CHEESEY HERBED POPOVERS
1/3 cup plus 4 tablespoons reserved beef fat, butter, or vegetable oil (or a combination)
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces goat cheese, cut or crumbled into 18 to 20 equal pieces
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush 18 to 20 wells of 2 popover or muffin tins with some of the melted fat. Place tins in the oven to heat while you prepare the popover batter. Combine the eggs, flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper in a blender and blend until well combined. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender. While the blender is running, add the milk and cream in a slow stream until smooth and thoroughly combined. Remove tins from the oven and fill each prepared well halfway with some of the batter. Place a piece of the cheese in the center of each cup and pour the remaining batter over so that the cups are filled 2/3 of the way. Bake the popovers until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PIZZELLE
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temperature
Vegetable oil spray
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting cookies
FILLING
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave on medium power until soft and melted, about 3 minutes depending on the power of your oven; stir until smooth. Alternatively, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan (without touching the water). Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Stir in mint extract. To serve pipe a tablespoon of the mint filling into the center of half the cookies. Top with another cookie and press to sandwich them together. Serve now or keep tightly covered for up to 1 week.
BAKED CRANBERRY OATMEAL
1 and 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
3 cups of milk
6 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 and 1/2 cups finely chopped apples
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
pecans or even peanuts
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Coat square pan (9 inch) with nonstick spray. In a large saucepan, bring the milk, brown sugar, margarine, and cinnamon to a boil. Concurrently, in a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, chopped apple, cranberries, and nuts; spread evenly into the prepared pan. When the milk mixture begins to boil, pour out evenly over the oatmeal mixture. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the oatmeal is tender. Cut the mixture into 6 servings, scooping each out into a cereal bowl. Garnish with a sliced apple (if desired).
CHRISTMAS TREASURES
16 Rolls
DOUGH
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 envelope Quick Rise Yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk, reserve white
CRANBERRY FILLING
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries, dried cherries or raisins
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, orange peel, undissolved yeast, salt and mace. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120o to 130oF). Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs, egg yolk, and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 16 equal portions. Roll each to 6-inch circle. Place an equal amount of Cranberry Filling in the center of each circle. Bring dough up around filling and pleat; pinch dough firmly just above the filling to seal. Place rolls, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Uncover rolls. Pinch again, just above filling, to seal. Lightly beat reserved egg white; brush on rolls. Bake at 350oF for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from sheets; cool on wire racks. Tie each with a narrow ribbon.
Cranberry Filling:
In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in dried cranberries.
CRANBERRY CREAM-CHEESE PULL APARTS
24 frozen bread rolls, thawed but still cold
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon each grated orange and lemon rinds
1 cup powdered sugar
5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Press about 5 to 6 cranberries into each thawed roll. Place rolls in a 9-by-13-inch pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the butter, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, cream cheese and orange juice. Blend well and pour over the rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. (Time will depend on temperature of your kitchen.) Combine remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the rinds and any remaining cranberries. Sprinkle this mixture over the risen rolls. Bake immediately in a preheated 350° F. oven for 25 minutes or until the rolls in the center are done. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over hot rolls. (Toss on extra cranberries, if you so desire.) Makes 2 dozen pull aparts.
INSIDE-OUT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE SANDWICHES
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Holiday Shapes & Morsels, divided
Peanut Butter Frosting and Filling (recipe follows)
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup Shapes & Morsels (set aside remaining Shapes & Morsels). Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly.
BAKE for 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
SPREAD Peanut Butter Frosting and Filling on bottom side of one cookie. Place bottom side of a second cookie over frosting creating a cookie sandwich; press down slightly. Frost top of cookie sandwich and sprinkle with Shapes & Morsels. Repeat with remaining cookies.
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING AND FILLING:
Stir together 1 1/4 cups prepared vanilla frosting and 1/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter.
PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES 1
2 c Brown sugar
1 c Veg. oil
1 1/2 c Cooked, mashed pumpkin (not the canned stuff, too runny.)
2 Eggs
3 c Flour
1 ts Salt
1 ts Baking powder
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Vanilla
1 1/2 tb Cinnamon
1/2 tb Ginger
1/2 tb Ground cloves
Cream sugar and oil. Add pumpkin and eggs. Add flour, salt, baking powder, soda, vanilla, and spices. Mix well. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins.
Variation:
Add 1/2 cup ground Black Walnuts for a great additional flavor.
PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES 2
3 c Flour
1 ts Baking soda
2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Salt
1 c Butter
1 1/4 c Brown sugar
1 c Sugar
3 tb Pumpkin pie spice
2 ts Vanilla
4 Eggs
3 tb Molasses
1 1/4 c Pumpkin
1/2 c Buttermilk
1 c Butter
10 tb Marshmallow cream; heaping
1 c Powdered sugar
1 ts Vanilla
FILLING Preheat oven to 350ø Combine cookie ingredients and drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes and cool completely. Beat filling ingredients together and sandwich between 2 cooled cookies. Wrap with plastic wrap.
CRANBERRY ORANGE CHEX MIX
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup frozen (thawed) orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Heat oven to 300°F. Mix cereals and almonds in very large bowl; set aside. Microwave butter, brown sugar and juice concentrate in 1-cup microwavable measuring cup uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into large roasting pan.
Bake 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in cranberries; cool completely, about 1 hour. Store in airtight container or plastic food-storage bag.
SCANDINAVIAN GINGERBREAD CAKES
Gingerbread cakes—or gembertaarts—are wildly popular during the holidays in Sweden, where the baking season begins on December 13, Santa Lucia Day, and doesn’t end until the beginning of the New Year. This recipe makes 12 cakes, but you can easily halve the recipe to make fewer. You will need 3/4-cup cake molds or loaf pans
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with one rack in the middle. Place a cookie sheet on the rack to heat. Spray each cake mold with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light. Gradually beat in the eggs and molasses. Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and beat until just combined. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and add to the batter, stirring well.
4. Fill each pan about half full. (If you do not have 12 pans, fill as many as you have, holding the batter at room temperature until the first batch has baked.) Transfer each pan to the hot cookie sheet.
5. Bake until the top is firm when gently pressed, about 15 minutes. Cool pans on a wire rack, then remove cakes from pans. Cakes may be refrigerated up to two days before decorating.
6. GLAZE
combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the crystallized ginger in a food processor. Process until fully combined. Transfer glaze to a bowl and add more sugar to thicken if desired.
7. Decorate the top of each cake with glaze and sprinkle with the remaining crystallized ginger. Cakes will keep at room temperature up to three days.
CHRISTMAS CASSEROLE
2 lbs. hash browns
2 dozen eggs
1 lb. link sausage
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 lb. canned mushrooms
1 lb. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled
This can be prepared a day ahead of time. Cook hash browns and layer in casserole dish. Cook eggs - scrambled loose. Layer on top of hash browns. Slice up sausage and layer on top of scrambled eggs. Layer 1 can each of soups on top of sausage. Then a layer of mushrooms, topped with your layers of cheese and bacon. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.
ROOT BEER FLOAT COOKIES
1 c. sugar
1c. brown sugar
1 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tsp. root beer extract or flavoring
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
FROSTING
1 c. powdered sugar
1 TBS half n half or milk
2 tsp. butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. root beer extract or flavor
Heat oven to 375. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In large bowl combine sugars, butter, buttermilk, eggs, extract and vanilla, beat at medium speed until well blended. Add flour, soda and salt, beat on low until dough forms. Drop by heaing teaspoons 2 inches apart, bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool completely. I get root beer flavor in the spice section of our grocery store.
In a small bowl mix frostening ingredients, frost cookies, let dry, store between layers of waxed paper.
Regular root beer does not work, it does not give the flavor and is to liquidy to work in the recipe.
