MEATBALL SUB

(slow cooker recipe)
I make my meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. Make up several pounds of beef, freeze them in ziploc freezer bags, and then pull out what you need for dinner. These simmer all day in the crockpot and smell so good! Perfect for a weeknight when you want something hot, but everyone has to eat quick and go.

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
garlic salt
salt and pepper
1 tbsp milk
2 cans (15oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

8 Hoagie buns

Mix beef, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper and milk in large bowl.
Shape into small bite size balls.
Cook in hot skillet, turning, until completely cooked. At this point you can let them cool, and freeze them. Or, use them immediately.
Put your meatballs in a crockpot set on low with the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning.
Cook for 6 hours. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Place about 5 meatballs on each hoagie, with sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Bake until cheese turns golden brown, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

*ICE CREAM FLOAT*

Choose your preferred pop for this easy and creamy favourite drink. :)) A recipe from way back... :)) YUMMY!!! :))

1 can (355 ml) pop (rootbeer, orange, cream soda)
1 to 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 fresh cherry or strawberry, for garnish (optional)

Pour cold soda into large glass.
Add 1 to 2 scoops of vanilla cream.
Garnish with cherry or strawberry if desired.
Yield: 1 serving.

PEANUT BUTTER M&M COOKIES

Despite the little m&m cracks, i’d like to crown these cookies the most perfect cookie I’ve ever made. These babies take the cake for tastiest, fluffiest, chewiest, and peanut buttery-est cookie I’ve ever baked.... I bought a bag of Easter colored M&Ms with the intention of just eating them but decide to bake with them instead.

Makes 2 dozen small-ish cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temp
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Easter M&Ms

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand alone mixer, cream the butter and sugars together.

Stir in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order).

Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix.

Fold in the m&ms and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drop chilled dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet or silpat.

Bake for 9 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy!

*I accidentally baked for over 10 minutes which is why the M&Ms began to slightly crack. bake these for 9 minutes.
PS- i think you’ll enjoy these sweet eats too

COLORED DEVILED EGGS

I love Easter! and this makes a beautiful dish for your Easter supper. Follow this recipe for how to dye the eggs but then use your favorite recipe for the filling. Enjoy!!! :))

10 large hard boiled eggs
3 dash...s food coloring
1 tsp. vinegar for each color you are using

Remove the shells from the hard boiled eggs and slice each egg in half
Remove the yolks from the egg halves and place in a bowl. Set the yolks aside.
Get enough glasses or mugs for the number of colors you want to use. Fill the mugs or glasses 2/3 of the way full with cold water.
Add 3 drops of desired food coloring along with 1 tsp. vinegar to each mug or cup.
Place egg whites in the mugs and allow to sit in the food coloring until desired color is reached. I could fit 3 egg whites in each of my mugs at a time.
Remove whites from dye and drain on a plate lined with a couple of paper towels.
Then follow your favorite recipe for Deviled Eggs for the filling.

BUNNY CUPCAKES

awesome idea to make with kids and so easy

1 container (16 oz.) vanilla frosting
McCormick Assorted Food Colors and Egg Dye or McCormick Assorted NEON Food Colors and Egg Dye
2 cups flaked coconut
12 unfrosted cupcakes
12 plain donut holes
12 large marshmallows
6 pink jelly beans, halved crosswise
Chocolate sprinkles
Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Tint frosting pink or blue, using 4 drops red or 4 drops NEON blue food color.
Place coconut in resealable plastic bag. Add 4 drops red or 4 drops NEON blue food color to coconut in bag; shake until coconut is evenly tinted.

2. Spread top of each cupcake with tinted frosting.
Press each cupcake into tinted coconut to cover top completely.
Spread donut holes with remaining frosting.
Press a donut hole into top of each cupcake to form the bunny’s head.

3. For the ears, cut a 1/4-inch slice off the flat ends of each marshmallow to make 24 slices.
Dip cut sides of the marshmallow slices into the coconut until completely covered. (Reserve remaining marshmallow pieces.)
Attach 2 marshmallow slices to the head of each bunny with frosting to create ears.

4. Press a jelly bean half into the face for the nose and sprinkles for the whiskers.
Use the chocolate chips for the eyes.
Press the plain marshmallow pieces into the cupcakes for the belly.

To make 6 each pink and blue cupcakes, use 2 drops of each food color in each half batch of frosting and coconut.

For ease in frosting donut holes, first insert small wooden skewer into donut. Use skewer as a handle when frosting donut.
Invert frosted donut onto cupcake then remove skewer.

EASTER CHICKS

Here is a new spin on deviled eggs!
Use black olives for eyes and a carrot sliver as the beak... how cute is this !!! :))

KOOL-EGGS

The Kool-Aid will make your kitchen smell super sweet, you'll get some fantastically vivid results. You can usually pick up five Kool-Aid packets for a few bucks, so this is a fun and inexpensive way to change up your annual eg...g dyeing adventures. Kids will find this soooo exciting.
So let's start with the eggs. Every year, I seem to forget exactly how long to boil them, so here are the directions I use. To make things extra simple for you.

Hard-Boiled Eggs
1. Place eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a large saucepan.
Add enough cold water to just cover the eggs.
Add 1 tsp. of salt to the water to make eggs easier to peel.
Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Water will have large rapidly breaking bubbles.
Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
Drain.
2. Run cold water over eggs or use slotted spoon to place them in a bowl of ice water until cool enough to handle. Drain.
3. Dye eggs after they have cooled or refrigerate in a covered plastic container to minimize odor. Eat eggs within one week.

After your eggs are ready to go, it's time to find some small containers and get your Kool-Aid packets ready to go.
This is really all you need, because Kool-Aid has citric acid in it. No need for vinegar!
Add one packet of Kool-Aid to 2/3 cup of water and stir. That's it. I used both lukewarm and cold water and it didn't really make a difference with how our eggs turned out.
Keep in mind that Kool-Aid powder is pretty messy, so you should do all of the mixing over your sink to prevent your counter tops from turning different colors the next time you wipe them off. (Not that this happened to me or anything.) LOL!!! :))
Finally, you'll need to round up a willing helper or two to do the dipping.
You don't have to leave the eggs in the dye cups very long before you'll see them become quite brightly colored.
The eggs will smell fruity at first but after they dry, they smell and taste like normal hard-boiled eggs.
I will warn you about a couple of colors/flavors that had less than desirable results. Lemonade on its own comes out too light (as does the Pink Lemonade) and Grape will quickly turn dark gray-ish. I remedied this by mixing things up a bit. To get a nice yellow, use one packet of Lemonade mixed with a quarter to half packet of Orange. To get light pink, use one packet of Pink Lemonade and add a little bit of Cherry or Strawberry. To turn the gray/brown Grape egg into an indigo color, add some Berry Blue to the mix.
Hope you have a super cool time making your own rainbow of Kool-Eggs. :))

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BOWLS

This is a fun & easy project, although it can be messy! The chocolate bowls can hold all kinds of goodies including ice cream, mousse, fruit, pretzel sticks, chocolate candy, or any other treat you have in min...d. You can get as creative as you want with using white chocolate that has been colored (with specially formulated coloring oils) and coordinate the theme of your party or event.
We recommend making more balloons than you'll need because chances are good that when you deflate some of the chocolate covered balloons the chocolate might fall apart for one reason or another! You can always reuse the chocolate...don't worry!
Before you begin, make sure to wash and thoroughly dry the balloons.

Balloons (please note: some people are severely allergic to latex. Make sure that if you use latex balloons anybody eating your bowls know you used balloons to make it)

Tips:
Don't use water balloons! They will pop.
The thicker the balloon the better.
Keep in mind that some people are alergic to latex.
If you put the chocolate balloons on waxed paper be careful about the corners of the paper curling and touching the chocolate.
When dipping the balloons, the longer you leave the balloon in the warm chocolate the more likely it will pop (which is a mess!!!), so dip fast & do multiple layers if you need to.

How To Make Chocolate Bowls:
1. Blow up balloons and place them in a bowl to hold them upright. Don't blow them to be bigger than 6-8 inches tall. A lot of people like small bowls that are about the size of a coffee cup. It's up to you. Whatever size you blow up the balloon to be will be the size of your chocolate bowl. You might want to make the balloons slightly different sizes for variety.
2. Spray each balloon (the area you'll be putting the chocolate on) with non-stick spray such as Crisco spray so that the chocolate will release easier.
3. Melt or temper the chocolate using instructions that came with your chocolate. Ideally, use a double boiler (or a double boiler insert). Do not let the water touch the bottom of the double boiler. Only let the water simmer. Do not allow it to boil or you may burn the chocolate. If you must use a microwave, melt on medium heat for short periods being very careful not to overheat the chocolate.
4. Let the chocolate cool for 5 - 10 minutes in a bowl that is sized so that you can dip your balloon into the bowl. The chocolate can't be so hot that it will pop the balloon.

If you want to add a marbleized effect to the chocolate bowl: Pour the base color/flavor of chocolate in the bowl first. Then add a smaller quantity of a second color/flavor of chocolate on top. Swirl lightly with a knife. When you dip the balloons the bowl will look marbleized.

5. There a couple of ways to make your chocolate bowls - or you can combine the methods for added flare. Either way, hold the balloon by the knot.

a. For a solid bowl that looks like flower petals: Holding the knot at a slight angle, dip the ballon in chocolate, then using the opposite angle, dip the balloon again. You may be able to do this 2-4 times. Slowly swirl the balloon around to make an even coat. Then lift the balloon slowly and let some of the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Sometimes the balloons will need to be dipped twice to make sure the chocolate is solid enough.

b. For a not solid bowl: Holding the knot, use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the bottom of the balloon going back and forth in one direction and then in the opposite direction. When drizzling, cover about half of the exposed balloon. Then dip the very bottom of the balloon a couple of inches into the chocolate so you have a nice, solid chocolate bottom. When doing this, you can use more than one chocolate flavor (or colored white chocolate) for added design.

6. After each balloon is dipped, place on a Heavy Weight Dipping Sheet or waxed paper lined tray. The chocolate will start to settle making a flat bottom for the chocolate bowl.
7. After your balloons are finished, move them to a cool area to set up (harden). Hopefully they will fit in your fridge! If so, they will set up in about 10 minutes.
8. After the chocolate is completely set up, it's time to deflate the balloons. Gently remove the chocolate covered balloon from the dipping sheet. If using waxed paper, you might need to slide a knife around the bottom edge to loosen the bottom of the chocolate bowl. Once you remove the balloon, you can use a hat pin to deflate it or cut a small hole in the top of it to deflate it. Make the hole near the area where the balloon is tied.
9. As the balloon deflates it will still be attached to the inside of the chocolate. Very slowly peel the balloon away from the chocolate.
10. You can add additional decorative touches by gently handling the bowl and adding more drizzled chocolate.

Keep the chocolate bowls cool until you plan to use them!

SUPER SPEEDY HOT CROSS BUNS

Not just for Easter, great all year round. :))

4 cups flour
1 env. quick-rising yeast
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins
Grated rind of 2 lemons or 1/4 cup candied peel
1/4 cup water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. water

Set aside 1 cup flour. Combine remaining flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, raisins and lemon rind or peel in large bowl.
Heat water, milk and margarine till hot to touch. Stir hot liquid into dry ingredients. Mix in egg.
Stir in enough flour to make soft dough.
Turn onto board and knead for 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces.
Shape and place on baking sheets.
Cover with tea towel.
Let stand in oven with light on and door closed for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
Cut with scissors or slash with knife to make a cross on top 1/8 inch deep.
Brush on egg yolk and water mixture.
Bake at 375’F for 12 to 15 minutes.
Turn out onto racks to cool.

Glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp. milk or water
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Mix all 3 ingredients together.
When buns are cool, drizzle or make cross symbol with icing sugar.

EASTER HUNT PIE

An easy and delicious dessert to make for the kids or the kids in you!! LOL!!! :))

1 (6 oz.) prepared graham cracker pie crust
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup cold water
1 (4-serving size) package instant vanilla flavor pudding mix
1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
Jelly beans, marshmallow candies or other small Easter candy
Toasted coconut for garnish

BEAT cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Add water and pudding mix; on low speed, beat until smooth.
Gently fold in whipped topping.
SPOON filling into pie crust.
Chill 3 hours.
Garnish top of pie with jelly beans, marshmallow candies and toasted coconut as desired and serve.
* For young children, use holiday marshmallow candies or soft candies.

CRISPY EASTER NESTS

These little nests were so much fun to make and so much fun to share with friends and family. There a great activity to do with kids.

1 jar (7 oz.)marshmallow creme (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp butter or margarine,melted
1 can (5 oz.)chow mein noodles (about 3 cups)
1 cup chopped chocolate candies

Combine marshmallow creme,peanut butter and butter,mix until well blended.
Add noodles and chopped chocolate candies.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets;shape with greased fingers to form nests.
Let stand until firm.
Dust bottom of nests lightly with confectioners sugar,if desired.
Fill with chocolate candies or jelly beans(to look like eggs) before serving.
Makes 10-12 nests.

CADBURY CREAM EGGS COPYCAT RECIPE

If you crave Cadbury Cream Eggs, but hate waiting all year for them to be available. This recipe tastes just like the delicious eggs available in the store, but you don't have to wait until spring to get... some.

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups powdered sugar
4 Drops yellow food coloring
2 Drops red food coloring
1 bag milk chocolate chips (12 ounce)
2 tbsp vegetable shortening

1. Combine the corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Beat well with an electric mixer until smooth.

2. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing by hand after each addition. Mix well until creamy.

3. Remove about 1/3 of the mixture and place it into a small bowl. Add the yellow and red food coloring and stir well to combine.

4. Cover both mixtures and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.

5. When mixtures are firm, roll a small, marble-size ball from the orange filling, and wrap around it a portion of the white filling that is roughly twice the size. Form this filling into the shape of an egg and place it onto a cookie sheet that has been brushed with a light coating of shortening. Repeat for the remaining filling ingredients, then refrigerate these centers for 3-4 hours or until firm.

6. Combine the milk chocolate chips with the shortening in a glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave chocolate on high speed for 1 minute, then stir and microwave again for 1 more minute, and stir.

7. Use a fork to dip each center into the chocolate, tap the fork on the side of the bowl, then place each candy onto wax paper. Chill.

8. After 1-2 hours of chilling, dip each candy once more and chill for several hours, or until completely firm.
Makes 2 dozen candy eggs.

MARSHMALLOW-PEANUT BUTTER EASTER EGGS

I love everything Peanut butter lol, so of course these have to be a part of my Easter baking every year. And sometimes whenever i get the urge... just because : ) I have to mention... the peanut but...ter coating is easier to work with because it will remain hard at room temperature, while regular chocolate gets soft and sticky when warm.

This recipe yields about 3 dozen small eggs.

 3/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup marshmallow creme
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb peanut butter candy coating or peanut butter chips
Place the butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar in the bowl, mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the peanut butter, marshmallow crème, 1/3 cup of the peanuts, and the vanilla. Mix on medium until well-blended. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the candy is a workable texture: not too sticky and easy to handle. If necessary, add a little more powdered sugar to get it to a workable consistency.

Using a spoon, scoop up a small amount of candy and roll it between your hands until it is an oblong egg shape. Place it on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and repeat with remaining candy until you have approximately three dozen eggs.

Put the eggs in the refrigerator to firm up for an hour. Once firm, place the candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in one-minute increments until melted, stirring after every minute to prevent overheating.

Once the coating is melted, dip the eggs in the coating and replace them on the foil-covered sheet. While the eggs are still wet, sprinkle the tops with the remaining chopped peanuts. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the coating. Marshmallow-Peanut Butter Easter Eggs can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. They are best served at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT BAKLAVA

(RECIPE SHARED BY ANITA ST)
A dessert from my childhood..a fav of mine & my daughters.

1 pound hazelnuts
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 pound phyllo dough
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups honey

1.Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until the skins are blistered; let cool. Leave the oven on. Transfer the nuts to a kitchen towel and rub off the skins, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
2.Add the chocolate, 2/3 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon to the food processor and pulse until the chocolate and nuts are finely chopped and the same size.
3.Unwrap the phyllo and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Butter and stack 8 sheets of phyllo. Trim the edges. Ease the stack into the pan. Sprinkle about 2 cups of the filling over the phyllo. Butter and stack 2 more phyllo sheets; fold them in half crosswise and place over the filling. Sprinkle on another 2 cups of the filling. Top with 2 more buttered, folded sheets and 2 cups of filling. Butter and stack 3 more phyllo sheets, fold them in half and place over the filling. Fold in the overhanging phyllo on top and brush generously with butter. Using a ruler and a sharp knife, cut the baklava (through the top and bottom) into 3-inch squares (there will be a bit left on one long side). Cut each square in half to make triangles.
4.Bake the baklava for 25 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 300° and bake for 50 minutes longer, until golden.
5.In a saucepan, bring the water, honey and the remaining 2 cups of sugar to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Immediately ladle the hot syrup over the hot baklava and let stand until completely cool, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

M&M COOKIES

(This recipe is one of my family's favorites, it makes the perfect soft and chewy M&M cookie, and you can change out the M&Ms for Reese's Pieces, Toffee bits, heck even chocolate chips.)

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup bu...tter flavored shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups M&Ms or other candy pieces

Cream the butter, shortening, both sugars and vanilla together with an electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly add in each egg one at a time and mix together.
Then mix in the baking soda, salt and flour.
Add in the M&Ms and mix by hand until incorporated well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Let cool and store in an airtight container for up to one week!

ROAST TURKEY my way :))

   Turkey ready to go in the oven
Buy the best quality turkey available (organic, free-range, etc.) and cook it “breast-side down”. Cooks the turkey stuffing separately, not in the cavity, which makes it easier t...o cook the turkey more evenly.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours

Ingredients
1 turkey, approx. 15 lbs.*
Juice of a lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil or melted butter
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
Tops and bottoms of a bunch of celery
2 carrots
Parsley
Sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme

12-15 lb turkey for 10-12 people
15-18 lb turkey for 14-16 people
18-22 lb turkey for 20-22 people

Method
1 To start, if the turkey has been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before cooking. Keep it in its plastic wrapping until you are ready to cook it. While in the refrigerator, and or while you are bringing it to room temp, have the bird resting in a pan, so that if the plastic covering leaks for any reason, you are confining the juices to the pan. If you get a frozen turkey, you will need to defrost it in the refrigerator for several days first. Allow approximately 5 hours of defrosting for every pound. So, if you have a 15 pound turkey, it will take about 75 hours to defrost it in the refrigerator, or around 3 days.

Handle a raw turkey with the same amount of caution as when you handle raw chicken - use a separate cutting board and utensils to avoid contaminating other foods. Wash you hands with soap before touching anything else in the kitchen. Use paper towels to clean up.

Remove the neck and giblets (heart, gizzard, liver). Use the heart and gizzard for making stock for the stuffing. The neck can be cooked along side the turkey or saved for turkey soup. Or all of the giblets can be used for making giblet gravy.

Note that if your turkey comes with a plastic piece holding the legs together, check the instructions on the turkey's package. Most likely you do not need to remove those plastic ties for cooking (unless you plan to cook your turkey at a very high temperature). If you remove the plastic ties, you will need to use kitchen string to tie the legs together.

2 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

3 Wash out the turkey with water. Pull out any remaining feather stubs in the turkey skin. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Lather the inside of the cavity with the juice of half a lemon. Take a small handful of salt and rub all over the inside of the turkey.

4 In this method of cooking a turkey, we don't make the stuffing in the turkey because doing so adds too much to the cooking time. For flavor, put in inside the turkey a half a yellow onion, peeled and quartered, a bunch of parsley, a couple of carrots, and some tops and bottoms of celery. You may need to cap the body cavity with some aluminum foil so that the stuffing doesn't easily fall out. Close up the turkey cavity with either string (not nylon string!) or metal skewers. Make sure that the turkey's legs are tied together, held close to the body, and tie a string around the turkey body to hold the wings in close.

The neck cavity can be stuffed with parsley and tied closed with thin skewers and string.

5 Rub either melted butter or olive oil all over the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle salt generously all over the outside of the turkey (or have had it soaking in salt-water brine before starting this process). Sprinkle pepper over the turkey.

6 Place turkey BREAST DOWN on the bottom of a rack over a sturdy roasting pan big enough to catch all the drippings. Cooking the turkey breast down means the skin over the breast will not get so brown. However, all of the juices from the cooking turkey will fall down into the breast while cooking. And the resulting bird will have the most succulent turkey breast imaginable.

Add several sprigs of fresh (if possible) thyme and rosemary to the outside of the turkey.

7 You can chop up the turkey giblets (gizzard, heart). Put into a small saucepan, cover with water, add salt. Bring to simmer for an hour or so to help make stock for the stuffing (if you are making stuffing).

8 Put the turkey in the oven. Check the cooking directions on the turkey packaging. Gourmet turkeys often don't take as long to cook. With the turkeys we gets, we recommends cooking time of about 15 minutes for every pound. For the 15 lb turkey, start the cooking at 400 F for the first 1/2 hour. Then reduce the heat to 350 F for the next 2 hours. Then reduce the heat further to 225 F for the next hour to hour and a half.

If you want the breast to be browned as well, you can turn the bird over so that the breast is on top, and put it in a 500°F oven or under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, just enough to brown the breast. Note that if you do this, you will have a higher risk of overcooking the turkey breast.

Start taking temperature readings with a meat thermometer, inserted deep into the thickest part of the turkey breast and thigh, an hour before the turkey should be done. You want a resulting temperature of 175°F for the dark meat (thighs and legs) and 165°F for the white meat (breast). The temperature of the bird will continue to rise once you take it out of the oven, so take it out when the temperature reading for the thigh is 170°F, and for the breast 160°F. If you don't have a meat thermometer, spear the breast with a knife. The turkey juices should be clear, not pink.

9 Once you remove the turkey from the oven, let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Turn the turkey breast side up to carve it.

Making Turkey Gravy
Scrape all the drippings off of the bottom of the roasting pan. Pour drippings into a smaller skillet. Ladle off excess fat with a gravy spoon and save for possible use later. In a separate small bowl take a quarter cup of corn starch and add just enough water to dissolve the corn starch. Beat cornstarch with a spoon to remove lumps. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the drippings, stirring constantly. You may not end up using all of the cornstarch mixture. Only add as much as you need to get the desired thickness. Allow time for the cornstarch to thicken the gravy. Add salt, pepper, sage, thyme, or other seasonings to taste.

Save Bones for Stock
When you are finished with your turkey, save the bones from the carcass to make a delicious turkey soup.

*DR. OZ'S NO-SALT SPICE MIX*

Addicted to your salt shaker? Dr. Oz has a solution with this salt-free spice mix. This blend of flavors will satisfy your taste buds to help you avoid the harmful effects of excess sodium in your diet.
I'm no...t big on salt..... but this is really tasty and I love adding it to most dish. :)) I give it a thumbs up. :))

1/3 cup garlic powder
1/3 cup onion powder
1/3 cup oregano
2 tbsp. thyme
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. ground pepper

Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly and enjoy!

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

 (RECIPE POSTED BY THEODORE ALTON MCELROY)

10 ounces fettuccini pasta
1/2 cup butter
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettucine
pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2. In a large skillet melt the butter and add the chopped garlic. Cook on
low for about 5 minutes, stirring often, making sure not to burn the
garlic.

3. Pour about a 1/4 cup of the heavy cream into a small bowl. Add the
egg yolk and beat together; put aside. Pour the remaining cream into
the frying pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. As the cream
starts to boil, mix rapidly using a whisk. Slowly add the cream/egg
mixture. You do not want the egg to curdle. Continue whisking until
well blended.

4. Add 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese and continue to mix the cream. Pour
in the remaining Parmesan and the parsley, mix until smooth.
Immediately remove from stove. Serve over cooked pasta.

ROASTED GARLIC

We are big time Garlic eaters. Raw garlic might stink but roasted garlic has a wonderful nutty taste and aromatic. They are smooth, creamy and jazz up a lot of food without too much work. I love to eat them straight roasted, use them in breads or on breads, in pasta & pasta sauces, soups, or just as appetizers – try them with pepper & salt, you will be amazed.
A lot of heads may be roasted at once and saved for later .  They will keep for a week in the refrigerator or frozen in pureed form.

(Each head will make about 2 tablespoons of garlic puree.)

1 Garlic Whole Head
1 tsp. Olive Oil

Preheat oven to about 375 Degrees F.
Peel the outer skin, but leave the skin on the cloves & the cloves intact.
Using a sharp knife, slice 1/4 – 1/2 inch off of the pointed end of the garlic head. It should be looking like the one below.
Place the garlic head on an aluminium foil, & drizzle the oil on it around slowly allowing the oil to seep in to the individual cloves.
Wrap the garlic head in the foil to a pouch you had initially placed it in.
(Do not do more than 2 garlic heads in a single pouch) They may be put on a baking tray, or individually in muffin pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes or till the cloves are brown & soft.
Remove from the oven & cool it enough to be able to touch it.
Peel the cloves with a fork or finger, or just squeeze them out of their skins.
*mash with a fork and use for cooking. Can be spread over warm French bread or crackers, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, mixed in with Parmesan and pasta, good for garlic butter spread, add it to sour cream or yogurt and salt for a great dip, add it to soups or sauce to deepen the flavor. Mix it into bread dough and bake it off, spread on pizza before you spread the sauce, put it in hummus, pizza topping, spaghetti sauce, twice-baked potatoes, salsa....ect.

EASTER CRACKED EGGS

Boil eggs to hard boiled stage.
Remove the eggs from the boiling water, gently crack each egg by tapping with the back side of a spoon.
Too many cracks or too deeply cracked causes the colorant to get inside too easily and solid spots and color will appear everywhere.
Take a towel, roll the egg under the palm of your hand to spread the cracks around the entire egg would be another method.
You want a lot of crackling, but not deep cracks and you don't want to lose eggshell.
Use as many colors as you want. You can also try tea, soy sauce, beet juice, dye from fruits, food colorings will all work.
Sit eggs in the coloring for 10 minutes. Rinse in cool water. Then remove, place on a paper towel to dry.
Allow the kids or guests to remove the shell inside to enjoy their Egg Art... Happy Easter!

All-Natural Easter Egg Dye
Before you dye any egg, wipe the eggshell gently with vinegar in order to help the egg absorb color.
-Bluish-Gray
Mix 1 cup frozen blueberries with 1 cup water, bring to room temperature, and remove blueberries.
-Blue
Cut 1/4 head of red cabbage into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove cabbage with a slotted spoon.
-Jade Green
Peel the skin from 6 red onions and simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 3 tsp. white vinegar.
-Faint Green-Yellow
Peel the skin from 6 yellow apples. Simmer in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Simmer 4 oz. chopped fennel tops in 1-1/2 cups of water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar.
-Orange
Take the skin of 6 yellow onions and simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 3 tsp. white vinegar.
-Faint Red-Orange
Stir 2 Tbsp. paprika into 1 cup boiling water; add 2 tsp. white vinegar.
-Yellow
-Rich yellow: Simmer 4 oz. chopped carrot tops in 1-1/2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar.
-Mustard-yellow: Stir 2 Tbsp. turmeric into 1 cup boiling water; add 2 tsp. white vinegar.
-Various shades: Steep 4 bags of chamomile or green tea in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes.
-Pale yellow: Chop 4 oz. goldenrod and simmer in 2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar.
-Faint yellow: Simmer the peels of 6 oranges in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. vinegar.
-Brown-Gold
Simmer 2 Tbsp. dill seed in 1 cup water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar.
-Brown
Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup strong coffee.
-Pink
-Faint pink: Chop 4 oz. amaranth flowers and simmer in 2 cups water; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Simmer the skins from 6 avocados in 1-1/2 cup water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Mix 1 cup pickled beet juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar.
-Dark pink: Cut 1 medium beet into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. vinegar and let cool to room temperature; remove beets.
-Lavender
Mix 1 cup grape juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar.

BUNNY CAKE

 

What You Will Need

2 baked 9-inch round cake layers, cooled (store bought mix can be use)
5 1/2 cups Seven Minute Frosting (you can make your own)
1 1/2 cups Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut
Red food coloring
Small pastel-colored gumdrops (you can also use colored M&M)
Red and black licorice laces

1- Cut one cake layer as shown; leave other cake whole.
Tint 1/4 cup of coconut pink with red food coloring.
2- Arrange cake as shown using frosting to hold pieces together
3- Frost entire cake. Sprinkle with coconut and decorate with licorice and gumdrops as shown.

RUBY EGGS

-For Perfect Hard-Boil Eggs
 Place 6 eggs (or as many as will fit) in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover with water plus an inch.
Bring the water to boil on HIGH. (Here, I set the timer for 5 minutes and carry on with whatever I'm doing so long as it's within hearing of the timer. The water won't be boiling when the timer goes off but is close to boiling so I hang close and pay close attention.)
Prepare the ice bath. This is 2 - 3 cups of ice cubes in a large bowl, filled with cold water but leaving room for the eggs.
Just as the water begins to boil, let it boil hard for 1 minute -- set the timer!
Turn off the heat (remove from the element if it's an electric stove) but do not drain. Cover the saucepan and let sit for 10 minutes -- set the timer!
Drain the eggs and gently lower them into the ice bath. Let set 5 minutes -- set the timer!
Peel.
-For Ruby Eggs
Soak the peeled eggs in a bowl of canned beet juice or a bowl of Pickle beet juice for 24 hours.
When slicing, wipe off the knife after each egg, it will help prevent the beet color staining the edges of the yolk.
After slicing, the beet color starts to leech into the yolk after a couple of hours, time accordingly.
Because the eggs are peeled, they won't last forever like hard-cooked eggs still in their shells.
Use within 48 hours.