More Christmas Cookies and Treats

When my sister was here visiting a couple weeks ago, I asked her what cookies she wanted me to make and send her for Christmas. I gave her some Holiday Baking Magazines and told her to pick as many as she wanted.
She folded down lots and lots of pages and then I narrowed it down to 6. I chose things that I could make all in the same day and then threw in a couple more treats at the end.

First up is Peppermint Bark. This is a Christmas goodie that my mom has made for quite a few years and she uses Martha Stewarts recipe. I actually like it better when you use almond bark instead of white chocolate, so that is what I did. I like to sprinkle some of the chopped candy canes on top, as well as mixing them into the melted white stuff. My hubby really likes this and so do my kids. Great gift.
Recipe for Peppermint Bark
My sister requested a molasses cookie and I decided I would make Dorie's recipe, because I knew it was a crowd pleaser. This time I didn't flatten my balls of dough, so I had smaller, chewier cookies. This recipe is so great that it really deserves a repeat.
I sent some of the last batch to my family, so they will be super excited to get more of them in the mail.

Recipe for Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies
I saw this cookie in a Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie issue and was intrigued by the combination of cornmeal and dried fruit in a cookie. I knew sending this cookie to someone else would be great, since most members of my family do not like cornmeal. The recipe originally called for dried cherries, but I subbed in dried cranberries because that is what I had in the pantry.
These also have orange zest and they aren't overly sweet. Great cookie.
Recipe for Cornmeal-Cranberry Cookies

I saw this cookie in a couple of different Martha Stewart mags and remembered that Tracey made them a couple weeks ago. I figured bars are great for sending and these have all types of mix-ins, so they were added into the bunch.
I subbed in peanut butter chips for the butterscotch chips, toffee bits for the white chocolate and then, on top of that, these have chocolate chips, cut up caramels, and marshmallows.
What a combination. I think I will have to make these again. My son was upset that he didn't get to sample one.
Recipe for Rocky Ledge Bars
My sister wanted these peanut butter bars. They were supposed to have Hershey's Kisses on top, but I thought they would send better if they didn't have those on top. They are a play on Peanut Butter Kisses, but easier to make because they are a bar. I used creamy peanut butter in these, instead of chunky.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Bars

My sister chose these bars and I thought they were a great choice because they have green and red in them naturally. They have a basic butter, flour, brown sugar crust, which you prebake for a few minutes and then the cranberry-pistachio topping is added and they are put back in the oven to finish baking.
Great way to use fresh cranberries.
Recipe for Cranberry Pistachio Bars
My sister also chose these pumpkin oatmeal raisin cookies. They are just like an oatmeal raisin cookie, but with pumpkin puree added to the batter. I made these into bars, simply because I was trying to bake 8 different things all in one day and it made it easier for me.
I wasn't too excited about these, but I did taste a small square and they really were good. Definitely more tasty then they might seem.
So, these are all the items that made it into my treat box. I sent a few of most of these cookies to my Secret Baker.
I also made a batch of Spiced Pecans and the upcoming cookie for Tuesdays with Dorie got thrown into the mix too.
Needless to say, after this day of baking, packaging and mailing, I was wiped out. It was worth it though.
I also threw in a picture of the Cake Pops I made last weekend for a birthday party. These are a fun little treat for a Christmas or Holiday get-together, if you need a fun idea.
How-to for Cake Pops
Pumpkin Raisin Oatmeal Cookies from Woman's Day Holiday Cookies 2009
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup walnuts (I omitted these)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins.
4. Drop by rounded Tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe for Peppermint Bark

Recipe for Cornmeal-Cranberry Cookies

Recipe for Rocky Ledge Bars

Recipe for Peanut Butter Bars

Recipe for Cranberry Pistachio Bars

Recipe for Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

Cake Pops

CEiMB- Twice Baked Potatoes with Sharp Cheddar and Oven Roasted Broccolini

This week's CEIMB recipe was Broccoli and Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream. It was chosen by Anne who blogs over at Rainforest Recipes,
I did not make this recipe exactly. I did use some of the same ingredients and made something that my kids would eat.
Somehow I got inspired by the potatos, the cheese and then switched out the broccoli for broccolini. It just tastes so much better.
I baked my potatoes in the oven until I was able to scoop out the insides and then I just mashed the potatoes with 2 Tbls of unsalted butter, 1/3 cup fat free greek yogurt, 2 Tbls skim milk, salt and pepper.

I drizzled my broccolini with olive oil, then added some salt and pepper, and roasted it in a 400 degree oven until it was tender, about 15 minutes.
I put the mashed potato mixture back into the potato skins and then covered them with cheddar cheese. I popped them back in the oven, until the cheese was melted and the potatoes were warm throughout.

So, not exactly what the recipe said to do, but sometimes you have to improvise!

Check out the CEIMB Blogroll to see what everyone else did with this recipe!


Recipe for Broccoli and Cheddar-Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Arugula and Spinach

Once upon a time there was the most gigantic butternut squash in the whole entire world.
I happened to find this huge squash and I bought it. It was 18 inches tall.
I was able to make this Bundt cake that had a couple cups of shredded butternut squash, these roasted veggies,
both of these stuffings/dressings, a soup (which I haven't posted yet) and I STILL had some squash left.
I roasted the rest of the squash cubes, along with a large chopped onion, in the oven with fresh oregano, fresh thyme, and fresh rosemary.
Then I remembered Maria's post about Pizza that was topped with butternut squash and I decided that sounded really good. I didn't follow her recipe, but I used her idea.

I used a pre-made whole wheat crust, just because I had one that needed to be used. I also had some arugula and spinach that I thought would be great under the squash.
I drizzled my crust with a little bit of olive oil, heaped on tons of arugula and spinach and then topped the greens with my roasted butternut squash/onion mixture.
I sprinkled feta cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese on top and put it in the oven for a few minutes.
Ok, people. This was the most delicious pizza I have ever tasted. Ever. So good.
I can't tell you how great the flavors went with each other.
Unbelievable.

I know there are people out there that believe the simplier the better when it comes to pizza. I agree-sometimes.
This is a topping heavy pizza, but it is so good. And pretty too. And it just seems like it has to be good for you because of all the veggies.
That probably only applies if you don't eat the entire pizza yourself. Good luck with that.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Arugula and Spinach
pre-made whole wheat or regular pizza crust (Here is my fave quick crust)
3-4 cups butternut squash cubes
1 onion, chopped
fresh thyme
fresh oregano
fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
olive oil
spinach
arugula
feta cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese

Spread your butternut squash cubes and chopped onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss with fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
Roast at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until squash is tender.

Make your crust and prebake if necessary.
Drizzle crust with a little bit of olive oil.
Spread arugula and spinach over crust.
Top greens with roasted butternut squash/onion mixture.
Sprinkle cheeses over squash mixture.
Bake in oven, until cheese is melted and crust is done.

Maria's Recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza

TWD- Lemon Ginger Sables

This week's TWD recipe, Sables, was chosen by Barbara, who blogs over at Bungalow Barbara. You can find the recipe by going to this post on Barbara's blog or by turning to page 131 of Baking: from my home to yours, which I am sure you have a copy of by now.

This is a basic butter cookie that can be made with many variations. I decided to make a lemon-ginger version. I added the zest of 2 lemons to the sugar and also added 1 1/2 tsps of ground ginger to the cookie dough. These tasted really great.
You can make them any way you want, with any spice, any zest, any nut and also savory, if you desire.
This is the perfect cookie for this time of year. You can share and send these and the people who are so lucky to receive them will be very grateful.

Go check out the Tuesday's with Dorie Blogroll to see what other variations people came up with this week!
I also just wanted to share some pictures of a cake I created for my friends daughter's 8th birthday party.
This cake was supposed to be decorated with candy, but when I was out shopping, I saw these little Christmas ornaments and the idea popped into my head to try decorating the cake with them.
It worked.
The cake looked so cute.
The birthday girl was happy with her cake and so was I. I have made the cake before, about a year and a half ago, so I knew it was a good cake, with great flavor. Orange cake, raspberry jam between the layers and then a Swiss Meringue Buttercream to finish the whole thing off. Delicious.

Recipe for Orange Butter Cake

Gingersnap Shortbread

Here is a cookie I made a couple of weeks ago and sent in the mail to a couple of people. I found it in a Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking Magazine. The recipe was very easy. This cookie has ground ginger and molasses in it, to give it the gingerbread flavor.
I thought this cookie needed more spice. Next time I am going to add more ginger, just to make sure it is a spicy cookie.
This is a super easy cookie to throw together and perfect for sharing. It mails well, so go ahead and make some- it will be easy to share!


Recipe for Gingersnap Shortbread

3 Christmas Cookies with one Dough-Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels, Candy Cane Twists, and Peanut Butter Dips

I made these Christmas cookies last year- check out the post here. My son picked them out. They are one of those cookies that you can make with one main type of dough, adding in different things to make a bunch of different types of cookies. We are definitely going to make these again. They were a big hit last year!

Butter Cookie Dough from NickJr. Magazine Measurements for tripling are included in red

2 cups all-purpose flour (6 cups)

1 tsp baking powder (3 tsps)

1 tsp salt (3 tsps)

2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 cups or 4 sticks)

1/2 cup sugar (1 1/2 cups)

1 egg (3 eggs)

1 Tbls milk (3 Tbls)

1 tsp vanilla extract (3 tsps)

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat 1 minute more. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beating until smooth.

4. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Candy Cane Twists

1. Divide Butter Cookie Dough in half. Add 4-5 drops red food coloring to one half. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to the other half. Mix each half well.

2. For each candy cane, on a floured surface, roll a tablespoon of each dough into a 4-inch long rope.

3. Twist the ropes together and bend to form a candy cane shape.

4. Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy or candy canes.

5. Bake at 375 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Peanut Butter Dips

1. Roll Butter Cookie Dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Using a round cutter, cut out circles and place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

2. Combine 1/3 cup peanut butter with 1/3 cup confectioners sugar. Spread mixture on the bottoms of half of the cooled cookies, placing bottom to make a sandwich.

3. Melt 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used candy melts) in a bowl in the microwave on high. Stir every 30 seconds, until smooth. Dip sandwiches halfway into chocolate. Cool on waxed paper.

Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Pops

1. Divide Butter Cookie Dough in half. Mix 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder into one half. Mix 5 drops green food coloring and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract into the other half.

2. On a floured surface, roll out each half into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle.

3. Place one half on top of the other. Roll with a rolling pin to help them stick together.

4. Starting from one long side, tightly roll the dough into a cylinder shape. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

5. Cut 1/8-inch thick slices and place on a greased cookie sheet. Insert a craft stick into each ( We didn't do this part). Bake at 375 degrees, 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spiced Pecans, S'mores Cookie Bars, Chocolate Gingerbread Bars, and Peppermint Brownies, oh & a Birthday Cake

I had so much fun this morning helping one of my best friends with her daughter's 8th birthday party. It was a tea party, very fancy. The cake I made was so cute. I had a great idea and it worked. Can't wait to get photos up of that cake.
I haven't yet, so these delicious treats will have to do.
The first thing here is Spiced Pecans. I made these a couple of weeks ago, along with the Holiday Biscotti as an idea for a Holiday Gift.
They were a big hit. They are coated in a sweet/spicy mixture. Mostly sweet, because of the cinnamon, sugar but also spicy because of the cayenne pepper and ground ginger.
Delicious. We couldn't stop munching on them. I am making a big double batch next week to send out with some cookies in the mail. Yum...
Next, is a treat that I made for one of the Thanksgiving Dinners we went to. I was asked to bring a kid-friendly treat and remembered some S'mores Cookies that I had seen awhile ago.
What is more kid friendly than something covered in marshmallows and chocolate?
I thought I would turn these cookies into bars and just made them in a 9x13-inch pan, instead of making individual cookies. I let the pan of cookies bake for about 23 minutes or so, and then I dumped on an entire bag of mini marshmallows and some chopped Hersheys milk chocolate.
Put them back under the broiler and let the marshmallows get really toasted.
These were very sweet (not like that is a surprise or something) and had to be eaten in small doses. They were good. The graham cracker crumbs in the cookie base made them taste like a real S'more.
Ooey and gooey, which is a great combination for kids, even if parents might not agree!
Next are Chocolate Gingerbread Bars. I threw these together for a potluck over Thanksgiving weekend. They came together really quickly and disappeared just as quickly. I think most people probably thought they were brownies, so they must have had a little surprise when they tasted the molasses/ginger. A great christmas treat.
Then we had some Peppermint Brownies. I saw this idea in a Holiday Baking magazine, but can't remember which one it was. My sister was visiting for Thanksgiving and we had a lot of fun with all these marshmallows.
We just made basic brownies and then covered them with marshmallows, chopped candy canes and drizzled melted milk chocolate over the top.
Gooey and delicious.
The last thing I wanted to share was a picture of the birthday cake my little girl got to share with her great grandpa. They share the same birthday, November 27th and we decided to celebrate with a sheet cake at our Thanksgiving Dinner. My mother-in-law requested the same cake that I made for her birthday back in July, so I just doubled it and tried out a new frosting recipe. The frosting recipe was really great to decorate with. It also had just a hint of cream cheese that was really delicious. I am definitely going to be using the frosting recipe in the future. You can find the frosting recipe at the bottom of this post. My sister helped me come up with the design for the cake. It was fun. The birthday girl and grandpa were very happy to share the cake and their birthdays with everyone.
Recipe for Spiced Pecans

Recipe for S'mores Cookies

Recipe for Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

Recipe for Vanilla Buttercream

Holiday Biscotti

It's that time of year. The time when you can start making, baking, sending, and sharing food gifts, if you so desire.
I made these Holiday Biscotti a couple of weeks ago when a group of women from church got together to share some ideas for Edible Holiday Gifts.
I hadn't ever made this particular biscotti recipe before, but with dried cranberries and pistachios, these just seemed like the perfect Christmas treat.
They also have lemon zest which makes the flavor really great.
I dipped some in white chocolate and some in white almond bark-which I think holds up better because it doesn't melt. I also left some plain.
These were really good. I recommend them for anyone who likes biscotti. They have great flavor and would make a great gift. Plus, they look pretty with the red and green which happen naturally.
Try them out and send them to someone you love. They will be thankful! (Make sure you taste one first!)


Recipe for Holiday Biscotti

CEiMB- (rewind) Mom's Turkey Meatloaf

This week for CEiMB the recipe was Confetti Chili and was chosen by Lauren over at I'll Eat You.
I did not make chili, obviously. Mainly because I made this pumpkin bean chili a couple weeks ago and my hubby is not a big fan of chili.
Instead I am posting Ellie's recipe for her Mom's Turkey Meatloaf.

Going back and making this recipe, which was the first recipe that was chosen for CEiMB, was Kayte's idea. She was working on making all the CEiMB recipes that were chosen before she joined the group. She mentioned she was making this on twitter and I already had ground turkey breast in my fridge, so I decided to jump in and make it too.

I have only made meatloaf once before in my life. It was when I was a newlywed and my husband was not a fan. I remembered that all these years, so I never made it again. Not to mention I am not a huge meat fan, so it has never really appealed to me.
I made a 1/2 recipe of this meatloaf and it was a big hit with my family.
I didn't have any tomato sauce, so I topped it with ketchup. I thought this made it just a little bit too sweet and I think it would have been better topped with tomato sauce.
My son really loved this. He asked for the leftovers in his lunch for school.

I thought the onion should have been diced thinner- it was too prominent. I do think this was a great way to get some oats into a meal, a real secret ingredient.

While this was ok for me and definitely a crowd pleaser for my family, I don't think I will be making it regularly- too many other exciting dishes to make.
But, if you make meatloaf regularly, this is a really nice way to lighten it up.

Check out the CEiMB Blogroll to see what everyone thought of the chili!


Recipe for Mom's Turkey Meatloaf

Cubano Sandwiches

So what did I do with all the leftover Spice-rubbed Pork Loin? I know everyone out there has been dying to know. We could have just eaten it plain because it was so delicious, but in the November 2009 issue of Everyday Food, there was a recipe that called for the pork leftovers- Cubano Sandwiches.
I have never eaten a cubano sandwich or made one, but it looked like the type of meal my husband would love. Meat, more meat and cheese. Not to mention pickles and white bread.
I decided to give them a try, with a few healthy tweaks, of course.
I completely omitted the butter from the recipe. Unless, I am baking or the butter actually plays an essential part in a recipe, I try to leave it out whenever possible.
I also reduced the amounts of meat, more meat and cheese that were on each sandwich. Usually when you see a picture of a cubano sandwich, the meat and cheese are piled high. I reduced it to just a slice or two of ham, one slice of cheese-cut in half, and two thin slices of pork.
Also, I was unable to find Portuguese rolls. I thought about making some, but decided to just use small hoagie rolls instead. I cut them in half, but not all the way through and then layered the sandwich fillings inside.
I also made these in my griddle/grill/panini press thing. Not sure what I mean? It is like this one, but a different brand. I basically just treated this sandwich like a panini and it was ready in minutes.

This was a hit with the entire family. Hubs loved it. Kids loved it. I even loved it. I would make the spice-rubbed pork again, just to make these sandwiches.

Cubano Sandwiches from Everyday Food November 2009
3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature (I omitted this)
4 Portuguese rolls, split (I used small hoagie rolls)
yellow mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham (I used black forest ham)
1 pound Spice-rubbed Pork Loin, thinly sliced
1/2 pound Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
sliced dill pickles, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Butter inside of each roll (I skipped this step); spread with mustard. Divide ham, pork, and cheese among bottom halves of rolls. Top with pickles, more mustard to taste, and top halves of rolls.

2. Heat a grill pan and another heavy pan over medium. With a paper towel, lightly coat grill pan with butter. (I didn't do this) In batches, place sandwiches on grill pan and weight with second pan. Cook until bread is crisp on the outside, about 3 minutes per side; transfer grill pan to oven and bake sandwiches until cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. To serve, cut the sandwiches in half.
(I just used my 3-in-1: grill/griddle/panini press to make these. It is kind of like THIS Cusinart Griddler, but not that brand. I only had to put my sandwiches in my indoor grill/panini press and cook them until the cheese was melted. This eliminated some of the other steps)

TWD-Rosy Poached Pear and Pistachio Tart

I have had my eye on this Rosy Poached Pear and Pistachio Tart ever since I got my copy of Baking:from my home to yours.
It just looks so beautiful and the combination of pears and pistachios sounds amazing.
Lauren, who blogs over at I'll Eat You chose this weeks TWD selection. You can find the recipe on her blog or on page 370 of Dorie's book.

I switched a couple of things in this recipe just because of things I had on hand at the moment.
I had candied pepitas and a mini pie crust leftover from this Pumpkin Cream Pie, so I decided I was going to make 1 mini pie, using the pie crust I had and the candied pepitas.
I only poached one pear and I used juice instead of wine. My pear was not turning "rosy", so I decided to add a couple of drops of red food coloring to the poaching liquid.
Bad idea.
My pear was bright red. When I sliced it, it resembled imitation crabmeat. Not a good thing.
Oh well. I used it anyway, because I didn't have another pear.

I made 1/4 recipe of the pistachio pastry cream, which was really delicious. I left the nuts in.
All in all, this was a delicious tart.
I think it would be even better with a tart crust.
Go check out the TWD Blogroll and see what everyone else did with this week's recipe!