Cookin' up Christmas

I had 9 days before Christmas and had just started my Christmas baking.  What was I thinking?!?  Usually I start right after Thanksgiving, but not this year.  I still have presents to make so of course I've procrastinated.  Well, I'm happy to say that most of my baking/candy making is done with only a couple things left.  I still have to finish presents, but I'm almost done with one then the others will go easier (I hope). 

I thought I would include some of my traditional candy recipes.  Treats that must be made every year.  Hope you take the time to try them.

This fudge recipe is in a previous post.

Peanut Butter Ritz Candy

1 box Ritz Crackers

1 jar Peanut Butter

1 jar Marshmallow Cream

Dipping Chocolate – white and brown

Colored sprinkles optional (red and green)

Spread one cracker with peanut butter and another with marshmallow cream. Put two crackers together to make a sandwich and then cover with melted chocolate. You can decorate the tops while still “wet” with sprinkles or when “dry” with opposite colored chocolate.

English Toffee

½-¾ C finely chopped nuts (usually walnuts, but whatever you have will work)

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter

5 TBSP water

Hershey candy bars to fit the bottom of a pie tin/plate

Place chopped nuts in bottom of pie tin and lay the candy bars on top. In saucepan place sugar, butter and water cooking on high for 5-8 min until color is of a dark caramel. Stir constantly or mix will burn.

Uncle Dean's Sweet Mix

1 ½ cups corn syrup

1 ½ cups sugar

2 cups butter

½ teaspoon vanilla

1- big box Honey Grahams*

1- big box Rice Chex*

1 package slivered almonds*

1 cup (+/-) coconut*

Pour cereals, almonds, and coconut into a big bowl.

Over medium/medium-high heat stir together sugar, syrup and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 min. Add the vanilla and pour over the cereal mix.

Spread out on 2-3 greased cookie sheets. Cool then eat.

* Nuts and amount of coconut are up to your tastes. You can use two boxes of Chex cereal but the contrast is best.

Jam Tarts

Why is it I've never made tarts before?  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I don't have a tart pan or maybe I'm just lazy and thought making them was too much effort.  Whatever the reason I'm glad I made these.

The original recipe was found here: http://stolenmomentscooking.com/pecan-tartlets

I was so happy to be able to use some of the more unique jams (like raspberry mango and orange peach) that I have canned to make these, but any jam would work.

Jam Tartlets

For the pastry:

6 oz. cream cheese

1 c. butter

2 c. flour

1/8 t. salt

For Filling:

Favorite jam

Place cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add flour and salt and beat until dough comes together and forms a ball

To assemble:

1. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter or glass, cut out circles. Press into mini muffin tins, going all the way up the sides of the cups.

2. Spoon in jam to 2/3 full

3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden brown and filling is set.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar when completely cooled.

linked to eatathomecooks.com

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

I came across this recipe on a blog I follow and all I can say is YUMMM!  This is so good and delicious.  Original recipe was found at www.dana-made-it.com/2010/11/baked-pumpkin-french-toast.html

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

1 loaf french bread

2 1/2 cups lowfat milk

1 Tbl flour

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbl sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup

1/4 cup butter (half a stick)

2 Tbl sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Cut the bread loaf into thick slices.

Combine and whisk the next set of ingredients from the milk down to the eggs

In a saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till bubbly (about 5 minutes)

Grease a 9x13 pan and you're ready to combine all the ingredients

Pour the caramel mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Place the bread slices, in a single layer over the caramel syrup. Squish them in; it's okay to crowd

Pour the milk/egg/pumpkin mixture over the top

Place plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle Cinnamon/Sugar mixture over the top (2 Tbl sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon).

Bake for 50 minutes and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. It will be big a puffy at first and slowly settle down.

Serve with syrup if you want, but we thought it great without and really do my kids need more sugar?  Cool Whip topping would also be great.  Enjoy.

Candy Cane Cookies

A couple of years ago while watching Food Network I saw Sandra Lee whip up a batch of these cute candy cane cookies and it was super simple.  I made them that year and then never since.  Evan has been asking for them a lot, so I made some.

1 batch of sugar cookie dough - either from scratch or use Betty Crocker mix

Red food coloring

Peppermint extract

Once dough is made split it in half.  Color and flavor one  half with coloring and extract.  Roll dough into ropes and twine together, then bend to form candy cane.  Place on cookie sheet and cook as directed by recipe.  Enjoy! 

See super easy and tasty.  Why didn't I make these sooner????

Stuffed Caramel Apples

Although part of our Halloween party these little beauties get their own post.  Peanut butter cups fill the inside of these bad boys and then they are covered with caramel and topped with more peanut butter cups.  How could this be a bad thing?  They aren't unless you are on a diet and have to limit yourself to one little nibble just to see how they taste (yep that we me, but it was a party after all and I had to taste them as this was the first time I've made them).  I found the recipe for these at: www.cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com with the title Tricky-Treat Stuffed Caramel Apples.  Head on over there and make a batch of your own.  She also had a fudge filling for these.

Of course I was trying to put Doug in a sugar coma with these and the graveyard dessert so he would be forced to stay home, but it didn't work. :(  boo hoo hoo

Skeleton Cakes

I found this site called bakerella.com where everything is baking.  She has this cool idea to make small cake cupcakes with cake and frosting and then you dip them in chocolate.  I can't remember if it was her site but some place someone took this idea and made cutout stars.  A light bulb went on and I had an idea:  Why not make pumpkins for Halloween?  Well I'll tell you why not,  I didn't have any orange dipping chocolate or any white that I could color.  So, I thought of making ghosts until I found this skull cookie cutter.  I love them.  Some may think this is time consuming, but really it wasn't that bad especially if you like to make candies.  I love how they turned out and so does my mummy.  How about you?

1- 9X13" cake cooked and fully cooled
2 cup cream cheese frosting, bought or made
dipping chocolate
candy for decoration if wanted

After cake is completely cooled, break it up into very tiny pieces in a large bowl.  You may use your food processor if you wish.  Stir in the frosting.  I ended up using my hands.  Once all mixed up line your cake pan (no need to clean it first) with foil or wax paper and dump in the cake mess.  Flatten it all out so it is even.  Freeze for 15-30 min or put in fridge for a couple of hours.  When time is up, take out and start cutting out your chosen shape.  With leftover cake re-shape and flatten again.  Freeze while you dip the first batch.  I found it best to use the bottom as the top and the top as the bottom so you end up with a flat top otherwise you can have bumps.  Now dip the cutout in the melted chocolate.  I found it best to dip what is going to be the bottom in first halfway, let it harden and then dip the top in and decorate immediately if desired.  Let harden on counter and store in fridge when all done.  Repeat with leftover cake.  Because of the cream cheese frosting these should be stored in the fridge.  I'm thinking of trying with just a butter frosting next time and seeing if it works as well.

Easy Chicken Taco Soup

I was at the grocery store a couple weeks ago and they had samples of taco soup and the recipe to go with it.  The soup was so good especially since it was turning cold here.  FYI:  No longer turning cold it IS cold.  I just had to whip up a batch for lunch.  Of course I didn't follow the recipe but went hunting to see what I had on had that could make a taco soup.

It turned out delicious, all spice and warmth.

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies

1 can pinto beans

1 can chili beans

1 can corn kernals (confession:  I hate canned corn except in soups)

2 Tbsp taco seasoning

2 or more diced chicken thighs or breasts

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Heat large soup pot over medium heat.  Add a little oil and saute the onions till soft.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 min.  Add the chicken pieces and cook until almost done.  At this point add everything else and cook until chicken is done.  Now it is ready to eat.  However, I let it simmer for 3 hours to condense the flavors and thicken it some.  Up to you, but so very yummy either way.  This would also make a good crock pot soup if you like.