A weirdo

While I consider myself quite "normal," (even though I hate that word), I find that people think I'm a little strange. Weird, even. So I got to thinking of all of the things that make me weird...

If believing that people have the right to love whomever they love and not try to be someone they're not for the sake of the appeasement of other people, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing in the body's ability to heal itself, given the proper attention, nutrition, and exercise, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing that the earth and all of her inhabitants deserve to be treated with respect, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing that we don't have to poison the bodies of little babies so that they supposedly build up immunity to diseases that will more than likely never affect them, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing that smoking around your children and feeding them a steady diet of McDonalds fast "food" and soft drinks is a form of child abuse, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

Granola Bark

granola bark from my friend's blog

http://daisiesareagirlsbestfriend.blogspot.com/2007/10/good-food-friday-on-monday.html

chocolate sandwich cookies

From the martha stewart show:

Chocolate sandwich cookies
6 T butter
3/4 c pow sug
3/4 c flour
Cocoa (how much)
1/8 t salt
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla

Shape into rectangle
Chill
Roll out w/ rubber bands on rolling pin
Cut out w/ rectangle cutter
Bake 325 for 12-14min

6 T unsalted butter
2 c pow sug
1 drop food coloring
2 drops peppermint

Franks Red Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

from the Franks Red Hot web site.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® REDHOT® Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (9.75 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS:

1.HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
2.MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
3.BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Tips
1.Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.
2.Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
3.Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.
4.Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

Clipped from a Pillsbury ad:

1 box (19.5 oz) brownie mix
1/4 c butter
4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package)
1 egg
1 c powdered sugar
1 c peanut butter


heat oven to 350

combine brownie mix, melted butter, cream cheese, and egg, whisk 50 strokes w/ spoon until well-blended (will be sticky)

drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet, 2" apart, make about 24 cookies. smooth out edges of batter.

in another bowl, mix powdered sugar and peanut butter. with hands, roll spoonfuls of peanut butter mixture into balls and place one ball in the center of each ball of dough.

bake 10-14 min or until edges are set. cool on cookie sheets at least 30 min if being frosted.

if desired, frost with ready-to-spread frosting

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

1 c flour
3/4 c sugar
2 T baking cocoa
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c milk
2 T oil
1 t vanilla

mix separately:
1 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c baking cocoa
1 3/4 c HOT water

mix ingredients 1-5 in a 9x9 pan
add ingredients 6-8 and mix, then spread out

sprinkle 9 and 10 over batter, pour water over batter

Bake 40 min at 350 until top is dry

Some sort of chocolate loaf

I was looking for recipes for some bread/cake stuff that we had when we were in Greece. It was a really mild chocolate flavor and was really dense and moist. I would eat a few pieces at breakfast, then swipe a few more pieces to take with me for the day. I have looked all over for a recipe, so if this sounds like anything you've ever had before, let me know! I THINK this might be one of my attempts at making it. Not sure. Again, I didn't label it, so I'll have to make it and see how it turns out!

Sift together:
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t soda
1/2 c cocoa
1 c sugar
1/2 t salt

in a small bowl, combine:
1 egg
1/3 c butter
1 1/4 c sour milk (add 1 T vinegar to room temp milk, let sit 5 min)
combine until just blended
put in sprayed 9x5 loaf pan, bake 1 hour @ 350