Purely Peppermint

       Two weeks stand between now and Christmas. Christmas trees, lights, and reindeer statues decorate the house. Why not decorate your table with some festive, refreshing peppermint desserts or make a jar of cocoa to go? Look over the follow recipes and pick your favorite!!

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup crushed peppermint or spearmint candies, divided

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate at 70% power; stir until smooth. Repeat with chocolate chips. Stir 6 tablespoons of crushed candies into each bowl. Drop white chocolate and semisweet chocolate in alternating spoonfuls onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.

2. With a metal spatula, cut through chocolate to swirl, spreading to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candies. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: about 1 pound.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Makes: 8 servings

Peppermint Meringues

Ingredients:

- 2 eggs whites

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

- 1/2 cup white sugar

- 2 peppermint candy canes, crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks. Drop by spoonfuls 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the cookies.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours in preheated oven. Meringues should be completely dry on the inside. Do not allow them to brown. Turn off oven. Keep oven door ajar, and let meringues sit in the oven until completely cool. Loosen from foil with metal spatula. Store loosely covered in cool dry place for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 4 dozen

Peppermint Stick Cocoa (in a jar!)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup powdered milk

- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Directions:

1. - Layer powdered milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, chocolate chips, and peppermint candy.

Makes: Fills a 1-quart jar (12 servings)

Note: If your containers are different sizes, keep the ratio of ingredients consistent. On the back of the tag, write: Mix contents in large bowl. For each serving, place 1/3 cup cocoa mix in a mug and stir in a cup of boiling water. Store rest of mix in a container.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

***and happy cooking***

Pumpkin Madness!

       The trick-or-treating is over, the spooky decorations have been taken down, and that crazy cow costume you wore this year has been tucked away. Halloween is officially over, but who's to say the season of pumpkins is? Many times when we hear the word "pumpkin," our mind instantly flashed to an image of a jack-o-lantern, complete with triangle-shaped eyes and a goofy one-toothed grin, typically seen on everyone's porches during Halloween. However, Halloween can sometimes just be the beginning of pumpkin madness. The irresistible spicy flavor of pumpkin has recently become so popular that stores have even began selling products ranging from pumpkin ice cream to pumpkin flavored beer. Check out some of these recipes below and add a litte SPICE to your life!

Pumpkin Vanilla Oatmeal 
what you'll need:
1/2 cup cooked rolled oats (use gluten free oats for gluten allergies)
1/3 cup French Vanilla Yogurt (Hint: Organic sometimes works better)
2 Tablespoons of Pumpkin Butter
1 Packet Stevia or Truvia
Sprinkle of Cinnamon

Directions:
1. Layer oats, yogurt, cinnamon, truvia, and pumpkin butter.
2. SWIRL to mix
3. ENJOY!

Pumpkin Spice Frappe
What you'll need:
1 1/2 cups coffee, frozen, partially thawed
2 Tablespoons pumpkin, canned
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice, ground
1 teaspoon Stevia
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk from carton, not canned
2 Tablespoons whipped cream, fat free
1 dash cinnamon, ground

Directions:
1. In a blender, add coffee, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin spice, stevia, and coconut milk. BLEND until smooth.
2. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon






Pumpkin Roll
For the Cake:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree

For the Filling:
1 (8ounce)package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. LIne a 15x10inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle a clean tea towel with powdered sugar. Set pan and towel aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar until thick. Add in pumpkin and mix to combine. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully, peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

4. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

Christmas Tree Sale

       The Christmas season is just around the corner... FORTY NINE days to be exact! What better to way to get into the holiday spirit than to find the perfect tree to compliment your living room or den? and why not support a local school in the process? Hardin Park Elementary School (HPES) wants to refurbish their playground! With your help, in purchasing a tree, half of the proceeds from this fundraiser will do just that!

   

You have two choices: Order your tree/wreath from a HPES student 

OR 

Pick up a pre-order form at the HPES Front Office.

The Christmas Tree Lot is located at 1082 East King Street, Suite 6 in Boone, NC. Starting November 15th, the lot will be open for business. Order before November 12th to ensure your tree! If you decide to wait to buy a tree until the 15th, call the High Country HOME office to make sure there will be a tree for you!

Call (828)264-2670.

FYI: If you can't make it to the lot, pay the low cost fee of $5 for delivery!

Just hear those sleigh bells, ring-a-ling...

Oh dear, is that deer?

Here in the High Country deer hunting season is in full swing! Once you're out of the woods, what should you do with your prized deer meat? Try one of these fun recipes.

Venison Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless venison steak, cubed

1 pound pork sausage

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

Hot pepper sauce to taste

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes green chilies

3 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese for garnish

Directions:

1.) Place the venison and sausage in a large skillet and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon as necessary, over medium heat until no longer pink and evenly browned. Drain grease. Stir in the onions and garlic, and cook until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Drain, and mix in the tomato paste. Season to taste with hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper.

2.) Pour the cannellini beans and tomatoes into a slow cooker. Stir in the venison mixture. Cover, and cook 8 to 10 hours on Low, or 5 hours on High. Sprinkle each serving with shredded Cheddar cheese.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours

Serves: 8

~OR TRY~

Venison Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 pound venison, cut into cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic powder to taste

1 onion, chopped

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked egg noodles

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions:

1.) Season venison with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Saute onion in a large skillet; when soft, add venison and brown. Drain when venison is no longer pink and add soup. Reduce heat to low and simmer.

2.) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3.) When noodles are almost done cooking, stir sour cream into meat mixture. Pour meat mixture over hot cooked noodles and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 

Happy cooking! Let us know if you tried and liked either of these recipes!

Eat more pumpkin!

       The advent of winter is upon us, but before you go and pick out a Christmas tree to put up in your living room remember that there are a few holidays we have to get through before the end of December. That first holiday comes at the end of October: Halloween. 

       The first words that come to mind when I think of October are hot apple cider and pumpkins. Why not try seasonal recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth? Because who says you can only make fudge during Christmas time? 

Pumpkin Fudge

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
• 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow crème
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

• Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. 
• Cook, stirring constantly for about 12 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat.
• Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. 
• Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 9-inch square pan. 

Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

Note: Line pan with aluminum foil before you cook the fudge. Once the remaining ingredients are added, quickly spoon the fudge into the pan.

Recipe Time

Cook time: 15 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Stand: 2 hours

OR TRY

Candy Corn Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• Yellow food coloring
• Red food coloring

Preparation:

• Beat butter and sugar together at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Combine flour, salt, and lemon zest; gradually stir into butter mixture.
• Divide dough into 3 equal pieces (about 1 1/4 cups each); tint 1 piece with yellow food coloring. Tint another piece orange using red and yellow food coloring. (Add 1 to 2 teaspoons flour to orange dough if food coloring makes it softer than other colors.)
•  Place white, untinted dough in bottom of a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan, pressing down. Top with orange dough and then yellow, pressing down. Cover and chill 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto work surface. Cut slices 3/8-inch thick from dough; cut each slice into 6 triangles. Place cookies on parchment paper– or aluminum foil–lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set but not browned. Cool on wire rack 1 minute; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe Time
Prep time: 50 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Bake: 7 minutes


       Enjoy the fall weather and happy cooking!!

Website Blowout Special!

For this week only, we're offering to build you a comprehensive website for only $400! With only 6 slots left, this blowout special ends Thursday, so call us today at 828-264-2670 and expand your business!

Festive Fall Recipes

    The official start of fall is not for another two weeks, but if you look at the trees dotting the mountainside of the High Country you would think differently. The first chill of fall air graced our presence this weekend and soon the aromatic scents of pumpkin and caramel will follow. Pull out your warm blankets stuffed in the back of your closet and cozy up to these fall recipes.

            Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

 

 
Ingredients:

Pumpkin spice syrup

-  1 ½ cups of water

-  1 ½ cups sugar

-  4 cinnamon sticks or 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

-  ½ tsp ground cloves

-  ½ tsp ground ginger

-  1 tsp ground nutmeg

-  3 Tbsp canned pumpkin

For a single latte:

-  2-4 Tbsp espresso

-  6-8 oz skim milk, very hot

-  1-2 Tbsp pumpkin spice syrup

-  Optional: Whipped Cream


DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the syrup: Cook sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat until the mixture is completely clear.
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not allow mixture to come to a boil.
3. Allow mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes.
4. Strain syrup through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a large jar or bottle of your choice.
5. Keep syrup in the fridge, it will last a while.
6. To make the latte, combine espresso with heated milk, and 1-2 Tbsp of pumpkin spice syrup (add to taste).
7. If desired, top with whipped cream.

Estimated cook time: 25 minutes

 

Apple Cider Caramel Cookies:

Ingredients:

-  1 cup unsalted butter, almost melted

-  1 cup granulated sugar

-  ½ tsp salt

-  1 (7.4 oz) box of Alpine Spiced Apple Cider instant drink mix

- 2 eggs

-  1 tsp vanilla extract

-  1 tsp baking soda

-  ½ tsp baking powder

-  3 cups All-Purpose flour

-  1 (14 oz) bag of Kraft caramels

DIRECTIONS:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, and then mix in the baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

3. With a standard (size 50) cookie scoop, scoop the dough scrapping off the excess as you go up the bowl. Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place a caramel in the center. Work the dough around the caramel sealing well. Place the cookies two inches apart on the sheets.

4. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. After baking, carefully slide the parchment with the cookies onto the counter. Let cool until they are no longer soft but still slightly warm. Twist gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on the parchment or on a cooling rack.

 

 

So get up and into the kitchen and start your fall pre-season baking!