Halloween has always been Bytes favorite holiday. And these were fun and so easy to make - just his style. Shrunken Potato Heads are perfect for a Halloween themed gathering to eat, drink, and be scary! A few minutes of prep and the oven does the rest. Gather the number of potatoes you need and scrub well. You'll need a melon ball cutter and a sharp knife. Use your imagination to create faces using the melon ball cutter and knife. And any other tool you conjure up! Place in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Put the potatoes directly on the rack so the hot oven can do it's work. No oil or anything else on the potato skin. Bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes you chose and how crispy/wrinkly you want the potato. A fork will easily pierce the ... [Read More]
Party
Lemon Pepper Pork Chops
Lemon Pepper Pork Chops are tender, delightfully flavored and a great company dish. They are so quick and easy to make you’ll add them to the family menu, too. I am always surprised at how quickly this meal comes together. Serve with colorful vegetables or brown rice and a crunchy salad. Yummy delicious!! Even when you don’t put the sauce on because you’re in a hurry to catch the last bit of light for photos before dinner and nightfall. Mix the dry ingredients together while the butter melts. If you are wondering what it means to dredge the pork chops, it is simply coating the meat evenly with flour and/ or crumbs. Usually the mixture includes seasonings like the brown sugar, lemon peel and salt and pepper above. Paprika, garlic powder, or herbs are also used. Besides ... [Read More]
Cinnamon Swirl Cream Cheese Mints
A new twist on a classic candy – Cinnamon Swirl Cream Cheese Mints. I like the surprise of the cinnamon flavoring since the classic version calls for mint flavoring of some type. I used gel food coloring for a more intense red, adding only a small bit at a time until I had a bright color. I used Wilton Candy Flavorings. Both are available in hobby stores and sometimes grocery stores in the cake decorating section. Or – during my tenure as a pharmacy tech I found out that many pharmacies order candy flavorings to sell over the counter at this time of year! Who knew! Candy flavor is more intense than the liquid flavorings so less is needed and that keeps the candy from being too moist. When you finish mixing the candy, it will likely seem a little sticky. Try to resist adding more ... [Read More]
Halloween Party for Preschoolers: Games
Please Pin! Thanks! Halloween games for preschoolers -- I love playing with preschoolers! They get so excited and have so much fun with simple things. They are there purely for fun! Prizes are totally optional and can be as simple as being the first “it” for the next game. For preschool parties, plan for some active games and vary the pace with a few quieter games. Younger kids don’t always pick up on directions when they are excited. Have at least two or three games that are familiar to them and alter them just a bit to the season. Here are seven Halloween games that preschoolers love! Cat, Cat, Spider. To Play: Follow the rules for duck, duck, goose. “It” goes around the circle saying “cat, cat, cat, cat . . spider. When touched, the “spider” jumps up and runs to get back to ... [Read More]
Hawaiian Party Burgers
Hawaiian style! Party on a bun. So quick, so easy to make; the sauce is just a little bit sweet and a little bit tangy. Your family and friends will love Hawaiian Party Burgers and think you worked really hard to make them special! I’ll never tell! When you pick up the package of King’s Hawaiian Rolls in the grocery, check to see which variety you have in your hand. It should say something like “savory butter rolls” or “original sweet” or even “honey wheat”. Did you know they also make a Jalepeno Roll? I didn’t until I was ready to use it. Oh my goodness – that’s hot and spicy!!!! Makes my eyes water even thinking about it! Probably really good if you like hot and spicy – but definitely not what I was expecting. Look before you buy! I also have used slider rolls. So ... [Read More]
Fudgy Chocolate Cookie Dough Mini Cheesecake – No Bake
Fudgy Chocolate Cookie Dough No Bake Cheesecake. The perfect dessert to celebrate a special day -- anniversary, birthday or just because. We’d already celebrated Bytes' birthday at a big family gathering with the traditional cake and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. This was a smaller celebration. Perfect for cheesecake and fudginess! I’m always a little hesitant to give preparation times for recipes. They can vary according to how many times the cook rescues a toddler or the number of shortcuts that are taken. Like using already crushed graham crackers. Although putting two packages of graham crackers squares (not oblongs) in their wrapping on the work counter and smacking them smartly several times with the side of a meat axe or a rolling pin is a pretty quick process. ... [Read More]
