Lets exchange recipes for favorite holiday candies and gifts - Page 31

Bwahahahaha!!!!

See, Monica shows Joey a list of appetizers and asks him to narrow it down to a smaller number, instead he adds two more. One of them is peanut butter fingers. Monica looks at him as says, "Peanut butter fingers?" and Joey says, "You know..." and he mimes digging two fingers into a jar of peanut butter and licking it off!

OMG!!! Thats hilarous!!! I think I remember doing that as a kid ! (Huh! last week ) I love pb!

Mel, you need an apple peeler for those potatoes! You can zip through a batch in just a few minutes! My sister likes her potatoes done with a ricer too.
I usually boil the Yukon Gold's with the peel and when they're done the peeling comes right off. Try boiling them with some chicken bouillon granuals. It gives them great flavor and no one will know what that secret flavor is. Then I add some cream and butter to them. Can't beat it!

Yukon Gold's Now your talking !

I have a peeler. The best peeler on the planet actually (that I've encountered so far!) from Pampered Chef. It's awesome. But... this way is just so much easier! Honestly! Why are we trying to get me to go back to doing potatoes the 'old fashioned' way? Kidding! Seriously, I've done it several different ways, and this is the fastest and easiest and turns out the best results. And, oh yes, I second the 'Yukon Golds' they are the bomb!

Not trying to change your ways Mel. Just throwing out ideas. In fact, I'm going to try the ricer method to see how I like it! Barefoot Contessa was on one of the news shows this morning baking root vegtetables with olive oil. I've been hungry all day for them! I bought some Yukons, sweet potatoes and some carrots and I'm going to lay them out on a sheet pan with some onions and bake them like she did. She's promoting her new book.

MMMM... licking Joey's fingers.... I mean PB fingers! YUMM!!

Every year my sister and I make a BUNCH of different things. Last year it was covered oreos. This year I have the molds so I can't wait. And we do haystacks and peppermint bark and toffee and anything else we can think of. Then we make great big packages for our service people along with food coupons to various restaurants. The mailman LOVES the goody pacakages as well as the FedEx and DHL guys. As a matter of fact it seems like there are more of them coming by at that time of year... hmmm...

Great recipes everyone!! I especially have been looking for a time tested and tasted fruitcake recipe. Think I am going to make those this weekend and then baste them with brandy for a few weeks.... mmmm

We're talking mashed patatters? Oh yeah! Well, I peal mine, the old fashioned way, and roast them in the oven with butter, THEN mash and add cream. Saw if on Food Network some time ago...but their fabulous!

And I watched that episode of Barefoot Contessa, and was hungry for those veggies, too! I actually got online to see if her book tour was coming my way, nope

I have pen and paper ready, I have been drooling over some of these recipes!!!

I have a couple of family favorites that I really want to share, but my book with them in it is on loan. As soon as I gat it back I will post them. My grandmother makes these cream cheese truffles, they are to die for!!!!

If it's okay, I am going to attch a few that I found this year. I haven't tried them yet, but they sound wonderful!!
On that note- if you enjoy cooking for the holidays, purchase Christmas Cooking Southern Style, it is published by Taste of the South. Wonderful stuff in there!!!

Strawberry Fudge

Yield: 20 pieces
Prep:20 minutes

Sugar        3 cups
Butter        Â¾ cup
Evaporated Milk      5 oz.
White Chocolate      12oz.
Strawberry Marshmallow Crème  7.5 oz.
Pecans, chopped      1 cup
Vanilla        1 t.

1. Line a 9x9x2 pan with foil, allowing foil to come over the edges
2. In saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil, an cook until mixture reaches 234° on a candy thermometer.
3. Remove from heat an add white chocolate and marshmallow crème, stir to combine. Add pecans and vanilla, stir to combine.
4. Pour mixture into pan an cool at least 4 hours.


Snowflake Truffles


Yield: 30 Truffles

Cream Cheese, softened      8oz.
Powdered Sugar        Â¼ cup
Coconut Extract        1 t.
Sweetened Flaked Coconut    2 cups
Vanilla-flavored Candy Coating    1 lb.
Garnish: coconut, white cake sprinkles  

1. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and coconut extract. Add coconut, beat until well combined.
2. Cover an chill for 1 hour. Roll cream cheese mixture into 1-inch balls, place on baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 2 hours to overnight.
3. Follow instruction on package for melting chocolate. Using two forks, dip truffles in coating. Place back on wax paper and garnish. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Keep em' coming, I'm glad I have a bunch of people to give to this year!!

I hope that no one cares that I am posting so many, but man I keep finding em'!!!

Orange Snowballs

Yield: 4 dozen


Vanilla wafer crumbs    2 ¾ cup
(about 1 large box)
Butter, melted       Â¼ cup
Powdered sugar, divided     3 cups
Orange juice       Â¼ cup
Light corn syrup       2T
Orange zest
Nuts, chopped       1 cup
Orange juice       1 ½ T
Shredded sweetened coconut  1 ½ cup



1.In a large bowl, mix together the wafer crumbs, butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, orange zest, corn syrup, ¼ cup orange juice , and chopped nuts. Stir until the mixture is well-combined. If it is too soft to roll into balls, refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm enough to shape.
2. Using a teaspoon, roll the candy into small balls and place them on a baking sheet covered with foil.
3. In a small bowl, blend together the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar and the 1 1/2T orange juice with a mixer. It should be fluid but not too runny; adjust the amount of sugar or juice as necessary to get a good dipping consistency.
4. Dip a ball in the sugar-juice mixture until it is well-coated, then roll it in the shredded coconut. Replace the ball on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining candy.
5. Refrigerate the balls to set them, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.


Peanut Butter Balls


Butter        Â½ cup
Powdered sugar      1 box
Peanut butter      2 cups
Rice Krispies      3 cups
Paraffin wax      1/3 bar
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar  1- 8oz.
Semi sweet chocolate chips  6 oz.


1. Combine butter, sugar, peanut butter, and Rice Krispies.
2. Shape into 1 inch balls. Chill.
3. Melt both chocolates and paraffin in microwave (1 minute intervals, stirring after each minute) or double boiler until smooth.
4. Dip balls in chocolate and place on waxed paper to cool.
5. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

White Macadamia Candy




Macadamia nuts        6 oz.
White chocolate or almond bark    20 oz.
Flaked coconut        Â¾ cup




1. If macadamia nuts are not toasted, toast them in a dry skillet until golden. Set aside.
2. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler. Add coconut and macadamia nuts and stir well.
3. Spread mixture on waxed paper. Chill to set, about 30 minutes.
4. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container.


Chocolate Dipped Candy Canes



Semi-sweet chocolate chips  1-2 cups
Shortening      1T
Peppermint candy canes  1-2 boxes

1. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Dip candy canes in chocolate to coat. Place on wax paper covered tray to set. You may want to chill it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

* You can cover the entire candy cane, but I think it looks nicer if you leave one end uncovered to add the beautiful red and white color to your display. Also, it gives you a place to hold it easily while savoring the rest of the candy cane.


Okay, now I will stop for a while. Thanks for letting me post these.

culinarycreations.. Post away Im sure Everyone will love them. I know I do ! Thats what the threads all about right ?
Thnaks for sharing!!

You know, I would like to find a particular one too. My sister's MIL handed down a fruitcake recipe that all her sisters had but would never tell anyone how to make them. My sister now has that recipe but keeps thinking up excuses to not give it to me but she won't make them herself. It is individual mini fruitcakes they put in mini cc cups but doesn't taste like the Christmas fruitcakes everyone turns their nose up at. They had pecans in them and some dried fruit but not all of the combo ones. I also know they soaked the fruit in rum or brandy or something like that for a day or two. I've never been able to find another recipe like them. There's one sister living so until she passes the secret recipe is still locked up!

vickymacd
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Joined: Jul 22, 2006
Posts: 1391
Location: Michigan
Birthday: Jul 24
Gallery Supporter Member
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:16 am

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I know everyone hates fruitcake, and so do I! These two recipes turned me around!!! I make them every year and every year these are eaten up by those that come to my house!

Holiday White Fruitcake from Vicky
1-3/4 cup allo purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbl. lemon extract
5 eggs
2 cups candied pineapple, cut up
4 cups pecan halves
1-1/2 cups candied cherries, whole or cut up

Heat oven to 300 degrees.
Grease and flour a 10" tube pan or 2 loaf pans.
In large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients..
Blend 1 minute at low speed, scraping bowl.
Beat 2 min. at medium speed.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Spoon batter into prepared pans.
Bake 1-1/2 to 2 hours until toothpick comes clean.
Loaf pans: bake 65-75 minutes.

Cool. remove from pan.
Store tightly wrapped in frig for up to 6 mths.


Individual Mini Fruitcakes from Vicky
1 pound pecans
1 pound dates, pitted
3/4 pound candied cherries
1 pound candied pineapple
3/4 cup sifted flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs

Combine nuts and fruits in large bowl. Stir in flour, sugar, baking pwd., and salt. Mix well.

Beat eggs until foamy, add to first mixture and blend well.
Drop by tablespoons into mini paper baking cups, filling them full.
Bake in 300 degree oven for about 40 minutes.
Makes about 35.
Note: Be sure to cut up all fruit.

Thought I would copy paste this on this page I made the first one the Holiday White Fruitcake from Vicky!
Mu husband loved it ! There is also one posted some where from Lilybird? I believe But I have not tried it yet !
I will makt this again and also soak it in bandy towels. I going to do that soon for Christmas!