Non-Alcoholic Egg Nog

Serves 2

2 c. milk
5 cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. sweetened condensed milk (which is about 1/4 can)
4 egg yolks
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine milk, cloves, cinnamon and condensed milk over low heat in a deep sauce pan continually stirring until the mixture is no longer chilled.  Slowly increase the heat to medium still continually stirring and bring the mixture to a low boil.  DO NOT allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil!  Once mixture has come to a low boil, turn off heat.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs and sugar.  Beat eggs using a mixer until lightened in color and fluffiness.

Slowly temper the eggs by adding a little bit of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture.  Stir to incorporate.  Continue adding the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture until the egg mixture has come to a warm temperature.  Pour the egg mixture into the milk mixture and heat over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened.  You will know it is thick when you can leave a clean line on the back of the spoon but be careful because the mixture is hot on the back of the spoon.

Add the heavy whipping cream and nutmeg and mix until incorporated.  Then turn off heat and add vanilla.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer and then place in an airtight container in the fridge.  Let cool for at least 1 hour, preferably longer.  We like ours cold which takes at least 6 hours.

Saltine Cracker Toffee

40 salted saltine crackers or enough to line your pan

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
• (optional) 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with at least a 1/2 inch edge or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Line saltine crackers in a single layer on the cookie sheet.

In a small pot combine sugar and butter and bring to a boil. Once mixture is at a boil, continue boiling for 3 minutes. Mixture should be a deep caramel color. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. It will get all bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let sit a couple of minutes to melt. Sometimes I melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for about 1 minute then spread it on. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts if desired. Cool completely and break into pieces.

Note: You should either use salted butter or salted saltines but not both. I used salted crackers and unsalted butter in this one. Source: Grandma Peterson

Gingerbread Recipe - 2013

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

directions

see this recipe's blog »

1. In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt butter, then stir in the brown sugar, molasses, salt, and spices.

2. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, and beat in the egg.

3. Whisk the baking powder and soda into the flour, and then stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.

4. Divide the dough in half, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

5. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Get out several baking sheets; there's no need to grease them, though lining with parchment saves effort on cleanup.

6. Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface, and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly.

7. Use flour under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin. Alternatively, place the dough on parchment, and put a sheet of plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate wrinkles as necessary when rolling; this will keep dough from sticking without the need for additional flour. For soft dough, or dough to be rolled extra-thin, you may choose to roll right onto the ungreased back of a baking sheet.

8. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, cutting them as close to one another as possible to minimize waste.

9. Transfer the cookies to ungreased cookie sheets (or, if you've rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough scraps between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they're slightly brown around the edges 8 to 12 minutes, or until they feel firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several minutes, or until they're set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

10. Decorate the cookies with Royal Icing or Simple Cookie Glaze and food safe markers.

Frosty Snowman Meringues

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2/3 c. sugar
18 thin pretzel sticks (2 1/4 inch) broken in half
36 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
18 pieces candy corn, tips only
54 miniature candy-coated candies
3-4 rolls Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups chewy fruit snack

Heat oven to 200 F.  Line 2 cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.

In large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and almond extract with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar, 2 Tbsp. at a time, beating on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved.

Spoon meringue mixture into large decorating back fitted with 1/2 inch plain tip.  For each snowman, squeeze and release bag in place to form 2-inch ball on cookie sheets.  Lift bag; squeeze and release bag to form middle layer of snowman.  Lift bag; squeeze and release bag to form top section of snowman.  Insert pretzel stick pieces into sides of snowman for arms.  Place chocolate chips on snowman for eyes, candy corn tips for noses and 3 miniature candies on each snowman for buttons.

Bake 2 hours or until set and dry but not brown.  Turn off oven; leave meringue in oven with door closed for 8 hours.  Decorate with fruit snack for caps.

YW - Gingerbread

Gingerbread Recipe

6 cups all-purpose flour (+extra for kneading)

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon black pepper (I use ½ teaspoon)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cup of dark unsulfured molasses

2 large eggs

Directions:

​In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until the mixture is ​fluffy.  Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt.  Beat in molasses ​and eggs.

Mix the dry into the wet ingredients just until well combined.

​Divide the dough into thirds and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for ​30 minutes or more.

Heat oven to 350 F (177 C).  Roll out dough on a well-floured surface and cut into ​desired shapes or house.

​Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly firm.  Cool completely.

Gingerbread for men & houses :)

Gingerbread Men:

3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg

2/3 cup (160 ml) unsulphured molasses (To prevent molasses from sticking to the measuring cup, first spray the cup with a non stick vegetable spray.)

Confectioners Frosting:

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons milk or light cream

Gingerbread Men: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated.

Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least two hours or even overnight). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies.  With an offset spatula lift the cookies onto the baking sheet, placing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. If you are hanging the cookies or using as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw or end of a wooden skewer. (If cookies are a little soft, place the baking sheet (with the cookies) in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This will prevent the cookies from losing their shape.)

Bake for about 8 -12 minutesdepending on the size of the cookies. They are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, you can press raisins, currants, or candies into the dough for eyes and buttons while the cookies are still warm. Otherwise, confectioners frosting can be used to decorate the cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Confectioners Frosting: In an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and well blended.  Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk if needed. Tint frosting with food color, if desired.Place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and decorate the gingerbread men as desired.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on the size of cookie cutter used.

I used this design for the houses but cut the dimensions in half.  Also, I did not use the chimney cut-out.

(It made several cookies and 7 small house when I quadrupled it.  I also quadrupled the icing recipe and it was for all decorations.  Hot gluing the house pieces together worked much better than trying to glue them with frosting.)

http://disneyfoodreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gingerbread_house_templates.png

Pumpkin & Pumpkin Cheese Pies

Pumpkin Pies (makes 2 pies - 1 regular and 1 pumpkin cheese)
2 1/4 c. Libby Pumpkin
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. cloves
3/4 tsp. all spice
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ginger
2 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt

Blend sugar, spices, and salt into mixing bowl.  Add eggs, pumpkin, and evaporated milk.  Pour into unbaked pie shells (for pumpkin cheese - add cheese mixture first).

Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 F.
Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.


Pumpkin Cheese Pie
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Beat ingredients together.  Pour into pie shell.  Add pumpkin mix (half of the above mixture).
Bake at 350 F for 70 minutes.