smores fudge bars

S'mores Fudge Bars

YIELD: 9 large squares or 18 small squares

ingredients:

Crust:
20 full graham crackers
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Fudge filling:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Marshmallow topping:
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions:

For the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil.

Place the graham crackers, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

For the filling:
In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the chocolate chips and condensed milk. Heat until the mixture is melted, thick, and smooth, stirring constantly. Pour over graham cracker crust. Place in the refrigerator while making the marshmallow topping.

For the marshmallow topping:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook until a candy thermometer registers exactly 240°F. Immediately remove from heat. Turn the mixture on low speed and carefully and gradually drizzle the syrup into the egg whites. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy and looks like marshmallow fluff, about 7 minutes longer. Add in the vanilla and beat until combined.

Spread the marshmallow topping evenly over the chocolate fudge layer. Use akitchen torch to gently torch the marshmallow layer until lightly golden. Alternatively, place the pan under the broiler and broil for 1 minute, or until lightly golden.

Refrigerate the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares and serving. The squares can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Brown Butter Gingersnaps

Brown Butter Soft Batch Style Gingersnaps from picky palate

Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup softened or melted coconut oil
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all purpose Gold Medal Flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling dough in

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
2. Place butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt and cook/stir until browned. Takes a good 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
3. Place cooled brown butter (ok if it’s still warm) into a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Add coconut oil, brown sugar, molasses and egg, beating on medium until well combined. Slowly add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Mix until just combined. Dough will be thick. Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into granulated sugar and place onto prepared baking sheet. Place 1 inch apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until baked through. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Snickerdoodle Muffins with optional GF, DF, SF

Snickerdoodle Muffins

2 sticks unsalted butter (coconut oil)
1 cup sugar (honey/agave or coconut sugar)
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cup sour cream (kefir or coconut milk)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (GF flour)

1/2 cup sugar and 1 TBSP cinnamon mixed together for rolling*

1.Cream the butter and sugar until soft about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is incorporated.

2.In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar and nutmeg.

3.Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the egg-butter mixture in the additions. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Scrape the bowl occasionally.

4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out muffin batter one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely in cinnamon sugar. Place muffin into muffin tin. Depending on the size of your tins, you should get about 12 to 14 muffins. Bake them for approx. 20-22 minutes in a 350F oven or until they are golden brown.

Potato Puff Buns/Cinnamon Rolls Maple frosting

Potato Puff Buns:

6 c. warm water
1 c. powdered milk
4 T. yeast
1 C. coconut oil
1 C. sugar
2 C. Mashed potato flakes
4 eggs
2 T. salt
Flour (10-12 cups)

Combine all ingredients but flour, stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Dough should be pulling away from the side of the bowl.   Knead mixer for 5 minutes.  Let rise until double in size.  Roll out for cinnamon rolls or dinner rolls.  Let rise again.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Makes 5-6 dozen dinner rolls or 3-4 dozen cinnamon rolls.

For the cinnamon rolls, roll out the dough in a rectangle and spread with soft or melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and roll up, and cut into rolls, and place on large cookie sheet pans. Let rise until double.   Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Maple Frosting:
1 2-pound bag powdered sugar (sifted)
2 T-4 T Maple flavoring (I use OliveNation Maple Extract, that I buy off of amazon.  It has caramel coloring in it to give it that nice brown color) Start with 2 T and add more until you like the flavor of the frosting.  
1/2 c. milk
1/2c-1 c. softened butter (depending on how buttery you like your frosting.  I use 1 cup)
1/4  tsp. salt
Beat softened butter for 2-3 minutes, add powdered sugar, and milk.  Once combined, add maple flavoring and salt, and combine, adding either more milk or more sugar until you get the consistency you like.

flu bomb and colds

 Flu Bomb

I got this from another blog
A more natural alternative to the flu shot:

3 drops  Oregano

5 drops  Immune System blend

5 drops  Melaleuca

5 drops Lemon

If you feel like you are starting to come down with a cold or a flu, put these oils in an empty gel capsule and take internally. Repeat every 3-4 hours until you feel better again.
I will also use these in the bath, with coconut oil and epsom salts

Flu bomb recipe 2

 Combine the following ingredients in a capsule. Take every 4 hours (except while sleeping).

• 3 drops peppermint
• 2 drops oregano
• 2 drops frankincense
• 2 drops Immune System blend, (for a cold I used this one, but used Eucalyptus instead of the blend)

Right before bed, she added 2 drops of lime to the mixture because lime is good for suppressing a cough.
This combination worked effectively, and she experienced an instant uplift after taking the capsules, likely due to the peppermint.

More recipes

• If you want more  cold and flu recipes, click here,  here and here.
• More ideas to assist with a bad cough and congestion, click here.

Congestion/Cough: Essential Oil Support

 Essential Oil Users Have Found The Following To Assist In Congestion/ Cough Support:

For Bad Congestion and/or Cough

(All natural, organic, fast acting support)

Chest rub – every 1-2 hours:

Chest Rub 1

2 drops Eucalyptus

2 drops Peppermint

2 drops Cypress or Melaleuca

Chest Rub 2

2 drops Eucalyptus

2 drops Clove

2 drops Lemon

Chest Rub 3

4 drops Respiratory blend

2 drops Lime

Gargle in 1 tablespoon of  water for 1-2 min. then swallow – 5X daily.

2 drops Oregano or Cinnamon (hot)

2 drops Lemon

2 drops Peppermint or Clove

Use diffuser with Respiratory blend or Eucalyptus.

Use Immune System blend Throat Drops for pain relief and healing.

Make a steam tent with using Resperatory blend, Eucalyptus or other oils.

Make a tea: Blending 8oz hot water, 1-2 tablespoons honey & 1 drop each of

Clove and Lemon.

Consider other powerful oils… Lemon, Lavender, Ginger orThyme.

For children

• Dilute 1-2 drops of thyme or lemon in 2 tablespoons of carrier oil (e.g., olive oil, fractionated coconut oil) and massage a little on their neck and chest; and
• Put oregano, melaleuca and Immune System blend oils on their feet (1 drop of each and apply every 2-3 hours).
• You can also can add 2 to 3 drops of Immune system blend and 2 drops Lemon essential oil to a teaspoon of honey for cold or cough relief medicine for children.

Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temp
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup cinnamon chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl) beat butter and both sugars for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well incorporated, then slowly mix in flour mixture until dough comes together. Fold in cinnamon chips.
3. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and place at least 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just beginning to brown, then remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes Approximately 2 dozen cookies

No-Knead Bread (artisan bread)

Makes one 1 1/2 pound loaf

3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
olive oil
cornmeal

1.  In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt.  Add water and stir until blended.  Coat a second large bowl with olive oil, and transfer dough into bowl, and cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Let dough rest at least 12-18 hours.  When the surface is dotted with bubbles, dough is ready

2.  with floured hands, quickly and gently shape dough into a ball.  Place dough on a cutting board coated with cornmeal, and let rise 2 hours.

3.  A half hour before it is done rising, preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Place 6 to 8 quart heavy covered pot, such as cast iron or pyrex in the oven as it heats.  Shake dough into pot once the oven is heated, cover and bake 30 minutes.  Uncover, and continue baking until browned, 15-30 minutes.