Thursday, October 31, 2013

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds


When the carving is done, the fun is not over.
It's time to toast those pumpkin seeds!
Before you throughout you pumpkin pulp
Save those Seeds!

Ingredients:
Pumpkin Seeds(fresh)
2 tablespoon of Oil (olive)
1 tablespoon Sea Salt
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin

Directions:
1. Wash seeds.

2. Dry seeds by patting with paper towels.

3. Coat seeds with oil.
4. Mix sea salt, chili powder, and cumin together.
5. Coat seeds with seasoning mixture.

6. Place an even layer onto baking sheet.

7. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

             Eat 'em up!



Wednesday, October 30, 2013

What's your cookbook style?

I can't believe I even shared this picture of my recipes.
This is my go to recipes.
They have becoming faded & stained but I've been afraid to change.
You see I may never find an organizational style that will work as well as this one. 
I really did see all of your eyes roll...


When I started the Sookz Nook Blog one of my main goals was to organize and redo my recipes. That's has lead me to looking, looking, and thinking and thinking about what method and style will be best for me. I'm leaning toward a ring style or possibly even a binder with laminate pages. A card system isn't altogether a bad idea but I don't think it's for me. I've thought to have them put into a bound book possibly using Blurb or maybe another photo site such as that. 

So..let me in on what your style is...
Have you gone totally high tech and keep everything on line?
What is your cookbook style?


Monday, October 28, 2013

Mummy Men

This is almost too simple to even post but the kids just loved them.
It really just a new version of the Pig-in-a Blanket
but how cute instead...
Just two ingredients!
Canned biscuits & hot dogs.
Cook about 10 minutes at 350 degrees until golden.

Caramel Candy Apples

Nothing says Fall Festival more than Caramel Candied Apples.


Ingredients:
20 Apples
2 Bags of Kraft Caramels 
Popsicle Sticks
Fisher's Nut Topping


1.  Start by washing your apples is mild detergent, rinsing and drying. The caramel will not stick if you do not do this first. 
2. Boil watering in a double boiler over low to medium heat. Unwrap caramels, place in top of boiler along with 4 tablespoon of water. Stirring until caramels are melted.
3. Remove candies from the heat.
4. Dip apples one at a time into caramel coating them.
5. Dip apples bottoms into nuts to coat.
6. Refrigerate apples until chilled and caramel is set.

Tips: You can spoon left over caramel over apples before placing them in the refrigerator for more coverage. 
Candies and sprinkles can be added to fancy them up.
Depending on the age of the children eating you could use dowel sticks, branches from trees can make a spookier appearance, or you can even color the tips of your popsicle sticks with a permanent marker.



Dirt Cake

I'm so glad you here. Today I'm making Dirt Cake.
This desert is always a crowd pleaser but especially at Halloween.
A few gummie worms and you've got yourself  a wiggly-giggly desert for your 
gathering.
My recipe works great in a 9 x 13 dish.


Ingredient:
2 packages of Oreo cookies~My original recipe calls for 1 package
                                                   but sometimes to be excessive is a 
                                                   good thing.
12 ounce block of cream cheese~room temperature
3 large boxes instant chocolate pudding (5.9 ounce)~crushed
4 3/4 cups of Milk
8 ounces Whip Topping (Cool Whip) ~thawed
6 tablespoons margarine or butter
Gummie Worms

Directions:
1. Pour milk into large mixing bowl.
2. Add pudding mix and Whisk until blended.Set aside for about 5 minutes. 
3. Cream margarine and cream cheese together.
4. Stir into pudding.
5. Fold-in whipped topping.
6. Layer bottom of pan with crushed cookies.
7. Fold-in half of remaining crushed cookies.
8. Pour into pan or dish.
9. Cover cake with the remaining crushed cookies.
10. Add your gummies.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Do You Have Your Staples?




Well...no...
not that kind of staple,
your 
Kitchen Staples.








Just as this office staple holds you papers together, your Kitchen Staples is what will truly hold your kitchen and your foods together.

I since a big eyeroll coming on...

I thought I'd do a little post on the items I find to be a necessity in the kitchen. This will probably seem redundant to the avid cooks out there and may vary depending on your cooking styles  but after a few conversations at the breakroom table I learned that a lot of people really don't know what they are and really don't keep them on hand.
I have found keeping certain items on hand keeps me reassured I can put a warm satisfying meal on the table most anytime.

Here's a list of items that I  never prefer to be without:

1. Self-Rising Flour~ This is by far, my number one "must keep" it item. I can't tell you how
                                    many I have been able to pull a cooked meal together with not much
                                    more than 3 ingredients and usually this would be a key ingredient. 
2. Seasoning  ~~~~~  This would be my salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, onion salt.
                                    I generally  keep quite a few more but these are the ones I almost
                                    am never without.
3.Cooking Oil  ~~~~  I most always keep regular vegetable oil but I most likely have other
                                  oils in stock as well. Those being vegetable shortening and olive oil.
4.Sugar    ~~~~~~~    I always keep regular granulated. I try not to run out of brown and
                                    powdered sugar.
5.Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix~Corn bread, corn muffins, etc....it's a must.
6.Milk
7.Eggs
8.Peanut Butter ~~~ Anyone with children understands this one but also there's many
                                   recipes to be bettered-up with a dollop of peanut butter.
9.Cream of Chicken Soup~Whether it's a pot of soup, a casserole, or even poured
                                   over some meat. It comes in very handy.
10.Plain Flour ~~~~~ If the truly flaky pie crust is what I'm after; I'm going to want it.
                                   It's also good for breading or coating.
11.Mayonnaise ~~~ We like mayo in this house but I also have quite a few recipes
                                   I use it in, also (You'd never know it's there)
12.Loaf Bread
13.Saltine Crackers
14.Stock or Broth
15.Canned Tomatoes
16.Potatoes(a bag and a box of flakes)
17.Beans(canned or dried)
18.Rice
19.Spaghetti Sauce
20.Pasta Noodles

Well now you have it! My must haves.
I didn't list coffee and tea; I'm sure those two things are  understood.
                                    


Friday, October 18, 2013

White Chocolate Autumn Bark


Welcome! Today, I've been making White Chocolate Autumn Bark.
This recipe is so simple and easy to alter that I can't get enough of it.
 This recipe requires no baking, so it's the perfect recipe to get the kids in the kitchen 
for some real fun.
Ingredients:
Bag of Pretzels
Brach's Autumn Candy Mix
3 Bags of Hershey's White Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
2. Crush pretzel to a good bite size.
3. Melt chocolate according to package direction.
4. Stir-in pretzels and Brach's Candy Mix.
5. Spread onto cookie sheet in a thin layer.
6.Let candy harden.
7. Break into pieces.