Peep Jousting

So, around this time of year, Marshmallow Peeps are easy to obtain and are relatively cheap.  There is much fun to be had with Peeps, including two of our favorites, this recipe, that I posted earlier, and Peep jousting.

This is the first year we have tried jousting, but it is fun and we will definitely be doing it again.

Here are some highlights from the tournament.  :)

Round One contestants.

Armed and in the microwave

Jousting failure.

Round two, my Peep.

Round Two, armed and ready.

And still too far apart.  :(  

Cheating.

By both of us.

Food Friday--Rice KrisPeep Treats

For the longest time, my son would not touch Rice Krispie treats.  This was okay with me because while they are not my favorite thing, if they are in the house I will munch on them and I don't need to.

My son suddenly decided one day about three years ago that Rice Krispie treats were good, and he asked if we could make some.  I had the brilliant idea to make them with Peeps instead of regular marshmallows to make them more fun, and now he really likes them.

These particular treats are a lot of fun to make, and a lot of fun to eat, just be sure not to stir them too much when mixing the cereal in if you use different colored Peeps.

Rice KrisPeep treats

What you need:

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (or 6 cups some type of puffed rice cereal.  (Malt-O-Meal makes a decent, cheap variety)
36 Marshmallow Peeps
3 tablespoons of butter
nonstick cooking spray (optional)
13 x 9 baking dish

What you do:

If you want to, spray your baking dish with nonstick spray, or butter it to help your treats to not stick to the pan.

Measure out your cereal.

6 cups of blandness, about to become tasty.  

Over very low heat, melt your butter then add your Peeps.

Butter, melting.

The Peeps have joined the party.  

If using different colored peeps, keep the colors separate as much as possible.  Allow the Peeps to melt slowly, not stirring.

"We're mellllllltiiiiinnnnggg!"

Once they are all melted, dump in the cereal and gently mix until the cereal is covered with the marshmallows and butter, but don't overmix or your treats will be a weird greyish color, which is still amusing, but not as much fun.

After stirring, dump the treats into your baking dish and flatten out as much as possible.

Allow to cool, then slice into chunks and enjoy.

Please note, this does take a while to get the Peeps melted properly, but keep the heat very low.  Trust me, you do not want to burn the butter...

Happy Monday

This makes my inner nerd so happy.  :)

Happy Monday

Better Mondays through kilts.

Food Friday: Easy Skillet 'Cassoulet'

Hi.  No, I didn't forget to post today, I have had a full day.  A full day of migraine battling among other things.  And still being tired from the time change and from not sleeping much (getting to bed around 2:00 a.m., waking up for about an hour or so from 4:45 to a little after 6:00), then getting up around 7:30 a.m.), but I really think the time change is mostly to blame.  Actually, being tired could be the reason for the migraine.

When I am tired I sometimes have trouble getting motivated to cook, and I like to make easy, satisfying, comforting food that doesn't take a long time.  This is one of those dishes.  It's a cut down, fast and easy version of a snooty Cassoulet.  It's not exactly like the original, but it's pretty good.  

Snooty food, made not snooty.  

What you need:

Cooking spray or olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (or more) garlic cloves, minced
1 package smoked turkey or chicken sausage (you can use beef smoked sausage, but I normally only eat the turkey or chicken kind), sliced 1/4 inch thick
30 ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed and drained again.
3/4 cup chicken or veggie broth
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup plain, dried breadcrumbs (optional)

What you do:

If using breadcrumbs, preheat your broiler.

I normally use no salt added beans, but this was all I could find.  Do I need to specify that you should open the can of beans before rinsing and draining them?  

No tomato paste yet, but sausage getting browned.  

Drained and rinsed and drained beans

Coat a nonstick ovenproof skillet with cooking spray, or about a tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add your onion, garlic and smoked sausage and sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the thyme, chicken or veggie broth, beans and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.

If not using breadcrumbs, enjoy!

If using breadcrumbs, go ahead and sprinkle them over the beans. Place the skillet under the broiler until bread crumbs are browned, about 30 seconds. I used breadcrumbs one time for this recipe and my son begged me not to do it again.  

Happy Monday

Helping people have better Mondays, one kilt at a time.  :)

I have a thing for long haired men.  Especially kilted long haired men.  

Food Friday--Apple Butter Monkey Bread

I had never made monkey bread before, though I had been wanting to for quite some time, but I didn't have a Bundt pan and though I know it can be made in a regular bread pan, it's just more fun in a bundt pan. So I waited.

Until I stumbled across a recipe that I just couldn't not make.  I already had everything except the special pan, so I braved the snowy roads and found a cheap bundt pan and made this monkey bread for breakfast the next morning.  

The sugar glaze held in the heat for a LONG time, so be warned, it stays super hot and will burn you if you are not careful.  But it's worth any number of burnt fingers.  :)

Apple butter monkey bread

What you need

2 cans of refrigerated biscuits (I just used the cheaper store brand that are 8-10 in a tube, or you could make your own biscuits, just don't bake them.  They need to be uncooked for this recipe)

2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup apple butter (I used this recipe, but you could use boughten apple butter if you must.)

What you do

Pre-heat your oven to 350 and non-stick spray or grease your bundt pan.  Open your biscuits and separate them, then cut each one into 4 roughly equal chunks.  In a small bowl, combine the 2/3 cup of sugar with the cinnamon.   Roll your biscuit pieces in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat, and drop them in a greased Bundt pan. Make sure they are distributed evenly around the pan.

Biscuits

So, I did not completely separate them before I cut them into chunks.  It's okay, just make sure they are separated before rolling them in the cinnamon sugar.

Cinnamon and sugar

combined to make yumminess

Biscuit pieces having a dust bath

and in the bundt pan.  

In a small sauce pan, bring the butter, brown sugar and sugar to a nice rolling boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the apple butter. Pour this mixture as evenly as possible over the dough, and bake for 30 minutes.  Once you remove it from the oven, let it stand for 10 minutes, then turn it upside down onto a serving plate.  Tap it a few times and remove the pan.  Remember, it will still be VERY hot, so be careful.

Those little biscuits puff quite a bit when cooking

Om nom nom!

Gratuitous kitty.  :) 

Happy Monday

Hello, I am here to help you have a better Monday.