notched carrot slice, position a jumbo olive so the white chest is lined up with the notch. Place the small olive, hole side down, over the jumbo olive so the beak, chest and feet are aligned. Carefully insert a toothpick through the top of head into body and carrot base. Wrap a pimiento around neck for a scarf. Yield: 1 dozen.

Layered Holiday Jigglers

Have you ever made Jello pinwheels? They were my culinary masterpieces in middle school! :) These festive jigglers are my own spin off of the pinwheel recipe and reminiscent of my mom's layered jello. My kids love these!

1 (6 oz.) pkg lime Jello (or flavor/color of choice)
1 cup warm water
3 cups mini marshmallows
1 (6 oz.) pkg cherry Jello (or flavor/color of choice)
1 cup boiling water

Lightly spray 11x17 or 9x13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix lime Jello and 1 cup warm water in 2 quart micro-waveable bowl. Microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes. Stir to dissolve completely. Add marshmallows to Jello. Microwave 1 more minute or until marshmallows are almost melted. Stir until completely melted and mixture is smooth (creamy layer will float to top).Pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate 45 minute or until set.

After lime layer has set, mix cherry Jello and 1 cup boiling water, and stir to dissolve completely. Gently pour of over lime/marshmallow layers. Chill until set and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.