The Supermom Chef

Nothing says the holidays quite like this yummy, crunchy, pepperminty bark! I make this bark every year and package it in pretty little containers to give away. It makes great gifts for office friends, bosses, customers, teachers, and friends! It’s also something great to take to holiday parties. And to make it even more appealing, it’s absolutely the easiest thing in the world to make! Just melt the chocolate, stir and spread! You can’t go wrong with this recipe!

Peppermint Crunch Bark

1 (16 oz) package red and green peppermint candy crunch*

2 (16 oz) packages white confectionary coating or white candy melts

Prepare a sheet pan or tray by lining it with waxed paper. Melt coating in a microwave-safe dish on 50% power in 30 seconds increments, stopping to stir in between. Continue cooking and stirring until completely melted. Stir in peppermint candy crunch. Spread on the prepared waxed paper; set aside. Allow to set until firm and then break into bite size pieces.

*I purchase these candy pieces at our local cake supply store, but they can also be ordered online. If you can’t find the candy pieces, feel free to substitute crushed peppermints or candy canes, although the candy pieces make for a much better bark in my opinion.

This delicious recipe was shared with me by my sweet friend Robin. That girl can make me laugh like nobody’s business, and my kids think she hung the moon and stars just for them! Making this recipe is one of those things that my kids look forward to every year around Christmas time, and they look even more forward to eating it! Super simple, only a few ingredients, and it makes the kids happy…what more can you ask for in a recipe?

Reindeer Chow

1 stick butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

7 cups Rice Chex cereal

2 cups powdered sugar

Melt the butter, chips, and peanut butter in a saucepan, stirring to mix well. Add cereal and stir to coat all pieces. Place the powdered sugar in a large bowl; add chocolate coated cereal and stir or shake to coat the cereal. Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.

I’ve told y’all about my Mae Mae before, the sweetest lady that I’ve ever known in my entire life. She was my mom’s mom and she was the best cook that I’ve ever met. Bobby Flay wouldn’t have a prayer if put up in a throwdown with my Mae Mae! When I think of Christmas time and holiday goodies, Mae Mae is not far from my mind. I remember each year she’d make candy, tons and tons of it! She’d make everyone’s favorite just because she was that sweet, and she’d even make multiple batches of each just so we’d have enough to all get some. This fudge, in particular, was always my mom’s favorite.

The memory of seeing her prepare her candy is still so vivid to me…I can see Mae Mae right now sitting in her kitchen with her silver pot (which didn’t even have a handle anymore) stirring, stirring, stirring. She always pulled up her bar stool to the kitchen counter so she didn’t have to stand and stir (her knees hurt her so bad, especially there at the end). She’d sit in the bar stool and pull out her middle drawer where she kept her kitchen rags and place the pan in the drawer so it would be low enough to stir, and then she’d get busy. With her arthritis as bad as it was, I have no idea how she ever stirred so much but she did it! And all for the ones she loved so dearly.

I won’t lie and say this recipe is the simplest I’ve ever made, but what I will tell you is that the final product is worth every single ounce of effort you put into it. It’s the creamiest, chocolatiest (yes, that’s a word…at least in my book!) most decadent treat you could ever have. Truth be told, it’s so rich you really only need a tiny piece but it’s so hard to stop! You can make this either in one 9×13″ dish or make thinner fudge by pouring it into two 9×13″ pans. I personally prefer the thinner version, but Mae Mae always made hers in just one dish. What better time of year to make something so comforting and delicious to share with your family, just like Mae Mae always did?

Mae Mae’s 5 Pound Fudge

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

5 sticks oleo (I use Parkay margarine)

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

1 lb. mini marshmallows*

5 cups granulated sugar

1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped pecans

Prepare either one or two (depending on how thick you want your fudge) 9×13″ baking pans by lining each with foil and spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Melt butter; add sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a strong boil. Once the mixture reaches a full rolling boil, stir constantly for a full 6 minutes. Remove pan from flames and add all remaining ingredients. Stir (what seems like forever) until you drop the chocolate mixture from a spoon into bowl and it stands up**. If it still doesn’t stand up, put saucepan in cold water and continue to stir. Pour fudge into prepared dish/dishes and allow it to sit until firm, usually overnight.

*Be sure to use a full pound of marshmallows, not just one package of marshmallows. This recipe is an older one and is from the days when a package of marshmallows was a full pound. Most packages are now only 10 oz. each.

**When I make this, it doesn’t usually “stand up” as the recipe says. I usually stir slowly for about 15 minutes or so, and then pour the mixture into the pans and mine sets up fine.

I am a little embarrassed to admit it, but last year during the Christmas season I went a little nuts. I bought six packages of gingerbread cookie mix because they only sell them during Christmas season, and well…what if I get the hankering for a gingerbread cookie in July? I personally have never made gingerbread cookies from scratch for no other reason than the ones from the mix are so durn good I just don’t think that I could make them any better. And truth be told, one of the main reasons we make gingerbread cookies is so that the kids can have fun decorating them. And let’s face it…as long as they have sugar in them (and on them!) they don’t really care what they look or taste like.

Because I have so much of the mix, I decided I needed to find a way use up some of them. This recipe jumped off the website to me right away because my family is a huge fan of apple cakes. And boy oh boy did they love this! To me, the cake was best warm right out of the oven but it’s not too shabby no matter how you serve it. If you’re a coffee drinker (and that I definitely am NOT!) these would be delicious with an afternoon cup of the warm black stuff. Then again, it’s good anytime to me!

Gingerbread Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

1 package gingerbread cookie mix

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

1 egg

2 apples, peeled & diced (I grated mine)

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

dash salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9″ square pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together gingerbread mix, water, egg, and diced (or grated) apples. Spoon into prepared pan. In a small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over gingerbread batter. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or cold.

Recipe from: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/gingerbread-apple-streusel-coffee-cake/e4366c85-2c68-4ad2-8d4a-5f343a3b0507#?st=6&term=gingerbread cookie mix&ps=9&pi=9&fv=AND(HasGridViewImage%3ATrue)

I hope you like Christmas candy because I am on Christmas candy overload and am trying to post some of my favorites for all of you to enjoy. Speaking of, everyone loves Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, right? If you don’t, you deserve a bed at a mental hospital in my opinion. Seriously, who couldn’t love chocolate cups filled with peanut butter filling? It’s one of the most ingenious inventions ever, in my opinion! For those of you that do love these ever-favorite candies, these bars are definitely for you! I won’t go so far as to say they taste exactly like Reese’s cups, but they do make a good homemade version. My two year old cannot keep her hands off of them, and wakes up every single morning since I made them telling me she needs some “Mommy Candies”. Who am I to tell her no when she asks in such a sweet, angelic little tone? 😉

Reese’s Bars

1 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) peanut butter

Melt together 1 cup butter and 1 cup peanut butter, stirring well to combine. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Pour into a butter 9×13″ baking dish and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until set. Meanwhile, melt together the chocolate chips and 4 tablespoons peanut butter. Pour over the peanut butter in the dish, spreading to make another even layer. Refrigerate until set and cut into small squares.

Can you say heaven on earth? Because that’s what these little bits are, little tiny pieces of heaven right here on earth! I actually made this recipe last week and the day after my mother-in-law came over to keep the kids for me while I went to run an errand. When I came back she said she had tasted them and that they were so good! I was a sweet little daughter-in-law and sent her home with some of the candy for being kind enough to come keep my munchkins for me and when we went over the next day to visit them there wasn’t any left so I think my father-in-law liked it as well. Although this is a new-to-me recipe, this one will be made every single Christmas from here on out. You can mark my words on that, this is a new Christmas favorite!

Pistachio & Cranberry White Chocolate Bark

1 lb. white chocolate (I used white chocolate candy melts)

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler (or in the microwave). Once melted, remove from the heat and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Add the pistachios and cranberries and stir to combine. Spread the chocolate mixture onto the prepared pan in an even layer. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes (I just let mine sit out on my counter and it set within an hour). Using a knife, cut into pieces or break the chocolate into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/12/03/pistachio-cranberry-white-chocolate-bark/

Nothing on the face of this planet reminds me of my Nana at Christmas time more than her seasoned oyster crackers. There was never any question about whose house we went to on which day at Christmas time growing up. We always went to my dad’s family on Christmas Eve after our Christmas program at church, and went to my mom’s family on Christmas Day. By the time Christmas Eve dinner rolled around we were starving, but luckily my Nana (my dad’s mom) had dainty little china bowls all around her house filled with these yummy snacks. I’d eat them until I was so full I couldn’t even fit in any Christmas dinner. They are still one of my favorite homemade snacks and I am now carrying on the tradition for my own children and make this for them. What are some of your favorite Christmas snacks and candies? I’d love any new recipes you’re willing to share! Please send any to me at mandy (@) thesupermomchef (dot) com. And please remember to “Like” my Facebook page if you want updates on the new recipes that I post!

Seasoned Oyster Crackers

2 bags oyster crackers

1 package dry Ranch dressing mix

2 tablespoons dill

3/4 cup oil

Mix together the oil, dill, and Ranch mix until well combined. Pour over the oyster crackers and toss with your hands until the crackers are equally covered. Pour the crackers into a paper grocery bag and allow to sit for a short while to allow some of the oil to drain out (I usually let mine sit about 2 hours or so). Store in an airtight container.

When I tell you this story, you are going to have to agree not to commit me for being a crazy food fanatic, okay? Promise? So now that we’ve all agreed on that, here goes. Way back in the day when I graduated high school (I’m officially an old lady today, as today is my 30th birthday!), a group of us girls went on a senior trip down to Destin, Florida. A cousin of one of the girls who was on the trip with us brought along her twenty-something cousin and a friend of hers to graciously be our chaperones. They, in turn, brought along this yummy snack mix which I now know originated in the Tri Delt house at Ole Miss. I literally could not stop snacking on it the entire trip!

Well, the years passed and at times I found myself craving this snack mix, but not knowing exactly what to put in it. The one and only thing that I could remember was that it had Golden Grahams cereal and that it was a certain sorority’s famous snack mix (didn’t know at the time which sorority). At the age I was then, I wasn’t as into recipes and cooking as I am now so it never dawned on me to ask for the recipe. But as I got older I longed to know what went in it but was always to embarrassed to contact the chaperone of our trip, knowing she’d for sure think I’m nuts still thinking about a snack mix I had munched on years ago. So when I saw this recipe posted on my friend Amanda’s blog, I knew that this was it and I’d have to be making it right away…and I did just that! I am not kidding you in saying this that this recipe makes a ton of snack mix, but by the end of the third day there was absolutely none left in our house. Except this time I wasn’t the one that ate it all, but rather my kids did! They loved this so it’s now a regular here in our cupboard, and my kids now affectionately refer to this as “Mommy Snack”.

Tri Delt Trash

1 box Golden Graham cereal

1 box Teddy Grahams (I used Scooby Graham Snacks because my store was out of Teddy Grahams)

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 bag butterschotch chips

1 bag plain M&M’s (seasonal colors look great in this!)

1 bag miniature marshmallows (I left this out because I didn’t have any on hand at the time)

Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from: http://www.myheartsdesireblog.com/2010/10/tri-delt-trash.html

Are you guys making your list of all the things you want to make for Christmas yet? I am! Then again, that’s probably no surprise to all of you. I usually do the same thing every year for breakfast on Christmas morning, homemade cinnamon rolls and sausage balls. My kids love it, it’s easy, and it’s something we can grab and eat while opening gifts. But if you are one of the families that goes all out Christmas morning, then these grits should no doubt make their way to your table that special morning! These are so yummy, creamy, and delicious!

If you are from the South, you no doubt have grits on a regular basis. At least any normal Southern family does. I remember the first time we went to Boston with my son for his first surgery up there, he was just a little toddler, about 20 months old. It was the morning after his surgery and my hubby was headed downstairs to grab up some breakfast from the hospital cafeteria and I asked him to pick my son up some grits. He looked at me like I had totally lost my mind! I had no idea people up there didn’t eat grits! Why on earth not? They are so friggin’ good! My family’s favorite way to eat grits is just the regular old way – nothing but a little butter and salt, but every now and then we like to switch things up and have cheese grits. And on those occassions, this is the recipe (if you can even call it that, I usually just dump the ingredients together but did take the time to measure for y’all) that I always use. Hope y’all enjoy!

P.S. Once again I aplogize for the horrible picture. Dang these short days that leave me with nothing but darkness to photograph my dinner recipes!

Cheese Grits

1 cup instant grits

2 eggs, lightly beaten

6 ounces grated Cheddar cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)

salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook grits according to package directions. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until partially set, cheese is melted, and casserole is completely heated through. Serve hot.

I had hopes of making a pumpkin roll sometime during the Thanksgiving holidays, but time just got away from me. November was such a crazy busy month that I never got a chance to make it and I was so disappointed! I know it’s almost December and it’s time for Christmas goodies and all kinds of candies recipes to be making their rounds here, but I just had to post this recipe for y’all. After all, it’s still fall and when you think of fall one of the first food items you think of is pumpkin, right? Since I didn’t get the chance to make the pumpkin roll, I decided to go with the next best (read: easiest) thing and make these yummy bars instead. This recipe was described as tasting like a pumpkin roll, but being much easier to make. I was sold immediately, and these are just as delicious as I thought they would be!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

Cake

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

1/4 cup water

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Filling

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in two eggs, pumpkin, one teaspoon of vanilla and water until well blended, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin/butter mixture and combine until well blended. Spread about 2/3 of the batter evenly into the prepared pan. In a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, one egg, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the pumpkin batter. Dollop the remaining pumpkin batter over the cream cheese mixture and spread out as evenly as possible.  Use a table knife to swirl together the cream cheese and top layer of pumpkin batter.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center of the pumpkin batter springs back when touched. Cool completely in pan, then cut into bars.

Recipe from: http://letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/11/pumpkin-cream-cheese-bars.html