Jean Pocket Bean Bags

Liz submitted this really cute craft!  Bean Bags made out of pockets from your old jeans!  I love them!  Thanks for sharing Liz!

I found this easy bean bag pattern in an old craft book of my moms.  Basically you cut out the butt pocket of your blue jeans (no holes in front or back) around the sewn edges, fill with rice or beans and sew two seams along the open edge.  Watch for fraying edges.  I used pockets from women's & men's jeans and added 3/4- 1 cup of rice.  I made 14 bags and used about 2/3 of my 10 lb bag of rice.

Double Chocolate Cookie Bars

Double Chocolate Cookie Bars
submitted: Summer Thatcher
From: Heidi Bakes Blog

24 OREO cookies
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Set aside 6 cookies and grind the rest in a food processor or blender.  IN a small bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and butter until well blended.  Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Over a double broiler or in the microwave (for 1 minute), melt 1 cup of chocolate chips together with the condensed milk.  Stir and add the vanilla.  Stir frequently until smooth.  Spread evenly over the crumb crust.  Sprinkle the remaining cup of chocolate chips over the top.  Break remaining cookies into pieces by hand and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven.  Cool completely before cutting into the bars.

Creamy Bacon Carbonara

Creamy Bacon Carbonara
Submitted: Summer Thatcher
From: Just Get off Your Butt and Bake

2 eggs
1/4 c. Heavy Cream
1/3 c. Parmesan
Fresh diced Parsley or dried flakes (Basil would be good also)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper flakes
(I doubled the sauce recipe, and it was perfect)

1/2 lb. bacon
1 small onion, chopped (opt.)
3 mushrooms sliced (opt.)
1/2 lb. pasta

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, parsley, salt and red pepper together in a bowl.  I just used a fork.  Fry the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside.  With 1-2 TBS bacon grease, saute the onion and mushrooms until the onions are translucent and golden.  Drain the pasta and while still warm, add to the onions and mushrooms.  Pour cream mixture into the pasta, and stir over low heat for one to two minutes.  (**I doubled the sauce recipe and I saved a bit of the pasta water, just in case my sauce got thicker than I liked, add a bit if you need it).  Don't do this on high heat or you will make scrambled eggs.  Serve with additional Parmesan, and a loaf of Crusty French Bread and a salad!  You will love it!

Peaches and Cream Tart

Peaches and Cream Tart

submitted: Summer Thatcher

Crust:
2 c. Macaroon Cookie crumbs (almost 1 pkg. cookies)
1/4 c. butter, melted

Combine crumbs and butter. Put in spring form pan or mini cheesecake pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling:
1 c. heavy cream
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2/3 c. sugar
4 TBS orange juice concentrate
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract

Whip whipping cream till stiff, set aside. Beat cream cheese, sugar, OJ, vanilla and almond. Stir in whipping cream. Spread over crust. Refrigerate 2-4 hours or freeze 1 hour. Peel and slice peaches (or strawberries, raspberries, blueberries...) and sprinkle with sugar. Put fruit on top of filling before serving.

If you want you can make some homemade whipped cream (1 c. heavy cream, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 tsp. almond) and put on top before the fruit...so good:)