Isaac's Birthday Kitchen

Our dear friends Debbie and Dave Richmond's son Isaac turned 4 this weekend and he's a complete kitchen and cooking fanatic. He is fascinated with Debbie's Kitchen Aid mixer and loves to help her back. He's also crazy about ceiling fans, so with some valuable input from Debbie I set out to create a cake to capture all of these things in one scene. I'm pretty happy with the results...I hope you enjoy. The "floor", counters, and island are all made from cake while the fridge, oven, and upper cabinets are all made from rice krispy treats. The "glass" in the doors, and the water dripped from the faucet are hand poured sugar glass.

Biscotti - A Sweet Treat and Loving Gift

You can buy Biscotti everywhere: grocery chains, discount stores, and neighborhood shops. Unfortunately, you don't get many Biscotti for your money. Of course, baking your own Biscotti is the solution. Biscotti are easy to make and, once you've mastered Biscotti 101, you can invent your own recipes.

Here are some Biscotti basics.

1. There are so few ingredients in Biscotti that you have to be careful about swapping ingredeients. After baking thousands of Biscotti I swap one ingredient only. And though I often swap Splenda for sugar, this swap doesn't work with Biscotti.

2. Measure flour by spooning it into a metal cup and leveling it with a knife. Don't scoop the flour from a package or canister.

3. You'll have better results if your eggs are at room temperature. I take eggs out of the refrigerator one hour before I start baking.

4. If you dough is too stiff add a few drops of egg substitute, water, or citrus juice. Add this liquid in small increments.

5. Use pure extract to flavor your Biscotti, not imitation. Frost cooled Biscotti with melted chocolate chips, melted white chips, or melted almond bark for even more flavor.

The house smells so wonderful when you bake Bicotti that kids will want to help. Older kids can measure ingredients and slice the Biscotti. Preschoolers can whisk dry ingredients together and roll dough into logs. Homemade Biscotti is the perfect companion to a cup of coffee and such a welcome gift your friends will ask for more.

I pack gift Biscotti in wide-mouth Mason jars or Chinese takout cartons (the kind with the wire handle). To make the gifts extra festive I tie fabric bows on my gifts and stick a pine cone or other ornament in the center of the bows. These recipes for Cappuccino Biscotti and Lemon Biscotti With Sliced Almonds will make every day a holiday.

CAPPUCCINO BISCOTTI

2 1/4 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons instant coffee, 3/4 cup cappuccino chips, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup egg substitute

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients with a whisk. Add cappuccino chips and whisk a bit more. In a small bowl beat eggs and egg subsisute with a fork. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing with wooden spoon until dough is moist.

Coat a jelly roll pan with baking spray and set near a floured cutting board.

Turn dough onto board. Roll into a large log. Cut this log in two. Roll each half into a 14" narrow log. Place logs on jelly roll and flatten slightly. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove Biscotti from oven and cool on rack for five minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Cut Biscotti into 1/2" slices with serrated knife. Stand slices on jelly roll pan and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove Biscotti from pan and cool completely before storing. Yield: About 30 Biscotti.

LEMON BISCOTTI WITH SLICED ALMONDS

1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, 2 teaspoons lemon extract, juice of 1 lemon

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients with a whisk. Add sliced almonds and whisk a bit more. In a small bowl beat eggs, lemon zest, and lemon extract (but not juice) with a fork. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing with wooden spoon as you slowly add the lemon juice. (You may not need all of it.)

Coat a jelly roll pan with baking spray and set near floured cutting board.

Turn dough onto board. Roll into a large log. Cut this log in two. Roll each half into a 14" narrow log. Place logs on jelly roll pan and flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let Biscotti cool on wire rack for five minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees. Cut Biscotti into 1/2" slices with serrated knife. Stand slices on jelly roll pan and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove Biscotti from pan and cool completely before storing. Yield: About 30 Biscotti.

Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. To learn more about her work please go to www.harriehodgson.com.

GHETTO VERSION OF RICE KRISPY TREATS!! (PART ONE OF TWO)

CRISPY RICE TREATS AKA RICE KRISPY TREATS!!! (PART ONE OF TWO) COMMENT AND RATE ***** !!! SUBCRIBE TO FOR ALL UPDATED!!

Rehab~Red Water

The Band Rehab's song Red water to there album Graffiti the world Lyrics- When I was twelve, while checking the mail I was admiring the car of the man next door And thinking to myself, man, one of these days I'm gonna have me a house like that with a big, red door And his yard was mowed, and his grass was green And the driveway was edged and all the shrubs were trimmed so perfectly I had a crush on his wife and I played ball with his son I pondered how much money he made, went inside and turned the TV on And he was laying in an overflowing bathtub of red water The first and the last time he ever relaxed And they said, he had a smile on his face His final offer, the steam on the mirror said One more thing to say I was watching TV, having one of mom's famous rice crispy treats Watching Tom and Jerry, I heard a car horn beep I ran to the window, his wife and son were home With bags of stuff they had got at the mall I went in my room and got my glove and ball I leapt off the stairs, and asked his son could he play And his son looked at his wife and his wife told his son I guess it'll be okay And that beautiful woman, she walked in that beautiful house When I realized I forgot my hat, I said I'll be back and turned around And he was laying in an overflowing bathtub of red water The first and the last time he ever relaxed And they said, he had a smile on his face His final offer, the steam on the mirror said One more thing to say There was screaming and there was crying There ...

Easy Cereal Snack Bars for Kids

It's hard to find easy after school snacks for kids. These
cereal bar recipes are easy to make and made from your children's
favorite breakfast cereals.

Rice Krispies Treats

2/3 c. butter

1 pkg. (10 oz., about 40) large marshmallows or 4 c. miniature
marshmallows

6 c. Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and
stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal
until well coated. Press mixture into buttered 13x9x2-inch baking
dish. Cut into squares.

Variations: Instead of Rice Krispies, use Cocoa Krispies, Lucky
Charms, or Fruity Pebbles.

Peanut Treats: Add 1 cup salted peanuts with cereal.

Peanut Butter Treats: Stir 1/4 cup peanut butter into marshmallow
mixture just before adding cereal.

Gummy Worm Marshmallow Bars: Add 1 c. gummy worms, cut in half,
when stirring in cereal.

Captain Crunch Peanut Butter Cookies

2 c. Captain Crunch peanut butter cereal

2 c. Rice Krispies

1-1/2 pounds white almond bark

2 c. salted peanuts

2 c. colored marshmallows

Melt marshmallows and almond bark in saucepan over low heat and
pour over cereals and peanuts. Drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper
or put in 9x13-inch (buttered) pan and cut into squares.

Special K Bars

1/2 c. light Karo syrup

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. peanut butter

3 c. Special K cereal

Mix Karo syrup, sugar, and peanut butter in a large saucepan.
Heat until boiling. Mix in Special K. Press mixture into buttered
9x9-in. baking dish. Cool and cut into squares.

Topping:

1 c. butterscotch chips

1 c. chocolate chips

Melt chips together and spread over bars. If too thick to spread,
add a little milk until desired consistency.

Cheerio Bars

1/2 c. peanut butter

1987 Rice Krispies Treats Tv commercial

Another classic commercial featuring my old 3rd grade lunch lady playing someones mom! AND SHE HAS RICE KRISPIES TREEEEEAATS!!! Brought to you by Saturday Morning Alive! See more at: www.saturdaymorningalive.com www.savethe80s.com

EDTC3123 - How To Make Rice Krispies Treats

This is a how to make Rice Krispies Treats video that I had to do for my class. Hope that you enjoy it and learn something as well...

Easy Valentine Treats to Take to School

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, considering making some easy Valentine's snacks that the little ones can bring to school? Whether you are preparing them for your own child's lunch or as a special treat for the class, here are some snacks that are easy to transport and easy for the little ones to devour once they dig in!

Marshmallow-Popcorn Hearts are a simple alternative to popcorn balls. With this recipe, you can skip the Karo syrup and just melt some marshmallows instead! This quick and easy recipe works just like Rice Krispie bars, only with popcorn instead!

Here's what you need to get started:

o 10 cups popped popcorn
o 3 tablespoons margarine or butter
o 1 10-ounce package regular marshmallows
o Red food coloring
o Red colored sugar

Directions

o Put the popped corn (minus the unpopped kernels) into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan and keep it warm in your 300 degree oven.
o Melt the butter/margarine and marshmallows in a large kettle or in the microwave. (Microwave: 1 ½ to 2 minutes, stirring once) Stir the mixture until it is smooth, no lumps, and then add the red food coloring.
o Stir in the popped popcorn- about half at a time.
o Wait 10 minutes or so until it is cool enough to handle.
o Grease individual heart shaped pans with butter.
o Press the popcorn mixture into the greased pans.
o Cool the popcorn hearts. Remove from pans. Sprinkle each with red colored sugar.
o Wrap each individually in plastic wrap- pink or red finishes it off nicely.
o Makes 9 hearts.

This one is a little messy, but for an extra-special treat, exceptions can be made to almost any rule. Take along a pre-packaged wet napkin in a zippered plastic bag to assist in quick clean-up.

Candy Apple or Caramel Apple Valentines

1 bag of caramels
1 pack of craft sticks (like popsicle sticks)
1 bag of apples or your choice
wax paper
cake decorating tool
Flavored icing

Melt the caramels or hard candy according to the package directions. Insert a craft stick into one end of each apple. Dip the apple into the melted caramel, covering it completely. Lift the apple and let it drip for a few seconds and then set it on the wax paper until completely set- about two hours) Use your cake decorating tool (or a plastic bag with a hole in the corner and a decorating tip) to write a nice message on each apple. Wrap in plastic wrap and secure the wrap at the top of the apple with a rubber band, leaving the stick exposed as a handle.

Finally, you can mix up these peppermint stars from a quick meringue batter. They make a tasty little treat that travels well in a lunch.

Peppermint Stars
Makes: 45 cookies
Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes

Ingredients
o 2 egg whites
o 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
o 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
o 1/2 cup sugar
o 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
o Red food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. Place egg whites in a medium mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Line two large cookie sheets with brown paper or foil; set aside.
3. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar dissolves. Quickly beat in peppermint extract. Tint pink with several drops of red food coloring, if desired.
4. Using a pastry tube with a large star decorating tip, pipe cookies onto prepared cookie sheets (form cookies about 1-1/2 inches in diameter). Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let cookies dry in oven with door closed about 30 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets. Cover and store in a dry place. Makes 45 cookies.

Your kids will be delighted when you take the time to make these special Valentine's Day snacks for their lunches. After all, special surprises from those who loves us most are what Valentine's Day is all about!