So some easy, fun Halloween ideas:

Mummy Cookies and  Body Part Jars

 

First I made circle sugar cookies (I cheated this time and used ready-made Pilsbury Sugar Cookies. Then we added dots of white frosting and put M&M's to make eyes and noses for the mummies

We then piped on white frosting for the bandages

Here are Body Part Jars. Take Mason Jars, make labels and have fun. The Eyeballs are Grapes and the Fingers are Fresh String Beans

Canning Tomatoes Information to the T!

Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products

by P. Kendall¹ (11/06) From Colorado State University Extention

Quick Facts...

• Select disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm tomatoes for canning. Avoid overripe tomatoes.
• To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes, add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid.
• Freezing is a safe, easy alternative to home canning. Frozen tomatoes and tomato products do not need added acid.

Tomatoes are the most widely home-canned product in the United States. They also are one of the most commonly spoiled home-canned products. The canning processes recommended in this fact sheet are the result of USDA research on safe home-canning procedures for tomatoes and tomato products.

Tomato Acidity

Although tomatoes are considered a high-acid food (pH below 4.6), certain conditions and varieties can produce tomatoes and tomato products with pH values above 4.6. When this happens, the product must be canned in a pressure canner as a low-acid product or acidified to a pH of 4.6 or lower with lemon juice or citric acid.

Research has found several conditions that can reduce the acidity of tomatoes. These include decay or damage caused by bruises, cracks, blossom end rot or Insects, and overripening. Tomatoes grown in the shade, ripened in shorter hours of daylight, or ripened off the vine tend to be lower in acidity than those ripened in direct sunlight on the vine. Also, tomatoes attached to dead vines at harvest are considerably less acidic than tomatoes harvested from healthy vines. Decayed and damaged tomatoes and those harvested from frost-killed or dead vines should not be home canned.

To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes, add lemon juice or citric acid when processing in a boiling water bath. Add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. Add sugar to offset the taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart can be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes.

Process Carefully to Avoid Spoilage

The most common reasons for spoilage in home-canned tomato products are underprocessing and incomplete seals. Tomatoes that have not been processed long enough to destroy molds and heat-resistant bacteria may spoil during storage. One of the common spoilage organisms, Bacillus coagulans, is very heat resistant and causes flat-sour spoilage. The jar lid may still be sealed and the product may appear normal, but the tomatoes will smell sour because of lactic acid produced by the growth of B. coagulans in the product. Never use tomatoes or tomato juices with off-odors.

Molds can grow on the surface of improperly processed tomato products and may eventually reduce the acidity to a point where botulism-producing spores can grow and produce a deadly toxin. Because even minute amounts of botulism toxin can cause fatal illness, discard without tasting any canned products that show mold growth on the surface. Discard them where they cannot be eaten by other people or animals.

The processing times in this fact sheet are designed to ensure sufficient destruction of bacteria and molds. Where appropriate, processing recommendations for both water bath and pressure canning are given. In general, a pressure canner results in higher quality and more nutritious canned tomato products.

Yield Information

One bushel of fresh tomatoes weighs 53 pounds and yields approximately 18 quarts of canned tomatoes or 15 to 18 quarts of juice. Approximately 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds of fresh tomatoes makes 1 quart of canned tomatoes.

King Cake (Happy Mardi Gras)!!!

This looks like a great recipe!!
Happy Mardi Gras!!

Recipe Analyzer!

Here's a really great tool to use to figure out how your recipes measure up!!
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Great Recipe Analyzer

http://www.fitwatch.com/database/analyzer.php

Calorie Counter!

http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/activitycalc.html

Calorie Guide for Halloween Candies

Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop - 60 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Charms Blow Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Dum Dum Pop - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Lik-m-aid Fun Dip 0.5-oz. Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 Pieces), Original - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Jolly Rancher Lollipop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Laffy Taffy Miniature - 32 calories, 0.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Pixy Stix (7 Straws) - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Smarties Candy Roll - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Pop Miniature (3 Pops) - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Roll Midgee (About 1-Inch Long) - 23 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Tootsie Roll Snack Bar (0.5 oz., About 3-Inches Long) - 50 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Twizzlers Strawberry Twists, Snack Size (3 Minis) or Individually Wrapped Twist - 30 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) 3 Musketeers Mini Bar - 24 calories, 0.7g fat (POINTS® value 1*) 3 Musketeers Fun Size Bar - 63 - 70 calories, 2 - 2.25g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Almond Joy Snack Size Bar - 80 - 85 calories, 4.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Butterfinger Miniature - 45 calories, 1.75g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Butterfinger Fun Size Bar - 100 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Hershey's Kiss, Milk Chocolate - 25 calories, 1.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Hershey's Kiss, Pumpkin Spice or Candy Corn Flavor - 23 calories, 1.3g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Hershey's Miniature Bar, Any Flavor - 42 calories, 2.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Snack Size Bar - 67 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Milky Way Mini - 40 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Milky Way Fun Size Snack Bar - 75 - 80 calories, 3g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Nestle Crunch Miniature - 30 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Nestle Crunch Fun Size Bar - 60 - 70 calories, 3 - 3.3g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup - 44 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Reese's Snack Size Peanut Butter Cup - 90 - 110 calories, 5 - 6.5g fat (POINTS® value 2 - 3*) SHOCKER! Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin - 170 calories, 10g fat (POINTS® value 4*) Snickers Miniature - 45 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Snickers Fun Size Bar - 80 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Twix Mini Caramel Cookie Bar - 50 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Twix Fun Size Peanut Butter Cookie or Caramel Cookie Bar - 80 calories, 4 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Pattie Pumpkin - 60 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Dots Mini Box - 75 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Junior Mints Snack Size Box - 80 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Life-Savers Gummies Pouch - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) M&M's Fun Size Bag - 63 - 83 calories, 2.6 - 4g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Peanut M&M's Fun Size Bag - 67 - 90 calories, 3.3 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*) Mike and Ike Snack Size Pack - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Milk Duds Snack Size Box - 53 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Nerds Mini Box - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Runts Mini Package - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Skittles Fun Size Pack, Original - 53 - 80 calories, 0.5g - 1g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*) Sour Patch Kids Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Starburst Original Fruit Chews Fun Size Package (2 Chews) - 40 calories, 0.8g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Swedish Fish Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*) Sweetarts Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Turmeric- Can it fight cancer?

"'Natural' remedy
The cells also began to digest themselves, after the curcumin triggered lethal cell death signals.
Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value."
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8328377.stm

Apple Banana Bread

I made this up because I had 2 half bananas and and apple that my 3 yr old wouldn't finish after one bite. Enjoy!

1 3/4 cups Flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup shortening or you can substitute applesauce for a lighter fair
2 T oil
2 eggs
3 T milk
1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 cup diced apple
Cinnamon and sugar (about 1/4 cup sugar and 1 T cinnamon)
Optional:
1/3 cup raisins or chopped nuts

Put shortening in the mixing bowl and stir in sugar, eggs, oil, milk, bananas and apple. Mix really well then add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until blended well and put in a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle Cinnamon and sugar on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
It's delicious and moist.

Lite Brownie Sundae!!

1/2 cup Breyers Double Churn Free French Chocolate fat-free ice cream
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip
1 tbsp. traditional fudge brownie mix
2 tsp. Hershey's Lite chocolate syrup
1 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)

Directions:
Place brownie mix in a small microwave-safe dish. Add egg substitute and 1/2 tsp. water, and mix well. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then let sit for 5 minutes. Then, use a fork to break it up and crumble into brownie bits. Place ice cream in a dessert dish, and top with brownie bits. Set aside.

Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe dish, and cover with syrup. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then mix well. Pour sauce over the brownie bits and ice cream.

PER SERVING (entire sundae): 190 calories, 2g fat, 116mg sodium, 41g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 27g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

MAKES 1 SERVING

HG Tip! With the rest of your brownie mix make single-serving brownies by thoroughly mixing 2 tbsp. brownie mix with 1 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute and 1 tsp. water in a small dish and then microwaving for 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes. contains around 106 calories, 2g fat, 22g carbs, and 1g fiber (POINTS® value 2*).

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 spice cake mixes (Duncan Hines, although not pictured, is the best for this recipe)

1 30-oz. can pumpkin

1 12-oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Okay, super-tricky here. Preheat oven to 350. Combine cake mixes and pumpkin. Add in chocolate chips.


Spoon mixture into lined muffin tins. This can make as many as 48 muffins or as few as 36, just depending on how full the tins are filled. These really don't rise very much, so you can fill the tins pretty full. If aesthetics are a concern, keep in mind that how they look going into the oven is very much what they will look like coming out of the oven. So a cookie scoop works great to keep things on the prettier side.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Easy Apple Crisps

Thought about my college kids when I made these today:

5 cups peeled, sliced apples (I use my Pampered Chef Chopper)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup Margarine or butter
2T Lemon Juice
2T Water
3/4 cup Flour of your choice
1 cup Brown Sugar






Spread apples in bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.






Sprinkle with cinnamon, salt, lemon juice and water. Blend flour, brown sugar, and butter with a fork or pastry cutter/blender until crumbly.










Spread crumbly mixture over apples. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour
Serves about 6-8 people and yummy with ice cream-of course!!

Here are some cookie puzzles I made for pre-school today.
I used a sugar cookie recipe that I've always loved.
I cut the dough into squares and placed two squares on a cookie sheet. I then cut out what I wanted and baked according to the recipe. When they came out, the shapes were still easy to discern. I waited until they cooled off and then went around the shapes with a knife to make sure the "puzzle pieces" could come out. I took the puzzle pieces out and frosted everything separately with colored powdered sugar frosting (Powd. Sug., vanilla, and milk) and let the frosting harden. Once everything was dry and done, I placed each cookie puzzle on a nice napkin and put them together for the kids for the next day.
I didn't worry about making some kind of a "grip" for each piece. I saw on the recipe that I was looking at that someone had baked almonds into the cookies so that the pieces could be pulled out.

Canning

Well, it might surprise some, but I can't remember the last time I actually canned. I don't think I ever have all by myself. I've turned a new leaf!!

After having a canning class at our home last night and going to a friend's home to watch, I ventured into the world of solo canning! Salsa is a favorite for our family, so that seemed like the best way to start:

80 Roma tomatoes quartered
4 jalepenos
3 red onions
3 T sugar
3 bunches of cilantro
3 T

I put everything in the blender leaving a little out for later. The first part I put in a big pot and then the second part I chopped up bigger and added it to the pot. I cooked everything for about 15 minutes and then followed the directions for canning.

I did taste the salsa while I was cooking it to make sure I liked the level of heat from the Jalepenos and also that the vinegar didn't make it too bitter.

Ball Canning Book: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=ball+blue+book&tag=googhydr-20&index=stripbooks&hvadid=3261592485&ref=pd_sl_855angknns_e

Peanut Butter Crunchies

1/2 Cup Karo Syrup
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter
4 Cups Corn Flakes
In a glass casserole or large measuring cup, bring corn syrup and sugar to boil on High. Stir in peanut butter. Gently fold in corn flakes. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet or on wax paper. Chill

I was given this recipe in a Summer School cooking class at Huntington Jr. High School. Taught by Mrs. Wilson. We loved getting these at Carver Elementary School in the cafeteria!

Baked Alaska

One Layer Chocolate Cake (any kind)
1 Qt Ice Cream (Can use lactose free) I was taught to use mint choc. Chip
6 Egg Whites (at room temperature)
1 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Bake one layer of cake (I use a round pan). Let it cool.
Get a bowl that is small enough to fit as a form for the ice cream mount with 1 inch of cake around the ice cream. place plastic wrap in the bowl and then scoop the ice cream onto the plastic and press into the form of the bowl.
Put in freezer while you cut out a circle 1 inch down in the middle of the cake for the mound of ice cream to fit in.
Then put the egg whites in a bowl and turn on the mixer and add the Cream of Tarter and keep mixing until it's foamy. Then add 2 T of the sugar at a time until it's stiff and shiny.
Get a flat baking sheet. Put the cake layer on it. Then put the ice cream mound on the cake. Tun the oven on to 500 degrees. While it is warming up, spread the meringue over the entire cake and ice cream making sure that there are no holes. This seals the ice cream in so that it can handle the heat of the oven. Then put the cake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the meringue is light brown. Serve immediately. Although, you can put it in the freezer for serving later, if needed.

Shrimp and Grits

For Grits
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread
dash salt

For Shrimp
8 oz. raw shrimp, peeled, tails removed, deveined, patted dry
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
2 tbsp. precooked real crumbled bacon
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Optional: Tabasco sauce

Directions:
In a medium pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil on the stove. Add grits and salt and stir well. Reduce heat to lowest setting. Stirring occasionally, cook until water has been absorbed, about 6 - 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese, cheese wedge, and butter. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Bring a large pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add shrimp and cook until pink and just done, about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Add scallions, parsley, lemon juice, and garlic. If you like, add a dash or two of Tabasco. Stir well and remove from heat.

Serve grits topped with shrimp and bacon.

PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe, 1 large serving): 380 calories, 8g fat, 900mg sodium, 40g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 1g sugars, 40g protein -- POINTS® value 8*

Tofu Fttuccine-81 calorie, one serving and QUICK!

Ingredients:

1 Package Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Tofu Noodles
1/2 Wedge The Laughing Cow Light Cheese
1 teaspoon Fat Free Sour Cream
2 teaspoons Kraft Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper (if desired)

Rinse fettuccine noodles VERY well. Microwave them for one minute, then drain them and pat dry. Add cheeses and sour cream. Mix thoroughly. Microwave to help melt cheese further, and mix some more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy. Serves 1

(81 Calories, 3g Fat, 242mg Sodium, 9g Carbs, 4g Fiber, <1g protein =" 1">

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