Happy Valentine's Day!

May your day be filled with Love and Chocolate!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine Chex® Mix

9 cups Rice Chex® cereal

1 cup white vanilla baking chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup red, white and pink candy-coated chocolate candies

1/4 cup red or pink jimmies sprinkles

1. In large bowl, place cereal. In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.

2. Place 1/2 of the cereal mixture in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, stir candies and sprinkles into remaining cereal mixture. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes.

4. In serving bowl, mix both cereal mixtures. Store in airtight container.

I got this recipe over at

http://www.bettycrocker.com/

I love that site! You should check it out if you haven't already!

Pressure Cookers are so much Pressure!!

Oh the pressure....I am old school when it comes to these....I was raised you stay away from the stove when Mom was using the preassure cooker. I have been going to Melanie's Cooking Classes for at least 2 years now and she is always using hers. After 1 year I finally got brave enough to buy one....a few months later I was brave enough to open the box and start reading the manual.....That took a month....I have now mastered "Carrots". And my carrots are to die for! It really has taken alot to get me past by fear and over the weekend I used it for 3 other recipes....YES I branched past carrots!  I did Manhatten Clam Chowder in it and it took ...with prep time 30 minutes from start to finish! So I have now decided I love this pan! I did follow Melanie's suggest and bought a Kuhn Rikon. It really is easy its just passing the fear! LOL! Let me know how you like your if you have one!

I started making hot pads and oven mitts to give as gifts. They are so fun to make and I thought a fun Make a Mix in a bag and recipe would fit in side with a wooden spoon just fine. You can see the gift basket I did at my other blog

http://www.busyascanbe.com/

Make A Mix Muffin Mix Recipe

8 cups all purpose flour

3 cups sugar

3 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. MIX WELL! Put in an airtight container.

Label with date and contents. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 6-8 months.

Makes about 11 cups of muffin mix, enough for 4 batches s of muffins.

MELT IN YOUR MOUTH MUFFINS

(To make with muffin mix above)

2 3/4 cups Muffin Mix

1 egg beaten

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter or margarine melted (or 1/2 cup vegetable oil)

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put Muffin Mix in a medium bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine egg, milk, butter. Add all at once to Muffin Mix. Stir until mix is just moistened: batter should be lumpy . Fill muffin pans 3/4 full. Bake 15 min. or until golden brown.

Place pan on wire rack for 5 min. Remove muffins from pan and serve warm or place on a wire rack to cool. These muffins FREEZE WELL! Makes 12 muffins.

VARIATIONS: Cappuccino chip muffins= add 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1 tbsp. espresso powder to dry ingredients. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract to wet ingredients. Add 3/4 cup semisweet morsels to batter.

I got this recipe from http://www.cookingcache.com/ they have a lot of recipes I have tried and LOVED! Your will have to stop by there and my other blog! You can always wrap in cellophane and tie with left over fabric and tie the wooden spoon in the bow.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I know this isn't the usual New Year picture but it seem that I am always so busy at Christmas time I really don't enjoy the tree until after. I had vacation after Christmas this year and I got to take time to sip tea and sit by the tree! Ahhh I love it! I love turning off the ceiling lights and watching TV with the tree lights on and a warm cup of French Vanilla tea. Of and of course so of the wonderful goodies from christmas.