That Really Burns My Biscuits (Part 2)! Recipe: Abracadabra Hats

Now these were easy to make. Super quick. I liked the taste of them, although I think I liked the Cheesy Bat Biscuits more. The thing I LOVE about these, though, is their flexibility!!! There are SO many options for these. You can make them more pizza-y and put sauce on them. You can put cheese on them. You can put different meats on them. So many different options. That's not to say that the option here is bad...because it's not. This recipe is also really good. It would make a fantastic appetizer at a party. However, it's recipe in which you can't be afraid to expand your horizons.

Pros: Flexibility, taste, easy clean up and easy prep. The pepperoni and salami add a really great taste to the biscuit.

Cons: I couldn't find the salami sticks they referred to here, so I had to buy a large roll (?) of salami, and then cut it when I went to put the hats together.

Like I said before, these would make a great appetizer at a party.

Ok, so here's the recipe:

Abracadabra Hats (from Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts 2008)

1 package (8 ounces) crescent dinner roll dough
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
16 turkey pepperoni slices
3 to 4 salami sticks, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups pizza or marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Separate dough and place individual pieces on work surface. Gently shape each piece into long triangle. Sprinkle triangles evenly with basil. Cut pepperoni slices into crescent shapes using small cookie cutter or knife. (Each slice will make 2 crescents) Place 1 salami stick piece along base of each dough triangle. Partially roll up dough to cover salami and create brim of hat. Place 2 pepperoni crescents on top part of each hat; place on ungreased nonstick baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until golden brown at edges. Meanwhile, warm sauce in small saucepan over low heat. Serve hats with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Makes 8 servings.

If you come across the same problem I did with the salami, just take some salami and cut it into thin, long pieces. That's what I did and it worked out great.

Summary:

Grade: A (because of salami)

Cost: Minimal

Prep: Minimal

Clean up: Minimal

That Really Burns My Biscuits (part 1)! Recipe: Cheesy Bat Biscuits

Ok, so they aren't actually bats...they're ghosts, but the outcome (taste-wise) was still the same, I'm sure. I did enjoy these. For how simple they were, I thought they were creative. The taste was different. They were a great substitute or replacement for garlic bread. I found the parsley and basil combination particularly grand. They complemented more than they were overbearing. If you have a pasta dish, these would be fantastic to go on the side.

Pros: Delicious and easy to make. The clean up was easy too. The taste was different (in a really good way!).

Cons: A lot of waste with the biscuits. In fact, I think I threw more dough away than I baked. I really was not happy about that. However, you could get around that by making the entire biscuit (without shaping them with a cookie cutter), or you could reuse the dough. I chose not to, though. I didn't realize I would be throwing so much out.

Things this recipe would be good for? Honestly, it doesn't make that much and you'd be probably spending a lot of time if you made them for a party. I'd say this recipe is great for a family meal. If you have small kids (or you are 5 at heart, like me), the cookie cutter effect is really neat. You could probably double the recipe of you have a large family or want to make it for a guest without too much trouble.

Annnnddddd here's the recipe:

Cheesy Bat Biscuits (from Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts 2008)

1 can (16 ounces) jumbo buttermilk biscuits
3 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil

Preheat oven to 35o. Flatten each biscuit into shape just large enough to fit 3-inch bat cookie cutter. Cut out bat shape; discard scraps. Place biscuits on baking sheet. Lightly score biscuits to outline bat wings; poke holes with toothpick for eyes. Brush biscuits with 1 tablespoon butter. Bake 7 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parsley, and basil in small bowl. Turn biscuits on end and split into halves with forks. Spread 1 teaspoon cheese mixture on bottom half of each biscuit; replace biscuit top. Bake 3 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Makes 8 servings.

That's all!

Grade: A- (because of waste)

Cost: cheap

Prep time: Minimal

Clean up: Minimal

Recipe: Night Crawler Veggie Rolls

I was very excited for this recipe. I've had spring rolls in other restaurants, so I was very excited to try and make my own. I have to admit, I was quite impressed with myself. I didn't bother with the garnish for this recipe, though, since I thought the recipe itself would be enough of a challenge for me. A quick note, though: it is a little spicy. I'm not sure if it's the cabbage (although, I assume that's what it is), but something in it is a little spicy. The peanut sauce I bought was also a little spicy. The recipe suggests that you use either sweet and sour or a peanut sauce. I've previously had a peanut sauce served with it, so that's what I bought. If I did this again, I'd probably go for the gold and just make my own.

So, pros: The outcome is great! It's super healthy, and I LOVE the taste of the sesame oil. Also, all of the ingredients were easy to find (except the bean sprouts were sold out almost everywhere I went...).

Cons: There was a long prep time. Also, the instructions in the recipe on how to roll these aren't very good. After messing up three of them, I came up with my own way to roll them (I'll provide that after the recipe), which gave me far more success. I have to warn you, though, these do get a little messy when you eat them. The skins tend to fall apart easily. Lastly, I suggest salting to taste when doing this. I thought it asked for less salt than what I like, but that's just me.

These are great for a party as an appetizer. They are also great as a healthy snack or just as a side dish for dinner.

Ok, so here's the recipe:

Night Crawler Veggie Rolls (from: Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts 2008)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups snow peas, cut into matchstick-size pieces
2 large carrots, shredded
1 onion, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick size pieces
2 to 3 cups shredded Nappa cabbage
2 cups bean sprouts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 package (12 ounces) spring roll wrappers (can be found in Asian food sections of most supermarkets)
Sweet and sour sauce (optional)
Peanut sauce (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil, ginger, and garlic in wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add peas, carrots, onion, and bell pepper; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add cabbage, bean sprouts, salt and black pepper; stir fry 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Dip spring roll wrappers in hot water until soft. Position wrapper with one point facing down. Place about 2 tablespoons vegetable mixture in narrow strip across lower half of wrapper. Fold bottom point up and over vegetables and tuck under filling. Roll packet up once to enclose filling securely. Fold sides in tightly, forming an envelope. Brush edges with additional hot water to seal; finish rolling.

For creature features, cut tiny eyes and mouths in wrappers and add additional vegetable strips for antennae. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve chilled with sweet and sour sauce and peanut sauce, if desired.

Makes 18 to 20 rolls.


Ok, so here's my tip for the rolling. First of all, when I tried it their way, I found that the wrappers were WAY too wet to stick together. Once I rolled them and picked them up, they fell apart instantly. So here's what I did- after dipping them in hot water, I laid the shell on a paper towel and took another paper towel and very lightly dabbed any extremely wet spots on the top of the shell. This made the shell sticky instead of wet. Warning, though: Don't make them too sticky/dry or else it'll stick to the paper towel. After this, I put my filling at the bottom of the wrapper (my wrappers were circular). I tucked the bottom end (littlest end) over the filling and under, like the recipe says. Then, I folded both sides over, so the filling didn't spill out the ends. Then I took the long end and folded it over and continued rolling until it was done. Voila! Hope that helps...

So, what did I learn out of this recipe?? Well, I learned what a "matchstick-size" cut is. It's when you cut something into long narrow strips. I also knew what "shredded" was, but somehow, I got a better understanding of it. Lastly, I learned how to roll and I dealt with the wrappers for the first time. Over all, I think it was pretty awesome.

Summary:

Over all grade of recipe: B+

Cost of ingredients: $20-$30

Prep time: Long

Recipe: Monster Mash Spread

I was very enthused to start my new cookbook yesterday, so I started off with this cheese spread.

My general take? Unlike the cheesecake, I actually tried it, hahaha. I LOVED it. It was very simple to make, easy cleanup, and it tasted great. The only downfall was that I wish it had been a little creamier. Other than that, I thought it was very catchy and it would be perfect dip for a Halloween party...or any party really.

Pros: Easy cleanup, quick to make, tasted great! Few ingredients and you didn't have to cook anything.

Cons: You have to wait for at least 1 to 2 hours before you can serve it.

Like I said, I would highly recommend this for a party, either at the office or for the holiday.

Ok, so here is the recipe:

Monster Mash Spread (from Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts (2008))

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey jack cheese with Jalapeno peppers (Pepperjack cheese)
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 to 4 green onions, tops only (optional)
Assorted crackers

Line 8 or 9 inch round cake pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray (Pam); set aside. Combine cream cheese, pepperjack cheese, bell pepper and chopped green onions in medium bowl; mix well. Spoon into prepared pan; press mixture evenly into pan. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Using scissors or small knife, cut each green onion top lengthwise into long, narrow strips; place in bowl of ice water. Refrigerate until strips are curled, about 2 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, invert pan onto large platter or serving tray; remove pan. Discard foil. Garnish with green onion curls, if desired. Serve with crackers. Makes 2 cups spread. Tip: Substitute shredded Cheddar cheese for pepperjack. Drain 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles and stir into cheese mixture before spreading into prepared pan.

That's it!

When I made this I tried to keep in mind that people would be dipping crackers into this, so I tried to make the chopped bell pepper small so that it would fit on the cracker.

I just have to say that I'm very enthused for this cookbook since I'll be doing a couple of things to take me out of my comfort zone of what I can do now. Very excited!

Until next time...

Hershey's Fabulous Desserts: Exit Summary

Before I give my thoughts on this book, I'd like to note that I only made 9 of the 10 recipes that I promised. Reason? For the 10th recipe, I couldn't find some of the ingredients (specifically nut quick bread mix). So between that and I wanted to move on to a different cook book, I decided 9 was enough. Besides, I foresee more desserts in the future!

Ok, that being said, here's my take on this cookbook:

Pros: Most of the desserts are quick and easy. Most of them require cake mixes or bread mixes, which saves a lot of steps when you bake. Also for the most part the clean up was quick and easy. Most of the desserts turned out great. It also didn't make an overabundance of stuff, but just enough for a family.

Cons: Some of the ingredients were difficult to find or they aren't made any more (Cherry cake mix....). Sometimes quality was forfeited for easiness and convenience (in the case of the fudge).

Over all, I thought it was a good, easy mode cook book, especially for someone who is just starting to bake. It's also great for someone who is trying to throw something together at the last minute or who doesn't want to invest a lot of money into something they are making. Most of this stuff came pretty cheap.

The biggest disappointment out of what I made was the Mint and Chocolate Fudge.

The biggest success out of what I made were the cream filled cupcakes.

I think that about wraps this one up! The next cookbook is Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts (2008).

Recipe: Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Well admittedly, I am cheating a little by writing this post...I didn't exactly taste the pie. The truth is I don't like cheesecake (gasp!), however, I did get some testimony on how the pie/cheesecake turned out.

According to guinea pigs/taste testers/parents...it turned out delicious! Very smooth...which was actually a concern for me considering how the batter turned out before I put it in the oven to bake.

*Last night I actually tried it (female testimonial aka mom told me I should always try my own cooking), and I have to say it was quite good (for me not liking cheesecake). It was smooth and creamy. The strawberries were a PERFECT complement to the pie. However, I'm not sure if I was a fan of the semi-sweet chocolate swirl. I thought it was too much...especially without the strawberry. With the strawberry, everything went great together. Without it, the chocolate overpowered the vanilla cheesecake, and I wasn't a fan. I would say definitely garnish the top with a fruit topping. It adds to the flavor and breaks up the chocolate a little bit. (10/11/10)

Pros: It turned out tasting great. *The fruit was an excellent addition. (10/11/10)

Cons: I found myself very skeptical of this recipe. First of all, I couldn't find a 6 oz crust that was 8 inches at the store. All of them were 9 inches. Secondly, my batter turned out lumpy. This could've been because of the mixer I used (I'm still trying to get used to the new one we just got), or it could've been because of the batter itself. Lastly, I pride the fact that the oven I use is ALWAYS on the dot with every recipe I've used (except for cookies). On this one? Not so much. The recipe claimed that you only bake it for 25-30 minutes. I had to bake it for 35. Also, I learned the key here is that you have to take it out when the middle is almost set. Not runny but not completely solid either. Just almost. This is indicated in the recipe, though. Clean up was average-not too much, not too little. Also, the garnish. It doesn't suggest a garnish for you at the end of the recipe. I did the whipped cream and strawberries, but word to the wise- don't use Reddi Whip or any kind of spray can whipped cream ahead of time. It goes flat quickly (whoopssss....). Use Miracle Whip or wait until you are just about to serve it to garnish it.

(Picture to the right is my lumpy batter)

Overall, I'd recommend it for a small get together. The prep was a little bit of a hassle to this one, but I heard the final product is great, so I can't argue with that. Over all I'll rate this as an indifferent/neutral rather than a like or dislike since I feel as though the cons and outcome cancelled each other out.

Here's the recipe if you want to try it out for yourself:

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake (from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, 1989)

4 packages (3 ozs each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Mini Chips Semi Sweet Chocolate
1 teaspoon shortening
8 inch (6 ounces) packaged graham cracker crumb crust

Heat oven to 325. In large mixer bowl beat cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. In small bowl reserve 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture. Melt chocolate chips with shortening in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water; stir into reserved 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture. Pour vanilla mixture into crust. Spoon chocolate mixture by dollops onto vanilla mixture. Using tip of knife swirl for marbled effect. Place filled crust on cookie sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack. Cover; chill several hours or until firm. Garnish as desired.

For the garnish I just used strawberries and Reddi-whip, but like I said, the latter was a poor choice and I'd go with Miracle Whip.

This was the last recipe of this cookbook that I'm going to make! Read the next post for the "exit entry".