Hey Y'all,
We do love the holidays, and we love you, too! So here's our special holiday treat-- if you'll post your favorite holiday recipe and/or fiber-related gift idea right here in the comments section of the blog, you'll be entered to win a Hill Country Weavers Gift Certificate. Just click on "comment" and tell us about your great-grandmother's egg nog, your favorite sock pattern, or the gift basket packed with needles & yarn & a swift you're hoping to receive. All holiday-themed comments are eligible. We'll do our random drawing on December 24th and post the winner's name right here on Christmas Day!
Once you've posted your holiday recipes and gift ideas, while you're waiting to find out if you've won, here's a way you can joyfully kill some time with us down at the shop:
DECEMBER 17 & 18 HOLIDAY CHEER!
Be our Guest as we Serve our Best
The HCW gang will be showcasing their favorite holiday
treats and recipes so stop by for a nip and a nosh!
(feel free to show off your favorite sweets as well)
SHARE THE SUGAR
Post your favorite recipe for a sweet holiday treat at
the KnitBuzz blog! You can start submitting your
recipes and patterns by commenting on this post!
HOLIDAY CAROLS
A special thank you to all of you who sang holiday carols
during our First Thursday Sale!
See some of our favorite on YouTube!
SECOND SUNDAY HOLIDAY PARTY!
December 11
11:00 - 1:00
HOLIDAY HOURS
Regular hours through December 17
December 18 11:00 - 5:00
December 19, 20, 21 10:00 - 7:00
December 22 10:00 - 8:00
December 23 10:00 - 7:00
December 24 10:00 - 3:00
Will resume regular hours December 26
(including New Year's Eve, 10:00 - 6:00)
CLOSED CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S DAY
P.S. We're having some difficulty with the comment feature.
If you do not see your comment below please enter it again! Thank you.
Posts
68 comments:
Last year my parents gave me the Addi Turbo Lace Click interchangeable needles. Best Christmas present I've ever gotten, hands down. Use them constantly. This year, I'm hoping to get a ball winder and nice blocking wires.
I brought this back from Australia in 1968, where I'd spent a year as a Rotary International exchange student. I suspect, most of Australia's citizens of that time being of English descent, that this has its' roots in the UK. I play with adding various fruits and nuts. It is sumptuous, and if you can wait through the long cooking, well worth the effort.
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 full c. chopped dates or 2 c. mixed fruit
1 big Tbsp. of marmalade or other jam
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter
2 scant c. milk
2 slightly rounded tsp. baking soda
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add sugar, fruit, jam, cinnamon, and cut in the butter. Bring milk to a boil and then add the baking soda to it. (It will fizz.) Mix through. Makes a very damp mixture. Pour into a greased bowl or pan, cover with waxed paper and simmer in a larger pot that has water boiling in it for 3 hours. Will serve 12. Allow to stand 3 min. before turning out. Serve with ice cream or Irish whiskey sauce (below).
Irish Whiskey Sauce
¼ c soft butter
2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1 c. light cream
¼ c. Irish whiskey
In top of a double boiler with electric mixer at med. speed, beat butter with sugar until light and creamy.
2. Beat in egg, cream, and nutmeg. Beat until mixture is fluffy.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally over hot (not boiling) water until mixture thickens.
4. Remove from heat and gradually stir whiskey.
5. Serve warm or cold with pudding.
I love this hat: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/santa-bang-y
It was inspired by the 2009 Christmas episode of the Big Bang Theory and every time I see the re-run I always want that hat!
Crud, that was me above with the BBT hat -- was on my work Gmail, which doesn't allow commenting, and I accidentally clicked "Anonymous" followed by "Publish" -- twitchy fingers much?
Im making christmas socks as a gift! The pattern is from the november issue of interweave knits and is very simple but classic.
We make felted soap bars for stocking stuffers. You buy about 18 inches of colored wool (not superwash) from Hill Country Weavers, strip the length of roving into 3 lengths, and wrap each length around a small or half bar of soap (this is great to do with all those hotel bar soaps...). Slip it into a pantyhose foot, get water as hot as your hands can stand, and squeeze and mush away until the wool felts. That's it - you're done!
Lara Burky & family
My favorite fiber gifting is a pair of fingerless mitts!- They are quick, easy, look great on everyone, fit just about anyone (without a whole lot of measuring & math), Great for stash busting & small bits of luxury yarns, and everyone thinks I went to a lot of trouble!
This memory comes to mind immediately. My mother-in-law (an incredible knitter who put herself through Duke University knitting argyle socks for frats) knitted my newborn son an adorable double-faced, yellow-checked sweater with a hood. It prompted me to start knitting again. This is particularly special memory since she passed away 2 weeks ago. She was quite a lady.
My idea of a great fiber gift would be a basket full of hand-dyed or kettle dyed sock yarn (color! need more color!), those wonderful tins of rosewood sock needles, a nice sock project bag, and a Cookie A pattern book. Add in some peppermint sticks and hot chocolate - I'm set for the rest of the winter.
I'm hoping to a few skeins of Loft under my tree on Christmas morning!
My favorite Christmas treat: These are so easy to make – and so good to eat! Joelle (my daughter-in-law) puts these in Christmas tins for quick and easy gifts from the kitchen. She always keeps a few extra tins on hand for any unexpected visitors to their home during the holidays.
Joelle’s Toffee Pieces
2 sticks of butter
1 cup sugar
1 sleeve saltine crackers
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Line cookie sheet with foil. Make a single layer of saltine crackers on the foil.
Melt butter and sugar over medium heat. Pour mixture evenly over crackers.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Take out and sprinkle chocolate chips over crackers. Let soften and spread with knife. Sprinkle with nuts.
Allow to cool. Or you can put the pan into the refrigerator and chill.
Break away from foil and break into pieces.
My go-to gifts this year are hats for the guys and cowls/shawlettes/scarves for the ladies.
I meet with a group of woman once a month, and we exchange gifts at Christmas. This year I knit a washcloth for each and put a fancy bar of soap with it. Got to use up my stash of cotton yarns I've been collecting for a while now! Also got to try out stitch patterns........so it was a win win!
My quick-knit gift for people is usually a pair of mittens or fingerless gloves. But oh, how I would love to receive a Cricket Loom for myself this year! :)
my favorite christmas treat: grandma's Austrian gingerbread
my foolproof fiber related gifts:
for a knitter friend: subscription to IK knits
for non-knitters: plain vanilla socks in dk weight yarn. fast, easy, warm
Easy and elegant Cereal Bar Treats:
Ingredients:
6 cups dry Special K cereal
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup white Karo Syrup
1 small package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 TBS butter
In large (deep) pot, heat sugar and karo syrup till just boiling - stir constantly for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
Immediately add peanut butter until it melts into the sugar mixture.
Add in 6 cups Special K and stir to coat it with peanut butter/sugar mixture.
Pour into 9 X 12 pyrex dish; press it down, and let it cool for about an hour.
In small saucepan melt butter and package of chocolate chips, stir till smooth.
Spread chocolate mixture over top of special K mixture.
Let cool, then cut into 2 inch squares, Enjoy!
Easy and Elegant Cereal Bars
Ingredients:
6 cups dry Special K cereal
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup white Karo Syrup
1 small package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 TBS butter
In large (deep) pot, heat sugar and karo syrup till just boiling - stir constantly for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
Immediately add peanut butter until it melts into the sugar mixture.
Add in 6 cups Special K and stir to coat it with peanut butter/sugar mixture.
Pour into 9 X 12 pyrex dish; press it down, and let it cool for about an hour.
In small saucepan melt butter and package of chocolate chips, stir till smooth.
Spread chocolate mixture over top of special K mixture.
Let cool, then cut into 2 inch squares, Enjoy!
Hello! Christmas favorite... I am steadily working on a doll for my daughter and finishing a stuffed knit dog for my son. Luckily, I'm already the the hem of the knit down dress and the dog is completely knit. I just need to SEAM the darn thing. My mom used to always make peanut brittle and pumpkin/banana/nut bread for Christmas morning. Things are different in our lactose free/ gluten free/ corn free house! Looking forward to hearing of favorites!!! D e b b i
dkjallbring at gmail dot come
(Austin area code)six two seven - seven nine eight six
Thank you HCWs!!
I'm making these adorable reversible birds / eggs from the Itty-Bitty Toys book. They're technically for my daughter & her cousin but they are totally fun for adults to play with too :) Oh, and they're pretty fast to make too!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/egg-to-bluebird-and-a-little-nest-too
- Kathy
Hi, what a great TREAT! I really like your idea about a gift basket packed with new needles and assorted yarn, maybe some of Jarod Floods new yarn! Thanks for the chance to dream about this and maybe win!!
I like the Ju-Ju-Be BeQuick bags for organizing my tools and as project bags for anything smaller than a sweater. They have a little clutch strap so they are easy to carry, they're teflon coated so anything I drop on them at knitting get togethers in restaurants wipes off easy, and they're machine washable too. They also have a small zippered pocket inside to hide my car and house keys in when I'm out so they won't get tangled in my yarn. One of these loaded with a skein of sock yarn would make the perfect gift for any knitter I know.
Best gift ever-- Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road and a skein of colorful sock yarn.
Noro! 'Nuf said.
I would love to have a gift of knitting lessons.
I want to make this reindeer dog hat for the pooches in my family.
http://aplacetolovedogs.tumblr.com/post/11574778894/izismile-mommy-made-me-a-new-hat-suits-me-dont
~sylvia
My go to gift is scarves. I am knitting one now with the last of my Mission Falls stash. I love this yarn and I am really liking the way this scarf is turning out...might just be a gift to myself! I also have some nice scarves made in the Knitting for Weavers class that I am giving as gifts.
previous comment was from me...forgot to identify myself
traci vickers
I seem to be giving a lot of socks this year, in various patterns. But the gift I'm most excited about giving is the sweater I made for my boyfriend. It's my first ever sweater. I also like making silly gifts. I made a Stinky Fish Hat for my dad the fisherman, and improvised a snake scarf for my nephew who loves snakes.
I do a cookie exchange every year with a group of friends and thought I would share the recipe for the ones I just finished baking for this year...very easy to make, look like a holiday cookie, and taste good.
"Santa's Favorite Cake Mix Cookies"
Red Velvet cake mix
2 eggs
2 T Water
1/2 c oil
12 oz. pkg of white chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients well. Drop by tablespoons full on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool for a couple of minutes before removing from baking sheets. Enjoy!
My go to gift is slippers, usually the Duffers or French Press Knits ones. Easy, peasy, quick and uh, easy!
Yay! I love blog give-a-ways! My favorite fiber related things to make are crochet toys I make from your organic 100% cotton yarn. I also treasure the knitted Christmas stockings I made after taking the class at HCW a few years ago...I love the compliments and the pride I feel that I made them myself!
Thanks,
Kim :)
Mason Dixon Gals have a new free and very easy pattern-- a schmatta aka giant cowl/collar like thing to wear around your neck! Grab some big yarn and needles and have at it.
http://www.masondixonknitting.com/archives/2011_12.html#003156
I have knitted many a scarf and hat as gifts over the years, but my favorite gift to make is a knitted stocking for a baby's first Christmas. I use a simple pattern and then needle felt the baby's name in pretty cursive letters. Best knitting gift to get? This year I'm going for a ball winder. It will never be used up, and it's WAY more fun than winding by hand!
Oh, and here is the easiest recipe for fudge ever. I'm pretty sure it's cheating.
1 bag of chocolate chips
1/3 to 1/2 bag butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
pecan pieces and mini marshmallows (optional)
Melt first three ingredients together in a pan over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. When mixture is fully melted and smooth stir in pecan pieces and mini marshmallows for a tasty rocky road fudge. You can either spread this into a greased 8in. pan or make it even easier by rolling it up in a sheet of waxed paper to form a tube (twist the ends shut so it looks like a giant piece of taffy). Cool in the fridge, remove and cut into squares (8 in. pan) or small rounds (wax paper tube).
The best holiday treat has got to be buckeyes; addictive little balls of peanut butter dipped in chocolate.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/buckeyes-i/
One year I had a big hit knitting grocery bags for everyone. I knit them (like everything else) in the round starting with dpns and then switching to circulars. No seaming required! I hate seaming!
CO 9 stitches in a washable cotton (I used Lily Sugar N' Cream that self-striped). Join, careful not to twist! I used 1 needle size up from that recommended for the gauge on the package b/c I tend to knit tight and wanted the bags to be stretchy. It worked out well. Feel free to experiment. They're bags and no one will care if they are exactly 10 inches in diameter and 24 inches long. Just CO and have fun.
BASE
K 1 round, (YO, K1) 1 round, K 1 round, (YO, K1) 1 round, K 2 rounds, (YO, K2) 1 round, K 2 rounds, (YO, K3) 1 round, K 2 rounds, (YO, K4) 1 round, K 2 rounds, (YO, K5) 1 round, K 1 round. You should end up with 108 stitches. Start lace body pattern.
I changed the base (used m1 increases or changed the number of rows between inc rows, etc.) on each one I did to get a different look. The one posted here is a bit ripply when laid flat, but it doesn't stretch as much as some others I had tried, which got WAY too big.
LACE BODY PATT
Row 1- (YO, K2tog)
Row 2- K
Repeat rows 1 and 2.
When you feel the bag is long enough, do a band of seed stitch at the top for an inch or so or whatever looks good. The band will grow another inch as you work the handles. When you are ready for handles, BO 20 or so sts for each handle spot opposite from each other on the band. Keep knitting the rest in seed stitch. When you get back to the bound off stitches on the next round, CO about twice as many as you had bound off (or more if you want a longer handle, less for a shorter one), then rejoin the seed stitch band and keep knitting away. When the handles are around an inch or so wide, BO the whole thing, weave in yarn tails, and you're done! No blocking required.
These bags will stretch a lot, and I get compliments on the one I made for myself very often. I keep it rolled up secured by a rubber band in my purse at all times, ready to carry home far more groceries than any check-out bagger expects.
I love starting my Christmas knitting in January. I have 1 Christmas project, along with a few others, going all year. It helps me not have too much of a crazy rush to finish in December!
My favorite gift was a gift certificate to my favorite LYS - I was able to choose yarn, needles, patterns - and more yarn. I'm hoping that Santa will remember how much I loved that gift.
I love to knit simple scarves and cowls - I try to find cashmere, alpaca or something luxurious for them- which can take a bit of planning ahead. This year I'd hoped to weave some of my presents but time escaped!
So I may have to bake cranberry orange nut bread and cinnamon rolls . . .
This year I'm hoping for more free time to knit and weave!
I think it would be super cool if a spouse/family member came in to HCW and picked out yarn his/her significant other might like (for example a bunch of different sock yarn or a bunch of one color/type that the knitter has been eyeing for a sweater or something on a wishlist) and put it in with silk greenery in a vase to make a yarn bouquet! Perfect for Christmas, Valentine's, Birthdays! :)
I love this dessert! It is a recipe available online and it is from Lisa Scanio, of Tampa, FL, so I can take no credit for its deliciousness. BUT, it is such a great dessert for this time of year. The only thing I do differently is make the eggnog from scratch. YUM!
Elegant Eggnog Dessert
12 Servings Prep: 30 min. + chilling
Ingredients
1 can (13-1/2 ounces) Pirouette cookies
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2 cups cold eggnog
1-1/3 cups cold whole milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
Cut each cookie into two 2-1/2-in. sections; set aside. Crush
remaining 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs,
cracker crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in.
springform pan.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the
eggnog, milk, dry pudding mixes, extract and nutmeg until smooth.
Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into pudding
mixture. Spoon over crust. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or
overnight.
Just before serving, remove sides of pan. Arrange reserved cookies
around dessert and press gently into sides. Refrigerate leftovers.
Yield: 12 servings.
Fingerless mitts! Easy to make, easy sizing, and very likely to be used.
My favorite gift was Blue Sky Alpacas organic cotton and Hiya Hiya dpn's!!! Blue Sky Alpacas makes some amazing yarn, and it's my favorite for baby blankets.
We are making homemade peppermint bark this year. Will try tempering the chocolate first. Then, layer dark chocolate, white chocolate mixed w/ crushed peppermint, then top with more crushed peppermint. Tests are going well so far!!
This is an easy and fun craft for the tree! Take an outline of a sheep on heavy brown paper, wrap sheep-colored fiber around the body. Attach a wire hanger and use a black Sharpie for the eyes. Cute!
I almost alays make fingerless mitts for someone ofr Christmas.. quick, easy, perfect for Texas weather :)
My new favorite holiday dish is cranberry upside-down cake. The recipe is very simple:
-Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter in a cake pan (9x9 or similar)
-Mix 2 cups of fresh cranberries with some sugar (about 1/4 cup)
-Prepare your choice of cake batter, either from your own recipe or a boxed mix
-Drop the cranberries into the cake pan and even them out
-Spoon on the cake batter to cover evenly
-Bake according to the cake's directions
-When the cake is done, let it cool for five minutes before turning it over
My mom loves this cake, she's been eating it topped with a little sour cream and homemade cranberry sauce. Can you tell we like cranberries?
I love knitting socks for Christmas gifts, because you can kind of go all crazy and since they are largely hidden behind socks and pants the recipient doesn't have to be embarrassed like they might be with a garish magenta scarf.
Also, I really like to knit socks. And unless someone specifically requests a different knit then I might as well make them something that I truly enjoy doing. They also knit faster than a blanket. So there's that.
My dad loves that I give him socks every Christmas. He loves how they keep his feet warm without making them sweaty. That's all he asks for every year.
My favorite holiday treat is crack toffee - saltines, caramel goodness, melted chocolate, and chopped toasted almonds. Yum.
This is what I'm bringing tomorrow to share with you all. Come try it at HCW this weekend!
Kathy’s Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
Makes about 2-3 dozen
Ingredients
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup instant nonfat dry mink
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Topping: 2/3 cup flaked coconut
OR a couple crushed graham crackers
Instructions
1. In a bowl mix all ingredients except topping.
2. Shape into 1” balls and roll in topping to coat.
3. Arrange balls in a single layer on un-greased cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
4. Enjoy!
Thi years Christmas gift re hrs nd scarves. Favorite treat is pecan pie.
Woven Ceramic Tile
I got the idea for the weaving on the ceramic tile from the book Time to Weave by Jane Patrick where she used paper yarn (at least I think that is where I saw the idea). I had also remembered reading in the spring 2011 issue of Spin-off about spinning paper. So I bought a package of tissue paper and spun some paper yarn and did my version of weaving on a ceramic tile.
Lots of fun and a great experience spinning the tissue paper!
I've had a lot of fun making gifts this year! I made several scarves, two pairs of socks, a head band, cat toys and a set of amigurumi sea animals for my nephew.
I've made Christmas stockings in the past (another one will be done in 2012 for the baby coming) and fingerless gloves - just the best thing to knit. Thanks. KatheGTN at aol dot com
Favorite holiday recipe: Bailey's Irish cream over coffee ice cubes. What else do you need? My favorite fiber gift to receive: needles and a skein of gorgeous sock yarn. Yarn gift to give: Baby blanket. Hand knitted. Only for special friends.
my favorite fiber gift to give is the cozy sock that encompasses a soda can. The ones with a bottom to absorb condensation are appreciated by everyone.
This year's gifts are hats, scarves, and lil amigurumi critters :)
Okay this has been a big hit this holiday season... I copied the peppermint brownie cake pops from Starbucks! It was super easy. Here's how:
Take a box of Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme brownies and prepare them according to the directions on the box but add a drop or two of LorAnn Oils natural peppermint oil (purchased at Hobby Lobby). When the brownies are done, let them cool. Then take a scoop of brownie out of the middle of the pan and smash it around in your hand to get rid of the crusty top, roll into a ball, and place into a mini muffin pan. Once you've filled the entire muffin pan, poke in your lollipop sticks and place the brownie pops in the freezer to really firm up. When you're ready (I left mine in for an hour or more), microwave a half of a bag of Nestle white chocolate chips for about 30 seconds. Take out and stir. Microwave an additional 20-30 seconds. When the chocolate has melted, add 4-5 drops of the peppermint oil. You can either dip or drizzle your brownie pops in the peppermint white chocolate. I drizzled mine, then sprinkled with crushed peppermint bits (Atkinson Crushed Mint Twist for Baking from HEB). To cut down on cleanup, I lined each mini muffin tin with a liner, sprinkled in a few peppermint bits, and then set the drizzled brownie pops in the liner to set up. They were a huge hit at the party this past weekend!
Here's a holiday favorite that our entire family loves (even the ones who hate pecans). It's a great, quick alternative to making pecan pie.
Pecan Cookies:
For Cookies:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
For Filling:
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat oven to 350°F.
1) Combine all cookie ingredients except flour and baking powder in large bowl.
2)Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.
3)Shape dough into 1-1/4-inch balls.
4)Place 2 inches apart onto un-greased cookie sheets
5)Make indentation in each cookie with thumb; rotate thumb to hollow out slightly.
6)Combine all filling ingredients in small bowl; fill each cookie with 1 rounded tsp. filling.
Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets
My Christmas gifts this year will all be related to my other love--cooking--so I treated myself to some nice yarn this morning!
My favorite holiday recipe (works great for potlucks too!) is green bean casserole. While I love holiday sweets, I eagerly await this recipe every year. The combination of crisp, fresh green beans, crunchy almonds, and rich mushrooms is unbeatable!
Green Bean Casserole with Portobellos and Almonds
4 slices bacon
1 pound baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced or chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 lbs. green beans, ends trimmed and lightly blanched OR 2 (15.5 oz) cans French cut green beans, drained
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and fry until crisp. Remove bacon from the skillet to drain; reserve the rendered bacon fat for sautéing the vegetables. Add mushrooms and onion; cook, stirring frequently until the onions start to become translucent. Add garlic, and fry for a couple of minutes, just until fragrant. Stir in the mushroom soup and almonds, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and crumble in the bacon, then season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the green beans, then transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle cheese over the top. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
This is a third generation cookie bar we had every Christmas- they're an Italian version of a cheesecake cookie.
Biscotti Formagio-Crema:
1/3 c butter
1/3 c lt brown sugar
1 c flour
1/2 c chopped walnuts
Cream butter with sugar in a small bowl. Add flour and walnuts and mix to a crumb texture. Reserve 1 cup for topping and press the remaining into an 8X8 pan. Bake 350deg for 12-15 min.
1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Blend sugar and cream cheese in small bowl until smooth. Add egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat well. Pour into the pan and top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 25 min and Buon Giusto!
This is my favorite food website! Excellent Christmas recipes. http://foodgawker.com/?s=christmas
This is my favorite food website. The holiday recipes are excellent! http://foodgawker.com/?s=christmas
This is the one time a year that i do any real baking or sweet making, this year i burned out my mixer making marshmallows but it was so very worth it! I use the Alton Brown recipe He also has an amazing egg nog too
Chocolate Crinkles are my favorite last-minute gift! They're easy and the recipe makes a lot. My favorite recipe for them is a time-tested recipe my mother-in-law has had for years.
Chocolate Crinkles
2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
4 sq (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 eggs
2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c powdered sugar
Mix granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and chocolate. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Heat oven to 350. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar and roll to coat. Shape into balls and place about 2 in apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until almost no indentation remains when touched. 10 to 12 minutes.
I love making peppermint bark; its great to help celebrate the season here's my go to recipe:
Ingredients
8 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided
8 ounces high-quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
25 peppermint candies, crushed
Directions
1.Lightly grease a 9x9 inch pan and line with waxed paper, smoothing out wrinkles; set aside.
2.Place the semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of the canola oil in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is melted, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the peppermint extract. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan, and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the crushed peppermints over the chocolate layer. Refrigerate until completely hardened, about 1 hour.
3.Place the white chocolate and the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour the white chocolate directly over the semisweet chocolate layer; spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining crushed candy over the top and gently press in. Refrigerate until completely hardened. Remove from pan; break into small pieces to serve.
Post a Comment