BUG SPRAY

BUG SPRAY

Put in glass 4 oz spray bottle:

2 oz witch hazel
2 oz distilled water
10-15 drops of each (lavendar, eucalyptus, peppermint, cedarwood)
(didn't have cedarwood)

UPDATE 8/9/18: added 2 drops of terrashield and topped off bottle with water

ANDES MINT CAKE

ANDES MINT CAKE

Loved!  Yum!  This is such a moist cake. Was still good days afterwards.  Needs ice cream or a glass of milk with all that mint.  Made for my bday 2016.  Didn't put the mints around the bottom - only on top. Can get the mints in the bulk at WinCo but still pretty spendy.  I halved the green minty cream filling.

Chocolate Cake
1 box devil’s food cake mix
3 eggs
½ cup oil
¾ cup buttermilk or milk
¾ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Green Minty Cream Filling
1 ¼ cup butter, softened
1 ½ teaspoons peppermint extract
2 tablespoons milk
4–5 cups powdered sugar
Green food dye (optional)
Chocolate Mint Buttercream
1 ¼ cup butter, softened
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 tablespoon milk or sour cream
3–4 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Ganache
¾ cup chocolate chips
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Decoration

Andes mints for decoration

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease three 8-inch pans. (You can also use only two pans; see baking time below.) I prefer to line the bottoms of my pans with foil or parchment paper for easy removal.
2.   Sift cake mix into a small bowl; set aside.
3.   In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4.   Stir in cake mix.
5.   Pour equal amount of batter into each prepared pan and use a spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 17–22 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (If you are making only two layers, the cake will need to bake for 20–25 minutes.)
6.   Let cake cool completely.
7.   Green Minty Cream Filling: Beat butter for 2 minutes. Add peppermint extract and milk and beat again. Gradually add powdered sugar until the filling reaches the desired consistency.
8.   Chocolate Mint Buttercream: Beat butter for 2 minutes. Add cocoa powder, peppermint extract, and milk; beat again. Gradually add powdered sugar until the buttercream reaches the desired consistency.
9.   Chocolate Ganache: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Continue to microwave in 10-second increments until smooth.
10.  To assemble the cake, place one layer of chocolate cake on a cake stand; frost with the Green Minty Cream Filling. Top with a second layer of cake; frost with the rest of the filling. Top with the last layer of cake; frost the top and sides with Chocolate Mint Buttercream.
11.   Use Andes mint candies to decorate the bottom of the cake.
12.   Pour the Chocolate Ganache carefully over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides. Finish with chopped Andes mints on top.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BUNDT CAKE

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/chocolate-peppermint-bundt-cake-recipe/

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BUNDT CAKE

Loved, loved this!  Wanted all Christmas season to make it.  Ended up making it the night of Alamo Bowl (Ducks January 2, 2016).  We were having a party at Lisa & Kyle's.  Mom & Dad and Justin's family were all there.  It was so good wish I would have made it just for our family so we would have had left overs :-)

Ingredients

• cocoa powder and butter for pan
• 1 box Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix
• 1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix (3.9 ounces)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup full fat sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon certified pure peppermint essential oil or 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips, roughly chopped
Glaze
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (3 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 tablespoon butter (not sure this is needed - was runnier than normal)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 to 2 drops certified pure peppermint essential oil or 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 candy canes, crushed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly butter the inside of a bundt pan, then dust to coat with cocoa powder. Tap and shake out excess powder.
2. Dump the dry cake mix and dry pudding mix into the bowl of a stand mixer. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, oil, milk, vanilla, and peppermint until smooth. With the stand mixer running, add the liquid ingredients to the dry mixes and beat until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat for 2 minutes on medium high speed. Add chocolate chips and stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out with moist crumbs attached.
3. For the glaze, place the chocolate chips and butter in a bowl. Heat the cream until hot and bubbly, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Let sit for a few minutes while the chocolate melts, then add the peppermint and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
4. When the cake is done baking, let cool until just warm, about 15-20 minutes. Then invert onto a paper towel on a cooling rack. Let cool completely, then place on a serving platter. Glaze the cake by gently brushing glaze over the top, then spoon or pour glaze over and let it drip down the sides. If the glaze has thickened too much, heat for a few seconds to loosen. Let glaze set on the cake for a few minutes, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
5. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

PEPPERMINT BARK POPCORN

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

Very, very tasty!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/12/peppermint-bark-popcorn/

Peppermint Bark Popcorn
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients
16 C popped popcorn* (fresh, or about 2 bags microwave popcorn)
1 lb almond bark (or 1# vanilla chips and 1 T butter)
1 6 ounce box candy canes, crushed (about 1 generous cups, Bob’s brand are best!)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil or 2 teaspoons peppermint extract**
3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

*if you’re using microwave popcorn, try to find an unbuttered or “natural” kind because this looks much prettier if the popcorn isn’t bright yellow!  Lightly salted is fine, I actually like a little salt in there, but avoid heavy buttered.
** If you can find flavored oils, like you would use for candy making, use them as they will best combine with the almond bark.  If using extract, it’s not unusual for it to cause the almond bark to seize, but just stir quickly and pour immediately on popcorn.  Once distributed it will be just fine. 

Instructions
Place popcorn in a very large mixing bowl.
Melt almond bark according to package instructions.  When completely melted, add extract or peppermint oil.  If using extract, it’s normal for the almond bark to seize (get lumpy) which is okay, just stir very quickly, the more you wait the more it will seize.
Pour melted almond bark mixture over popcorn and pour crushed candy canes on top.  Stir to evenly coat.  Pour popcorn out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil and spread out.
Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.  Drizzle over popcorn mixture.  Let mixture dry completely until chocolate and almond bark are hardened.   You may place in the fridge to speed process along.

When chocolate is hardened, use your hands to break up popcorn into chunks. Toss in a bowl, a jar, a cute package, or in your mouth :)

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Article printed from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com

URL to article: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/12/peppermint-bark-popcorn/