Caribbean Layered Salad

Dressing:

1/3 cup bottled honey mustard salad dressing
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp Caribbean jerk seasoning
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Salad: combine and mix well...

3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 (15oz.) can black beans, rinse and drain
1 ripe mango, diced
1/2 cup diced plum tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup roasted cashews

*Options:
1/2 cup grated carrot
chopped fresh cilantro

For a fun, festive presentation... in a glass bowl, layer in order the lettuce, 1 cup cheese, beans, mango, tomato, green onion, remaining cheese on top. Drizzle with the salad dressing.

Pair the salad with any fancy umbrella drink you so desire and enjoy!

Ambrosia Macaroons

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
3 large eggs
24 ounces sweetened flaked coconut (about 6 cups firmly packed)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and salt; beat until blended. Beat in orange peel, then eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in coconut. Drop batter onto sheets by tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons, 1 sheet at a time, until golden on bottom and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on sheets.

Using fork, drizzle chocolate over macaroons. Chill on sheets until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.

Bark

I have been known to eat a whole pan of this just by myself, so be forewarned...it is addictive! I want no accusations of gained poundage by overindulgence of this product.

Ingredients:
Saltine Crackers (I usually go through a sleeve and a half for one pan)
One bag of chocolate chips
One Cup butter
One Cup of brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Line a lipped baking sheet (jelly roll pan) with foil. Place saltine crackers down so the entire pan is full.
3. Melt butter and brown sugar together over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil for three minutes.
4. Pour butter and brown sugar mixture over the saltine crackers.
5. Put in oven for aprox. 7 minutes
6. Take out, pour entire bag of chocolate chips evenly over the crackers. As they melt spread with a a spatula and smooth until all chips are melted.
7. Place in freezer until hardened.
8. Break into pieces and either refrigerate or freeze.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

A big hit at Halloweenie 2008! (I used french bread - one very large loaf yields enough bread cubes - and omitted the golden raisins and powdered sugar.) The caramel sauce may be made in advance and reheated . . . and is good on LOTS of other things (ice cream, cheesecake . . .).


Bread Pudding
2 cups half and half
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces)
1/2 cup golden raisins

Caramel sauce
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
Powdered sugar

Preparation
For bread pudding:Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in golden raisins. Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce: Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.

Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

Pear, Apple and Cranberry Crisp

This recipe is for all of us "crisp" fans out there. Of course a Barefoot Contessa recipe, this one is my new favorite. It is so yummy!!

Ingredients:
2 pounds ripe Bosc pears (4 pears)
2 pounds firm Macoun apples (6 apples) any baking apple you like
3/4 cups dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350

Peel and core the pears and apples and cut them into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and toss with the cranberries, zests, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 by 12 inch baking dish.

For the topping:
**Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 50min. to 1 hour, until top is brown and fruit bubbly. Serve warm with ice cream. Enjoy!

**This was my first time making a crumb topping using my Kitchen Aid... it was sooo easy and it made a great crumb topping!

Scotcharoos

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of sugar,  1 cup of  peanut butter, and 1 1/2 cups corn syrup to a creamy melt.     Pull from heat and add 6 cups of Rice Crispies    

In the microwave, melt one bag of butterscotch chips and chocolate chips.  Start at 1 minute and 

continue till melted                                                                         

In a large dish, put rice crispy mixture on bottom and then place the melted chips on the top.  Let set in the frig for 15 minutes or so.  Take out and serve at room temp.