Leftover Candy?

Let me tell you a true life spooky tale...

It was a dark, dark moonless night.  I was walking along with my sweetheart when he suddenly disappeared.  The sound of bat wings filled the air (I know bats are silent, work with me).  Right in front of me appeared a large apparition.  The large apparition pounced and began to suck my blood.  

A dream?  A movie?  A nightmare?

Nope!  Real life!

Well, I may have embellished a little.  Here's how it really went down...

It was a very dark, dark moonless morning.  My sweetheart and I were walking into a building early one morning after a night of fasting for our annual blood panel screening.  Filled out paperwork.  Got our flu shot and then moved on to have our blood taken.  The hubby was right next to me and then suddenly he disappeared.  A phlebotomist (the fancy word for blood taker, also why I made a vague reference to vampires) waved me over to her station where I, the good patient, happily sat.  The next thing I know, the "large rubber band" is tied around my bicep seemingly too tight.  I make a fist and wait while she feels for the vein, thinking to myself that a vein will pop up any second because of all the water I drank beforehand...told you I was the good patient.  Then, bam!  She begins to flick the inside of my elbow.  Not gentle flicking.  No, this was all out war against my veins.  Where was my knight in shining armor who could have driven a stake through...oh wait, that's for werewolves.  Garlic!  Where was he to wave garlic around that creature?  Humpf!  Well, a vein finally popped up (thank goodness) and my blood was withdrawn.  I left with an arm soooo sore and by afternoon I had a bruise the size of Idaho!

I will live.  I know you all are concerned.  :) Ha!  I know, I know.  99% of phlebotomists are not like that.  I must have gotten her on a bad morning.  Scary nonetheless.  Anyhow, I figured this story was an appropriate one because it is Halloweeeeeen!!!  You know what else is scary?  Leftover candy!  I have a couple of ideas to solve that problem faster than you can say phlebotomist!

Having leftover candy isn't the worst thing, right?  You are going to need those little chocolate bars so if you aren't having a slow trick or treating evening, pull those aside otherwise plan to raid your kiddo's treat bag.  Be prepared!  That's my motto because you are going to want to have some of these desserts!

Sugar cookie cups are filled with a light chocolate almond flavored filling making these

 Candy Bar Cookie Cups da bomb!  The recipe is easy.  Make sure to click over to get the list of ingredients and all the simple directions.

Death by Chocolate Parfaits are fittingly named.  They are absolutely to die for!  Layers of chocolate mousse and crumbled pieces of candy bars.  They are killer!

Symphony Brownie Pie is one of those pie recipes that you will be sharing.  Once someone has had a slice, they are hooked!  Use leftover candy bars for a sweet treat now or save them for later when you can make the pie for Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, it will outshine the turkey!

Really, leftover candy does not need to be a concern for you.

You are prepared with some recipe ideas!

I hope you have a spooktacular Halloween!
Stay safe and beware of ghosts, goblins and phlebotomists.  Tee hee hee!


Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,
Christine

  

Slow Cooker Recipes

It's comfort food season and time to dust off that slow cooker.  But, before we get to that, have you signed up for my daily email?  It's a great way to stay connected with all the new stuff on the blog.  You know there is always a sprinkling of sweet or savory goodies to try out.  So, hop aboard!

Ok, sooooo....

Slow cookers are great in the summer, keeping the kitchen cool.  For me, the best time of the year to fire up those slow cookers is during the colder months.  Nothing beats walking in the door to a wonderful aroma that just speaks to you..."dinner is ready."  I plan on creating lots of dinners in the slow cooker and I thought I'd share a couple from the past that are favorites in our household.

Stews aren't the only thing that you can cook in a slow cooker.

You can make the most delicious French Dip Sandwiches and Tomato Soup!

Well, not together, but you know what I am getting at.

The meat, brisket, for this sandwich, is so tender and flavorful, just waiting to be dipped in au jus!

Want the 9 ingredient recipe?  Here ya go:

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches printable recipe.

You can totally get rid of those damp, chilly days with a warm, creamy bowl of soup.

Only 9 ingredients to make a pot of Tomato Soup! Print this recipe for sure by hopping over to get the Slow Cooker Tomato Soup printable recipe.

You can't go wrong with you slow cooker.  If you haven't used it in awhile, time to get it back out.

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

You may also like:

Ropa Vieja

Cornbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Bacon

Beer Bread with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Pumpkin Palooza

Pumpkin can be used for way more than just pie.  Sweet and savory pumpkin dishes are perfect all fall long and can definitely grace any Thanksgiving table as well.  Here are a patch full of delicious pumpkin recipes!

Petite Pumpkin Patch Pies

Pumpkin Biscotti

Brownie Pumpkin Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Risotto

Pumpkin Ale Floats

Pumpkin Bread Churro Nuggets

Pumpkin Bread S'mores

Pumpkin Napoleons

Halloween is only two days away, so you really need to start thinking about Thanksgiving and enjoying all the seasonal pumpkin recipes before peppermint and gingerbread make their grand entrance.  I think I covered everything from breakfast to dessert to soup and to a festive drink.  Phew!

Pumpkin can be at every meal!

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

Do you want to see what I am pinning to my It's Gobble Time Thanksgiving Board?

Here's the link to follow it!

Follow A Sprinkle of This and That's board Gobblin' Turkey Time on Pinterest.

Halloween Sweet Treats and Potions

T'was the time before Halloween

When all through the house

Every creature was stirring in anticipation of the one day a year where sweet treats and potions rule!

Ok, I think the sweet treats actually rule from now through Easter.

But, back to Halloween...

If you are searching for some last minute, easy treats and potions to conjure up for a Halloween party or just for all the big and little goblins in your life, this is THE place to park your witch's broom.  One stop shopping for Spooktacular Halloween Inspiration!

To find the recipes, just click the link.  Pin, Tweet, Yum and share on Facebook.

Mini Mummy Eclairs

Orange Dreamsicle Bundt Cakes

Pun'kin Kahlua

Frankenstein Treats

Hocus Pocus Mocktail

Orange Scream Milkshake

Purple People Eater Halloween Smoothies

Sugar Cookie Dough Pumpkin Truffles

So which will you add to your Halloween festivities?

Any one would be just great!

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

Philly Cheesesteak Empanadas

Philly Cheesesteak Empanadas have all the same ingredients you find in the traditional Philly Cheesesteak sandwich.  

The cool part?

Having a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich in the palm of your hand!

Each empanada is stuffed with mushrooms, green pepper, 

Provolone cheese and thin slices of steak.  Perfect for watching the game, tailgating or even for an easy lunch at work.

Baseball season, at least for us Cubs fans, may be over.  But, there is lots more football, hockey and basketball to watch.  And here I thought my evenings would be more free because my life was centered around watching the Cubs.  Looks like I will be focusing on football.  The Bears?  Hmmm...I think I will stick with the college teams Ha!  :)

Anyhow, grabbing a Philly Cheesesteak Empanada during the game is great!  Everything is all in one little empanada.  Delicious!

Let's get right to the recipe so you can be ready no matter what sport you are watching. 

Ingredients to make 14 small empanadas:

9 ounce package Steak-umm

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped onion

prepared pie crust (both rolls of dough)

10 slices Provolone cheese

1 egg, beaten

small bowl of water

Directions:

Break up steak pieces and cook over medium high heat in a large skillet until no longer pink.  Drain.  Return meat to large skillet.  Add green pepper, mushrooms and onions.  Cook an additional 3-4 minutes.  Add cheese.  Remove from heat and stir until cheese is evenly distributed.  Unroll pie crust.  Use a circle cookie cutter (or a glass) to cut out 14 circles.  Spoon 1 Tablespoon of mixture into the center of each pie crust circle.  Rub the edge of each circle with your finger dipped in  water.  Fold over the empanada and seal the edge.  Place on a baking sheet.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a pastry brush to brush egg mixture over the top of each empanada.  Place baking sheet of empanadas into the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

printable recipe

Pick your sport and pick your team!

Then whip up a batch of Philly Cheesesteak Empanadas!

Fun tailgating appetizers can be minutes away!

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

Linking up with some awesome bloggers. Check out where!

Featured On:

You may also like these tailgating snacks:

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Veggie Calzone

Apple Smoked Cheese Spread

Orange Scream Milkshake

There is a house in the neighborhood decorated to scare.

Gravestones, spooky music, fog and a live grim reaper adorns the yard.  Getting to the door is quite the challenge with all the scariness on the way to get those coveted treats.  When the girls were little, they wanted absolutely nothing to do with that house.  We had to cross the street when we get near.  But, as the girls got older, they wanted to observe to see how other trick or treaters managed to get to the front door.  The draw to get treats from that house became stronger even though the grim reaper would slowly and methodically follow you to the next house dragging his sickle along the sidewalk.  Pretty scary to a five year old, but a fun, scary challenge to a ten year old.  That day did come when the girls managed to make their way up to the door to get treats.  They had the family bouncer (dad) to protect them.  Made their night!  Lots of screams, but they had conquered the scary house adding a notch to their belts!  Ha!  I love all that scary fun...as long as spiders aren't involved.  :)  How about  a Halloween treat you can whip up in minutes.  I call it the Orange Scream Milkshake but there isn't one scary thing about it...in fact, it is devilishly delicious!

4 ingredients!  Now that is something to scream about!

Lots of creamy orange flavor in these milkshakes.

Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla ice cream

1 cup orange sherbet

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice

(top with whipped cream, sprinkles and orange zest)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a blender.  Blend until smooth, add embellishments if desired.

Your little ones will squeal when you tell them you are serving Orange Scream Milkshakes!

These creamy, orange milkshakes may even make them brave enough to conquer the scary house in your neighborhood.

Celebrating all things Halloween,

Christine

Featured On:

You may also like:

Purple People Eater Halloween Smoothies

Pun'kin Kahlua

Warm Apple Cider Floats

Fall Dinner Menu

Whether cooking for your family or for a group of friends, this time of the year calls for a menu  with comfort food.  When I think comfort food, soup is at the top of the list.  Those chilly, damp nights when the days are short, just call for a warm bowl of soup, some bread and a sweet dessert.

So, I put together a Fall Dinner Menu that you can use any day of the week.

Easy New England Clam Chowder

Easy New England Clam Chowder is creaminess in a bowl.  Filled with all those tender clams and potatoes that make it taste like it comes right from New England.  

Yep, it'll warm you all the way down to your toes!

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

 Cheesy Garlic Biscuits are my absolute favorite biscuits!

They are moist and cheesy with lots of garlic flavor.  Totally a compliment to a warm bowl of soup, especially Easy New England Clam Chowder!

Caramel Soaked Apple Cider Bundt Cakes

You must save room for dessert!  Caramel Soaked Apple Cider Bundt Cakes complete the meal.  Each little cake is soaked in a home-made caramel sauce to add even more flavor to the apple cider pound cake.  You may want to lick the plate!

I hope you use this menu to plan a perfect fall dinner.  

All the recipes can be found by clicking the links.  If you create the meal, I would love for you to take pictures and share them with me or on your social media.  Use the hashtag #asprinkleofthisandthat!

I can't wait to see it!  If you want to follow along, just pick your favorite social media.  All the links are just over there on the right.

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine