Introduction: 5-Cheese Ziti Al Forno. <PIC> There is an Italian restaurant that we all probably know, and most of us have probably been to.  One of my favorite dishes from said restaurant is the five-cheese ziti al forno.  The only problem is that this place can be kind of expensive.  So...why not make it at home? Step 1: Ingredients. <PIC> The ingredients are split up as follows:
Sauce:
4 cups tomato sauce (one large can)
2 cups alfredo sauce (one 16.5 oz jar)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons fontina cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Topping:
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
3 tablespoons romano cheese, grated
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped (or minced)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes)
Remaining Ingredients:
1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
NOTE: If you cannot find all the cheeses listed, feel free to use your five favorite cheeses, or leave some out if you like.  Make it your own, there's room to play with this recipe. Step 2: Preparing the Sauce. <PIC> The first thing we're going to put together is the sauce.  Combine all the ingredients on the sauce list in a large bowl, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Step 3: Preparing the Topping. <PIC> 1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the first four ingredients for the ziti topping.
2. Add the garlic, oil, and parsley, mix until blended.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Step 4: Putting It All Together. <PIC> When you're ready to put it all together, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, spray a 13" x 9" dish, or a large casserole dish with non-stick spray.
1. Once your oven is preheating, prepare your pasta according to the package instructions.
2. Pour 1/2 cup of the prepared ziti sauce into prepared dish and spread evenly over bottom.
3. When pasta is finished cooking, drain water and add pasta to the remaining sauce.  Mix well and add to baking dish.
4. Spread 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over pasta/sauce mixture.
5. Top the mozzarella with the prepared ziti topping, and spread evenly.
6. Place pan on center oven rack and bake until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.  Depending on your oven, it could take between 30 to 40 minutes.
7. remove and serve immediately.
I hope you enjoy this recipe!


Introduction: Lava Chocolate & Orange Sponge Pudding . <PIC> This is an elegant luscious dessert that has a fab combo of Chocolate sponge cake with Orange aroma. When baked it magically produces its own rich chocolate pudding on the bottom, yet its low cal...no guilt!Surprise your loved one for extra points on Valentine's Day with this silky, hot dairy free dessert! Step 1: Ingredients. <PIC> 4 tbsp dairy free margarine3/4 cup sugar 2 cup unsweetened Almond Milk 1 cup flour1 tsp baking powder5 tbsp cocoa powder1 tsp instant coffeezest of 1 orange1 lg egg, beaten Prep: Preheat oven to 350FGrease or spray 4, 1 cup ramekinsIn a medium saucepan melt margarine, 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup milk, zest and coffee. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Cool to the touch. Whisk the egg into the liquids. Sift the flour, baking powder and 1 tbsp of cocoa powder together.Sprinkle onto the liquids and whisk to mix,the mixture will be lumpy. Step 2: Prep. <PIC> Evenly distribute into ramekins. Stir the remaining sugar and cocoa powder together. Sprinkle over cake batter. Pour the remaining milk over the batter.*When baking it will magically mix together creating a sauce on the bottom. Step 3: . <PIC> Place on a baking sheet to catch any spills and bake for 40-45 min until the liquid sinks and the cake rises.Remove and allow to cool for 5 min.The cake will drop.Sprinkle with icing sugar, berries and a scoop of frozen yogourt or dairy free/ice cream if desired


Introduction: 6 Ingredient Avocado Sauce. <PIC>  Step 1: Gather Ingredients and Materials. <PIC> You will need the following:Three small avocados2 cups of fresh cilantro1/2 cup of lemon juice3/4 teaspoon of salt1   1/4 cups of water3-5 jalapenos (depends on how spicy you would like your sauce to be)Cutting board Knife BlenderSmall saucepan Step 2: Wash Your Ingredients . <PIC> Always make sure you rinse your ingredients, even if they have a peel. Step 3: Boil Jalapeños. <PIC> Cook fresh jalapeños by boiling them in a small saucepan. The quantity depends on how spicy you would like your sauce to be. Boil them until they are completely cooked (7-8 minutes).  Step 4: Cutting Avocados. <PIC> Cut avocados in half. Remove the pits with a spoon and set aside. Scoop out the avocado using a spoon and place in a blender.  Step 5: Blend the Avocados. <PIC> Blend the avocados along with 1 1/4 cups of water until you get a smooth mixture. Once blended, add 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Blend for 1 minute to ensure the salt is mixed thoroughly.  Step 6: Adding Lemon Juice. <PIC> If the lemons have seeds, use a strainer and measure 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Add the lemon juice to the avocado mixture. Blend for 1 minute at full speed.  Step 7: Add Jalapeños to the Mixture. <PIC> The jalapeños have to be cooled down before they are added to the avocado mixture. Once they finish cooling, remove the stem and blend one jalapeño at a time and taste how spicy the sauce is. Continue to add a jalapeño until you have reached the desired spicy level.  Step 8: Adding Cilantro. <PIC> Add 2 cups of fresh cilantro. Select the pulse mode on the blender. Continue to press start until the cilantro is finely chopped, but NOT BLENDED. Step 9: Using the Avocado  Pits. <PIC> Pour the sauce into a container and drop the avocado pits into the sauce. The pits will help the sauce stay fresh.  Step 10: Serve an Enjoy. <PIC> Serve this simple and delicious sauce with your favorite chips and enjoy.


Introduction: Ginger Biscuit Rocky Road. <PIC> Ingredients
Mcvities ginger biscuits.
Cadburys Baking Chocolate.
Fiddles mini pink and white mini marshmallows
Crispy m&msRecipe
1. Melt the chocolate over a bowl of hot water stirring every few minutes.
2. Add the marshmallows and m&ms and the ginger biscuits.
4. Mix well
3. Wait for the chocolate to cool.
4. Place in a lined baking tray.
5. Put in the fridge.
(For a cute kids snack and without having to cut the rocky road into squares place the rocky road in cupcake cases on stage four)


Introduction: RED HOT Valentine Cookies. <PIC> RED HOT Valentine Cookies Step 1: How to Make RED HOT Valentine Cookies. <PIC> These cookies taste just like the little red candies but with a soft cake-like texture. I make a batch for my husband every Valentine's Day and he loves them! These cookies are very simple to make. They are good by themselves or sandwiched with ice cream.
This recipe will make 2 to 4 dozen cookies depending on the size cookie cutter used. ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS
1 box red velvet cake mix
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tablespoon natural cinnamon flavor
Flour (as needed for rolling out dough)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Step 2: . <PIC> Mix the cake mix, baking powder, cinnamon flavor, eggs, and oil in a bowl until well blended and a solid dough forms.  Step 3: . <PIC> Place the dough on a floured surface and sprinkle with flour.
Roll out the dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness.
Use flour as needed to prevent sticky dough. Step 4: . <PIC> Use a cookie cutter to cut shapes and place on a cookie sheet. I line my sheets with parchment paper but it is not necessary. Step 5: . <PIC> Bake at 325 for 8 to 12 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the cookie cutters used.
Remove and cool on the cookie sheet 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
Serve and enjoy!


Introduction: Let's Make Toffee!!. <PIC> Step 1. Over lo-med. heat (3 setting on 10 setting electric burner) Do not cook higher,it will burn!!!! Melt 1 cup unsalted butter in heavy bottom pan, add 1 cup granulated sugar and a dash of salt, set timer for 20 minutes. Stir continuously and slowly. Step 1: Step 2. Stir and Bring to Boil....and Stir.... <PIC> Mixture will boiling the whole time.  Do not adjust temp!!!! Step 2: And Stir.....at 6 Minutes In.... <PIC> The mixture will begin to resemble marshmallow mush. Step 3: 9 Minutes Into Stirring...... <PIC> What we are waiting for is mixture to turn light brown...or milky caramel. Step 4: 14 Minutes..... <PIC> Getting there!  At this point you need the color to be light brown....not dark brown.  Do not taste or touch....you will get burned!  the candy is at 250+ degrees.  Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Get one cup chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Step 5: Prepare to Spread at 20 Minutes Mark, Give or Take a Minute.. <PIC> Spread evenly with spoon. Step 6: Melt Chocolate Chips for 1 Minute....or 45 Seconds..... <PIC> Just until smooth.  At this point you would add topping to the toffee...maybe pretzel salt, or crushed popcorn, crushed candy canes, or nuts....I even wondered about dipping pretzels in mixture and placing on parchment....may be a little tricky but whatever you don't burn the mixture!!!! Step 7: Spread Soft Topping Immediately.. <PIC> I do not recommend throwing the chips on top, unless you want that look. Step 8: Spread to Edge.. <PIC> Almost done.... Step 9: Add Topping.... <PIC> I used almonds.   Refridgerate one hour, then break into pieces, remember small pieces fit better in packages for friends.  bring to party or send as gifts!!  Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!!!


Introduction: Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. <PIC> Here is the recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
These cookies are a little more involved and you will need parchment paper and  a large heat friendly bowl or double boiler to melt the chocolate.
Great cookie for the holiday season!
You will need the following ingredients:
-1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
-1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
-3/4 cup sugar
-1 large egg
-1 large egg yolk
-3/4 teaspoon  peppermint extract
-8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
-2 pounds white chocolate (bark or morsels)  Step 1: Dry Ingredients for the Dough. <PIC> For this step you will need to use the flour, baking cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a bowl mix in this order
1. add 1 cup of flour
2. add 1/2 cup of baking cocoa powder
3. 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
4. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5. 1/2  teaspoon of salt
Once you have added all dry ingredients listed above, whisk until they are well blended. Step 2: Blended Ingredients for the Dough. <PIC> For this step you will need to use the butter and sugar.
In a larger separate bowl add in this order
1. 1/2 cup of butter
2. 3/4 cup of sugar
Blend all ingredients together until creamed. You can do this in a mixer or by hand. Step 3: Wet Ingredients to the Dough. <PIC> Once You have creamed the blended ingredients you will need to add the eggs and peppermint.
Add to the mixture while mixing in this order.
1. 1 large egg
2. 1 large egg yolk
3. 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Mix these until well blended. Step 4: Adding Dry Ingredients Into the Mixer. <PIC> Once you have blended the eggs and peppermint, you will need to add the dry ingredients that you set aside earlier.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixer. I do this by adding a third at a time making sure it is well blended before adding more.
Once the dough is well blended separate into two portions and place on parchment paper.  Step 5: . <PIC> Once separated wrap each in parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Step 6: Prepping the Oven. <PIC> Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Step 7: Prepping for Baking. <PIC> While the dough continues to set, take your baking or cookie sheet(s) and line it with parchment paper. If you don't have parchment paper you can use a cooking spray or aluminum foil. Step 8: Making the Cookies. <PIC> Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.
Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk. Step 9: Baking the Cookies. <PIC> Bake until cookies in your 325 degreeF oven until they are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and let cool. Step 10: Prepping the Peppermint. <PIC> Take the 8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies and put them in plastic bags. Then take a mallet or other large kitchen utensil and crush them.
You can have large chunks, fine dust, or a mix of both.  Step 11: Prepping the Chocolate. <PIC> Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water.  Step 12: Dipping and Covering the Cookies. <PIC> Dunk cookies into melted chocolate. Using a fork, turn to coat, let excess drip off, and gently scrape bottom against edge of bowl. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. Step 13: Finishing Up. <PIC> Once you have dipped and dressed the cookies, refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours.
Then plate and serve. They are great with hot cocoa or a glass of milk and are a perfect cookie for the holidays.


Introduction: Sweet and Salty Ice Cream Sandwiches. <PIC> My niece and I invented a new ice cream sandwich that combines our favorite snacks into one unbelievably tasty dessert treat.  It is easy to make but requires several steps and a quick pace to avoid melting the ice cream.
Ingredients:
1.5 Quart container vanilla ice cream (Didn't it used to be 1/2 gallon?)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
about 24 Graham crackers split into halves
one bag of mini m&ms
Step 1:
Empty the ice cream into a large bowl
Step 2:
Add peanut butter stirring and swirling into ice cream quickly
Step 3:
Put a heaping soup spoon sized heap of the ice cream onto the graham cracker halves.
Step 4:
Top each with the other half graham cracker, pressing lightly.
Step 5:
Freeze for about an hour on a cookie sheet
Step 6:
Remove from freezer and dip each sandwich into mini m&ms, pressing them into ice cream to coat all sides
Step 7:
Return to cookie sheet and freeze till set.
Step 8:
Enjoy! and try to save some for others!


Introduction: Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread. <PIC> I have been getting in touch with a few old friends over the past couple of days. A few phone calls later, it so transpired that a group of childhood friends were heading to my place for coffee this evening. And I so wanted to make something simple yet special! Nothing to beat the aroma of freshly baked homemade bread …. Enhanced with the spicy flavor of cinnamon.   The whole baking process took about an hour. By around 5 in the evening, the kitchen was awash with the freshly baked flavor. The golden brown crust and light soft and fluffy cinnamon filling sure brought a smile on everyone’s face. Thin slivers of homemade cinnamon swirl bread and piping hot coffee – What better accompaniment to the animated conversation, giggles and laughs that followed. Well, we girls sure had fun!I have a few slices left over and intend to serve them as French toast for breakfast next morning. Check out this simple recipe for homemade cinnamon swirl bread. It makes good use of a natural spice like cinnamon which is bursting with healing properties – to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and antioxidant properties. Step 1: Assemble the Following Ingredients. Flour  3 cupsMilk  ½ cupWarm water  ¾ cupBaker's Yeast 1 tbspButter 3 tbspSugar 3 tbspCinnamon powder 1 tbspSalt   ½ tsp Step 2: Method . <PIC> Mix yeast and little sugar and warm water and keep aside.Heat milk with 2 tbsp butter and keep aside.Mix 1 tbsp sugar and salt and 1 tsp cinnamon powder to the warm milk.Add the milk mixture and yeast mixture to the flour and slowly knead to a dough. Keep the dough in a greased bowl for an hour. Cover with cling film. After an hour, knock back and knead the dough. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the counter top and you can roll the dough without it sticking. Roll the dough out real thin and you will get more cinnamon sugar to bite into in each swirl slice. Roll the dough into a log. Spread 2 tbsp butter and sprinkle a bit of sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon powder on it. Roll the dough. Cut 3 slashes on the top of the dough.Keep it in a greased bread tin and keep aside for half an hour. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 – 45 minutes till browned on top. Step 3: Serving Options. <PIC> Place the cinnamon bread on a cooling rack. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut neat slice. You can serve some yummy French toast with cinnamon swirl slices. Dunk each slice in a mixture of milk, egg and vanilla. Lightly toast it on a heated griddle with a bit of butter. Sprinkle powdered sugar. Serve with mixed berries or other chopped fruits.


Introduction: Cola "spider" Drink. <PIC> This drink may resemble muddy pond scum but i can assure you it tastes much better (well..i assume so as i've never actually eaten pond scum!) this refreshing drink is a strange yet tasty combination that can be whipped up in seconds with only two ingredients!! (and good to drink while making  an instructable!)
PS i don't know why this drink is called a "spider" but thats what i've always known it as :D
YOU WILL NEED
Ice Cream (i personally prefer vanilla with this)
soft drink (soda)
(you can use any flavored soda but i've found that i prefer cola rather then lemonade etc)
METHOD
scoop some ice cream into a glass, the amount depends on your personal preference but i like a lot of ice cream as that way it won't just melt into the first bit of cola.
CAREFULLY pour a little bit of cola on top of the ice cream. it with froth up a lot so don't pour the entire can of drink in or you'll end up with a cola volcano all over your bench! (you may need to add a small amount at a time, but you can always top the glass up)
Stir a little to mix together and ENJOY
this is a great summer drink that i still like now, on a cool winters evening :D
so if your bored of plain soft drinks or just want something new, you should try this :)
thanks for reading
please post any comments, questions or suggestions :)
AAG


Introduction: Paper Doll Dress Up Sugar Cookies. <PIC> These sweet doll cookies are actually sugar cookies with fondant clothes that you can dress up for real.
The made up dolls and clothes are a great party activity for children,  and as a bonus they can then be used as a take home party favor.
To make these cookies and dress up clothes you will need:
Cookie dough suitable to make cut out cookies
Paper Doll and clothing template
Royal icing
Ready Roll Fondant
Corn starch (corn flour)
Food Color (Wilton Pink (Rose Clair), sky blue, white; Americolor Copper (fleshtone); dark brown;  dusky pink/wine
Dusting Powder pink
Black edible pen
Rolling Pin large wooden
3 Piping bag and tips (#2)
Sharp Knife
Brushes (4 different)
Rolling pin - small plastic
Frilling tool for fondant (or you could use a toothpick or end of paintbrush if one is unavailable)
brush and small bowl water
The cookies can be made 5 days before hand and kept in an air tight container.
The fondant dress up clothes should be made at least one day in advance and can be kept in an air tight container for at least 2 weeks prior to using.
The items required to make these cookies are available from Hobby and Craft stores and cake decorating outlets.
You may use colors other than pink to work in with your party theme or favorite color. Step 1: . <PIC> Make cookie dough and roll out quite thinly on a workbench dusted with corn starch (cornflour), about 1/4 " (1/2cm).
Place the paper doll template onto the dough and using a sharp knife cut around the template carefully.
Remove all the excess dough and if necessary smooth the edges of the cookie dough doll.
Place the cookie cut out doll onto a parchment/baking paper lined tray.
Bake in an oven which has been preheated to 325 F (160 C) until golden and allow to cool on trays before carefully removing to a cooling rack.
If you do not have a favorite cookie dough recipe you can use the following recipe:
1 stick  (4 ounces) unsalted butter (114 grams) softened to room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 extra large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour (plain flour) sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Using a mixer cream butter and sugar.
Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until dough comes together.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Step 2: . <PIC> Using the doll template cut out the hair and draw around where you will be piping the hairline with an edible pen (or other non toxic drawing implement) as per picture, also draw on the underwear and the shoes.
Mix up a batch of royal icing and color some skin tone, some white and some brown. Pre mix royal icing is available from Craft and Hobby stores or cake decorating outlets or you can make up your own. The royal icing should be of a consistency that if you run a knife through it the indent left behind will disappear in 10 seconds.
Place the royal icing into piping bags ensuring that you keep the tips covered so they do not dry out and clog up.
Pipe the brown hair on each doll and flood and the pipe the underwear and shoes and flood.
Allow to dry for a few hours and then pipe on the skin. Leave dolls to set for at least 24 hours. Step 3: . <PIC> Mix up a batch of royal icing and color some skin tone, some white and some brown. Pre mix royal icing is available from Craft and Hobby stores or cake decorating outlets or you can make up your own. The royal icing should be of a consistency that if you run a knife through it the indent left behind will disappear in 10 seconds.
Place the royal icing into piping bags ensuring that you keep the tips covered so they do not dry out and clog up.
Pipe the brown hair on each doll and flood and the pipe the underwear and shoes and flood.
Allow to dry for a few hours and then pipe on the skin. Leave dolls to set for at least 24 hours. Step 4: . <PIC> Using an edible pen draw on the face outline features.
Use the doll template as an example.
Practice with a normal pen on some paper until you get the hang of it.
Once the faces are complete draw in a belly button and lines at the knees.
Allow the pen to dry. Step 5: . <PIC> On a plate place a few drops of white food color, some pink and some sky blue.
Mix the pink and blue with some extra white until you have a nice bright color suitable for painting eyes and lips.
Using 000 or 00 paintbrush carefully fill in the face you have drawn by painting the eyes and lips with the food color.
If you like you can add rosy cheeks by brushing some pink edible dusting powder onto the cheek area with a soft bristled brush. Step 6: . <PIC> Allow to dry and store in airtight containers until ready to use.  Step 7: . <PIC> Make a list of approximately how many of each type of clothing in each color you would like to make. This should be a guide to how much fondant in each color you will need.
Color fondant with the colors until you have achieved the desired color. To color fondant, knead it on a bench lightly dusted with cornflour until it is pliable and then add in gel or paste food color and knead until it is completely distributed.
The light pink and darker burgandy are the same food color just using more for the darker color.
Remember you must keep fondant in a zip lock bag or air tight container when not in use and only use small pieces at a time as it will become dry and crumbly if exposed to air for lengths of time.  Step 8: . <PIC> To make a T-shirt roll out the fondant until around 1/16 to 1/8 inch thickness on a corn starch dusted workbench and then using the paper doll template as a guide cut around the shirt with a sharp knife.
If necessary smooth the edges with your finger tip.
Use the frilling tool to make indents at the sleeves to look like decorative ruffles.
Embellish with fondant flowers or make a necklace of royal icing dots by gently touching the piping bag to the fondant and leaving a really tiny dot of the icing there. If your icing is stiff and peaky you can moisten your finger with a little water and gently smooth down the point.
It is a good idea to do a couple of practice runs of the royal icing embellishments on the bench or some spare parchment/baking paper first.
Place on a tray lined with parchment paper to set.
If you like you can then pipe decorative royal icing dots around the neckline to look like a necklace. Step 9: . <PIC> To make a skirt roll out the fondant until around 1/16 to 1/8 inch thickness on a corn starch dusted workbench and then using the paper doll template as a guide cut around the skirt with a sharp knife.
Cut out another skirt, you can use the same color or a different color, trim the second skirt so it is shorter than the first.
If necessary smooth the edges with your finger tip.
Use the thinner edge of the frilling tool to make ruffles on the skirt by gently rolling it back and forth.
Use the frilling tool to make indents at the sleeves to look like decorative ruffles.
Adhere the shorter skirt to the longer skirt with a tiny amount of water and using the thin edge of the frilling tool to lift the skirt up in sections and make it look fuller.
Place on a tray lined with parchment paper to set. Step 10: . <PIC> You can continue to make as many different types of dress up clothes as you like, here are a couple more examples.
Shorts cut out shape using template, place a contrast color onto the very edge of the short and then use the large edge of the frilling tool to make 'ruffles' on the short legs. Leggings were made the same way.
Dress cut out the shape using the template and using the thin edge of the ruffle tool roll back and forth to make the skirt look fuller. Cut out a smaller skirt in a contrasting color using the template and ruffle with the ruffling tool. Adhere the shorter skirt to the dress with a little water. Decorate the 'top' of the dress with some flowers or royal icing dots.
'Fabric' flowers - roll the fondant into a very thin log working quickly and use the end of the ruffle tool to start off a coil, continue to wrap the fondant around until you have a small flower shape, quickly press and edible silver ball in the center. If you work quickly you will not need anything else to stick the ball. If necessary use a little royal icing in the center of the flower to adhere the silver ball.
Remember to lay the fondant clothes carefully on a parchment paper lined tray and allow to set for a day.
They should be stiff when dry. If you live in a humid area it may take longer to dry.
Once dry store in an airtight container for at least up to 2 weeks until ready to use. Step 11: . <PIC> To use mix up a fresh batch of royal icing and place in piping bags. Alternatively you can use zip lock bags with a small hole cut out the corner so you have a bag for each child or decorator.
Place the dress up clothes out on display and provide everyone with a couple of sugar cookie dolls.
Everyone can then pick the dress up fondant clothes they would like to use and adhere the clothes to the doll by squeezing royal icing onto the doll cookie and gently pushing the clothes in place.
The royal icing will adhere the clothes in place once it dries.
Younger children may need some assistance.


Introduction: Pop Art Sugar Cookies. <PIC> I make awesome sugar cookies and I'm not just saying that. Amaretto is the semi secret to my icing. Every year I make nurse themed sugar cookies for the school nurses during Nurse Appreciation week. I try to do them a little different every year and this year I went with brightly colored pop art style cookies.  Step 1: BoM. <PIC> CookiesFavorite rolled sugar cookie recipe Cookie cuttersFrosting1 bag powdered sugar1/4-3/4 cup cream 1-2 sticks of unsalted butterDiSaronno or almond extract1 tbs Vanilla extract (get the clear extract if you can)Food coloring/gel(Start on the lower side with liquids and gradually increase until you have the consistency of a thick syrup)*Was more than enough for 60 cookies*DecorationBlack icingWhite icing (white, not clear)SprinklesPiping bagsSmallest piping tip you can findPaint brushes (for food use only)**I recommend not bothering with the premade squeeze icings like you see in the photos. The red and clear ones lifted right off the frosting when they came into contact with plastic wrap---they stayed in a gel state.  Step 2: Cookie Cutters. <PIC> Because these cookies are for Nurse Appreciation Week, I like to make them medical-themed cookies. I didn't have an oval shaped cookie cutter, so I took a dog bone cookie cutter and bent all the creases until I got the shape I wanted. In the picture, it looks like there are a lot more creases then there actually were. About halfway through I realized I really only needed to reshape the bottom of the cookie cutter, so that's what I did. I probably could have just reshaped a circle cookie cutter, but I didn't have any extras. I have found the dog bone cookie cutter to be pretty versatile, you can shape it into a variety of things.  Step 3: Cookies. <PIC> Make your favorite rolled sugar cookie dough, let it chill for at least 2 hours. 5 minutes before you're ready to bake, preheat your oven and line a cookie sheet. For the pill shaped cookies, I used a sharp knife to indent the cookies. When you're ready, roll out small sections of the dough to around 1/4" thick. Then cut out your shapes and bake following your recipe directions. Let cool on a wire rack.  Step 4: Frosting. <PIC> What I do is start with a big batch of plain white frosting and then divide it up among smaller bowls before adding color. Remember to reserve some of the white frosting. You'll want to increase the amount of liquids in your frosting gradually, until you have a consistency that is like a thick syrup---the frosting will harden. You want a more liquidy frosting because 1) easier to apply and 2) looks nicer. The big downside is it's a little messier. The third picture is an example of what you don't want your frosting to look like.  If you look at the pink pills in the fourth picture, you can see they look shiny and smooth--this is what you want. If you're worried your frosting is too thin, you can always add more powdered sugar.  Step 5: Decorate!. <PIC> Because I wanted to do pop art style cookies, I outlined most of them in black frosting and then added the color frosting. If I added sprinkles, I only added it to one side and did so before frosting the second side. The hearts I used red and black icing to draw heartbeat rhythms. If you look online, you can find examples of actual heartbeat rhythms and make your cookies look a little more accurate. The finishing touch on the cookies was to add white frosting to make the cookies stand out more. I only had clear sparkling gel, I thought it would work and it kind of did---until I wrapped the cookies and the plastic wrap lifted the gel off the cookies. It's cheaper and easier to use your own frosting.  Step 6: Past Cookies. <PIC> These are the Nurse Appreciation Week cookies I made in 2015 and 2016, respectively.


Introduction: Chocolate Chip Cookie Marries Oreo Dough. <PIC> The cute Le Creuset Mini Cocottes are a prize in the Power tool contest that I would use often and was the inspiration behind this instructable. You might be asking who would use a shop tool in the kitchen anyway? Well, there have been times I could have used a power tool in the kitchen and several times we did! I was visiting my daughter who at the time did not have a mixer and I wanted to cook something. The other times were when we were helping my son build a small house in the middle of no-where and were limited on how many things we packed for the trip because of all the supplies we took with us. We made Thanksgiving Dinner using a drill. I wanted to make something for the contest that had culinary appeal even though I used a shop drill.  Dominique Ansel is a French Chef living in New York who invented the cookie shot just a few months ago. He got his inspiration because he recently tried his first Oreo cookie dipped in milk and thus the cookie shot was born. This month he was in Austin Texas promoting his new cookbook. This recipe is definitely a keeper and Dominique is a genius!  Let me show you how I combined these two recipes to make a birds nest, cookie shot, and an ice cream cone that is sure to give you a sugar fix. One can have their cookie and dough at the same time! Bring your drill and lets make some cookie dough.https://shine.yahoo.com/video/sinfully-simple-oreo-cookie-dip-223237053.htmlhttps://www.yahoo.com/food/recipe-hack-milk-and-cookie-shots-how-to-make-the-80815754831.html Step 1: Ingredients and Tools. <PIC> This is what you will need:     For the cookie forms:     1 Cup Shortening  1/3 Cup white sugar  1/2 Cup light brown sugar  1 Large egg  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract more if you add to the glass of milk  2 Cups all purpose flour sifted  1/2 teaspoon salt  1 Cup mini chocolate chips do not substitute  1 Cup Magic Shell or melted chocolate ( I used Hersey's, it worked but I recommend something different)  1 1/2 Cups milk  Pam  Sprinkles optional  Candy eggs optional     Cookie filling:     1/2 Cup softened butter  1/3 Cup brown sugar  3/4 Cup powdered sugar  8 Oz Cream cheese softened  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract  3/4 Cup crushed mini Oreo cookies but regular will work  1/4 Cup mini chocolate chips do not substitute these     Tools:     Power drill with paint stir attachment or a kitchen mixer  You will also need measuring cups, spoons, bowls, cookie sheet, parchment paper, straws optional, scissors, pencil, shot glass or something to form the cookies into desired shape. I tried shot glasses but they were too small so I tried a small juice glass and a custard dish which worked very nicely. The shot glass worked great for the ice cream cone shape.   Remember to charge the batteries on the drill if it has batteries.                   Step 2: Nest Filling. <PIC> Measure ingredients:  1/2 Cup softened butter but not too soft  1/3 Cup brown sugar  8 Oz Cream cheese softened again not too soft  3/4 Cup powdered sugar  1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla extract  3/4 Cup crushed Oreos  1/4 Cup mini chocolate chips do not substitute Step 3: Mix Filling. <PIC> Method:     Combine all the ingredients except the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.  Mix until well incorporated using a power drill or kitchen mixer.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Chill until later. Step 4: Cookie Mold Recipe. <PIC> Measure Ingredients:     1 Cup shortening  1/3 Cup white sugar  1/2 Cup light brown sugar  1 Egg yolk  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract  2 Cups flour sifted with the salt  1/2 teaspoon salt  1 Cup mini chocolate chips Do not substitute  1 Cup Magic shell or a chocolate that is suitable for melting and setting up when chilled  1 1/2 Cups milk he added some vanilla to the milk shots but I did not want to.                   Step 5: Combine Ingredients for the Nest Cookie. <PIC> Combine:     Cream shortening and sugars together  Add yolk and mix thoroughly  Slowly add the salt and sifted flour mixture and mix thoroughly  Fold in chocolate chips  Chill for thirty minutes.     This cookie mixture will be quite crumbly but moist enough to form nicely to the mold.       Step 6: Chocolate. <PIC> While you are waiting for the dough to chill:  Melt the chocolate if not using the Magic shell. Step 7: Prep the Molds. <PIC>   The first time I made the molds I did not use parchment paper and they were a little difficult to remove without breaking but I did do it. The dough raised more than I wanted so the second time I made them, I pressed a lot more firmly and the results were much better.Make the mold pattern as shown:  Make a pattern for the molds using the parchment paper and cut them out.  Spray the molds generously with Pam.  Insert the paper pattern inside the mold and remove any wrinkles.  Press the cookie dough into the molds about 1/4 inch thick pressing the dough firmly making sure there are no weak spots or holes. I believe this is important to help prevent the dough from rising too much.  Chill for 30 minutes.  Then bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes until brown but not over brown.  Allow them to cool,  then remove them from the mold carefully by giving the sides a slight tap.Chill for 30 minutes. Step 8: Chocolate Coating. <PIC> Method:  Lightly coat the inside of the mold with the Magic shell and chill for 20 minutes. Step 9: Decorate. <PIC> Method:  I molded the cookie dough in the shape of a nest in my hand and place the nest in the center of the cookie, then I decorated it with sprinkles and candy eggs. Step 10: Sunshiine's Final Thoughts. <PIC>   The drill paint stir thingy worked great but I have to admit that the long shaft on it made it difficult for me to hold and take pictures. But in a pinch this is the way to go. A person may use an electric mixer beater instead but I liked the weirdness of using the paint stir thingy for the fun of it.  This was an enjoyable project. I hope it inspires you to make this recipe for your next party or family cooking day. I sent over a few of these to my neighbor and she called requesting more. We can't eat a lot of sugar so I usually gift my neighbors because I value their opinion. The cookie dough recipe taste exactly like cookie dough. So yummy.   If you think it is worth your vote please come back and vote for the power tool contest, I would be most grateful.     I wish to thank Instructables, our sponsors, contributors, and all my visitors for making this a great place to share. Thanks for stopping by and do have a safe and happy day!  sunshine


Introduction: EDIBLE ORNATE MUSHROOMS REVEALED. <PIC> Before you can make these great tasting  Old World  delights,
you need three batches of colored dough.
The companion featured instructable  EASY MARZIPAN DOUGH will show you
how to make the dough for these delicious ornate mushrooms. Step 1: LETS MAKE a MUSHROOM  =  OLD WORLD HOUBY. <PIC>
          This step pre-supposes you already have the three plastic bags of colored dough
from the companion Featured  Instructable   EASY MARZIPAN DOUGH .
		You will need a wooden breadboard
		A butter knife
		A plastic chopstick and
		A roll of paper towels
Clean and dry your hands in preparation to food handling.
Open the Brown and Red  dough plastic bags and take out a third of  each color dough.
Be sure to close the zip locks up again.
		Picture #1
		On the breadboard roll a brown cylinder with the palms of your hands .
		And cut it into finger lengths.
		Then press flatten one end of the cylinder to simulate the mushroom stem.
		Now Roll a like number of Red dough Balls between your palms using a circular motion.
		Picture #2
		The Mushroom Head is formed by pressing a thumb into a Red Ball and forming the dough around.
		Note the desired Houby ( Mushroom ) Stem and Head look to fit snugly together.
		Picture #3
		Start by taking a dollop of White dough from the Zip Lock Bag and set it aside.
		Mount the Red Head onto a Brown Stem and gently press them together.
		Note the good fit of the Stem and mushroom Head.
		Not happy :-( with the results ?  IT is easy enough to start over at picture #1
		Picture #4
		Using only hands the Red Houby Heads are fit snugly onto the Brown Stems.
		The next step will place the White distinguishing flecks
		Of the Amanita Muscaria Mushroom ( Houby ) round marks.
Depending on your speed, ability and desire you should be able to make a dozen Houby at a time. Step 2: ADDING THE WHITE FLECKS. <PIC>
          Now is a good time to clean your breadboard and to again
clean and dry your hands in preparation to food handling.
		Picture #1
		Use a chopstick to poke a hole half way through the Red Mushroom Head.
		IT should be allowed to pierce into the Brown Stem.
		Picture #2
		Note the clean and smooth hole.
		The tip of the chopstick tool needs a moist wipe and dry.
		Picture #3
		Use the White dough to  Roll several  Tapered  Plug  Inserts.
		Picture #4
		Slide a White  Plug into the Mushroom Head Hole.
		Gently Press the White Plug to Widen and Flatten it Flush to the Red Head.
		Picture #5
		Sliding a third White Tapered Plug into a Mushroom Head Hole.
		See the two other Flush White Plugs.
		Picture #6
		Compare a finished Flecked mushroom.
		To an UN-finished Houby .
		See a White Tapered Plug.
		Ready to be inserted into holes created by the plastic Chopstick Tool.
		And see a Brown Stem. Step 3: MAKING OTHER SHAPES. <PIC>
          After nine of the Amanita Muscaria Mushrooms have set for a couple days
they will hold shape for decorating.
		Picture #1
		Drying platter.
		Picture #2
		Preparations for a White Mushroom with Red flecks.
		Picture #3
		See  Brown Stems and White Heads.
		Picture #4White Houby with Red Flecks Same Procedure as the Red Houby.
		And those Dumbbell Shapes that never made it off of the Breadboard.
		Picture #5
		Three finished White Mushrooms Step 4: DISPLAY PRESENTATION. <PIC>
		Picture #1
		The name sake for the decorative Candy..
		Picture#2
		Here we see the onterage shapes.
		Picture #3
		Round Holy Balls Hanging.
		Picture #4
		Engineering Shapes.
		Picture #5
		A Close UP.
		Note the Drying Creases.
		Picture #6
		Two Houby.
		Last Picture
		A Houba Hanging in Our 2011 Tree.
		Very Heavenly Delicious Tasting.
You should know some people like Marzipan Immediately.
Others acquire a taste for this nut confectioner's dream
And a few never enjoy it as my family and I do.
Our next door Fifth grader received a family Marzipan gift pack and
later she was discovered behind the couch filling her face with
Marzipan balls, Happy New Year....


Introduction: Quick & Easy Cookie Alternative. <PIC> Follow these instructions to make a quick, chocolatey-peanut butter dessert called O'Henry Bars (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/O-Henry-Bars/Detail.aspx).  This sweet delight can easily appetize several dozen guests or just a few seriously chocolate-craved individuals!
You will not need a lot of previous baking experience or several hours of spare time.
You will need:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup OR 3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
You'll also need access to a conventional oven for baking the oatmeal base and something like a stove-top range for melting the chocolate topping.Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients. <PIC> Grab a large mixing bowl, and prepare to measure out the dry ingredients:4 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of packed brown sugar
Pile the oats into a clean mixing bowl with a measuring.  Unlike with flour, your measurements need not be super accurate.
Pack 1 cup of brown sugar into the same measuring cup, and drop the sugar into the mixing bowl with the oats.  If you've never packed brown sugar before, it's pretty simple.  Pour or scoop some sugar into the measuring cup, and then press it down with your fingers until it feels firm.  Keep adding and pressing sugar until you get a 1 full cup of packed brown sugar leveled flat.
Now that you have a mini sugar castle in the mixing bowl, break up the brown sugar, and begin stirring it in with the oats.  I find it helpful to start by pushing up the stuff on the bottom.  Keep stirring until only a few clumps of brown sugar remain. Step 2: Mix-in Liquid Ingredients. <PIC> Gather together the liquid ingredients:3/4 or 1 cup of softened butter - choose 1 cup if you want a gooey base1/2 cup of light corn syrup1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, if desired - for extra flavor
To quickly soften butter straight from the fridge, unwrap the sticks (1-1/2 for 3/4 cup or 2 for 1 cup) into a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for about 15 seconds.  After this, the butter should be easy to deform with your fingers but firm enough to hold its own shape.  Alternatively, you can leave the sticks unrefrigerated for 20 to 30 minutes, but you do not want them to melt completely.
Add the softened butter to the bowl, and mix thoroughly.  It may take a few minutes of stirring, and even some "chopping" action with the mixing spoon, to get it completely mixed in with the dry ingredients.  If your guests won't mind, dive in with your fingers to make the process go faster.
Measure out and pour in the corn syrup and vanilla.  After you stir the oatmeal mixture one more time, it will be ready for the oven! Step 3: Bake Until Golden. <PIC> If you haven't already, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).Read carefully!  Baking is the easiest part of this recipe to mess up because the oatmeal mix does not look much different when it is done in the oven.  Trust me, you don't want to burn these babies!
A 9 by 13 inch pan is perfect for this recipe, but O'Henry bars are quite adaptable to whatever you want or need.  Feel free to use different pan sizes and types to get a dessert perfect for your occasion.  Want a bar that's extra thick and hearty? No problem; just watch the oven carefully.Generously grease all of the bakeware that you will be using with cooking spray.  There's no need to drench the pan, but using too little will make it challenging to get the bars completely out!
Evenly press the oatmeal mix into a greased pan.  Traditionally, the base should be about 3/4 inch high.  Place the pan on the center rack of a conventional oven (remember hand protection).Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the oatmeal just starts to turn golden brown.  Take the pan out of the oven, and set it out to cool.  While hot, the mix will remain as pliable as before.  Don't worry; it will become firm as soon as it cools.
The bars are already delicious enough to eat, but the best is yet to come! Step 4: Prepare Topping. <PIC> Making the chocolate-peanut butter topping is fast and fun!
Find a small pot or saucepan and get the following ingredients:1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
In the cool pot, measure and add the chocolate chips and peanut butter.  Trying to measure and transfer the peanut butter may require a little patience but shouldn't be too much trouble with a simple butter knife.
Set the pan on a burner set to low heat.  When I used natural gas burners, the chocolate began melting immediately.  Stir continuously to keep any of the chocolate from scorching.  The natural oils of the the peanut butter help prevent burning.  Very quickly, the chocolate chips melt and fuse with the peanut butter to make a chocolaty tonic worthy of Charlie's chocolate factory!
Once the chocolate and peanut butter are completely mixed together, pour the topping immediately onto the cooling oatmeal base.  If you are sticking with time-tested tradition, gently spread the chocolate evenly with the flat of a large spoon.  I find it best to not be a perfectionist in this step because too much fussing with the spreading can cause the oatmeal to pull up and crumble, which does not look attractive.
Even more so than with the oatmeal base, you can be as creative or picky as you like with the topping!  Pile it thicker an' deeper or elegantly drizzle it across.  You may also wish to try different ratios of peanut butter and chocolate.  If you run out of topping, it's a snap to whip up some more. Step 5: Refrigerate and Serve. <PIC> The O'Henry Bars are nearly ready to be devoured, but they are best served chilled.  Refrigerate them for at least an hour, or, in a pinch, put them in a freezer for a fraction of the time.
Allow them to warm up for a little bit before cutting into them.  Slice them into pieces (a normal butter knife will do) into whatever serving size you wish.  Be sure to cut the pieces well, so that they will effortlessly pull away from the pan.Serve and enjoy!!
O'Henry Bars travel well in tupperware containers.  Keep them covered to prevent dryness.


Introduction: Oven Baked Chicken and Rice. <PIC> Today I'd like to share with you how I made an oven baked rice and chicken drumstick casserole! I'm away at university most of the time where my normal meals consist of breakfast cereal, the $10 pick up special from Pizza Nova or... well, mostly just those too.For some reason I felt like mixing it up this weekend and this is the result. It's a basic recipe yes, but most of the time to make it is just the thing in the oven cooking (10 minutes prep). This is great because that means I can go back to browsing Instructab- I mean... doing homework during that time. This was my first time making this dish. I looked up a few online recipes and Youtube videos about oven baking rice and chicken, put them together and ended up with the recipe outlined in this article. It turned out quite well in my opinion. Thoughts on the process and any improvements I feel I could have made are outlined on the last step.Hope you enjoy! PS: This is my entry into the Beyond the Comfort Zone, and Slow Cooking contests. I'm not sure if this really counts as slow cooking, but considering my microwave pasta trays only take 4 minutes to cook, an hour and a half seems like a pretty long time to me.I would really appreciate your votes if you believe this instructable to be worthy of them! Step 1: Ingredients and Utensils. <PIC> Ingredients:5 chicken legs (drumsticks)1 Can Cream of Mushroom or Celery Soup1 cup water3/4 packet of onion soup mix (dry)1 1/4 cup of white rice (not instant)Olive Oil (for greasing the dish, can substitute for butter or cooking spray)Utensils:Oven-safe casserole dish (mine was 2.3L, with a glass cover)Mixing BowlWhiskMeasuring CupsMeat Thermometer (technically optional but highly recommended)Oven (not optional)In the photo you see I also have a bag of Vegeta shown. I was originally going to try and add that in somewhere but did not. I'm leaving that for an experiment for the next batch, in which I would probably substitute part of the onion soup mix for the Vegeta. If it works, I'll update this recipe. Step 2: Preparing the Dish. <PIC> Preheat your oven to 350oF before you begin, and it should be ready by the time you are. Grease the casserole dish using olive oil, melted butter or cooking spray. Measure out the rice and distribute it evenly over the bottom of the dish.Combine the canned soup, water, and onion soup powder in a mixing bowl, and whisk until well mixed. Try to make sure that there are no clumps from the canned soup remaining.Pour the mix evenly over the rice. Lightly mix together with the rice.Wash your hands before touching raw poultry. Take the chicken legs and place them side by side in the rice. Roll them around so they are covered in the rice/soup mix. Wash your hands again after you have finished handling the meat.Place the cover on your casserole dish and place it in the preheated oven, for 1.5 hours. Step 3: After Cooking. <PIC> After an hour and a half has passed, carefully remove the dish from the oven with oven mitts or a towel. The rice should have expanded. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken is 165oF or higher. Thermometers take the guesswork out of ensuring your meat is fully cooked. My midterms are in two weeks, I'd really rather not get Salmonella :)Let stand for 5 minutes with the cover still on. Step 4: Enjoy!. <PIC> Your oven baked chicken and rice is ready to eat! With a casserole dish sized similar to mine you can probably get 4 or 5 servings out of one batch. Improvements to the RecipeI've already updated this recipe with what I believe would make this recipe better. When I first made it, the taste of the rice was slightly too intense, so adding a little bit more water and a little bit less onion mix would fix that.Like I mentioned on the ingredients page, I plan to swap the onion soup powder for Vegeta in later experiments, because I believe my grandmother uses it when she makes chicken and rice like this. And I love my grandmother's rice.I didn't think of it at the time, but next time I'd probably prepare some broccoli or other vegetable to go with this to make it a full meal.Thanks for reading!I'd be interested to know your thoughts on this recipe - perhaps someone more skilled can offer some advice on how to further improve it! I hope you enjoyed this Instructable, and I hope you enjoyed the dish if you did end up making it! Thanks for reading!


Introduction: Gluten Free Fruit Salad Recipe. <PIC> Ingredients:     1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked       finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes       2 tablespoons light brown sugar       white rum, to taste       ¼ large watermelon, peeled and cut into chunks       2 ripe mangoes, stoned and flesh scooped out with a spoon       1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks  Directions:    In a very clean pestle and mortar, bash most of the mint leaves with the finely grated lime zest. Add the sugar, a good lug of rum and the lime juice, then mix again gently. Have a taste and add a touch more sugar if you think you need to, but bear in mind the fruit may be quite sweet.       Toss the fruit together in a bowl with a little of the mojito mixture, then spread it all out on a big plate. Spoon the rest of the mixture over the top, decorate with a few torn-up mint leaves and serve.    Looking for more easy to make gluten recipes checkout http://allgonegluten.com


Introduction: Booger Brittle. <PIC> A couple weeks ago, I asked audreyobscura what she thought would be really gross as a food. She came up with booger brittle! I loved the name and wanted to give it a go.I'm not sure I've 100% done it justice and will probably try again, but I'm pretty into this. :DBooger brittle is a white chocolate based bark that's either covered in toasted and colored coconut, OR white chocolate with the coconut mixed in. I couldn't decide which looked more gross. :PMany people mentioned I could use pistachios instead, and while that's an awesome idea I'm always worried about nut allergies when things are being served to kids. But keep that in mind if you want fancier boogers! Step 1: Ingredients. <PIC> white chocolate bars (I'm using Ghirardelli)oil based food coloring (MUST be oil based - no gels or liquids allowed!)unsweetened dried coconut (shredded or flaked)parchment papera glass bowla spatulaPretty easy! Just make sure you're using a good white chocolate or it might not set up. I linked to the chocolate and food coloring I used above. :) Step 2: Dye and Toast the Coconut. <PIC> I used about 1/4 cup for each of these - you'll toast some of the coconut and color the rest.To toast the coconut, add it into a dry pan over medium low heat and stir until evenly toasted. Don't walk away from it - it happens fast! It can burn really fast.To dye the rest of the coconut, add a little of the plain dried coconut into a plastic bag along with some liquid food coloring. I used equal amounts of yellow and green until it was nice and bright.  Step 3: Melt the Chocolate. <PIC> Make sure that your bowl and spatula are COMPLETELY dry. You don't want any liquid to end up in this because the chocolate will seize up and go lumpy. I used two 4 oz white chocolate bars per batch.Break up 3/4 of the white chocolate into smallish pieces and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Take it out and stir, and then put in for another 30 seconds. Repeat the microwaving and stirring process until it's totally smooth.Now you'll add in the other 1/4 of the white chocolate. Stir until it's nice and smooth again. Step 4: Color the Chocolate. <PIC> For two white chocolate bars, I used 1/8 teaspoon of yellow food coloring. Mix it really well so you don't have any color streaks! Step 5: Version One: Coconut on Top. <PIC> This version is more like a traditional bark!Spread the colored white chocolate out on a piece of parchment paper on a baking pan. Mine is between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.Sprinkle the toasted and green coconut on top and very gently press it down.Pop it in the fridge or freezer til set - about 10-20 minutes. Step 6: Version Two: Mix in Coconut Chunks. <PIC> This turns out quite a bit softer due to the extra oil from the coconut.It also looks a little like vomit. ;)Prepare and color your chocolate as before and mix in the green and toasted coconut. I don't recommend using toooooo much of it, because it might not let the chocolate firm up all the way. I would say I used about 1/8 cup total.Mix it together and spread it on parchment on a baking sheet. Chill in the fridge or freezer til set. Step 7: Break It Up and Serve!. <PIC> Booger brittle is best kept in a pretty cold environment - because white chocolate doesn't require tempering to be glossy, it melts fairly easily. We've also added extra oils to it with with the food coloring and coconut, so it will go soft if it's too warm for too long. If it starts to soften, just chuck it in the freezer for a couple minutes and it will be good to go. Enjoy!


Introduction: Hearty Vegetable Lasagna. <PIC> This is a spin on a classic dish.  Full of flavor and delicious vegetables and sauce, this lasagna will surely please on a midsummer's Sunday lunch. Step 1: Ingredients. <PIC> - 3/4 of ricotta cheese- 20 lasagna sheets - 2 eggplants - 5 zucchini - 4 cups of fresh tomato sauce (homemade is the best!) - 1 egg Step 2: Cheese Filling & Assemble. <PIC> 1. Whisk the egg with the ricotta cheese to make the cheese filling.2. Cut the eggplant and zucchini into thin slices vertically.   3. In a medium-sized casserole dish, pour about 1/3 cup of the tomato sauce.   4. Place about 5 sheets of lasagna pasta on top of the tomato sauce.  Then pour about another 13 of a cup of tomato sauce on top of the pasta layer.  Then place a few spoonfuls of the cheese mixture on top of the sauce. Step 3: Bake. <PIC> 5. Place another layer of pasta sheets on top of the cheese.  Then pour another 1/2 cup of tomato sauce on top of the pasta.  6. Next place the zucchini slices on top of the tomato sauce.  Place a few dollops of cheese on top of the zucchini.   7. Repeat steps 3-6 with the eggplant.  In the end, you should have about 6 to 7 layers of pasta.   8. Preheat oven to 350˚F.     9. Once oven is preheated, bake lasagna for about 45 minutes. Step 4: Plating and Enjoy!. <PIC> 10.  Serve with a few leaves of basil or chives, and enjoy!


Introduction: German Apple Pancakes. <PIC> For as long as I can remember, my mom has made the best German Apple Pancakes. The family recipe uses eggs, apples, and several other ingredients to create a breakfast treat that is rich in protein, fiber, and flavor that will keep your breakfast company clamoring for more. These pancakes are also perfect for the fall, using fall-seasonal spices like cinnamon to create a distinct flavor matched only by the season. When making German Apple Pancakes, it is important to have a fundamental understanding of basic cooking techniques. The procedures are not overly complex, however the quality of the final product and the safety of the individual performing the procedure require the employment of both thoroughness (shortcuts will yield a sloppy pancake) and caution. Make sure you own a good pair of oven mitts prior to making these pancakes, as third-degree burns can occur during removal from the oven. Preparation and baking time take a total of 60-75 minutes. Ingredients should not exceed $10. This recipe yields four servings. Ingredients: • 2 apples • 4 eggs • ½ cup all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon sugar • ½ teaspoon baking powder • 1 pinch salt • 1 cup milk • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 2 tablespoons butter • ½ teaspoon cinnamon • ½ cup white sugar • ¼ cup butter Additional supplies: • Oven • Oven mitts • 10-inch oven-proof skillet • Whisk • Knife • Two Mixing bowls • Cutting board Step 1: Preheat Oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit Step 2: Prepare Apples. <PIC> Use a knife to core and peel the apples. Then, cut into thin (quarter to half-inch thick) slices. Handle knife with extreme caution. Step 3: Add Eggs. <PIC> Crack four eggs in a mixing bowl and use a whisk to beat the eggs. Step 4: Add Flour. <PIC> Then add 1/2 cup flour, continuing to mix with the whisk. Step 5: Add Baking Powder. <PIC> Add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder to bowl and mix well. Step 6: Add Sugar. <PIC> Add one tablespoon sugar to the mixture and combine thoroughly. Step 7: Add Salt. <PIC> Add a pinch of salt and continue to mix Step 8: Add Milk. <PIC> Slowly add one cup milk to the mixture while maintaining a steady stir. Step 9: Add Vanilla. <PIC> Add one teaspoon vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. Step 10: Add Butter. <PIC> Melt two tablespoons butter and add to mixture. Stir until completely mixed, then set the mixture aside. Step 11: Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture. <PIC> Combine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with 1/2 cup white sugar in a separate bowl. Step 12: Melt Butter in Skillet. Add ¼ cup butter to the oven proof skillet and melt on stovetop over medium heat. Spread butter around pan thoroughly. Step 13: Add Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture to Skillet. <PIC> Then add the cinnamon and sugar mixture to the skillet with the melted butter, giving the skillet an even coat. Step 14: Brown the Apples. <PIC> Spread out the apples evenly in the pan to begin browning. Keep stovetop on medium heat. The browning process should cause a slight bubbling of the cinnamon, sugar, and butter mixture, and the browning is complete once the apples are coated with the mixture attaining a light brown color. Do not leave the apples over medium heat for longer than five minutes. (Make sure you get as many of the apple slices in the pan as possible: it may appear that there are too many, however the heat will compress the apples so the end result will be less apple-filled than it appears prior to baking.) Step 15: Add Batter to Skillet. <PIC> Once the apples have browned, pour the batter from the mixing bowl over the top of the apples in the skillet. Step 16: Bake for 20 Minutes at 425°F. <PIC> Transfer skillet to the oven to begin baking. Use oven mitts and extreme caution when dealing with the oven at this heat. Turn on oven light to monitor the pancake’s progress. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The pancake should start to brown around the edges of the skillet and the cinnamon will gently brown the apples. Step 17: Remove and Cool. <PIC> Turn off the oven and let the pancake sit in the oven for 10-15 minutes. REMOVE WITH EXTREME CAUTION. Remove with oven mitts and set on counter top to cool for additional 3-5 minutes. The center of the pancake should be soft and slightly gooey, while the edges should be slightly browned. Enjoy!


Introduction: Vegan Sarma Aka Cabbage Rolls - Recipe. <PIC> I like to prepare simple, everyday meals, and I want to show you that living vegan can be easy and cheap - you can veganize everything you like! Just replace animal products with cruelty-free alternatives. You also don't have to be a professional in the kitchen, just experiment and have fun! And don't hurt any animals in the making. For more vegan video recipes, visit Nature Reporter on YouTube Step 1: Vegan Sarma Aka Cabbage Rolls - Video Recipe . Time for another Croatian specialty - "SARMA" aka cabbage rolls in a vegan version!Ingredients: Carrots, garlic, onions, rice, smoked seitan, soy flakes, oil, spices (salt, pepper, red mild paprika), cabbage leaves.Procedure: Make sauteed onions and add garlic and carrots on top of them. Add water and cook until it becomes tender.Add rice (which we previously soaked) and cook everything together until it gets tender.Cook the soy flakes in salted water, drain them and add them to the mix of onions, garlic, carrots and rice.Add spices to the mix and stir everything. After everything softens, allow to cool off.When it's cooled, fill the cabbage leaves with the mixture. Make sure to make it firm and tight so it doesn't fall apart.Set them side by side in a bowl (again, packed tighly so it doesn't fall apart). For a richer flavour, add pieces of smoked seitan between the sarma's (cabbage rolls).Pour tomato juice and water over everything, add a bay leaf and cook for about 1-1,5 hour.Serve with potatoes and enjoy!


Introduction: Almonds Milk. <PIC>   I've been searching for home made cow-milk substitute for ages until i encounter this easy to make almonds milk.  This is my improved recipe the original does not contain the Vanilla and Cinnamon nor the Saden though contain 3 palms instead.  Ingridients :  3/4 cup of unkoocked Almonds  1.5 spoon of sedan  Vanilla  Cinnamon Powder  A Blender  A clean towel  3 Clips  A Jar Step 1: Blend. <PIC> Add all the ingridients into the blender along with 4 cups of water.Add the vanilla and the cinnamon acording to taste.Turn the blender on for few minuts.* The recipe says you should soak the almonds in water for 8 hours, i searched for the reson and found it should help the blender with the grinding.I've tried without soaking since it freed me of the need of planing ahead and found no difference. Step 2: Pouring. <PIC> Place the towel above the jar leaving a depression for the almonds powder (after grinding) to collect and secure it with the clips.Start pouring alowing the liquids time to drip. Step 3: Squeeze. <PIC> After pouring all the blended materia lift the towel cerfully, squeeze and twist the towel to extract the last of the liquids Step 4: Drink. <PIC> Drink to your enjoyment, add to the cofee, add to serials etc.Dont forget to leave comment.


Introduction: Rhizome Sodas. <PIC> Inspired by Sandor Katz's The Art of Fermentation, I wanted to make some soda flavors I've never had before.  According to Katz, a soda can be made by adding an active starter culture (in this case, whey derived from yogurt) to any sweetened liquid.  I thought I'd riff on ginger ale and make sodas from fresh turmeric and galangal, ginger's rhizomatic relatives. Step 1: Gather Whey. <PIC> Whey can be derived from any cultured milk product, including kefir, buttermilk, raw milk and yogurt. Kefir, buttermilk and raw milk will naturally separate into curds and whey after sitting unrefrigerated for a few days. But if you collect whey by straining yogurt, not only is the whey available immediately, but the yogurt becomes labneh: a tangier, thick and spreadable yogurt. Line a bowl with a few layers of cheesecloth and empty some yogurt into it.  A 32 oz. tub of Nancy's yogurt yields around 2 cups of whey. Close up your package of yogurt and suspend it so the whey can freely drip out. If your bowl is deep enough, you can lay a wooden spoon across it and tie the cheesecloth sack to the spoon. It won't take long to get enough whey for the sodas, but I set mine up overnight for the sake of the labneh. Step 2: Brew Decoction. <PIC> Using a microplane, grate turmeric into one pot and galangal into the other.  For each soda, I steeped 100g of rhizome in 6 cups of water, but you have a lot of leeway with these numbers.  Bring each pot to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Taste it at this point: if the decoction comes out too strong, you can water it down; if it's a bit weak, make a smaller, concentrated batch to add to the original batch. Step 3: Strain Decoction. <PIC> When you're happy with the decoction's concentration, strain it into a jar or bowl.  I used a mesh fabric bag I bought at a brew store, but a few layers of cheesecloth or a metal strainer would do the job. While the liquid is still hot, add sugar, tasting as you go until it's the right sweetness for you.  I ended up adding about 1 cup of sugar to 6 cups of liquid. Heat kills the living cultures in the yogurt, so let the decoctions cool off to body temperature, either on the counter or in the fridge. Step 4: Add Whey to Decoctions. <PIC> Once your decoctions are cool, add the whey at a ratio of roughly 1/4 cup whey for every 4 cups liquid. The decoctions have been brought to life!  Stir them up and cover with some cheesecloth. Allow the cultures to get nice and active by letting them sit out for a day at room temperature. Step 5: Transfer to Sealable Bottles. <PIC> Once they appear active, transfer to sealable containers and close them off.  Crack open a lid after a couple days to gauge how much carbonation has built up. Once they're bubbly enough for you, refrigerate and drink up!


Introduction: Delicious 4 Ingredient Pikelets. <PIC> Quick, easy and delicious pikelets. Makes 12. Things you'll need: Bowl Masher Olive oil Cinnamon  Oats 1 Banana  Pan  Spatula  Step 1: . <PIC> Add 1 peeled and diced banana, 1 and a half tablespoons of oats, one teaspoon of cinnamon and two cracked eggs into a bowl, mash with the masher until all is mixed and the banana is mostly not lumpy.  Step 2: . <PIC> Heat a pan on a low heat, pour a little olive oil into the pan and place a large tablespoon of mixture into the pan. Step 3: . <PIC> Use the spatula to keep checking the bottom of the pikelets, once golden brown flip. Step 4: . Once both sides are golden brown take the pikelet and put it on another plate, repeat for other pikelets. Serve with your favourite toppings.


Introduction: Froot Krispies . <PIC> Basically Rice Krispies but we used froot loops instead of the regular recipe Step 1: Items You Will Need. <PIC> 4 cups of Froot Loops, 1 bag of Mini marshmallows, 1 stick of butter, measuring cup, sauce pan, baking dish, something stir with Step 2: Butter Dish. <PIC> Butter the bottom and sides of baking dish Step 3: Melt Butter. <PIC> Put the rest of the butter in the sauce pan and wait till it melts Step 4: Melt Marshmallows. <PIC> When the butter is completely melted put entire bag of marshmallows in the sauce pan and stir Step 5: Mix Together Froot Loops . <PIC> When the marshmallows are completely melted put four cups of Froot Loops in the sauce pan Step 6: Empty Into Baking Dish. <PIC> Still until completely mixed together then place in baking dish and evenly spread it Step 7: Cut and Serve. <PIC> Let it cool for 10 minutes then serve


Introduction: Mo Betta Swedish Meatballs and Cream Sauce. <PIC> Neigh, these are not your IKEA's meatballs but something mo better. Mo bacon! These meatballs are infused with bacon to make them special.Prepared with a pan cream sauce that makes it all the more delectable.CAUTION: Do not attempt eating mass quantities of Swedish meatballs. They are filling and addictive. I think my record at IKEA stands at about 25. It might be the Ligonberry preserves or that dollop of mashed potatoes that puts it over the top. Step 1: The Secret Ingredient Is.... <PIC> BACON.For the meatballs, you will needone pound of ground beefequal portion of ground porkabout one cup of dry or toasted bread crumbsone eggsome milk or cream to wet the breadcrumbsdiced onionsbeef stock if you have itsalt, pepper, and any other spices/seasonings you likea few tablespoons of flour to thicken up the gravy Step 2: A Watched Pot Never Boils.... <PIC> Dice up about a quarter to half pound of bacon.In a large pan, render out the fat from the bacon over medium heat. I like to add some additional cooking oil to help the process and to prevent bacon bits from burning and sticking in the pan.Finely dice up two large onions.Once the bacon starts to brown and the fat has rendered out of the bacon strips, add the onions to brown.It may take a while for the onions to release its moisture and start to caramelize or brown.Keep stirring to keep things from burning.When everything is nice and browned, take it off the heat to cool. You will end up with a smaller volume of soft baconey caramelized onioney goodness.You can pick out the larger pieces of remaining bacon and finely chop that up. Step 3: Balls.... <PIC> In a big bowl,add the two ground meats togetherAdd a cracked eggAdd your breadcrumbsAdd the cooled chopped/crumbled bacon onion mix inWet the breadcrumbs with a bit of milk or creamAdd any additional seasoningsMix well and shape into small ping pong ball sized shapesYou can dump out the entire mix on a cutting board. Flatten out and portion out by cutting with a knife like slicing a sheet cake. You can then just roll the pieces by hand to get into a ball shape.Brown the meatballs in the frying pan with more oil or additional bacon.Wait till they are browned a bit and set up before attempting to turn them. They are still fragile at that point.Roll them around often so that they do not burn. It might take a while so that they are completely cooked through.One batch was pan fried. The rest I put on a the toaster oven tray to bake off in the toaster oven. That is a more efficient way to cook a large batch and without the spatter. Step 4: Getting Sauced.... <PIC> Remove the meatballs from the pan.You should be left with some bacon drippings and meatball flavor goodness stuck to the bottom of the pan.Throw in a couple of tablespoons of flour to mix into the grease left in the pan.Stir it around and let it cook. This is making the roux to thicken the gravy.When the flour gets browned it is time to add in a cup or two of milk or cream. Add in any beef stock if you have it.Continually stir to mix and to scrape up the flavor from the stuck bits in the pan.Since we are real cooks and don't measure, the gravy might be thickening up to the point of where it is a thick paste. If you can stick your stirring instrument into it and stand it up, you used way too much flour.Don't worry, add more milk or cream and keep stirring. Dissolve all the lumps out. Lower the heat a bit so it doesn't boil over like a mad science experiment.Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning. It will probably first taste like a bland glue until you add salt.You can then return the meatballs into the sauce to warm up or serve it on the side.Enjoy.


Introduction: How to Make a Jager Bomb. <PIC> The Jager bomb is a very popular bomb shot cocktail, originally made from a mixture of Red Bull and Jagermeister. It has an unusual taste which some liken to cough syrup and gives you a “boost” from the alcohol-caffeine combination. Treat this one with respect- it’s easy to have one too many as the Red Bull offsets the depressant effect of the alcohol content. Step 1: Materials and Prep. <PIC> Materials:A medium or pint sized glass (eBay Search: "pint glass")A shot glass (eBay Search: "shot glass")1/2 can Red Bull energy drink1-2 oz shot of Jagermeister herbal liqueurThank you for using the Promotional Links above to search for any materials you may need! Step 2: Preparation. <PIC> Jagerbomb Firstly, pre-chill the ingredients. Now this is the fun part! To mix one of these properly you need to do it by dropping a shot glass of Jagermeister into a glass of Red Bull.Jager-trains If you’re having a party and need to make multiple Jagerbombs, show off your bartending in a theatrical way by making your own Jager-train! It works like this: Line up glasses of Red Bull with an empty glass at one end. You then need to carefully balance shot glasses of Jagermeister between the rims of a pair of pint glasses as you go along the line. This takes a little trial and error, but the idea is that when you position the shot glasses correctly you just push one to create a domino effect of shots falling into glasses of Red Bull! (See Video below)  Jagerbomb Cocktail  If you want to drink a Jagerbomb in a more relaxed fashion you can make it as a mixed cocktail on the rocks. Simply fill a rocks glass with ice, add 1-2 oz of Jagermeister liqueur then top up with Red Bull energy drink.    Step 3: How to Serve Jager Bombs. <PIC> The best way to serve these drinks is in these frozen ice shot glasses. You can get the molds at on eBay for about $12:(eBay Search: "shot glass mold")Do you have to use Red Bull?This drink can be made with any energy drink similar to Red Bull so feel free to experiment with your preferred brand. Please note however that this may drastically alter the taste so for the true Jager Bomb experience stick to the Red Bull!Thanks for looking and thanks for using the eBay Promotional Links above!


Introduction: Wonton Torch. <PIC>   Celebrate the Olympic by serving stuffed wonton torches :)  For the mold:  Parchment Paper  Scissors  Aluminum Foil  Staple (optional)  Ingredient:  Wonton wrap (or eggroll wrap cut into 4 smaller squares)  Some water as glue  Vegetable oil for deep frying Step 1: Make the Mold. <PIC> Cut parchments paper into 4in squares and foil into 5in squaresFace the square parchment into a diamond shape and roll from one corner inward then roll the other corner over into a cone shape.Even up the opening of the cone with a scissorWhile holding the overlaps, wrap the paper with foil and fold the top flap into the holeRepeat and make plenty (about 8 should be fine) Step 2: Wrap and Fry. <PIC> Wrap the cone with wonton*Use water as glue, make sure its sealed tight so it doesn't come apart during the frying processFry on 325-350F and turn occasionally for an even golden colorRemove and let cool on a rackAfter it cools, remove the foil and make more :) Step 3: Fill Them Up and Serve. <PIC> I had ones with chicken salad ( https://www.instructables.com/id/Chicken-Salad-Torc...) and the other with cheesecake filling (https://www.instructables.com/id/Non-bake-Cheesecak...) :)


Introduction: Pickled Rhubarb Recipe. <PIC> Sweet, tart, and a little bit spicy does not just sum up this author's personality, it also describes these irresistible rhubarb pickles!  You can totally change up this recipe to reflect whatever aspect of the rhubarb you want to bring out by adding more or less sweet, spicy, or tangy ingredients.  It's really simple!  And whether you want to hot-process these pickles so they store for a long time, or treat them as refrigerator pickles is up to you.  Processing the rhubarb makes for a softer pickle, great as a chutney or relish.  Or you can skip this step and stick them straight in the fridge for crisper pickled rhubarb!INGREDIENTS:
1 lb rhubarb stalks, chopped into spears to fit your jars
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 1/2" knob of ginger, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, ginger, and salt and bring to a gentle boil until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Divide the spices up between the two jars.  You can go crazy here - add star anise, cloves, whatever sounds good!
Pack your rhubarb spears into the two jars.
Top the spears with the pickling liquid.
Wipe the jars clean and screw on the lids.
For pickles that will be shelf-stable for a year, hot process the jars by placing in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, making sure the water completely covers the jars.  Get more details about canning in Tim Anderson's guide to canning!
For crispier refrigerator pickles, stick 'em in the fridge!  They'll be ready to eat in 24 hours, and good for a week!


Introduction: Flat Bread As You Wish. <PIC> I love a rustic feel to my cooking so it is pressed by hand but feel free to make it more aesthetically pleasing by rolling and shaping.
I also used a pizza stone; it gives a great flavour ; you can use a normal baking tray.
Feel free to add change any "toppings" to suit your mood. Step 1: Bread Ingredients. 500g plain flour
2 tsp instant yeast
3 tblsp olive oil
a cup of room temp. water Step 2: Possible "topping" Ingredients. <PIC> slices of butter
crushed garlic
rosemary
oregano
pesto
sundried tomato
olives
linseeds / sesame seeds Step 3: How To:. <PIC> Mix all flour, yeast, oil and enough water  to form a ball that is not too sticky.  Cover with plastic wrap then leave to sit a couple of hours so the yeast do it's job. Step 4: . Cover your hands with flour and give it a good knead in the bowl. Divide into portions according to how many / how big you want your bread (I made 3 large ones) then press out with fingers on a floured surface to make a rough oval shape.  It should be about 1 - 2 cm thick for a rustic style. Step 5: . <PIC> Top with your favourite combination of toppings then fold over and place on preheated pizza stone.
Cook in HOT OVEN for about 15 mins until it takes on a lovely light brown colour.  Adjust timing if your bread is rolled or thinner. Step 6: . Slice into strips to share or serve whole.  Great with soup or pasta.


Introduction: Homemade Mac'n'Cheese. <PIC> Everybody can't resist Mac and Cheese... especially if it's gooey, warm, and soft.
It's great on sunny or rainy days, cold and warm. It's irresistible! And it manages to find its way on
tailgate parties and on a table buffet for the Super Bowl, whether it's for the kids or adults!
Here's a great recipe my mom did... it doesn't dry up instantly like the Kraft pre-boxed ones either
as quickly. It, in fact. stays gooey longer than Kraft.
Makes more Mac'n'Cheese than what Kraft serves also in an affordable result. This would only cost around $7.
*Disclaimer: Pictures in Instructable is not mine. Step 1: Requirements:. <PIC> Ingredients:
-Velveeta cheese - Be sure to have along box on hand!
-Elbow Maccaroni - any size will do, but best results is medium sized elbows.
-Milk (Optional).
Need:
-Pot and Strainer
-Water. Step 2: Cooking the Maccaroni:. <PIC> Each brand, cheap or expensive, needs it's own time to cook thoroughly.
Put the water in a pot on the stove on high to start boiling. Once it starts to boil, put the Macaroni
in the water and set the heat to medium. Stir every few minutes to ensure they don't stick to the bottom. Cook for about 10 minutes or until soft.
Remove from pot once Macaroni is cooked. Step 3: Mixing the Velveeta Cheese:. <PIC> Now, with the Macaroni still in the pot, put a nice chunk of Velveeta Cheese in the pot and stir. Add more if it isn't cheesy enough.
Add Milk if you want a creamier result, it is recommended to prevent sticky cheese. Step 4: Enjoy!. <PIC> Enjoy the results! The gooey and warm Mac'n'cheese everybody enjoys!


Introduction: Hibiscus Tea. <PIC> Hibiscus tea is prepared by boiling the dried flower petals of Hibiscus plant. This tea has got many health benefits. The method to prepare hibiscus tea is explained here. Step 1: Harvest the Flowers. <PIC> The flowers of Hibiscus plant, scientifically known as "Hibiscus sabdariffa" are used in preparation of tea. Select flowers which are not affected by any pests. Harvest the flowers and sun-dry them for a few days. Step 2: Collect the Dried Petals. <PIC> Once the flowers are completely dried, collect the petals only and discard other parts. Step 3: Boil Water. <PIC> Take about one and a half glass of water in a bowl and place it on a stove to boil. You can add a crushed cardamom, small pieces of cinnamon and cloves. They are optional. Step 4: Add Dried Hibiscus Petals. <PIC> When the water reached a full boiling point, turn down the flame. Add a handful of dried hibiscus petals and submerge them in boiling water with a spoon. Cover the vessel and leave it for a few minutes. Step 5: Strain Out the Liquid. <PIC> After few minutes of the petals soaking in hot water, remove the cover and strain the liquid through a strainer in to a drinking glass. If you want you can add sugar as per your taste in the tea. Step 6: Mix Well and Drink. <PIC> Mix the sugar with the hibiscus tea with a spoon and drink. You can store the left-over dried petals in a container for future use.Health benefits of Hibiscus Tea :Hibiscus tea contains many medicinal properties which can control Blood pressure, lower cholesterol, protec the liver, aids digestion and also good for weight loss.Please see the article at the following link which explains the health benefits of Hibiscus Tea.https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/bever...


Introduction: Smoked Ribs - Dino Style. <PIC> What Are Dino Ribs?Are you looking for an absolutely stunning, eye-popping, meaty dish for that holiday cookout? Look no further than "Dino Ribs."  Essentially they are a set of beef ribs, cooked low and slow, complete with their own handles. While it might take a little advance planning to source the ribs, the actually preparation and grilling process couldn't be simpler.IngredientsA beef plate consisting of the largest four ribs*   Salt and pepper to taste   Your Favorite Rub (we used Sassy Steak Rub from AmberFyre Foods)ToolsAluminum Foil   A sharp knife (essential, we use this boning knife)   A steam table pan if using a smoker   Grill or Smoker*A whole beef plate is not something your average chain grocery store will carry, so it pays to enlist the help of your local specialty butcher. If they don't offer "dino ribs" or "bronto ribs" simply call ahead and ask for the largest four ribs of a beef plate, connected and untrimmed. Be prepared to call two or three days in advance, since this part of the cow is normally divided up for other cuts. A photo is included to help communicate to the butcher what you are looking for. Step 1: Trim the Ribs. <PIC> Preheat your grill or smoker to around 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit. If smoking with wood chips, be sure to have soaked them in advance. You may need to separate the ribs into two pieces to fit them into your smokebox, as we did. If you are smoking on top of your grill, you can omit this step.In order to prepare the ribs, trim off as much excess fat as you can, leaving between 1/2 and 1/4-inch on the ribs. Also trim the tough material on top of the rib bones on the back side, called a silverskin, it makes separating the ribs and enjoying them more difficult after they are cooked. Step 2: Season, Season, Season. <PIC> Salt and Pepper the ribs as you would a steak, then apply your favorite steak rub...liberally. It may look like a lot, but after several hours in a smoker or on a grill, the rendering of fat as well as the shear mass of this hunk of meat, is going to need every bit of that seasoning.Wrap the ribs in foil and you are now ready to put them in the smoker or on the grill. Step 3: Smoke 'em If You Got Em!. <PIC> Smoke the ribs for about 6-8 hours, turning them every 2 hours when you normally check your wood chips. If you are using a box smoker like in the picture, be sure to place a steam table pan in between the heat source and the ribs. There is a lot of fat on this type of cut that will render out when cooking, and the risk of fire becomes great. In the picture above, the ribs on top and the brisket underneath produced about two quarts of liquid fat.  Not the sort of thing you want igniting before your cookout.When the ribs are done, slice them into individual portions and serve. Step 4: Enjoy Dino Ribs!. <PIC> As you can see from the picture above, the meat on the dino ribs contracts as it cooks, creating it's own carrying handle. We like to serve them with sliced brisket and a little cherry bourbon bbq sauce for dipping. Be sure to save those bones, as they make great stock.


Introduction: How to Make Indian Flatbread, Roti. <PIC> Online Cooking Classes: Spice Inspired Kitchen: Indian Cuisine 101 For Vegetarian Food LoversThere are many different types and variations of Indian flatbreads: roti or chapati; naan; prautha; as well as stuffed versions of each type. This recipe is for three basic types which can be made at home. All you need is a griddle or large frying pan and a rolling pin. The dough is very simple and requires only wholewheat (or spelt) flour, water and a bit of olive oil.A roti is a very simple round flatbread and is the easiest to make. Then there is the square one (prautha) which is made into a square shape by first rolling a circle, applying butter and spices and then folding it over 4 times to make a square before rolling it out one more time. The third one is a stuffed prautha (aloo prautha) which is very popular in Punjab. It is made by rolling out two smaller rotis and adding a filling in between them. The same dough is used to make all of them. Yield: 6 flatbreads   Servings: 3 - 4   Prep Time: 15 minutes   Cook Time: 10 minutes   Ready In: 25 minutes Ingredients 2.5 to 3 cups whole wheat or spelt      flour  Water  Olive oil Step 1: Make Dough. <PIC> Make dough in a medium bowl by adding some water and a drizzle of olive oil to the flour, and mixing it with your hands. Keep adding water in small amounts and mixing with your hands until it all comes together. Add more water as needed to be able to knead the dough until it has a smooth pliable texture (3 to 4 minutes). Set aside to allow the dough to breath and soften for 15 minutes. It can also be made ahead and set aside until you are ready to cook.  Step 2: Preheat Griddle. <PIC> Preheat griddle or flat pan on medium high heat. Put about a cup of dry flour into a large plate or pie plate. Roll your fingers in this dry flour to avoid dough from sticking to hands. Take some dough and form into a small 2 inch ball with both hands. Roll it in the dry flour and flatten into a disk. Add some more dry flour on both sides and roll out into a 6 to 7 inch circle by rolling and turning over once or twice to get a nice circular shape.  Step 3: Cook for About One Minute. <PIC> Place on preheated griddle. Cook for about one minute before flipping it over with a spatula. Cook the other side for about two minutes to allow it to blister a little. Then flip over again to have the blistered side on top. Apply gentle pressure with the spatula to encourage roti to rise. (The steam trapped inside the roti will help it to rise). Remove from stove and place on a plate lined with aluminum foil. Apply butter or oil to keep it soft. Cover to keep warm while making the remaining rotis. Enjoy with your favourite curry or daal.Visit my blog Global Vegetarian for more original vegetarian recipes.


Introduction: Hoisin Glazed Short Ribs With Asian Pickled Veg. <PIC> These unbelievably moist and tender short ribs bring a salty sweet satisfaction that will leave you craving for more. Braised in beer, slow cooked to perfection,and glazed with hoisin and honey, these will undoubtedly be your go to meal choice when you are looking for a special night with your lady (or man). The Asian style pickles provide a nice touch of acid that helps to cut the richness of the meat. Feel free to use but be careful, one bite and that special someone will never want to leave, so make sure they're the one! :-) Step 1: Rub Your Meat. <PIC> When making the rub, set your ribs out and allow to come to room temp. Combine 4 tbsp salt, 3 tbsp onion and garlic powders, 2 tbsp black pepper, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp chili powder, and 2 tbsp Chinese 5 spice in a large mixing bowl. Stir tocombine and press the short ribs in the spice rub, covering all sides with a good thick later of rub. This spice quantity gives you just enough for 6 ribs. Step 2: Get Your Braise On/ Jacuzzi Anyone?. <PIC> Choose a good beer, I went with New Belgium fat tire. You'll need just under 2 bottles, so feel free to take a couple sips. Chop 1 onion and 4 cloves of garlic. Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat until almost smoking. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and add meat. Brown on all sides, searing in all flavor. Once browned remove from pan and add onions and garlic. Sautée 2 minutes. Stir to remove browned bits from bottom of the pan and add beer, 32 oz chicken broth, and remaining spice rub to Dutch oven. Return meat to pan and ensure liquid covers meat. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 2.5 hours. Step 3: Pick a Pickled Pepper. <PIC> While meat is brazing, thinly slice your favorite vegetables, a mandolin or very sharp knife are needed. Any will do, but get the freshest you can find, trust me you won't regret it. I used daikon radish, red radish, red bell pepper, seedless cucumber, garlic, onion, and bean sprouts all from the local farmers market. Combine 1 c rice wine vinegar, 1 c water, 3 tbsp sugar, 1tsp salt in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour over veggies and place in fridge approx 2 hours or until meat is done. Step 4: Seal the Deal. <PIC> Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and place on a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix 1/4 c hoisin with 3tbsp honey and spread on ribs. Place in oven for 10 mins. This gives the ribs a seal to hold all of that flavor in and really takes this dish over the top. Step 5: Plating. <PIC> Remove the ribs from the oven straight to the plate you are serving on. You can add mashed potatoes or whatever starch you would like. I prefer whipped sweet potatoes for their color and taste on this dish. Give a good handful of pickled veg served beside the meat and go to town. Your date will immediately know this dish was made and served with love and will keep them coming back from more. Caution: this sets the standard very high, only use to achieve desired results. Not meant for one night flings!


Introduction: Fresh Peach (or Any Fruit) Margaritas. <PIC> This is part of an old recipe from my good friends, the Warrens.
Ridiculously simple. THE Best Margarita I've ever had. And the home-grown peaches make it this much(---------------------------------------------) better. If you enjoyed this instructable, vote for me in the Snack Foods Contest by clicking "vote" above! Step 1: Ingredients and Directions. <PIC>
          Very simple
		2 peaches, pitted
		1/2 can of frozen limeade concentrate mix
		6 oz tequila
		2 oz triple sec
		ice
		pinch of salt
Blend the peaches, limeade, salt, tequila and triple sec. Fill the blender with ice until full. Blend until smooth. Repeat.
You can also try other fruits as well. I've tried mango, and blueberry margaritas,  which are a tasty variation.


Introduction: Free DIY Rotiserrie Skewer - No Welding Skills Required. <PIC> Hi there all you meat and grill lovers guys and gals. This 'able is about how to make a cordless drill powered rotisserie on the cheapo. And fast. The whole process for the basic stuff shouldn't take more than one hour.What can you do with a rotisserie? Remember dogs TV, that succulent chicken that goes round and round and smells incredible? A vertical Shwarma on coals, slow cooking meats and so on. You can use it with your gas or charcoal BBQ, in your porch or even over a bonfire in the wild. Impress your friends and let that heavenly Barbecue smell get all over the place.I'll love to see your rotisseries in action, so if you make one, be sure to post it in the comments. Pictures (and videos, of course) of a good skewer in action during a BBQ are more than welcome. Disclaimer: this is my first instructable, so pardon all my gaffes and go easy on the comments :-P. I've also subscribed this 'able to the "outdoor cooking" and some other contests and would love to get your vote :-) Okay, lets get started. You will need:1. An old stainless steel oven grill rack2. An angle grinder 3. Metal cutting disc4. Flap sanding disc5. Sanding paper and burner for cleaning the steel6. Corded or cordless power drillOptional wooden handle:7. Wooden broom stick8. wood dowel9. GlueAnd that's it. Super simple. Lets go over it one step at a time... Step 1: Find an Old Oven Grill Rack . <PIC> Okay, let say you got an old oven grill rack. If not, just go to your junkyard and get one. there are tons of older ovens around, and the grill rack is usually inside. It should look something like the model above. Why an oven rack, I can hear you asking. It is make from food grade stainless steel, the sides are about 6 mm and the inside pieces are about 3-4 mm. Perfect for a long skewer. Besides, everything is already welded in the right place, and that makes the hole process much easier. Got a better idea? Just post it in the comments.I forgot to take a picture before cutting, so that pic above is from a model and comes from here:https://img-new.cgtrader.com/items/81861/oven_rack... Step 2: Find the Welding Point and Plan Accordingly. <PIC> First thing to do is finding the right place to cut. look at the grill rack you got and find the welding point on the side of the rack. It should look a little misaligned just like on the first pic. Sometimes the welder did a great job and its hard to find, but work on it. You don't want any welded parts on your central skewer because they will break with some pressure. I'm talking from sad experience here - take a look at picture 2... Step 3: Cut the Old Grill Rack on the Right Places and Sand With the Flap. <PIC> Cut the sides in the places as on the first pic. After that, cut the three first inside pieces on the top side and the other inside pieces on the bottom. The result should look like pic 3.Use the flap sanding disc to take out those little pieces that are still there and to get it reasonably flat as on pics 4 and 5. Step 4: Bend the Central Skewer Strait. <PIC> Put the piece you cut in the vise, get some gloves on and bend the bigger rod until is fairly flat all along. You can press the twisted parts with the vise and get them reasonably strait wit some brute force. Worked great for me.Keep in mind that it doesn't need to be perfect. as long as the skewer is able to rotate you are good.  Step 5: Bend the Side Skewers to Shape. <PIC> The side skewers are easy to bend using your hands. Bend them just like in the picture. leave one of the little skewers in place and bend one of the others to one side and the other to the other side (did u see that? I used the word "other" 3 times in a phrase and got away with it).Be careful not to bend them to much to the sides as not to force the welded joints.If you want, use a sanding disc to round the skewers points. Step 6: Sand Everything and Burn to Get Rid of Old Grease. <PIC> If you know where your rack came from you don't really need this step, but if not, I highly recommend cleaning the skewer thoroughly. I got basic 60-100 grit sandpaper and sanded the hell out of it by hand. Didn't took too  long and in the end I had mostly shinning stainless steel on my hands. The not so shining parts look more as impurities in the alloy than dirt. After that I got a kitchen burner and went over everything just to be sure (and to make it kosher...)  Step 7: Hook the Rotisserie to Your Drill and You're Done (or Go to Next Step and Make a Handle). <PIC> Use a small malleable piece or steel wire (like those used to close bread packages) to keep  the handle of the drill pressed. Control the velocity by tightening the wire. Step 8: Make a Handle. <PIC> You don't really need one, but I feared for the safety of my drill.To make the handle, cut a piece of a broom stick, make a hole on the center of one side with the exact diameter of your central skewer (mine was 6mm). On the other side, make a hole on the center with the diameter of your wooden dowel (mine was 12mm). I used the biggest dowel I could attach my drill to.Glue everything. I used CA glue for gluing wood to metal (not sure that's the best option here...) and wood glue for the dowel. Leave it alone for a day and you are ready to go.  Its time to call a bunch of friends over. Enjoy your BBQ and don't forget to Leave a comment bellow and to vote for this instructable in the outdoor food contest.All the best.