Peppermint Bark

Tis the season for holiday candy, Fa la la la la la la la la
 This is a very simple candy to make and it screams Christmas.

Ingredients:

• 3 peppermint candy canes, crushed
• 12 oz semi sweet chocolate
• 12 oz white chocolate
• 1 tsp peppermint extract ( not mint), divided

 Directions:

1. Throw candy canes in a ziploc bag and beat with rolling pan.  This is your chance to let out all that holiday frustration!
2. Line baking tray with wax paper or foil.
3. Place semi-sweet chocolate in microwave bowl and heat in 30 second intervals on 50% power.  Stir every 30 seconds.  Chocolate can burn very easily! Don't rush it!  After it's melted, add 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract.  Taste.  If you like it more minty, by all means add more.  Warning: It can go from perfect to overpowering in a flash!
4. Pour chocolate onto baking tray and let the chocolate set up for at least 10 minutes or until semi firm.
5. Place white chocolate into a clean microwave bowl and repeat heating process.  Add the remaining 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract.  Pour over semi-sweet chocolate.
6. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the white chocolate and lightly press into the bark.
7. Chill in fridge until firm.  Then cut in squares or break into pieces.
8. Eat and enjoy.  Store in fridge.

 

Buttermilk Ranch Dip

This dip is perfect for your holiday crudite platters.  It can easily be transformed into a dressing by adding more buttermilk. 


Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated
• handful for flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp of chopped chives
• 1 cup mayo
• 1 cup sour cream
• buttermilk, use as desired
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• additional add ins: dill, red pepper, hot sauce or worcestershire sauce. ( I like to keep it simple)

Directions:

1. Combine the finely minced or mashed or grated garlic to a bowl.
2. Add desired herbs, mayo and sour cream.  Mix until combined.
3. Add seasonings and enough buttermilk to reach desired consistency.
4. Taste to adjust seasonings.  Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in fridge for a couple hours or overnight.  The flavors will combine and become delicious.

* If the mayo is a little overpowering, just add more sour cream to mellow it out.

Pecan Cake

 Cake Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temp
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups AP flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Icing Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 tbsp water or milk

Pecan Filling:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

I started off by making the pecan filling the day before.  It takes at least 4 hours to chill but lasts in the fridge for 7 days. 

Directions:

1. For pecan filling:  Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a 3 quart saucepan until smooth.  Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Boil until thick, takes about 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
2. Whisk in pecans, butter and vanilla.  Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the filling. This keeps it from getting a yucky skin.  Chill for at least 4 hours.  
3. For the cake:  Preheat oven to 350°.  Line three 8 inch cakes pans with parchment paper and grease well.
4. Beat butter and sugar in mixer until fluffy.  Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
5. Add egg whites and vanilla and beat until just mixed.
6. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add 1/3 third of the flour mixture to the mixer.  Blend until just mixed.
7. Add half of the milk and blend until just mixed.  Repeat with flour, milk and end with flour.  The batter with be thick and smell delicious.
8. Divide batter evenly between the three cake pans.  Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool cakes pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Then remove cake from pans and transfer to wire racks.  Cool completely before assembling.  
10. For the frosting:  Beat butter and shortening in mixer until smooth.
11. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and blend until smooth.
12. Add vanilla extract and 2 tbsp of water or milk.  Blend until smooth.
13. Add remaining powdered sugar and blend until smooth.
14. Add remaining water or milk.  If you like a thinner frosting, add more water or milk.  
15. Assemble your cake.  Decorate as you please. This cake is a winner so share it with your friends and family.

 Eat and enjoy! :) 

Roasted Garlic Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 2 heads of roasted garlic*
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, divided
• seasoning to taste ( salt, black pepper, red pepper)
• 1 pkg bowtie pasta, cooked according to box 
• 1 can of rotel, drained
• 3 big handfuls of baby spinach
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
• parsley to garnish

Directions:

1. In blender or mixing bowl, squeezed out garlic cloves.  I used my blender because I LOVE my ninja blender!  Add olive oil and 1/4 cup of heavy cream.  Mix until garlic is completely blended in.  It only takes seconds with the magic of a ninja blender!  Add remaining heavy cream, sour cream and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.  Season to taste.  Mix until combined and set aside.
2. Melt butter in large skillet.  Add pasta, rotel, alfredo sauce and spinach.  Stir until spinach begins to wilt.  
3. Stir in remaining cheese.  Top with grilled chicken and parsley and serve immediately.  

* To roast garlic: cuts tops off of bulbs and drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap in foil paper and bake at 350° for one hour.  You can do this a day in advance.  I like to roast more and mix it into mashed potatoes.  It does remarkable things to mashed potatoes!

Recipe adapted from Mrs Happy Homemaker

Bloody Red Velvet Cake

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups sifted AP flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/3 cup veg oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 oz red food coloring
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp vinegar

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 1 stick or 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar

Click here for vanilla buttercream

  ( It's enough to frost the outside of two cakes.  You can halve the recipe.)

Red Ganache:

• 12 oz red candy melts
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• red food coloring

Directions:

1. Grease and flour 3 9" round cake pans lined with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 350°.  
2. Add sifted flour, baking soda and salt to a bowl.  Sift in cocoa powder and whisk until all combined.
3. Beat sugar and butter in mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time.  Next add egg yolks and vegetable oil and mix until just combined.  Add in food coloring.
4. Add vanilla extract and vinegar to the buttermilk and whisk together.
5. Add 1/3 of flour mixture to wet ingredients.  Add 1/2 of buttermilk into wet ingredients.  Scrape sides of bowl.
6. Continue adding 1/3 of flour mixture and the rest of buttermilk.  Scrape sides of bowl.
7. Add the last bit of flour mixture and mix until combined.
8. Divide evenly between cake pans and bake for 26-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove onto cooling racks to cool completely.  
9. While cakes are cooling, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar.  Beat until creamy.
10. Assemble cakes and frost the outside.
11. To make ganache: Chop candy melts and add to a clean bowl.  Heat heavy cream and red food coloring on stove until hot.  Add to candy melts and stir until melted.  Pour in a squeeze bottle and decorate your bloody cake!

  

Eat and enjoy!
       

7-up Citrus Cake

This buttery citrus cake is a perfect compliment to the end of a rich meal.  It's dense but the lemon and lime helps to balance the cake out.  

Cake Ingredients:

• 3 sticks butter, room temp
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs, room temp
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lime juice *
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup 7-up
• 3 cups AP flour
• zest from 1 lemon and 1 lime

Glaze Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1Tbsp lemon OR lime juice
• 2 Tbsp 7-up

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.  Grease and flour a bundt pan REALLY WELL.  
2. In your mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy.
3. Incorporate eggs one at a time until completely blended.
4. Add vanilla, citrus juice and zest.  Blend until combined.
5. Alternate flour and 7-up to the mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
6. Pour batter into bundt pan and bake for approx. 65 minutes.  Do the toothpick taste before removing from oven.
7. Allow to cool for 20 minutes then invert onto plate and cool completely.
8. Wisk together glaze ingredients and drizzle onto cake.  Let harden before slicing.

Get yourself a slice and enjoy!

* click here to get the most out of your limes.  

  

Oatmel Raisin Cookies

This recipe is basically the one on the canister of oatmeal only tweaked a little.  It also happens to be my personal favorite way to eat oatmeal.... Just kidding!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temp
•  3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 sea salt
• 3 cups oats (I like quick oats)
• 1 cup raisins

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Beat butter and both sugars together until creamy and smooth.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; whisk well and set aside.
3. Add eggs, vanilla and molasses to butter mixture; beat well.  
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients; mix well.
5. Add raisins and oats; mix well.  The mixture will be thick.
6. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in pan for one minute.  Move to wire rack to cool completely.  
8. Eat and enjoy.

Make approx 3 dozens cookies