Corn & Black Bean Salsa

I got this recipe from my wonderful sister-in-law.  This salsa is good with chips and also is good in a chicken tortilla.

1 cup cooked wheat berries
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (14.25 oz) can corn, drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small red onion, diced
¼ cup lime juice
1 tsp cumin
1 bunch cilantro, diced

Mix together and serve with tortilla chips.

Here are ways to cook wheat-

Stovetop Wheat Berries
1 cup wheat berries
4 cups water

Boil for 60-70 minutes, topping with water as needed. You can reduce cooking time to 50-60 minutes if you pre-soak your wheat overnight (you can boil them in the same water you soaked them in). Drain after cooking, when wheat is tender.

Crockpot Wheat Berries
4 cups raw whole wheat
10 cups water
1 TBSP salt

Oil a large (4 quart or larger) slow cooker and fill with wheat, water, and salt. Cover and cook on low all night, 8-10 hours.

**unless you want a lot of wheat berries I would half the recipe at least!
I added the can of Rotel Tomatoes in this recipe and it turned out great and gave the salsa a little more kick.

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

This is a Recipe by ourbestbites.com and what a yummy neighborhood treat to give out for the holidays.  I love the peppermint flavor and of course the chocolate!  What a great movie treat this would be!

Ingredients
16-20 C popped popcorn* (fresh, or about 2 bags microwave popcorn)
1 lb almond bark
1 6 ounce box candy canes, crushed (about 1 generous cups, Bob’s brand are best!)
2 teaspoons peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint oil to taste
3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
*if you’re using microwave popcorn, try to find an unbuttered or “natural” kind because this looks much prettier if the popcorn isn’t bright yellow!  Lightly salted is fine, but avoid heavy buttered.

Instructions
Place popcorn in a very large mixing bowl.
Melt almond bark according to package instructions.  When completely melted, add extract or peppermint oil.  If using extract, it’s normal for the almond bark to seize (get lumpy) which is okay, just stir very quickly, the more you wait the more it will seize.
Pour melted almond bark mixture over popcorn and pour crushed candy canes on top.  Stir to evenly coat.  Pour popcorn out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil and spread out.
Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.  Drizzle over popcorn mixture.  Let mixture dry completely until chocolate and almond bark are hardened.   You may place in the fridge to speed process along.

When chocolate is hardened, use your hands to break up popcorn into chunks. Toss in a bowl, a jar, a cute package, or in your mouth

Microwave Caramels

•  Another recipe found online.  This was my first attempt at homemade caramels and they tasted great!  It's a simple and a great neighbor treat for Christmas.
•  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light Karo syrup
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Cook 6 minutes, stirring every two minutes.
3. Stir and pour into lightly greased dish.
4. Let cool.
5. Cut, wrap in wax paper and store in air tight container.

Reindeer Feed

Such a simple and yummy Christmas treat!  I love the peppermint flavor!

Ingredients:

5 to 6 cups Rice Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal

1 bag (12 oz) white vanilla baking chips (2 cups)
1/3 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candy canes (14 miniature, unwrapped)

1. Line cookie sheet with foil or waxed paper. {I just put wax paper on the counter top.} Place cereal in large bowl.

2. In microwavable bowl, microwave white vanilla baking chips uncovered on high about 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips can be stirred smooth and melted. Stir in half the crushed peppermint candy.
3.  After Chex cereal has been covered with white chocolate, spread on wax paper and sprinkle some more crushed peppermint on top.  Let it cool for 15-20 minutes until chocolate has hardened.  Enjoy!

Craig's Yummy Brownies

If you like chocolate and caramel this is the brownie for YOU!  This yummy recipe is from one of my co-workers.  The Chocolate and caramel are so good together which makes this an irresistible brownie!

1 pkg Chocolate cake mix
35-40 Kraft caramels
1/3 C evaporated milk
1 cube butter
1/3 C evaporated milk
chocolate chips and nuts- optional

Melt caramels and 1/3 C evaporated milk in microwave or stove. 
Mix cake mix with 1/3 C evaporated milk and melted butter together.  Press 1/2 mixture into 9x13 pan.
Bake 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.  Pour melted caramels on top.  Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts if desired.  Crumble rest of the cake mixture on top.  Bake additional 17 to 19 minutes.  Enjoy!

Rainbow Jello

Yes, I do admit this took at LONG time to make but the different colors of jello made it pleasing to the eye.   This is a fun recipe to try out on kids.

1 (3 ounce) package black cherry flavored gelatin mix

1 (3 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin

1 (3 ounce) package lime flavored gelatin mix

1 (3 ounce) package lemon flavored gelatin

1 (3 ounce) package orange flavored gelatin mix

1 (3 ounce) package orange-pineapple flavored gelatin

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

9 cups boiling water

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

Directions

1. In a bowl mix the black cherry gelatin with 1-1/2 cups boiling water and let it cool to room temperature. Put in a 9x13 pan and place in the fridge to set for about 30 min.
2. Next prepare cherry flavored gelatin with 1 cup boiling water and when jello cools to room tempurature add 1/2 cup evaporated milk and mix well.  Slowly pour on top of Black cherry jello when the jello has "set" in the fridge.
3. Continue to follow those steps to the lime, orange and strawberry flavored gelatins (mixing with 1 1/2 C boiling water) and with the lemon and orange-pineapple gelatins mixing 1 C boiling water and adding 1/2 C evaporated milk when jello has come to room temp.  **Alternate each layer with the jello that has evaporated milk in it.**

Be sure the jello has set before pouring another layer on top.  Be sure to pour each layer of jello slowly.

Ginger Spice Cookies

Another online recipe that reminds me of fall time.  These cookies are delicious!

3/4 C Butter flavored Crisco*
1 C sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/4 C molasses
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt

*I made these with butter once and they flattened like pancakes. Shortening actually turned out with a much better texture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
With an electric mixer, combine shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and the molasses and beat until completely incorporated.

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and then add to the mixture. Stir until combined.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you start to see “crackling” on the top.

They’ll puff up while they’re baking and as they cool down they will flatten.  Don’t overbake! You want to keep them nice and chewy-soft in the middle