Saturday, December 4, 2010

Winter Weekend Scrapbooking Retreat 2010 - Day 3

memory lane

Before going any further, the recipes I'd promised...

Candy Cane Hot Chocolate Mix
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup coffee creamer
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups skim milk powder (I use carnation)
1 cup candy cane, crushed

Directions:
1. In a large bowl measure and sift powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa, coffee creamer, salt and skim milk powder.
2. Break up and pulse in food processor until candy canes are very fine. It will be noisy!
3. Mix all together and store in air tight container until ready to serve.
4. To make hot chocolate, mix 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix in a cup of boiling water. Top with whipped cream!
5. About 14 candy canes or 175 gram box will yield one cup.

Monster Bars
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
4-1/2 cups oatmeal
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups M & M’s

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ยบ F.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together.
3. Add eggs and peanut butter and mix.
4. Stir in vanilla, baking soda and oatmeal.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and M & M’s.
6. Put in an ungreased jellyroll pan.
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Do not over bake.

Caramel Puffcorn
1 bag Old Dutch Puffcorn
1 cup butter (not margarine)
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Combine butter, brown sugar, and light corn syrup in a 2 quart sauce pan.
3. Cook on medium heat until mixture has melted.
4. Once mixture has melted add the baking soda. (Note: This will cause the mixture to foam)
5. In a large roaster pan pour Old Dutch Puffcorn and pour caramel mixture over the Old Dutch Puffcorn and stir until mixed.
6. Place in oven for 45 minutes, stirring at least every 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, pour on wax paper and break apart.
8. Let cool and ENJOY!

In addition to some great recipes, I've also received a ton of inspiration from the cropping ladies.

retreat collage

I'll share all with you in another post because I have some serious issues to address in this one.

Ahem.

To all the "friends" who made fun of me for that infamous "Would You Rather...?" game question - did you know:
  • Ostriches grow to be 8 feet tall and weigh anywhere from 140-230 lbs. Height, body weight and BMI decrease significantly in the elderly.
  • Ostrich hens lay 40-100 eggs per year, averaging 60 eggs per year. One egg is the equivilant of 20 hen eggs (6 inches long and approximately 9,000 calories). The elderly do not lay eggs.
  • Ostriches run up to 40 mph. The elderly - 2.8 mph.
  • Ostriches are nomadic, wandering where food is most readily available (meaning, they'll likely end up in your kitchen). The only "wandering" concerns with the elderly usually involve those with dementia.
  • Ostriches can cause serious injury and death with their kicks. I don't know one elderly person who can pack a punch like that.
  • And the most compelling reason, ostriches reproduce. The elderly do not. [Thank you for that one, Crystal!]
I met my Google Monster "sister" here this weekend. She was quick to help me find answers to all of my googling dilemmas. (As I'm sure you can tell, a very productive day.)

We're packing it up and heading home tomorrow so I'm not sure exactly when I'll be posting Day 4 (with all sorts of links to cool cropping things). It might need to wait until Monday. Until then...

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow...that question must have been weighing on your mind it's clear to see. But with the compelling facts that you have raised, I may have changed my vote.
Dave T