I was able to whip these up in about 20 minutes or so, and get them chilling in the fridge. The thing that takes the longest is melting the chocolate for dipping and letting them harden back up in the fridge again. Other than that, easy-peasy! :)
PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
INGREDIENTS:
2 C. Creamy Peanut Butter
3 C. Rice Krispies
3 C. Powdered Sugar
1/4 C. Butter; melted
3 Pkgs. Chocolate Chips; melted
Mix together all except the Chocolate Chips. Shape into balls and refrigerate to firm up. Melt Chocolate and dip each ball. Place on wax paper covered cookie sheets in the fridge to harden chocolate. Store in airtight container in the fridge. (I also have these in my freezer right now.)
I'm looking forward to breaking out all of the treats and making cookie platters this year. I have a few more items left to bake, as I do so I will post the recipes!
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Monday, December 9, 2013
A Girl & Her Kitchen!
It's that time of year again. The time when I start to bake for Christmas! I LOVE this time of year, but each time I start on a new task I have to ask myself why I love it so much! I love to see all of the lights and trees, I love to shop for my loved ones, and I love to bake. I often give away a lot of baked goods as presents, and this year will be no different.
Almost all of my Christmas shopping is done and wrapped beneath my glowing Christmas Tree! I admire them all each night when I'm in my living room. There's something about the magic and wonder of Christmas. I love the Christmas story about Christ's birth, and I especially LOVE the wonderment in my 4-year-old Sunday Schools kiddos eyes when we talked about this yesterday!
This weekend I spent Saturday baking and making Rock Candy. Ten different flavors of Rock Candy to be exact! And WOW was that very time consuming, but of so worth the rewards. I also made my Mom and Bro dinner on Saturday night, which turned out very good. I will share that recipe in my next post.
In this post I am going to share my recipe for the Cookie Dough Truffles I made. :)
COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Butter; softened
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
1 (14 oz.) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips (I probably used closer to 1 C.)
1 1/2 lbs. Chocolate Bark; melted
In a large bowl, cream Butter & Brown Sugar until creamy. Add Vanilla. Gradually beat in Flour & add Sweetened Condensed Milk. Add Chocolate Chips; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on waxed paper covered cookie sheets. Chill for 2 hours. Melt Chocolate Bark in Double Boiler and dip Cookie Balls. Place back on cookie sheets and chill until set. Store in fridge. (I have mine in the freezer. They freeze very well.)
These are a favorite of mine, and are so easy to make.
Almost all of my Christmas shopping is done and wrapped beneath my glowing Christmas Tree! I admire them all each night when I'm in my living room. There's something about the magic and wonder of Christmas. I love the Christmas story about Christ's birth, and I especially LOVE the wonderment in my 4-year-old Sunday Schools kiddos eyes when we talked about this yesterday!
This weekend I spent Saturday baking and making Rock Candy. Ten different flavors of Rock Candy to be exact! And WOW was that very time consuming, but of so worth the rewards. I also made my Mom and Bro dinner on Saturday night, which turned out very good. I will share that recipe in my next post.
In this post I am going to share my recipe for the Cookie Dough Truffles I made. :)
COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Butter; softened
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
1 (14 oz.) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips (I probably used closer to 1 C.)
1 1/2 lbs. Chocolate Bark; melted
In a large bowl, cream Butter & Brown Sugar until creamy. Add Vanilla. Gradually beat in Flour & add Sweetened Condensed Milk. Add Chocolate Chips; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on waxed paper covered cookie sheets. Chill for 2 hours. Melt Chocolate Bark in Double Boiler and dip Cookie Balls. Place back on cookie sheets and chill until set. Store in fridge. (I have mine in the freezer. They freeze very well.)
These are a favorite of mine, and are so easy to make.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
A Delicious Post Christmas Meal!
It seems that after the Christmas Day meal is done that there are always LOTS of leftovers. For us, that's not an exception. I have a funny story to tell about the Christmas Ham. I shop at a local store called Family Fare, they offer fuel rewards for every $50.00 spent in store (.05 off up to 20 gallons), and at times if you spend $75.00 they will give you a .50 off up to 20 gallon coupon. As you accumulate points you can then also use them to get items free in the store. Around Christmas time if you have 2,000 points you can get a free ham. This is a really great deal. Well, my mom worked VERY hard to get to 2,000 points and then told me to go and use her card and get the Ham that we would all be having here on Christmas Day. The store is literally a hop-skip-and-a-jump down the street from my house. So, I went and picked up the ham and few other things that I needed the week before Christmas. The store was hopping busy, and there were only 3 cashiers working, this included the Manager whose line I was in. Well, she asked me if I wanted to get my Cool Whip free for 200 points and I told her no, instead of hitting just no for that transaction she must have hit no for using all points...so when it came to my ham it didn't ask again, I told her that I wanted to use the 2,000 points for this. So, she credited back the $32 ham and said we'd have to go to the Service Desk to take the points off the card, which I was fine with...When all was said and done she realized that it was just too busy to go and do this, so she told me to have a Merry Christmas and use the points on something else. What a nice blessing. What did I do? I went and got a boneless ham and came home and cut it up into slices and chunks to be placed in the freezer to be used at a different time. I was able to get two hams totaling over $60.00 for FREE. At that time I wasn't working yet, and it was a really great blessing.
So, last night I used some of that second ham to make dinner. The brother came upstairs as it was baking and was salivating over how good it smelled in the house! This always makes me happy! Especially because it was so easy to make!
SCALLOPED POTATOES & HAM
INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 1/2 C. Milk
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 Medium Onions; thinly sliced
4 Large Russet Potatoes; thinly sliced
12 oz. Ham; Cubed
3 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a Baking Dish. In a saucepan melt 2 Tbsp. Butter over medium heat. Add in the Flour and stir. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the Milk. Return pan to heat and bring to simmer while continuing to stir; until thickened. Remove from heat; season with Salt & Pepper and set aside. In a skillet melt butter, add onions and cook until browned. Spread 1/3 of the White Sauce in bottom of Dish. Top with 1/2 the Potatoes, 1/2 the Onions, 1/2 the Ham, and 1 C. Cheddar Cheese. Repeat with 1/3 of the sauce, remaining Potatoes, Onion & Ham, and 1 C. Cheddar Cheese. Top with remaining White Sauce and Cheese. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour; until bubbly and cheese is completely melted.
It was a delicious and filling meal. And really only took me about 20 minutes to throw together!
So, last night I used some of that second ham to make dinner. The brother came upstairs as it was baking and was salivating over how good it smelled in the house! This always makes me happy! Especially because it was so easy to make!
SCALLOPED POTATOES & HAM
INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 1/2 C. Milk
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 Medium Onions; thinly sliced
4 Large Russet Potatoes; thinly sliced
12 oz. Ham; Cubed
3 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a Baking Dish. In a saucepan melt 2 Tbsp. Butter over medium heat. Add in the Flour and stir. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the Milk. Return pan to heat and bring to simmer while continuing to stir; until thickened. Remove from heat; season with Salt & Pepper and set aside. In a skillet melt butter, add onions and cook until browned. Spread 1/3 of the White Sauce in bottom of Dish. Top with 1/2 the Potatoes, 1/2 the Onions, 1/2 the Ham, and 1 C. Cheddar Cheese. Repeat with 1/3 of the sauce, remaining Potatoes, Onion & Ham, and 1 C. Cheddar Cheese. Top with remaining White Sauce and Cheese. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour; until bubbly and cheese is completely melted.
It was a delicious and filling meal. And really only took me about 20 minutes to throw together!
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
I want to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! I know that I had a wonderful Christmas with my family! It all started at my house on Saturday when we did our family Christmas here. It was great to watch the expressions on my nieces and nephew's faces when they opened their gifts. Especially when my nephew opened his Thomas The Train items, oh how he loves his trains! :) So sweet. We were all blessed with many wonderful and thoughtful gifts...My parents bought my sister-in-law and I Pandora bracelets with a couple beads on them, they are beautiful and VERY unexpected. I made a lot of Life Expressions signs as gifts, and also made my mom and sister-in-law necklaces from Origami Owl. I also received these BEAUTIFUL teacups from my brother & sister-in-law!
I absolutely LOVE them and cannot wait to use them!
On Monday, we all met at my Aunt & Uncle's house in Illinois. My Mom's brother and his family, and her sisters and their families were all there, along with my Gramma. We had a fun afternoon together and ordered our traditional meal of pizza for supper. We then proceeded downstairs to open gifts together. Then it was back up stairs to have a yummy array of homemade cookies and treats, and the traditional glass of wine for those old enough to partake. The younger bro, Mom & Dad and I made the drive home last night and we attended our church this morning for a WONDERFUL Christmas Service. I then made a Ham for dinner. We had that with a Bavarian Ambrosia (thanks Pinterest), Jell-O and Corn. It was a yummy meal. Overall, I have had an EXTREMELY blessed Christmas and hope that you have too! Let's all remember that among all the craziness and busyness, that Jesus is the reason for the season, and give the praise to Him.
BAVARIAN AMBROSIA:
INGREDIENTS:
On Monday, we all met at my Aunt & Uncle's house in Illinois. My Mom's brother and his family, and her sisters and their families were all there, along with my Gramma. We had a fun afternoon together and ordered our traditional meal of pizza for supper. We then proceeded downstairs to open gifts together. Then it was back up stairs to have a yummy array of homemade cookies and treats, and the traditional glass of wine for those old enough to partake. The younger bro, Mom & Dad and I made the drive home last night and we attended our church this morning for a WONDERFUL Christmas Service. I then made a Ham for dinner. We had that with a Bavarian Ambrosia (thanks Pinterest), Jell-O and Corn. It was a yummy meal. Overall, I have had an EXTREMELY blessed Christmas and hope that you have too! Let's all remember that among all the craziness and busyness, that Jesus is the reason for the season, and give the praise to Him.
BAVARIAN AMBROSIA:
1 small box orange Jell-O
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup orange juice
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
1/2 cup flaked coconut
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup orange juice
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
1/2 cup flaked coconut
In a medium bowl, dissolve Jell-O, sugar and salt in boiling water. Stir in orange juice and syrup from pineapple. Chill until thick as unbeaten egg white. Beat until fluffy light with beater.
Stir in Cool Whip until well blended, then fold in pineapple and coconut. I also added drained Mandarin Oranges and Marshmallows to it. Pour into large bowl and chill.
A Christmas Favorite...
This post is late in coming...but, better late than never is how I operate! A few weeks ago I had the privilege of learning how to make a holiday favorite with one of my favorite people! Thanks C. for opening up your home to me for the day, it really was a blast to learn what to do and what not to do. We really must do it again next year, it just seems so much more fun together!
We made Rock Candy together. LOTS of rock candy, all sorts of flavors. I even made some more at home by myself to give as gifts to my neighbors, a friend and my Aunts! So fun!!!!
ROCK CANDY:
INGREDIENTS:
(Single Batch First)
2 C. Granulated Sugar
2/3 C. Light Corn Syrup
3/4 C. Water
1 dram (1 tsp.) Candy Flavoring (I used LorAnn Gourmet Flavoring)
Food Coloring of choice for flavorings
Powdered Sugar
Combine Sugar, Corn Syrup & Water in 2-Quart Saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. (Then quit stirring) Bring to a boil, without stirring. When syrup temperature reaches 260 degrees, add Food Coloring; DO NOT stir, the boiling action will incorporate the coloring. Remove from heat at 300 degrees, when drops of syrup form hard brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action ceases; add flavoring (stand back as you stir as the smell can be very powerful). Stir in the flavoring. Pour candy onto Foil Lined Cookie Sheets and allow to cool and harden. ***It is VERY important that once you've poured onto cookie sheet that you IMMEDIATELY get your pan and all utensils under boiling water to remove the syrup and stop the hardening process.*** Tilt the cookie sheets back and forth to thin out candy before hardening. When cool, break into pieces and place in a strainer, add in Powdered Sugar and shake to coat; to prevent candy from sticking together. Store in an airtight container.
DOUBLE BATCH:
3 3/4 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Corn Syrup
1 C. Water
2--1 dram Flavorings
Follow above directions; except place on two foil lined cookie sheets.
We made Rock Candy together. LOTS of rock candy, all sorts of flavors. I even made some more at home by myself to give as gifts to my neighbors, a friend and my Aunts! So fun!!!!
ROCK CANDY:
(Single Batch First)
2 C. Granulated Sugar
2/3 C. Light Corn Syrup
3/4 C. Water
1 dram (1 tsp.) Candy Flavoring (I used LorAnn Gourmet Flavoring)
Food Coloring of choice for flavorings
Powdered Sugar
Combine Sugar, Corn Syrup & Water in 2-Quart Saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. (Then quit stirring) Bring to a boil, without stirring. When syrup temperature reaches 260 degrees, add Food Coloring; DO NOT stir, the boiling action will incorporate the coloring. Remove from heat at 300 degrees, when drops of syrup form hard brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action ceases; add flavoring (stand back as you stir as the smell can be very powerful). Stir in the flavoring. Pour candy onto Foil Lined Cookie Sheets and allow to cool and harden. ***It is VERY important that once you've poured onto cookie sheet that you IMMEDIATELY get your pan and all utensils under boiling water to remove the syrup and stop the hardening process.*** Tilt the cookie sheets back and forth to thin out candy before hardening. When cool, break into pieces and place in a strainer, add in Powdered Sugar and shake to coat; to prevent candy from sticking together. Store in an airtight container.
DOUBLE BATCH:
3 3/4 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Corn Syrup
1 C. Water
2--1 dram Flavorings
Follow above directions; except place on two foil lined cookie sheets.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Staving Off My NEED To Decorate For Christmas!
That, and saving my sanity as my neighbors have already started! I decided that the way to go was to start my Christmas Cookie baking early and freeze them so that I don't have as much work to do when the time is closer. It has been fun trying a few new recipes and adapting some old favorites!
I LOVE Christmas, and if it was up to me I would leave my decorations up year round! As you can see in one of my pictures on here, I do have a snowman warmer plugged in, but that's it for decorations so far. I'm itching to decorate, but will refrain until after Thanksgiving like a good girl!
MOLASSES COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 6 Dozsen Cookie
1 1/2 C. Butter; softened
2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cloves
1/2 C. Molasses
4 1/2 C. Flour
4 tsp. Ginger
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Coarse Sugar for Rolling
Preheat oven to 375. In mixer bowl cream Butter and Sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in Eggs and Molasses. Combine the Flour, Ginger, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Cloves and Salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into balls and roll in the Coarse Sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.
These smell FABULOUS, and will make your house smell like Christmas! I LOVE it!!!
I LOVE Christmas, and if it was up to me I would leave my decorations up year round! As you can see in one of my pictures on here, I do have a snowman warmer plugged in, but that's it for decorations so far. I'm itching to decorate, but will refrain until after Thanksgiving like a good girl!
MOLASSES COOKIES
Yields: 6 Dozsen Cookie
1 1/2 C. Butter; softened
2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cloves
1/2 C. Molasses
4 1/2 C. Flour
4 tsp. Ginger
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Coarse Sugar for Rolling
Preheat oven to 375. In mixer bowl cream Butter and Sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in Eggs and Molasses. Combine the Flour, Ginger, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Cloves and Salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into balls and roll in the Coarse Sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.
These smell FABULOUS, and will make your house smell like Christmas! I LOVE it!!!
Candy Canes, A Sign of Winter!
Not exactly Candy Canes in this recipe, but Candy Cane Kisses...so very close in my book! ;) We normally also have Peanut Blossoms at Christmastime, and when I saw this variety I knew that I must make them!
I did make some with regular chocolate kisses for those who don't care for the Peppermint ones...ahem, my brother...he's a weird one, I know... ;)
CANDY CANE KISS COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 2 1/2 Dozen
1 Bag Hershey Kiss Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 C. Butter; softened
1 C. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 Egg
2 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tbsp. Milk
Red & Green Colored Sugar (I also used Pepper Sugar)
Unwrap Hershey Kisses. Preheat oven to 350. Beat Butter, Sugar, Vanilla and Egg until well blended. Stir together Flour, Baking Soda and Salt; add alternatively with the Milk to Butter Mixture. Beat until well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in Red/Green Sugars. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies are set. Remove from oven; cool 2-3 minutes. Press Kiss into top of each. Cool on wire racks.
I think that they look pretty!
I did make some with regular chocolate kisses for those who don't care for the Peppermint ones...ahem, my brother...he's a weird one, I know... ;)
CANDY CANE KISS COOKIES
Yields: 2 1/2 Dozen
1 Bag Hershey Kiss Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 C. Butter; softened
1 C. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 Egg
2 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tbsp. Milk
Red & Green Colored Sugar (I also used Pepper Sugar)
Unwrap Hershey Kisses. Preheat oven to 350. Beat Butter, Sugar, Vanilla and Egg until well blended. Stir together Flour, Baking Soda and Salt; add alternatively with the Milk to Butter Mixture. Beat until well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in Red/Green Sugars. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies are set. Remove from oven; cool 2-3 minutes. Press Kiss into top of each. Cool on wire racks.
I think that they look pretty!
Who Doesn't Like Peppermint?
Well, I know a few people...my bro being one of them! CRAZY, I know! :) These cookies were a breeze to make and turned out so nice.
WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT M&M COOKIES
.jpg)
INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 4 Dozen
1/2 C. Butter; softened
1/2 C. Oil
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 C. Flour
1 C. White Chocolate Chips
1 Bag Peppermint M&M's (I didn't have any, so I added 1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract to the dough)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease Cookie Sheets. Cream Butter, Oil, Sugar and Brown Sugar. Add Eggs; beat until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and Vanilla. Mix well. Add White Chocolate Chips and mix. Spoon onto cookie sheets. add M&M's. Bake for 18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Pretty simple and easy!
WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT M&M COOKIES
.jpg)
Yields: 4 Dozen
1/2 C. Butter; softened
1/2 C. Oil
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 C. Flour
1 C. White Chocolate Chips
1 Bag Peppermint M&M's (I didn't have any, so I added 1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract to the dough)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease Cookie Sheets. Cream Butter, Oil, Sugar and Brown Sugar. Add Eggs; beat until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and Vanilla. Mix well. Add White Chocolate Chips and mix. Spoon onto cookie sheets. add M&M's. Bake for 18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Pretty simple and easy!
Christmas Baking Continued...
Another yummy treat in the freezer for Christmas enjoyment! :)
THUMBPRINT COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
1 Bag of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix + Ingredients to make cookies
1 1/4 C. Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Milk
Red & Green Food Coloring
Make Cookies according to bag mix directions. Bake in 1-inch balls (DO NOT FLATTEN). Remove from the oven and immediately use the back of a Tablespoon to indent. Cool. Mix Powdered Sugar with Milk until you reach your desired consistency. Add Food Coloring. Transfer to Zip-loc back, clip off a corner and pipe into indents. Let stand until set.
I'm used to the jelly version of these, but these were very simple to make!
THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1 Bag of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix + Ingredients to make cookies
1 1/4 C. Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Milk
Red & Green Food Coloring
Make Cookies according to bag mix directions. Bake in 1-inch balls (DO NOT FLATTEN). Remove from the oven and immediately use the back of a Tablespoon to indent. Cool. Mix Powdered Sugar with Milk until you reach your desired consistency. Add Food Coloring. Transfer to Zip-loc back, clip off a corner and pipe into indents. Let stand until set.
I'm used to the jelly version of these, but these were very simple to make!
Monday, December 26, 2011
A Super Easy Treat!
I hope that everyone had a very Blessed Christmas! I know that I did! We had a wonderful trip to Illinois to celebrate with extended family, and the Bos Family Christmas Party today was a lot of fun!
I wanted to post this recipe, per the request of a relative!!! ;)
EASY PEPPERMINT BARK
INGREDIENTS:
24 Candy Canes; crushed into pieces
2 Lbs. White Candy Coating/Bark
1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract
Melt the Candy Coating in a double boiler; stirring until smooth. Stir in the Extract and Candy Cane Pieces. Pour into a Wax Paper covered Jelly-roll pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Take out and break into pieces.
This was a huge hit at the party, and I KNOW that I will be making it again!
Here's a little preview of what Christmas was like this year!
I wanted to post this recipe, per the request of a relative!!! ;)
EASY PEPPERMINT BARK
INGREDIENTS:
24 Candy Canes; crushed into pieces
2 Lbs. White Candy Coating/Bark
1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract
Melt the Candy Coating in a double boiler; stirring until smooth. Stir in the Extract and Candy Cane Pieces. Pour into a Wax Paper covered Jelly-roll pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Take out and break into pieces.
This was a huge hit at the party, and I KNOW that I will be making it again!
Here's a little preview of what Christmas was like this year!
Cookies, cookies and more cookies!
The kids playing with cousin J.
Bos Family Christmas Party
A fun family game! Had to draw a Floor, a Christmas Tree, A Mantel with Stocking, Star and ornaments on the tree! All with the plate on your head and not looking! What a riot!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Can't Believe a Year's Gone By!
Wow! How time flies by! I can hardly believe that another year is almost over. Where did the time go?
I want to thank all of you that stop by and utilize my blog! I love the land of blogging, and plan to continue with this one. I wanted to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas! I hope that you are surrounded by friends and family, laughter and love this Season. I am blessed that I have a wonderful family to celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ with, and am looking forward to seeing more family tomorrow and having a Christmas party on Monday with extended family!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!
I want to thank all of you that stop by and utilize my blog! I love the land of blogging, and plan to continue with this one. I wanted to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas! I hope that you are surrounded by friends and family, laughter and love this Season. I am blessed that I have a wonderful family to celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ with, and am looking forward to seeing more family tomorrow and having a Christmas party on Monday with extended family!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!
Friday, December 16, 2011
A Delicious Bread!
I made this bread tonight as part of the Goody Plates for Christmas! My house smelled delicious! This recipe makes 2 large (9x5) loaves, but I used a Pampered Chef Mini-Loaf Stoneware pan...it has 4 wells and made 4 perfect little loaves! The perfect size for gift giving. I needed to double up the recipe...but I made it in 2 separate batches. They turned out wonderfully, and I even have 1 left over to share with my family next weekend when we do our family Christmas on Friday! YAY! :)
PUMPKIN-CRANBERRY BREAD
INGREDIENTS:
PUMPKIN-CRANBERRY BREAD
INGREDIENTS:
3 C Flour
1 Tbs + 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3 C. Sugar
1 (15 oz) Can Solid Pack Pumpkin
4 Eggs
1 C. Oil
1/2 C. Orange Juice (or Cranberry Juice or Water WHATEVER YOU PREFER) (I used OJ)
2 C. Fresh, Frozen, or Dried Sweetened Cranberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour two 9x5" loaf pans. (Or you can use parchment paper instead of grease) OR you can use Mini-Loaf Pans
Combine Flour, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Baking Soda & Salt in large bowl.
Combine Sugar, Pumpkin, Eggs, Oil & Juice in large mixer bowl, beat until just blended.
Add Pumpkin mixture to Flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Fold in Cranberries, then spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes (depending on your oven) or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pans to wire rack to cool completely. (If using Stoneware Pans you can remove immediately, or the loaves will continue baking)
I cannot wait to share these yummy goodies!
Baking The Days Away!!!!
Wow!!! I can hardly believe that it's the middle of December already? Where did the year go? Lucky for us here in Mid-Michigan we don't have any of that nasty little 4-letter S word on the ground right now. But that could change at the drop of a hat. It has been raining here a lot lately, and I DON'T care for that at all! I heard someone in the grocery store the other day say, "If it's going to be this cold outside it might as well just snow!" My feelings on that are not the same...I can stand the cold and do without the white stuff!!!!
In preparation for Christmas, baking has been the undertaking in my kitchen! Every year I LOVE to try new things and give the gift of goodies to friends and neighbors. This year is not any different! I just have a few more people to add to the list. The bro is happy that he has a sister that loves to cook and bake, so that he can share the wealth with his bosses at work. :) And I'm lucky that I work at a place where both my bosses have HUGE sweet toothes and will love this gift! So, I will be sharing a few posts of recipes with you!
The first is one of my favorites!
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Butter, softened
***Note:*** Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.
Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
These freeze very nicely as well! It's a good thing they do, otherwise I couldn't promise that any would end up on the goodie plates or making the trip with my family to Illinois to my extended family! Give them a try, you won't be sorry!
In preparation for Christmas, baking has been the undertaking in my kitchen! Every year I LOVE to try new things and give the gift of goodies to friends and neighbors. This year is not any different! I just have a few more people to add to the list. The bro is happy that he has a sister that loves to cook and bake, so that he can share the wealth with his bosses at work. :) And I'm lucky that I work at a place where both my bosses have HUGE sweet toothes and will love this gift! So, I will be sharing a few posts of recipes with you!
The first is one of my favorites!
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Butter, softened
3/4 C firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips (I use more...like 1/2 a bag!)
1 1/2 Lbs. Chocolate Bark Candy Coating, melted
In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.
***Note:*** Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.
Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
These freeze very nicely as well! It's a good thing they do, otherwise I couldn't promise that any would end up on the goodie plates or making the trip with my family to Illinois to my extended family! Give them a try, you won't be sorry!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)