Screaming Pretzels

Yum

Boo! Halloween is almost here and I'm getting excited!

It's one of my FAVORITE holidays.  I have the BEST memories of dressing up for Halloween as a kid and as an adult.  I just love it.  I guess I'm secretly wishing to wear costumes and play dress up!

Since I'm into the costume side of it all I don't make too many goodies for Halloween.  However, this year I came across the most adorable treats on Pinterest. These Screaming Pretzels are too cute!  Just look at those eyes...they totally make these treats.   Plus...they are sooooo easy to make!  Not only will the kids love these but the adults will love them too.

Screaming Pretzels

I can completely attest to that, as I delivered these to my co-workers and they were all gone immediately, and....they asked me to make more!  This never happens.  My co-workers are healthy-picky.  The type that never touches a sweet.  But not today!  They ate these salty sweet dark chocolate dipped pretzels right up.  The flavors are just right.

The idea originally comes from the Oriental Trading website.  Only requires 3 ingredients and a little amount of time.  I used dark chocolate this time, but I'm thinking white chocolate next time for Screaming ghosts....or orange for screaming pumpkins.  Go ahead and make them your own.  In the end you'll have a cute inexpensive treat that all will love. 

Enjoy!




Screaming Pretzels

Ingredients:

Mini twist pretzels
Dark chocolate candy melts
Candy eyeballs

Directions:

Melt the chocolate candy melts according to the directions on the package in a medium bowl.

Dip the pretzels into the candy melts, coating both sides. Shake off excess chocolate.  Place the pretzel on waxed or parchment paper making sure the bottom hole (where the mouth would be) of the pretzel is not filled with chocolate. Note:  It's okay, and even helps, if the top two holes are filled with chocolate as they hold the eyes better.

Place a eyes into the top two sections. Allow to set until firm.

Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes

Brimming with fresh ingredients and are loaded with bright Greek flavors!

Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes

Yum

Late summer tomatoes are still everywhere you look this time of year. If you grown your own you may have such an abundance, you might run out of ways to use them into your menus. Some of my favorite ways are stuffed, roasted, grilled, or pureed into wonderful recipes.

Have you ever stuffed a tomato?  The cute little goat cheese stuffed cherry tomatoes are perfect appetizers for a holiday party.  Today's Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes are anything but boring.  These beauties are big, seasonal freshness with a new spin on the prep of a tomato.  These are just brimming with fresh ingredients and are loaded with bright flavors from Greece.  

I prepare tomatoes in so many ways like my Tomato Tabbouleh Salad or I'll freeze them as in my Big Batch Marinara Sauce.  Search tomatoes in the search bar to the right to see all my great recipes using this staple.

Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes - A perfect side dish

Some associate tomatoes with summer, and don't get me wrong, this dish is a great light and fresh summer side dish.  However, tomatoes are still in season even though it is October.  This side dish is perfect along a nice grilled chicken or served along a chicken pita pocket for lunch.  It goes with so many dishes that you will love it's versatility.  You could even make these in cherry tomatoes as appetizers.  The burst of fresh lemon and herbs will have your guests talking about these for days.

Enjoy!






Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes

Makes 6 servings


6 large beefsteak or vine tomatoes
Salt and black pepper to taste
Minced zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups stemmed and coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
1 cup cooked white rice, cooled
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
Lemon wedges

Slice the tops off of the tomatoes.  Scrape out the pulp from the insides using a small spoon or melon baller.  Discard pulp.  Season the inside of tomatoes with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl whisk together zest, lemon juice, oil, honey, Dijon, and garlic. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Toss spinach, rice, feta, onion, and mint with vinaigrette, then divide and stuff into tomatoes; serve with lemon wedges.

source:  Issue 118 Cuisine at Home Magazine

Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Let' celebrate Apple season! 

I know just the perfect way.  I'm going to make my mom's Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake.  This coffee cake just screams comfort, and fall.  Just picture taking this coffee cake out of the warm oven.  The smells of cinnamon and apples fill the house.  Serve this as a morning treat, or warm it up in the evening and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.  This is the perfect autumn recipe!

Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I found this recipe scribbled on an old recipe card in my mom's recipe box.  It was quite worn from years of reference.  I can remember mom making this many many times growing up and it brings back memories of raking leaves, and then jumping in them.  Oh!, the smells of fall. 

I sure have a love for apples which I got from my mom.  I love all varieties, but tend to gravitate more to the tart ones.  I can just hear mom saying "Eat an apple, they're good for you!".    So you can imagine my joy when I came across this recipe that brought back so many good memories.

Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake is an easy one to make.  It bakes in one 9 inch cake pan, and the batter is light and crumbly instead of wet and well mixed like other cakes.  This produces a very light textured cake which you are sure to love.  It's topped with a wet crumb topping that gives it great flavor and that coffee cake style.  Filled with apples, this cake is light and delicious!

Enjoy your fall and have a piece of cake!





Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Cake:
1 1 / 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 / 2 teaspoon salt
1 / 4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 egg
2 large Jazz apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped

Topping:
1 / 4 cup brown sugar
1 / 2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9 inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and the egg.  Mix until crumbly.  Add apples and stir to blend.  Place mixture in prepared pan.  

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and butter.  Mix until blended.  Sprinkle over batter in the pan.


Bake 50 - 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.  Serve warm or at room temperature.