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| everything "p" |
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizer...I could eat this any time!
One of these is a MEAL! It contains all of the food groups--hehe!!!
Ok...maybe add a side of broccoli or some other vegetable so the kids don't get spoiled!
They are HUGE and super filling! and, really, really, REALLY good!
TWICE BAKED BACON & CHEESE POTATOES
INGREDIENTS:
8 large baking potatoes, scrubbed well!
Olive oil
1 1/2 sticks salted butter
1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp! then crumbled.
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup milk
1 bunch green onions, chopped small
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Rub the potatoes with olive oil, place on baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour or until you can pierce them easily with a fork.
Lower oven heat to 375 degrees.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise.
Carefully scoop out most of the inside of the potatoes into a large bowl. Be sure to leave enough of a "shell" to hold the mixture that you are going to put back in.
Return the shells to the baking sheet. Set aside.
Mash the insides of the potatoes with the butter, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, milk, and most of the onions (save some for the tops!)
Add salt & pepper to taste, then fold in most of the bacon (saving some for the tops!)
If the mixture seems too dry, add in a bit more milk or sour cream.
Fill the shells with the mixture, top with remaining cheese, onions, and bacon and return to the oven until the cheese is melted and browned and the potatoes are warmed through--about 15 minutes.
ENJOY!!!
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| everything "p" |
Unexpected Holiday guests will be over in an hour! Ahhhhh! No worries, you can have this done before they arrive!
This is SO MUCH easier than you think! And, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry!
Peppermint Bark
Ingredients:
1 bag Chocolate Chips (I used Nestle's Dark Chocolate--10 oz. bag)
1 bag White Chocolate Chips (I used Nestle's White Morsels--12 oz. bag)
6 Candy Canes
Instructions:
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Check the freezer to be sure you have room to fit the baking sheet!!
Un-wrap the Candy Canes and put them into a zip lock bag--crush with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer. (Don't crush the pieces too fine!)
Melt the Chocolate Chips in a microwavable bowl.
--Microwave 1 minute, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir (should be completely melted)
Pour the melted chocolate on the prepared baking sheet forming an approximate 8" x 11" rectangle.
Put the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until very firm. (about 15 minutes, but this depends on the temperature in your freezer)
TIP: WAIT UNTIL THE CHOCOLATE IS FROZEN BEFORE MELTING WHITE CHIPS!
Melt the White Chocolate Chips in a microwavable bowl.
--Microwave 1 minute, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir
--Microwave 15 seconds, stir (should be completely melted)
Pull the baking sheet out of the freezer.
Pour the melted white chocolate over the dark chocolate and work QUICKLY spreading it to cover the dark chocolate.
Immediately after spreading the white chocolate, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and press gently.
Return baking sheet to freezer until completely firm (15-20 minutes depending on the temperature in your freezer)
When the chocolate is frozen, use the tip of a very sharp knife to break the bark into random pieces.
Store the bark in a covered container in the refrigerator. SIMPLE!!!!
ENJOY!
CANDY FILLED JARS!
There is always that ONE spot that I can't seem to find the right decoration for! For me this year, it was that awkward, recessed "hole" over the cooktop in the kitchen!
So, I went "shabby chic"! Inexpensive, fast, and SUPER CUTE!!! Glass canning jars (that can be wiped--I'm a messy cook!) filled with the cheapest Christmas candy I could find and, a simple red ribbon--DONE.
BUT--There are so many things you could do with these!
~paint the lids
~etch OR paint the glass
~layer different types of candy in the jars!
~put cookie mixes or hot cocoa & marshmallows in them!
(I have to remember these things for NEXT YEAR!!)
One tip someone gave me a LONG time ago: group similar decorations in 3's. It always works for me!!
My decorating is just about done...then, back to cookie baking!
