I‘ve always been the spirit of Christmas Love in my family. One of the ways I share my holiday love is through baking. Until this year, baking happened almost exclusively in December, but as my cooking adventures grew, so did the baking. Which means that this year, December’s baking is on steroids.
I decided to share some of my favorite Christmas Goody recipes on Face Book. I called it Mama D’s Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies. The recipes are a mix of originals that I’ve created or have been inspired to create and recipes I’ve “borrowed” from other people/places/websites. I wanted to share these recipes with my blog followers who might not follow me on F.B. The following are my original and “inspired by” recipes. Hope there’s something that tickles you fancy.
This tasty salt is wonderful on any kind of beef. It can also be used in place of regular salt in any recipe to give it that earthy flavor.
Porcini and Rosemary Salt
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This is a perfect seasoning for steak, but it is wonderful on eggs, in soups, or anywhere you want a subtle mushroom flavor.
This is a lovely Hostess gift, but save some for yourself.
Porcini and Rosemary Salt
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This is a perfect seasoning for steak, but it is wonderful on eggs, in soups, or anywhere you want a subtle mushroom flavor.
This is a lovely Hostess gift, but save some for yourself.
Put all ingredients in the bowl of a processor. Pulse until everything is ground. This will take a bit of time. The porcini will not completely grind so the end product will have small bits of mushroom, which makes it even more delicious. Store in airtight containers.
Beat butter and sugar until well incorporated using an electric mixer. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add the flavorings and the anise seeds and mix until well combined. Add the almonds and mix until combined. This is easier than adding the almonds after the flour.
Whisk flour baking powder and salt together to aerate and blend. Slowly mix flour mixture into the wet mixture. You will have to add the last flour and mix by hand. Gather dough together and turn onto a lightly floured board, pat into a flat round.
Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Pat and roll each piece into a log 12 - 14 inches long. Flatten the log to 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches wide. At this point they are ready to bake. If you want you to bake them later, wrap each log in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let logs come to room temperature before you bake them.
When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place no more than 2 logs on each greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time for 15 - 20 minutes.Remove from oven let cool several minutes until easily handled. Carefully move each log to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut logs crosswise into 3/4 inch slices.
Lay cut side down back on the baking sheet. Return to oven and bake 15 - 20 minutes more, turning the cookies after after 8 - 10 minutes to toast other side.
Place the cookies on a rack to cool. Store airtight. These will keep for about a week. They can be frozen for a month or so.
All the good things in Fruitcake in 3 bites or less.
Fruitcake Cookies with Mini Chocolate Chips
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Fruitcake in a cookie with the added yumminess of chocolate chips. These cookies are chewy with fruit and nuts in every bite, oh, and did I mention the chocolate?.
Servings
6Dozen
Servings
6Dozen
Fruitcake Cookies with Mini Chocolate Chips
Print Recipe
Fruitcake in a cookie with the added yumminess of chocolate chips. These cookies are chewy with fruit and nuts in every bite, oh, and did I mention the chocolate?.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk flour, soda, salt, and spices together in a medium bowl.
Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs and extracts and continue to beat until well combined. Mix in the flour. Add the cherries, nuts, and candied fruit. Continue to mix until all the frui, nuts, and chocolate are evenly dstributed.
Use a small cookie scoop to arrange dough on parchment lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are just beginning to brown, approximately 12 minutes. Let set on baking sheets for 1 minute before removing to racks to cool.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. in a small bowl. Melt one cup of the mint chips over hot water, stirring occasionally.
Beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl until fluffy. Add the melted chips and vanilla. Stir to combine. beat in the eggs then beat in the flour. Stir in the rest of the mint chips. Gather dough into a ball, wrap in plastic , and chill until very firm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll thickly in confectioners sugar. Place approximately 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake 10 - 12 minutes until the tops appear cracked. Let sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely. Store airtight up to one week.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine well.
Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water. Add to egg and sugar mixture and mix. Add the flour and stir until well combined.Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips until evenly combined.
Using a small cookie scoop, place dough on parchment lined baking sheets. about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store airtight for up to 1 week.
3TablespoonsSpiced CiderTo re-hydrate the cranberries
Servings: Loaf
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray one 9X5 or six Mini Loaf Pans with cooking spray.
Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder & soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Put the sugar, oil, sour cream, and eggs in a medium bowl. Mix at high speed of mixer for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.. Stir in apples. Drain the cranberries and add them to the batter stirring them in gently.
Pour into prepared pan(s).
Bake approximately 60 minutes for large pan or approximately 30 minutes for minis. A toothpick should come out clean but moist. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool completely.
Store in plastic zip lock bags in refrierator for up to 5 days. The loaves can be frozen in freezer bags for up to one month.
