Valentine's Treat Recipe

Cinnamon Popcorn

Ingredients:
3 bags Natural flavor Microwave Popcorn

1 stick Margarine

1/4 C Light Corn Syrup

1/2 pack Red Cinnamon Candies

Directions:

After popping the 3 bags of popcorn make sure to sift out kernels.  Then in a saucepan, combine the Margarine, Corn Syrup, & Cinnamon Candies.  Bring to a boil, stirring, & boil for 5 minutes.  Pour over popped popcorn & mix well.  Pour popcorn mixture into greased roasting pan & bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Cool completely & break apart. 
Then put into a cute container to give to your Valentine.

Let me warn you that it's addicting so you might as well make yourself a batch!

Enjoy!

Erica

What's for Dinner?

It's that time of year when a good bowl of something warm sounds good for dinner.  Last night I made such a dish.  I wanted to share this recipe that I got from a friend of mine in a recipe exchange a few years ago.  She said it was a crowd pleaser and she was right. 

Italian Tortellini Stew

Ingredients:

1 # Italian Sausage (I use the Bob Evans roll)

1 C chopped onion

1 clove minced garlic (I cheat and use a tablespoon of the jarred garlic)

1 can (14-17oz size) tomato sauce

1 C sliced carrots

8-9 C beef broth (I use 2 of the 32 oz boxes)

1 C water

1 tblsp basil

1 tblsp Parsley

1 tblsp oregano

4 fresh tomatoes chopped

2 C sliced zucchini

1 C chopped mushrooms

1 green pepper chopped

2 small 9oz packages fresh tortellini (I cheat and buy frozen)

Saute sausage with onion and garlic.  Add tomato sauce, carrots, beef broth, chopped tomatoes, basil, parsley, and oregano.  Simmer for 1 hour.  Then add zucchini, mushrooms, green pepper, and fresh tortellini and cook for an additional hour.  (Because I cheat and use frozen tortellini I don’t add them until the last 10-15 minutes because I don’t want to over cook them).

Enjoy!  Serve with warm cornbread or just a crusty loaf of bread- yum!

~Erica

D is for Dough (playdough that is !)

Ok, so this isn't something new and clever that I have whipped up but I thought it would be fun to post the recipe for playdough.  My little guy loves squishing and smashing it.  The best part is that it gives me at least 10 minutes of peace!  Let your little ones' imaginations go to town! 

For those of you who haven't made playdough before you will be amazed at how easy it is and will probably never buy it again.  This stuff last too!  Since it's October it's only right that your playdough be orange.  Here's the recipe that I used:

2 cups flower

2/3 cup salt

4 tsp. cream of tartar

2 tblsps. oil

1 tsp food coloring
2 cups water

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. 

2. The dough will start to leave the pan- keep stirring until it has completely left the sides of the pan.  Take it off the heat and let it cool enough to handle.

3. Remove from pan and knead for a few minutes (make sure your counter is clean you don't want crumbs in your dough!)

4. This makes a fairly large batch.  I like to add the food coloring after cooking because I can divide the batch into 3 or 4 parts and color each part differently.  Just make a little hole in the dough and put 4-5 drops of food coloring and carefully knead the color in.  I use disposable gloves to do this because your hands will get stained.  Once the color is absorbed it won't get on your hands.

5. Store in an airtight container.

I bet some of you crafty mommas can come up with a clever way to package this to give as a gift. Please share your ideas! 

Go have some fun with your little one!

~Erica