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.

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.

                                    

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.