Turkey Parade ... Turkey Rice Krispie Treats & Turkey Cookies

Next on our list was some turkey's for the boys class rooms.  I of course couldn't make the same treat for both classroom.  I found two really cute turkey's I wanted to try out.

First one I did was actually very simple.  Caden helped decorate these for his classroom.  I found these Turkey Rice Krispie Treats on Shugary Sweets.  You start with a basic rice krispie treat, with a circle cookie cutter and some candy you have the perfect turkey!

Ingredients

For the krispie treats:
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 10oz bag marshmallows
• 5 cup Rice Krispies Cereal
For the turkeys:
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted 
• 12 chocolate wafers or Hershey Kisses
• candy corn
• candy eyes (Wilton - Walmart, Target or Michael's sales them)
• orange m&m's

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add marshmallows and stir continuously until melted. Remove from heat and quickly fold in the cereal, until completely coated.
2. Press lightly into a buttered 13x9 baking sheet. Allow to set, about 30 minutes.
3. Using a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter (or whatever desired size), cut circles into the krispie treat. Eat discards immediately.
4. Using the melted semi-sweet chocolate, attach about 5 candy corn for feathers, one wafer for the face, two eyes and half of an orange m&m for the beak. Feel free to add a red candy (or pipe on red candy melts) for the waddle.

Alexis Notes: I used frosting as my glue instead of melted chocolate.  Instead of hersey kisses I used mini Reese's Cups.  I pick up my Candy Eye's at Walmart.  Instead of Orange M&M's I used Reese's Pieces that I cut in half. 

And the Second one I did was simple also.  I did cheat and use chocolate covered Oreo's and already chocolate covered pretzels.  I found this idea for Turkey Cookies on A Thrifty Mom.  I took her idea and tweaked it a little bit.

Ingredients:

Oreo Cookies

Mini Pretzels

Red Gummy Worm

Candy Corn

Frosting

Chocolate Candy Coating

Wax Paper

I used chocolate dipped Oreo Cookies and Pretzels.  This way I could avoid the melting of Chocolate Candy Coating and hand dipping.  If you want to do or can't find these melt your chocolate Candy Coating, dip your Mini Pretzels and set them aside.  When dry dip your oreo and place on 4 mini chocolate covered pretzels.  I fanned them out to look like the feathers.  If doing this method add your candy eyes, nose and waddle to the wet oreo cookie.  Since I used chocolate covered oreo's, I melted a little chocolate to glue the oreo to the pretzels.  I used frosting to add the eyes, nose and waddle. I wanted the waddle to look like a waddle so I used a red candy worm.  For the nose I used a candy corn.  A Thrifty mom used Red and Yellow Fruit foll ups.  My way gave it more of a 3D look, it's your call.

Hope you are all have an amazing Thanksgiving & Black Friday!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Any Thanksgiving Plans?

Pumpkin Pie Popcorn

Next on my pumpkin list is Pumpkin Pie Popcorn, I found several recipes but went with the one I found on Family Bites.  It was a simple recipe, the only hard part is the putting in the oven and checking and stirring every 20 minutes.

OK this is what I learned READ the recipe I accidentally went with 350°F instead of 250°F on my first batch.  I also found a tin disposable pan was easier to do the stirring instead of cookie sheet.  My first batch was a little darker then I would like.  It was still tasty but not perfect!

LOL I just noticed the glow from y computer fan made this looks crazy :).

Pumpkin Pie Popcorn (adapted from Orangette)

• 10 cups air popped popcorn, salted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syurp
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Coat a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray, and dump the popcorn into the bowl, taking care to pick out and discard any unpopped kernels.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer, whisking often, and bring to a boil.  Allow the mixture to boil for about 2 minutes, whisking occasionally. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the baking soda and pumpkin pie spice.

Quickly pour the hot caramel over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the caramel into the popcorn, taking care to distribute it as evenly as you can. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring and turning the popcorn with a spatula every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Gently break up the popcorn, and serve.

I made extra so I could take some to Boston for my co workers and bosses.  One of my co-worker has been asking for treats so I thought I'd bring some when I go this week. Let's hope they travel well.

Hope you are all have an amazing week!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Any Thanksgiving Plans?

Peekaboo Pumpkin Pound Cake with Brown Butter Pecan Icing

I saw the most amazing Peekaboo pumpkin pound cake with brown butter pecan icing on Sheknows.com.  I just had to try it out, I did learn it was a lot of work.  BUT it did turn out very cool.  I used a plastic pumpkin cookie cuter, NEXT time I will use a nice metal one with a longer stem.  My stem was a little small so when I put the pound cake mix on the top of the cooked pumpkin shapes it didn't make the pumpkin pop like it should.

This really is a time consuming recipe but when they cut into the bread and see the pumpkin shape it will blow anyone away.  It so was worth all the time!  This recipe is really like making 3 breads and merging them together.

Ingredients:

For the pound cake

• 1 (14-ounce) box pumpkin bread mix (I made homemade version)
• 1 (16-ounce) box pound cake mix (I made homemade version)
• Orange food coloring

For the icing

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Prepare Pumpkin Bread

Mix up pumpkin bread ingredients according to the directions on the box. Add orange food coloring to make it more "pumpkin-y" looking (less brown).  I made a homemade pumpkin bread instead of using a box mix.  

pumpkin bread INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups (200g) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (240 ml) pumpkin purée*
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped walnuts

* To make pumpkin purée, cut a pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a foil or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use. Or, if you are working with pumpkin pieces, roast or boil them until tender, then remove and discard the skin.

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda.

2 Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts.

3 Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Remove from oven before completely done, about 8-10 minutes less than instructed. Let cool, remove from pan and refrigerate for up to four hours. Cut cold pumpkin bread into large slices. Cut pumpkin shapes from slices. Align them down the center of a lightly greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.  

Make Pound Cake

Mix up your pound cake batter according to the directions on the box. Pour over your pumpkin bread cutouts in the pan, making sure to cover the tops of the pumpkins. You may have more pound cake batter than you need. Try not to overfill the pan. Bake according to the directions on the box. Let cool when done.  (I made my pound cake from scratch - SEE recipe below).

Pound Cake Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, plus more for pan
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Prepare the Icing

Put powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. In a saucepan, melt butter and boil, stirring until it starts to brown and form dark flecks on the sides and bottom. Remove from heat. Pour the melted brown butter and flecks over the powdered sugar. Add the evaporated milk and vanilla. Stir until combined and creamy. Add more powdered sugar if it appears too runny or more evaporated milk if it seems too stiff.

Icing Cake

Remove baked and cooled pound cake from pan and top with brown butter icing. Add chopped pecans, if desired. Cut into slices and delight your guests with the pumpkin-shaped surprise that peeks out from inside!

Step by Step how to make:

Small Pumpkin Cookie Cutter used:

Large Pumpkin Cookie Cutter Used

Left Over Pound Cake Mix

So I made a bunt cake for the Tutor.

Hope you give this one a shot!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Things that make you laugh ....

So I went to the doctor since I'm not loosing any weight and have gained some since I have reintroduced carbs and sugar.  Eating a normal but smaller portions, trying to stick to a Weight Watcher system.  I just have been feeling a little blah lately even with my working out, so I went to see the doctor and of course all my test comes back normal.  Ugh so I will just keep plugging forward.  Today I need a laugh it's been a rough week so I thought I would share a funny with you!!

Hope you all laugh and have a great day!

Themed Gift Idea ... Dragons Oh my (Once Upon A Time Gift Bag)

Yesterday I showed the gift for Stacy @ Stacy Uncorked and her family, today I show the gift I did for her daughter Princess Nagger.  Stacy let me know PN loves Dragon's, so I thought why not make a fun Dragon / Fairy Tale gift.  I couldn't find all things dragon so I ran with a Fairy Tale as the Dragon as my focal point. 

I hit up Michael's Craft store for a few items and then Target to complete my items.

What I used:

Canvas Bag

Iron On Letters

Wood Castle (I found a pre-painted one at Michael's)

Stuffed Dragon

Foam Castle Craft

Zany Tales (Like a Mad Lib but Fairy Tale Version)

Princess Bracelet (Since they call her Princess Nagger)

Hot Tamales (Wrapped up saying Dragon's Breath)

- Hot Glue Gun & Sticks

- Hot Iron

I first started out with a canvas bag, I then took these fun iron letters that reminded me of the font on fairy tale books.  I first put them on the bag and figured how I wanted them on the bag.  I then took my hot iron and set the letters on how it like them.  I took my trusty hot glue gun and glued the castle down in the middle.  I wanted to keep with the dragon theme.  So I took some Hot Tamales and went to my computer took a flame and added the Words Dragon's Breath.  I wrapped this around the box and done!  I took Pink Tissue paper to match the bag and put it all in. 

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Themed Gift Idea ... Welcome Home Basket (Dinner and A Movie Night)

Next on our themed gift basket idea is a Dinner and a Movie Night.  My amazing Bloggy friend Stacy from Stacy Uncorked moved back to town.  I wanted to make her and her family a Welcome Home Gift. I've made a version of this as a wedding gift before and it was such a hit that I thought I'd do a smaller version.

What you Need:

Bowl or Colander

Spaghetti Noodles

Spaghetti Sauce

Popcorn

Candy

Movie

Tissue paper as s filler

I put tissue paper at the bottom to help put all the items in the bowl.  I was going to add a thing of french bread but I wasn't sure when they would eat and didn't want to buy something that goes bad.  I also was going to put in a bottle of Wine but she makes the best wine and thought it would be a little silly giving her wine. 

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.