Headed overseas

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I will be traveling internationally the next two weeks and I am leaving it to my mom and sister to supply you all delicious recipes for white chocolate and cocoa weeks. I will most definitely post about my travels and all the delicious finds along the way when I get back. Happy holidays to everyone and I will be back soon!
Christy

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Cookies in a Jar

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by

Cindy

Now that black Friday has arrived, the Christmas season has offically begun.  White chocolate is the theme for this week and since it is Christmastime, I thought of this great recipe that tastes wonderful and can be given as a gift too.  I have given these as gifts and baked them for my family too. I think they taste great and the rice crispies in them give them a crunch that I love.  They are so easy to assemble and you can use your creative touch on ribbon and instruction cards for the jars.  Have fun with it!

1 qt jars

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup crisp rice cereal

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 t baking soda

1/4 t baking powder

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup white sugar

In a 1 quart jar, layer the ingredients in the order listed.  Pack down firmly after each addition.

Attach a tag that reads:  Cream 1/2 cup margarine or butter, add 1 egg and 2 T water.  Combine.  Add the entire contents of the jar and stir until blended.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

This recipe was submitted by Linda on Allrecipes.com

Sometimes my pictures are fuzzy.  I'm working on it but not sure why it happens.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

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In my search to find the perfect oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, I conjured up these cookies! I call them the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies. There is just something delicious about adding the oats to a chocolate chip pecan cookie that makes them irresistible. I make mine super big (don't use the tablespoon cookie scoop) and they always disappear like hot cakes. 

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 cups shortening

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 ½ cups white sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp hot water

1 ½ cup chopped pecans

2 large packages of choc chips

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups regular (non instant) oats

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl cream shortening  and sugar. Continue beating while you add the eggs. Once combined add the water and dry ingredients. Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Mix in the oatmeal gradually. Stir until well combined. Bake for 12 minutes (or until golden brown on edges) at 350 degrees.

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Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

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By Christy

Well it is hard to believe that Thanksgiving 2011 has already come and gone. Where does the time go?!  Thanksgiving this year was bittersweet to me in several different ways but one big reason was because this year I had to work Thanksgiving in Nashville. It's crazy to think that I am 26 and this is the first year I can ever remember that I wasn't at home helping mom prepare for the big day. So I took it upon myself to prepare something at home the night before since I was driving to see the family after work on Thanksgiving. I have mentioned before that pumpkin pie and things of that nature just aren't really my favorite so I picked another classic thanksgiving dish but gave it a "Christy" twist… chocolate! I have made this recipe many times before and it is an oldie but goodie recipe that is always super delicious, super easy to make, and a hands down crowd pleaser. The recipe is actually so easy, it doesn't even need a mixer! All you need are the ingredients, a mixing bowl/spoon, and oven and you can be the creator of this delicious masterpiece!! 

Another testament to it's deliciousness…. it was the only dessert at our Thanksgiving that was eaten in its entirety the first time around!

Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie shell

2 whole eggs

2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chocolate chips

Pecan halves

1) Preheat oven to 425

2) Mix together eggs, sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter and vanilla

3) Stir in chopped pecans and chocolate chips

4) Pour the mixture into a the pie shell. 

5) Decorate the top or cover the entire top with pecan halves

6) Bake for 15 minutes

7) After 15 minutes at 425, reduce the temperature to 350 and remove pies shortly to add a foil rim over the pie crust edge to prevent the crust from burning. Bake for another 30-45 minutes… basically until the top is lightly browned. 

Yes…. I made one with a  smily face on it. LOL

 PS:  This recipe freezes well. I doubled my recipe since the pie crusts came in packs of two and froze the other pie. I wrap mine in plastic wrap and then foil to ensure its freshness. It should last up to 3 months frozen.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Peanut Butter Pie

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by Cindy

Well it's Thanksgiving week and there is a lot of preparation going on to get ready for the big day.  I started setting my tables tonight and will be busy getting things set up the next few days.  This week is nut week and I'm featuring a recipe that my friend Leah gave me to make.  She love, love, loves this pie.  I made it for her and had to agree it is really good.  It's not like any other peanut butter pie I have ever eaten.  It has a bottom layer of a peanut butter mixture and then is topped with a custard layer. I loved the custard layer so much that I will probably use just that layer for my next custard pie or coconut cream pie.   Meringue is put on top of that sprinkled with a little peanut butter crumble.  If you're tired of the same old peanut butter pie and want to be creative, try this recipe.  It's delish!!

1 baked pie shell

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Filling

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 t salt

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks, beaten

2 T butter

1 t vanilla

Meringue

3 egg whites

6 T sugar

1/8 t cream of tartar

Combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar and blend well.  Spread all but 3 T over the bottom of the baked pie shell.  Save the remaining peanut butter mixture for the topping. 

In medium saucepan, blend sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Add egg yolks and milk.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and then remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla.  Pour this over the peanut butter mixture. 

 Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually add sugar.  Spread over pie making sure to bring it all the way over to touch the crust.  Sprinkle remaining peanut butter mixture over meringue.  Bake in 325 degree oven until meringue is lightly browned  about 12-16 minutes.   Chill or serve at room temperature.  Store leftovers in refrigerator. 

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Pumpkin Gooey Chess Squares

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Thanksgiving and pumpkins go hand in hand. I love eating pumpkin bread, my mom's pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie crumble cake, candy corn pumpkins, and of course on Thanksgiving I love eating pumpkin pie.  The problem with pumpkin pie is that I like it, but I don't love it. This recipe that I'm posting today is very similar to a pumpkin pie flavor, which I love, but with a delicious crust, which I'm addicted to.

Just like I said about my Pumpkin Pie Crumble Cake in an earlier post, it's like pumpkin pie, but better!! So if you are a fan of the pumpkin flavor, but not big on the pie, you will most definitely like these treats! Of course like all of the recipes I post, these are super easy and don't take much prep time. I'll be making some more of these to take home with me on Thursday.

Happy Baking!

Sarah

Pumpkin Gooey Chess Squares

The Ultimate Short Cut Cookie Book 

by Camilla Saulsbury

1 Cup (2 sticks) butter, divided

1 package spice cake mix

4 large eggs

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened

1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 16 oz box of powdered sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice ( or cinnamon)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9 inch baking pan with Pam Baking spray.

2. Melt 1 stick of butter. Beat the cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg in a large bowl until well blended. It will make a thick dough.  Pat the dough evenly into the pan. Set aside.

3.  Melt another stick of butter.  Beat the softened cream cheese and pumpkin puree in a large bowl on medium.  Add the melted butter, remaining eggs, and vanilla.  Blend until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice; blend until smooth.

4.  Spread the pumpkin mixture over the crust.  Bake for 42-45 minutes. (I had to bake mine a little longer than the recipe called for. I added an additional 10-15 minutes.) Be careful not to over bake.  It is done once the middle quits jiggling.  However, it shouldn't feel entirely solid because it is meant to be gooey.  Let cool.  Once cooled, slice into squares or bars. Cover and store in the refrigerator.  

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Sweet Potato and Pecan Pie

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by

Cindy

Now that I'm in my new kitchen I'm excited to get back to baking, so I've really been on a roll the past week.  This recipe sounded so good and perfect for Thanksgiving so I gave it a try.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly and made a few minor changes and it turned out really good.  Of course I doubled the recipe so I froze one for Thanksgiving day and the other one I took to dinner to share with my mom's group of friends that she eats out with every week and they gave this recipe great reviews.  I had never made a sweet potato pie before and the pecans on top really made it tasty.  My dad would have loved it!!  It is a good substitute for a pumpkin pie and just as good or better!

Topping:

1 egg

3 T dark corn syrup (I used light)

1/2 T firmly packed light brown sugar

1 T butter, melted

1 t maple flavoring (I used vanilla)

1 cup chopped pecans

Pie:

1 lb (2 medium) sweet potatoes, baked, peeled and kept warm (I microwaved them for 10 minutes)

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 t grated orange zest (I didn't have)

1 t vanilla extract

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground nutmeg

1/4 t kosher salt

2 eggs

1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell

Topping:  In a small bowl, combine egg, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, and maple flavoring; mix well.  Stir in pecans and set aside.

Pie:  Preheat oven to 350 degress.  In a large mixing bowl, beat warm sweet potatoes with butter until smooth.  Add condensed milk, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and eggs.  Mix well.  Pour into pie crust and bake for 30 minutes. 

 Remove from oven and spread topping evenly over pie. 

 Bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until golden brown.  Cool.  Serve warm or chilled.

recipe from O,the Oprah Magazine

by Govind Armstrong

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Fresh Apple Cake

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by

Cindy

I didn't think that I could accomplish Thanksgiving as usual at my house this year since I have just moved and have been in a bit of a mess.   I am still very thankful for the many many blessings in my life, even though it hasn't turned out like I was expecting.  I'm looking forward to meeting new people, a new job, some traveling and who knows what else.  After a little consideration I offered to have Thanksgiving at my new home, and I was quickly taken up on it. For this week for Thanksgiving inspired desserts I thought about an apple recipe that my friend Mary gave me recently.  I have been looking for a great apple cake recipe for years and Mary's proved to be the one.  It is one of Mary's family favorite and I think it could well be yours too.  I used Granny Smith apples.  There's nothing more American than apples!  Enjoy.

2 cups sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cup oil

3 large eggs

3 cups diced apples

1 cup chopped pecans

1 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla

(2 cups flaked coconut) optional

Cream together sugar and oil;  add eggs and beat well.  Combine

flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.  Gradually add to egg mixture.

Add vanilla, apples, nuts, and  (coconut.)  Batter will be thick.  Pour

into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan.  Bake at 350 degrees

about an hour.  Remove from pan while still hot. 

Glaze:  1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 stick butter

Combine and cook approximately 5 minutes.  Pour over cake while

still hot.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

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By Christy

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week? The year has really flown by! Originally this was "Bake with Maple Syrup' week but we decided it may be more fun to change things up and feature Thanksgiving inspired desserts as everyone starts compiling their menu for the big day. You all are in luck if you were banking on the maple syrup ingredient because not only does the recipe I am going to share have maple syrup in it, but it is also totally Thanksgiving feast approved!

This is another recipe from a co-worker who raved about how wonderful this Pumpkin Cheesecake was. I had never actually had or tried the recipe but went on good faith that Tyree Schroader knew what she was talking about since she is pretty much the ultimate domestic goddess. I'm not a huge pumpkin pie person so I found it in genius putting a cheesecake twist on a thanksgiving classic.

Baking tip: When serving cheesecake it is very difficult keeping a smooth cut, BUT if you slice it with a sharp knife dipped in hot water, wiped dry before each cut --your piece will come out perfect!

Crust:

1 1/2 cups Gingersnap crumbs

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Ingredients:

3 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

15 ounce can of pumpkin puree

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Topping:

1 1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup maple syrup

Making gingersnap crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients for crust and press into the bottom of a 9" spring form pan. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Once combined add the pumpkin, spices and lemon juice and mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically.

Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the sides are set but the center is still jiggly. Remove the cheesecake from the oven but leave the oven on.

Making sourcream/maple topping

Mix the sour cream and maple syrup together in a small bowl and carefully spread over the cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until set. Turn the oven off, crack the door open, but leave the cheesecake inside for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

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Cinnamon Cake

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By Christy

The following recipe has been made several times in the office and is a perfect recipe for cinnamon week  not only because is it super easy, but it is also very yummy and a definite crowd pleaser! Stephanie Sanders was the lovely coworker that happily passed on this recipe and I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as my co-workers and I have.

Baking tip: Did you know the more eggs you put in a cake, the denser the cake will be? If you want to turn a fluffy, light cake into more of a bundt cake, just add 1 or 2 more eggs-depending on the density you want to create.

Ingredients:

1 box of Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix

1 small package of instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon/Sugar

Icing:

1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 300.

2) Mix ingredients for the cake batter together with a mixer.

3) Thoroughly grease up a bundt cake pan

4) Sprinkle bottom of pan with cinnamon

5) Add half the cake batter to the cake pan

6) Sprinkle a hefty amount of cinnamon/sugar over the cake batter

7) Cover the cinnamon/sugar layer with the remaining cake batter and spread evenly

8) Bake for 50 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean in the cake

9) Mix ingredients for the Icing. You do not want the icing to be too runny because it will just soak into the cake, so add enough powdered sugar to ensure the icing is of a fairly thick consistency. Add a couple dashes of cinnamon to taste if you desire.

10) Let cake cool before drizzling the icing with a spoon over the cake. I also sprinkled the top of the icing with a bit more cinnamon.

11) Eat and Enjoy!

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Mini Cinnamon Rolls

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by Cindy

I'm going to share with you a recipe that I have kept secret for years.  My mom's friend Pat gave this recipe to her years ago and we've enjoyed it so much.  I've given it to just a few good friends but now I'm going to put it out there for everyone.  It is the best mini cinnamon roll recipe I've ever eaten and there is a secret ingredient.  It's the marshmallows!  It is an easy recipe but a little messy. These will just melt in your mouth and you can't just eat one. These are soooo good!!!

2 cans crescent rolls

miniature marshmallows

1 stick butter (melted)

1 1/2 c sugar

2 T cinnamon

chopped pecans

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Separate rolls and cut each triangle in half.  Roll them into bigger pieces.   Put a small amount of pecans on the center of each piece of dough. Dip 3 marshmallows in melted butter and roll in the cinnamon mixture and place on the center of the dough pieces.

 Seal dough.  Roll the sealed dough in butter and then the cinnamon mixture and place in a mini muffin pan.

 Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Line underneath the pans because the butter tends to overflow into the oven.  While still warm drizzle with the following glaze.  1/2 c powdered sugar, 1/3 t vanilla, and 4-6 t of milk.  Remove from pan while still warm with a spatula or spoon. 

It may take more melted butter and more cinnamon-sugar mixture but see how far it will go and make more if it runs out.

Have a couple with your morning or afternoon coffee.  They are irresistible!!!

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Snickerdoodle Surprise Cookies

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By: Christy

I was so indecisive when it came to choosing what to make for our "baking with cinnamon" week because there are SO many amazing recipes with cinnamon. I know you have heard me say that before with several other ingredients but it's again totally true! One way I narrowed it down was deciding to stick to my favorite genre of baking: Cookies. What type of cinnamon cookie is the first to come to every American's mind... SNICKER DOODLE!

You can't go wrong with a snicker doodle cookie but this one has a lovely surprise. Inside is a cream cheese filling! (Another one of my favorite ingredients) Using only 5 ingredients this is a wonderful semi-homemade creation. Normally, I am not a fan of slice and bake cookies because I think homemade cookies are just too easy and too delicious to skimp on but I do have my exceptions.... In my opinion, Pillsbury sugar cookies are delicious!

 

Ingredients:

1 package premade sugar cookie dough

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1) Preheat oven to 400

2)With a hand mixer, mix together softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla for filling

3) In a separate bowl mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons of Cinnamon

4) Cut each cookie dough square in half

5) Using a floured surface and hands pat out each half of dough until they are about 2 inches in diameter

6) Put about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture of disk

7) Put another disk on top of the cream cheese mixture and push dough on edges to seal. Then roll into a ball

8) Roll ball in the Cinnamon and sugar mixture

9) Once you have all cookies ready to bake, refrigerate for 15-30 minutes (this will keep the cream cheese from baking.

10) Bake for 8 minutes. Look for the cookie to be firm, not golden brown. If the cookie has already started turning brown on the edges they will be crispy.

 

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Chocolate Chip and Peanut Buttercup Cookies

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 By: Christy

Is there honestly anything better than the marriage of chocolate and peanut butter flavors together? Probably not.... But is there a way to make that marriage any happier (aka tastier)? Normally I would say no, but that was before I met this recipe.  Meet the amazing chocolate chip & peanut buttercup cookie! They are the perfect combo of a chocolate chip cookie balanced with a slight addition of the tastiness of milk chocolate and peanut butter.

Just like everyone else this week, I had extra Halloween candy. I can shamefully admit I could hands down finish a bag of Reese's cups pretty easily (they are my weakness) but to ease the pain of having extra candy in my possession, I decided to choose a much more guiltless way to get rid of the candy besides me consuming the whole bag alone. haha. I chose to use the extra Reese's cups to share with you all a stellar recipe!!!  And the best part, there is a big chance that you may like them so much you may find yourself making these cookies year round!

P.S. This recipe calls for cake flour and the combo of all purpose and cake flours makes the cookie crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. YUM! But no worries...If you don't have the cake flour you can always just use all purpose flour. Trust me the cookies will still be super delish!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 1/3 cup of cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1 packed cup of brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1 1/2 bags of semi sweet chocolate chips

1 bag (or a few more or a few less) of peanut butter cups chopped, broken or cut up

1) Sift together the dry ingredients (flours, baking soda, and baking powder)

2) Using a mixer, cream the butter. Beat in the sugars and salt. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter.

3) Add the dry ingredients a little at a time.

4) Add chocolate chips and peanut butter cups

5) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

6) Bake for around 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

Dough will preserve in the fridge for 72 hours before baking and as always, baked cookies freeze super well up to 3 months!

Inspired by KitchenDaily's recipe for Salted Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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Halloween Bark

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Well, Halloween is over.  It's time to take down the scary ghosts and jack-o-lanterns and finally start the countdown to Christmas!! However, before I can move on to preparing for the holidays I wanted to share a recipe that can come in very handy the day after Halloween.  Halloween Bark is perfect if you have tons of extra candy like me!

This is a super easy recipe and can be adapted to whatever candy you have on hand.  I prefer the candy corn, pretzel, and oreo combination, but as long as you can mix sweet with salty it will taste great.  

Happy Baking!!

-Sarah

Halloween Bark

Recipe from USA Fire and Rescue.com

http://www.usafireandrescue.com/recipes/desserts/halloweenbark.html

16 Oreo Cookies (Halloween colored)
1 1/2 cups broken, small pretzels
24 ounces white chocolate
1 cup candy corn

1.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Break each Oreo Cookie into quarters.
Spread cookie pieces over parchment paper.
Pour broken pretzels over cookies.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate in the microwave, being careful not to burn it.
Drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies and pretzels.

3. Sprinkle candy corn over the chocolate and slightly press them down.
Let cool to setup. Break apart into pieces to serve. Enjoy!

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