Archive for the 'Holidays' Category
Christmas Cookies of 2008
Christmas is coming fast, but my baking is finally done. I tried all new recipes this year, and, surprisingly, all the cookies turned out really well. Seth took some great pictures, so here are the Christmas cookies of 2008…
Loaded with dates and walnuts, these cookies are incredibly moist. The cookies are full of flavor, and if you like dates, they are great. The cherry on top is just a little added decoration.
I love pistachios, so this little melt away cookie is one of my favorites.
Seth said that this cookie is ugly, but I think it’s festive. The cookie has cherries and pecans in it, and is rolled in coconut. Ugly or not, it’s still yummy.
This is a traditional Jewish cookie, although the addition of cream cheese in the dough is a little nontraditional. The filling is made of walnuts, raisins, and apricots, and the smell of cinnamon is outrageous.
These super cute cookies taste just like you would expect. Lot’s of peppermint extract and a little extra peppermint candy on top give a burst of flavor.
Chocolate Malted Whopper Cookies:
I was a little concerned about this cookie when I baked them because they turned out flat and pretty hard, but after a day, they turned out to be soft and chewy. The malt powder gives a unique taste to the chocolate cookie.
Chocolate Chunk Peanut Cookies:
Peanut butter and chocolate – I love this cookie. The peanuts along with the chocolate chunks give this cookie a great texture. It’s also just a little bit salty, which balances the sweetness.
Triple Chocolate Mac Nut Cookies:
This cookie is incredibly chocolately, as the name may imply. It’s a dark, bittersweet chocolate though, so it’s not overly sweet. The nuts add just a little crunch.
These cookies are very soft and moist. I’m debating if I like the lemon flavor of the icing, but the cookie itself is delicious.
You have to be a true cream cheese lover to enjoy these cookies (my mom is going to love them). The mac nuts make the cookie even richer, if that’s possible. It’s a small cookie, but it packs a punch.
Seth’s mom usually makes these peanut balls, but this year, my mom and I teamed up to make them. The inside is a sweet, marshmallowy cream cheese, and the outside is rich dark chocolate covered in peanuts.
No commentsThanksgiving
All In One Holiday Cake Recipe
The holidays are all about sharing and giving, and a lot of people have been asking me for my Thanksgiving recipes. On the menu this year, besides the normal roasted turkey with stuffing, and the not so normal deep fried turkey, was macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, candied yams, green bean casserole, creamed corn, and cranberry jello salad. To keep everyone happy (and quiet) until dinner was served, I made a bacon ranch cheese ball and a pumpkin cream cheese dip, which was really great with pretzels. For dessert, there was pumpkin pie, all in one holiday cake (pumpkin, cranberry, apple, and pecans), and brownies. Of course, with all the food we had, Seth and I have a refrigerator full of leftovers. I’ve come up with some interesting uses for them though, including potato pancakes, turkey cranberry sandwiches, sweet potato and black bean chili, shepherds pie, and a macaroni and cheese concoction that I don’t even know what to name. Thanksgiving was a lot of fun and hopefully there are a lot more recipes to come during the holidays.
No commentsFive St. Patrick’s Day Desserts
Chocolate Guinness Cake Recipe
Seth grew up in a very tiny town with a huge Irish heritage. This past weekend, they had their 5th Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. It was a little late, but even Bill Clinton showed up, so it was a pretty big event. Of course, there is always a ton of food, and I made a variety of desserts. Only one of them was actually a real Irish desserts, but they were all appropriate for the occasion. I made traditional Irish soda bread, with raisins and caraway seeds. It’s a really unique flavor, which both Seth and I enjoyed. The bread can be a little on the dry side, especially if it sets for more than a day, but add a little butter and it was excellent. >> Read more
No commentsEaster Bunny Cake
What’s Easter without a cute little bunny cake? My mom and I used to make this when I was little, just using a regular white cake mix with vanilla frosting and coconut. I updated it a little, using a coconut cake with coconut frosting. The decorations, aside from some tinted coconut, can be anything from M&M’s (like I used) to jelly beans or chocolate chips. I used string licorice for the whiskers. The cake it cute and a lot of fun for kids, or even Seth for that matter.
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