grad cupcakes

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 12 graham crackers
• 1 (16 ounce) container white buttercream frosting
• 1 drop food coloring in school colors, or as desired
• 6 chewy lemon candy squares (such as starburst®), or as needed
• 24 candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (such as m&m's®) in school colors

Recipe

Cook Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 50 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• line 24 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners in school colors.
• place white cake mix into a large mixing bowl and beat in water, eggs, and vegetable oil with an electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. turn mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
• pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full.
• bake cupcakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
• cool cupcakes thoroughly. place cupcakes on a platter with the bottom sides facing up.
• to decorate the cupcakes, break graham crackers in half to make 24 2 1/2-inch squares. place a dab of frosting centered on bottom of each cupcake and stick a square to the frosting to form mortarboard part of a graduation cap.
• place the opened container of frosting into a microwave oven and heat until the frosting is warmed, soft, and workable, about 10 seconds. frosting should be smooth but not runny. color the frosting to your desired shade with food coloring.
• frost the top and sides of the graham cracker squares.
• unwrap lemon candies and place 2 candies a piece of waxed paper. microwave the candies until warm and soft, 5 seconds or as needed.
• roll out the candies on waxed paper to make thin squares of candy. using a sharp knife or small scissors, cut small tassel shapes from each square. when the tassels are made, set them aside and microwave 2 more candies; repeat steps until you have made 24 small candy tassels.
• place a tassel in the center of each graham cracker square. the tassel should hang slightly over the edge of the square.
• dip marked side of a candy-coated chocolate piece into frosting and place the piece the center of the graham cracker square, frosted side up, to cover the end of the candy tassel string.
• refrigerate decorated cupcakes to set the frosting. store covered.

peanut butter bars i

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 25 mins


• in a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
• in a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. spread over the prepared crust. refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Stuffed Brie

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) wheel brie cheese

Recipe

• in a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and caramelize onions and mushrooms; add dates and warm mixture for about 2 minutes.
• slice the brie wheel in half down the center so that there is a top and a bottom; fill with the onion mixture. replace the top of the brie.
• microwave brie for 1 to 3 minutes or until bubbly; serve.

fruity tutti turkey brine

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 9 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups chopped candied ginger
• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
• 4 ounces dried pears
• 4 ounces dried apples
• 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 5 leaves fresh sage
• 1 gallon ice water
• 1 (15 pound) frozen whole turkey, unthawed
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 1 red apple, cored and quartered
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, or to taste
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 leaf fresh sage, or to taste
• 3 cups water, or amount to cover
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed

Recipe

Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ready Time: 5 hrs


• stir the vegetable broth, candied ginger, dried cherries, dried pears, dried apples, brown sugar, kosher salt, black peppercorns, allspice berries, 3 cinnamon sticks, and 5 sage leaves together in a large stockpot until the brown sugar and salt dissolve completely; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• remove the brine from heat, add the ice water, and stir to melt ice and chill the brine; refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. place the still-frozen turkey into the brine and refrigerate for 3 days. on the second day of brining, turn the turkey over in the brine.
• on serving day (the third day of brining), preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). remove the turkey from the brine and place into a roasting pan. discard the brine.
• place the onion, red apple, 1 sprig of rosemary, 2 more cinnamon sticks, and 1 sage leaf into a 5-cup microwave-safe measuring cup and fill the cup with enough water to cover. place into microwave oven and cook on high power until hot, about 5 minutes. pour the contents of the cup into the cavity of the turkey. rub the skin of the turkey with the vegetable oil.
• roast in the preheated oven until the turkey is golden brown and the juices run clear, 4 to 4 1/2 hours. an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should read 165 degrees f (75 degrees c).

black and white pinwheels

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Recipe

• sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• blend together the butter and the sugar, beat in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. add the flour mixture. mix to combine.
• divide dough into two parts. leave one part buttery and yellow, the other half is to have melted chocolate chips added to it. (melt in microwave or over boiling water in double boiler being very careful not to scorch or burn). chill both halves of the dough.
• roll out the black and white sections separately, each between two sheets of waxed paper. roll into rectangles with 1/4 inch thickness. place black on white roll together as tough rolling a jelly roll, removing center wax paper as you go. shape into uniform roll, chill dough for up to one hour.
• preheat oven to 400 degrees f (205 degrees c).
• slice chilled dough into 1/8 inch thick slices. bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 400 degrees f (205 degrees c) for 5 to 7 minutes.

potato candy from ohio

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 1 (2 pound) package confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup leftover mashed potatoes (prepared with butter, salt, and milk)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, or as needed
• 1 (18 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 2 hrs 50 mins


• combine confectioners' sugar, mashed potatoes, butter, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until a thick dough forms. refrigerate dough until chilled, about 30 minutes. stir extra confectioners' sugar into dough if too moist.
• spread a large sheet of waxed paper on the counter. sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
• dust rolling pin with confectioners' sugar. roll chilled dough on prepared waxed paper into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
• spoon peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl. heat in microwave on high until slightly softened, 20 to 30 seconds.
• spread softened peanut butter dough.
• roll dough, starting from long end, into a jelly roll shape.
• wrap the roll in waxed paper and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. slice into 1/4-inch slices.

cake balls

Ingredients

• Servings: 3
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
• 1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting
• 1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate flavored confectioners coating

Recipe

Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Ready Time: 3 hrs 10 mins


• prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. when cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
• melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
• use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. place on waxed paper to set.

peanut butter bars i

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 25 mins


• in a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
• in a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. spread over the prepared crust. refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.