Hot Cocoa Cookies to Enjoy with Hot Chocolate

It's that time of year again to plan our holiday menus. Do you bake your family favorites each year or do you like to try new recipes? Most of mine are passed down through generations of my family. As I bake them, I  picture my Mom or Grandmas in their kitchens baking cookies in preparation for the family.  

Occasionally I will make a new cookie recipe. If you love hot chocolate like I do, you might like this easy recipe I found on Kraft Recipes . You need 20 minutes prep time and the following ingredients.

2 (4 oz.) packages Baker's semi -sweet chocolate, divided.

3/4 cup butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons milk

17 Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallows, cut in half

Chop 6 oz. chocolate and place in a medium microwaveable bowl with the butter on high for a minute or until the butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is melted and well blended.  Stir in the sugar and eggs and mix well.  Next add the flour and baking powder and mix well. The mixture will be very soft. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350.  Roll tablespoons of dough into balls about 1 1/4 inches in diameter.  Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake 8-9 minutes or until no longer shiny.  The cookies will still be soft.  Immediately, top each cookie with marshmallow half, cut side upside down.  

Bake another 1-2 minutes until the marshmallows start to puff up.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet and carefully transfer to aluminum foil sheets to finish cooling.

Melt the remaining chocolate as directed on the package, stir in milk.  Drizzle over the marshmallow tops.  Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm. 

 

*I place my cookies to chill in my garage for a short time,  In the winter, it's not a problem chilling with this method if you live in the Midwest!

Happy Baking!

The Importance of Tradition

Traditions are important and I love them particularly during the holidays. They connect us to family and friends who came before us and brings back memories of the past. Whether it be a food or an activity, traditions give us a sense of security and closeness to loved ones.  A favorite tradition of mine was our children Ryan and Kaitlyn watching the Macy's parade with us as they grew up, usually with hot chocolate in hand. Today, Ryan's own family watch the parade in their home, and our daughter Kaitlyn tries to come over for a brief time to watch together before returning to her own children to watch the parade.  I like to make the cheeseball appetizer (below) my Mom always made for holidays and it makes me smile as I remember her serving it to our family. As I make the recipe, I can feel her beside me. Another important tradition in our family are the painted ceramic turkeys my Dad made as a young boy. (He is 90 now). Every year the turkeys have decorated and sat proudly on our Thanksgiving table. We love to hear Dad tell the story of how he painted them when he was ten years old. 

Keep traditions close to your heart and enjoy a safe and Blessed Thanksgiving friends.

Delicious Thanksgiving Side

APPLE, SWEET POTATO AND CRANBERRY CASSEROLE

This is a favorite of mine to make and serve over the holidays.This is the time for sweet potatoes, cranberries and apples to shine. They will be the the stars on your holiday menu. It compliments your turkey, ham or pork entree beautifully. For your vegan guests, it is the perfect dish and they love love it. For those with a gluten free diet, substitute flour with almond flour. 

It is a dish everyone can enjoy. 

This sweet potato, apple and cranberry side dish for Thanksgiving is so easy and delicious!  The step that requires the most time will be the peeling. Once all of your ingredients are ready to go, everything goes into a casserole and baked for an hour.  

*This dish can be baked the day before to save time.  Cover and refrigerate when finished baking and reheat the next day at 300 degrees until warm. This dish makes your home smell amazing!

All you need is the following:

2 -3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

2 large Granny Smith Apples, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

(Recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350. Slice and peel sweet potatoes and apples.  Place in a 7 x 11 inch baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Place apples on top, then cranberries.  Mix flour, salt, sugar and nutmeg in a bowl and sprinkle mixture on top. Dot with butter.  

Bake for 50-60 minutes. 

 Of course this recipe can be doubled to be baked in a 13 x 9 baking dish.  

May you have a Blessed Thanksgiving holiday🧡

Slow Cook Pulled Pork with Applesauce

I love this recipe because it's so delicious, easy, & low fat. This will give you 12 servings and prep time is only 30 minutes. It's a favorite weekend go to of mine. 

Ingredients:

3 lb. pork roast

4 cups unsweetened applesauce

18 oz. bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

Place the pork roast in the slow cooker.

            Spread the applesauce over the top of the roast.

             Spoon the barbecue sauce over the top carefully.

Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or until the roast is tender.

Remove from the slow cooker and place on a platter. Pull apart with two forks until shredded.

Place the shredded pork in a bowl and spoon some of the sauce from the slow cooker over the top.

Serve on multi grain or wheat buns with a healthy side of your choice. 

Happy Weekend!

Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels

~Sea Salt Caramels~

One of my favorite cookbooks is Patricia Heaton's Food for Family and Friends. This week I made her recipe for milk chocolate sea salt caramels. This recipe is easy to make. I will be making and gifting these over the holidays. The sea salt flakes send the taste right over the top and I promise you will love these caramels. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter cut into 16 pieces

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 milk chocolate chips

Flaky sea salt (I use Maldon)

Wax and parchment paper

Line an 8 inch loaf pan with parchment paper trimmed to hang over the sides.

Pour the sugar into a 4 quart saucepan put on medium heat. Let the sugar cook, undisturbed until it begins to melt around the edges. As it melts, gently tilt the pan back and forth as it cooks. 

When the sugar is golden, add the butter, heavy cream, and vanilla. Cook for 4 minutes while STIRRING CONSTANTLY. This step is important. 

Take the pot off the heat for a few seconds and add the chocolate chips. Return ti heat for 30 seconds more to melt the chocolate.

Pour the caramel into the prepared loaf pan. Let it set at rom temperature for 6 hours or if time time allows, overnight.

Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, slice into caramels and wrap in was paper if not serving right away. They will stay fresh for a week. 

Happy birthday wishes Penny. We love you so very much💗

Celebrate Halloween with a Fall-tini

Here are a couple of "Autumn Signature" cocktails that are sure to please you this weekend. Make a Fall-tini, turn on the heat or fireplace and warm your spirits.  

-FALL-TINI-

1 serving - 7 ounces pumpkin liqueur and 1 ounce black vodka

Pour pumpkin liqueur into 8 ounce martini glass. Pour the black vodka on top. It will appear to float over the orange liqueur

-PUMPKIN ICE CREAM MARTINI-

3 scoops vanilla ice cream, 2 ounces pumpkin liqueur, whipped cream, freshly grated nutmeg

Blend ice cream and pumpkin liqueur in a blender until smooth. Pour into a 10 ounce martini glass and top with whipped cream and nutmeg.  

Happy Halloween and Special Birthday Wishes to my Dad.

Have You Been to the Pumpkin Farm

After planning our annual family outing to our favorite pumpkin farm, we enjoyed a fun weekend of outdoor fun, great food, and pumpkin decorating.  We have leaned towards paints and stickers over carving the past couple of years.  Less mess and our pumpkins last longer.  That is if the squirrels don't snack on them when you put them on your porch as ours do.  (Does anyone have any tips on that?)  Check your local craft store for paints, brushes, and peel back stickers. A painted pumpkin with your address painted on is a cute address marker and looks festive.  Let out your most creative self and have fun.

Our family annual pumpkin patch Pearcefarms in Wisconsin where we climb the hay bales and run through the corn maze.  Did I mention they sell amazing apple cider donuts, banana bread, pumpkin bread, jams, jellies, and much more.

I found these fun stickers and paints on Amazon.

They are so festive on the fireplace mantel.

Guess which one I am! 

              

HAPPY WEEKEND!