Christmas Meringues

Or in this case, POST Christmas Meringues.

YES...all these delectable, very HOLIDAY-ISH recipes are coming AFTER the holidays. I'm really organized and efficient that way.

But on the bright side~ here is a good way to use up all those extra candycanes that came off your tree and are cluttering every jar on every table in every room of your home.

These cookies are so delicious and SO light...and so guilt-free. Just my kind of cookie.

Not to mention, they have the added benefit of requiring FEW ingredients and ones that are almost always on hand. I love recipes that have all those things combined. They make me feel happy, whole, and comfortable.

2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
2 peppermint candy canes, crushed

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.

Sprinkle with salt and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased foil or paper-lined baking sheets; sprinkle with the crushed candy.

Bake at 225 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours. Turn off heat; leave cookies in the oven with the door ajar for at least 1 hour or until cool.

Store in an airtight container.

I usually make two batches at a time. Then, eat them all up in a day. (I'm kidding about that last part. Sortof.)

Homemade Peppermint Schnapps

Who knew you could make your own booze?!? Well, I did.

Matt is the hard cider connoisseur and master beer brewer, and I've even tried my hand at wine making (though with not the greatest results~but, the wine was made from WEEDS for goodness' sake!) but never have I gone so elegant as to make schnapps.

(My goodness, after I post this everyone is going to think me a lush...)

This Christmas I handed out bottles of this homemade peppermint schnapps to a lucky few. At least, they will think themselves lucky only if they do not find this recipe...

the amount of corn syrup is positively sinful.

This is an easy recipe, but everyone will think you incredibly smart and talented...I am REALLY good at foolin' people.

2/3 cup sugar

4 cups corn syrup

4 cups vodka

4 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

~Combine sugar and corn syrup in saucepan over medium heat.

~Heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.

~Remove from heat, add vodka, and stir well.

~Allow to cool in pan, covered.

~Add peppermint extract to mixture and pour into a sealable bottle.

If making for a gift, make a pretty label, wrap some peppermint ribbon or tie on a few peppermint sticks to make it really festive.

Some Sweets: Two in One

Most years for Christmas, I enjoy making mounds upon mounds of various Christmas candies and cookies. I deliver them to neighbors, the mailman, family and of course, Matt's work. This year I took it easy and made less than a HANDFUL of goodies-but enough of each to still share the love.

Oreo Truffles~ the recipe everyone already has...

1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, melted

2 T. white chocolate chips

Promptly eat several oreos. Hand over oreos to begging children also, lest you be unfair. THEN~

Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use. PS. Anytime I have leftover dipping chocolate, I find something to dip or drizzle. This time was raisins...and oh la la---I liked them almost as much as the oreos. Almost.)

Put the white chocolate chips in a sandwich baggy and pound away your frustrations. OR let little fingers pound until crushed with rolling pin or itsy kitchen drawer hammer. Both are great for pounding.

Sprinkle white chocolate crumbs on top of dark chocolate truffles~BEFORE they cool.

Ta-Da! Who knew four ingredients could be so elegant?!?

Now-for a recipe NOBODY has...

Peanut Butter Fudge.

When I got this fudge recipe years ago, I decided right then and there I would be devoted to it for the rest of my life. I no longer try other peanut butter fudge recipes. These are just too good. And for the record: Matt thinks so too.

Put 2 c. sugar and 2/3 c. milk into saucepan and boil to softball stage (or 235 degrees)

Remove from heat.

Add 1 c. EACH marshmellow fluff and peanut butter and then 1 t. vanilla. Stir well and pour into a greased 8x8 pan.

Cool. Slice. and E.N.J.O.Y.

PS. For my brittle recipe, go HERE.

Simplest Crock Stew....ever

This here is one of those recipes I never EVER would have tried if I glanced at the recipe card instead of tasting it firsthand.

My mother-in-law made it and it was so delicious I asked for the recipe...then she gave it to me and I about had a heart attack.

SURELY, it COULDN'T be that simple. SURELY-a recipe like that couldn't produce the wonderfully melded stew I was consuming at present. But it could! And DOES!

2-3 large sized potatoes, sliced
2-3 medium carrots, sliced
1 can of peas, drained (or frozen-like I use)
3 medium onions, sliced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 10 ounce can tomato soup
1 10 ounce can water

Brown the beef while you are slicing the veggies. Then layer first six ingredients in order listed into your handy dandy crockpot.

Mix a can of tomato soup and a can of water and POUR over everything. Season with salt and pepper if you like.

THEN~ the hard part. Turn the crockpot on low and leave it alone. For 6-8 hours. (Or turn it on HIGH for 2-4)

What a simple meal! And very delicious. But don't take MY word for it...

Cheddar Sausage Strata

oh my.

Why hasn't strata entered my world (and mouth) sooner?

I cannot tell you. However, I can tell you that it will never leave again.

A FABULOUS way to use up bread. And eggs.

A FABULOUS way to entertain guests...that leaves you FREE from the kitchen.

A FABULOUS way for a two week postpartum Mama to actually get food on the table, since dinnertime is inevitably the time littlest babe wants to nurse. And edible food, no less.

And Strata ought to be synonymous with Simple. I'll take that up with Roget next opportunity I get.

Here is the recipe, plain and simple.

You'll need:

1 pound sausage
1/2 pound bacon

which you can brown. Right now.

While that is cooking, grab your bread and start cubing. I used unsliced bread-so I can't verify the amount of bread. If you were using sliced, I would say....it would be about 10 slices. cubed.

Of course, the cheese is one of the best parts~so don't be stingy. I used 1 1/2 cups. And SHARP cheese is a must. All others might just make this second rate.

Add the bread and cheese to a large mixing bowl, and when the sausage and bacon is fully cooked, you can add the meat mixture to the bowl too. Make sure the bacon gets crumbled, so everyone gets a taste!

Next pour three cups milk over everything. There is nothing worse than milk-soggy bread so this part sort of grossed me out. Momentarily.

Then, wisk 8 eggs and 1 1/2 teaspoons of mustard together and pour THAT slimy concoction over the soggy mixing bowl. Stir together.

Then admire~ it doesn't look that gross after all.

Cover and stick in the fridge for 8 hours, or overnight. Forget about it. Do something for YOU. Enjoy yourself-because you don't have to give another thought to dinner (or breakfast) (or brunch) for another 8 hours or more.

Give nice big sigh of relief.

Go nurse wailing, half-starved child. (oh wait. That's me.)

Take Strata from fridge 30 minutes before putting in oven. Preheat oven to 350 and then bake for 60-65 minutes.

Just wait until you open that oven door when it is all done. It is beautifully fluffy and golden, and just...a work of art. It tastes as good as it looks, too. Trust me. Better yet: don't. Go see for yourself.

Quick Turtle Cheesecake

This "turtle cheesecake" relates more to the Hare than the tortoise, because while I love cheesecakes-I hate the waiting involved. I am just too spontaneous (read: procrastinating) to fix recipes the night before. This recipe works well for me, because it requires only adequate "cooling" time and no "chill overnight or else" threats are to be found anywhere.

The "Turtle" part of this cheesecake, as opposed to my nephews thinking, has little to do with the real lumbering shelled animal and more to do with those luscious pieces of chocolatey caramel covered pecans. Oh yes. THOSE turtles are what we are referring to today...and this cheesecake does not disappoint in the way of marrying all flavors. Just look at that layer of caramel by the crust!

What? You can't see it!? Well, by all means: take a closer look....

Yeah. A picture IS worth a thousand words.

Without further ado, the recipe that makes people fall in LOVE with love handles.

Turtle Cheesecake

You'll need:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
14 ounces individually wrapped caramels
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 eggs


1. Melt the butter and combine with the vanilla wafer crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

2. Place the evaporated milk in a 1-1/2 quart heavy saucepan, and melt the caramels in it over low heat. Remember- 14 OUNCES worth of caramel, not 14 caramels. (don't ask me why I find it necessary to specify this...) Heat and stir frequently until smooth. Pour mixture onto crust, and top with pecans.

3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla; beat well until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after adding each egg.

4. Melt the chocolate, and combine with the cream cheese mixture. Pour over the carmel pecan mixture in springform pan.

5. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Loosen cake from the edges of pan, but do not remove rim until cooled. Chill completely.

You can thank me later...

Pumpkin Butter (the easy way...)

I hate winter. I hate that I can't feel my toes for three months out of the year, and that the tips of my fingers are always blue. I hate that burrow myself in my homemade cave, and STILL can't find any warmth. And I hate that feeling I get, in Fall, when I bask in the sheer beauty of the season, only to remember that Fall is shortlived and winter is coming.

But, if I happen to be making pumpkin butter while in one of these particularly grumbly moods, my smell and tastebuds are powerful creatures, and can actually turn my mood around! (Matt is VERY thankful for my little mood switchers...) THEN, Fall is luscious and spicey and warm...and winter doesn't seem all that bad, IF I have a supply of pumpkin butter on hand.

I have never made pumpkin butter from a real pumpkin and here is why: I have never grown pumpkins (yet.) When you don't grow your OWN pumpkin, paying $4.00 for a pumpkin (plus doing all the prep work) doesn't seem worth it when I spy a can of pumpkin puree for $1.20 at the grocery store.

Next year, I hope to plant many Many MANY a pumpkin (because I am sick to death of the ridiculous prices that they are sold for and frankly, I LIKE having pumpkins around IF I didn't have to scoop into our retirement funds to do it!) When I do grow my own pumpkins, then it would be worthwhile to do it from scratch. But for now, I can get my pumpkin butter fix the easy way. And so can you!

Just four little ingredients are all you need:

29 oz. can of pumpkin puree
4 1/2 c. sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 pkg. sure jell
Mix first three ingredients together in a saucepan, stirring on medium high heat until really hot. Then, add sure jell and boil hard for 1 minute.

Ta DA!

Pumpkin products are not recommended for hot water bath canning, though I have known people to do it and get away with it just fine. But it SURELY wasn't me. Nope. Not I said the fly. Hear me now, as I shout from the rooftop:

I hereby state, that I do not endorse this sort of canning criminal act, and certainly don't recommend it! Nor do I accept any responsibility for the sickness thereby produced by inappropriate canning methods.

Pumpkin butter (and other pumpkin products) CAN be frozen so-there is a way for all to be right with the world this winter.

IF it can make it to the freezer.

Edited 3/19/13:  I have, since posting this recipe, had many successful years of growing pumpkins and have used my homegrown pumpkins instead of canned pumpkin very successfully.  Simply boil/roast fresh pumpkins and then puree insides.  I then measured 29 ounces of puree with my kitchen scale.  Either way- a winning recipe.  :-)

Caramel Popcorn Balls

Nothing says "old fashioned treat" as much as popcorn balls. And nothing says Fall as much as popcorn balls. And nothing says "easy, fun entertainment" as much as popcorn balls.

It was only fitting then, that I make them for an Octoberfest party. So I made them, about a hundred to be exact! (Have no fear, I doubled the recipe-you'll NOT end up with 100 popcorn balls. Unless you are a nitwit like me, and double it. Then, I am afraid, you'll be drowning in flying popping kernels.

These really are easy peasy and oh-so-good.

Try them. You'll like 'em.

You'll need:

1 1/4 cup unpopped popcorn

1/4 c. butter

1 c. packed brown sugar (I used the dark kind)

1/2 c. light corn syrup

2/3 c. sweetened condensed milk

1/2 t. vanilla extract

Now, to get started.

Pop your corn in an airpopper , on the stove with a bit of oil, or in the microwave (probably three bags I'd guess?). My handy dandy air popper was mode of choice. I love that thing. If you, like me, have/use/love airpoppers, please remember not to put ALL the corn in at once. Most poppers can only pop 1/2 c. at a time. There. Consider yourself forewarned!)

Once it is all popped, place all those light and luscious puffs in a large brown paper grocery bag (told you it was old-fashioned!) and get to work on the caramel. HOW, you ask?

Here's how:

In a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer inserted, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Stir well. Bring to boiling over medium heat. Stir in milk (the sweetened kind. Don't forget!) and simmer, stirring constantly....until thermometer reaches 238 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour this wonderful ooey, gooey goodness overtop of your now-popped popcorn. YES. Do it right in the bag! It won't stick, promise. Just, you know, hit the POPCORN and not the sides of the bag, would ya? Then, close up the top and give it a good shake up. OR, mix it with a spatula. How you mix it reflects much of your personality. So, think on that.

Here comes a trick, so pay attention. Right about now that popcorn is just begging to be formed into balls. Because, let's face it. Caramel popcorn just isn't as old-fashioned as caramel popcorn BALLS.

One COULD butter their hands and get down to business. Or, the brave (and dumb) could jump right in without the butter and really regret their mistake in about....one nanosecond. But I have a little TRICK for you. See? I share the tricks AND the treats, because I am really giving like that. The trick for this treat is this (say that five times fast!): Put your hands in plastic sandwich baggies and scoop up some butter/crisco to lather them up. No sticking at all. No MESS at all. AND-it even helps to protect your hands from any still-scalding kernels that might be lurking about.

Kids enjoy this last step of the recipe too, so don't leave them out. In fact, why don't you just let them do ALL of the dirty work? Er, since you ARE using the plastic baggie tip I just shared with you, how 'bout you let them do just the WORK? ;-)

PS. Yes. The top photo shows dirty fingernails. I live in the COUNTRY, fer goodness' sake! Give me a break! Especially when I am making 100 popcorn balls, two apple crisps, two chocolate chip pumpkin breads, AND pumpkin butter.

Sheesh. Never catch a break, do I?!?

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Bread

Sooooo....

It's been 67 days: 10+ weeks: almost two months since I have had a stove or oven capabilities. The same story minus a few days for refrigeration. For those 67 days, 10+ weeks and nearly two months I have been thankful for the gallon of milk in the cooler-even though it didn't quite taste like fresh COLD milk, and for the grill-even though I got sick of 'grill food' about two days after I fired it up.

You see- we moved. Into a construction zone. Into a home with a shell for a kitchen, power cords for decorations and wood dust as a flour substance. Yes. It was bad (and good) and awful and amazing all at the same time. At times I laughed it up-other times I curled into the fetal position and sucked my thumb for hours.

So-if you wonder why this virtual kitchen 'o mine has been on a seemingly endless hiatus- there you have it. There were several times I made killer meals throughout those days, weeks, and months without a real kitchen-or countertops. Or even running water, for a while. But the truth is, the numbness of it all forced me to repress those times in order to maintain some form of sanity.

If I claw my way through all those deeply repressed memories of those horribly frustrating, fetal position days I may recall making a few winning things but I honestly can not think of a single thing presently. All I recall is...chicken nuggets. Hamburgers and Hotdogs. Kielbasa. Barf. Gag. Reel in horror. Even my coveted and much loved chicken spiedies eventually became something old and tiresome.

So-please don't blame me for not being a miracle worker and having five course meals from the microwave plastered on this blog. Trust me- it just ain't me. I never want to look another processed food in the face again as long as I live. Never ever, ever never.

That said:

I am pleased to report now, that I am on day number 5 of HAVING a stove/oven and it has been five days since I have even glanced toward the grill. Wait. Do we even still HAVE the grill? I might have burned it, along with all the empty boxes that pile up outside my door daily...

Needless to say: I hope to be a little bit more faithful in recipe posting from henceforth. I'll tell you one thing, right about now- cooking and baking and working in the kitchen is about the biggest luxury I can afford. And a little secret? I pretend I am on a cooking show as I prepare the meals now. BUt shhhhh- don't tell anyone that. My reputation would be shot. And DON'T look on youtube for my home video cooking show episodes. Please. Don't.

ANYWAY.

About at day 60 of my plight, after having one of those reverting to childhood tantrums, I opened a box (the last) labeled "kitchen" and found: my BREAD MACHINE. Then, I proceeded to fall to my knees in thanksgiving and cry amidst laughter.

Then, I got up and found my flour (the real stuff, not the wood stuff).

THEN, I suddenly felt at peace and all seemed right with the world.

Then my body began salivating in uncontrollable amounts and I was forced to add more flour to the recipe in order to compensate for the saliva spillage. (joking on that last part...maybe.)

One of my fresh from the bread-machine breads I made was this: Cappuchino Chocolate Chip bread. It sounds like a breakfasty-danishy type bread but I assure you- it is a normal bread consistency with just a touch of coffee taste and a bit of bitter sweetness. Makes a killer piece of breakfast toast, I assure you, but as with all bread machine recipes- fresh and warm from the pan is the best way to eat 'er up.

May the recipes begin!

Chocolate Chip Cappuccino Bread

3/4 c. warm milk
1 egg, beaten
3 T. cappuccino mix granules- I used vanilla toffee. Yum You can also use instant coffee.
2 T sugar
2 T water
1 T. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
3/4 t. salt
3 cups bread flour
2 t. active dry yeast
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Add all but chocolate chip ingredients into your bread machine pan in order suggested by manufacturer. Set machine on Basic or White bread setting.

Before final kneading, add chocolate chips.

After 3 hours of doing nothing but catching whiffs of baking bread and hearing the whirrrr of the machine going full throttle- presto chango! You've got a unique loaf ready to be slathered with honey butter. Or pumpkin butter. Or apple butter. Or pear butter...

Belgian Molasses Bread

I know, I know- another bread machine recipe. But hey-that's what I was stuck with-so that is what YOU are stuck with. That is, until I can stop diving into my homemade meals with such vengeance that I actually take a moment to snap a photo before it is eaten to it's last crumb. After all, it would be a sin to post a recipe without a photo...

Belgian Molasses Bread

* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons molasses
* 3/4 cup warm milk
* 4 1/2 tablespoons warm water
* 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select Basic or White Bread and 1 1/2 pound loaf settings.

I love the beautiful coloring of this bread. Honey brown-ish. And it goes superbly with Crockpot Pea Soup.