Peeps Smores

Mark this down as something I would never think to do.

I don't normally like Peeps - never have. I bought a pack this year for my friend Becca who mentioned she loves them. I have also bought them for my friend Michelle who also likes them - but that has been my experience with them. I even love marshmellows - especially homemade ones - I don't know what my deal is.

About a month ago I heard about this peep party among the ladies at Providence. I greatly anticipated this little shindig during my first week here.

Ingredients:

graham crackers

dark chocolate bars

Peeps (buying them after Easter makes this very cheap)

aluminum foil

napkins

Line a pan with foil. Turn oven on broil. Place half a graham cracker down, top with chocolate, then a peep (no color specification needed). Broil for about 15-30 seconds - literally they don't take very long at all. You want them just browned on top of their cute little heads. Take them out - smush (technically cooking term) down the other half of the graham cracker. Enjoy.

Four Chocolate Brownies

Brownies are so easy to make from scratch, and most of the ingredients are right in your kitchen - so why even bother with a box mix. These are great, and would have been amazing if I hadn't cooked them quite so long. The original recipe I was looking at called for 35-40 minutes, I did just 35 and they were overdone. I like mine more fudgy than these, but they still had good flavor.

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
2 oz (squares) unsweet chocolate
1 stick butter
3 T cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt

Melt first four over low heat. Stir in powder.
Cream eggs and sugar. Add in vanilla. Combine the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Mix in flour and salt.
Foil and grease a 8x8 square pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
Enjoy.

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

I love this pan! :) I got it at Joann's fabrics and just like my spring pan, it makes decorated sugar cookies so easy! I need one for every holiday!

Sugar cookies:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond

2 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt (I thought the batter was a little salty, so next time I might lower it to 3/4 tsp)

Cream, add dry. Spray pan cavities. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove gently with a butter knife. Let cool. Decorate. These would be perfect for kiddos to make! :)

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

The first time I tasted non-Kraft marshmallows was the first season I worked at Williams-Sonoma for the holidays. I thought they tasted like cardboard. Oh, well.

But, I thought these looked so good, that I decided to give it a go. With the new thermometer I got from the rents for Christmas, it was perfect and easy.

3 pack unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 oz crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

In mixer bowl, combine water and gelatin. Let sit.

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, syrup, and salt until sugar is dissolved (over medium heat). Then turn it up to high and let boil till it reaches 240 degrees. Pour in mixing bowl with gelatin. Turn on medium till incorporated with gelatin. Then turn on high for 15 minutes (you may want to lock the bowl in). Pour in extract and combine for about 30 seconds.

To make ready a 9x13 pan, cover the pan with aluminum foil, then sift a good amount of powdered sugar over the entire thing.

Pour in marshmallow mixture (will be sticky and resemble marshmallow fluff). Smooth out the best you can. Top with crushed peppermint candies. Let sit uncovered over night or at least 12 hours.

Cut into 2 inch cubes with a pizza cutter. After cutting, roll sides of cut marshmallows in powdered sugar to keep them from sticking.

Eat them, give them, put them in hot chocolate.

Enjoy.

Greek Christmas Tree Crescent Rolls

My Blog Spark gave me the opportunity to host a giveaway for Pillsbury on my blog. It was fun. Well, as promised, one of the menu items today for the Christmas day dinner table was this Christmas tree made out of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.

It is all gone.

I used Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (just because mom doesn't have a big enough food processor to make my own hummus), red peppers, and parsley. I love hummus - much more than cream cheese. Decided to go this route.

2010 Christmas Menu

Enjoyed a nice Christmas day meal with Granny, Papa, Mom, Dad, Alan, Tywonn, Don, David, and Mai. Food was good. Over quicker than it took us to cook it. Such is life.

Here was the low-down:

Smoked Mullet

Beer-glazed ham (1 bottle wheat beer, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 tsp dry mustard)

Fried Mullet

Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits

Christmas Tree Hummus Appetizer

Roasted Broccoli and Red Peppers

Pear and Goat Cheese Salad

KFC Mock Coleslaw

Deviled Eggs

Hush Puppies

Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Onions

Ambrosia

Orange Carrot Cake

Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie

Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread

Lemon Meringue Pie

Tea, Unsweet Tea, Coke, Diet Coke, Beer

Tomorrow, we start cooking again. Still 3 meals to go - then eating out the rest of the trip home!

Baked Christmas Oatmeal

This might be a Christmas tradition. This was very, very yummy. Make it the night before, the first person who gets up in the morning puts in the oven (that was definitely Dad), and then serve it warm with cool whip and/or milk. Yum! Much better when it is cold outside, but can't you just see...sitting in your new pjs, holding a bowl of warm baked oatmeal in your hand, sipping on coffee. Ahhh, sweet!

I found this in a Christmas across the US cookbook a friend let me peruse at work. They make it here. So good. Glad I copied it.

2 cups oats

1 cup quick-cooking steel cut oats

1/2 cup light brown sugar (you could actually lower this if you wanted)

1/2 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup craisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 large granny smith apple (unpeeled), diced

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

2 cups water (I will use all water next time)

1 cup ff vanilla yogurt

2 eggs

2 T unsalted butter, melted.

Mix all dry. Stir together vanilla through butter. Combine. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and cover, let sit overnight in fridge.

Turn on oven to 350 and take out oatmeal to come to room temp while oven is preheating. Uncover and bake for 50-60 minutes or until set.

Serves 12-14 (so you get many leftovers). I didn't warm mine up, poured a little milk over it, and topped with cool whip.

Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread

I love other food blogs. These help when you finish all the stuff you had on tap to make, you look at your kitchen partner, and say at 830 on Christmas Eve, "I'm in the mood to make something" after you've been baking all day and you aren't going back out to Publix.

I found this on a new food blog that I'll definitely be looking at more in the future.

These were actually really yummy - very Christmasy. Just adjusted it slightly.

2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C finely peppermint chopped candies
3 oz. dark chocolate chips, melted

Cream all up to chocolate. Press in a greased aluminum foil lined pan and prick with a fork several times. Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips on top. Let melt, spread over dough. Pour crushed candies on top of that, spread evenly. Drizzle (with fork) the dark chocolate on top.

Let chill completely before trying to cut into fun shapes or triangles.

Old Fashioned Pecan Pie

It doesn't matter how you say "pecan" but most people will admit it is a darn good pie. I really liked this one - better than most I've had and definitely better than the one I had last year. As I dished Mom a piece today, a bite of it happened to make it in my mouth. I think this recipe is out of Bon Appetit.

Refrigerated pie crust (with so much else to do in the holiday season, no reason to slave over a homemade dough)

6 T unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp orange zest (you couldn't really taste this in the pie)

3 eggs

2 cups pecans (chopped or halved)

Have dough thawed but still chilled.

Melt butter over medium heat, stir in sugar until melted. Remove from heat. Add in the rest until eggs and pecan. Lightly beat eggs and combine. Pour nuts into the bottom (pricked with fork) of the dough. Pour mixture over it - slowly, letting it sink down, then pouring more in till all is used (we used a deep dish and it worked well).

Bake for about an hour at 350 on a cookie sheet (to catch any spills) till done (not wobbly at all).

Enjoy with ice cream or cool whip.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Believe it or not - I've never made this before yesterday. It is good stuff. This is definitely what needs to get out of my kitchen (in little gift bags) before I eat it all. So good and addicting, creamy and delicious!

This recipe is from Tina, who has been making it for 20 years - a family recipe. Thank you for sharing the recipe and for the tips on how to make it come out just right (without a candy thermometer!)

5 cups of sugar

1 large can evaporated milk

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 jars marshmallow fluff (7 oz each)

Melt sugar and milk over low heat - add butter, stir until completely melted. Bring to boil for about 10 minutes (I had to raise the heat to about a 6-7) - stirring constantly! :) (You get your arm workout for the day!). When it begins to thicken, remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and marshmallow fluff (who can't like this stuff, I mean, its totally not healthy for you, but so good). Pour into a buttered 10x15 pan with sides. Smooth out. Let chill (in fridge or on counter). Cut into small squares and give away!

Menu Week: Christmas (Dec 21)

Yeah - its that time of year again, the week of Christmas. Fun times ahead this week:
Monday and Tuesday - leftovers trying to clean out the fridge before being gone for 6 days!
Wednesday: pizza, apple slices, and cookies (from a jar mix gift that bonnie and justin gave me) for my ride to the airport. Dinner at Wendy's in Lakeland - right beside a Publix!
Thursday: Sonny's! Can't wait for some St. Louis ribs! And, me, my sister in law, and mom are baking all day
Friday: Christmas baked oatmeal for breakfast. Lunch with family is smoked mullet, christmas tree appetizer with hummus, WW coleslaw, baked mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli with red peppers, Alan's roasted whole onions (yum), black pepper biscuits, pear salad (the one at the top of the blog), carrot cake (Dad's request), lemon meringue pie (for Alan and Papa), and Pecan Pie (just because).
Saturday: Brunch with immediate fam before seeing the Nutcracker with Mom and Ty: egg cuties, roasted fruit salad with panettone croutons, roasted asparagus with lemon, cheddar herb biscuits. Dinner is cooking at home for Ty's and my bday since they are about a month apart: baked ziti, homemade italian breadsticks, apple salad with goat cheese, cherry cheesecake parfaits
Sunday: sweet potato hash with fried egg for breakfast before church in Winter Haven, dinner with immediate fam at the Yearling restaurant in North Florida.

Pillsbury Christmas Giveaway

Christmas giveaway - does it get any better - free gifts from Pillsbury and My Blog Spark.
I just need your help.
The following two recipes - I have been given crescent roll coupons from Pillsbury - you need to decide which one you would like me to add a "kim davidson" twist to.
Crescent Bacon-Cheese Tartlets

Crescent Holiday Tree


I'll make it, put the recipe and pictures on here, and maybe it will get chosen for Pillsbury's www.
You can play a part - just leave a comment saying which one you would like me to make. I'll tally the vote on Friday, make the recipe while I'm home over Christmas (so I don't eat it all), and then randomly pick a winner. You will get 2 free coupons from Pillsbury (who can't eat more crescent rolls) and 3 pretty white platters (oval, useable year round, stackable). They are great. I loved getting my box today!

12 Days of Baking - Day 12 - Santa Cookies

I don't remember ever setting out a plate of cookies for Santa. But, if I were going to start that tradition - these would be it. I like this recipe just like it is - and it makes a bunch (for Santa's bowl full of jelly)! So, if you have a cookie swap or an office to bake for - these are it. The cranberries, white chocolate chips, and pecans (or walnuts) are just the thing.
Enjoy. And Happy Baking for the holidays!

12 Days of Christmas Baking - Day 11 - Cornflake Wreaths

Second to the last day...This has been fun. This one is definitely a fun one that you can do with kids of all ages! :) My friend, Lorrie, gave me this one. Lorrie is one of my many bosses, but more importantly, she is my friend.

This is one of a very few recipes I received from my Dad’s mother before she was no longer able to cook. She passed away just days before I moved to Louisville for seminary, so things from her are very tied to the current chapter in my life. I adjust the recipe when I make them so that the wreaths are truly green. Mine end up looking more like piles of holly leaves with berries than wreaths. Grandma Francis was a good cook, but not a great baker. This no-bake recipe is an easy one for the busy holiday season, even for those who are not very handy in the kitchen and a great one to get kids involved with.


Christmas Wreaths

¾ stick of butter or margarine
1 bag of marshmallows
½ teas vanilla
½ teas almond extract
1-2 teas green food coloring (or to desired color)
4 C corn flakes
Cinnamon candies (Red Hots)

Melt butter and marshmallows on stove. Once melted, mix in vanilla, almond extract and food coloring. Add corn flakes and coat thoroughly. Dip onto wax paper covered cookie sheets/trays and form into wreaths as desired. Add candies for trim. Let set until firm then enjoy. Yield is based on personal preference for size.

12 Days of Christmas Baking - Day 10 - Biscotti

Lauren and I met through her husband who works at the Seminary. Lauren is a fantabulous cook and mother. We have many conversations about waht recipe we are cooking and what Food Network stars we like.

So when I was thinking about the most favored holiday baking recipe in our family I immediately thought of EVERYONE's favorite recipe: Ricotta Cookies. However my mother has made me solemnly swear to never give that one away! So I chose my other most requested cookie:

Cranberry Almond Biscotti. To this day I still deliver a batch to a few dear families from the first church Heath was on staff at here in Loiusville. Although the traditional biscotti I grew up on in my large Italian family contained some form of anise, these don't so they have much more broad appeal. Everyone always asks for these (including my hubby who is prone to depleting my final product:)

1 3/4 c all purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

2 large eggs

3/4 c sugar

3 T unsalted butter melted and cooled

1/4 t almond extract

1 c dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds (OR white chocolate chips- a delicious variation)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl beat the eggs with sugar at medium speed until pale and creamy approx. 3 min. Beat in the butter and almond extract. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in the dried cranberries and almonds (or white cc).

Using slightly floured hands, shape the dough into 3 slightly flattened 10 inch logs on the prepared baking sheet

Bake for thirty min. or until golden. Let the logs cool slightly.

Using the serrated knive slice the logs 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal. Serve This makes about 2 dozen.

That is where I stop! most people will go on to the last step which is to bake them again. Everyone I know LOVES these because they are not hard as rocks like most of the biscotti you buy. Literally no one in my large Italian family double bakes their biscotti...They are SOOO much better this way. But if you want to make them hard...(notice my lackluster endorsement)Arrange them back on the baking sheet cut side up and bake for another 10 min until golden and crisp. Let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

I look forward to making these. I love biscotti! Thank you Lauren

12 Days of Baking - Day 9 - Wintermint Brownies

Tuesday was National Brownie Day. And, in honor of that day - I want to share with you Day 9 of holiday baking - Wintermint Brownies.
I also make these every year. I still have some in my freezer from last year - and they are yummy crumbled into some cool whip or vanilla low-fat ice cream.
I love the look of these - the bright white stripe in the middle because of the York Peppermint Patties. I love the texture - nice and chewy - but deeply chocolate.
Enjoy these - and whatever other brownies you made in honor of National Brownie Day!

12 Days of Baking - Day 8 - Triple Cranberry Cookies

These cookies were hard to begin with, and an amazing result!
The reason they were hard is because I went to three different grocery stores to find whole fresh cranberries. Thank you Whole Foods!
This guy makes amazing oatmeal cookies. My next door neighbor and friend, Sloan, and I made his triple strawberry cookies this summer. For the holidays, the minute I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make them. I will now ALWAYS make these. I love any oatmeal cookie - and these are fabulous!
They get their tartness from three different means of cranberries (and orange juice/zest): whole, cooked, dried. They get their sweetness from vanilla wafers, dark sugar, and turbinado sugar.
You have GOT to try these. They are soft and crunchy and so yummy! Did I say these were good?
The recipe is on the link above - and very easy and details directions - no mess no fail recipe! Just follow it! I got 36 out of these.

12 Days of Christmas Baking - Day 7 - Maple Pancakes with Maple Cranberry Syrup

We all get our recipes from someone. I mean - not often do most of us totally from scratch without ever having something before just create a recipe. There is nothing new under the sun. If we are making spaghetti - it is usually because we have tasted spaghetti before.

My friend, Brandi, who is a great cook, baker, relatively new Mom, pastor's wife, shared this recipe. A lot of times when life is busy you need "semi-homemade stuff". She got these recipes from the former chef here at Southern Seminary. And, the way she used it...you will see...

I love Brandi - and am thankful for her friendship. The above picture was taken at her holiday baking party last December - it was a ton of fun!

These next two recipes are from Chef Pam Price. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you wanted to post them. :) I actually made this for Ruth (my secret sis last year) but used sugar-free syrup since she is diabetic.

Christmas Morning Pancakes (ideas/recipes from Chef Pam Price)

I like to add cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg to my favorite store bought boxed pancake mix then pack it into a mason jar with the recipe for Christmas Morning Pancakes. Sometimes I add a package of country ham, apples and festive holiday cloth napkins.

Recipe for Christmas Pancakes:

Mix pancake batter using water and enough pancake mixture to form a smooth batter the consistency of sour cream. Peel two apples, core and slice into very thin slices. Place griddle or pan on medium heat for two minutes. Place one teaspoon real butter in the pan swirling to cover the surface. Add 6 apple slices in a circle shape. Pour batter over the apples. Lower the heat slightly and cook until bubbles come to the top and the edges appear dry. Flip and cook the other side. Remove to heated platter and keep warm . Repeat to make as many pancakes as desired. Serve with maple cranberry syrup and sliced fried country ham.

Maple Cranberry Syrup (also from Chef Pam)

1-cup maple syrup

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

¼ cup chopped walnuts

In a one-quart saucepan, combine the syrup and cranberry sauce. Heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberry sauce is melted. Stir in the walnuts. Pour into a small decorative jar. Give instructions on a recipe card to serve warm. Store covered in the refrigerator up to four weeks.

*This would also be a great gift for an anniversary, birthday, or hostess gift.

12 Days of Christmas Baking - Day 6 - Candy Cane Fudge

Ok...still waiting for more recipes, so I'm going with one of mine. I am making it tomorrow night for a dessert party I am going to on Tuesday. So good and definitely right for the holiday!

Roasted Fruit Arugula Salad with Panettone Croutons

I had a very special fmr teached and dear friend over for a holiday brunch at the house. It was a sweet time of catching up and hanging out with her and my parents. I enjoy watching people eat what I have made. We all really enjoyed this first course salad. Thanks to Giada!

1 pkg arugula or mixed greens (I really liked the flavor the arugula brought to the table).

2 pears

1 cup grapes

1 cup cranberries (fresh preferably)

6 oz (2 small) Panettone, cubed

2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus 1/4 cup (about 2 lemons total),

1/2 lemon, zested
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup orange blossom honey
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 and brown the cubed bread until crispy - about 35-40 minutes. We did these the night before and put them in a baggy. Cut the pears into 8ths, peeled, mix fruit on sheet with sides and drizzle the butter, juice, zest, and sugar over the top. Roast at 425 for 25-30 minutes. Mix the dressing right before serving. Plate it and serve!