Admin | Easy Snacks

Creamy and Delicious Chocolate Cake Frosting from Scratch

April 23, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever noticed that not all icings are created equally, you’re definitely right. Many icings are so sweet, they take away from the deliciousness of your cake or cupcakes.

Well, this recipe is different. It’s creamy and has just the right sweetness.

The frosting keeps well in the fridge for about 1 week. Just make sure to mix it well before using, so it will have a creamy texture again.

This makes enough frosting to ice an 8” cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk

• ¼ cup flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup butter

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 2 tablespoons cacao

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk the flour and milk until thickened. Once it is thickened, set it aside and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add the flour and milk mixture and continue to beat with the mixer until the icing is light and fluffy. Add the cacao or a food coloring of your choice part way through the mixing process.

Filed Under: Dessert Snacks

Retro Christmas Recipes Revival

April 20, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

Do you remember the Christmas holiday food you had when you were a child? What did your grandparents make that you absolutely adored? What family food traditions have you missed as an adult? Well it’s time to have a retro Christmas recipe revival. Bring back those old favorites this year and relive the Christmas of your youth. Here are three ideas for some old holiday favorites.

#1 Egg Nog

Did you know that egg nog may have originated in the middle ages? It’s been a holiday food tradition for quite some time. And while the convenience of buying it in a carton is nice, there’s nothing quite like homemade egg nog. It’s actually quite easy to make.

You’ll need:

* 4 egg yolks
* 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
* 1 pint whole milk
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 3 ounces bourbon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 4 egg whites

Beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in a separate bowl and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running, gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form like a meringue. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

#2 Gingerbread

Gingerbread is another old-fashioned holiday favorite. Depending on your preferences you can make gingerbread cookies, snaps, gingerbread bread or even a gingerbread house. There are a number of recipes available. They range from quite basic to a quite elaborate. Find one that matches your taste and childhood memories. Did it have cream cheese? Bananas? Was your gingerbread dipped in chocolate? Experiment and enjoy gingerbread this holiday season.

#3 Fruit cake

Yes, that lovely cake that gets such a bad rap can actually be quite good. This is especially true when you make it from scratch. Fruitcake is a mixture of fruits and nuts. There’s usually only a small amount of batter, just enough to hold it all together.

However, traditional fruit cake isn’t for children. It’s usually soaked with alcoholic liquors, then stored in a tightly closed tin. If that sounds like a bit of old-fashioned fun, ask your grandmother for a recipe or take a look online. Like gingerbread there are hundreds of recipes available.

Other old-fashioned Christmas recipes might include:

* Hot cross buns
* Christmas pudding
* Mince pie

And of course ham, turkey, stuffing and the traditional holiday menu. Have fun this holiday and bring back some of the retro recipes you loved as a child. Who knows – you might just bring back an old family tradition.

Filed Under: Holiday Snacks

Easy Chocolate Banana Bread with Whole Wheat Flour Recipe

April 20, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

Who doesn’t love a slice (or two) of fresh banana bread, particularly when chocolate is involved?

Here’s a surefire chocolate banana bread recipe that will keep everyone coming back for more.

This recipe makes 2 loaves, but you may want to double the recipe and freeze the extra loaves because they’re so good!

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe and mashed bananas

• 1 cup soft margarine

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 4 eggs

• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 3 cups whole wheat flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• ¼ cup cacao powder

• ¾ cup chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Lightly oil regular sized loaf pan or 2 9” x 5 “ loaf pans.

After you have mashed the bananas, place them in a large bowl with the margarine, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Whisk or use an electric mixer until the ingredients are creamy. Add the butter buttermilk and whisk until smooth.

Add the flour, baking soda and cacao powder. Whisk until combined fully, but don’t over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into your loaf pan(s) and bake on the middle rack for about 50-60 minutes. Your banana bread is done when a toothpick is inserted in the middle and comes out clean.

Filed Under: Dessert Snacks

Spooky Halloween Snacks – How to Make Deviled Eyeballs

April 17, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

A spooky spin on traditional deviled eggs, these Halloween snacks are sure to delight your guests.

Supplies Needed:

• 6 eggs
• ¼ mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon of vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Green food coloring
• Sliced black olives
• Red food coloring

Also, keep on hand a pot to boil the eggs, a small bowl, fork, spoon, cutting board, knife and a toothpick.

Step 1: Hard Boil the Eggs

Place the eggs in a small pot and cover them with water. Place on high heat on the stove. Once the water starts to boil, set the timer for about 12 minutes, so the yolks will be hard.

Once you have finished boiling the eggs, run cold water over the pot and let the eggs cool down. This will make it easier to peel the eggs.

Step 2: Peel the Eggs

Next peel the all the eggs. Discard the shells and place the peeled eggs aside

Step 3: Slice Eggs

Now you’re ready to slice the eggs. Slice each one lengthwise.

Step 4: Remove Yolks

Carefully remove the yolks from each egg half. You can use your finger to gently push the yolk out.

Step 5: Prepare the Filling

Start by mashing the yolks with a fork.

Mash until the yolks are completely crumby in texture. Next, add ¼ mayonnaise.

Next add ½ teaspoon of vinegar.

Then add 1 teaspoon of mustard.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Then mash until creamy in texture.

Now add 2-3 drops of green food coloring.

Continue to stir the mixture until the coloring is evenly distributed.

Step 5: Assemble the Eggs

Now you’re ready for the final preparation of your eggs. Start by spooning the green mixture into each of the eggs.

Then add a sliced olive to the middle of the green mixture, to create the appearance of the iris.

Then place a small amount of red food coloring at the end of a toothpick and make small lines on the egg white to mimic bloodshot eyes.

Repeat for all the egg and place on a festive plate to serve.

Filed Under: Halloween Snacks

Easy Road Trip Snack Ideas for Your Family

April 11, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

Everyone gets hungry, especially on a family road trip. But what snacks can you pack? Here are some ideas to keep the fun high and the mess low.

You have included the entertainment for the kids, but they will get hungry. If you are on a budget, bring food along with you to cut down on costs. Visiting every drive-thru window can sap your money before you know it’s gone.

Here are some tips for bringing nibbles in the car.

* Keep them accessible – There is nothing worse than packing the cooler in the back under the luggage and then hearing your child ask for something to drink. Avoid constant stops by keeping a smaller cooler with essentials between your seat and a larger one in the back, but also in an accessible place.

* Avoid messy snacks – Candy bars and Gummi snacks can be sticky and messy. Kids like to hold things in their hands for long periods of time. Melted chocolate can end up on their clothing, the seats and the windows.

* Bring filling foods – Kids will constantly snack if you let them. Choosing snacks that are going to fill them will have them concentrating on their activities and not on their stomachs. Besides, too many snacks can lead to tummy aches and no one wants that on a road trip.

* Keep it simple – Bringing foods that have to be kept cold or hot can pose problems. Ice can melt and foods can get warm. You don’t want your food to cause stomach aches. Stick to spoil-proof snacks.

So now that we know how to police those nibbles, what types of nibble should you bring to keep everyone happy?

# Pre-packaged snacks – These already come in their own bags so all you have to do is open them for the kids. Choose 100-calorie snacks and those that are filled with fiber.

# Chopped veggies – Raw is nutritious and also less messy. Travel with carrot sticks, celery sticks and some dip. It takes longer to chew these root vegetables which can tire the jaws and limit snacking.

# Sweet fruits – Instead of sugar-laden candy, try naturally sweet treats. Fruit provides just the right amount of sweetness without the hyperactivity in tow. Try strawberries, apple slices, grapes, raisins and other dried fruits.

# Trail mix – Make your own and include ingredients that the entire family likes. Pretzels, dried fruit, nuts and even small chocolate chips are good choices. Using dark chocolate cuts the sweetness and keeps the chocolate taste. Serve it in small snack bags to avoid mess.

Are you planning on a road trip? Car snacks are a must. Use the guidelines above for choosing snacks and also the snack ideas to help make eating fun and easy.

Filed Under: Healthy Snacks

Tofu Tacos Real Simple Recipe

April 8, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

Tofu (bean curd) is made from soy milk and pressed into blocks for packaging. With the ever growing popularity of vegetarian dishes, tofu has become a staple in wide variety of dishes beyond traditional Asian cuisine.

Tofu is high in protein and iron while low in calories and fat. Being bland by itself, tofu takes on the flavor of the spices and other ingredients it is cooked with which make it versatile and the perfect substitute for meat.

For this recipe, we have used extra firm tofu so it more closely represents ground beef, but if you prefer, you can use a less stiff form.

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra firm tofu

1 package McCormick original taco seasoning

¾ cup water

12 crunchy corn taco shells

2 cups Cheddar cheese

½ small head lettuce

2 tomatoes

1 onion