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Monday, December 19, 2011

Gingerbread Pumpkin Bread

Gingerbread Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients You Need:

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 inch Bundt pan (or 2 loaf pans)
  2. In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until smooth. Add orange juice and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, cranberries and spices.
  3. In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Pour into Bundt pan or divide batter between the 2 prepared pans.
  4. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Mocha Chip Snowballs (adapted from previous snowball recipe)

3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp Coffee Mixture*
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup dark choco chocolate chips
1 cup confectioners sugar

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add egg and coffee; mix well. Add the flour and salt and mix to combine. 
Fold in chips.

Roll into 1-inch ball.  Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for approx. 15 minutes.  Remove to wire racks.  Cool only slightly before rolling in confectioners sugar.


*I made coffee mixture by mixing enough instant coffee with water.  I did 2 well rounded tsp of instant coffee with about 2 1/2 tsp of water. 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies


  • What you need:

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup softened cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
  3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.


You can add frosting after they are cooled.  You can stick some M&Ms in the cookies while still warm.  I've also used the cookies for Snickerdoodles..roll the cookie balls in a sugar/cinnamon mixture and flatten with fingers before baking.  The best part is watching the kids munch on cookies that they love!




Snickerdoodles today!!

Getting ready to fire up the KitchenAid, get the boys ready and make some Christmas cookies.
Check back this afternoon for details of our great adventure!!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Dark Chocolate Mint Fudge

Sweet and Minty Christmas Treat.  
I find that having all the ingredients, equipment like the spoon and pan prepared makes everything go quickly! You will love the results so much, it won't be long until you have the ingredients memorized!  You can switch different kinds of chips or extracts (vanilla, mint, almond, or even coffee)


Ingredients you'll need:
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine (1 1/2 sticks)
2/3 cup evaporated (not condensed) milk
12 oz Dark Chocolate Chips
1 jar Marshmallow Creme
1 tsp Mint Extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Directions:
Line a 9X9 pan with foil or grease generously with butter.
  1. In medium saucepan and medium heat,
  2. Melt the butter/margarine
  3. Add sugar and evaporated milk
  4. Bring to a boil and boil for 4 minutes or candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees. Stir constantly. (if you don't keep stirring you'll end up with crystallized sugar pieces in your what should be smooth fudge)
  5. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and marshmallow creme.  Mix until smooth.
  6. Add mint extract and nuts if adding.
  7. Let sit at room temperature until firm.
  8. Enjoy!!!




Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Chocolate Snowballs


3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup toffee bits
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup confectioners sugar

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add the flour and salt and mix to combine.
Fold in chips.

Roll into 1-inch ball.  Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for approx. 15 minutes.  Remove to wire racks.  Cool only slightly before rolling in confectioners sugar.


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I love to cook. It is my passion.