Delicious Potato Skins

Whether it's Football Party time or Anytime
is a great time for these appetizers..Potato Skins
filled with whatever you love (cheese, bacon, chives,
sour cream) These are from Daisy brand sour cream
recipes. These are super easy to make.

RECIPE
6 sm. baking potatoes
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. grill steak seasoning/or seasoned salt
4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 c. shredded cheese (I used Mexican 4 cheese)
4 strips bacon, cooked, crumbled
3/4 c. sour cream
2 tsp. snipped fresh chives (optional)

Directions:
Lightly grease outside of potatoes, cut a small slit
in top & Bake @ 425F. for 45 min. or until soft.
Let stand until cool enough to handle,
about 15 min.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise & scoop out
cooked potato, leaving a thin layer of potato
interior. (Save cooked potato for mashed potatoes
or hash browns.) SEE (2) PHOTOS BELOW:

Brush outside and inside of skins with melted

butter. Sprinkle inside with steak seasoning &

Parmesan cheese. AS SEEN BELOW:

Place on lightly greased baking sheet (I love

& used Silpat Liners from France) Bake

8 min. or until crisp & bubbly. Fill with

your favorite cheeses & bacon. Bake 3 min.

or until cheese is melted. Top each with a

dollop of sour cream & sprinkle with chives.

(optional..I don't like chives so this is the

end result) SEE BELOW:

GIVEAWAY ALERT..COMING SOON..CHECK BACK WITH US!!!

Halloween Crafts/Recipes @ Santa's Gift Shoppe Year Round

Here are some craft ideas/recipes to get us
Crafters inspired for this fun holiday.
My Mom's "HOOT OWL COOKIE RECIPE"
below is something you/your kids will have
to try...My kids loved them when they were
little & now that they are adults..they make
them.

The photo (above) is of Halloween decorations
for a party @ my wonderful friends Christine's
house. She had graciously invited some women
from Relief Society (from our church) over
for a Special Halloween Party...She is
so creative & really out does herself. (To bad
for me she lives far away...in another state)

Here is the table with decorations & some of
the Goodies. There are my mom's "Hoot-Owl"
Cookies (from when I was a kid) , Witch Finger
Bread sticks, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip
Cookies, Also (not shown are Bony Bread-
sticks) RECIPES ARE SHOWN BELOW:

Close-up of my mom's "Hoot-Owl Cookies"

RECIPE
1 pkg. chocolate chips (6oz.)
1 sm. can of whole cashews (or buy in bulk
just what you need about 24+extra since they
can be pricey)
2 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat oven @ 350F. Mix butter, br. sugar,
egg & vanilla in bowl. Mix flour, baking soda/
powder & salt in another bowl. Add dry
ingredients to wet ingredients. Remove 2/3
of dough. Melt 1/2 c. chocolate chips (& few
drops of oil..canola) in microwave in 30 sec.
increments. Add melted chocolate to remaining
dough & mix well. Divide white dough in half.
Roll into rectangle (abt. 9"x4") Roll 1/2 of
chocolate dough into a long rope abt. 9" long &
place on top of rectangle. Roll white dough a-
round chocolate dough. Pinch ends so choco-
late dough is hidden. Repeat with remaining
white/chocolate dough. Wrap in foil. Refri-
gerate overnight. Slice rolled dough in 1/4"
pieces. For each "Owl" place two slices to-
gether, pinch outer edges for ears. Add one
chocolate chip for each eye & cashew for beak.
Bake 9-11 min. (depending on oven)

"Witch Finger Breadsticks" (picture above)
RECIPE
1 pkg. thawed Bridgford "dinner rolls"
1/4 c. melted butter
parmesan cheese
garlic salt
egg yolks
food coloring
sm. paintbrush

Directions:
Roll each roll into a finger-sized rope. Using
knife, cut one end of rope in "V" shape for
finger nail & cut lines for "knuckles." Lay
flat on cookie sheet & pinch on either side
of knuckle. Brush with melted butter (not
fingernail) Sprinkle with parmesan cheese
& garlic salt..avoiding nail. Create "nail polish"
by combining egg yolk with food coloring.
Paint "nail." Bake @ 350F. for 10-15 min.


This is a picture of "Bony Bread Sticks." found
at BHG website. Make sure you make these
different size bones.

RECIPE
1 pkg. refrigerated (Pillbury type) bread
sticks
For Sweet: cinnamon/sugar
For Savory: garlic salt/parmesan cheese
Directions:
Unroll bread sticks. Knot each end of
breadstick & bake. Serve warm. You could
also include a "dip" tinted with red for a
dramatic effect. Or, sprinkle with a savory or
sweet seasoning.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Above)
RECIPE
1 box of spice cake mix
1 reg. size can of pumpkin (or 1/2 lg. size)
1 bag chocolate chips (6oz.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all
ingredients together. Using cookie scoop
or spoon drop dough on to greased cookie
sheet. Bake 10 min. (depending on oven)
Cool & enjoy!

These are "blood-shot eyesballs" from "Martha".
She does Halloween like no other!! I've heard
her say it's one of her favorite Holidays. I have

Materials needed:
2 plastic softball size balls (for 1 pair)
1 old pair of beige nylons (or knee-hi nylons)
blue tissue paper (or whatever color you want
for the iris)
black construction paper (for pupil)
1 piece white paper (for highlights)
scissors, hole punch, glue, red marker

Directions:
Cut out large iris circle from colored tissue
paper. Glue one on each of the balls. (You
may want to add two layers of tissue so it's
not transparent) Cut smaller circle from
black paper. Glue on top of iris. Punch 2
holes from white paper (for highlights)
Glue in place. Draw wiggly "blood-shot" lines
on white all stemming from iris. Place each
ball in the foot of each nylon. Cut if needed &
tie @ top of nylons together to prevent eyes
from falling out. Drape on porch or wherever.

BOO!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
BE SAFE!!!

Homemade Mexican Salsa

This is the salsa that I canned a couple weeks ago.
We had it for the 4th with the BBQ chicken (photo
above) If I can do this......anyone can do this.......
It was so good and my first try at canning anything
besides jams........Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It worked!!!!!!!!

Mexican Salsa Recipe
5 lbs. of ripe tomatoes, skinned, cored, chopped
3 c. onions, chopped
1 1/4c. chili peppers, seeded, chopped
1 c. fresh cilantro, snipped
1 c. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. garlic, (about 6 cloves) or minced
1 Tbsp salt

In a 6-quart sauce pot, combine all ingredients.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer 30 min.
or to desired thickness, stirring occasionally.

Immediately fill hot jars, leaving 1/2" head space.
Remove trapped air bubbles. Add hot lids, tighten rings.

Process: boiling water bath for 15 minutes