These are the cutest things I have seen in a long time I am sure kids will love them !

1 pkgs of 18 1/4 oz. choc cake mix

1 16 oz can of choc frosting

24 vanilla wafers

black and red decorating gel

48 blue and or green m and ms

12 peanut butter filled sandwich cookies (I Think they are called nutter butters)

prepare the cake mix according to directions to make cupcakes let cool

set aside 1/4 cup of frosting frost cupcakes with the remaining frosting with a serated knife cut off and discard a fourth from each vanilla wafer (This will be the bottom part of the monkey face). Place a wafer on each cupcake with the rounded edge of cupcake for the face add dots of black gel to the nostrils with red gel pipe a mouth for each.

place m and m and ms above wafers for eyes add dots of black gel for pupils using reserved frosting and a #16 star tip pipe hair carefully seperate each sandwich cookie in half position one on each side of cupcakes for ears.

so good you can't miss it

1 12 oz bag of frozen peeled deveined shrimp thawed (Contessa brand)
1 tsp fresh ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup of water
1 tablespoon of mirin sweet rice wine
1 tabls. of low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teas corn starch
1 teas sugar
1 teas sesame oil
1 teaspoon thai style chili garlic sauce
2 8.5 oz pouches or ready to use jasmine rice (uncle Bens)
2 tabsp. of canola oil divided
1 pound bag of frozen broccoli stir fry thawed

1. remove and discard tales from shrimp

2. In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup of water, mirin, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce, set aside.

3. heat rice according to package

4. heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat add shrimp mixture to pan stir fry for 2 minutes remove shrimp mixture from pan keep warm, heat remaining one tablespoon canola oil in pan over medium high heat add broccoli stir fry and stir fry for one minute add water mirin mixture to pan and stir fry one minute until thickened add shrimp mixture, toss to coat add over rice enjoy !!

CouscousDid you grow up in a country where the food was just toooooo good ? Tell us and let us know what its called, the story behind it did Grandma make it for you? Is it served on special occasions ? Do you have any pics of your yummie fave ? Share with us and we’ll sit the table here on DIS !

help us sit our world table

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
6 cups water
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups dry green split peas
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 dried red chile pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
Directions

Fry garlic in the vegetable oil in a large pot over low heat until lightly browned. Pour in water and olive oil; stir in split peas, parsley, chili pepper, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 55 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the peas do not stick to the bottom of the pot. When the peas are tender, mash them with a wooden spoon until smooth; stir in additional water to reach desired consistency.

3 tbsp. butter
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 c. sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
2 tbsp. flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley and paprika
12 oz. wide egg noodles, cooked
Saute garlic and onion in melted butter (5 minutes). Add ground beef; brown. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and parsley. Add mushrooms. Heat and stir until mushrooms are tender (6-8 minutes). Gently stir in soup and sour cream (mix together first). Heat through. Serve over noodles. Garnish with parsley and paprika.

DIABETIC CHOCOLATE NUT BROWNIES
1/3 plus 1 tbsp. butter
Liquid sugar substitute to equal 1 c. sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. cocoa
1 c. sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
12 pecans, finely chopped
Combine butter, sugar substitute, eggs and vanilla. Sift together cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Add liquid mixture and stir until well blended. Stir in nuts. Pour into a non stick 8 inch square pan. Level batter in pan and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.
See also:

IRISH COFFEE DESSERT
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
1 tbsp. instant coffee
1 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. light brown sugar
2 tbsp. Irish whiskey
1/2 c. whipping or heavy cream
In small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Stir in instant coffee and cocoa until dissolved. In blender, process milk, sugar and whiskey. While blending, gradually add gelatin mixture through feed cap and cream until blended and frothy, about 1 minute. Pour into dessert dishes and chill until set, about 2 hours. Garnish, if desired, with additional whipped cream and cocoa powder.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into large chunks (optional)
4 cups water, or as needed
3 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
1 cup coarsely chopped leeks
chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Directions

Heat oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add lamb pieces and cook, stirring gently, until evenly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the onion, carrots, and parsnips and cook gently alongside the meat for a few minutes. Stir in the water. Cover and bring to a boil before turning the heat down to low. Simmer for 1 hour or longer, depending on the cut of meat you used and if it is tender yet.
Stir in potatoes, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, before adding leeks and rosemary. Continue to simmer uncovered, until potatoes are tender but still whole. Serve piping hot in bowls garnished with fresh parsley.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 609 | Total Fat: 35.1g | Cholesterol: 109mg

Pomegranates

The Ruby-Red Superfood

Pomegranates aren’t like apples or bananas. You can’t simply bite into them or peel back the skin. They are much more mysterious fruits, with leathery purple skin and spongy white flesh, revealing their complex interiors once you break them open to expose seeds covered in juice sacs. These arils are the only edible parts, and they are what provide the powerful health punch pomegranates have become known for. From one fruit, you get more polyphenols—a top ranked antioxidant—than you would from wine and green tea, as well as a good amount of potassium, vitamin C, folic acid and fiber.

Not widely available in the U.S. until 2004, pomegranates have been popular throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East since ancient times. The old Egyptians were buried with the fruit; images of pomegranates were woven onto the borders of Hebrew priestly robes; and the Babylonians chewed the seeds before battle in order to make them invincible.

Most often, pomegranates are used for juice, but the edible, sweetly-tart seeds can also be consumed whole and used as garnish. Dried pomegranate seeds add unique flavors to dishes, and can be found readily in Pakistani and Indian markets. Basically, the seeds can be used in anything from appetizers to desserts. Make them into jellies, use them in salads, even try them in guacamole or turn the juice into wine.

Health Benefits—Pomegranates:

- High in potassium, vitamin C, folic acid, fiber and polyphenols
- lowers risk of heart disease by preventing the formation of plaque
- preserves nitric oxide, a chemical that regulates blood flow and maintains healthy blood vessel health
- combats free radicals that may cause stroke, hypertension and Alzheimer’s disease
- high levels of antioxidants may prevent premature aging
- polyphenols may slow or even prevent the development of cancer

Taking out the seeds is not complex. Just slice off the top, cut the fruit into sections, place in a bowl of water, roll out the arils and discard the rest. One medium fruit will yield about one half cup of juice, which can be obtained by using a basket press or just by using a typical orange juice squeezer. The seeds can be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for months. The best time to buy nature’s sweet-tarts is September to January, but even in the off-season, the juice is readily available in grocery stores as are the arils in the frozen food section.

An easy, tasty and healthful Middle-Eastern drink can be made by mixing the juice of one pomegranate with a squirt of lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of orange blossom water. Mix with sugar to taste and add sparkling water.

Pomegranate juice can also be used as an antiseptic on small cuts or to dye natural fabrics, showing that the only caveat is that the juice stains clothing permanently. Otherwise, drink up!

2 unbaked pie shells
8 to 9 med. apples (sliced thin), tart apples
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. flour
1 beaten egg white (not too stiff)
Mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon, add that to sliced apples and mix well. Put pie dough in pie pan. Cover bottom of pie shell with a little of beaten egg whites, then sprinkle a little white sugar, cinnamon and flour in bottom of pie shell. Dot with butter, put apples in pie shell. Then put a little white sugar, cinnamon and flour, dots of butter on the top of apples. Put on top crust sealing the 2 crusts together good. Make some slits in top crust. Cover with egg whites and sprinkle little sugar on. Bake at 400 degrees 1 hour or until b