Thursday, December 18, 2008

Fabulous Christmas Treats

Chocolate dipped Pretzels
Pretzel rods
caramel bits
evaporated milk
chocolate
Melt 1 pkg of caramel with 1-2 tbsp evaporated milk in the microwave on med heat, cook for 1 min then stir, repeat until smooth. Dip pretzel rods about 2/3 up and set on wax paper lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool in fridge. Melt chocolate in double boiler or slowly in microwave. Dip pretzels in chocolate, set on wax paper. Drizzle with white chocolate or sprinkles or chopped nuts of choice. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Popcorn
2-3 bags Light butter microwave popcorn **--popped
1 bag white melting chips, white chips, or almond bark
Melt chips slowly in the microwave. Pour over popped corn in a large mixing bowl. Add mix-ins -- caramel bits, peanuts, almonds, toffee bits, crushed candy canes, craisins, pistachios. Spread out in a wax-lined pan and drizzle with melted dark or milk chocolate. Let cool. Break up and package.

Best Chocolate Sauce Ever
1 C Heavy Cream

3/4 C Sugar

1 Square Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate

2-3 TBSP Butter

Dash of Salt

Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan. over med heat bring to a boil while stirring occasionally, let boil for 5 minutes while stirring. remove from heat and let cool to thicken. Serve with fruit, ice cream, as fondue.

Christmas Morning Recipe Ideas

Morning Glory Potatoes
Thanks to Carrie Godfrey for the following two recipes.

12 large potatoes (or 1- 32 oz bag frozen hash browns)
1 lb bacon or 2 cups cubed precooked ham
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 onion, chopped or green onions are good too
1 red pepper, chopped (optional)
1 TBSP dill --opt.
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided in half

Scrub potatoes. Cut into bite-sized chunks. Place in a large stockpot. Cover with water. Boil with lid on just until tender (about 20 minutes). If using frozen has browns, thaw. Place bacon in a frying pan and cook until well done, but not crisp. Drain bacon and potatoes. Sprinkle salt and pepper over potatoes and blend. Cut bacon into pieces. In a bowl microwave onion and red pepper in butter for about 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and bacon pieces. Stir carefully into cooked potatoes or thawed hash browns. Place in a 9X13 greased baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.


Creme Brulee French Toast

1/2 C butter
1 C packed brown sugar
2 TBSP corn syrup
1 loaf of texas toast
5 eggs
1 1/2 C half and half
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup oer med heat until smooth. Pour mixture into a large, greased jelly roll pan (18x13x1) Spread to cover surface. Place 12 slices of bread in a single layer to cover pan. Mix together remaining ingredients. Spoon over each piece of bread. Cover and refrigerate over night. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. If not serving immediately turn each slice of bread over, this will prevent bread from sitcking to the bottom of the pan. Delicious served warm or cold.

Melt in your Mouth Pancakes

1 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBSP sugar
1 C milk
1 egg
2 TBSP oil

Sift together dry ingredients. Mix together wet ingredients, thne incorporate with the dry. Let rest for at least 10 minutes. Cook on griddle. Makes 10-12.

German Pancakes

In Blender Combine:
6 eggs
1 C milk
1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt

Melt 1/4 C butter in a 9x13 pan in a 350 degree over. Add egg mixture. Return to oven adn bake for 20 minutes, til golden on edges and puffy. Serve with fruit and whipped cream, syrup, or powdered sugar. YUM!

Homemade Granola

Combine:
6 C Old Fashioned oats
2 C almonds or cashews
1 1/2 C coconut
Combine:
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C maple sugar
1/2 C oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
Mix everything together and pour into a baking sheet. Cook for 1 hr and 15 min at 250 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes.

Christmas Morning Breakfast

The Most Delicious Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

A BIG GIANT SHOUT OUT TO LINSEY FOR THIS RECIPE. IT IS A FMILY FAVORITE, THANKS FOR FINDING IT SIS!

12 C Texas Toast (1 loaf) -- cubed
8 eggs-- beaten
2 1/2 C milk
6 TBSP butter -- melted
1/4 C sugar
2 TBSP cinnamon

Combine sugar and cinnamon. Butter a 9x13 pan add 1/2 of bread cubes and sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon and sugar mix. Repeat. Combine eggs, milk, and slightly cooled butter. Pour egg mixture over bread. Press bread until it is soaked through. Cover and chill for 2-24 hours. Bake at 325 for 35-45 minutes. Serve with buttermilk syrup and raspberry sauce drizzled over the warm french toast.

Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
Bring ingredients to a boil. Stirring constantly let boil for a couple of minutes. Add 1 tsp vanilla. Let sit for at least 1 hour. You can make it up ahead of time and then just barely reheat it in the microwave.

Raspberry Sauce

10 oz of frozen raspberries in syrup
1 TBSP lemon juice

Blend together, and if you want to take the time, strain through a sieve to get out the seeds. Also if you only have plain raspberries just put them in a pot with some sugar and let them cook down a little.
I like to put my syrups in those clear plastic condiment bottles then it is really easy to drizzle over your french toast! Enjoy!!