You are here: Home / Archives for Jenny Harper, Nestle

Mix It Up with Jenny – St. Patrick’s Day Fun

March 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Everybody’s a little bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, right? This year, join in the fun of celebrating all things Irish with these simple ideas:

* For the table, have the kids make some shamrock napkin rings and Irish flag placemats out of construction paper. Sprinkle some green confetti on the table and use a potted shamrock plant as a centerpiece.

* Have a traditional Irish dinner with Irish Stew and Soda Bread, a Shepherd’s Pie or, of course, Corned Beef and Cabbage.

* For dessert try this festive “Lucky You” Mint Pie. The creamy combination of mint and chocolate is so good that it’s bound to become the newest tradition around your St. Patrick’s Day table.

* Write out some traditional Irish blessings on slips of paper and tuck them into treat bags of mini shamrock cookies to send home with your guests. Here’s one that I like:

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

For more ways to cook up some Irish fun, visit www.VeryBestBaking.com.

“Lucky You” Mint Pie

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (6 ounces) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
  • 1 can (12 fluid ounces) Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk, divided
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 prepared 9-inch (6 ounces) chocolate crumb crust
  • 1 pkg. (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 3 to 4 drops green food coloring (optional)
  • 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
  • Additional Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels, fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Preparation

  1. MICROWAVE 1 cup morsels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in butter; pour into crust. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until cool to the touch.
  2. MEANWHILE, BEAT remaining evaporated milk, pudding mix, water, peppermint extract and 3 drops food coloring in medium bowl until combined. Gently stir in 2 cups whipped topping and additional drop of food coloring, if desired. Spoon over chocolate layer.
  3. REFRIGERATE for 2 hours or until set. Sprinkle with additional morsels. Spoon remaining whipped topping in center of pie. Garnish with fresh mint.

Serves
Makes 8 servings

Calories: 400g Total Fat: 21g
Cholesterol: 20mg Protein: 5g
Carbohydrates: 50g Sodium: 280mg

 

Preparation Time:
15 minutes

Chill Time:
2 hours 20 minutes


Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Chocolate-Laced Ideas for Sensational Sleepovers

February 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Whoever coined the phrase “sleepover” must still be laughing – because, as many of you know, very little sleeping actually goes on. I’m always looking for fun ideas and recipes to keep the night-owls happy – here are some that you might like to try, too.

Make a Sleepover Pillow: Buy and prewash some inexpensive white pillowcases. Then hand out fun fabric pens so guests can create a one-of-a-kind souvenir they can take home. (If you put a piece of cardboard inside the pillow case, it will keep ink from seeping through to the other side.)

Go on a Backyard Treasure Hunt: Hide all the goody bags in one place somewhere in your backyard. Then create some clues to lead guests in search of the treasure. Tape the first clue to the back door. When they reach the next spot, have another clue already there to lead them on, until they get to the prize. You can make the clues like riddles, or give the guests a compass and write directional clues to follow.

Mix Up Great Munchies: Part of the fun of a sleepover is munching on some yummy treats. Brownies are always a hit – and these Chocolate Caramel Brownies are sure to be party favorites. And they’re super simple, too! For a fun twist on party mixes, try some Toll House Party Mix – sweet and salty combine for a taste so good you might want to make an extra batch.

For more sleepover treats, go to www.VeryBestBaking.com.

Toll House Party Mix

Ingredients

  • 2 cups toasted cereal squares
  • 2 cups small pretzel twists
  • 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup (about 20) caramels, unwrapped and coarsely chopped
  • 1 2/3 to 2 cups (11- to 12-oz. pkg.) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Butterscotch Flavored or Premier White Morsels

Preparation

  1. COAT 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. COMBINE cereal, pretzels, peanuts and caramels in large bowl.
  3. MICROWAVE morsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Pour over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.
  4. SPREAD mixture in prepared baking pan; cool for 30 to 45 minutes or until firm. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in airtight container.

Serves
Yields 8 servings

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 cup Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk, divided
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
  • 35 (10-ounce package) caramels, unwrapped
  • 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Preparation

  1. PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
  2. COMBINE cake mix and nuts in large bowl. Stir in 2/3 cup evaporated milk and butter (batter will be thick). Spread half of batter into ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
  3. BAKE for 15 minutes.
  4. HEAT caramels and remaining evaporated milk in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted. Sprinkle morsels over brownie; drizzle with caramel mixture.
  5. DROP remaining batter by heaping teaspoon over caramel mixture.
  6. BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 24 squares.

Serves
Yields 24 brownies



Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Sharing Some Valentine’s Day Cookie Love

February 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I love that we have a day designed to celebrate love! And I enjoy finding creative ways to show the people in my life how much I care about them. This year, I’m sharing some ideas from the kitchen and from the heart so that you can put some extra L-O-V-E into your Valentine’s Day.

L for a love letter you write to someone special. Whether it’s a spouse, a child, or a dear friend, take some time to write down the reasons they are so special to you. It will be a gift they treasure for a long time.

O for organizing the family photos in a new way. Create a slide show on a DVD, a photo book or calendar, or even a family website where you can share pictures and stories with out-of-town loved ones. You’ll preserve old photos and help create new memories.

V for Valentine cookies like these Chocolate Chip Cookie Hearts. They’re a simple way to share some love. Even the youngest bakers can help make them by pouring ingredients and using cookie cutters to make the heart shapes. Have fun decorating them with pink, red and white icing and Valentine sprinkles.

E for an elegant dessert like this Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Pie. It’s easy enough for anyone to make, yet pretty enough to show off at a Valentine’s Day party or a romantic dinner.

For more Valentine recipes you can share, visit www.verybestbaking.com.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Hearts

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups (12-ounce package) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • Metal or heat-safe heart cookie cutter(s) of desired size(s), 1 inch in height
  • Various icings, sprinkles, Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 can (12 fluid ounces) Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 cups (12-ounce package) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
  • 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
  • 1 container (6 ounces) or 1 1/3 cups fresh raspberries, divided
  • 1 prepared 9-inch (6 ounces) chocolate crumb crust

Preparation

  1. WHISK together evaporated milk and egg yolks in medium saucepan.
  2. HEAT over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very hot and thickens slightly; do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in morsels until completely melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until cool. Gently stir in 2 cups whipped topping.
  3. REFRIGERATE for 2 hours until thickened. Sprinkle 1 cup raspberries over crust. Spoon chilled chocolate mousse over raspberries. Dollop remaining 1 cup whipped topping on center of pie; top with remaining raspberries

Serves
8

Preparation Time:
15 min

Cook Time:
5 min

Refrigeration Time:
2.5 hours



Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Super Treats for the Super Bowl

January 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

While there’s a time and a place for elegant desserts, a Super Bowl party isn’t one of them. All the fun and action call for something easy for guests to handle and easy for hosts to make. So for this year’s party, I’ll be bringing some highly munchable bar cookies.

In looking through my recipe “playbook,” I found so many good options that it was hard to narrow them down. But I finally made the call and want to share these championship recipes with you.

Fans of chocolate and marshmallows will cheer for these Rocky Road Squares. By substituting evaporated milk for water, you get a super-rich texture and very fudgy flavor. And by using melted chocolate morsels as well as whole ones, these Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies score big on the taste meter. You may want to make an extra batch, because they’ll be scooped up in no time!

For more ways to make you the MVP of the party, visit www.verybestbaking.com.

Rocky Road Squares

Ingredients

  • 1 package (19.5 to 21 ounces) fudge brownie mix
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil, per package directions
  • 2 large eggs, per package directions
  • 1/2 cup Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation

  1. PREHEAT oven according to package directions. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
  2. PREPARE brownie mix according to package directions, using vegetable oil and egg(s) and substituting evaporated milk for water. Spread into prepared baking pan.
  3. BAKE according to package directions; do not over bake. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate morsels. Let stand 5 minutes or until morsels are shiny. Spread evenly. Top with marshmallows and walnuts.
  4. BAKE for 3 to 5 minutes or just until marshmallows begin to melt. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes. Cut into squares using a knife dipped in hot water.

Serves
2 dozen brownies

Calories: 230g Total Fat: 13g
Cholesterol: 20mg Protein: 3g
Carbohydrates: 27g Sodium: 80mg

Preparation and Baking Time:
35 minutes

Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (12-ounce package) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preparation

  1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
  2. MELT 1 cup morsels and butter in large, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Stir in flour, sugar, vanilla extract and baking soda. Stir in remaining morsels and nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan.
  3. BAKE for 18 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Serves
2 dozen bars

Calories: 190g Total Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 35mg Protein: 3g
Carbohydrates: 23g Sodium: 50mg

Preparation and Baking Time:
28 minutes

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,