My sister Jen is back again!  This time she is sharing a homemade hot chocolate gift that would be great for neighbors, teachers or anyone on your list.  I had no idea it was so easy to make your OWN hot chocolate, it’s almost as easy as tearing open a pouch of hot cocoa mix, but I am sure it taste so much better.  Enjoy!

Homemade Hot Chocolate & Gift Packaging

Everyone enjoys a great cup of hot chocolate this time of year! I have been making this recipe for for years.   My family loves it, it is there absolute favorite.   Plus, it is so easy to make.  I thought it would make a cute gift to go along with the baked goods I make every year.

This is what you will need for each gift:

• 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup of mini marshmallows
• 1 small sandwtch bag
• 1 Wilson Disposable Frosting Bag
• Some ribbon to tie it off
• Tag with instructions

Add the following into the disposable frosting bag:

1. Add the sugar into the bag
2. Add the Chocolate chips
3. Add the marshmallows in a small sandwich bag and then place on top of the chocolate chips
4. Tie it off with a ribbon
5. Add a Tag with the directions

Hot Chocolate directions: Add 4 cups milk, sugar and chocolate chips into saucepan and stir until melted. Heat until desired temperature.   Pour into mugs, top with marshmallows. Enjoy! (makes 4 cups)

We love to make your gift giving super easy, so we made a tag that you can print out and attach to the package.  Just click on the image to print. For best results print onto white cardstock. Enjoy!

I was asked to create a recipe using the Rack of Pork, since my husband is more creative in the kitchen I asked him to help me with the recipe.  He came up with Sweet Caramelized Onion Pork Rack with Creamy Bacon-Mashed Potatoes.   Enjoy!

Sweet Caramelized Onion Pork Roast

Ingredients

• 1 (5-pound) pork rack with  bones
• 1 pound bacon
• Salt and black pepper (freshly ground)
• 2 large (or 3 medium) sweet onions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated with micro-plane grater
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2  cups apple juice

Directions:
Liberally season both sides of rack with fresh ground salt and pepper.  Let the pork absorb the salt and pepper while you cook the bacon in a heavy sauté pan. Remove the bacon and set aside for mashed potatoes.  Remove all but 2-3 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.  Turn pan to high and get it very hot.  Using the same pan used to cook the bacon, sear all sides of the pork rack in the bacon fat until rack is well caramelized. Set aside in roasting pan.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  In same sauté pan, reduce heat to medium and then add 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add the sliced onions and cook for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon,mustard, cayenne pepper and remaining butter.  Slowly cook until onions are well caramelized. Finally add brown sugar and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add the apple juice and turn the temperature to high.  Deglaze the pan and simmer to reduce compote until a glaze forms.

Completely cover rack with half of sweet carmelized onion compote setting aside the remaining half for later.  Transfer pork rack to roasting pan and place in oven. Cook for 15 minutes and then reduce temperature to 350 degrees for the remaining cooking time.  Cook until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  Halfway through cooking time, pour remaining half of sweet carmelized onion compote over the rack.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

While the pork is cooking, cook potatoes for creamy bacon-mashed potato accompaniment.

Creamy Bacon-Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• bacon, cooked and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:
Heat chicken stock and potatoes in a saucepan over medium-high heat until potatoes come to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium, cover and let cook for an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Drain, the potatoes saving the stock for later.

Mash the potatoes with 1/4 cup of the saved stock, butter and fresh ground black pepper.   Mix in the sour cream, chopped  bacon, and chives.   Save some of the chopped bacon for a garnish to sprinkle on the top of the creamy mashed potatoes.

Serve with a salad and enjoy!   I have to say, my husband did an amazing job!   The flavor on the pork was so good and and the rack of pork was so juicy and tender.   We are looking forward to inviting some people over and amazing them with our mad pork cooking skills!

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the National Pork Board and Costco on creating a recipe for Rack of Pork.  I had never tried this cut before, and now our family will be purchasing this cut again.  Don’t forget, through October 31st, you can save $2.50 on the Rack of Pork at your local Costco store.   Pick one up and give this recipe a try, you will be glad you did!

Win a $25 Costco Cash Card:  You can enter to win a $25 Costco Cash card just by leaving a comment on this post.

How to enter:  Just leave a comment and let me know what your favorite type of pork is.

The giveaway will close on Tuesday, November 1st at 9:00 am PST and winner will be notified shortly thereafter.

This post was written by me in participation with a program from The Motherhood for Costco and the National Pork Board. I received products to facilitate my recipe creation and a stipend for my time.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

October is National Pork Month and Costco is celebrating with extra savings on pork all month long.  From October 24-31, you can save $2.50 off the Rack of Pork.

I will be picking up a Rack of Pork this week and I have challenged my husband to come up with a great recipe to share with all of you.   Just for fun, I might even have him create the recipe “Chopped” style by giving him some mystery ingredients he has to work into his recipe.   If you have any suggestions for  a great mystery item, leave it in the comments.

We have never cooked a Rack of Pork before, so we had to do a little research.  Luckily, the Pork website has all the information we need to learn how to cook a Rack of Pork, as well as any other cut of pork we might be interested in preparing.  They even have my personal favorite…bacon!

Once you know how to prepare the Rack of Pork, you can find a couple of great recipes on Costco.com: In the Warehouse.   You will find a recipe for:

• Garlic and Rosemary Rack of Pork
• Herb-Crusted Pork Rib Roast with Red Wine Sauce

Temperature Update: In May, the USDA reduced the temperature guideline for pork loins, chops and roasts from 160 to 145 degrees F, with a three-minute rest.  This will yield a juicy, flavorful product that may be pinker in color than most home cooks are used to. Ground pork, like all ground meat, should be cooked to 160 degrees.

Make sure you check back later in the week when I share the recipe my husband came up with.  I will also be giving away a $25 Costco Cash Card!

This post was written by me in participation with a program from The Motherhood for Costco and the National Pork Board. I received products to facilitate my recipe creation and a stipend for my time.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was searching for something fall related to make for a neighbor of mine, I saw a recipe for a super easy caramel apple dip and I decided to give it a try. This is so easy to a make and oh so yummy!

Supplies needed:

• 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz)
• Kraft Caramels
• Wide Mouth Half Pint Size Canning Jars (if you plan to give as gifts)

My can of sweetened consdensed milk had a pop-top lid, so I chose to open the bottom with a can opener, so I could use the can to make these super cute tin can treats at a later date.

Pour the Sweetened Condensed Milk and (40) of the unwrapped caramels into a microwave safe bowl. The first time I made these I used the entire bag of caramels and the caramel ended up really stiff.  I reduced the amount of caramels to 40 this time, and I like the consistency much better.

Microwave on high for 1 minute.

After the first minute, take the bowl out and stir the caramels and sweetened condensed milk. Continue to microwave (and stir) every 30 seconds until the caramels are completely melted.

Once the caramels are completely melted you will be able to add them to the canning jars or other storage containers. It took me about a total of 3 – 3 1/2 minutes before everything was completely melted. You should end up with 2 half pint jars and a little extra leftover. You can keep the Caramel Apple Dip in the regfrigerator for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!)

Once they are in the jars you can add a ribbon and tag to the jars. I have included a FREE printable of the label I added to the lid. Just right click on the image and save the image as a download.  (Big thanks to my son Jordan for making the label for me!)

I packaged a couple apples up in a plastic bag, so I could give the apples and the caramel dip to my neighbor. It turned out great!

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Canning chicken is super easy, and it’s a great way to store chicken to be used in soups, sandwiches, casseroles and more.  Here is a great method to use, especially for those of you that don’t have a lot of freezer space. When you find a great deal on chicken breast, you can use this method to stock up and can the chicken for future use. I love being able to grab a jar of pre-cooked chicken to help me make a quick and easy dinner!

I am going to how you how to can your chicken using the  ”raw pack” method.   There really isn’t too much prep work involved, but this method requires the use of a pressure cooker, and you can’t can your chicken like you would raspberry jam, as it requires a different processing method. You will need to consult your manual for instructions related to the specific size and model of the pressure cooker you own.

What you will need:

• Pressure Cooker/Canner
• Canning Jars (quart or pint)
• Canning Lids and Bands
• Pickling/Canning Salt (optional)
• Dish Towel
• Cutting Board & Knife
• Jar Lifter or Tongs

What you need to do:

Step 1: Clean and sterilize your jars, by boiling them, or washing them in hot soapy water.

Step 2: Set your lids in hot water until they are ready to use. Boil the water that will be added to the pressure cooker for the canning process (check your pressure cooker’s instruction book for the exact amount of water to add – this will vary according to the size of your pressure cooker.)

Step 3: Prepare your chicken, by washing and cuttin your chicken into chunks or pieces, the size doesn’t really matter. Keep in mind that smaller pieces will be easier to use in soups, casseroles, sandwiches, etc.

Step 4: Add the chicken to the jars, making sure to leave 1 inch of space between the chicken and the top of the jar. You do not need to add any liquid. You may add salt if you desire, but it is best to use canning or pickling salt.  If table salt is used, it may turn the liquid cloudy over time.  If using salt, you will want to use 1/2 tsp for a pint jar and 1 tsp for a quart jar.

It’s very important that you wipe the rims of your jars clean after adding the chicken, because they need to be totally clean in order to seal properly.

Step 5: Prepare the pressure cooker for the canning process. , putting the canning rack on the bottom of the pressure cooker, and adding the boiling water. Don’t forget, you will need to consult your pressure cooker instruction manual for the exact amount of water that is needed. My pressure cooker tells me to add 3 quarts.

Helpful hint: To prevent water stains on the jars, add 2 tablespoons white vinegar to the water inside the canner.

Step 6: Carefully place your jars into the canner, and close the lid.

Step 7: Follow the specific instructions for your pressure cooker  in regards to what pressure you should use to cook chicken. My pressure cooker needs that I need to process the chicken at 11 lbs of pressure.

Helpful hint: To more easily maintain the pressure you need, you may want to lower the temperature. on your stove when it gets to within 1.5 – 2 lbs of where it needs to be.

Step 8: Once the gauge on the canner reaches the required level (mine needs to reach 11 lbs), you will need to add the pressure regulator onto the vent pipe. You will then need to cook the chicken for the desired amount of time as detailed in the instructions of your specific pressure cooker. For chicken without bones in pint jars my book says it needs to cook for a total of 75 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat on your stove to maintain the level of pressure needed.  Its okay if it goes a little higher, but you don’t want the pressure to go below the required pressure.

If the pressure drops below the required setting, it is necessary to bring the pressure back up to the correct setting and begin timing it again.

Step 9: Once the time is up, turn off the stove and remove the canner from the heat source. Do not open the canner right away as, the jars need to stay inside until the pressure has been completely reduced. You will know when it’s safe to open, because the overpressure plug on your canner will drop.

Step 10: When the pressure has been sufficiently reduced, remove the pressure regulator from the vent pipe and let pressure cooker cool for an additional 10 minutes before opening the lid to the canner.

Step 11: Remove the jars from your canner and set them on a dish towel or board. Once completely cooled, check the  seals on the jars and date the lids, so it will be easier to rotate your food storage and ensure the oldest product gets used first.

Step 12: Enjoy the chicken in some of these great recipes!

• Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Best Chicken Salad Ever
• Simple Ranch Chicken Macaroni Salad
• Chicken Spinach Pesto Pasta Salad
• Ziti Chicken Casserole

Buying chicken in Bulk: I get my fresh boneless skinless chicken in 40 lb boxes from Zaycon Foods. You can register at Zaycon Foods, and they will send you an email when there is a chicken event coming to your area.   They will be coming to the Northwest in June 2011, several of the locations are sold out, but you can still create an account and be put on the waiting list in case more chicken becomes available.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

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I knew when I saw these super cute Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes over at Living Locurto, I HAD to make them for an upcoming birthday. So flippin’ cute and clever!!

Want to make some too? Here is what you do:

First, you need to find youself some ice cream cups. They found their ice cream cups HERE.  YIKES!  Expensive, huh?  I put my super bargain finding skills to work, and I found the ones pictured above at Michael’s craft store for only $1.99 (Plus, I had a 20% off coupon to boot!).   The ones I found were smaller, and they fit the cupcakes perfectly.

Next, you will want to make some cupcakes. I just used a boxed mixed, so it was super simple. I baked them in regular cupcake liners and then once they were cooled I added them to the ice cream cups.

The frosting comes next! It looks just like ice cream, doesn’t it? You will want to head on over to Living Locurto for the frosting recipe. Make sure you refrigerate it first.

Next melt some chocolate candy melts, these work better than just regular chocolate chips because they set up nicely. Then you will want to add some sprinkles.

Lastly, you will want to add a “cherry” on top. I used Gobstoppers, you could also use Gum Balls or any other round red candy.

I wrapped one up in cello, and made a card with the Silhouette SD Machine. Perfect to give to a friend for their birthday. I can see working a whole birthday party theme around these cute little cupcakes.

A big HUGE thanks goes to Living Locurto for the inspiration and recipe!

I knew as soon as I saw these Cupcake Push Pop Peeps over at Love from the Oven I wanted to make them. I teach a class at church with 14-15 year old girls, and they love treats. Cute treats are even better! So I spent part of my weekend making these super cute cup cakes.

Here is a close up of one of the cuties. I followed the instructions at Love from the Oven, and I bought the push pops from HERE (Thanks to reader who found them for me!)

Do you have any Easter treats in the works? I would love to hear what you are making!

Sign up with Recipe Nut, and you will be able to save all the recipes you like from any online site. It makes it easy to have all your favorite online recipes in one place.   They have tons of recipes that you can search for too.  You can search by ingredient, type of cuisine, an occasion and more.  They even have quick and easy meals.

I just signed up and I am in love!! I no longer have to search for the recipes I use on a regular basis, I can have them all in one convenient place. Plus, they will also send you money saving coupons every other week.

I don’t know about you, but when it gets really close to Christmas, I have no desire to head into any of the stores. I still have a few more neighbor gifts to put together, so I am getting creative and re-purposing packaging I already have around the house.

I got this package from Vocal Point a month or two ago, and I saved it, because I knew I would be able to reuse it some how.

I covered the back with a piece of scrapbook paper, tied a bow around the sides, and added a doo dad leftover from the Christmas centerpieces. I filled it with chocolates, and now I have myself a cute little package to give to someone.

Next up! I plan on dressing up this metal tin and filling it with some Chex Mix. I would love to hear any creative ideas you have to package up some homemade (or store bought) Christmas goodies.

Here is what you will need:

Preparing the pretzels: I like to break my pretzels in half, it makes them easier to package and makes for more chocolate coverage. I prefer more chocolate to pretzel ratio, because the chocolate is the best part!  To make a clean break, I use a serrated knife to “saw” a little notch and then just break it in half.

Decorating the pretzels: Immediately decorate with sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or even chopped nuts. This is my kids favorite part!  Let them cool until they are hard. If necessary, you can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process. I put my wax paper on a cooling rack or cookie sheets so they can be moved around easily.

If you want to give them away to several people, you can put them in cello bags. You can get the cello bags at Michael’s for around $3.99 (use a 40% off coupon to get them even cheaper). Tie with ribbon and you are set! I bought a bunch of decorated cello bags from Target after Christmas for 75-90% off, so make sure to watch for those after Christmas this year.  You can also find some decorated cello bags in the Target Dollar spot.

If you want to give a bunch to one person, you can get an inexpensive jar. Decorate with a message made with vinyl letters or stickers, tie with a ribbon and you have a yummy gift that looks great too.   There are so many fun ways to package these.

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My daughter and I decided to make these fun treats for a group of her friends. They are chocolate covered marshmallows on a fun straw they can keep.

Here is what you need to make these treats:

• Marshmallows
• Chocolate Chips or dipping chocolate
• Krazy Straws (these are strong reusable plastic straws – found at Party Store)
• Sprinkles
• Cello Bags
• Ribbon

Directions:

1. Slide 2 marshmallows onto the end of the Krazy Straw.
2. Melt chocolate and dip marshmallows in. (melt on lowest setting & stir constantly)
3. Set straws and marshmallows on wax paper to dry.
4. Add sprinkles while chocolate is still soft.
5. When the chocolate is solid, add them into cello bags.
6. Tie with a bow.
7. Give them as gifts.

These were very easy to make, and fairly inexpensive too.   They were easy enough that even younger kids could help too, they could easily slide the marshmallows onto the straws and add the sprinkles.  It’s great when everyone can help a little.   Enjoy!

Since Strawberries are finally in season here in Washington, I made a trip to Spooner Farms for some fresh picked Strawberries. YUM! They are so good. I am spending the day making freezer jam and other goodies with strawberries. I have been making this version of Strawberry Freezer Jam for awhile, and I love the results. It’s quick and easy, doesn’t take a lot of sugar and tastes super sweet and fruity – just like fresh picked strawberries.

Interested in making some for yourself? Here is what you will need:

Ball Simple Creations No Cook Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin

1/1/2 cups sugar

Pour in the packet of Fruit Pectin and mix with sugar.

Add 4 cups crushed strawberries to the sugar and pectin mix, stir for 3 minutes.  When crushing the strawberries, you can have a a few chunks of strawberries, or make it more smooth, whichever you prefer.

I like to use these Ball plastic containers, they are the perfect size.

Pour the strawberry Freezer Jam into the containers and freeze. Super simple and so delicious!!

Next up: Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

When I showed you how to make your own Pita Bread, I had several requests to share my Chicken Caesar Pita recipe.

So, here is what I do to make our Chicken Caesar Pita’s:

Whenever we have this chicken for dinner, I grill a couple extra so we can make the Chicken Caesar Pita’s the next night. If I don’t have any chicken already cooked, I just cut up a couple chicken breasts and fry them up in a pan. I usually throw on a little seasoning salt. You can also bake them in the oven or grill them.

Next, it’s as simple as making a Caesar Salad, you will need:

• Romaine lettuce
• Caesar dressing (Cardini’s is our favorite, but we are currently loving the Marie’s dressing we got for FREE back in March)
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese (we love the large shaved kind)
• Pepper
• Fresh Lemon (if desired)

Cut up the lettuce, toss with the dressing and add the Parmesan cheese. Next, add a little fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of the lemon (if desired).  It’s that simple!  The, add the Caesar salad and chicken inside you pita and you are good to go. I love these on hot summer nights, because they are so fresh, easy and don’t make a huge mess in the kitchen.

For a little more flavor you can add the following:

• Croutons
• Bacon Bits
• Tomato

This dinner makes everyone happy at our house.   I do have one child who is not a lettuce eater, so he fills his pita with chicken, cheese and ranch dressing and he is thrilled.

We have an all time favorite marinade at our house, and it works for EVERYTHING!!!  It is Steven Raichlen’s recipe for The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need from his book Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes.

I love this marinade, because it is so fresh and it is quick and easy to make.   I love that you don’t have to make it hours or even a day ahead of time.  In fact, it is freshest when you make it an hour or two before you cook it.   We use this on chicken all the time, but it is excellent on steak too.  Steven Raichlen claims its good on fish and veggies too, but I haven’t tried that yet.

Here is the recipe for The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or to taste
4 strips of lemon zest
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver or minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, oregano or a mix of all four (I always use Cilantro)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the lemon juice, hot pepper flakes, cracked pepper, and salt in a nonreactive (glass, ceramic, or stainless steel) bowl and whisk until the salt crystals are dissolved.

Chop up the Parsley & other herb(s)

Add the lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and basil. Stir or whisk in the olive oil.

Marinate your meat, we are using chicken, but it works well for all types of meat.  The virtue of this marinade is its freshness; use it within 1 to 2 hours of making. Stir again before using.
Makes 1 cup.

Next, grill and enjoy!!!  Seriously, you should give this marinade a try, it really is The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need. YUM!

Recipe from Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes by Steven Raichlen Copyright by Steven Raichlen. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Workman Publishing

We love to have Chicken Ceasar Pita’s for a quick and easy meal.   The most expensive part of the meal is the Pita’s, so I decided to make my own this time – it was super easy!    I decided to go with the Peppy’s Pita Bread recipe that I found at Allrecipes.com. I did add a little more salt to the recipe, because that’s what some of the commenters suggested.   You will probably have all the ingredients on hand to make these Pita’s.

I added the following to my bread machine and set it to the dough cycle:

• 1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 TBS vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

When the dough cycle on your bread machine is finished, you will want to roll the dough out until it is about 12 inches long.  Make sure you lightly flour your work surface, so your dough doesn’t stick.

Divide the dough into 8 sections, and roll them all into a ball.

Then roll each ball into a circle about 6 – 7 inches.   Set them on on a lightly floured counter, cover with a towel and let them rise for about 30 minutes.   Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.

After the 3o minutes, you will  want to move the pita dough to a cooling rack, and cook it directly on the cooling rack.   Cook 3-4 at a time and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, until they are puffed up and slightly golden brown.

Remove and immediately cover the pitas with a damp kitchen towel, this helps to soften up the Pitas.   Once the Pitas and soft and pliable you can then store them for several days in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or up to 1 to 2 months in the freezer.

We ate ours right away!    We had chicken Caesar Pitas for dinner, and they turned out great.   By making the pitas at home, it made the meal even less expensive and the pitas were more fresh than if I had bought them at the store.   Give these pitas’a try, they were super easy, and I was amazed how much they puffed up and made a pocket for all the fillings.

Money saving tip for yeast:  Buy your yeast as Costco,  you will get a HUGE bag for around $3-4, it will last you forever, and it so much cheaper than buying the packets at the grocery store.