Category: COOKIES, BARS & CANDY

FAVORITE FAMILY RECIPES – BLOGMAS – DAY 10

I’ve been looking forward to this day! I have many many recipes, but these are the closest to my heart. Grab a cup of my SIL’s homemade hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows and join me while we chat.

My great aunt who I only got to see a couple times a year used to make these every year special for me.  My cousins and I would wait out on the front steps for her arrive just to see them, the wreaths that is. She always made them soooooooooo pretty and perfect!  Aunt Louise was just plain crazy it seemed to me.  I can’t pinpoint any one thing that made me think that, but as the years wore she continually proved it.  Let’s just say if the made a movie of her life, Shirley MacLaine would play her part.  Aunt Louise reminds me of Shirley’s character Ouiser Boudreaux in Steel Magnolias.

HOLIDAY WREATHS
(these are better when they are made a few days ahead)
30 large marshmallows (or 1 jar marshmallow cream)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon green food color
3 1/2 cups cornflakes
Red Hots

  • Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food color in top of double boiler. Heat and stir frequently until well blended.
  • Gradually stir in cornflakes until well blended.
  • Drop onto wax paper and arrange into wreath shapes. I plop them onto the wax paper and then push out from the center to form the wreaths.
  • Decorate with red hots.
  • Let cool.
  • If your house is warm – chill in refrigerator until set.

Many Christmases ago I stood in my childhood kitchen watching my dad prepare the stuffing for dinner.  Daddy never stuffed the Turkey, but instead made the “stuffing” like a big casserole.  The stuffing was always my favorite part topped with daddy’s giblet gravy – YUMMY.  I can taste it like it was always those years ago again.

Several years ago my brother asked me to try and reproduce the recipe as a scratch recipe and VOILA’, I did it! This wasn’t easy since daddy started with a box of Mrs. Cubbinson’s cornbread dressing cubes and then started winging it from there.


OATNUT SOURDOUGH HERB DRESSING
10 slices Brownberry or Oroweat OATNUT bread, cut into bite size chunks
1/2 loaf sourdough French bread, cut into bite size chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
1 small bunch celery (leaves and all), chopped fine
1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped fine
1 box mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base
2 tablespoons Buttery Herb & Garlic Mix (I believe McCormick makes it)
4 teaspoons minced garlic, Jar

  • Cut bread into bite sized chunks and spread out in a thin layer over cookie sheets.
  • Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until pieces are actually hard.
  • Chop all the vegetables.
  • In a large cast iron pan melt 1/4 cup of the butter.
  • Add the onions and saute until translucent. The add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until crisp tender. Add the garlic last as it will burn first.
  • Whisk together the water, better than bouillon chicken base and all of the seasonings.
  • Add the melted butter.
  • In a large pan toss the bread slices together.
  • Add the sauteed vegetables and toss again.
  • Add the liquid mixture and toss again until well absorbed.
  • Fold entire mixture into at least a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Bake uncovered 1 hour.
  • At this point I use a small portion for our dinner that night and freeze the rest.
  • When it’s time to cook it again, I defrost it, put it back in the same baking dish and bake it again, but this time covered with foil until the last 15 minutes so it doesn’t dry out. We like it crisp on top so I remove the foil the last 15 minutes.

Now there is much debate over Gran’s cranberry salad recipe, but one thing was for sure she’d have to make a double batch, one for my mom and aunt and another for everyone else.  Now while I usually helped prepare the above recipe, I hated it!! One year she even decided the grapes needed to be peeled – need I say more?

I much prefer the recipe below.  Shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but I’ve already eaten a whole batch by myself.  In my defense it was while I wasn’t feeling good and had a sore throat.

HOLIDAY SALAD
1 package (3 ounces) cherry Jell-o
1 package (3 ounces) black cherry Jell-o
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 can (14 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups seedless green grapes, quartered
chopped pecans (optional)

  • Dissolve the jell-o in the boiling water in a large bowl.
  • Fold in the pineapple and cranberry sauce.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Fold in grapes and pecans if desired. 
  • Refrigerate until firm.

Now on to the REALLY yummy stuff!

    CHUNKY MONKEYS
    3 cups crushed pretzels
    1/2 cup sugar
    scant 1 cup butter, melted

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    • Line a 13×9 cake pan with heavy duty foil, leaving plenty on the edges to use as handles later.  This will make clean-up so much easier.
    • In a medium mixing bowl stir together the pretzels, sugar and melted butter until well blended.
    • Press the pretzel mixture evenly into the bottom of the cake pan.

    1/2 cup butter
    1/2 cup whipping cream
    1/4 cup packed brown sugar
    11 ounce package caramel baking bits (or 14 ounce vanilla caramels, unwrapped)
    2 cups honey roasted peanuts

    • In a medium saucepan melt butter over a medium heat.
    • Whisk in the whipping cream and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved.
    • Stir in caramel bits, stirring constantly until bits are melted and sauce is smooth.
    • Add in peanuts to coat well.
    • Immediately pour over pretzel layer, spreading evenly.

    1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
    1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
    1/2 cup peanut butter chips
    1/2 cup butterscotch chips
    3/4 cup Heath milk chocolate toffee bits

    • Scatter each of these over the caramel layer.
    • Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges are bubbling.
    • Cool in pan on a wire rack.
    • Lift foil edges to remove bars from pan.
    • Cut into bars.
    • Layer between wax paper in an airtight container.  I store them in the fridge, but the can also be frozen for 3 months.

    BUTTERFINGER COOKIES
    Ritz crackers
    creamy peanut butter
    almond bark
    sprinkles

    • Spread peanut butter on ritz crackers and top with another cracker. 
    • Melt almond bark in the microwave. 
    • Dip each cookie in the almond bark and set onto wax paper to harden. 
    • If you’re using sprinkles do so before the almond bark hardens.

     A few more favorites are:

      PUMPKIN GINGER BARS

      PUMPKIN GINGER BARS
      4 eggs
      1 2/3 cups sugar
      1 cup avocado oil
      15 ounce can pumpkin
      2 cups flour
      1 teaspoon cinnamon
      1 teaspoon ground ginger
      1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
      2 teaspoons baking powder
      1 teaspoon baking soda
      1/2 teaspoon sea salt

      • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
      • Spray a 15×10 jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.
      • In a large mixing bowl beat together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until well blended.
      • Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
      • Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, blending well after each addition.
      • Pour batter into pan leveling it out with a spatula.
      • Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
      • Cool completely before icing.

      3 ounces cream cheese, softened
      1/4 cup butter, softened
      2 cups powdered sugar
      1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
      1-2 tablespoons whole milk

      • Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth.
      • Add enough milk to make the icing spreadable.

      S’MORES FUDGE

      S’MORES PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
      CRUST LAYER
      4 sheets graham crackers
      1/4 cup sugar
      1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

      CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER
      1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
      1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
      1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

      MARSHMALLOW LAYER
      1 cup peanut butter chips
      1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
      1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

      • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
      • Line an 8×8 square pan with aluminum foil with enough hanging over to be able to use as handles.
      • Grind the graham crackers in a small food processor. Add sugar and butter until well blended.
      • Press into the bottom of the pan evenly.

      • Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
      • Melt chocolate in small sauce pan. 
      • Add the vanilla and sweetened condensed milk whisking until smooth.
      • Pour over the crust.

      • Melt peanut butter chips in a small sauce pan over medium low heat.
      • Add marshmallow fluff and sweetened condensed milk, whisking until smooth and even consistency.
      • Pour over the chocolate layer immediately.
      • Refrigerate overnight.

      • The next day remove fudge from pan and cut into pieces.
      • Store in the refrigerator.

      FRITO BRITTLE

      FRITO BRITTLE
      10 ounce package FRITOS
      1 cup light corn syrup
      1 cup sugar
      1 cup JIF creamy peanut butter 
      1 cup milk chocolate chips.

      • Spread FRITOS on a greased jelly roll pan (11×15)
      • Sprinkle chocolate chips over FRITOS.
      • In a saucepan over medium heat whisk together the corn syrup and sugar until smooth. Bring to a slow boil stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.  Boil 1 minute.
      • Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth.
      • Pour over chips.
      • Chill.
      • Break or tear apart (may be gooey) into pieces.

      NILLA WAFERS

      No one knows the real origin of the Vanilla Wafer. From what I’ve read it was developed in the South long before Nabisco started producing the scrumptious wafers.  

      Nabisco began mass producing them in 1945 as Vanilla Wafers before they trademarked them as Nilla Wafers in the 1960’s.

      NILLA WAFERS
      1/2 cup powdered sugar
      1/3 cup sugar
      1/3 cup shortening (I’ve used both Crisco and butter)
      1 large egg
      1 teaspoon PURE Vanilla
      1/8 teaspoon salt
      1 1/2 cups cake flour
      1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
      1 tablespoon water

      • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
      • Cream together sugars, shortening, egg, vanilla and salt in a large bowl.
      • Add the flour and baking powder.
      • Add water and continue mixing until dough forms a ball.
      • Roll dough into 3/4″ balls and flatten slightly onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. 
      • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are a light brown.

      TURKEY PREP & BUTTERFINGER COOKIES GO HAND IN HAND

      When I make my turkey I start with a roaster full of chopped carrots, celery and onions as a cushion under the bird. Then I throw in a bag of cranberries, the heart, liver, gizzard and a stick of butter that has been cut into several pieces. To that I add 3 cups of homemade chicken broth. I stick another stick of butter in the bird’s cavity, salt and pepper the bird really well and tent foil it. I don’t uncover it again until 20-30 minutes before it should be done. I baste it every 10 minutes until crisp. The result is the juiciest and tastiest turkey you ever did eat.

      Now while hubby is carving the turkey, I start the gravy. By the time the turkey is done the vegetables have turned to mush which is fine by me. If they haven’t, I puree them in the food processor until they are. The cranberries add a bit of tart to the gravy that we like. This makes enough gravy for hubby and I for several days as well as 4-4 cup portions for the freezer.

      Eventually I have nothing left but the carcass and crisp skin and start the broth process. I use a large stock pot and cover the carcass with water. I let it boil for about an hour and it creates the tastiest broth. I strain the broth in batches. This year I ended up with 9-4 cup portions of broth for the freezer. YAY! We have lots of soup base! All in all my $25 turkey has provided us with the basis for about 15 meals bringing me in way under budget!

      TIP: If you ever have the opportunity to get these Tupperware labels, they are awesome. They stick in the freezer, peel off easily and are inexpensive. They are a great way to keep the “freezer mystery surprise” out of your freezer and stay organized too.

      While the broth was boiling I made these awesome and SUPER EASY Butterfinger cookies and some strawberry ones too.

      BUTTERFINGER COOKIES
      Ritz crackers
      creamy peanut butter
      almond bark
      sprinkles

      • Spread peanut butter on ritz crackers and top with another cracker.
      • Melt almond bark in the microwave.
      • Dip each cookie in the almond bark and set onto wax paper to harden.
      • If you’re using sprinkles do so before the almond bark hardens.

      CHOCODOODLE DOOS

      CHOCODOODLE DOOS
      1 cup butter, softened*
      1 1/2 cups sugar
      2 Jumbo eggs
      2 3/4 cups flour
      2 teaspoons cream of tartar
      1 teaspoon baking soda
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      2 tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa
      3/4 cup chocolate chips, chopped
      4 tablespoons sugar
      2 teaspoons cinnamon

      • Cream the butter and sugar together.
      • Add the eggs and blend well.
      • Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and cocoa together. Gradually add to the sugar mixture until well blended.
      • Stir in chocolate pieces.
      • In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
      • Roll dough into 1 inch balls and coat in cinnamon sugar mixture.
      • Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
      • Bake 10 -12 minutes.
      • Cool 2 minutes on pan and then transfer to wire rack to cool.
      • Makes 4 dozen cookies.

      *A fun substitution is to make Peanut Butter Chocadoodle Doos. Just substitute half the butter with JIF Creamy peanut butter.

      CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES

      CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES
      BROWNIES
      2 squares Baker’s semi sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
      2 squares Baker’s unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
      1 stick butter, cut into pieces
      4 Jumbo eggs, at room temperature
      2 cups sugar
      1 1/4 cup flour
      1 teaspoon vanilla
      1/4 teaspoon sea salt

      • Preheat oven to 350˚.
      • Spray pan with PURE.
      • Melt chocolate and butter in 30 second spurts until melted and well blended. Set aside.
      • Beat eggs and salt in a large mixing bowl until foamy.
      • Continue beating while gradually adding sugar, beating until thick and well blended.
      • Fold in chocolate mixture with a spatula until just barely incorporated.
      • Add vanilla.
      • Add flour and continue blending until just barely mixed.
      • Pour into 13×9 pan or brownie pan.

      CREAM CHEESE TOPPING
      6 ounces cream cheese, softened
      3 tablespoons sugar
      1 Jumbo egg yolk
      1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

      • In a medium bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
      • Add egg yolk and beat until well blended.
      • Add chocolate chips and blend well with a spatula.
      • Top brownies with cream cheese mixture.
      • Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
      • When cooled, store in refrigerator.
      • Reheat for 10 seconds to eat – YUMMY!

      MAGIC IN THE MIDDLE COOKIES

      I have been BAKING a ton of lately. When I stopped by to see Natalie and saw these cookies over at What’s for Supper which she had seen over at Recipe Girl I knew they were next on my list to make. Who doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter? It’s hubby’s favorite combo. I experimented a little with caramels and marshmallows too.

      MAGIC IN THE MIDDLE
      DOUGH:
      1½ cups (6¼ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
      ½ cup (1½ ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
      ½ tsp baking soda
      ¼ tsp salt
      ½ cup (3½ ounces) granulated sugar (plus extra for dipping)
      ½ cup (4 ounces) brown sugar, packed
      ½ cup (4 ounces or 1 stick) unsalted butter
      ¼ cup (2 3/8 ounces) smooth peanut butter
      1 tsp vanilla extract
      1 large egg

      FILLING:
      ¾ cup (7 1/8 ounces) smooth peanut butter
      ¾ cup (3 ounces) powdered sugar

      DIRECTIONS:

      • Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
      • Prepare dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, beat together sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, beating to combine, then stir in dry ingredients, blending well.
      • Prepare filling: In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. With floured hands, roll the filling into 26 one-inch balls.
      • Shape cookies: Break off about 1 Tbsp. of the dough, make an indentation in the center with your finger, and press one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation. Bring the dough up and over the filling, pressing it closed; roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
      • Dip the top of each cookie in granulated sugar and place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Grease the bottom of a drinking glass and use it to flatten each cookie to about ½-inch-thick.
      • Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes, until they’re set.
      • Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack.

      Yield: About 30 cookies

      Cooking Tips

      *These cookies freeze well. They would travel well too.

      CHUBBY HUBBY BROWNIES

      This recipe adapted from Can’t Stop Baking!  OMG these brownies are FANTASTIC!! You MUST try these!

      Chubby Hubby Brownies
      1/2 cup butter

      • 1 ounce Baker’s white chocolate
      • 1 ounce Baker’s bittersweet chocolate
      • 2 ounces milk chocolate candy bark
      • 1 cup white sugar
      • 2 eggs
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
      • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

      1 cup pretzels, chopped
      10 Oreo cookies, chopped

      • In a large saucepan, melt butter. 

      • Add chocolate and stir until completely melted.  

      • Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. 

      • Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. 

      • Gently stir in cookies and pretzels ( Reserving some to sprinkle on top.) 

      • Pour into greased 8×8 pan. 

      • Sprinkle remaining cookies an pretzels on top. 

      • Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Let cool. 

      Milk Glaze
      1 cup powder sugar
      2 tablespoons milk
      1/2 recipe Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

      • Combine powder sugar and milk, mixing until smooth. 
      • Drizzle over cake with Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce.

      Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce
      1/2 cup dark brown sugar
      1/8 cup milk
      1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 
      1/2 teaspoon vanilla

      • In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, milk and vanilla. 

      • Mix over medium heat until smooth. 

      ROCKY ROAD MEETS THE BLACK FOREST BROWNIES


      ROCKY ROAD MEETS THE BLACK FOREST BROWNIES
      1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
      2 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
      3/4 cup marshmallow cream
      2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
      1-2 teaspoons cherry extract
      1 1/4 cup sugar
      3 JUMBO eggs
      1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
      1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped
      1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries
      1/2 cup all purpose flour
      1/4 cup cake flour
      1/2 teaspoon baking powder
      1/2 teaspoon salt

      • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
      • Grease (really well) a 9×9 baking pan. I like to use my stoneware for nice even baking.
      • Melt butter and chopped unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler until smooth and consistent. Set aside to cool.
      • Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
      • Toss chocolate chip pieces and walnuts with a bit of the flour mixture and set aside.
      • In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and vanilla until smooth and consistent.
      • Add cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs and blend well.
      • By hand stir in the flour mixture just until well blended – DO NOT over mix!
      • Fold in the chocolate pieces, cherry pieces and walnuts just until well blended.
      • Warm the marshmallow cream for 15-20 seconds in the microwave (just enough to make it spreadable) and spread it over the chocolate batter in the mixing bowl.
      • With a knife gently and slightly swirl it lightly into the chocolate batter. If you swirl too much it will just become part of the batter instead of clumps of marshmallow.
      • Gently pour the batter into the prepared ban and bake 40-45 minutes or until edges pull away from the sides of the pan.
      • Cool the cake in the pan until completely cooled.