25 Days of Baking: Day 25

Can you believe it. I made it 25 days! I have too many treats to imagine and have gained a few pounds I'm sure! But the fact that I kept up with it, makes me happy.

On a side note, Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to ME!!! Yup it's my birthday! In honor of that and the fact that Santa came I opted for an easy out today.

Santa Brownie Hats

• Boxed brownie mix (whichever one floats your boat)
• Strawberries
• Buttercream frosting (I posted this yesterday)

Directions

1. Mix brownie mix as directed on the box.
2. Scoop into mini muffin tins. You will have extra, so you can either make another batch or like me, just put the remainder of the mix into a 9x9 pan and bake.
3. When baking the mini muffin tin, set the oven to the temp on the box, but then only cook for half the time. I believe mine cooked for about 18 min. and they were perfect.
4. Once cooled, pipe frosting onto the top of the brownie cup.
5. Cut the top off of a strawberry and stick into the frosting.
6. Pipe a small dot of frosting onto the top of the strawberry and you are done!

Easy peasy and great treat for Christmas Day. Thanks for following along these last 25 days. I plan to keep up with this blog by adding crafts, recipes and random things I think up!

25 Days of Baking: Day 24

Happy Christmas Eve to all! Can you believe it?!? I'm not sure it feels like it should really be Christmas Eve? There is a little snow where we are spending Christmas, but not the norm. I'm sure that it's helping it any!

Today's treat is sugar cookies. This recipe came from a friend from schools mom. It is the best I have ever had. She used to make all her kids AMAZING valentine cookies to bring to school as their valentines. They were always impressive and so good. I now try to make them for my kids friends, but man they are a lot of work! But so worth it.

Sugar Cookies

• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup margarine
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 large eggs

Directions

1. Sift flour, salt and soda together.
2. Cream remaining ingredients together; add dry ingredients. 
3. Dough can be used at once without chilling.
4. Bake at 350 for 10 min.

Buttercream Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 2 Tbls milk

Directions

1. Cream butter, shortening and vanilla.
2. Add sugar 1 cup at a time and cream together.
3. Add milk.
4. Mix until it is the right consistency you want.If too runny add more powdered sugar. If to hard add more milk.

I love sugar cookies! If I could have them in my house all the time I would. I love to frost them. Sometimes with this buttercream frosting recipe and other times with a recipe that allows for a little more decoration. I am slowly working on my cookie skills.

The pictures today are lacking, but with the craziness of the holidays it is just going to have to do.

25 Days of Baking: Day 23

When I think of the holidays (and that's any major holiday) at our house growing up we ALWAYS had rolls! The recipe came from my Grandma. I can remember living on these for days during the holidays while running around my grandmothers house with the cousins. I have very found memories of those times!

I have tried to continue this tradition even when we don't make it make home. It's something that I want my kids to remember growing up as well! And just like us, they have free reign on them when we make them.

Grandma Berry's Homemade Rolls

Group 1

 ~1 pkg yeast
~1/4 cup warm water

 Mix together

Group 2

~3/4 cup milk - scalded

~1/2 cup shortening

~1/2 cup sugar

Mix together

Group 3

~3 beaten eggs

1. Mix 1, 2 & 3 with 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups flour

2. Let Raise

3. Once it has risen, take half the dough. Flour a large cutting board or even the counter. Roll dough into a larger rectangle shape. 

4.Spread butter over the entire surface of dough. Sprinkle generously with sugar and cinnamon.

5. You will then fold the dough in 3rds. Fold the bottom up 2/3 of the way. Next take the top and fold down to line up with the bottom.

6. You will then slice the dough about 1 inch thick. Twist the dough and place on a cookie sheet to bake.

7. Bake at 375 for 8 min.

Unfrosted rolls are best to eat warm and right out of the oven!

Frosting

~1/3 cup soft butter

~3 cups powdered sugar

~1 1/2 teas vanilla

~2 Tbls milk

Blend butter and sugar together. Stir in vanilla and milk; beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency. Spread on cooled rolls.

These are amazing, they do take some time to make so plan accordingly.  We love these so much, that we typically double the batch to have enough for everyone.

25 Days of Baking: Day 22

So this was made yesterday, but due to my little one being sick, and a very sleepless night the night before, I was exhausted. The thought of staying up to write a blog post, already had me wanting to cry. So I decided to not stress and just post two today!

So my treat for yesterday is Layered Jello. This is a family favorite (especially my husband). This recipe came from a good friend of mine from school. Her mom would make these (not Christmas colored) for birthdays and other occasions that required treats. Everyone loved them!!!

Layered Jello

• 6 packages of sugar free jello. (I used red and green for these ones)
• 6 packages of Knox Gelatine
• Vanilla yogurt (the original recipe calls for plain yogurt, but I don't care to eat just plain yogurt, there is always some left over. So I buy Vanilla)

 Directions

1. Boil 1 cup of water. Add boiling water to 1 package of jello and 1 package of knox in a bowl. Stir until dissolved.
2. Pour half of the mixture into another bowl. 
3. To 1 of the halves add 1/3 cup yogurt. Stir together. 
4. Pour this half into a 9x13 pan. Place in the refrigerator to solidify. Only takes a few minutes.
5. Add 3 Tbls cold water to the other half of the jello mixture. Add this to the pan and refrigerate.
6. Continue this process with the other 5 packages of jello and Knox.

This may be a little tedious, but it really isn't hard to do, and it looks very impressive! I remember as a child trying to peel each layer apart and enjoying them. Now go make some and enjoy!

25 Days of Baking: Day 21

Day 21, I almost can't believe it! Can it really be this close to Christmas already?!? Shockingly we have no snow here, so it's making it hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner. On the plus side, we haven't had to break out the snow blower yet!

Today I decided to make Turtles. I do love these, but once again, I have never made them before. I searched online for a good recipe, but I couldn't find one that I liked. Scratch that I did find one I thought I would like (the photos look like exactly what I wanted), but the recipe really wasn't complete. So in the end I combined a few and just made my own.

Homemade Turtles

• 2 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 25 caramel squares, unwrapped
• 1/8 cup cream
• 8oz. milk chocolate (I bought the Ghirardelli Chocolate bars)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange pecans in a single layer, toast in oven until fragrant, about 10 min. Remove from oven. On a separate rimmed baking sheet arrange about 3 pecans together, making sure to overlap them some to keep the caramel from going right through the middle. Make about 18 clusters. 
2. Take 1/4 cup of pecans and finely chop them. Set aside to use for sprinkling on top of finished clusters.
3. In a microwave safe bowl, add the caramels and cream and heat for 3 minutes. Make sure to stir every 30 seconds.
4. Spoon enough caramel sauce over the pecan clusters to cover most of them in each cluster.
5. In a microwave safe bowl, break up chocolate and heat to melt it. I heated it for 15 seconds at a time until melted.
6. Spoon chocolate onto each cluster. More is always better! But make sure you have enough for each.
7. Sprinkle each turtle with chopped pecan halves before the chocolate sets.
8. Place tray in fridge to harden.

These were very easy to make and so delicious. I know these will be made again! They would also be a very easy gift to whip up when you need something! Whoever you give them to will be so impressed by all the work that went into them and how amazing they look, when really it took no time at all.

25 Days of Baking: Day 20

Today was a little crazy, we started out our day taking our daughter to the doctor to be diagnosed with croup. Just what the holiday needs. She is a trooper and it hasn't slowed her down any. This evening we did our little families Christmas, complete with a drive through the park with lights. In the midst of all that I did find time to make today's treat, toffee.

I found the recipe at damndelicious.net. I don't think I have ever had toffee with almonds in it, so I did find this a little strange, but upon further research, a lot of recipes include almonds. Who knew. 

Toffee 

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup pecans, chopped

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Spread almonds in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes; set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar vanilla and salt over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted and mixture is almond brown in color, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Immediately spread the hot caramel mixture evenly over the almonds. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. After 1-2 minutes, spread the chocolate chips in an even layer until smooth. Sprinkle with pecans.
5. Let cool completely, about 2 hours. Break into pieces.

I chose to not put the pecans on top, and unfortunately I don't think I cooked the caramel mixture long enough. Even after a visit to the fridge it is still gooey. Plus the color seems a little off. I guess you live and learn right. I will be trying another recipe I found again sometime soon, as I do LOVE toffee, so it's a little disappointing that this isn't really what it should be.

25 Days of Baking: Day 19

Not to toot my own horn, but I feel I am a a fairly good baker. Cooking, eh, but baking yes! Now I am not one of those people that can just dump stuff together and make the marvelous creations, in fact I despise those people. I need a recipe. But as long as I have that, I am good to go! 

However, Rice Krispie treats have always eluded me. Call me crazy but I can not make those things to save my life. Somethings always goes wrong. They are never just right, or even really like they should be. Why, I DO NOT KNOW!!! So today, call me crazy, I decided to make Cornflake wreaths. Maybe the fact that they were cornflakes instead of rice krispies would somehow magically make these work out.

Low and behold, they seem to have worked! At least they taste good, they are to gooey where they just fall apart and they aren't so hard it hurts to bite them. I may have found a winner.

Cornflake Wreaths

• 1/3 cup butter
• 4 cups mini marshmallows
• green food coloring
• 6 cups corn flakes
• handful of red cinnamon candies

Directions

1. Measure corn flakes into a large bowl
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Once melted, add the marshmallows and stir continuously until completely melted. Stir in food coloring.
3. Pour melted marshmallows into a large bowl with the corn flakes. Stir until well coated.
4. Lay out a piece of wax paper. Place spoonfuls of the cornflake mixture onto the wax paper. Grease your hands with butter or cooking spray. Use your fingers to shape each spoonful into an individual wreath. Top each wreath with cinnamon candies.

 These were easy to make, I did wonder right away if something had yet again gone wrong as they were super gooey right away. I figured I would let them sit out to harden and that seemed to do the trick. I found this recipe from Pretty Providence. These would be fun to make into red hearts for Valentines day as well!

25 Days of Baking: Day 18

Day 18, wow! I really don't think that many people thought I would stick with it as lots keep asking, "are you still doing that?" My answer is Yes! 25 days haven't ended yet and so I am still doing it! There is light at the end of the tunnel now!

 

Today's recipe was a recommendation from a girlfriend and I am so glad she did. This recipe came from a blog called Cookies and Cups. I don't care much for Salted Nut Rolls, but it is one of my husbands favorite candy bars, so he really liked these.

Salted Nut Roll Bites

• ½ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup honey
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 cup nonfat dry milk
• 2 cups Honey Roasted Peanuts, finely chopped and divided
• about 30 mini marshmallows
   

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl combine peanut butter, honey, vanilla, dry milk and 1 cup of chopped peanuts. Stir until combined.
2. Portion out about one tablespoon of mixture, flatten and wrap it around a mini marshmallow.
3. Roll in remaining chopped nuts.
4. Repeat until all the mixture is used.

These came together so quickly, which I loved. I did find that I could have just chopped 1/2 cup of peanuts for the batter to be rolled in. I had way to much at the end that I just threw away. As you can see from the photo, there is a little girl in the house that also likes these!

25 Days of Baking: Day 17

Today's recipe is one that I have wanted to make for quite some time. I even went as far as to print it out, not just pin it. But alas it has yet to be made...until today! My print out actual has April 2013 on it, yikes!

 I got this recipe from one of my favorite scrapbookers Becky Higgins. I searched her site www.beckyhiggins.com for the link to the original post, got sucked in like I do and spent to much time looking through her blog. I ended up not being able to find the link. So when you have a few minutes, hop on over and see what she is up to, it's an awesome read and you won't be disappointed!

Mint Brownies

~ 2 cups butter

~ 3/4 cup cocoa

~ 2 1/4 cups sugar

~ 6 eggs

~ 2 cups flour

~ 1/8 tsp. salt

~ 2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Combine the top 4 ingredients and mix well. Next add the last 3 to the mixture. Bake this brownie layer at 350 for 15 min. in a texas sheet cake pan or for 8-10 min. longer in two 9x13 pans. Cool completely.

 Mint Frosting

~ 4 cups powdered sugar

~ 1/2 cup butter

~ 5 Tbsp. milk

~ food coloring

~ 2 tsp. mint or peppermint extract

~ 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (these will be melted for the top)

 Directions

 Mix all frosting ingredients, except choc. chips. Spread frosting on chilled cake and then chill again. Melt a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips and spread for top layer. Chill.

I ended up baking my brownie mixture in a texas sheet cake pan for 21 min. After 15 it was still soupy in the middle. This smelled so wonderful while it was cooking! I also know that there is a fine line when heating chocolate chips in the microwave. Unfortunately I crossed that line, so my chocolate didn't spread smoothly on the  frosting, but it still tastes AMAZING!

25 Days of Baking: Day 16

Today's cookie just goes with Christmas in my opinion! Gingerbread! I remember reading a story growing up about gingerbread men who came to life at night and finished things around the house for the family to help them get ready for Christmas. I always think of that book when making these and it brings a smile to my face.

Gingerbread Cookies

Group 1

~ 5 cups flour - sift before measuring

~ 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

~ 2-3 tsp ground ginger

~1 tsp ground cinnamon

~ 1 tsp ground cloves

~ 1/2 tsp salt

Group 2

~ 1 cup shortening

~ 1 cup sugar

~1 large egg

~ 1 cup light molasses

~ 2 Tbsp white vinegar

~red cinnamon candies

Directions

Sift group 1 together. In a large bowl, beat sugar & shortening. When creamy beat in egg, molasses & vinegar. Stir in flour mixture 1/4 at a time, mixing well after each addition. (Mixture will be stiff - you may want to use your hands.) Cover dough and chill 3 hours or longer. Heat oven to 375. Cut dough in half. On a lightly floured board, roll dough 1/8" think. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut dough and decorate with cinnamon candies. Bake.

I like to make big and small men, small bears, and reindeer. However on this particular day I couldn't find my reindeer cutter or my cinnamon candies. I know I have both, but they are currently lost in the twilight zone (aka my corner cupboard filled with baking supplies). So we did without and all is well. I do someday want to get a big gingerbread bear and heart shaped cinnamon candies, so my cookies could be just like ones in the book I remember.

 I have eaten so many Christmas cookies this season, I am starting to think I have had more than Kris Kringle himself! These are sugar cookies are my absolute favorite!

25 Days of Baking: Day 15

Another day for peanut butter and chocolate, I told you I liked these two! Today's recipe I cheated on. But with the craziness of the holidays and not enough hours in a day (well that's any time of the year), sometimes you need an easy alternative. 

I made Peanut Butter Blossoms. I cheated because I used the Betty Crocker Peanut Butter cookie mix pouch to make these. In my opinion they taste just as good, and take so much less effort to make!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

~ 1 package Betty Crocker Peanut Butter mix

~ 3 Tbls. vegetable oil

~ 2 tsp. water

~ 1 egg

~ Hershey's Kisses, enough for 1 for each cookie

~ green frosting

Directions

Follow the package directions to make the cookies. Once you take them out of the oven, immediately press 1 Hershey's Kiss candy in the center of each cookie. 

To make these more festive and to add more to them I made some green frosting and swirled it around the Kiss to make it look like a tree (sort of). They kind of remind me of something from Whoville.

25 Days of Baking: Day 14

Well, I am over half way done with my baking, which is a good thing as my counter and freezer are filling up with sweets and my scale isn't thanking me either. Today I made a Christmas staple in the cookie category. Candy Cane Cookies. These can be a little time consuming, but they are fun to have on a cookie platter.

Candy Cane Cookies

~ 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened

~ 1/2 c. shortening

~ 1 c. powdered sugar

~ 1 egg

~ 1 1/2 tsp almond extract

~ 1 tsp. vanilla

~ 2 1/2 c. flour

~1 tsp. salt

~ red food coloring

~ 1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy

~ 1/2 c. sugar

Directions

Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, powdered sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Blend food color into one half. Shape 1 tsp. dough from each half into 4 inch rope. For smooth, even ropes, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board. Place ropes side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bend top down to form handle of cane. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 min or until set and very light brown. Mix cookies and granulated sugar. Immediately sprinkle cookies with candy mixture. Remove from baking sheet.

 

The cookie gods were shining down on me today, because my dough mixed up perfectly! A lot of times I find that my dough wants to break apart when I attempt to move it from the mat I rolled it out on and the cookie sheet. Today they were perfect. 

I also always find that I have extra of the sugar/peppermint mixture. So last year I got smart and stored the extra in a small tupperware container. I had enough for the cookies this year and next year! It beats crushing peppermints every year. I inevitably end up with a huge mess when I do that.

25 Days of Baking: Day 13

Today I am making Carmel Corn with Old Dutch Puffcorn. About 7 years ago I lived on this stuff during the Christmas season while I was working overnights to set Christmas decorations at Target! Ah memories. I don't miss working the graveyard shift and I really don't miss drinking Monster Energy drinks to stay awake! But this is a tradition that I want to keep.

This recipe comes straight from the back of the Old Dutch Puffcorn package.

Carmel Corn -Old Dutch Style

~1 package Old Dutch Puffcorn

~1 cup butter

~1 1/4 cups brown sugar

~2/3 cup light corn syrup

~1 tsp. baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Combine butter, brown sugar and light corn syrup in a 2 quart sauce pan, cook on medium heat until mixture has melted. Once mixture has melted add the baking soda. (Note: This will cause the mixture to foam.)

Pour Old Dutch Puffcorn into a large roaster pan. Pour caramel mixture over the puffcorn and stir until mixed.

Place in oven at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Please pay close attention at this time as oven temperature variance may affect final product.

Remove from oven, pour on wax paper and break apart. Let cool and enjoy.

Make sure not to over bake this as it does get hard to eat. It's best when its extra gooey in my opinion. I only baked mine for 38 min. and it is perfect! Very easy to make and a great addition on a holiday movie night that the whole family can enjoy! Or a great treat to snack on while wrapping Christmas gifts!

25 Days of Baking: Day 12

Today's treat is homemade cocoa mix. We always had this growing up and now my kids love it as well. In fact my oldest comes inside in the summer some days and asks for a cup of hot cocoa!

It's a very simple to make and only takes 4 ingredients.

Cocoa Mix

~ 1 box (8 qt. size) Carnation dry milk

~12 oz. jar of Carnation instant creamer

~1 lb. can of Hershey Cocoa mix

~2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Mix all ingredients together. When making a cup, mix half cocoa and half hot water. Stir and enjoy!

 As a note, I wasn't able to find Carnation dry milk this last time. I could only find generic kind. I also used Nesquik cocoa mix.