Black Bean Burgers

This recipe is made with things I keep on hand, it mixes up quickly, and you can make it either mild tasting (like I did) or spicy (as the original recipe indicated) just by the kind of salsa you use.  I use mild salsa all the time, it is one of the pantry items I always try to keep well stocked.

Black Bean Burger

• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked dry beans)
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup flour (I used all purpose but they suggest oat flour or gluten free if necessary)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons salsa
• 1 tablespoon oil for pan (I needed more than that)

Mash black beans in a bowl with fork or potato masher (I used a ground beef masher).  Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and stir (or use your hands to mix like I did).  You may need to add more salsa if too dry and flour if it isn't holding together firmly (1 tablespoon at a time).

Form into 4 patties and brown in a skillet with oil on medium heat about five minutes the first side and three to four minutes the second side.  Black bean burgers burn easily so you do need to keep an eye on them.  

I served them without a bun, topped with extra salsa and chopped onions.  However, I have served black bean burgers I used to make from a mix as regular burgers and putting cheese on top.

These were delicious and while we do not eat vegan, your vegan friends will probably like them without any added dairy.  They are also gluten free if using the right flour and making certain the oats are gluten free (not processed where any gluten products are also processed).

The original recipe is from Jenn Sebestyen of the Veggie Inspired blog (and other social media).

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

I used to make a more complicated recipe so when I found this one, it was a very good day.  Tastes just like the store bought Hershey's chocolate syrup but without the additives.

• 2 Cups            Sugar
• 1 Cup              Hershey's cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon    Salt
• 1 Cup              Cold water
• 1 Tablespoon   Vanilla extract

Combine cocoa and sugar, whisk until all lumps are gone.  Add cold water and salt.

Cook over medium heat, whisking until it comes to a boil.  Let it boil about 30 seconds, keep whisking so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.  Take off of heat.  Whisk in vanilla extract.  Let cool completely and pour into a jar.

This will keep a long time in the refrigerator but it usually gets used up before it could possibly go bad.  Great for pouring over ice cream, making chocolate milk, etc.

Makes approx. 1 1/2 pints.

Granola

Simple Granola

• 4 - 6 Cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 Cup or more nuts, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 Cup dried fruit or more to taste*
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon* (optional)

• 1/2 Cup honey or maple syrup (or more if you prefer it sweeter)
• 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon* vanilla (optional if using maple syrup)
  

Oven temperature at 350 degrees 

Mix oats, nuts, and cinnamon* (optional) in a large bowl.  Pour honey (or maple syrup) and oil in a small saucepan and warm it up.  Take it off the heat and add vanilla if you are using it. Pour the liquid mixture over the dried mixture and mix well.

Line a large baking pan with foil or parchment paper and oil it well... or plan on scrubbing the baking pan!  I use a half sheet cake baking pan.  Pour the granola mixture onto the prepared pan and spread out evenly.

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, checking a couple of times and gently stirring to keep it evenly browning.  I find a spatula works best for this.  As you get closer to 17 minutes, check until it is finished.  It should be toasted, not burned... and it burns quickly.

Take pan out of oven and sprinkle your dried fruit* on the hot mixture.  I have found this helps soften them nicely. Let it cool completely before taking off of pan. The original recipe called for dried apples but I almost always have dried cranberries on hand so I use them.  Dried cherries or dried blueberries would be great, as would chopped dried apricots, etc.

Carefully pour into an airtight container.  To use as a Holiday gift, pour into a cute container or Mason jar.

Variations:

* I sometimes make this without nuts and without cinnamon. However, these days I am more likely to make it with nuts and leave out dried fruit.

* When I add nuts, I usually add pecans but walnuts are great, too.  I have added sunflower seeds.

* The original recipe calls for adding a cup of coconut to the dry mixture before adding the liquid.  This would be baked with the granola.  To make it even more tropical, dried pineapple or mangoes could be added after taking the granola out of the oven.

Easy pumpkin muffins

I almost always bake from scratch but I have a few fun recipes that begin with a cake mix.  When I heard about this recipe, I had to make it right away to see if it really was that easy AND good.  All I can say is... yum.

This is the perfect recipe for last minute guests as everything is available in the pantry!

Added Note:  With just the three of us at home, we've had these last a few days.  They stayed moist for days (unlike other muffins).  Great when you need something to make ahead.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

 Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
(I added 1/2 teaspoon coriander and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom)

Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips  (not used in muffins pictured above)

Yes... that is the correct ingredient list.  There are no eggs, no oil, just what is listed.

Mix together dry cake mix and spices.  Add pumpkin and mix until blended.  Spoon into well greased muffin tin about 3/4ths full.

Bake 20-25 minutes for average muffin tin and 12-14 minutes for the mini muffins.  (The picture above is a bowl of mini muffins with colored sugar sprinkled on top before baking.)

These can easily morph into cupcakes by icing with your favorite buttercream, caramel, or cream cheese icing.

Salmon Patties

This is the quintessential pantry dish. If you've tried other recipes and hated salmon patties (as was the case with hubby), give this one a try. He actually ASKS me to make them once a week now.

I'll add a picture when I remember to take one before they are inhaled at dinner.

I buy canned wild Alaskan salmon when possible, it is not much more expensive than pink salmon and I've read it has more nutrition.

Also, if you leave the bones in by smashing them a bit when mixing the ingredients, these are also a great source of calcium. My husband didn't know I kept the bones in them until he was told.

When I serve them to my picky eater (aka: son), I just add a slice of cheese on top or pour cheese sauce over them.... he eats just about anything with cheese.

Salmon Patties

• 15 oz. can salmon (reserve liquid)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• Lemon pepper to taste (optional, I added this to the recipe)
• Oil for skillet

Drain the salmon, reserve 2 Tablespoons of the liquid in a small bowl.

In larger bowl, combine salmon, egg, and chopped onion. Stir in the flour and any seasonings you want to add.

Stir the baking powder into the reserved salmon liquid and watch it fizz! This is the secret of this recipe and what makes it so light.

Add the liquid to the salmon mixture and mix just until combined.

Form into patties (I make five from this recipe) and place into a medium hot skillet which has oil to cover the bottom. Brown one side and then turn, frying until other side is brown. I start with medium high and then turn it down to medium as soon as I add the patties to keep the outside from browning too fast before the inside is cooked completely.

I'd say about four minutes on each side.

Recipe was from: Favorite Recipes From Quilters

Note:  Sometimes I form them into very small patties (about a heaping tablespoon each) and then dip them into flour before adding to skillet.  They become a little crispier and I find the guys like them much better when cooked like this. Just be sure to pat off all excess flour because it burns and turns your oil black (ask me how I know).  ;)

A couple frozen desserts

One of my favorite recent cookbooks is Food That Says Welcome; Simple Recipes to Spark the Spirit of Hospitality by Barbara Smith (mother of Michael W. Smith).

It is full of great recipes but there are two that are great for hot weather since they can be frozen and then served when needed (cold!). You wouldn't find them in a health food book but they are not meant to be eaten everyday. :)

Frozen Cranberry Salad

• 1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
  
• 1 (8 1/4 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (which I don't always include)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Spoon into a 9 x 13 dish. Cover with foil. Freeze.

Can also be frozen in muffin tins for individual servings.


Frozen Strawberry Salad

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 1/4 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (10 ounce) pkg. frozen strawberries, thawed
2 bananas, sliced

Mix cream cheese and sugar in mixer until well blended; blend in whipped topping.

Fold in pineapple, strawberries, and bananas and freeze in muffin tins.

I'll post pictures when I have them (if I remember). :)

Chocolate Cherry Cake

This is an old recipe that I only recently started making again. Everyone I know loves it.

If you are in a hurry, you can make the cake as usual and use a canned chocolate frosting.  It won't be the exact same but it will still be good.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

1 Package chocolate cake mix*
1 can cherry pie filling (a little water if needed)
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla

Combine all ingredients (I use a heavy wooden spoon). The cherries will break apart but that's fine. If needed, put two tablespoons of water in the cherry pie filling can and stir to incorporate some of the cherry "sauce". Add that to the mixture at the same time as you add everything else. The cans are smaller than they used to be and I think the water helps but it isn't necessary.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan (I spray with Pam or something similar) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. In my oven, it needs the entire 30 minutes.

While baking, make the frosting:

FROSTING *

1 Cup sugar
1/3rd Cup milk
5 Tablespoons butter

Let melt together on medium heat and then bring to a boil for about 30 seconds. Take off heat.

Add:

1 heaping cup mini marshmallows
1 heaping cup good quality chocolate chips
1 heaping cup good quality white chocolate chips (optional, but good)

Stir together until smooth. If it sets up a little before the cake is finished, just stir it again really good.

Pour over the hot cake (when it comes out of the oven). Let cool completely before you try to cut it.

I actually like this cake refrigerated and served cold but it also is just fine to serve at room temperature. It's one of those cakes that is even better one or two days after it is made.

* I have increased these ingredients before by 1/2 to make a thicker fudge frosting (using one stick of butter).

**If you like the taste of dark chocolate, use a Devils Food cake mix. I prefer a regular chocolate, milk chocolate, or even a German Chocolate mix as I'm not as fond of dark chocolate as some members of my family. :)

Fun pretzel "candy"

I LOVED this recipe. It is so easy that small children can help as long as there is an adult or older child melting the white chocolate (which can get a little hot). My husband dislikes pretzels but he said this is a winner.

You will need one bag of pretzel "twists, one bag of M&Ms, and one or two packages of white dipping chocolate (two if you plan to make the entire bag of pretzels into candy).

You don't need this many M&M's, they also went into another recipe, some were poured into my glass candy dish, and others were placed into a jar to be given as a gift!

Just place the small pretzel "twists" on a tray of some kind covered with either parchment paper or wax paper.

Melt the white dipping chocolate according to directions (see next paragraph). I only used half of it at a time to keep it from hardening too soon. Spoon the white chocolate into each pretzel (don't be stingy, you need enough for the M&M to sit in easily).

Added:  I now often use white chocolate chips for this most of the time, especially the Ghirardelli brand.

Then quickly place one M&M on top of each pretzel while the white chocolate is soft. Obviously the peanut M&M type won't work here.

Let sit until they harden which doesn't take too long but you can also put them in the frig to harden quickly.

This takes awhile if (like me) only one person was making it. But it would be great family fun for a group.

I made two "batches" that covered the cookie sheet with one bag of white dipping chocolate. I'll make the rest tomorrow. People will love receiving these as a gift.

Homemade cocoa mix

Front of cocoa jar

Back of cocoa jar (with instructions)

I made cocoa mix as one of the gifts for my husband's siblings this year. It's something I know they'd appreciate.

The container for the cocoa mix is very inexpensive and it came from Target. I added a Christmasy touch to it.

The front has the "To" and "From" sticker and the back has the directions on a label.

The recycled jelly jars contain miniature marshmallows and Christmas M&Ms. I love those jelly jars, whenever my husband finishes that brand of jelly, he knows to put it in the sink to be washed and not in the recycling bin!

Here are two cocoa recipes. I used one with Nestle's Quick. It was similar to this recipe but I had to "tweak" mine a lot. This one looks a lot better. My recipe was so large that I had to use my bowl I make bread in at times.

Homemade Cocoa Mix

1 (3 lb.) box Nestle Quick (they are less weight now)
1/2 to 1 c. powdered sugar
1 (8 qt.) box powdered milk
6 to 8 oz. coffee creamer powder

Combine all ingredients. To make a cup of hot chocolate, add 1/3 cup of the mix to a cup of boiling water. This keeps indefinitely in a covered container.

The last time I made this, I added about 1/4th a cup of cocoa to the mixture to make it richer.

Here is a recipe using Hershey's cocoa:

2 c. nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. Hershey's cocoa
1/2 c. powdered non-dairy creamer

Mix in large bowl combine all ingredients; blend well. Store tightly in covered container (16 servings). Single serving: Combine 1/4 cup mix to 3/4 cup boiling water.

For mocha flavor, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup instant coffee (I'd make it decaf)

These two recipes were from Cooks.com. There are many variations available by doing a web search.

Pumpkin Bars

I know pumpkin bars have been around for awhile. This recipe is from one of the best cooks in Muscatine, Iowa! The church we attended there had amazing pot lucks. It's one of my all time favorite recipes, especially in autumn and winter... so easy and it serves a lot.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
16 oz. can pumpkin (I think they are 15 oz. now)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Cup toasted walnuts or pecans (optional) *

Cream sugar and oil; add eggs and pumpkin; mix until smooth. Combine flour, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until blended.

Pour into well greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 min (20 min. seems to work fine in my stove). Ice when completely cool.

ICING **

All ingredients at room temperature

3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon maple extract (optional but good)
2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese; add vanilla and then powdered sugar. Mix until well blended. This is not as fluffy as regular icing.

Spread over pumpkin bars when they are completely cooled.  If desired, press toasted nuts into part of the freshly iced cake before cutting into squares.

** I often double the icing recipe, especially if I'm going to press nuts into it.  I double everything but leave the butter to one stick, which is more than enough.

 * I love checking out how professional caterers fix and display food, that's where I learned this trick of pressing toasted nuts into part of a baked good instead of putting them in the batter.  It is especially good for making one recipe for people who dislike nuts in their food and people who love them.

I was at an "After the Concert" open house for the youth symphony in the City.  The caterer had used this idea.   I have "borrowed" it in so many baked goods since then.

Weight Watchers Pineapple Angel Food Cake

This is so quick and quite delicious. It doesn't have to be refrigerated when finished but I like the texture when it is cold. Serve with a dollop of Cool Whip or whipped cream if available.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

1 Pkg. angel food cake mix
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple in its' juice

With a spoon, mix together (do not drain the pineapple) the pineapple and cake mix. Pour into ungreased 9 x 13 dish. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Pan must be ungreased so cake can rise properly.

Jean's Peach Pie (Cobbler)

Jean's Peach Pie (Cobbler)

• 1 28 oz. can sliced peaches
  
• 1 yellow cake mix (18 oz. box)
• 1 stick butter, cut into small chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pour can of peaches into bottom of large baking dish that has been buttered (or sprayed with something like Pam).

Sprinkle dry cake mix over peaches.

Top with butter chips.

Bake until brown

(It has been awhile since I made this but I'd say check after 20 min.)

Beverly Nye's Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Also from the cookbook, A Family Raised on Sunshine. How much easier can homemade candy be to make?

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Mix well:

1 1-2 boxes powdered sugar*
1 1/2 cups peanut butter

2 sticks margarine (or butter), room temp
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

*3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar = 1 pound

Form into egg shapes and dip in chocolate.

Beverly Nye's "Basic Mints"

In Beverly's cookbook called A Family Raised on Sunshine, she gives this recipe for Spring. While it is nice enough just rolled into patties, you can also mold it in a candy mold for pretty shapes.

Basic Mints

Knead together with hands*:

8 oz. package cream cheese, room temp
2 lb. package powdered sugar

Color and flavor as desired:

Lemon-Yellow
Mint-Pink
Wintergreen-Green

*I use my Kitchen Aid mixer to mix these ingredients.

Either shape into small patties or mold with candy molds. I've seen some candy makers roll these in white sugar immediately after shaping.

You can also just add mint flavoring, form into patties, and dip into dipping chocolate.

Easy fruit cocktail cake

This was one of mother-in-law's favorite cakes. She loved easy recipes like this for her bridge club.

Easy Fruit Cocktail Cake

Mix:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder

Add:
2 cups drained fruit cocktail
1 egg, beaten

Pour into a greased 9 x 12 (I use 9 x 13) pan.

Top with mixture of:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Cocoa Bars

This is another good Beverly Nye recipe. So many of my favorites came from her cookbooks! It's simple to put together. It is a cake style brownie but I always bake it as a regular cake. It's one of those recipes that is just as quick as a cake mix but has no additives.

Frost with a favorite chocolate icing (I use the one on the back of Hershey's cocoa).

Cocoa Bars

Beat together:
1 stick butter (room temp)
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Add:
3/4 cup sour milk (buttermilk or regular milk with a little vinegar poured in--about a teaspoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Then add:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I now use 1/4 cup with great results)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 taspoon salt

Mix well...pour into a greased 9 x 13 dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let cool before icing.

Brownie Swirl Cheesecake

This recipe is far better made early and allowed to chill all day (or all night!). Also, I made it in a 9 x 13 dish rather than a springform pan. The only change was to lessen the final baking time.

Brownie Swirl Cheesecake

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Brownie Mix -- and ingredients it calls for
(or use your favorite brownie "from scratch recipe)

2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, room temp
1/2 C. Sugar
1 t. Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 C. Milk Chocolate Chips to melt (I used regular semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare brownie mix according to directions for chewy brownies. Spread into greased 9" springform pan (I used 9 x 13 Pyrex dish). Bake for 15 minutes. Then cool 10 minutes on wire rack.

Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add eggs, beating one at a time. Pour over brownie mix. Melt chocolate, drizzle on top. Cut through batter with knife to form a swirl or marbled affect.

Bake 350 for 35-40 minutes if in springform pan. Bake 25-30 minutes if in 9 x 13 dish.

Cool completely, best left chilled for at least a six hours.

You could make a rather thin ganache and pour it on top after it has cooled a bit. I didn't have the time to do it but it would taste great and add an additional layer of chocolate.

My favorite bread machine bread recipe

This has been my "go to" bread recipe since I received my bread machine as a Christmas present (a very long time ago). I tweak the ingredients by who I'm making the bread for and what I'm going to use it for. If it is for my husband (who slices the bread and freezes it, getting out only enough for breakfast each day), I make it 100% freshly ground whole wheat. My son and I like it best half-whole wheat and half-King Arthur bread flour. For cinnamon rolls, I like to make it with three cups bread flour and one cup whole wheat flour. (I rarely make it with all white flour.)

If I'm using it to make a sweeter, richer, dough (for cinnamon rolls or to make dinner rolls), I use milk instead of water and use butter instead of oil. When I do this, I warm the milk up and then add the butter and honey to the warm milk to mix well.

As with any bread machine recipe, all ingredients should at least be room temperature (if not warmed a bit in the Winter).

This makes one loaf of bread or ten to twelve cinnamon rolls (if allowed to rise fully).

Whole Wheat Honey Bread (also cinnamon rolls)

1 Cup and 2 T. water (just slightly above the 1 C. line)
4 Cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup honey (or a little less, or brown sugar)
2 T. shortening (I use mild olive oil or butter)
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place water, salt, honey and shortening in machine pan. Add flour and then sprinkle the yeast on top.

Put on dough cycle, will take 1 ½ hours until finished. Take out of bread machine, mold into a loaf, put in greased loaf pan. Let rise until slightly over the top of the loaf pan, slash a few times on top. Bake 30-35 min. at 350 degrees.

If making cinnamon rolls: Roll out into a rectangle, brush melted butter on the dough (except about an inch at the bottom so it seals well), sprinkle with cinnamon and "rub" the cinnamon into the butter to cover the dough (leaving about an inch at the bottom clean), sprinkle with brown sugar, pat the sugar into the dough, roll up, cut into about one inch slices. Place slices in two 9" cake pans (or whatever you have, I've also put them all in a 9 x 13 dish) and let rise about 30 min..longer in cold weather.

Place into preheated 350 degree oven and bake 12-15 minutes or until golden on top. Let cool a bit and frost with frosting: 1/2 to 1 stick butter-room temp mixed with 3 cups confectioners sugar. Add just enough milk until you get the consistency you like (I like mine thinner than I'd use to frost a cake but not so thin it becomes a glaze).

Rachel Ray's Fudge

This recipe is from Rachel Ray's "30 Minutes" program on The Food Channel. She made it into a wreath by putting the condensed milk can (washed) into the middle of a round cake pan and forming the fudge around the can, into a wreath. She added green and red candied fruits to the top of the "wreath". I have made it as a wreath, in an 8" square dish, in a small loaf pan and (by working quickly) into round balls and placed in the small paper cups. Except for making them into the round balls, the entire recipe takes about ten minutes!

Ingredients:
1 Pkg. Semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 Pkg. Milk chocolate chips (12 oz.)*
1 Can Sweetened condensed milk
1 t. Vanilla
1/2 Cup Currents**
1/4 Cup Chopped nuts (optional)

Heat condensed milk in saucepan, add chocolate chips until melted. Add vanilla, then currents and nuts (if using). Pour into a dish as the options described above.

Chill. Work quickly as fudge sets faster than you would think!

*I always use the semi-sweet chocolate chips as a base. Sometimes, instead of milk chocolate chips I will use another type--mint chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, etc.

**I've tried variations and the smaller currents really do work better than raisins. However, you could also use chopped raisins, dried cherries, or dried cranberries.

Homemade Mounds (base for various candies)

This wondereful candy recipe is from one of Beverly Nye's cookbooks.

Knead Together:
8 oz. Package cream cheese (room temperature)
2 lb. Bag powdered sugar
Coconut (as much as you can knead in)
(You will also need two packages dipping chocolate later)

I mix these together with my stand mixer and get about half a large package of coconut mixed in.*

Add:
1/2 teaspoon almond extract -or-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract -or- (and this is what I often do)
Put in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the mixture, take about 1/2 of the mixture out of the bowl, add 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of mint extract to the mixture remaining in the bowl.

You can experiment with other extracts. I've used maple extract and kneaded in some chopped nuts. I've also used orange extract. (I wonder what cherry extract would taste like...yum.)

Roll mixture into balls and dip into dipping chocolate. I use a spoon and a fork for this (or you can use professional candy equipment). I bring up the ball from the chocolate and "roll" it onto a fork where the excess can drip through a bit. Then I place it on parchment paper (foil will do just fine, too, you just need something easy to peel off the candy). The dipping chocolate hardens quickly so I find it best to melt just half a package in a small bowl at a time.

*If Beverly was just making mint candy, she would leave out the coconut. Since this recipe makes a large amount, I like to make it all at once and just add the mint extract to the remaining "Mounds" ingredients and make them into patties instead of a round ball...works great, too.

You can really use your creativity with this recipe by changing the extracts around, mixing in finely chopped nuts, before dipping the ball in chocolate you can push a walnut or pecan half in the ball, you can knead in dried or candied fruit (chopped finely)...lots of great things to do with the Mounds recipe as a base.

The base recipe can be made one or two days in advance, just keep it in an airtight container or a bowl that has been tightly sealed with plastic wrap then form and dip into the chocolate when you have time. I made my base on Saturday and wasn't able to form them and dip them until yesterday (Thursday).

You can also make the candy into the balls or patties, place undipped candy on a plate (or cookie sheet if your freezer is big enough), set timer for thirty minutes. Take out the candy and pour into zip-lock bag and freeze. (Ask me why you have to set the timer???) This recipe makes a lot of candy so I dipped only part of them yesterday (using only one package of dipping chocolate) and froze the rest to use as gifts later. All you will have to do is dip them into the chocolate.

You can make these look like a fancy gift by placing individual candies in tiny paper cups and placing them in a tin. It looks uptown for a very small price. I have never had to refrigerate the candy, even with the cream cheese base. It's probably the two pounds of confectioners sugar that preserves it.