Christmas week wrap-up!

I love sitting by the Christmas tree each night, reading, pondering, visiting with my hubby, or one of the children- this is Miss C. I love this picture!

Miss A had her first recital for orchestra. She did wonderful. I'm so proud of her!

My honey celebrated his birthday- and it's tradition to have the Best Banana Cream Pie... I think I finally mastered his mom's recipe.

My niece, little Miss C. She loves when I feed her- big people food. She loved my Malfatti's and her daddy's Pumpkin Scones. I'll post that recipe later.

Happy New Year's Eve!

Mini Southwestern Egg Roll appetizers (NEW)

These egg rolls are so great- serve them with a side of guacamole or sour cream, and they will be the hottest appetizer at your New Year's Eve party! You'll be called the hostess with the mostess.

In stead of egg roll wrappers, I used small wonton wrappers- more bite size.

I also baked my egg rolls because I wanted them to be slightly healthier.

The inside looks so pretty. (Notice the paper plates- we like to eat in style sometimes.)

Southwestern Egg Rolls

1 pk. wonton wrappers (30 count)

1 cup white corn

1/2 cup diced tomatoes, drained

1/4 cup green chilis

2 cups black beans, drained

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and place 3 tbsp. in the middle of a wonton wrapper. With a pastry brush, wet 1/4 inch around the entire wrapper to act as your glue. Wrap burrito style, placing seam side down on a baking sheet. Gently brush a little bit of vegetable oil, and sprinkle with a small, teeny tiny pinch of salt. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until edges are golden and bubbly.

Happy Baking!

Easy Appetizers! Beef Wellington & Bacon Wrapped Sausages...

Words can not express how happy my tummy is when I eat these little treats.

Both recipes are so easy to make, with only a few ingredients- it's a win win for everyone involved!

My family got together just before Christmas- we had some cousins in town, and new babies to see... it was a great night to celebrate with good food. Finger foods. And there are some pretty good cooks in the family.

Here's all our shoes... I thought it was a funny sight.

Happy Baking!

Beef Wellington Pockets

Puff pastry
Melted butter
2 cups diced mushrooms
2 petite sirloins, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper, bite size
More butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Take your puff pastry sheet and butter with a pastry brush. Fold in half and cut length wise into 3 strips. Fold strips into a small square, placing into your small muffin tin. Repeat until 48 have been done. This will use about 16 sheets.

Tip: keep the puff pastry covered with a damp towel. This will prevent cracking and drying.

In a large frying pan, add 2 tbsp. butter and saute mushrooms 3-4 minutes stirring once. Remove mushrooms and juices and pour both into a bowl. Add 2-3 more tbsp. butter, and place the seasoned meat into the hot pan, being careful not to overcrowd. This will help your meat brown faster.

Once your meat is browned on one side- pour all the meat into the bowl with the mushrooms, with juices. Spoon equal amounts of meat and mushroom mixture into each puff pastry shell. Bake at 15 minutes at 375 degrees or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Bacon Wrapped Sausages

1 lb bacon strips, cut in half length wise
Tooth picks
1 pkg. (30 pieces) sausage links (I used Hillshire Farms Cheddar Stuffed)
1/2 cup brown sugar

Wrap your sausages with bacon and secure with toothpick. Place on your baking sheet. Repeat until all sausages are covered. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm. These will go fast! You may want to double the recipe.

Pretzel Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Mint Truffle Cookies, and Double Chocolate Christmas Cookies (New)

 I had a baking day- just in time for Christmas- it simply was magical. My house smelled like butter, sugar and cocoa- until I ran out of cocoa. Darn it!

But these cookies all turned out pretty much perfect. I couldn't have planned them better.

Can you see the pretzel pieces? The dark chocolate chips? The peanut butter chips? Three of my favorite flavors rolled into a chewy cookie.

And now this cookie is a great combination of white chocolate, mint truffle Kisses, and of course a mint drizzle to top it all off. These were the cookies gone first. They were also the prettiest.

Here's some cookies cooling..... Note: my kitchen is not always this clean when I bake, but I tend to do the dishes while I bake. That way, there's not a sink full, counter full and stove full of dishes.

I used the Double Chocolate cookie recipe from 101 Gourmet Cookies- then altered it a bit for the season.

All three beauties served up on plates. The plates haven't been touched, because all the kiddos were still at school.

Sometimes I treasure moments like these.

Happy New Year & Happy Baking!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies
1 cup butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 pkg. (4 oz) Vanilla instant pudding mix

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 ¼ cups flour

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup crushed pretzel pieces

1 cup peanut butter chips 

Cream together sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, and

pudding mix (dry powder only). In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda and

flour and gently add to wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips, pretzels, and peanut butter chips. Use a small cookie scoop to drop dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes until cold before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until sides become golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Mint Truffle Cookies

1 cup butter

½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 ½ tablespoon water

1 pkg. White Chocolate instant pudding (4 oz.), powder only

1 ¾ cups flour

40 mini Mint Hershey Kisses, un-wrapped

Cream the butter, sugars until smooth and fluffly. Add egg, vanilla, water, and pudding powder. In a separate bowl, combine soda, powder and flour. Gently combine dry ingredients with wet, until mixed. Place 1 tablespoon of rounded cookie dough in a well greased mini muffin tin. Bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully place a Hershey Kiss in the middle, pressing upside down. Allow cookie to cool completely before removing from the muffin tin. Once the cookies have cooled, drizzle with melted mint candy coating for garnish (optional).

Double Chocolate Christmas Cookies

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pkg. (4 oz) Chocolate instant pudding mix (powder only)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 ¼ cups flour

2 cups M&M's- Green and Red

Cream together sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and

pudding mix (dry powder only). In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, flour

and gently add to wet ingredients. Fold in M&M's. Use a small cookie scoop

to drop dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until side become golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a

wire rack.

Brown Sugar Maple Biscuits (NEW)

Brown Sugar Biscuits

2 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 pint whipping cream plus 1 tbsp. maple flavoring
1/2 cup cold butter

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or knives until the butter is pea sized. Add whipping cream and maple flavoring. Stir with a fork until just combined.

On a floured surface, turn out dough, and roughly pat into a 1 1/2" thick rectangle. Use a round cookie cutter or knife to shape your biscuits. Place on a cookie sheet 1" apart. Bake at 425 degrees for 18-20 minutes until golden.

Happy Baking!

Glitter is better.

Glitter is better.

I have these cute little trees I pull out at Christmas time. This year, I had a feeling I'd love them more if I gave them a small makeover. Using glitter.

Before

After

I love them again!

Happy Crafting!

PW Mashed Potatoes

I have died and gone to heaven. I could feel my heart stopping with each bite, but that didn't stop me. Best thing about this recipe is that you can make it ahead of time.

Here's the recipe. Believe me, you'll want to take a moment to read it. And then make it for dinner. Tonight.

Happy Baking!

Pumpkin Trifle (NEW)

Holy cow.

This is a 5 star recipe.

I guarantee you will lick your plate, or bowl clean.

I made it twice in one week. Not too good for my waistline, but worth it.

I started this recipe with the Harvest Pumpkin cupcake recipe from 101 Gourmet Cupcakes. But instead of making cupcakes, I make a large cake. What a great idea!

Then I thought, Brown Sugar Cream would be great with this too!

I also used the Wise Women of the East spice (perfect for the pumpkin pudding- you can find it at Honeyville Farms.)

Pumpkin Trifle

1 spice cake mix
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup chocolate chips
3 eggs
3/4 cup half and half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. Wise Women of the East (or cinnamon if you don't have it)
Brown Sugar Cream (see link above for recipe)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2 tsp. Wise Women of the East
1 recipe (large box) instant vanilla pudding (prepared according to package directions)
Trifle bowl

Mix together spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, chocolate chips, eggs, half and half, vanilla and 1 tbsp. Wise Women of the East. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Remove and cool completely.

Add pumpkin puree and 2 tsp. Wise Women of the East into the vanilla pudding. Whisk until combined.

Layer the cake, brown sugar cream and pudding, then repeat until all ingredients have been used.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers. IF there are any. :)

Happy Baking!

And the winner is........

Thanks to all who entered in my National Cupcake Day giveaway.

It was a huge success- I made a new recipe. Nutella stuffed cupcakes. Yummy. I will be posting about that one soon, so keep a look out.

Enough about me, how about I announce the winner.

MarthaT!

You won! Congratulations. Email me your address and I will send you 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes. (You can still order on Amazon and get it before Christmas *hint*)

Happy Baking!

P.S. There will be another giveaway next week... one of my favorite things.

Carrot Cake Waffles (NEW)

I'd seen a recipe for carrot cake waffles- and was very interested. Very, very, very interested in making this and more importantly eating this recipe.

Of course I started thinking I'd use a cake mix- plus add ins. To make it easy, fast, but simply delicious.

I will stop typing, rambling, and talking about my thoughts so you can get to the recipe.

Happy Baking!

Carrot Cake Waffles

1 box carrot cake mix
3/4 cup yellow raisins (soaked in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes, then drained)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup toasted pecans (optional)

Follow the cake mix directions is preparing, then add the cinnamon, ginger, carrots, and pecans.
Place in a heated waffle iron, greased- I use Pam. Cook until golden brown, or waffle iron stops steaming.

This recipe will feed my family of 5 with some leftovers. So about 12 waffles- large, round.
 

Happy National Cupcake Day!

Happy National Cupcake Day!

I hope you are all excited about today- it's a perfect reason to bake. And at the end of this post, a new giveaway as part of my favorite things for December.

There are 101 + great recipes to choose from in this fantastic cookbook (if I do say so myself), 101 Gourmet Cupcakes.

Let's take a look at some of my favorite cupcake photos from the book by the fabulous and talented Marielle Hayes.

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

 Give me Smore

 

Root Beer Float

Nanaimo Brownie

Key Lime Pie

In honor of National Cupcake Day, I am giving away a copy of 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes to a lucky follower of this blog. Be sure to leave a comment to enter this giveaway after this post. One entry per person/household. The winner must provide a U.S. address for postage. The winner will be announced tomorrow! Good Luck!

Happy Cupcake Baking!

I would like you to meet Frosty Jr.

These snowman seem complicated, but it really just involves a little time. So put on a good movie, or turn on Netflix- will keep you going.

All you need is:

Orange tic tacs
Mini Oreos
Regular Oreos
Stick pretzels
Licorice- red pull a parts
Small, medium and large cake bites
Shredded coconuts
Mini M&M's

I used the New York Cheesecake cake bite recipe from 101 Gourmet Cake Bites- it's a great recipe and tastes good with the coconut. One recipe made 8 snowman.

My 5 year old took these pictures of me making the cake bites.... even though the pictures are blurry- you get the point, right? Dip the cake bites in white candy coating, then....

Cover with the shredded coconut. Set aside to dry. Once the chocolate cures, use the warm chocolate as your glue, then assemble.

Once the body is done, then move on to the arms (pretzel), nose (tic tacs), mini M&M's for the eyes and buttons, and the hat (Oreos).

I purchased some small ramekins from Taipan for 95 cents- so I could give them away. Tossed some extra coconut on the bottom for snow.

He's so cute! Almost too cute to eat... almost.

These snowman were used for place settings at a Christmas party... the arm got broken, my husband set the butter dish down a little too closely and it snapped.

Wouldn't this be a perfect gift for Christmas? I know I would love getting it.

Happy Baking!

Stuffed Mushrooms (NEW)

This recipe is easy and fast... but tasted delicious! I think mushrooms are fantastic, raw or cooked- and I know some people have a problem with them, but I would dare say it was they way the mushrooms were prepared. This is a must try.

Stuffed Mushrooms

10-12 large mushrooms, dry washed and stems removed and set aside
1 cup cubed stuffing
3 celery stalks
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. sage
1/4 cup butter
1/2 vegetable or chicken broth

In a medium saucepan, saute onion, celery, garlic, and sage in the butter until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add cubed stuffing and stir to coat. Stir in the broth, and remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes.

Using a small cookie scoop, place and equal amount of stuffing in each mushroom, repeat until all are done. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked through and stuffing is starting to crisp around the edges.

Makes 6 servings.

Happy Baking!

Brown Sugar Cream (NEW)

My brother-in-law loved this recipe so much, he begged me to give it to his wife.... and then said I need to do "101 Gourmet Whipped Creams" for my next book.... we'll see.

So brown sugar cream- is just that. Whipped heavy cream with brown sugar. It goes great with pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, blondies, caramel apple crisp. Anything, really. And it's only 2 ingredients.

Brown Sugar Cream

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar

Whip your heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add your brown sugar.... folding into the whipped cream, being careful not to deflate the cream. Cover and let chill for 1-2 hours before serving... the sugar dissolves this way. Then gently fold one more time before serving.

P.S. What topic should I write about next? Your thoughts?

Happy Baking!

Pumpkin Pancakes

These pancakes are so good.

So good, that we didn't have any leftovers.

We ate the whole batch.

It's a good thing I took this photo BEFORE we started to eat them. Because all that was left was crumbs... and a little bit of syrup on each plate.

I found a great new pancake and waffle mix at Honeville Farms the last time I taught there. Here's a link to it. My family approved- it's the best tasting mix we've found.

To the mix add:

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbsp. Wise Women of the East (also found at Honeyville Farms)

Cook like normal- according to package directions.

Happy Baking!

Asparagus au gratin (NEW)

This is a great way to serve asparagus for your holiday dinner. It's rich and creamy, and everything is better with cheese.

Asparagus au gratin

1 lb. asparagus, rinsed and dried

1 cup shredded cheese

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Place your asparagus in a buttered dish- in a medium saucepan, melt butter and flour, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Then add your milk, a little at a time, until you've whisked it all together and it's nice and thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top your asparagus with cheese, and then cover with your sauce. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Double Chocolate Stuffed Peppermint Cookies (NEW)

This recipe is so good, I had to give it another post. I hope you will all enjoy it. Here's a link to Studio 5 for the play by play.

The photos just don't give this little (rather big) cookie justice.

Double Chocolate Stuffed Peppermint Cookies (new recipe for Studio 5)

 

2 sticks (1 cup) butter,  cold

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup half and half

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. cinnamon or Wise Women of the East (available at Honeyville Farms)

2 cups dark chocolate chips (60% cocoa or half semi sweet and half milk chocolate chips)

12 small York Peppermint Patties (dark chocolate covered)

 

Mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Cut your cold butter into tablespoon pieces.  Then using a pastry cutter, work the cold butter into your flour until it becomes "pea" sized.

 

Whisk together vanilla, eggs, and half and half. Pour into flour and butter mixture and combine, until all ingredients are formed together. (Dough will be thicker and sticky. Shape dough with medium cookie scoop and flatten dough with your hand into a thick disc. Place your mint patty in the center and shape the dough, sealing the patty. Then shape your stuffed dough into a round ball and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used. Freeze for 20 minutes to allow butter to chill.

 

Remove frozen cookie dough and place on a cookie sheet, 2" apart, baking at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

 

Ruche.com and the winner is....

Thanks to all who entered in my little ShopRuche.com giveaway... I bet you are all wondering who the winner is.

So was I until just a minute ago. (The winner was chosen by Random.org.)


yangel

Congratulations! Send me your information asap 101gourmetcupcakes(at)gmail(dot)com and I will send you my favorite pair of earrings!

For those of you who didn't win this time, there will be a giveaway each week this month. Of course I will be featuring my favorite things... so stay tuned and be sure to tell all your friends!

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Cream Pie (NEW)

Forgive me. This is the only picture I have of this recipe. Sorry folks. Think of a Chocolate Silk pie with whipped cream... drizzled with chocolate fudge sauce.

My dad loves the Chocolate Silk Pie from Village Inn. Here's my version- only tastier and fresh- homemade with love. That's the best kind of pie.

Chocolate Cream Pie

1-9" pie shell, baked and cooled
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipped cream
1 pint heavy cream, whipped until stiff peaks form
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Chocolate fudge sauce (garnish)

Heat 1 cup heavy cream until simmering- about 1 minutes in the microwave. Pour hot cream over the 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Let stand 2 minutes. Then stir together until the chocolate and cream combine- it will thicken. Let stand until it becomes room temperature, approx. 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, fold in the powdered sugar with the whipped cream. Then when the chocolate is cool, add to the whipped cream. Folding until combined. Do not over mix. Spread your chocolate mixture into your pie shell, spreading evenly. Top with more whipped cream and chocolate fudge sauce just before serving.

Happy Baking!