Kitchen Christmas Loot

It has been such a long week, with being sick and everything during Christmas (no fun!), so I haven't cooked a whole lot since Christmas dinner.  That's okay - it's nice to have a break every once in a while!

I made out like a bandit for Christmas this year.  My husband and I are really very blessed!  And I must admit, he did spoil me just a little bit.  :)  But I can't wait to get using all of the kitchen things I received for Christmas, especially the stand-up mixer!!

I received a Sinsinsawa Mound cookbook from my Grandma, it's from the place where she works and it's filled with recipes from all of the nuns.  And I don't know why, but nuns probably make the best food in the world - particularly breads, cinnamon rolls, etc.  Just one of the things I miss about home is the farmer's market and all of the delicious treats the nuns cell there!  Ok, I just really miss the farmer's market in general.  It was one of my favorite things to do on Saturday mornings.

My husband bought me the Cook's Bible, which I think is one of the coolest things ever (does that make make me a nerd?).  It it filled with so much useful information!  Healthy eating and all about the five food groups.  All about kitchen equipment - different types of knives, scales, pots & pans, ovenware & bakeware, spoons & spatulas, and a lot of random kitchen equipment.  Preparation techniques, cooking methods, oils, vinegars, flours, pastas, beans & nuts, herbs, spices, sugars, and so so SO much more.  I could go on forever and bore you to death about it (if I haven't already).  It also has some really great recipes that I'm excited to use.  I definitely think this cook will make me a better - or at least more knowledgeable - cook!

You can click on the images to make them larger.

 

  

From Gabe and Jaala, the wonderful new friends we've made here in Korea, we received a Starbucks mug and hot chocolate mix.  Can you ever go wrong with Starbucks?  I think not!  It was really sweet of them to think of us.  :)  My husband also got me a stand up mixer, a new blender, some Martha Stewart prep bowls, and some new spatulas (great stocking stuffers!).  I love everything, and it all makes me excited to get in the kitchen and try some new recipes!  I'm so blessed that my husband will at least try anything I put in front of him.  ;)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Easy Oreo Truffles

I made these for Christmas and if you like Oreos, you're sure to love these!  I wanted an easy recipe, and I found this recipe on Kraft's website.  But I didn't want to use cream cheese.. so I kept on searching, and found the perfect substitute!  These little goodies remind me a lot of the cake balls that I have previously made.  I like the word 'truffles' better, though.. it's a little more classy, lol.

Now I really wish I had some Oreos and a big glass of milk!!

Easy Oreo Truffles
recipe from Bella's Bistro

• 1 package Oreos
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• Chocolate for dipping.  I used semi-sweet, but you can you whatever you want.  Milk chocolate, white chocolate, or dark chocolate.

Crush Oreos in a food processor or blender into fine crumbs.  Reserve about 1/4 cup (or a little less) of crumbs to use as a topping.  Pour crumbs into a large bowl and mix in sweetened condensed milk.  Combine thoroughly.

Place wax paper or parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Form mixture into balls, however big or small you would like them.  Mine made about 30 truffles.  Place them on the baking sheet and put into fridge or freezer for a few minutes so they can set.

Start melting your chocolate either using the microwave or a double boiler (I prefer the microwave).  Remove truffles from fridge or freezer and dip into chocolate one by one.  I used 2 toothpicks to do this, one to stick the truffle in the chocolate and the other to help me get it onto the wax paper.  Don't forget to shake off the excess chocolate!  Sprinkle reserved crumbs over the top of each truffle before dipping the next so it will stick to the chocolate.

Refrigerate when finished.  And devour.. yum.

 

White chocolate would be pretty, too.  Especially with the crumbs on top!  :)

Christmas Cooking & Baking!

The crazyness of Christmas week has begun!  I start all my baking and cooking tomorrow, so I need to get some major rest tonight.  I work tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday, and then Thursday night my husband and I have a Christmas party to go to.  Busy, busy, busy.  Here's what's on the list:

Wednesday-

• Bake sugar cookies
• Make chex mix

Thursday-

• Oreo truffles (for Christmas Eve munchies)

Friday Baking-

• Make pecan pie, chocolate pie, and mashed potatoes (for Christmas dinner)

Friday (Christmas Eve munchies)-

• Spinach & artichoke dip
•  Meat, cheese, crackers, mustard tray
• Wings
• Fruit
• Oreo truffles (made the night before)
• Big soft ginger cookies
• Decorate sugar cookies with my hubby

Saturday (Christmas dinner!)-

• Maple & brown sugar ham
• Mashed Potatoes (made the night before)
• Homestyle gravy
• Dinner rolls
• Winter fruit salad with lemon poppyseed dressing
• Balsamic glazed carrots
• Pecan pie (made the night before)
• Chocolate pie (made the night before)

I'm making myself hungry just looking at it all!  I'm so excited for Christmas and to be able to spend it with my husband.  It's going to be a great weekend!!

My Grandma's Big Soft Ginger Cookies

These are hands-down my absolute favorite cookies in the world.  Ever.  These cookies remind me of my Grandma's house and I just love it.  They're tasty and sugary, and SOFT.  They're a good Christmas cookie because of the ginger taste, but heck, I would (and have) eat these all year round.

Although they tasted better when Grandma made them, but isn't that always how things go?  Anything tastes better when Grandma's (and mom's, too!) make them.  ;o)

Big Soft Ginger Cookies
recipe from my Grandma :)

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• Extra (white) sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat butter & 1 cup sugar with mixer until fluffy.  Add egg and molasses, beat until combined.  Mix together dry ingredients, then add gradually to butter/sugar mixture.

One all combined, shape into 1-inch balls and roll in extra sugar.  Set on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake  about 10 minutes, or until brown and puffy.  Be very careful not to overbake!  Let stand for a couple minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.  Yields about 3 dozen.

Rolled in sugar!

With a combination of molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.. they're just so yummy.

New Blog!

So this is my lovely new blog, specifically for all of my kitchen fun.  I still have my other blog, just for personal use.  I'm really excited about having this new one.  I plan on making a few things this weekend in my spare time, so there will be some new goodies on here soon.  I promise!  I'm thinking more hot chocolate mix, ginger cookies, perhaps some buckeyes... who knows, I might get a little crazy and just make oodles of different things!

Hope you enjoy.  :)

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I was in the mood for something with pumpkin - it's one of my favorite things about this season!!  I found this recipe here and thought they looked too yummy to pass up.  I've made pumpkin cupcakes before, but I thought I'd try a recipe that was a little different.  I will definitely be making this one again.

Pumpkin Cupcakes
recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups cake flour (tip:  if you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can substitute 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for 1 cup cake flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 tsp vanilla (tip: if you don't have buttermilk, mix 1/2 cup regular  milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons of white vinegar and let it sit for about 10 minutes)
• 1 1/4 cup canned, solid-packed pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 F and line cupcake pans with 18 liners.

Beat butter and both sugars with a mixer on medium until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt into a separate medium bowl.

One at a time, add the eggs to the butter/sugar bowl and mix.  Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour.  Lastly, add the pumpkin and beat until smooth.

Fill cupcake liners until about 3/4 full.  Bake cupcakes about 25 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
recipe from Martha Stewart

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups (1 lb.) confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla extract.  Mix until smooth.

Refrigerate until needed (can be made up to 3 days in advance).  When ready to use, bring to room temperature and beat until smooth.  Makes about 4 cups.

S'mores Cupcakes

Graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows... the perfect combination!  I saw this recipe on Bakerella and knew I had to try this one out.  They looked amazing!  And trust me, they are.  One of these and a big, cold glass of milk had me satisfied!  I've been in the baking mood, and I was bound and determined to bake something that made my sweet tooth happy.  I'm proud to say they turned out pretty darn well, too!

 Cupcakes
recipe by Bakerella

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oil
• Bag of jumbo marshmallows

Graham Cracker Crumb Topping

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Chocolate Ganache

• 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 oz. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Separate the mixture in half, into two bowls.

Stir cocoa into one bowl and the graham cracker crumbs into the other.
Add 1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup oil to the cocoa mixture and beat until combined.
Repeat, adding the same ingredient to the graham cracker crumbs bowl.

Now to make the graham cracker crumb topping! Mix the brown sugar and graham cracker crumbs into a small bowl and  pour in the melted butter.  Stir until combined and crumbly.

Pour a little graham cracker cake batter into your baking cups and then sprinkle the topping mixture lightly on the surface.  Place a marshmallow half on top and then cover the marshmallow with the chocolate cake batter until it's about 3/4 full.  Sprinkle more of the topping mixture over it.

Bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes.  This recipe made about 16 cupcakes for me.  Let the cupcakes cool and then top with the chocolate ganache.

Now you may devour them.  :)