Category Archives: holiday goodies

Melt in Your Mouth Fudge


Melt in Your Mouth Fudge

3 packages semi-sweet chocolate chips (36 oz total)
1 large Hershey bar (4.4 oz ready to eat – NOT the kind for baking)
1 stick butter (½ cup)
8 oz marshmallow whip (or Fluff or melted marshmallows)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups chopped walnuts
4 ½ cups sugar
1 large can Pet milk (12 oz can evaporated milk – NOT condensed)

Combine milk & sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil at least 3 minutes or so, making sure all the sugar is dissolved. Place remaining ingredients in a large glass bowl. Pour hot milk & sugar over the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cool about 45 minutes to an hour, then pour into a jelly roll pan (15 ½” x 10 ½” x 1”). Cool completely. Recipe makes 5 lbs and will fill this size pan to the top. Cut into 1” squares.

Turkey Pot Pie


1 recipe pastry for a (10 inch) double crust pie

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 small onion, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, diced

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

2 cubes chicken bouillon

2 cups water

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll out bottom pie crust, press into a 10 inch pie pan, and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. Cool slightly, then pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown

Pumpkin Pie Bars


image

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, nuts, sugars and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add butter, mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of the mixture. Pat remaining mixture on bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch baking pan.

Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, allspice and salt; mix well. Pour evenly over crust. Mix reserved crumbs with 1 tablespoon flour. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes. Serve warm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies


2/3 c butter, softened
2/3 c brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 c old fashioned oats
1-1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1, 6 oz package of Craisins Dried Cranberries
2/3 c white chocolate chunks, I used the white chocolate chips and added a handful of dark chocolate chips too (I’m flexible like that :) )

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together in medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, mixing well.  Combine the oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.  Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each.  Stir in the cranberries and the chocolate pieces.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2-3 dozen cookies.

Crock Pot Candy


I came across this on another site and figured you CANNOT go wrong when you are  using chocolate and a crockpot!!  When my Christmas goodies disappear, I will be making these and posting my pictures.  If you get a chance to try it before me, comment below and send me your pics to show here! :)  

1 16 oz. jar roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 16 oz. jar roasted, salted peanuts
1 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bar (4 ozs.) german chocolate, broken into pieces
3 lbs. (two 24 oz. pkgs.) white almond bark, broken into pieces

Put ingredients into a 4 or 5-quart crockpot in EXACT order as listed. Cover and cook on low 3 hours. DO NOT remove lid! Turn off and allow to cool slightly. Mixture will not be melted but will be soft. Mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoon size cookie dropper or a teaspoon onto wax paper. Let cool thoroughly.

Makes approximately 150 – 170 pieces.

Almond Rocca


Shelled almonds (Prunus dulcis)

Image via Wikipedia

  • 1 lb real butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup finely chopped almonds
  • 1 (11 1/2 ounce) bag milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

  1. Over Medium heat, melt butter in a large pot.
  2. Add corn syrup, water and sugar to pot and cook until temp reaches 290 degrees OR until the mixture becomes the color of a brown paper bag (about 15-20 minutes) stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (mixture will rise and bubble quite a bit).
  3. Remove from heat and Stir in 1/2 of the Almonds.
  4. Turn mixture onto a greased cookie sheet WITH EDGES!
  5. While the mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate over low flame until all the chips are gone, and chocolate is smooth.
  6. Score the Almond butter mixture into the shape you desire (I just scored into rectangle shapes).
  7. Pour the hot chocolate over the almond mixture and spread evenly.
  8. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and allow candy to cool completely and chocolate to harden before breaking apart and serving.
  9. Note: I let mine refrigerate over night after breaking the into squares, and they had a better texture this way, we thought.

 

What are YOU baking this holiday season?


A mother plays the guitar while her two daught...

Image via Wikipedia

With the approaching holidays and the chaos that comes with that, I have found this year that most of my decorating will take place the week of the 20th of December and baking has begun this week.  Of course, I can’t guarantee that there will be any of my egg nog cookies for Christmas festivities.  Seriously,  I had no idea they would be that popular here.  I actually thought the family would be a bit apprehensive about them and having them available for Christmas week wouldn’t be a problem.

More stuff on my baking-to-do list:  chocolate dipped pretzels, pretzel/caramel bars, almond rocca, fudge (a couple different kinds), and the kids want popcorn balls this year.  …..sigh…..  Popcorn balls?!?  I don’t think my dental work can handle that.

I will also be trying some festive variations of a family favorite, kuchen.  I will be trying some cranberry kuchen.  If you don’t know what kuchen is, you are in for a wonderful culinary treat!  I will be posting recipes and/or providing my links from the archives for any of the aforementioned delicacies.

Anyone else NOT started their Christmas shopping, like me?  I figure if I hold out the kids will change their minds to something less expensive and some items will be on sale closer to C-day.  Okay, I’m also a big procrastinator, but for all the right reasons.   A super busy schedule, homeschooling, going to be out of town next week, the dog ate the Christmas list.  You need more proof?  By the way, some of those reasons were true………..

Chocolate Turtle Christmas Cookies


Macro photograph of a pile of sugar (saccharose)

Image via Wikipedia

  • 2-¼ cups Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 cup Butter, Softened
  • ¾ cups Packed Light Brown Sugar
  • ¼ cups Sugar
  • 1 package (about 3.4 Oz. Package) Jello Instant Classic Turtle Pudding Mix (seasonal)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 2 whole Eggs
  • ½ cups Kraft Caramel Bits
  • 1 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
  • 5 ounces, weight Emerald Pecan Pie Glazed Pecans, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl.
4. Beat in pudding mix.
5. Add vanilla and eggs, beating after each egg.
6. Blend in the flour mixture.
7. Stir in caramel bits, mini chocolate chips, and chopped nuts.
10. Roll dough into small balls.
11. Place cookie dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
12. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Notes:

If you have caramel bits on the bottom of your cookie dough ball, consider putting a little flour on the cookie sheet. The caramel bits have a tendency to stick!

The Emerald glazed pecans are found in the produce section at the grocery store and are definitely worth seeking out for this recipe!

Egg Nog Cookies


Makes 3 1/2 to 4 dozen

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup egg nog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks

egg nog glaze:

  • 1 cup Confectioners Sugar (sifted)
  • 1-½ Tablespoon Dairy Eggnog
  • ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract (optional)

For the eggnog glaze, in a small bowl, combine sugar, eggnog and vanilla (if desired), adding eggnog a little at a time until glaze is of drizzling consistency.

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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Get that 10 by 15-inch rimmed baking sheet of yours out – or use your favorite cookie sheet. Line it with parchment paper, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugars, and mix until the butter-sugar mixture is a light and fluffy consistency (also known as creamed). Add the egg nog and vanilla extract and mix until they are incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture, then add the egg yolks, and mix until they are just incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients to the buttery-egg noggy-sugary concoction, mixing on low speed if using a mixer, and mix just until the dry ingredients have been blended into the wet.

Scoop out a tablespoon of dough per cookie, and place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the dough mounds at least 1-inch apart from one another on the sheet, place cookies into the oven, and bake until the edges are golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack. If continuing on to glaze, allow the cookies to cool completely before glazing, as the glaze will melt if applied to warm cookies (though it would give a good excuse to eat a cookie right away. ).

The cookies will keep for up to 5 days if they’re sealed away in an air-tight container.

Easy Butterscotch Fudge


Don’t be afraid to make these just because there is no candy thermometer or strict candy-making guidelines.  That is why these are called EASY.  The only thing you need to be cautious of in this recipe is stirring faithfully.  As with all fudge recipes I make or caramels, I line the pan with foil so that I can easily lift out of the pan and cut/serve/store from there.  Enjoy!

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
12 ounces butterscotch chips
7 ounces marshmallow creme
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Combine sugar, butter (or margarine) and milk in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan.
  2. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
  3. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium/medium-high heat, stirring.
  4. Remove from heat, stir in butterscotch chips until melted.
  5. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; beat until blended.
  6. Pour into greased 13×9 inch pan.
  7. Let cool and serve.