Santa Cookies

I made these cookies 2 years ago at Christmas time.  I have been looking for a cookie or treat to make for Sterling's school party.  These turned out very cute, so I might just make them again.

INGREDIENTS


1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
2 to 3 drops red food color
68 semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup)
34 cinnamon candies or red M&M's
2/3 cup coconut
34 miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

1. Freeze cookie dough at least 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Cut chilled dough into 1/4-inch slices. (Return dough to freezer if it becomes too soft to cut.) On ungreased cookie sheet, place slices 3 inches apart.

3. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 5 minutes.

4. In small bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and enough milk until smooth and desired spreading consistency. In small bowl, place half of frosting. Add red food color; stir until blended.

5. Frost cooled cookies with red and white frosting. Use small amount of frosting to attach chocolate chips for eyes and cinnamon candy for nose. Gently press coconut into white frosting for beard. Press marshmallow into red frosting for tassel on cap. Let stand until frosting is set. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container.

Cupcake Pops

I tried making Bakerella's Cupcake Pops for Halloween.  Mine did not turn out as cute or "perfect" as Bakerella's, but I was kind of in a rush.  And, I think these take a little practice to get them to look "extra cute". 

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake) I used Double Fudge.
1 container of frosting (16 oz.) I used cream cheese.
Wax paper or foil
candy melts (1 lb. pkg.) - I used Orange for Halloween.
Lollipop sticks


After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.


Mix thoroughly with 1 container of frosting. (I used my hands for this, but it is messy.  Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using about 3/4 of the container and then add more if you need to.)


Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper or foil covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)  I used my cookie scoop from Pampered Chef.

Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for several hours.

TIP: You can speed this up by placing in the freezer for about 15 minutes.


Remove. Begin to shape into cupcakes using a small flower-shaped cookie cutter.  Take the chilled ball and roll it into more of an oval and then slide into cookie cutter. Push it into cutter until about half fills the cutter and the rest sticks out of the top in the shape of a mound. Then push the shaped cupcake carefully out of the cookie cutter from the bottom. Set right side up on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Continue with remaining balls.  I struggled a bit with this step.  I think my balls were a little too moist, and I also think this takes a little practice.

Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.)


Once shaped, cover and return to freezer. (5-10 minutes)

TIP: You can leave them covered in the refrigerator overnight if you want to do the dipping on the following day.  This is probably a good idea because by the time I got to this step, I was in a big rush.


While cupcake shapes are chilling, begin to heat up your chocolate bark.


Brown chocolate bark for the bottoms.  Choose your top color to suit your occasion.


Follow the instructions on the package for melting. Most recommend heating for 30 second intervals at a time and stirring in between. You can also do the double boiler method. Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.


Take the cupcake shaped mixture and dip bottoms into the melted chocolate – just to the point where the mounded shape starts. Remove from chocolate, turn upside down and wiggle so that the excess starts to slide down slightly. Then lay on the wax paper upside down. If you want them to be lollipops, then go ahead and insert the lollipop sticks while the chocolate is still wet. Continue with rest of the cupcakes. You can also leave some without the sticks. They’re just as cute as Cupcake Bites. Add the sprinkles and candy of your choice.  There are multiple suggestions at Bakerella's site.

TIP: Dip end of your lollipop stick in the melted chocolate before inserting into chocolate bottoms. Not sure if this helps a lot, but it couldn’t hurt.

Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

What's for Dinner. . .

SUNDAY - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (We usually have lunch out after church, so Sunday night is usually something light.)

MONDAY - Tacos / Black Beans / Rice

TUESDAY - Sausage / Broccoli / Rice

WEDNESDAY - Fajitas

THURSDAY - Dinner Out (Luby's)

FRIDAY - Homemade Chili

SATURDAY - Sesame Noodles / My version of Chinese chicken - The sesame noodles were delicious!  I will be making those again.

Cinnayum Rolls

I had been reading on several other blogs about the Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls.  So, I had to try them.  They are definitely yummy and I will be making them again.

INGREDIENTS -
8 cups whole milk
1 cup oil (I used canola)
1 cup sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 + 1 cups all purpose flour
1 heaping tsp.  baking powder
1 "scant" tsp. baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon of salt
3 to 4 cups melted butter (I would go with 3 or even a little less.)
2 cups of sugar
generous sprinkling of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS -
Mix the milk, oil, and sugar in a large soup pot.  "Scald" the mixture or heat it just until it is about to boil.  Turn off the heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. (I let mine go until 1 hour--or as Goldilocks would say, "It was just right!")  When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast.  Let the mixture sit for one minute.  Then add 8 cups of flour.  Stir the mixture together.  Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

Add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and the salt.  Stir the mixture together.

Sprinkle surface generously with flour.  Take half the dough and form a large rough rectangle.  Then roll the dough thin, maintaining the general rectangle shape.  Drizzle 1 1/2 to 2 cups melted butter over the dough (This is where I think you could use a little less butter.)  Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.  Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you.  Keep the roll relatively tight as you go.  Next, pinch the seam to the roll and seal it.  Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in seven rough, foil cake or pie pans.  Then begin cutting rolls approxiamately 3/4 to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.  Repeat this process with the other half of the dough.  Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, and then bake at 400 degrees until light golden brown (about 15 to 18 minutes - it was 15 min. for mine - I guess it depends on your oven.)

FROSTING INGREDIENTS -
1 bag of powdered sugar
2 tsp. maple flavoring
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup of brewed coffee
1/8 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS -
Mix all the ingredients together and stir until smooth.  It should be thick but pourable.  Generously drizzle over the warm rolls.

NOTES / COMMENTS -
This recipe makes a LOT and it is time consuming.  Next time I think I will be halfing the recipe, but these would make great gifts for the holidays.

I also made some without icing because I'm not a big fan of any kind of icing (something must be wrong with me).  But, I will say that these are yummy with or without icing.

 

What's for Dinner. . .

SUNDAY - Yummy Chicken / Macaroni 'n Cheese / Corn

MONDAY - Leftovers (Soccer Practice)

TUESDAY - Lentils & Sausage

WEDNESDAY - Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce

THURSDAY - Chicken Noodle Soup (homemade)

FRIDAY - Chicken Tenders & Green Beans (kids only)

SATURDAY - Eat Out / Red Lobster - Sterling's choice - he wanted Popcorn Shrimp!

What's for Dinner. . .

SUNDAY - Arroz con Pollo (Birthday Party)

MONDAY - Beef Tacos / Rice / Black Beans

TUESDAY - Yummy Chicken / Mini Potatoes au Gratin / Steamed Carrots

WEDNESDAY - Takeout Pizza

THURSDAY - Breakfast for dinner / pancakes

FRIDAY - Leftovers

SATURDAY - Yummy BBQ (We went to another birthday party.  We've been to Birthday parties the last 3 weekends in a row.  This was some of the best BBQ I've ever eaten.  I wish there was a Rudy's close to us!)

YUMMY Chicken

Earlier this week, I made the following recipe that I'm calling YUMMY Chicken. My husband actually loved it! And, the kids liked it, too. I got the idea from my new favorite chef on the Food Network, Melissa d'Arabian. She was the winner of the Next Food Network Star, and her new show, Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian is a new favorite of mine. I had kind of quit watching Food Network, but now I DVR her show every week. She cooks things that my family will actually eat and has lots of great tips and ideas.

INGREDIENTS -

10 boneless skinless chicken tenders defrosted (or you could use chicken breasts)
Salt and black pepper

Onion Powder
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1 to 2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS -
Season chicken with salt , onion powder and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Dredge the chicken in flour (A gallon size Ziploc bag works great for this. You can just toss the chicken around.), add to the hot oil and saute until cooked through. (I let mine get nice and brown on both sides.) Set chicken aside to rest on plate tented with foil.
In same saute pan, over low heat, add onions and saute. When onions are nice and sauteed, add the chicken broth. Turn the heat up to high, and deglaze the pan with the broth mixture until starting to reduce.
Remove the pan from the heat and finish the sauce by whisking in butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Melissa d'Arabian's recipe can be found here. You can use this recipe for several kinds of meats, etc. or add lemon and wine to the sauce.

The picture shown is the "other" Melissa's version. My camera battery was dead, but I'm sure I will be making this again soon!