This is one time of the year when creepy is good if creepy can be eaten, smile. Many years ago as I was watching TV, a Martha Stewart program came up. I decided to watch it. She was making this recipe, Ladies Fingers. I was so impressed with the idea of the fingers that I decided to write her recipe down and make it every year by Halloween time. The recipe is not rocket science, is just a sugar cookie that anyone can make. However, the cookie is, while its shaped into gross fingers. Enjoy!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time:
Approximate Cost: Under $5.00
Servings: 30 cookies
 
Ingredients for the Cookies
 
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
 
Ingredients for the red nails:
2 tablespoons red food coloring
30 blanched almonds
 
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line one baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper, and set aside.
Place food coloring in a shallow bowl. Using a small paintbrush, color one rounded half of each almond. Set aside to dry.
Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into 15 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach.

Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
What I actually did to showcase them was to use a deep bow, filled it with graham cracker crumbs to look like they are coming out of sand. (I used to find Crumbed Oreo cookies in local stores; however, I did not find it anywhere and it was cool since they look like they were coming out of dirt.) Enjoy!

“Brazo Gitano” as we call it in Puerto Rico, is a simple, yet elegant thin sponge cake filled with Guava Jelly or vanilla cream. It can be eaten with a nice cup of coffee, or cappuccino, latte, or hot cocoa or even a frozen glass of milk, my favorite, smile. Although this cake is called Swiss Roll in English, the actual translation to our dessert should be called Gipsy Arm. Well, maybe it’s really called (in English) Gipsy Roll, oh well, whatever the name, it’s so good! smile.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Approximate Cost: $7.18 or .72 cents per slice
Servings: 10
 
Cake Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour ($1.00)
4 egg yolks & 4 egg whites (.60)
1 cup granulated sugar (.40)
1/2 tsp. Fresh lemon juice or bottled (.20)
1 tsp. vanilla (.20)
3 tbsp. Water

My 3-Filling Ingredients:
½ jar of Goya guava jelly ($1.60)
½ jar of Strawberries jelly ($1.34)
½ jar of Smucker’s grape jelly ($1.34)
¼ cup confectioner sugar to taste to sprinkle over the finish cake after you rolled it. (.50)

Directions
Start the oven at 350 degrees.
Oil spray a 13 x18 mold, cover the bottom with wax paper and spray oil on top as well.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder to remove any lumps.
Separate the yolks and egg whites.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites adding 1/2 cup of sugar gradually, until stiff.
In a separate bowl beat the yolks adding 1/2 cup of sugar gradually until light yellow.
Add the yolks to the egg whites and fold until mixed.
Add the lemon juice, vanilla, water and beat briefly.
Now, add the dry ingredients slowly until they all blend well, however, do not over beat.
Pour the mix in the rectangular mold prepared with wax paper, ensuring that it is spreads evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, depending on your oven. The cake is thin, it will cook fast.

The filling: You can use the fillings that I used in my recipe or use the filling(s) of your choice.

When the cake is ready, invert the cake onto a kitchen wet towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Peel off the top parchment layer; discard. Trim any ragged edges with knife.
 
Starting with the longer side of the cake, roll it like a cylinder, with the wet towel. Set aside, seam-side down, until cool. This step prevents cake breakage.

After totally cooled, gently unroll the cake. For my 3-flavor cake, spread the jellies over, see my slide show.

Make sure that you spread it an inch before the edge of the cake so when you roll it won't squeeze the filling out and make a mess, smile.

Roll it again, place cake-seam side down on a serving platter and let it chill until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving and garnish with fresh fruits like strawberries.
 
Enjoy!
 
HACK:
Other options for fillings are: Vanilla cream, mixed cream cheese and brown sugar, Nutella, lemon pudding  -Natilla style, well, the sky is the limit. Don’t forget to sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

This is such a life saver for working parents. Crockpot meals save so much time. However, the best part is that upon arrival from work, dinner is ready. All you need to do is to prep the ingredients, dump them in the Crockpot, set it to cook in high (or low) for about 8 hours, depending what you are cooking, and the Crockpot will do the work for you. (Oh; of course, you need to have a Crockpot, right?) This is my recipe but you can try any other ingredient combination, like adding red wine and dried mushrooms, it will work. Try it, you may like it.
 
Approximate Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: This is slow cooking. Since it’s slow cooking, it will cook for 7-8 hrs.
Approximate Cost: $11.63 or $2.90 per each serving
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
1 ½ lb. large chicken breasts cut in 1-1/2” (Costco packs @ $2.79 Lb.) ($4.19)
1 cup of organic shelled Edamame ($1.20)
2 small black and red potatoes (.55)
½ bag of Goya Yam (Ñame) ($1.49)
1 large carrot (.35)
2 stalks of celery (.35)
½ head of chopped garlic (.35)
2 tbsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning. See my link below, or any seasoning of your choice. (.35)
2 ¼ cups of chicken stock ($2.00)
2 tbsp. Olive oil (.50)
1 onion (.30)
 
Directions
Add the following to a crockpot:
 
Clean, peel and cut the carrots. Cut the potatoes, onion and celery, add to the crockpot.
 
Add the frozen Yam.
 
Clean, cut and season the chicken with my dried seasoning, chopped garlic and 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add it to the crockpot.
 
Add the shelled Edamame and chicken stock. (Oops, sorry, I added 2 tbsp. of olives at the last minute. Smile, make it optional.)
 
Cover the crockpot, set the heat to high. Cook for 6-to-8 hours, depending on your crockpot. That will be enough.
 
HACK: Though this is a full/complete meal in a pot, you can cook separately, thin pasta or colored rice and add a couple of ladles full of this yummy stew on top. Then drip some extra virgin olive oil and chopped chives over all of it.
 
My Link:
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings
 

I have been eating “Mantecaditos’ since I was a little girl. Then, I learned how to make them and have been giving them as holiday gifts to family and friends. I changed the traditional recipe to make it my own, replacing the shortening with unsalted butter and instead of vanilla, I used Amaretto Disaronno and Almond Extract. I always add a traditional small drop of Guava jelly in the middle of the cookie to take it to another level; however, you can add the jelly of your choice. Try them and share the love with family, friends and co-workers during this holiday season.
​
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: About 45 minutes all together
Approximate Cost: $5.12 or .21 cents per cookie
Servings: Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients
1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature ($1.97)
2/3 cup granulated white sugar (.40)
1 teaspoon Amaretto (.50)
1 tsp. Pure Almond Extract (.20)
1/2 teaspoon of salt (.10)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour ($1.15)
½ tsp. baking powder (.15)
1 egg (.15)
1/3 cup of Guava Jelly (.50)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add the egg and beat.
Add the Amaretto, almond extract and beat until it all blends.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Add slowly to the butter mixed bowl, beat until it’s all completely worked in; however, do not over beat.
Use a spoon to scoop a med size ball in the palm of your hand to form round-balls out of the dough.  
Arrange them on a cookie sheet 1 inch apart, they will expand.
Press your thumb in the middle gently to make a dent and fill it with jelly.
Once you have filled the cookie sheet, place it in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes. After that, place in the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are completely baked, golden brown in the bottom and a little lighter on top. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to completely cool.
Store them when completely cool, in an air-tight container. They will be OK for about 5 days, but trust me, by then, they will be gone.
 
HACKS:
You can freeze the dough to bake them fresh as you need them during the week.
 
Also, it helps to have your hands slightly wet with cold water when forming the cookies.
 
Finally, I use Guava Jelly or paste, since that is what makes them traditional for me and my family. However, you can add any other jelly flavor, or chocolate kisses, or peanut butter or peanut butter cups, anything really. 

Last week my husband and I flew to Baltimore-Washington Airport and upon arrival had only one thing in mind, dinner. It was past dinner time; however, as we drove down the BW Parkway, we ponder about different meals and restaurants; Olive Garden, TGI Friday, and the such. We did not agree or shall I say, we had no idea about what the heck we really wanted to eat. Before we knew it, we have crossed the line between Maryland and Virginia and had to make a decision. Our Beltway exit was approaching and suddenly, it hit us; we both wanted crab cakes. We also realized that we were few minutes away from our favorite grocery store, Wegman’s, bingo! They have the most wonderful crab cakes so, you’ll guess what happened next? smile!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 20 minutes
Approximate Cost: $22.32 or $11.16 per serving
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
2 Wegman’s Signature crab cakes ($18.00)
½ pack of Wegman’s Beet-Spaghetti ($2.17)
6 yellow cherry tomatoes (.50)
1 Avocado ($1.00)
½ red onion sliced (.30)
1 tbsp. Angie’s Basting Oil for the tomato salad and to sauté the cakes (.35)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions
Prepare the salad by cleaning and slicing the tomatoes, as well as slicing the red onion.
Add them to a bowl with ½ tbsp. of my basting oil and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate.
 
Add ½ tbsp. of my basting oil to a sauté pan, cook the crab cakes until golden and done inside but yet moist and tender. Remove and set aside for 4 minutes to rest before serving.
 
Add ½ tbsp. of my basting oil if needed to the same sauté pan and cook the beet-spaghetti for about 4-5 minutes.
 
We were ready for our quick feast, I just sliced the avocado and was done for the day.
 
My link:
Angie’s Basting Oil:  www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil
 

​The weekend is here, marking your time to relax and enjoy breakfast with a nice cup of cappuccino, the newspaper and best of all, no worries of being late for work. YES!
 
So, check this out; my simple bacon omelet.  It’s easy, quick and you can swap my ingredients with any other ingredients that you have in your fridge or pantry; i.e. ham, sausages, left over chopped rotisserie chicken, cheeses, chorizos, mo’bacon, smile, translation--unlimited options! The possibilities are endless. Enjoy.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $6.90 or $3.45 per serving
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
10 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces ($2.75)
5 eggs (.80)
1/2 cup milk (.90)
1 tsp. garlic powder (.15)
½ cup of chopped bread, (today I only use the inside part of a baguette) (.30)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. olive oil (.15)
6 strawberries ($1.00)
2 potato rolls (.85)
 
Directions
In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Using slotted spoon, remove from pan and set aside.
Drain drippings, replace with 1 tsp. of olive oil.
Beat milk and eggs with garlic powder, salt and pepper until it all blend. Add the bread and almost immediately, add the mixture to the skillet in med. high.
Once it begins to thicken, turn the stove to-low, add the crispy bacon and cook until a toothpick inserted in the center of the omelet comes out clean.
Let it stand for about 2 minutes before serving. Garnish with strawberries and serve.

My 5-ingredient flounder, prepped and cooked in 20 minutes or less, is just what you need to use time effectively with family and friends. Who would have thought, a healthy seafood meal prepared from start to end in no time? Yep! It is all about eating healthier and delicious foods during weekdays without sacrificing the little time you have left after coming home from work.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 20 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $10.97 or $5.49 per serving
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
 3 Pacific Flounder Fillets (@.66 ea. = $1.98) (See my note below)
1/2 pack of Beet Spaghetti ($2.17)
1 cup Brussels Sprouts ($1.10)
2 1/2 tbsp. Angie's Basting Oil (.95)
1 tbsp. Angie's Dried Seasoning (.60)

2 cups Pre-Washed Spinach ($1.50)
1/2 seedless cucumber ($1.00)
1 tomato (.33)
1 Avocado ($1.00)
1 lemon (.33)
 
Note: A frozen bag of flounder fillets at Costco was priced $9.99 and there were 15 fillets inside. Therefore, each fillet cost .66 cents.)

Directions
Rinse the flounder, pat dry and season with 1 tbsp. of Angie's Basting Oil and sprinkle with Angie's Dried Seasoning to taste. Refrigerate.

To make the salad, slice the tomato and cucumber, add a tbsp. of my basting oil, squeeze and add the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 tsp. of my dried seasoning, or the one of your choice and toss. Refrigerate.

Clean the Brussels Sprouts by cutting the bottom and removing the outer leaves, rinse and drain well.

In a sauté pan, add 1 tbsp. of my basting oil and roast the Brussels Sprouts until golden.
In the same pan, add the beet-spaghetti on top of the sprouts and sauté for few minutes until done but yet crunchy. Season with my dried seasoning to taste. Remove from pan and set aside.

In another pan (add more basting oil if needed) sauté the flounder in med. high until golden. It will only take few minutes to cook.

Now you are ready to plate. Enjoy this healthy meal.
​
OOPS! Wait. Sorry, at the last minute my hubby wanted tostones, so I made him his tostones but did not add them to the recipe list. You will see them in my last slide show slides. Smile.

My Links:
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings
Angie’s Basting Oil:  www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil
 

Chocolate chip cookies move over, the neighbors will know that you are baking, they can smell the flavors of your home kitchen; pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, brown sugar; need I say more?
Yes, my sweet Mara was my assistant baker, smile!
 
Prep and Bake Time: 35 minutes 
Approximate Cost: $7.26 or .30 cents per bar
Servings: 24 bars 

Ingredients 
2 cups of packed light brown sugar ($1.39)
2 cups of self-rising flour (you can also substitute for 1-to-1 gluten free flour ($1.15)
1 stick of melted unsalted butter (or 1 cup) ($1.21)
3 medium size eggs at room temperature (.38)
½ tsp. of pure maple syrup (.50)
1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (.15)
1 cup of Nestle Butterscotch Morsels (Walmart: $2.48)
A pinch of Sea Salt

Directions 
Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and set aside.
Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl beat the melted butter and sugar.
Beat the eggs and add them to the butter/sugar mix. Beat some more.
Add the maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt.
Slowly add the flour and beat well, however, do not over beat.
Add the Butterscotch Morsels and fold.
Pour the mix into the pre-greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let it cool. When warm, cut into bars.
When completely cool, sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
It should make 24 bars.
 
NOTE: This mix will look like a “heavy dough” instead of a cookie/cake mix, it’s not smooth, so give your muscles a good workout!
​

Want to prepare a quick dish for the holidays in no time? The answer is use Shrimp. Tacos are one option that come to mind and there are other unlimited ways to serve them. Today I am giving you some ideas for the upcoming holidays, when you will be hosting family and friends. I will also give you the main ingredient recipes for these dishes, shrimp and Pico de Gallo. You can also choose what dish you want to prepare from the following selections:
1. Shrimp as Hors d’oeuvres: Use them on top of ½ inch cucumber slices or crostini’s, easy finger food.
2. Shrimp as Appetizer: Using a small martini glass, add a couple of tbsps. of store bought (or your own) salsa or Pico de Gallo, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and add a baby fork and napkin on the side.
3. Seafood Tacos as an Entrée: One of my favorites choices, they are light, quick to prepare and super delicious. I am including the recipe.
Now make your selection and start planning for your holidays goodies.
​
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $12.14 or $6.07 per serving
Servings: 2
 
Seafood Tacos as an Entrée: 
​
A. Ingredients 
6 Super Jumbo shrimp, clean (or use any size you prefer) ($3.00)
2 tsp. Angie’s Dry Seasoning (one for shrimp and 1 for the beans) (.50)
2 tbsp. Angie’s Basting Oil (1 to marinade/sauté the shrimp and 1 for the beans) (.65)
6 Corn Tortillas prepared according to the bag (.55)
½ Chopped Iceberg Lettuce divided in six portions (.60)
1 can of Goya black beans drained, rinsed and mashed with olive oil. (.99)
¾ cup of shredded Mexican cheese or Feta cheese (1.65)
2 Limes (.40)
Cilantro to garnishing (.15)
2 Avocados cut in cubes ($2.00)
 
B. Pico de Gallo Ingredients
2 Roma tomatoes (.50)
1 onion cut in slices (.30)
4 chopped garlic cloves (.20)
½ cup chopped cilantro (.25)
1 lime (for the juice) (.40)
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions
Clean the shrimp and season with Angie’s Dry Seasoning and Angie’s Basting Oil (see my links below).
 
Drain the black beans, rinse them, add 1 tsp. Angie’s Dry Seasoning, 1 tbsp. Angie’s Basting Oil and mash until soft. Set aside keeping them warm.
 
Chop the lettuce and cilantro, set aside.
 
Cut the avocado, set aside.
 
Prep the Pico de Gallo listed under Part B. Just cut all the ingredients in small bite size, season and refrigerate.
 
Prep the corn tortillas according to the bag.
 
Sauté the shrimp until golden.
 
To assemble, add a spoonful of mashed beans to a tortilla, some chopped lettuce, cheese to taste, 1 large shrimp, avocado and Pico de Gallo to-taste and fold.
 
My Links:
 
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings
Angie’s Basting Oil:  www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil
 
HACK: Serve with a Shirley Temple Margarita! Smile. 

Yes, my last CAULIFLOWER recipe for now, smile. This is kind of one pot comforting food and it is all about flavors. It is so yummy and tasty and makes you feel so cozy and happy, smile. No kidding! Try it.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 20 minutes
Approximate Cost: $7.48 or $3.74 per serving
Servings: 2 plus
 
Ingredients
4 pork tenderloin filets cut up in 1” pieces ($2.50)
2 cups of riced cauliflower ($1.50)
5 large Baby Bella mushrooms (.70)
1 handful of Italian parsley, chopped (.30)
11/2 tsp. Angie’s Basting Oil for the rice, salad & tenderloins (See my link below) (.30)
11/2 Angie’s dried seasoning for the rice, salad & tenderloins (See my link below) (.20)
7 cloves of chopped garlic (.30)
1 Avocado ($1.00)
1 Tomato (.33)
½ red onion, sliced (.35)
1 tsp. water
 
Directions
Cut the tenderloins in 1” and marinade well with basting oil, dried seasoning and garlic.
In a skillet with basting oil, sauté the cut up mushrooms, pork tenders and the garlic.
Add the cauliflower rice, chopped parsley and water. Stir.
Cover the pan and cook in low for about 2-3 minutes.
 
To prepare the salad; Add the cut up tomato, red onion, and dried seasoning to a glass bowl and mix well.
Add the cut up avocado and drizzle basting oil over it, mix. Refrigerate until serve.
 
My Links:
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings
Angie’s Basting Oil:  www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil