Lana’s Cheesecake

1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c butter, melted

8 oz block cream cheese 

3/4 c powdered sugar

2 c (1 pint) whipping cream

1 can blueberry pie filling 

Mix cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into a 9x13 dish. Whip cream cheese with powdered sugar, then whip in cream. Layer over crust and chill. To serve, cut squares and top with pie filling.

Rosette Cookies

Rosette Cookies


2 tsp. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
1 Tb. lemon or vanilla extract


Whisk sugar into eggs and then whisk in milk. Stir in remaining ingredients (batter should be like smooth heavy cream).


Heat Crisco shortening to 375˚. Heat iron in oil, then drain on paper towel. Dip iron, only halfway, into batter, then fry in oil for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Sometimes they float off, if they stick just push them off with a fork.


Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Best eaten within a day or two of making.

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

(modified from Annie's Eats)

3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1½ t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
¼ c. vegetable shortening
4 Tb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. honey
2 large eggs

mini M&M's (pick out the brown ones)

red M&M's (regular, peanut, or pretzel variety)

chocolate covered pretzels

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, then place on cookie sheet and pinch one end so that the cookie is a more triangular shape. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350˚, or until slightly puffed and golden.  Remove from the oven and press in brown mini M&M's for the eyes, red M&M for the nose and two pretzels for antlers. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Brownie Peppermint Cookies

Brownie Peppermint Cookies
(slightly modified from Cooking Classy)
Yield about 3 dozen

1 (18.3 oz) pkg brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp peppermint extract

2-3 squares white chocolate bark

1/3 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

In mixer add brownie mix, flour, brown sugar and salt.  Add in eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla and peppermint extract, and mix until well blended.  Spoon dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet (you can fit 12 per sheet).  Bake on parchment covered or greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350º.  Once cooled, drizzle cookies with white chocolate bard and sprinkle with crushed candy cane.

Soft Ginger Cookies

These are my favorite Christmas cookies! Nice and spicy and molasses-y. Yum!

Soft Ginger Cookies

(from allrecipes.com)

yield: 2-3 dozen

• 2 & 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (like Sugar in the Raw) or regular sugar
• 
  
• Whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
• 
  
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. 
• 
  
• Scoop walnut sized balls, and roll them in the turbinado sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto a parchment covered cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
• 
  
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 350º. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Sugar Cookies

 
(Can you believe how tiny my kids are in these photos? They're from Dec. 2007)


Lana's Sugar Cookies

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
3 t. baking powder

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla and mix well. Sift together flour and baking powder and stir into the wet ingredients.

Chill for ten minutes. Roll and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until very light brown.


(2009 and Christian's on the counter again!)

Wreath Cookies

Wreath Cookies


1/2 cup butter or margarine
34 large marshmallows (nearly one 10 oz. pkg.)
1 t. green food coloring
1 t. vanilla
4 c. Cornflakes
cinnamon red hot candies

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows, and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in the food coloring and vanilla. Pour over cornflakes in a large bowl and mix well.

Quickly drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto waxed paper, and form into a wreath shape with buttered fingers. Immediately decorate with red hot candies. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from waxed paper, and storing in an airtight container.

This is another treat that's great for other holidays (images are linked):

Christmas trees decorated with craisins

(Christian, Porter and Breck in preschool, Dec. 2009)

pumpkins


nests

Sugar Cookie Bars

(photo stolen from Natalie's blog--she introduced these amazing treats to us!)

Sugar Cookie Bars

(from taste buds)

1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, and soda. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased 13x18 half sheet pan (I usually halve the recipe and it covers most of a standard jelly roll pan). Bake at 375º for 12-15 min, until light golden brown.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter; room temp
1/2 cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

Combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until it's a smooth spreading consistency.

Here's how you can make them into Christmas trees: I cut the rows, but then into triangles instead of squares.

 Then frosted them individually with a pastry tip and added mini M&M's as ornaments!

Cranberry Salad

Holiday Cranberry Salad

half a bag of fresh cranberries
1 c. sugar

1 large pkg. cherry Jello
2 c. boiling water

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained but keep the juice
1 c. chopped celery (about four stalks)
1 c. apple, peeled and shredded (about an apple and a half)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
Cool Whip



Mince the cranberries (I use a food processor, you should end up with about 1 cup). Stir in the sugar and let stand (not in refrigerator).

Add the jello to the boiling water and stir until it dissolves. Stir in pineapple juice (drained from the can of crushed pineapple) and refrigerate.

In another bowl, mix together the crushed pineapple, chopped celery, shredded apple (I do the celery and apple in the food processor), chopped nuts, and the cranberry mixture from above. Add the jello mixture and stir well. Pour into a 8x8 or 9x11 glass baking dish. Refrigerate until firm.

Top or serve with Cool Whip.


*I always make fun of Lana because she puts the Cool Whip into a bowl to serve it instead of just leaving it in the tub it comes in. I always say it tastes much better that way ;)

Spinach Rolls

Tammy's Spinach Rolls

2 (10 oz.) pkgs. chopped spinach, defrosted and sqeezed dry
1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 bottle Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1 pkg. flour tortillas

Mix all ingredients except tortillas. Spread a thin layer on each tortilla, roll, cut in 1 inch pieces, and pierce with a toothpick.

Meringue Cookies

(photo of bone meringue cookies that we brought to Joy's Halloween party in 2010)

Even though they're fat-free and low calorie, these are still scrumptious!

Meringue Cookies

3 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 235 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the other ingredients while whipping to stiff peaks. Drop by spoonfuls or pipe onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours, turn oven off. Open oven door about one inch and let sit in oven for an additional hour. Remove carefully from parchment.

*Also delicious with mini chocolate chips added.
*Can replace the sugar with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Splenda to make sugar-free!

Can just drop by tablespoonful for plain, or get creative with holiday shapes! (photos are linked for credit and/ or tutorial)

Crab Rounds

Christmas Cheese Ball