Chocolate Cherry Martini

Ingredients

2

oz chocolate vodka

1

oz cherry liqueur

1/2

oz cherry syrup

1/2

oz creme de cacao

1

oz half-and-half

1

oz milk chocolate, melted (garnish)

1

tablespoon milk or half-and-half (garnish)

3

whole Maraschino cherries (garnish)

Steps

• 1

  To make chocolate covered cherries, gently melt chocolate with milk over a double boiler or in the microwave. If you use the microwave, cook it in 15 second increments until it's just melted.
• 2

  Pour chocolate over cherries, coating them well. Let them cool or stick them in the freezer for a few minutes to harden.
• 3

  Add ice and water to a large martini glass to chill it.
• 4

  In a cocktail shaker, mix together all other ingredients with ice.
• 5

  Shake for a minute to mix and chill the drink.
• 6

  Dump out ice water from martini glass and strain martini into chilled glass.
• 7

  Garnish with chocolate cherries and drink immediately!

Bacon-Pineapple-Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

2

large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)

1

large pineapple, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

2

large red bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1

large onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

12

strips of thick cut bacon

For the Hawaiian sauce:

1 1/2

cups pineapple juice

1 1/2

tablespoons cornstarch

1/2

cup brown sugar

2

tablespoons soy sauce

1/2

teaspoon salt

6

long skewers

Steps

• 1

  To make the Hawaiian sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Set-aside until ready to use.
• 2

  Thread the skewers. You'll need two strips of bacon per skewer if using 4 pieces of chicken and 3 pieces each of pineapple, bell pepper and onion. Weave the bacon around each piece of chicken and pineapple, stick the bell pepper and onion together and weave th bacon around both of those. Brush some olive or vegetable oil evenly over each kabob.
• 3

  Preheat the grill to medium high. Grill the kabobs for 10-15 minutes, turning a couple of times, until done.
• 4

  Slather with hot Hawaiian sauce and serve immediately.

Epsom Salt Hacks

Get a lush lawn, rejuvenate your scalp, and remove your blackheads...all with the power of Epson salt. Check out what else you can do! 2Tbsp of Epsom Salt to 1 Gal of water and spray on your lawn for lush green grass!...

Brush your teeth with Epsom salt and peroxide to fight against periodontal disease. While some dentists recommend using baking soda and peroxide, the sodium in baking soda can create a problem for people needing to restrict their sodium intake while Epsom salt will not.

Soak your feet in warm water and Epsom salt to soften and smooth corns. Dr. Levine states in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies that soaking your feet in warm water and Epsom salt will bring temporary pain relief by diminishing "the size of the bursa sac" while taking "pressure off the nearby sensory nerves."

Sprinkle Epsom salt on your garbage cans to deter the raccoons.

(Another tip I've heard is tying a rag soaked in ammonia on your garbage can. If the taste of the salt doesn't get them the odor of ammonia will.)

Add 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to a gallon of water and spray your lawn for a lusher, greener lawn.

Add Epsom salt to olive oil and use to exfoliate your skin.

Add Epsom salt to your shampoo to rejuvenate your scalp. Let it set on the skin for a few minutes to be absorbed before rinsing.

Use Epsom salt and liquid dish detergent to whiten floor tiles and dissolve dirt. By adding some Epsom salt to your sudsy water you will get a cleaning boost.

Make a home remedy for blackheads by boiling ½ cup of water, 3 drops of iodine and 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt. Let cool enough to touch. Bottle the mixture and use with a cotton ball to apply to blackheads. If the mixture separates days later just heat in the microwave and wait to cool before applying again.

Use Epsom salt to fertilize and feed roses, tomatoes, and peppers. In general, magnesium plays a role in strengthening the plant cell walls, allowing the plant to take in the nutrients it needs. It also aids in seed germination, photosynthesis and in the formation of fruits and seeds. Either mix in 1 T. of Epsom salt into the soil at the bottom of the planting hole when setting out transplants or mix the 1 T. in a gallon of water and water the seedling.

Increase your magnesium levels in your body by soaking in Epsom salt bath water three times weekly. (2 Cups for normal sized tub) While it is extremely difficult to get enough magnesium in our systems through our diets, it is readily absorbs into our systems through our skin. Magnesium is needed by our bodies for many functions; however, a doctor should be consulted prior to extensive use, particularly for those with kidney problems. Magnesium works to activate many other enzymes our body needs.

Magnesium is useful in the treatment of asthma, COPD, fibromyalgia, ADD, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, angina, cardiac arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, fatigue, kidney stones, migraine and tension headaches, complications due to pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome.

Our bodies cannot properly use serotonin without the assistance of magnesium. Serotonin is a natural chemical created within the brain responsible for feelings of well being and relaxation. So maybe there is something to that saying "Calgon take me away"?

Easy Cheeseburger Tacos

Ingredients

1

pound lean ground beef

1

Old El Paso™ taco dinner kit (6 flour tortillas, 6 hard tacos, taco sauce, seasoning)

1

tablespoon neutral oil

6

oz. cheddar cheese, grated

Toppings:

Mayonnaise

Tomato, diced

White onion, diced

Avocado, diced

Fresh cilantro

Cotija cheese

Hot sauce

Steps

• 1

  Prepare all toppings before you start cooking the filling. Dice veggies, wash cilantro well, and crumble the Cotija cheese.
• 2

  In a large skillet, add a drizzle of neutral oil over medium heat. Add beef and cook until browned well, breaking up the beef as it cooks. Add seasoning packet from Old El Paso™ Taco Dinner kit along with 1/4 cup water. Stir seasoning into the beef.
• 3

  Add 1/4 cup taco sauce to the beef and turn heat down to low when beef is cooked and seasoned well.
• 4

  At the very end of cooking, stir grated cheddar cheese right into the beef so it melts as you are serving the tacos.
• 5

  To make a taco, very lightly smear a tortilla with mayo. Pile on some of the cheeseburger taco mix, and top with any and all toppings you like.

Churro Dump Cake

Ingredients

2

cups lightly crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ cereal

2

teaspoons granulated sugar

2

teaspoons cinnamon

1

(18.25 oz.) box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Cake Mix Golden Vanilla

3/4

cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3

cup whipping cream

Steps

• 1

  Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and line 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches overhang. Stir sugar with cinnamon until blended; set aside.
• 2

  Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fold in 1 cup cereal. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over top and swirl into batter. Sprinkle with remaining cereal.
• 3

  Bake for about 30 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes in pan. Using parchment paper as handles, remove cake from pan and place on rack; let cool completely.
• 4

  In microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate with cream on Medium, stirring every 30 seconds, for 1 or 2 minutes or until chocolate is melted.
• 5

  Drizzle cake with melted chocolate. Cut cake into rectangles, about 3-1/4 x 1-1/2 inches.

3-Ingredient Pulled Pork

Ingredients

1

(2 lb) pork tenderloin (pork shoulder or butt can also be used)

1

can (12 oz) root beer

1

bottle (18 oz) barbecue sauce

8

hamburger buns

Steps

• 1

  Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker and pour the can of root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork.
• 2

  Remove cooked pork to cutting board, and drain and discard the root beer. Shred pork and return it to the slow cooker. Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork and stir to combine. Serve immediately or keep warm in slow cooker until ready to serve. Serve on hamburger buns.

Strawberry Shortcake Martini

Ingredients

Ice

1/2

oz amaretto liqueur

2

oz lemonade

2

oz cake flavored vodka

3

fresh strawberries (plus one additional for garnish, if desired)

Steps

• 1

  Muddle (or crush with the back of a spoon) the strawberries and vodka in a cocktail shaker.
• 2

  Add the lemonade, amaretto and a little ice to the cocktail shaker.
• 3

  Shake briefly but vigorously.
• 4

  Strain into a chilled martini glass.
• 5

  Garnish rim of glass with a half strawberry, if desired.