Christmas Eve & Day with the FAMILY

Ashley's Graduation Day

Cookie Day with the Family Gals;)

CHOCOLATE CAKE BALLS

Chocolate Cake Balls

A trendy sweet!

Serves: 36
Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix

1 (16 ounce) container prepared cake frosting

6 ounces of chocolate flavored confectioners coating disks or bar (available in white chocolate, dark or milk)

Food Coloring (optional)

Favorite Combinations:

Red Velvet Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting and dipped in white chocolate coating

Strawberry Supreme Cake/Strawberries and Cream Frosting - Dipped in Chocolate Coating

White Cake/Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting - Dipped in Chocolate Coating

Caramel Cake/Chocolate Mocha Frosting - Dipped in Chocolate Coating

White Cake/Wild Cherry Vanilla Frosting - Dipped in Dark Chocolate Coating

Dark Chocolate Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating

Spice Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating

Lemon Cake/Lemon Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating

Confetti Cake/Vanilla Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating

Cherry Cake/ Cherry Frosting Dipped in Milk Chocolate

German Choc. Cake. German Choc. Frosting Dipped in Milk or Dark Chocolate!

Steps

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box. When cake is finished baking allow to cool for 30 minutes. Crumble the cake into a large bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add the frosting and mix until well combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. I placed mine in the freezer for up to a week before I dipped. Easier to dip if frozen.

Line a baking tray with wax paper. Use a melon baller as a scooper to form balls with the cake mixture. Place on wax paper. Once you have used all of the cake mixture, place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl of the microwave, stirring every 5-10 seconds until smooth. At this point you can add a bit of food coloring if you are using white chocolate.

Remove the balls from the freezer. Using one toothpick, pick up the balls one at a time and dip in the chocolate. Use a second toothpick to slide the ball off the first toothpick onto the wax paper lined baking tray.

Once you have covered all the balls in chocolate coating place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate coating is set. At this point you can drizzle other chocolate on the balls for decoration.

Serve with a cold glass of milk!

Happy Baking!

Liz Coffey

It's Official!

Ashley will be graduating from Arizona State University on Friday December 18th with a degree in Nonprofit Management. Then on January 7th she is off to Florida for her internship. We are so proud of her for her hard work and willingness to achieve one of her dreams.

Way to go Ashley!

Ashley "LOVES" ASU!

Christmas Idea House 2009

Thank you to all that supported Desert Clubs

Christmas Idea House 2009~

Frog's Eye Salad

Frog's Eye Salad

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in its own juice, undrained

2 (11-ounce) cans mandarin orange segments, drained

1 large egg, beaten

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) Acine di Pepe Pasta, uncooked

3 1/2 cups (8 ounces) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed and divided

3 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Maraschino cherries (optional)

1. In medium saucepan, stir together sugar, flour and salt.
2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice to equal 1 cup. With whisk, gradually stir juice and egg into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in lemon juice. Cool mixture to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well.
4. In large bowl, stir together pineapple juice mixture and pasta. Cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight.
5. Add crushed pineapple and chunks, oranges, 2 cups whipped topping, marshmallows and coconut; mix gently and thoroughly. Cover; refrigerate until cold.
6. Top with remaining whipped topping; garnish with cherries, if desired.

Makes 12 servings.

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients (Makes 6 servings):

• 6 cups of Hot Water
• 1 1/2 cups Hot Cocoa Mix
• 2 teaspoons Non-Dairy Creamer
• 3 Tablespoons crushed Peppermint (I like to crush the candy canes)
• Marshmallows (optional)

Heat water and add mixture. I use milk for a creamy drink.

Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving 2009

Happy Birthday Maryann

Friends Forever

Wow what a fun night. LAST night we gathered together to see what's new for this years Christmas Idea House. What a great group of talented women.

But where does time go? Jennifer, Glenda and I celebrate our 10 year anniversary this year of being Co-Chairmen/President back in 1999. Of course, we look the same and haven't aged a bit! It was great to be together and see the talent and hearts of so many women working hard for our community.

Check out this years Christmas House and make plans to attend. The house belongs to the owners of SOMBURROS!

Call me for tickets!

Hugs

Dear friends,

The Christmas Idea house is an incredible event... what a fabulous way to jump-start the holiday season!!! The women of Desert Club work all year long to put this on and ALL proceeds go to charitable causes such as scholarships to eligible high school seniors and grants to charities that support women and children. To date, they have raised more than $2.1 million!

This year's Christmas Idea House will be at the home of Tim & Julie Vasquez of Gilbert. Let's get the word out by forwarding this to ANYONE you know who may enjoy something like this. For more information and to make reservations for the two "Preview" events (the exclusive Holiday Soiree and the Christmas Contintental Breakfast), visit www.christmasideahouse.org. Also, this year's Public Tour general admission tickets have been reduced to $7.... a great deal! Make this YOUR holiday tradition while helping to lift the lives of others in need.

Our girls

This is our sassy poise at the pier in San Clemente, Ca.

HaL*low*een at the Coffey Grounds

Incase you're looking for Ashley in these pictures with her major being Non-Profit she had a busy weekend at a haunted house that she was working on for a NP organization in Phoenix. We are so proud of her. We missed you Ashley!

Yummy Asparagus Soup

Yummy Asparagus Soup

4 large onions, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

2 qt. chicken broth

1 Tbsp. thyme

Freshly grounds black pepper

1/2 C. heavy cream

2 o=lb. fresh asparagus, cut into small pieces

Simmer onions in butter until soft, stirring often. Puree in blender or food processor. Add to chicken broth in large pan and bring to a boil. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer 30 minutes.

Soup it up!

Liz Coffey

Pumpkin Dessert

Pumpkin Dessert

1 29 oz. can pumpkin

4 beaten eggs

1 1/2 C brown sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

2 13 oz. canned mild

2 Tbsp. melted butter

Mix and pour into greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

1/2 C. butter (do not melt)

1 Pkg. yellow cake mix

Sprinkle on top of pie filling; Sprinkle nuts over topping. Bake 30 minutes longer at 350. Knife come out clean from center when done.

Happy Baking!

Liz Coffey

Pumpkin Cookies

Now that it’s the season of all things “pumpkin” I thought I’d share with you a family favorite. It’s one of those things that if you start eating it you can’t stop. SO…consider yourself warned!

Pumpkin Cookies

Cream together:

2 C Sugar

2 C Crisco

Add:

16 0z. can pumpkin

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

4 c flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 c chopped nuts optional

Drop on greased cookie sheet ad bake at 350 for approximately 10-12 minutes or until done. Cookies are sort of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Taste good when frosted with cream cheese frosting. Cool cookies before frosting them

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 ~ 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

2/3 cup margarine softened

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C sifted powder sugar

Enjoy!

Liz Coffey

Trip to the Bay Area

Dad and his Brothers

This picture was taken 34 years ago at our wedding.

Uncle Lyle, Dad & Uncle Vic

Dad and Uncle Lyle RIP.

Utah Trip

Fresh Peach Muffins

Fresh Peach Muffins:

1 egg

1 c. milk

1/4 c. melted shortening

2/3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. vanilla

2 c. sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. peeled, chopped, fresh peaches

Beat egg. Stir in milk, shortening, sugar, salt, cinnamon, lemon juice and vanilla. Then sift together flour and baking powder. Stir into milk mixture until blended. Do NOT over mix. Fold in peaches. Fill greased or paper lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes OR until brown.

Makes 12-14 muffins.

Happy baking!

Lemon Snowflake Cookies

Lemon Snowflake Cookies

I box Lemon Supreme cake mix

( I used Duncan Hines)

2 1/4 Cups Cool Whip

1 egg

Powder Sugar

Mix together first three ingredients. Dough will be gooey. Drop one tablespoon at a time into a bowl of powder sugar. Roll around until each ball is covered with Powder sugar. Place onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Happy Baking!

Sesame Chicken Recipe

Sesame Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons ginger (grated)
1 pound chicken (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 teaspoon peanut oil
4 servings cooked rice
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
green onions to garnish

Directions:
1. Mix the soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, sugar, ginger and chicken in a ziplock bag and marinate in the fridge for about an hour.
2. Heat the oil in a pan.
3. Add the chicken and marinade to the pan and saute until the chicken is cooked and the sauce begins to thicken.
4. Serve on cooked rice and garnish with the sesame seeds and green onion.

Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler

INGREDIENTS

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches

2 cups sugar, divided

• 1/2 cup water
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Ground cinnamon, optional (however, I highly recommend it!)

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Happy Baking!

Waring Pro Wine Bottle Opener

This is one of my

favorite things.

Waring Pro Professional Wine Opener.

With just one charge this gadget will open 80 bottles.

Not that I will ever open that many but for a party this would come in handy!

Comes with a build in foil cutter too!

Costco~ 24.99

Bed Bath & Beyond ~49.99

Great gift ~Priceless!

One of my favorite things

Contigo

thermos

from Target

$19.99

and worth every penny!

Even in Arizona your water stays

COLD

all day long and

12 hours later

there is even ice still!

The BEST!

BANANA CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST

BANANA CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST

INGREDIENTS:

1 large ripe banana
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 bread slices
1 1/2 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup maple syrup — warmed

DIRECTIONS:

Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until smooth. Transfer to a 9×13″ pan. Place bread in milk mixture and soak until all liquid is absorbed, turning bread occasionally, about 20 minutes. Melt butter in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add bread and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

If you really want to win your kids over, serve with a dollop of whip cream.

Happy Baking & ENJOY

Honey-Lime Marinated London Broil

Honey-Lime Marinated London Broil

¼ c. fresh lime juice

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of honey

2 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 ¼ pounds trimmed London broil (top round steak)

Wisk the lime juice, olive oil and honey in a bowl. Stir in the garlic and salt.

Place the steak in a large resealable bag. Pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and rotate it so that the steak is covered with the marinade. Place the back in the refrigerator and marinate the steak for at least 6 hours or overnight, rotating it occasionally.

When ready to eat-preheat the grill to high. Remove the steak from the marinade and place it on the grill. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until the desired doneness is reached. Place steak on a plate or cutting board, cover loosely with toil, let stand 10 minutes. Slice into thin slices against the grain and serve immediately.

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

Ingredients:

1 Cup Mayo

1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 tsp dry/1 fresh garlic clove

1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 box chopped spinach, defrosted and drained thoroughly (you can find a frozen bag of spinach on your local grocery store’s freezer aisle)

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped

salt to taste

Red pepper flakes to taste (usually just a few does the trick)

To start – Mix mayo with seasonings, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Add spinach and artichokes. Mix well.

Next – Place mixture in oven safe container. Sprinkle remaining parmesean over top.

Bake 350 degrees for aprox. 25 mins, or till bubbly, and cheese slightly brown.

Serve with baguettes or bread, crackers, veggies…

ENJOY!

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

It's time for a recipe again. It's been awhile since I've posted one so here you go.

Enjoy

TUSCAN CHICKEN PASTA

Servings: 4-6 Servings
cooking Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 Chicken Breasts
6 ounce package of Fusilli or Rotini Pasta
3-4 Roma Tomatoes (chopped)
½ cup Sun Dried Tomatoes (julienned)
2 cups of small Broccoli Florets
¾-1 cup Extra Light Olive Oil
1½-2 Tablespoons Pasta Blend Seasoning (Trader Joe’s has a great one!)
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
Parmesan Cheese (to taste)
Lemon Pepper

Fill large pot with water, set on stove, and turn heat to high. Bring water to a boil and pour in the 16 ounce package of pasta noodles. Cook for 8-11 minutes until noodles are cooked through and tender. Drain pasta and set aside.

Season chicken with lemon pepper and throw on grill (medium heat for approximately 6 minutes on each side). After you have taken the chicken off the grill, cut in to 1-1½ ” squares and set aside.

In the meantime, chop your roma tomatoes and broccoli florets (set aside). Then, in a small bowl whisk together olive oil, pasta blend seasoning and garlic salt.

Take out a large bowl and add the pasta, chicken, roma tomatoes, broccoli, and olive oil mixture. Now, toss the ingredients to together and season with parmesan cheese (to taste). Serve immediately.

This pasta goes great with a tossed salad and toasted garlic bread. ENJOY!

The heat is on!

Well it's that time of year

where everyone is

"whining"

about the heat!

We have reached

way over 100 degrees

for awhile now and probably

still have 2 months to go!

Like I said before

we look forward

to Halloween now!

For those of you that shovel snow

these are our "hibernation" months.

The difference is we

don't

have to shovel that snow.

Instead we get

third degree burns

when we get into our cars.

July

has been a long

and hot month

but I was blessed

to celebrate another birthday

with family and friends.

Thank you for the many cards, gift cards,

calls, emails, facebook messages

and lunch/dinner dates.

I felt your love

and thank you for

being a part of my life.

The latest news at the

Coffey Grounds

is in September

Ashley

is moving back home

Woo-Hoo!

She is graduating from

ASU in December

and then will hopefully

do an internship somewhere in the US

January thru May.

Her major is Non-Profit management.

Go Ashley we are so proud of you.

Andrea and Chris'

just returned from Iowa

where they went to visit

Chris's grandparents.

They had a wonderful and meaningful

experience. There is nothing like having grandparents.

They are both keeping very busy at work.

Hershey and Bear are so thankful

we're home for the summer.

They get to stay inside

since the heat is so bad!

They continue to love on everyone.

Oh the life of a dog!

Well the Coffey Grounds

hopes you are having a great summer.

Tell us about what's going on in your life!

Hugs

Road Trip!

Unexpected trips are the best!

We were invited to help surprise Glenn Leadley's 50th birthday party in Coronado Island. So off we went for just a three day trip. Well, everyone kept writing on FB how terribly "HOT" it was in AZ. that we just kept driving up the coast. After leaving the Island and having a blast staying with the Palich family at a beach house they rented. We enjoyed a fabulous 5oth Hee~ Haw party that was much of a surprise to Glenn. He enjoyed the kick stomping time with friends and family.

Our coast drive started on Sunday morning to Carlsbad where we enjoyed shopping, eating, a movie, eating somehow some more and a great night stay on the beach (of course in a hotel).

Day 4 we headed up the coast to San Clemente to say hi to the Peeps that I've met and before we knew it time just flew and it was 5:00 with no reservations to stay the night ANYWHERE! A first for me! The local peeps mentioned a hotel in San Clemente that was a great place to stay so I called and woo-hoo they had a vacancy!

Diana checked us in and somehow was able to get all these Up~ grades for the same price they quoted me earlier. They put us up in a suite and wow we couldn't pass up that room and rate that our 3 day trip ended up being 6! We are both so blessed to have such great understanding guys we're married too! Or I know you're probably saying did they have a choice? LOL

God is so good to have blessed us with a safe trip, lots of laughter with friends, great food, and especially enjoying the beauty He created all around us.

Here are some pictures of our trip.

Enjoy ;)