A Very Big Christmas Cookie!

My little one loves to bake. She is always underfoot in the kitchen and she especially loves cookies. So, when I saw this gingerbread cookie shaped baking pan set including decorator frosting and candy, I knew that she would LOVE it! On Christmas morning, when all of the gifts had been opened, my little one was more than ready to get baking immediately.

So, we made our way into the kitchen, still in our PJ's, and with our aprons on to make a giant cookie. We used this Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that I found at Fake It Frugal. It turned out perfectly and my little one decorated it all by herself. Well, mostly by herself. Big sister did the bow. I'm sure we will be making many more big cookies in the near future. 

By the way, when you check out the cookie recipe at Fake It Frugal, you may notice that several of the recipes there have been featured at You-Can-Make-That. In the past, I have told you about Fake It Frugal's Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies, and Brownies. 

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:10-12

 

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Cracker Candy

The other day, a friend called to get a recipe from me. While paging through my book for the recipe I saw one for Cracker Candy. It looked so simple! So, I thought that I would give it a try. Although I strayed from the recipe a bit, using ingredients I already had on hand, I am very pleased with the outcome. This candy is going to make great gifts. And, you can make it up ahead of time and store it either in the refrigerator or freezer for later. 

I think that this may be the treat that we leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve. What do you like to leave out for Santa?

Cracker Candy

Club Crackers (about 1 sleeve)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line an 11X15 cookie sheet with foil. Evenly cover the surface of foil with crackers. In a sauce pan, melt butter and sugar. Boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Pour over crackers, covering them evenly. Bake at 400º for 3-4 minutes, or until bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate chips over the crackers. Refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I visited an aunt and uncle in Delaware. While we were there, my aunt gave me some sweet potatoes that she was afraid might go to waste at her house. And as I have told you before, I adore sweet potatoes. So, I was glad to take them home with me.

Obviously this recipe is meant to serve a crowd and is perfect for the holidays. But, even though I had no crowd to serve last week, I made them up any way knowing that I could freeze the leftovers for later. So we had them for dinner and I mashed up the rest to use in Sweet Potato Muffins and Sweet Potato Cake. I’ll tell you more about the cake tomorrow.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes

6 medium sized sweet potatoes

1 ½ cups unsweetened apple sauce

2/3 cup raw sugar (or brown sugar)

3 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Peel and cube sweet potatoes and place in a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until tender.

New Year's Peppermint Bark

Photo Credit: Nestle Toll House

Each year on New Year’s Eve, we gather up all of the leftover candy canes that we collected over the Christmas season to make Peppermint Bark. None of us really care to indulge on plain old candy canes, so this is a good way to ensure that they do not go to waste. This year I didn't even buy candy canes for our tree and I still had enough from the gifts that we received and the treat bags from school to make a batch of our traditional New Year’s treat. My oldest is especially pleased with Peppermint Bark so she never lets me forget to make it!

Peppermint Bark

12 oz. pkg. white chocolate chips

½ cup crushed leftover candy canes or peppermint candies, divided

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside. Add white chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until chips are melted and the consistency is smooth. Stir in all but 2 Tbsp. crushed candy. Spread onto prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining candies. Refrigerate until hard. Break into shards and serve.

This recipe has been adapted from the one found here.

Merry Christmas!

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the new born King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled"

Joyful, all ye nations rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With the angelic host proclaim:

"Christ is born in Bethlehem"

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Written by: Charles Wesley

Christmas Dinner Menu

We will be celebrating Christmas at home this year. My parents will be with us and we are all looking forward to our time together. I hate to have to spend my day in the kitchen though, so I like to have most of my food made ahead of time. Getting the bulk of the cooking done in advance allows me to enjoy the day with family opening gifts and having fun together. This year we will be eating spiral sliced ham and the following sides:

Green Beans

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Quick Yeast Rolls

And, let's not forget dessert!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

What will you be serving this year? 

Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer

Photo Credit: Coffee-Mate

I hung out with some friends last weekend and they offered me some Peppermint Mocha Creamer for my coffee. I loved it! When I got home, I got to thinking about it and wondered if I could make it homemade.  The recipe below is what I came up with.

Because I usually just use half and half in my coffee, this seems so decadent to me. And what a great treat for Christmas. I served a cup of coffee to my neighbor yesterday and she really liked it too. Now I’m thinking that I would like to try to make other flavors!

Peppermint Mocha Creamer

1 ¾ cup milk

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

½ tsp. peppermint extract

Measure milk into a quart sized Mason jar. Microwave the milk on high for 90 seconds. Add cocoa powder, cover jar and shake to dissolve. Add the sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract. Cover and shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator and shake before serving with coffee.

Christmas Blessings

The Christmas season has begun. Over the weekend, I attended my first holiday party and I spent hours decorating my home. This week I plan to trim my tree and I am hosting a holiday party of my own. I even received my first Christmas card in the mail yesterday. Although this Christmas will be very different at my house, I know that I am still blessed.

I am blessed by new friends to share Christmas treats with.

Homemade Fudge

I am blessed by dependable neighbors to keep me company and to swap holiday food gift ideas with.

White Chocolate Orange Crunch

I am blessed by old friends who have continued to love on me and my family when times have been tough. I am especially thankful today for my friend Laurel, who lives in Germany. She sent my kids Chocolate Advent Calendars like the one pictured below to celebrate the season.

Christmas Advent Calendar

What have you been blessed with this Christmas season?

Warm Winter Drinks

With the cooler weather, I have been craving warm drinks like coffee, tea, and hot cocoa. So, this weekend I made my kids super happy by making up a batch of Decadent Hot Cocoa Mix, which we drank with Chocolate Chip Muffins for breakfast on Saturday morning.

 Decadent Hot Cocoa Mix

But, my son’s favorite warm drink is Hot Cinnamon Milk, so I made up a batch of that mix too and we enjoyed it with Sweet Potato Muffins on Sunday morning.

 Hot Cinnamon Milk Mix

Both of these warm drink mixes take only minutes to make and are perfect for frugal Holiday gift giving.

This post has been linked to Frugal Tuesday Tip.

Fascinating Find - Brownie Mix

Photo Credit - Fake-It-Frugal

Earlier this year I told you about some homemade cookie mix recipes that I had found on Heather’s blog, Fake-It-Frugal.  My family has enjoyed both the Sugar Cookie recipe and the Oatmeal Cookie recipe many times since then. Last night, we tested Heather’s Fake Betty Crocker Brownie Mix recipe. They were simple and delicious, and I will definitely be making these again and again. If you have never make homemade brownies, be warned, you will never go back to a mix!

I used melted butter instead of the vegetable oil called for in the recipe and I baked them in an 8X8 pan. I tested these because I thought that the dry ingredients, packed in a pretty jar, would make a simple and inexpensive Christmas gift for the kid’s teachers.

Heather, at Fake-It-Frugal, has all kinds of frugal recipe ideas and household solutions that will save you time and money. So, be sure to check out her blog below:

Website Link: Fake-It-Frugal

Brownie Recipe Link: Fake Betty Crocker Brownie Mix

Cookie Recipe Link: Fake Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes 

Home Again!

We had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope that you did too! We drove from Texas to Florida to spend the Holiday with my in-laws. We visited, and ate, and visited some more. We attended get-togethers, met new friends, and spent time catching up. But, most of all we enjoyed being together to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

We got home late Monday night, and I spent Tuesday grocery shopping, doing laundry, and relaxing. I made some granola and pulled burritos out of the freezer for dinner. Finally, we watched a new DVD with the kids. After nine days away, it is good to be home!

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:10-12

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Perspective

This mug was handed to my kids playing outside earlier this week. A random act of kindness

 given by the management company from whom we lease our home.

As we get closer and closer to Christmas it is easy to get caught up in “rampant consumerism.” This is a term that my dad used with us kids while growing up. Whenever we would bug him for the newest toy, a fabulous outfit, or the next cool thing, my dad would remind us that these wants were rampant consumerism.  As we rush around during the month of December purchasing gifts, planning meals, and decorating our homes in order to create the most perfect and memorable holiday, it is easy to get caught up in rampant consumerism.  

Over the last few weeks I have read several articles that have reminded me to keep my perspective when it comes to consumerism this Holiday season. So, I thought I would share them with you because maybe you could use a little perspective too!

On Thoughts and Musings you can read about one mom’s journey with 25 Days of Giving and how this new attitude about thinking of others has spilled over into all areas of their lives.

On Geek Dad you can read about The 5 Best Toys of All Time. And, none of them will cost you a penny.

On Balancing Beauty and Bedlam you can read about Jennifer’s Bedlam and Reality Behind a Christmas Mantle. This is a great reminder that nobody is perfect, even if they appear to be.

Chocolate Dipped

A few years ago we received a tower of tins filled with delicious treats as a Christmas gift. It was beautiful to look at and the salty-sweet goodies were delightful. The following Christmas, I tried my hand at creating something similar. It turned out to be easier than I thought and I have been making chocolate dipped confections ever since.

This is a fun project for all ages. The chocolate does not get hot enough to burn little hands and even adults enjoy licking the chocolate off their fingers as they work!  I have had the best success with apricots and mini pretzel twists, but pretzel rods work too along with peanut butter cracker sandwiches, oreo cookies, and dried pineapple rings. Chocolate dipped spoons packaged with some Decadent Hot Cocoa Mix make a great gift for teachers and neighbors. You can make as many or as few as you like and most dipped treats will stay fresh for several days when they are wrapped tight and stored at room temperature.

Chocolate Dipped

1 cup white chocolate chips

Assorted Dippers - pretzels, apricots, cookies, etc.

Colored sugar and/or sprinkles

Place white chocolate chips in a small, shallow microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until chocolate is completely melted. Dip pretzels or other dippers into the chocolate half way. Shake off excess chocolate. Place on a sheet of parchment paper. Dust with colored sugar or sprinkles. Cool completely (about 15 minutes) and store in an airtight container.

Note: If the chocolate cools off too quickly and starts to firm up again while you are dipping, just put it back in the microwave for 15 seconds on high to warm it back up again. Stir well and start dipping again.

Fascinating Find

When I saw this recipe for White Chocolate Orange Crunch a couple of weeks ago, I knew that I had to try it. And, with only three ingredients, I felt it was a natural choice for You Can Make That!  So, I made it on Saturday afternoon to serve it to some family friends that we had invited over for egg nog and dessert that evening. (That's my crunch pictured above.) As I was wrapping it up, a friend stopped by and I gave her a taste. The next day she requested the recipe.  On Sunday morning, I packaged what was left into a tin and gave it to a dear friend that could use some encouragement. It got a 5 out of 5 rating from my family and rave reviews from everyone else.

I found this recipe here on a blog called Brassy Apple. Megan is the “creative force” behind Brassy Apple, a blog about sewing, upcycling, and design.  So, be sure to check out Megan’s crafty ideas in addition to her recipe. Thank you Megan for posting this tasty Christmas treat for us!

Raspberry Bars

Some recipes bring back memories that are forever associated with the event at which the food was served.  While in transition during our move back to the US from Germany, I was asked to make these Raspberry Bars for a memorial service. We had already moved out of our home and were staying our final week in Europe with friends.  Our gracious host family provided the ingredients, baking supplies, and kitchen. So, I made two batches. The gentleman that we were honoring that day had been a caterer. I had tasted his cooking on many occasions. His food was always mouthwateringly delicious. He was a gracious and humble man with a heart to serve. I was honored to be asked to make this recipe for his family and friends.

This recipe has evolved over time. Years ago I made these bars with a cake mix. But, when we began the transition to real foods, I though You Can Make That from scratch! This is the final result. They are chewy, not crunchy, and have a melt in your mouth texture.  These bars will last several days as long as they are well wrapped, and they travel well, which makes them perfect for your holiday cookie trays.

Raspberry Bars

1 cup brown sugar (or raw sugar)

2 cups flour (I use 1 cup white and 1 cup white whole wheat)

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

2 cups oats (old fashioned or quick, both work)

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups raspberry jam (12oz. jar)

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, soda, salt, oats and butter with a fork or pastry blender. (If the mixture is too difficult to combine, use your hands.) When you have formed a crumbly mixture, remove 1 ½ cups and set aside. Press the remaining mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.  Spread raspberry jam over the top of the mixture leaving ½ inch border along the outside edge. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 ½ cups of the mixture and lightly press it into the jam.  Bake at 350˚ for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Hot Cinnamon Milk Mix

This recipe is another super simple gift giving idea. It is a little different from the typical spiced teas found at the Holidays. And, just like the Decadent Hot Cocoa Mix, it can be made up in advance, in the quantity that you need. Kids and adults alike enjoy this Hot Cinnamon Milk and because it has no caffeine, it can be served at any time of the day. It kind of reminds me of Chai Tea.

I have packaged this mix in pretty glass jars and tins, and placed it inside pretty mugs. However, the one pictured here is heading to Florida with us for Christmas, so I don’t want to make it pretty until I get there. I would hate to have to it ruined before I give it away. Be sure to include a tag with preparation instructions when giving this as a gift.

Hot Cinnamon Milk Mix

1 cup powdered milk

1 cup white sugar (or raw sugar)

1 tsp. cinnamon

Stir together all three ingredients. Store mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to six months.

To prepare: Whisk together ¼ cup mix with 1 cup warm milk.

Fudge - 3 Ways

Many people shy away from making fudge because they fear that it is complicated and time consuming. There are numerous recipes that call for special tools and a long list of ingredients. But, this Quick Fudge, with only two ingredients, is simple and requires only a bowl, a spoon, and a microwave. And, when you make the Fudge Block variation, you can add chopped nuts, dried fruit, candies, or marshmallows.

         

Quick Fudge

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1-12oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Add chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Pour sweetened condensed milk on top of the chips. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until chips are melted and the consistency is smooth and glossy.

For Fudge Stars: Pack the warm fudge into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, or into a dessert decorator and press out stars onto parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then place into mini baking cups.

For Cookie Cutter Fudge: Spread warm fudge into a foil lined pan.  The fudge should be about the same thickness as your cookie cutters. Refrigerate until firm (time will vary depending on how thick the fudge is in the pan). Cut with desired cookie cutters.

For Fudge Blocks: If desired, add chopped nuts, dried fruit, candies, or marshmallows. Spread warm fudge into a foil lined pan.  Refrigerate until firm (time will vary depending on how thick the fudge is in the pan). Cut into large squares (3in. X 3in.).


Store fudge in the refrigerator for up to a week. We like our fudge at room temperature, so we remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Christmas Crunch

I love making homemade food gifts for the Holidays. Every year I scour cookbooks, magazines, and online recipe sites for new ideas that my friends and family will love. However, sometimes good intentions don’t get the job done and I run out of time. Simple recipes like Christmas Crunch can still be put together at the last minute without investing a lot of time or creating additional stress.  All you need is equal parts of the three ingredients below and you have a gift ready to go. You can package it in a pretty food bag, a jar, a tin, or in a Holiday bowl wrapped in cellophane. The best part is that you do not have to make a cute tag with instructions for preparation (especially nice for those of us that are craft challenged!).

Christmas Crunch

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup white chocolate chips

Stir together all three ingredients in a large bowl. Store mix in an airtight container. This recipe can be made up a week or more in advance, and it can be multiplied to make a larger batch. Just measure out equal amounts of each ingredient and stir together.

Frugal Tip: Trail mixes like Christmas Crunch are always good gifts for men and work perfectly as a stocking stuffer. But, if you need a recipe without nuts, check out this Nut Free Trail Mix recipe.