Tag: Coleens

Coleen’s Recipes: SUPER EASY MICROWAVE CANDY by Gordon Ramsay

This is the fastest candy I have EVER made and better yet, my Picky-picky Hubby gives it two thumbs up!! It is made in the microwave and is pretty enough for Christmas gift giving.

12 ounce bag of good quality white chocolate chips

12 ounce bag of good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

12 ounce bag of good quality milk chocolate chips

3 cups of your favorite whole nuts (see note)

Note: DO NOT be tempted to use all one kind of chocolate. For some (unknown to me) reason, the blend of white chocolate, semi-sweet and milk chocolate produces the BEST chocolate taste EVER!!

Put the chocolate chips in a large, microwave safe glass bowl and microwave for two minutes at 60% power (imperative that you stir every 30 seconds). My microwave took about 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

Stir until all of the chocolate is smooth, then stir in 3 cups of your favorite whole nuts. I ended up adding five cups of whole mixed nuts and I’m fairly certain I could have added one more cup. This makes a LOT of candy!!

The recipe calls for spooning candies onto waxed paper, but I spooned mine into mini-cupcake size paper liners. Put them in the fridge to “set” for about 15 minutes and they are ready to serve.

NOTE: The candy will only be as good as the chocolate you use. I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips. (Note: You do not taste the white chocolate when they are all melted together (I don’t like white chocolate), but the blend of the 3 chocolates is delicious.

Note: If you are making these ahead, store in the fridge in an air-tight container (or ziplock bag) until it’s time to serve (or give).

NOTE: I used a mixture of whole roasted nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts, pecans, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts…delicious).

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Coleen’s Recipes: HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH CLONE by Gordon Ramsay

Looking for a “clone recipe” for Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix? This is the one!!! Mix up this DRY powder mix and store it in an airtight jar for up to six months!! What a great thing to have on hand over the holidays!!!

HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH CLONE

3/4 CUP BUTTERMILK POWDER (see note below)

2 TABLESPOONS DRY PARSLEY

1 TEASPOON DRY DILL

1 TABLESPOON ONION POWDER (not onion salt)

2 TEASPOONS DRY ONION FLAKES

1 1/2 TEASPOONS GARLIC POWDER (not garlic salt)

1 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT

1/2 TEASPOON COARSE BLACK PEPPER

2 TEASPOONS DRY CHIVES

1/4 TEASPOON DRY THYME

Don’t “freak out” about all of the onion in this recipe…you will NOT taste it.

Put all of the above ingredients into your food processor and give it a couple of 10 second pulses, then it’s ready to use. This DRY mix lasts 6 months in an airtight jar, just give it a hard shake before you spoon it out.

I like Hoosier Hill Farm Buttermilk Powder

from Amazon.com, but any Buttermilk Powder will work.

You will find it on the baking aisle

or near the powdered milk section.

For 1 batch of salad dressing, whisk the following together:

3 Tablespoons of the DRY MIX
1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup of milk

Make sure you chill this mixture in the fridge overnight. If you taste it right after you whisk it all together, you are NOT going to be happy with it……….but SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENS to it overnight…….. it really THICKENS UP and tastes just like commercial ranch dressing…….trust me!! 😉

NOTE: BUTTERMILK POWDER lasts almost indefinitely in the fridge if you keep the lid tightened down. It’s great for baking too!!

3 TABLESPOONS DRY MIX EQUALS 1 PKT.

RANCH MIX IN ANY GIVEN RECIPE

ENJOY !!!

Coleen’s Recipes: PUMPKIN CAKE CHEESECAKE by Gordon Ramsay

We just love mini desserts, don’t you? No extra plates and forks (we use napkins), no “commitment” to a big slice of something; instead two or three different mini-desserts is more to our liking.

This recipe is a combination of two of our favorite holiday treats. It has a bottom layer of moist, spicy pumpkin CAKE and a top layer of rich and creamy CHEESECAKE; what could be better for your holiday buffet table?

CAKE LAYER

1/2 cup Libby pumpkin puree (NOT the pre-spiced kind)

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the flour, spice, salt and baking soda and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth, then add the dry ingredients from the first bowl. Whisk just until well mixed and set aside.

CHEESECAKE LAYER

(2) 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

2 large egg

4 teaspoons all purpose flour

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat the cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth, then add the egg, flour, sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth, but don’t over beat.

ASSEMBLY

Super simple: place cupcake papers in cupcake pan and very lightly mist them with cooking spray.

Put a small amount of cake batter into each paper and make sure it covers the bottom. Top with cheesecake filling(dividing evenly between the 24 desserts).

Bake in pre-heated 350° oven for 25 minutes or until set (my electric oven takes exactly 25 minutes).

Cool to room temperature then chill for at least a couple hours.

NOTE: These little gems can be made two or three days ahead of time which is a huge help during the holidays. As a matter of fact, they taste even more moist after a couple days in the fridge. Just make sure that you store them chilled in an airtight container.

NOTE: This cake batter raises nicely, so don’t put too much in the bottom of each one…sort of spread it around but not too terribly thick or you will get all cake and less cheesecake.