Channeling my inner Buddy the Elf... "I just like to bake! Baking's the BEST!" For those who actually know me know how much I like to bake. My love for baking comes in a very close second to my love for eating. And without one, what is the other?
Nihility.
Nought.
Diddly Squat & a Big Fat Goose Egg.
Mom Noffke taught me all I needed to know about cooking/baking. Betty's best advice? "Recipes are guidelines, not rules. Of course quantities of key ingredients like flour, baking soda, etc in baked goods really are rules." Seriously. However, (there's always an exception to the rule) learning to substitute is so freeing! Try it. My friend Marsha taught me to cut the flour by 1/4 C and add 1.5 C oatmeal to my chocolate chip cookie recipe. You'll never go back. Honestly.
With those hard and fast rules and all their exceptions in mind, here are all of my favorite Christmas-time treats. I've broken them down into categories, which will probably really do nothing for you aside from possibly entertain.
Nibble & Munch = Make a Bunch!
This is the stuff you just snack on.
Continuously. Allday week month holiday season.
Continuously. All
#1. "Party Mix"
This recipe is compliments of one great, class-act and super-fun lady. Heather A. knows how to throw a party and make a kick-booty party mix to go with it. Here's her recipe (do I need to mention I made changes?) that we adore!
1 box Wheat Chex
1 box Corn Chex (She would use Cheerios)
1 box Rice Chex
3/4 bag pretzels (sticks, rounds, choose your poison on the shape, ya'll)
Peanuts (again, your call on the quantity) (Heather would also put in mixed nuts... she's a nutty gal)
2 C melted oleo (butter for you city folk)
2 T. Worchestershire (If you're critiquing my spelling I'm critiquing your pronunciation)
2 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. chili powder
(Heather now adds 2 tsp Tabasco... I'm yet to be that brave)
Pour the cereal/pretzels/nuts in a giant roaster pan (or buy a few disposable ones if you don't own one) and pour the liquid mixture (everything else on the list all mixed together) over the top, stirring as your pour to evenly coat.
Bake at 225* for 1.5 hours stirring every 30 minutes.
#2. "Nebraska Crack"
I'd never heard it called that until I brought it to an event... the name stuck because it's so darned true! For those offended by the name, you can call it Caramel Crispix. I promise not to be offended. (But once you try it and can't stop eating it, you'll get it.)
2 sticks oleo (again, that's butter)
2 C. Brown Sugar (light or dark, we don't discriminate)
1/2 C corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
17.9 oz box of Crispix
Peanuts or pretzels... whatever your little heart desires.
Put margarine, sugar and syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over MEDIUM heat and boil 1.5 min. (Stir it while it boils, please) Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. (It's about to get frothy, mind you.)
Put the dry ingredients in a brown paper bag. Fold top of bag over to "close" it and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Shaking bag to "stir" every minute. Spread on waxed paper or a cookie sheet to cool. Break apart and eat. Forget the airtight container to store it in... it'll never make it that far or last that long.
#3 "Chocolate Popcorn"
Growing up I had a friend who's mom would make us chocolate popcorn when we had sleepovers. Lois is the best. Who wouldn't love someone who put chocolate on popcorn?
8 Cups popped popcorn (I do 16 cups and double everything else too... Go big or go home.)
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C Light Corn Syrup
1/2 Stick Butter
2 T cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
Boil all except the popcorn. Pour liquid over the popcorn in a large heat-safe bowl. (I use a fix-n-mix bowl sprayed with a little cooking oil). Stir to coat evenly. Spread on a cookie sheet or waxed paper to cool OR make into balls.
"Erin's Homemade Oreos"
Since the recipe came from her kitchen, the recipe card in mine bears her name in the title!
2 boxes Devil's Food Cake Mix
1.5 sticks butter
4 eggs
*Geri's cream cheese frosting (see recipe below)
Mix ingredients except frosting. Make into balls and flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
When cool, scoop, dollop or plop cream cheese frosting on the bottom of one cookie and top with a second cookie... you know, like an oreo.
"Geri's Cream Cheese Frosting" This is the best frosting recipe you'll ever taste. Put it on everything. Cake, cinnamon rolls, homemade oreos...
8 Oz cream cheese (get the real stuff, don't skimp on this one.) Softened
1/2 C butter (softened)
1/2 bag powdered sugar (give or take)***
splash of vanilla (I'm not one to measure my vanilla... go with about 1 tsp if you're a control freak that way.)
Ok. This takes finesse to keep from coating your walls with a fine dusting of pwd sugar. Beat the butter and cream cheese first until they are creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar in small increments (like 1/4 cup) and add your vanilla whenever the mood strikes. Just don't leave it out.
***Test your consistency and stop adding pwd sugar when the frosting is the way you want it. It all depends on how humid the weather is and what you are using the frosting for. If I'm decorating a cake and piping it on, I like it nice and stiff. For oreos it doesn't need to be so "sturdy"!
Please note, these are in no particular order.
"Chocolate Cream Pie"
There's no need to put a fancy title to this one. It's simple, unadulterated amazingness. It's todiefor and if you dare say to me "This is good, honey. But wouldn't it be easier to make chocolate pudding and put it in a crust?" You will learn another meaning for todiefor.
This is a labor of love. A delicacy that the best dessert-maker feels deep in her heart. (And her loins if she skips her workouts.)
I can't stress this enough. Love. Amore. Rapture. Just make it. You can thank me later.
1 baked pie crust
***
4 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
1.5 C Sugar
1/4 C Cornstarch
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 C Milk
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut up into small pieces
2 tsp vanilla
Whipped Cream Topping
1. Bake pie crust and set aside to cool
2. Beat egg yolks w/ fork in small bowl
3. Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a 2 qt saucepan
4. Gradually stir in milk, add chocolate and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir one minute.
5. Immediately (and slowly) stir 1/2 the mixture into the egg yolks, then stir that back into the hot mixture in the saucepan. (Do NOT skip this step by pouring the eggs right into the hot mixture. You'll end up with scrambled eggs in your pie. Google "tempering eggs" if you want more information.)
6. Boil and stir one minute
7. Remove from heat
8. Stir in vanilla
9. Pour into pie shell and press plastic wrap onto the filling, sealing it all the way to the edges
10. Refrigerate 2 hours until set
11. Remove plastic wrap (duh) and top with whipped topping prior to serving. If you want to get fancy, shave chocolate onto the top!
Refrigerate any leftov... what am I saying? Leftovers???? Doubtful.
"Swedish Butter Balls"
I remember these from when I was little, and while the Swedish part is questionable, the butter part is confirmed. I've seen them called Mexican Wedding Cookies too. Whatever you call them, call them heavenly! Melt in your mouth kind of heavenly. But don't inhale when you take a bite. You'll choke on the powdered sugar coating and curse me.
1 C softened butter
1/2 C pwd sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 C finely chopped pecans (can omit)
Additional pwd sugar for coating
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Measure flour, add salt and stir to blend. Add dry ingredients and nuts to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape into 1" balls. Bake 10-12 minutes at 400*
Roll in pwd sugar while still slightly warm. Cool on racks and roll again when cool.
"Grandma's Drop Sugar Cookies"
This recipe is my favorite for sugar cookies. My brother's too I know. 100% for sure. I made the mistake of taking him a few once, failing to explain there was only one layer, nothing under the stacking tray. Needless to say his family didn't benefit from my baked-goods gift on that one occasion. Oops.
1 C butter
1 C cooking Oil
1 C sugar
1 C pwd Sugar
(I know... sugar, sugar, sugar...)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cream of tartar (don't skip it)
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt
4 1/4 C flour (a bit more if rolling and cutting)
Cream first four ingredients. Beat eggs and add vanilla. Add to first mixture. Add dry ingredients. Let set 2 hours in fridge if rolling out and using cookie cutters.
If doing "drop" style cookies, roll into balls and flatten with glass dipped in sugar.
Bake 10-12 minutes at 350*
If you can get super-cute helpers, all the better!!!
*******************
That's my holiday plan. I'll be making it, taking it, giving it away, eating it and then trying to work it off... and that's another post to get you (and myself) re-motivated and back on the workout wagon again!
Holiday Blessings to you all!
-Kristin
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
17.9 oz box of Crispix
Peanuts or pretzels... whatever your little heart desires.
Put margarine, sugar and syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over MEDIUM heat and boil 1.5 min. (Stir it while it boils, please) Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. (It's about to get frothy, mind you.)
Put the dry ingredients in a brown paper bag. Fold top of bag over to "close" it and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Shaking bag to "stir" every minute. Spread on waxed paper or a cookie sheet to cool. Break apart and eat. Forget the airtight container to store it in... it'll never make it that far or last that long.
#3 "Chocolate Popcorn"
Growing up I had a friend who's mom would make us chocolate popcorn when we had sleepovers. Lois is the best. Who wouldn't love someone who put chocolate on popcorn?
8 Cups popped popcorn (I do 16 cups and double everything else too... Go big or go home.)
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C Light Corn Syrup
1/2 Stick Butter
2 T cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
Boil all except the popcorn. Pour liquid over the popcorn in a large heat-safe bowl. (I use a fix-n-mix bowl sprayed with a little cooking oil). Stir to coat evenly. Spread on a cookie sheet or waxed paper to cool OR make into balls.
The Hubs' Loves!
They (who are "they"?) say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. This recipe is the fastest way there for my hubby. Thanks to Erin, Brian enjoys this recipe on special occasions. I think it ties with Erin's mom's recipe for Carrot Cake.
"Erin's Homemade Oreos"
Since the recipe came from her kitchen, the recipe card in mine bears her name in the title!
2 boxes Devil's Food Cake Mix
1.5 sticks butter
4 eggs
*Geri's cream cheese frosting (see recipe below)
Mix ingredients except frosting. Make into balls and flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
When cool, scoop, dollop or plop cream cheese frosting on the bottom of one cookie and top with a second cookie... you know, like an oreo.
"Geri's Cream Cheese Frosting" This is the best frosting recipe you'll ever taste. Put it on everything. Cake, cinnamon rolls, homemade oreos...
8 Oz cream cheese (get the real stuff, don't skimp on this one.) Softened
1/2 C butter (softened)
1/2 bag powdered sugar (give or take)***
splash of vanilla (I'm not one to measure my vanilla... go with about 1 tsp if you're a control freak that way.)
Ok. This takes finesse to keep from coating your walls with a fine dusting of pwd sugar. Beat the butter and cream cheese first until they are creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar in small increments (like 1/4 cup) and add your vanilla whenever the mood strikes. Just don't leave it out.
***Test your consistency and stop adding pwd sugar when the frosting is the way you want it. It all depends on how humid the weather is and what you are using the frosting for. If I'm decorating a cake and piping it on, I like it nice and stiff. For oreos it doesn't need to be so "sturdy"!
Gluttonous Greats!
In this, the Pièce de résistance of this post, I share with you three of my weaknesses. The desserts that will bring me to tears. Some for sentimental reasons, others for the sheer joy and pleasure of indulging in their fantabulousness. Yes. Fantabulousness. Add it to your vocab list for the week.
Please note, these are in no particular order.
"Chocolate Cream Pie"
There's no need to put a fancy title to this one. It's simple, unadulterated amazingness. It's todiefor and if you dare say to me "This is good, honey. But wouldn't it be easier to make chocolate pudding and put it in a crust?" You will learn another meaning for todiefor.
This is a labor of love. A delicacy that the best dessert-maker feels deep in her heart. (And her loins if she skips her workouts.)
I can't stress this enough. Love. Amore. Rapture. Just make it. You can thank me later.
1 baked pie crust
***
4 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
1.5 C Sugar
1/4 C Cornstarch
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 C Milk
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut up into small pieces
2 tsp vanilla
Whipped Cream Topping
1. Bake pie crust and set aside to cool
2. Beat egg yolks w/ fork in small bowl
3. Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a 2 qt saucepan
4. Gradually stir in milk, add chocolate and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir one minute.
5. Immediately (and slowly) stir 1/2 the mixture into the egg yolks, then stir that back into the hot mixture in the saucepan. (Do NOT skip this step by pouring the eggs right into the hot mixture. You'll end up with scrambled eggs in your pie. Google "tempering eggs" if you want more information.)
6. Boil and stir one minute
7. Remove from heat
8. Stir in vanilla
9. Pour into pie shell and press plastic wrap onto the filling, sealing it all the way to the edges
10. Refrigerate 2 hours until set
11. Remove plastic wrap (duh) and top with whipped topping prior to serving. If you want to get fancy, shave chocolate onto the top!
Refrigerate any leftov... what am I saying? Leftovers???? Doubtful.
"Swedish Butter Balls"
I remember these from when I was little, and while the Swedish part is questionable, the butter part is confirmed. I've seen them called Mexican Wedding Cookies too. Whatever you call them, call them heavenly! Melt in your mouth kind of heavenly. But don't inhale when you take a bite. You'll choke on the powdered sugar coating and curse me.
1 C softened butter
1/2 C pwd sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 C finely chopped pecans (can omit)
Additional pwd sugar for coating
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Measure flour, add salt and stir to blend. Add dry ingredients and nuts to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape into 1" balls. Bake 10-12 minutes at 400*
Roll in pwd sugar while still slightly warm. Cool on racks and roll again when cool.
"Grandma's Drop Sugar Cookies"
This recipe is my favorite for sugar cookies. My brother's too I know. 100% for sure. I made the mistake of taking him a few once, failing to explain there was only one layer, nothing under the stacking tray. Needless to say his family didn't benefit from my baked-goods gift on that one occasion. Oops.
1 C butter
1 C cooking Oil
1 C sugar
1 C pwd Sugar
(I know... sugar, sugar, sugar...)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cream of tartar (don't skip it)
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt
4 1/4 C flour (a bit more if rolling and cutting)
Cream first four ingredients. Beat eggs and add vanilla. Add to first mixture. Add dry ingredients. Let set 2 hours in fridge if rolling out and using cookie cutters.
If doing "drop" style cookies, roll into balls and flatten with glass dipped in sugar.
Bake 10-12 minutes at 350*
If you can get super-cute helpers, all the better!!!
*******************
That's my holiday plan. I'll be making it, taking it, giving it away, eating it and then trying to work it off... and that's another post to get you (and myself) re-motivated and back on the workout wagon again!
Holiday Blessings to you all!
-Kristin
Canned cheese and crackers is all you need!
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