Ice Age 3 - The Movie

12 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 cup white chocolate chips
Lightly grease a large bowl and place the popcorn in it.In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water and cook over medium heat to the soft ball stage, 235 to 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Off the heat very carefully, add the butter (it will boil furiously), stir in the chocolate and vanilla.

Very carefully, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture over the corn, stirring to prevent from lumping. Continue stirring until the mixture is cooled and the popcorn is evenly coated. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine and coat. Turn out onto a silpat or a greased foil-lined sheet pan. Let cool, then store in airtight containers. Great gift idea for any occasion.

Butterfinger Cake

1 dark chocolate cake mix of your choice
Ingredients as needed to mix cake
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 12 oz container whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup chocolate ice cream topping
1 large Butterfinger candy bar

Prepare cake according to package directions in a 9×13 inch pan. When you remove cake from the oven, punch holes in cake (use a fork or the handle of a wooden spoon), spoon sweetened condensed milk evenly over cake. Cool, cover and allow to stand overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, crush the candy bar fairly fine. Ice cake heavily with whipped topping. Drizzle caramel and chocolate attractively over cake. Sprinkle with candy crumbs. Serve. Keep any left over (which is unlikely) in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

A cooled cupcake (baked from your favorite recipe)
Green and white frosting
Fruit roll ups (cut in triangles)
Pretzel stick
Chocolate-covered almond or black jelly bean

Directions

1. Frost a cooled cupcake (baked from your favorite recipe) with green frosting, then mark the yard lines with white decorators’ gel.
2. For a pennant, wrap a fruit leather triangle around a pretzel stick and plant it in the field as shown.
3. Set a chocolate-covered almond or brown almond M&M football topped with white decorators’ gel laces on the field, and you’re sure to score points with your favorite sports fans.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 5 egg yolks
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon multicolored candy sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and white sugar in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir the egg yolks and melted butter into the milk mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and lemon zest. Beat the flour mixture into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Mix well. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix well and set aside.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out into a 6×30 inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling across the center of the dough. Bring the two long edges together and seal completely. Using your hands shape the dough into a long cylinder and place on a greased baking sheet, seam-side down. Shape the dough into a ring press the baby into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough. Place a well-greased 2 pound metal coffee can the center of the ring to maintain the shape during baking. Cover the ring with a towel and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the coffee can and allow the bread to cool. Drizzle cooled cake with lemon/sugar glaze and decorate with candy sprinkles.