Beer cheddar Jalapeno with bacon soup

I found this recipe off Pinterest sooo good!!! I absolutely loved the flavor. It does have a kick to it. I used 2 jalapeños with all the seeds, which meant more for me since my kids wont eat anything jalapeño 

• 1/2 pound bacon (preferably smoked or double smoked), cut into 1 inch slices (omit and replace with 2 tablespoons of oil or butter for vegetarian)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2+ jalapeno peppers, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)
• 1 bottle beer
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• cayenne to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat and set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the grease in the pan.
2. Add the onion, and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the butter and let it melt and get all bubbly then sprinkle on the flour and let it cook until it starts to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the ale and broth and deglaze the pan before adding the bacon and then let cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add the cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted without bringing it back to a boil.
7. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

Symphony fudge

4 cups sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 sticks butter (no margarine)
16 oz. chopped Symphony candy bars (I used the almond and toffee chip kind)

In a large saucepan, mix the sugar and whipping cream. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Add the two sticks of butter and continue cooking. Boil mixture until it reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in chopped Symphony bars until melted and smooth. Beat mixture with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Allow to harden and cool. Remove block of fudge from pan and cut into squares. Can refrigerate if desired.

* I found that this needs to be refrigerated or it gets too soft. I had a hard time reading 230 degrees though I may cook a tad longer next time. But this is an amazing fudge recipe

Chocolate tools

So my boys will be 5 on Friday!!! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. They are really into construction everything so we are doing a construction themed party. I found tool molds on amazon for way cheap and just used milk chocolate chips. I love how they turned out. They had hard hats too but they use tons of chocolate and are way too solid and too much chocolate. Anyways the boys love them.

CARAMELS!!

First Melt 1 C. butter in a large saucepan

Then add 2 1/4 C. Brown sugar

Stir until all the sugar is combined

Add 1 C. Light Corn Syrup

add 1 can sweetened condensed milk stirring constantly

stir until combined

continue stirring constantly. you will notice the color changing

 Cook until a firm ball stage. it really depends on where you live and how soft you want. I do mine 250 that gives you a really soft almost melt in your mouth type....the other day i did 252 and got a soft chewy kind. we liked both. however my 11 year old likes the softer one (she has braces so that may be why)

add 1 tsp vanilla the last 4 min or so. i usually add it about 5 degrees to what I want it to

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU STIR THIS CONSTANTLY!!

 pour into a 9x13 GREASED pan. I have been using a 11X13 pan for mine

 Cool - I stick mine in the fridge for 1-2 hours

then cut into squares

Then get your 11 year old to help wrap them in wax paper

 Enjoy!! 

*I didnt use salt because my butter is salted :)

Another fun variation is do dip in chocolate after cutting the squares

Caramels

1 C. butter

2 1/4 C. brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 C. light corn syrup

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter; add brown sugar and salt mixing well. Stir in corn syrup. Gradually add milk. stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat until reaches firm ball stage (245-252) This will take 10-15 minutes. Add vanilla last 5 minutes. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Let cool. Cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.

Pumpkin pull apart bread

These are super yummy. Similar to monkey bread as my kids thought it was. Lol

Dough
2 tbsp butter
1/2 c milk
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 c pumpkin purée
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 c bread flour

Filling
1 c sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Glaze
2 tbsp butter
1/8 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp milk
3/4 c powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan over med high heat brown 2 tbsp butter. Once browned remove from heat and add the milk.
Return to heat until milk is heated
Pour into the bowl of a mixer with hook and allow to cool until 100•F. Once it has reached the temp add yeast and sugar and let poof about 10 min. Then add pumpkin, salt and 1 c flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1 c at a time. And knead 6 min until dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If its too sticky add flour a few tbsp at a time. (I had to add about an extra cup or so )

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Allow to rise 60-90 min or until doubled in size.
While dough is rising brown another 2 tbsp butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Set aside. Next grease a 9x5 ( bread size) pan.
Set aside.

When the dough has doubled punch it down and flip on a floured board. Knead in hands 1-2 min. Roll out to a 20x12 rectangle. Even sprinkle the sugar cinnamon mixture. And press into the dough with your hands. Cut rectangle into 6 even strips then stack on top of each other and cut into 6 pieces. Stack strips vertically in pan.
Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake 30-40 min
Until very brown.
To prepare the glaze heat butter, milk and brown sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar bad vanilla. Poor on bread after baking.

Asian salad

So yummy!!! And simple

1 head napa cabbage sliced thinly
1/3 c toasted pine nuts
1/4 c toasted sesame seeds
4 green onions sliced thinly
2 shredded carrots ( can do more or less)
Sugar snap peas ( I sliced mine in half)

Dressing:
1/3 c olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1tbsp minced garlic

Mix salad on a bowl then mix the dressing and pour on top. Yum!!

Apple brown Betty

This is a very easy and basic recipe but very yummy!!

8 slices wheat bread
3-6 apples depending on size
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 cup butter ( I only used 1/2)

Homemade whip cream

Preheat oven to 375
Grease 13x9 pan
Slice bread and apples onto cubes
Place half the bread cubes in pan
Sprinkle half the apples
Add half the brown sugar
Repeat with again. Dot top with pats of butter. End by sprinkling 1/2 c water over it by the tablespoon. Bake covered for 45 min then bake 10 more min uncovered to brown. Serve with whip cream on top.