Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

Eric has fond childhood memories of his mom making these. And my dear friend, Cheryl, recommended these to me because she has been making them for 20 years now and they are one of her favorites! I made these tonight and they are indeed delicious! The almond extract is the key ingredient that make them so yummy!:)

By: Susie Horne & Cheryl Dillon

1/2 c. butter softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red food color

Heat oven to 375. Cream the butter, shortening and confectioners sugar. Add egg and flavorings. Blend in the flour and salt. Divide the dough in half and blend food color into one half. Take a little bit of dough from 2 colors and roll each ball out into a nice long snake, then do the same with the other ball, then place them side by side and roll them/twisting them together, pressing lightly; then curve them at the top for the candy cane shape and put on the cookie sheet.
Bake about 9 minutes, until set. They harden more as they cool on the cookie sheet.

Cheryl says, "I actually also make these around Halloween and make orange dough and I do the same thing with the dough, twist 2 snakes together, but I put them in the circle shape and then some green dough at the top for the stem. I try to think of every way I can make these cookies!"

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Very delicious and festive!

Ingredients & Supplies
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
red food coloring
green food coloring
various Christmas cookie cutters - stocking and candy cane for red dough and
Christmas trees for green dough

Directions
1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Divide the mix in half. Add and mix red food coloring into half and green in the other half. (If you wait and put the red food coloring on the dough after it is slightly chilled, it will make a tie-dye effect that looks cool for the candy canes.)
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. I like using a stocking and candy cane cutter for the red dough and a Christmas tree cutter for the green dough.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

*Dough freezes well*

Eggnog Cookies and Cupcakes

Eggnog Cookies and Cupcakes

Recipe found on www.babycenter.com "Cookies for Santa"



Ingredients
Cookies & Cupcakes:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used ground cloves instead)
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks

Icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons eggnog
Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons of spiced rum or rum extract (I did not use.)

Preparations
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. (If consistency is hard to work with, cool dough first in refrigerator.) Bake 16 to 24 minutes or until edges start turning light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. To prepare the icing, put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the remaining eggnog one tablespoon at a time (and the rum or rum extract, if opted for) until the desired consistency is reached. Spread onto cooled cookies and sprinkle tops very lightly -- adding too much will overpower the taste -- with nutmeg.

6. Let icing harden. Serve and enjoy!

Carrot Orzo

Carrot Orzo

Karen Brosius, Columbia, S.C.
Southern Living, JUNE 2010

This turned out very delicious! It was my first time cooking with orzo but now I look forward to more orzo recipes!

Ingredients

* 8 ounces carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
* 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup Parmesan cheese
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried chives
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme

Preparation

1. Process carrots in a food processor 15 seconds or until finely chopped.

2. Combine 2 1/2 cups water and broth in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until very hot.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Add orzo and garlic, and cook 1 minute.

4. Slowly stir hot broth mixture, salt, and pepper into orzo mixture. Cook, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

5. Stir in Parmesan cheese, chives, and thyme until blended. Serve orzo immediately. Garnish, if desired.

Sweet Potato Crunch

My mother, Teresa, has made this recipe for years! It is my all-time favorite Thanksgiving dish! Even if you're not a big sweet potato fan, you are sure to like this dish with all the yummy butter, brown sugar, and pecans that are added. It's like getting to eat a dessert, but you can call it a "vegetable", ha, ha!:)

Sweet Potato Crunch

3 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 stick butter, melted
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased baking dish. Cover with crunch topping.

CRUNCH TOPPING:

Melt 1/3 stick of butter. Add 1 cup brown sugar packed and 1/3 cup all- purpose flour. Blend well and add 1 cup chopped pecans. Sprinkle on top of potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.


Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1938,145171-246199,00.html
Content Copyright © 2010 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie

I love coffee creamer, so when I saw that this recipe calls for hazelnut creamer, I just had to try it!

Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie
by: Sunny Anderson
*freezes well

Yummy!!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients

* 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3 tablespoons hazelnut creamer, divided
* 1/2 cup butter, melted
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
* 3/4 cup light brown sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1/4 teaspoon allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make crust, mix graham crackers, sugar, 1 tablespoon of hazelnut creamer and butter until combined. Press into a 9 to 10-inch springform pan or cake pan making sure to press mixture up the sides and bottom as well, set aside.

For filling, in a large bowl mix in order cream cheese, brown sugar, eggs 1 by 1 and pumpkin puree. In a small cup stir remaining 2 tablespoons of hazelnut creamer, allspice and salt into heavy cream. Pour heavy cream mixture into pumpkin mixture and blend until combined. Pour into crust and bake for 35 minutes or until the center sets. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake
by: Paula Deen, 2007

I made this cheesecake this Thanksgiving for the second time! Last year in Macedonia was my first time making it and I was so pleased! It is incredibly delicious!! This is now a traditional recipe that I want to have every Thanksgiving on the menu.

Ingredients
Crust:

* 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 stick melted salted butter
*

Filling:

* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
* 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg (optional)
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Here's a Thanksgiving breakfast that the whole family will enjoy!




Pumpkin Pancakes
by: Susie Horne/ Cheryl Dillon

Ingredients:

2 c. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ c. milk
1 c. pumpkin
4 eggs, separated
¼ c. butter, melted

Directions:

*In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
*Combine milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, and butter in another bowl. Pour into dry ingredients. Stir just until blended.
*Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter.
*Preheat griddle, grease lightly. Pour on batter, about ¼ cup for each pancake. Cook until tops bubble and is dry and bottom browned. Turn and cook other side until browned. Makes about 2 dozen 3-4 inch pancakes.

M & M Rainbow Blondies

M & M Rainbow Blondies

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for glass pan). Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add egg whites and vanilla extract. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture just until combined. Stir in M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies
and nuts. Spread dough into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly moist with crumbs. Cool completely before cutting. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes 32 SERVINGS.

http://www.mms.com/us/baking/recipes/bars/recipe.jsp?id=76

Mild Curried Chicken

Mild Curried Chicken
serves 2

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
8 oz. cubed chicken breast
3-4 tbsp. Patak's Mild Curry Paste
1/2 c. diced canned tomatoes
3/4 c. water
cooked rice

1. Saute onion in oil.
2. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned.
3. Stir in Patak's Mild Curry Paste, cook for 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes and water.
5. Simmer, uncovered until the chicken is throughly cooked, about 25 minutes.
Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Eric had asked me to cook this for him because he loves Indian food. I actually did not expect to like this myself, but now I'm looking forward to cooking it again! It turned out great, and so easy!

Easy Cobbler

Easy Cobbler
by: my mother, Teresa

1 stick of butter
1 c. of flour
1 c. of sugar
1 c. of milk
2 c. of fruit of your choice (blueberry is my favorite!!)

Mix together melted butter, flour, sugar, and milk and pour in baking dish.
Spoon in fruit but do not stir.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Best if topped with vanilla ice cream! So yummy!

Butterfly Cake

Butterfly Cake

This was Olivia's 1st birthday cake!

Ingredients:

* 1 box yellow cake mix
* Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
* Frosting and Decorations
* 1 container (1 lb) vanilla frosting
* 1 candy stick or decorative straw (8 to 10 inches long)
* Food color (in desired colors)
* decorating gel (from 0.68-oz tube) in any color
* Decorating sugar crystals (any color)
* 8 jelly beans or candy covered almonds

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box.
2. Cut cake in half crosswise; cut each half into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces (as shown in diagram on http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/butterfly-cake-recipe/2/). Place cake pieces on platter to form butterfly. Gently separate cake pieces to form wings.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting. Frost cake pieces with remaining frosting. Place candy stick (or decorative straw) between cake pieces for butterfly body.
4. Stir food color into reserved frosting until well blended. Spread over cake in desired pattern on wings. Outline wing patterns with gel. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. Place jelly beans (or candy covered almonds) on corners of wings.

*For help with cutting and assembling the cake, visit http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/butterfly-cake-recipe/2/

*To watch an instructional video, visit http://www.bettycrocker.com/videos/videolibrary/birthday-cakes/how-to-make-a-butterfly-cake?WT.mc_id=paid_search_200100_636117&WT.srch=1&esrc=11151

Crescent Butterflies

Crescent Butterflies

If you like "Pig in the blankets", you'll love these crescent butterflies!

Olivia had a butterfly themed birthday party and this was one of the finger foods I prepared. The recipe is from Taste of Home and I simplified it a little. The URL for the original recipe is http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Crescent-Butterflies.

Ingredients

* 2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1 small pkg. of Little Smokies sausages
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

* Unroll crescent dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Seal seams. Cut with a butterfly cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Press a Little Smokies sausage in the middle of each butterfly.
* Brush wings with butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

No Fail Sugar Cookies

I got this great recipe from a sweet friend, Amy, in Macedonia. She also had a butterfly theme for her daughters 1st birthday and the cookies were so delicious! I asked her for the recipe and she said she had found it on www.food.com. The URL is http://www.food.com/recipe/no-fail-sugar-cookies-108172.





No Fail Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

6 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

Santa Fe Soup

Santa Fe Soup (some call it "Taco Soup")
by: Barbara Childs

Ingredients:

* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 med chopped onion
* 1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
* 1 pack Taco Seasoning mix
* 1 tsp. garlic
* 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
* 1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
* 1 can pinto beans, undrained
* 1 can black beans, undrained
* 1 can kidney beans, undrained
* 1 can shoe-peg corn, undrained

Directions:

Brown beef and drain. Next add the onion and seasoning packets, adding ½ -1 cup water with seasonings. Put in large pot then add all the cans. Stir and cook on low for 2 hours. You may have to add extra water. You can add another pound of meat and another package of taco seasoning if you are serving a lot of people. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.

You can also make this in the crock-pot very easily! Cook your meat and add it to all the other ingredients in the crock pot. Wa-la! So incredibly yummy!

Best Mexican Cornbread

It's soup and stew weather! These cornbread muffins are delicious with any soup!

Best Mexican Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 c. self-rising corn meal
3/4 c. milk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 14oz. can cream-style corn
1 1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
1 4 oz. can chopped mild green chilies (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Bake until slightly brown.

Momosita's Amazing Ground Turkey Meatloaf

Momosita's Amazing Ground Turkey Meatloaf

I found this recipe on www.food.com. I tweaked the recipe just a little bit to make the ingredients easier to find. It's very delicious!!

Ingredients:

1 c. milk
1 c. breadcrumbs
1 lb. ground turkey
1 carrot, grated (approx 1/4 c.)
1/2 zucchini, grated (approx. 1/4 c.)
1/2 medium onion, diced (optional)
1 egg
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbs. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)
ketchup, to drizzle on top


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place milk and breadcrumbs in a bowl and let soak while mixing the rest of the ingredients.

Pat and squeeze the shredded zucchini and carrots between paper towels to soak up extra moisture.

Place ground turkey, carrot, zucchini, onion (optional), egg and cheese in a large bowl and mix.

Once the breadcrumbs have soaked up all of the milk, mix in the 2 Tbs of Italian seasoning and add to the turkey mixture.

Stir in the seasoned salt, pepper, and worcestershire (optional).

Place mix in a greased loaf baking pan and drizzle the ketchup on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 55 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. Remove from the oven, cover tightly with tin foil and let sit for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!:)

Ultimate M&M Cookies

I got this recipe from a holiday cookie exchange in Wake Forest, NC during our seminary days.

Ingredients

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 12-ounce package M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies
3/4 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter/sugar mixture. Stir in M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies and nuts, if desired. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container. Makes about 3 dozen 3 inch cookies.

Toffee Grahams

Toffee Grahams
by: Cristina Beck
Cristina was my supervising teacher when I did my student teaching in Toccoa, Georgia. She gave me this delicious recipe.

1 box graham crackers
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. chopped pecans

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Arrange graham crackers close together to cover the cookie sheet. Combine butter and brown sugar in small saucepan; cook until mixture comes to a boil. Add pecans; spread mixture over graham crackers. Bake in 350 degree oven 10 minutes or until bubbly; cool 10 minutes. Cut each graham cracker in half and remove to a cooling rack. Serve cold.