11/29/11

Cranberry Amaretto Cookies

Here is a great way to get that festive color onto your cookie platter!
It is a great yummy recipe also. It is also a great way to use up any leftover cranberries you may have leftover from thanksgiving!

Cranberry Amaretto Cookies



Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup amaretto
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add amaretto and eggs, beating until blended.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in cranberries and almonds. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375° for 9 to 11 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool

11/28/11

OOOHHH!! My Favorite Sweet Time of The Year







"Join the Virtual Cookie Recipe Exchange with Flour On My Face Prizes donated by King Arthur Flour, St Martins Press / Robin L. Olson and Garnish."


I am a baker and I love making wonderful gifts for the holidays. I give cookies to about everyone I know. Many look forward to getting these wonderful dishes each year.



Chocolate Crackle Cookies
(Adapted from The Betty Crocker Cookbook)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Stir together sugar and oil. Add in bittersweet chocolate until well blended. Mix in eggs and almond extract.
In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stirring until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Heat oven to 350
line cookie sheets with parchment paper
Place powdered sugar in small bowl
Scoop out small teaspoon of dough, drop in sugar and roll until covered. Place on baking sheet. about 2-3 inches apart.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until just set. Take out of oven and let rest on cookie sheet about 5 minutes. Take off, cool on wire rack or parchment paper. ENJOY!

11/25/11

Friday Finds

Using pinterest, I found this week's friday finds.  If you haven't used pinterest before, I urge you to go and check it out.  It is a great resource and I have found many great ideas.






11/23/11

Toffee Cinnamon Rolls-A holiday tradition

With every holiday that I spend at my house, I make cinnamon rolls.  One year, I decided to add some toffee to my basic cinnamon roll recipe and a tradition was born.  These are the best rolls ever!!!  I can truthfully say this.  Plan some time into your day, make these special treats, and relax!!


Toffee Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel:

½ cup vanilla ice cream

½ cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter

In a small saucepan, melt butter, add brown sugar and ice cream, bring to a boil and cook for 2 mins.  Pour caramel into the bottom of a lightly  greased 9x13 pan.

Rolls:

1 cup warm water

1 egg

3 cups bread flour

¼ cup white sugar

3 tablespoons instant powdered milk

1 ½ tsp. salt

5 tablespoons butter, softened

Place water , egg, bread flour, white sugar, powdered milk, salt, butter and yeast in mixer with dough hook attached.  Turn to medium speed and mix until combined.  Continue at medium speed for 6 minutes.  Place bread on floured workspace and knead 1/3 cup more flour into dough.  Place in a greased bowl and let rise 1-2 hours until doubled in size.  Roll out after rising.

Filling:

½ cup butter softened

1 tablespoons cinnamon

½ cup brown sugar

 Mix together the cinnamon and sugar.  Smear butter onto rolled out dough. Roll up and seal edges.  Cut in 1 inch pieces.  Let rise until doubled in size.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  Invert baking pan onto a cookie sheet to cool rolls.  When cool sprinkle ½ cup toffee pieces on top of rolls.

Pistachio Salad

I am sharing with everyone my favorite fluffy salad.  I think it goes back in time to many holiday dinners at my grandmother's house.  This is my first holiday without any grandparents alive and I am making all my favorite dishes that used to grace their tables at our holiday gatherings. 



Pistachio Salad


1 pkg. dry instant pistachio pudding mix
1 lg. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 9 oz. container cool whip
1 pkg. miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix all together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The best part about this wonderful holiday side dish is that I had all the ingredients in my pantry and didn't have to make an extra trip to the store for my late thought for Thanksgiving dinner!

11/18/11

Cherry Almond Teacakes (Great for Gift-Giving)

Are you looking for something different to give away in your Christmas baskets this year?  I tried this bread last night and my family loves it.  I think it would be a great addition to Christmas gifts. 

This year I am going to be doing a homemade Christmas to further deepen our family's tradition of the season.  My children are going to be getting mostly homemade items and so will some of our friends and neighbors.  I know my neighbors look forward to my homemade treats each year. 

Cherry Almond Teacakes


1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter softened
3  eggs
3/4 cup milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup amaretto liqueur* -or- 1/3 cup milk and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped, well-drained

Topping:

3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons melted
1/3 cup sliced almonds



Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 5 (5 3/4x3-inch) mini loaf pans; set aside.
Combine 1 cup sugar and 3/4 cup butter in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add milk. Beat until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; continue beating just until flour is moistened. Gently stir in amaretto liqueur and cherries. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans.

Combine all topping ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Sprinkle over batter.


Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove to wire cooling rack. Cool completely.

Friday Finds



Indoor snowball fight // love it!  This would make a great gift!Leftovers- Turkey soup
Indoor Snowman Fight                                                  Fiesta Turkey Soup  
Indoor Snowman Fight!  Great gift Idea for the holidays!
and
Leftover Turkey Soup..What to do with those leftovers?

Salted Caramel Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars
Salted caramel dulce de leche bars



turkey turkey
Turkey Craft
Great Turkey Placecard for Thanksgiving Dinner

11/17/11

Carrot Custard Pie


Photo from: Grandmaskitcen.com

This is a recipe that I am going to be serving for our family Thanksgiving.  It is a wonderful twist on Pumpkin Pie.  I tested it on the girls I work with and some were afraid to try it, but once they did they loved it! 











Carrot Custard Pie

Ingredients
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups grated carrots
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions
1Preheat the oven to 425ºF. 2Combine granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3Add the carrots, evaporated milk and cinnamon to the granulated sugar mixture and mix well. 4Spoon carrot mixture into the pie shell. Cover edge of pie shell with foil. 5Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil. Bake at 350ºF until set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let pie cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate any remaining pie.

Cran Raspberry Pie

This is a bit different twist on Cranberries.  I never thought to include cranberries in my pie, but this pie is delightful and a perfect addition to Thanksgiving!

Cran-Rasperry Pie
Ingredients
  • 2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
  • 1 (12 ounce) package frozen raspberries
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
  • 1/4teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)

 Directions

  1. In a bowl, gently stir cranberries, raspberries, sugar, tapioca, extract and salt. Line pie plate with bottom pastry; add filling. Top with a lattice crust.
  2. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 35-40 minutes more or until bubbly.

11/15/11

White Chocolate Toffee Cream Pie

Today, my recipe is a classic ice box pie.  I love these pies when entertaining a large crowd.  In the midwest where I live, you can even set them outside to chill because the weather is cold.  I hope you enjoy this lovely twist on a classic icebox pie.
Foodily.com





White Chocolate Toffee Cream Pie
(adapted from foodily.com)

9 inch single pie crust

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1  tsp pecan extract

1 (12 oz) package white chocolate chips, melted and cooled

3/4 cup ground toasted pecans

3/4 cup toffee baking bits

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped



In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and 1/4 cup heaving whipping cream with an electric mixer at high speed until smooth. Beat in chocolate and extract. With a wooden spoon fold in pecans and toffee bits. Gently fold in whipped cream. Turn into pie crust and smooth top of pie. Chill pie until set, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Topping

1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp pecan extract

Large rosette tip

Pastry bag

1/4 cup ground toasted pecans

1/4 cup toffee baking bits

Toasted pecans bits, dipped in chocolate, optional, recipe follows

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the first three ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until stiff. Spread  mixture over top of pie. Combine nuts and toffee bits in a small bowl. Sprinkle them evenly over center of pie. Chill until ready to serve.


      11/14/11

      Thanksgiving Pie Week

      This week I have declared Thanksgiving Pie Week...It is a week in which I plan all my pies I am going to make for Thanksgiving.  I love to make pies and have even won some blue ribbons at the Iowa State Fair for my great pies.  This week some pies will be traditional and others will have a bit of a twist. 

      Here is the first pie to get us started.

      For me the holidays are not the holidays without a pecan pie.  This is the one I will be making this year.


      Salted Caramel Pecan Pie

      Ingredients
      • 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
      • 36 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
      • 1/4 cup butter
      • 1/4 cup milk
      • 3/4 cup white sugar
      • 3 eggs
      • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
      • 1 cup pecan halves

      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over low heat, combine caramels, butter and milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

      In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and cinammon. Gradually mix in the melted caramel mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.               
      Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool until filling is firm

      Bloggy Cookie Swap



      I am so excited. I signed up for The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap and I couldn't be more excited.  I absolutely love the holidays and I also love to bake, but I don't love the extra treats available during this time.  If you are a blogger, I encourage you to enter and join in the fun.  You have until this evening to sign up.  Stay tuned for more information about this project.

      11/9/11

      Famous Apple Pie

      What do you get when you find a bag of these:

       You get my famous apple pie!!  I love this time of the year because I get to make my wonderful baked creations and I don't have to feel guilty about  them.  I love to feel cozy in my house and have the smell of something wonderful baking in the oven.  I am not always excited about the mess I create, but it cleans up!!  Well since our visit to an apple orchard a week or so ago, my family has been asking if I can make my apple pie.  Of Course today was a very snowy day and I chose to spend my morning making a pie.  AHHHH!!  Relaxation.

       My pie starts with 8 cups of apples, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 cup or so of brown sugar. 
       Roll out the pie crust and place in your pan.  Do not flute the edges if you are topping your pie with another crust!

      Add your apples, dot with butter if you want to and top with the second crust.

      Now trim the edge to 1/2 inch over the pie plate and crimp the edges.  Cut a slit in the top of your pie and bake at 400 degrees for 30 mins. and then turn down oven to 375 degrees and bake for another 30 mins. or until pie bubble in the center.  That is how you know it is finshed.

      What is this white stuff?

      Well I woke up to this scene this morning!!


      Yes, it is definitely November in Iowa..What a great surprise on my day off.  It is very wet and slushy and not going to last too long.  I love winter and the snow.  I like to focus my energy into my house and on the craft projects that get neglected all year long.  I also tend to bake more and more great treats.  It also puts me in a Holiday mood!

      This year starting the week after Thanksgiving, I am going to host a winter treat week.  All in time to get us ready for Christmas.  If there is a recipe you would like to see featured, Email me at:  frugal cooking corner and I will feature your recipe.  I will make and review each recipe I am sent.  I will also be featuring some of my own treats.  Looking forward to seeing you soon. 

      As always comments are wonderful!