Tis The Baking Season

Hello all! I hope that your plans, lists, ideas, etc. for the holiday season are moving along as you would like them to be. I am doing pretty well and I have a calendar set up with days to accomplish the tasks that are left. Yes, I have a few elements of OCD but they work for me so I am okay with it.

In my family we always have our big celebration on Christmas Eve. We gather for food and gift exchange and general merriment. On the menu is always lasagna or at least it has been that way for nearly 20 years. Prior to that we did have pizza at times and other food stuffs but we landed firmly on lasagna and have stayed there. Of course, we always have the usual assortment of cookies and candy. I shared one recipe with you last week which was for Peanut Butter Logs. There would be a mutiny if we didn’t have cutouts and there was great disappointment when I didn’t make my Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Fudge last year. It is back on the list this year and I will share the recipe with you in this post.

Let’s get right to it, shall we?

Handy Tips

1. If you want a light taste of garlic in whatever you are cooking, add it at the beginning. If you want a stronger garlic presence add it near the end of your cooking time.
2. A cup of coffee before a workout speeds up the fat burning process.
3. If your microwave has cooked on food inside heating a cup of water for 3 to 4 minutes will disperse moisture and allow you easy clean up.
4. If you are juicing a lemon, lime, etc and want to make it easier and get more juice from it then you need to cut it in half and microwave it for 10 to 20 seconds before juicing.
5. If a recipe calls for spices or fruit zest beat them in when you do the sugar and butter. It allows for better distribution in your recipe.

Recipes

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins

( I am quite sure the recipe I found is for homemade cranberry sauce but my family likes the canned variety and that is what I used since I had a lot of it.)

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
2 cups cranberry sauce (I took the cranberry sauce out of the can and cut it into roughly 1/2 inch chunks.

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease a muffin pan or line with paper liners.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a standing electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.  Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until well incorporated.

On a low setting, add dry ingredients in three parts until batter is smooth.

Remove bowl from mixer.  Gently fold in cranberry sauce.

I used my large cookie scoop to fill the muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 17 to 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe was adapted from one by deniseisrundmc.com.

    

Ritz PB Treats

I am sure this little goody is online somewhere but I made it up in my head so here goes!

I spread 4 dozen Ritz crackers with peanut butter.

Then I put milk chocolate candy melts in a bowl and put them in the microwave. I always start melting chocolate first with a one minute setting and then I stir to see how melted it is. After that I microwave at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is just nicely melted and smooth when stirred. You don’t want to over heat your chocolate. It becomes a grainy, thick mess if you do.

I prepared parchment paper on a tray. One by one I put the peanut butter spread crackers in the melted chocolate bowl. I always put them in with the peanut butter side down and then using a fork flipped them over. I lifted the covered crackers from the chocolate with a fork and allowed excess chocolate to drip off. Finally, I placed them on the parchment paper to set.

   

Of course, I had to sample one and they are yummy! I am excited for my kids and grand-kids to try them.

Cool Whip Cookies

The original recipe came from Julie| Bread Booze and Bacon

      

Peanut Butter Ripple Fudge

3 c. (pure cane) sugar

3/4 c. butter

2/3 c. evaporated milk

1 c. peanut butter ( I use smooth but you can use crunchy if desired)

1 t. vanilla

1  – 7 oz. jar of marshmallow fluff

1 – 6 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until incorporated. Then add the fluff and vanilla until completely blended. Pour into a greased 9 X 11 pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Allow them to sit there a couple of minutes and then with a knife cut through the fudge to swirl the melted chocolate chips. I go lengthwise cutting in one direction and then across cutting in one direction. That method creates a nice look which isn’t messy.

I haven’t made the fudge yet this year so I can’t give you any pictures. Rest assured that it is on my calendar to do this week!

Have a great holiday season! Enjoy your loved ones and take a moment to breath after all the preparation.

See you soon!