Easy Vodka Cranberry Drink

Happy New Year!

Oh My Gosh can you believe 2016 is just around the corner? If you plan on staying home or hosting a party I have a super easy and delicious drink to try. All you need is vodka, cranberry juice cocktail and blackberries or raspberries. I sometimes crush the berries a bit for more flavor. I use about 8 ounces cranberry juice, one shot of vodka and a few berries along with crushed ice.

Baked Acorn Squash with Cinnamon and Raisins

When I was young I really did not have much of a taste for squash except for my moms pan fried zucchini. Some things do change I now enjoy many types of squash! Below is my simple recipe for baked acorn squash with cinnamon and raisins. We use it as our dessert because it tastes like dessert.

You will need...
One Acorn Squash (carefully cut in half)
Butter 1-2 tablespoons for each half
Brown Sugar 1/4 cup or a bit more for each half
Cinnamon 1/4-1/2 teaspoon for each half
Raisins a small handful for each half (more if you like or none at all)
8x12x2 baking pan or other size that works for you
Foil
2 1/2 - 3 cups water
Cooking Spray
Oven preheated to 400 degrees





Wash the squash and cut in half being careful it is a bit awkward. Scoop out the seeds then rinse the inside of the acorn in cold water. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place acorn squash in baking pan adding all four ingredients lastly add the water to pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 minutes then remove foil and bake another 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. If a half is larger than you want you can cut them in half again after baking spooning the syrup over each quarter.

Enjoy!

Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates For Any Occasion

Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates For Any Occasion



I received a sample of these chocolates and they are wonderful! You can see and taste the high quality used to make them.



You should really try the Candy Bars. They have four flavors my favorite is the Dark Chocolate Almond.



"The perfect sweet pick me up for yourself or a special gift for any occasion. Mouth-watering varieties sure to please any who try it."



Check out these pretty Valentines Day Gifts

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Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates on Facebook
Mrs. Cavanaugh's


Disclosure: USFamilyGuide and Mrs. Cavanaugh's provided a sample in exchange for this post.

Apple Butter Made Easy

Easy Crock Pot Apple Butter

I have made Apple Butter using fresh apples but sometimes I use applesauce. I posted this recipe a few years ago but wanted to share it again.

5 1/2 to 6 cups (46 oz) Unsweetened Applesauce
2 Cups Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Apple Juice or Cider
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Clove
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Allspice

Add the applesauce to your crock pot set temp on high. Mix in the brown sugar add the spices and gently mix until well blended. Cook on high for about two hours then drop to low temp for five or six more hours. You will want to stir this every once in a while so check it every hour or so. During the last two hours cook with the lid off. Spoon into hot pint or 1/2 pint jars up to 1/4 inch from the top. Make sure to wipe off any spills on rim of jars. Top with a hot lid then lightly tighten band over seal. Cook 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Carefully remove jars after 10 min. with a jar lifter let cool tighten bands once more. Enjoy and share with friends.

Red, White and Blue 4th of July Dessert

Strawberry-Blueberry Topped Sour Cream Pound Cake

3 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
11/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven 325
Spray an 8x4x2 pan
Stir flour, baking soda and baking powder into bowl set aside.
In mixing bowl beat butter for a bit then slowly add sugar beating 10 minutes.
Add vanilla then eggs one at a time.
Slowly add half of flour mixture then half of the sour cream mixture until all is added. Blend well on low speed.
Pour into pan bake 60-70 minutes.
Cool 10 min and remove from pan cool another 30 minutes.

Topping
Cool Whip
Fresh Sliced Strawberries and Blueberries
Put sliced pound cake on dessert plate spoon on Cool Whip top with fruit.


If you do not have the time use a frozen pound cake nothing wrong with that!


Pound cake was traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients flour, butter, eggs, and sugar.

Pretty New Year's Eve Cookie

Russian tea cakes appeared in Russia in the 18th century and were used in tea sharing ceremonies. Now you see them everywhere at Christmas. Similar cookies/pastry are the Mexican Wedding Cakes, Pecanballs, Snowballs and Butterballs.

This is a pretty cookie that can be used for many occasions I like to make them for New Year's Eve.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup Butter
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 to 1 1/2 cup Pecans Chopped Fine
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 1/4 cups Flour

Preheat Oven 350 F.

Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, beat until well blended. Stir in the flour and pecans.
Shape into 1-inch balls place 1 inch apart on baking sheet.
Bake 10-14 minutes
Roll while warm in remaining powdered sugar.
Cool on wire rack then roll again in powdered sugar.



You might also like this Holiday Biscotti for your New Year's Eve party.

Holiday Biscotti

Biscotti Ingredients

2 large Eggs
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Oil
1 Tbsp Anise Extract
(I also add a tsp or more of Anise seeds because I like the flavor)
11/2 tsp Baking Powder
11/2 Cups Flour
Powdered Sugar



Preheat Oven 350
Spray cookie sheet with Pam

Whisk eggs, sugar, oil and extract in large bowl until well blended. Stir in baking powder then flour until combined. (at this point you can add 1/2 cup sliced almonds if you like)

Spoon half of the dough onto the cookie sheet making an oblong 11 x 3 or so shape. The dough will spread out and that is fine.

Bake 18-23 minutes checking at 18 min. so it does not burn.
If you have two cookie sheets bake both halves at the same time or one after the other if not.

Cool about 5 Min. slide off cookie sheet onto cutting board. With large long knife cut into slices. I just lightly push down with the knife as the dough is soft.

Lay slices on their sides on same cookie sheet bake 350 for 6 min. turn onto other side and bake another 6 min.
Cool and dust with powdered sugar store in container or freeze. You can also dip one end into melted chocolate if you like.

The Strength of One with Freschetta Pizza

FRESCHETTA Pizza Team’s THE STRENGTH OF 1 Campaign



Now through the end of October, 2012, the makers of Freschetta® pizza are helping to promote breast cancer awareness through their new The Strength of 1™ campaign, which includes sponsoring Bright Pink, the only national non-profit organization focusing on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women, while providing support to high-risk individuals. The mission of this The Strength of 1™ initiative is to inspire everyone to realize they can make a difference in some way in the fight against breast cancer.

Take The Pledge – Join other women and take the pledge to show you have The Strength of 1™ power within you. You can do so at The Freschetta Pizza Facebook page.

You can also go to Bright Pink for more information and other ways to become involved.


I occasionally receive compensation in the form of products for posts. However, the opinions I share are solely my own. In this case I received no product or any other compensation I only wanted to share a good cause.

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Easy Apple Butter made with Applesauce

I have made Apple Butter using fresh apples but last year I used Applesauce and it turned out great.

5 1/2 to 6 cups (46 oz) Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 Cups Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Apple Juice or Cider
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Clove
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Allspice

Add the Applesauce to your crock pot set temp on high. Mix in the brown sugar then add the spices gently mix until well blended. Cook on high for about two hours then drop to low temp for five or six more hours. You will want to stir this every once in a while so check it every hour or so. During the last two hours cook with the lid off. Spoon into hot pint or 1/2 pint jars up to 1/4 inch from the top. Make sure to wipe off any spills on rim of jars. Top with a hot lid then lightly tighten band over seal. Cook 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Carefully remove jars after 10 min. with a jar lifter let cool tighten bands once more. Enjoy and share with friends.
The Apple Butter in the picture is a batch I made today.

Corned Beef and Cabbage for Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day March 17th is one of if not the most widely celebrated Saint's day in the world. We are just a tiny bit Irish on my Father's side and my Mother loved to cook so we always had corned beef and cabbage on Saint Patrick's Day.



Corned Beef Brisket with Cabbage

3 lb. corned beef brisket
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 cup maple-flavored or pancake syrup
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. KRAFT Prepared Horseradish
1 head cabbage, cut into wedges


PLACE meat in large saucepan; top with onions, garlic and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover all ingredients; cover with lid. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 1 hour. Drain, reserving meat in pan. Remove and discard bay leaves.

ADD enough fresh water to saucepan to cover meat; cover with lid. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender.

HEAT oven to 350ºF. Remove meat from pan, reserving liquid in pan; place meat in shallow baking pan. Mix syrup, mustard and horseradish; spoon half over meat. Reserve remaining syrup mixture for brushing onto cooked meat.

BAKE 20 min., brushing frequently with remaining syrup mixture. Meanwhile, add cabbage to reserved liquid in saucepan; cook 8 to 10 min. or until tender.

PLACE meat on platter; drizzle with pan drippings. Serve with cabbage.

I also cook red potatoes as a side dish with this.


This is a quick and easy dessert I make quite often.

Pistachio Pudding

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding
Cold Milk
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Prepare pudding as directed on package
Stir 1 cup Cool Whip into pudding mixture
To really green it up add a few drops of food coloring
Pour into small serving bowls top with Cool Whip
You can add a few green sprinkles on top if you like :)

Cupcakes are super easy you can add green food coloring to a white cake mix and white frosting then top with green sprinkles.

Kraft Recipes

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake A Great Dessert For Your Valentine
Made with Bisquick

4 cups fresh strawberries sliced.
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/3 cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2 Cup milk
3 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs butter or margarine, melted
1 sm/med container Cool Whip

Preheat Oven to 425 F.
Mix strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar; set aside or use thawed sweetened strawberries.
Stir Bisquick mix, milk, 3 Tbs sugar and butter/margarine until a soft dough forms. Divide by 6 spoonfuls and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 min or until golden brown. Cool shortcakes for 30 minutes or more. Fill and Top with Strawberries and Cool Whip.

Frozen strawberries will work you can buy them sweetened and omit the 1/2 cup sugar although fresh are best.

Salsa Senorita Review

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Quick look on you salsa jar and see what is in it and how many ingredients. I bet it has a lot more than a Salsa Senorita's jar. Salsa Senorita put all the flavor in and left out all that other stuff. I received a nice 16 oz jar of their Mild salsa just a few days ago. Sadly not much is left in the jar once my husband got his hands on it he loves his chips and salsa. The Salsa Senorita salsa looked and tasted like I had just made it fresh. It has a nice mild flavor but is still flavorful with Anaheim Chilies, Onion, Cilantro and Garlic.
They have four flavors to choose from Hot, Medium, Roasted Garlic and Mild. If you live in New Mexico, Georgia, Alabama or California you may find a store near you. Everyone can order Salsa Senorita Online


"Salsa Señorita, created in a New Mexico kitchen, is an authentic Southwestern creation using only the freshest produce blended together to emphasize the individual characteristics of each ingredient."






Disclaimer: Easy2Save Blog was not paid for this post. Samples received are for review purposes. Opinion and Review content by Easy2Save Blog.

Land O Lakes All-Natural Eggs

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I am glad to see that Land O Lakes now has eggs! We use Land O Lakes butter and it is very good so I imagine the eggs will be as well.

Strawberry-Pineapple Topped Sour Cream Pound Cake

Strawberry-Pineapple Topped Sour Cream Pound Cake

3 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
11/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven 325
Spray an 8x4x2 pan
Stir flour, baking soda and baking powder into bowl set aside.
In mixing bowl beat butter for a bit then slowly add sugar beating 10 minutes.
Add vanilla then eggs one at a time.
Add slowly half of flour mixture then half of the sour cream mixing on low/medium speed until all has been added and it is well mixed.
Pour into pan bake 60-70 minutes.
Cool 10 min and remove from pan cool another 30 minutes.

Topping
Cool Whip or other dairy topping you like.
Fresh or canned Pineapple and/or Strawberries
Put a slice of pound cake on dessert plate spoon on Cool Whip top with fruit.

If you do not have the time use a frozen pound cake nothing wrong with that!

Pound cake was traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients flour, butter, eggs, and sugar.




Kraft Recipes Strawberry-Rhubarb Pound Cake Dessert This sounds good I am going to try it.

Russian Tea Cakes

Russian tea cakes appeared in Russia in the 18th century and were used in tea sharing ceremonies. Now you see them everywhere at Christmas. Similar cookies/pastry are the Mexican Wedding Cakes, Pecanballs, Snowballs and Butterballs.

1 cup Butter
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 cup Pecans Chopped Fine
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 1/4 cups Flour

Preheat Oven 350 F.

Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, beat until well blended. Stir in the flour and pecans.
Shape into 1-inch balls place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 12-15 minutes then roll while hot in remaining powdered sugar.
Cool on wire rack then roll again in powdered sugar.

Free Diced Tomatoes From Del Monte

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This e-mail is to confirm that you have successfully claimed a Del Monte Dish coupon.
Please allow 4 to 6 weeks after the promotion ends for verification and delivery of your coupon.
For healthy eating tips and recipes for getting Just One More™ serving of fruits, vegetables, and tomatoes into your family's diet, visit www.delmonte.com/solutions.
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Welcome to First Taste, the best place to get the inside scoop on the latest Kraft products, be one of the first to try them, and tell us what you think. Join our community today to start connecting with other members, and sharing special offers with friends.

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