Peppermint Pretzel Bark

My pantry is overflowing with half-full bags of pretzels and lots of chocolate chips. Some festive bark is just the way to use them up.

After reading a bunch of online recipes, I decided that making bark was the next best thing to slaving away over Christmas cookies.

Making this holiday dessert couldn't be easier. (Although my husband will tell you that the crunching sound that comes from breaking up pretzels is disturbing if you're trying to watch TV. LOL)

The bark is also nice to give as gifts when you wrap it up in a cute little box or bag and a bow.

What treats are you making this year?

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Peppermint Pretzel Bark

1 16 ounce package of chocolate or vanilla candy coating
2 12 ounce bags of chocolate or vanilla chocolate chips
1 to 2 cups broken pretzels (any shape) crushed into small pieces
About 12 candy canes, crushed (or buy 2 of the 2 ounce bags of crushed peppermint)

Note: To crush pretzels, place in a gallon size ziplock bag. Smash with the bottom of a metal measuring cup to break into pieces.

Line a large baking sheet or 2 smaller ones with parchment paper.

Place candy coating in a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Add chips and microwave another 1 minute. Stir well. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one until chocolate is smooth.

Add pretzels and mix well, until all pretzel pieces are coated. Mix in about half of the crushed peppermint.

Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread out into a layer that is about 1/4 inch thick.

Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy canes and gently press them down with the back of a spatula.

Place baking sheet in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Remove tray and break up bark by hand, or use a sharp knife to cut into pieces. Store in airtight containers. 

Roasted Chick Peas

This is the season for snacking and here's one way to make those holiday treats a tiny bit healthier: use chick peas!

Roasted chick peas seem to be the new holiday nut trend this year, so we tried them at our house. Super yummy and tasty with a satisfying crunch. And quick and easy to make, too.

You can season them any way you like. A bonus surprise for me is that the Honey Sesame version I'm sharing here tastes like struffoli, an Italian dessert of honey-coated fried dough balls often served at holidays, and something I haven't had in years.

What appetizers and snacks will you be serving at your holiday gatherings?

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Roasted Chick Peas

2 15 ounce cans of chick peas, drained and dried with paper towels
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss chick peas with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast in oven for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp, shaking pan occasionally to turn the chick peas.

Remove from oven and let cool, or transfer to bowl to toss with additional seasonings.


Honey Sesame Roasted Chick Peas
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Add all of the above ingredients to bowl of roasted chick peas fresh from the oven. Gently toss or stir to coat all of the chick peas.

Return to oven for about 5 minutes to caramelize and crisp. Serve warm or let cool. After 1 day the chick peas will become chewy -- but they remain delicious!


Chili Roasted Chick Peas
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon chili powder (or more, depending on your preferences)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (or more, depending on your preferences)
Salt and pepper to taste

Add all of the above ingredients to bowl of roasted chick peas fresh from the oven. Gently toss or stir to coat all of the chick peas.

Serve and enjoy! This version of chick peas stays crisp a bit longer than the Honey Sesame ones.

Cranberry Gingerbread Cake

This holiday cake is worth the wait, people. I bookmarked the recipe a year ago but never got around to making it.

Then a few days before this Thanksgiving, my husband emailed me a link to a New York Times story about holiday recipe ideas, and there it was again.

With three bags of fresh cranberries practically shouting at me every time I opened my fridge, I needed to take the plunge.

I didn't change much from the original recipe. I reduced the sugar to achieve some tartness in the cranberries — to counterbalance the sweetness of the cake batter.

Let me just say: Sauced cranberries partnered with gingerbread and a nice dollop of whipped cream make for the perfect dessert this season. And, FYI, this treat tastes even better the next day, so consider making it ahead.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cranberry Gingerbread Cake
Tweaked from this New York Times recipe.

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Line a 9-inch square or round baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350.

In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, white sugar and 1 tablespoon of water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries begin to break down. Continue to cook about 10 minutes, until half of the cranberries have burst and the sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and set aside.

In another saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, milk, maple syrup and molasses. Stir over medium heat until butter is melted, then bring to a simmer. Do not let the mixture boil.  Remove from heat once butter mixture reaches a simmer.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pepper. Beat in the butter mixture, and then beat in the eggs. Then add the grated ginger and beat until combined.

Pour batter into pan. Then dot the top with big spoonfuls of the cranberry sauce. Use a butter knife to swirl the cranberry sauce into the cake batter.

Transfer to the oven and cook for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let pan cool on a wire rack before serving.

Slice and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Leftover cake should be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator. Tastes best served at room temperature.

Easter Round-Up

Happy Easter, dear readers! Today I'm sharing a round-up of recipes that would be perfect for your holiday table. Whether you're celebrating with breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we've got you covered.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Let's get our day started with Herbed Egg Bake. The fresh herbs hint at the Spring garden goodness that's heading our way.

Make these Carrot Coconut Muffins the night before and serve them with a schmear of butter. The Easter bunny will appreciate a few carrots, don't you think?

Use up any leftovers from your Easter egg hunt to make this Deviled Egg Sampler. Are you a traditionalist or will you add a pinch of curry to your deviled eggs?

Easter begs for ham, and this Apricot Mustard Glazed Ham is my very favorite. Bonus: It's as simple to prepare as it is delicious to eat.

Asparagus is so fresh and tender this time of year. And since it's seasonal, it'll probably be on sale this weekend. Roasted Asparagus with Lemon is my favorite way to serve this springtime veggie.

Lemon Buttermilk Cake is a refreshing and delicious dessert. I recommend piling it high with berries and freshly whipped cream.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide: Kitchen Equipment

Today's memo to Santa includes our favorite kitchen equipment. (BTW, in case you missed our previous installments, we have you covered on cookbooks and kitchen gadgets, too.)

Let's get cooking...er, shopping!
Erin, Amy, and Andrea

Disclaimer: These ideas are solely the opinions of your favorite bringers of hot dinner. No companies or manufacturers asked us to provide reviews or compensated us for writing about their products.

Erin's Favorites:

Immersion Blender: This handy tool makes pureed soups a whiz. Before I had an immersion blender, I had a bit of an incident pureeing hot soup in a regular blender. Let's just say I was cleaning soup from under the cupboards for years. Now my soup prep is mess-free. Use it to make Curried Butternut Squash Soup, a Berry Smoothie, or even baby food. --Erin

Le Creuset Dutch Oven: The husband bought me a 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset dutch oven several years ago, and it's one of my all-time favorite pots. Perfect for making Beef Stew, Pot Roast, or Andrea's Cincinnati Chili. If I had to choose one pot or pan to use for the rest of my life, this would be it. --Erin

Amy's Favorites:



Cuisinart PerfecTemp Stainless Steel Steel Cordless Electric Kettle: Last year, I had to give up coffee for health reasons. I switched to tea and this electric kettle helped me through those dark java-free mornings. It heats up water super fast, doesn't take up space on your stove top and has an automatic shut-off. Plus, there are settings for different kinds of tea -- black, white, green, oolong and delicate. There's even a French press setting for you coffee drinkers. --Amy





Instant Pot 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6 QT: I buy myself a lot of cooking gifts and last year this was one of them. Totally worth it. In fact, for a while I  was saying I was cheating on my slow cooker with my pressure cooker. Truth is, I couldn't feed my family on the regular without both handy appliances. This model is easy to use and cleans up like a dream. See our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide post on cookbooks for a pressure cooker cookbook recommendation. As for what to make in yours, check out my Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle  Soup, Midwestern Vegetable-Beef Soup and Shrimp Curry Under Pressure. --Amy



Vitamix Professional Series 500: I'm not sure what I could write to convince you go pay upwards of $500 on a blender. It makes no sense except it does. It beats paying $200 on a blender that you will never use. The Vitamix -- the one with programmable settings for smoothies, hot soups and frozen desserts -- is a fine machine. I'm sure we will have it years; it comes with a seven-year warranty. For the first year and a half or so, I used my Vitamix daily for smoothies for me and my husband and then we tired of smoothies every single day. I still use it a lot for smoothies. I also use it when I need to emulsify ingredients -- i.e. recently for a mole chicken chili. I have also used it to make banana ice cream. (Note to self: post smoothie and banana ice cream recipes to this blog.) Next year, I want to make more nut-based vegan creams and for that the powerful Vitamix is super handy because you don't have to soak the nuts in advance. --Amy

Andrea's Favorites: 

Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor: The more I cook, the more uses I find for my food processor. The tool makes so many preparations so much easier. I love using it to slice apples for Apple Crisp or Apple Pie. The list is endless. For those who love to cook, a food processor does it all, from chopping, slicing and grating to mixing and blending. I use mine to make everything from Triple Almond Chocolate Banana Pudding to Green Rice. --Andrea

Crock-Pot Programmable Touchscreen 6.5 Quart Slow Cooker: Thanks to the Slow Cooker Revolution cookbooks from America's Test Kitchen, I'm using my Crock Pot more than ever before. This model works beautifully and I like the digital count down for tracking the cooking time. The most recent meal I made in my slow cooker was Erin's Beer Braised Pot Roast. It's also great for Pork Tomatillo-Verde Tacos and Thai Peanut Pork. --Andrea

Ninja Professional Blender: This model offers 3-way speed control and a single serve blade. It comes with two single serve cups which are perfect for whipping up smoothies. The Ninja does a great job chopping fruit and veggies. It's perfect for emulsifying Berry Vinaigrette and Thai Dressing. And it's the next best thing to an immersion blender when you need to finish off Butternut Squash Soup. --Andrea

Cherry Orange White Chocolate 7-Layer Bars

These holiday bars are one of my favorites. Like most layered bar cookies, they come together quickly. They freeze well, they look festive and the buttery citrus flavor will brighten any gloomy winter day.

They also make me think of my grandparents. They still are the only people I know who regularly used or talked about citron, a kind of citrus fruit whose candied rind is used in the Italian fruit-studded cake called panettone.

I recommend making at least two batches of these bars at a time. My family can easily polish off a pan if I don't store them in my secret cookie hiding spot. (Yes, I actually have a site — but only one — in my house that has yet to be discovered.)

If you have children, this is a great recipe for letting kids help out in the kitchen. Once most of the ingredients are measured, all you need to do is sprinkle them on top.

Enjoy your holiday cookie baking this year! If you need more recipes, check out Amy's Ginger Cookies.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cherry Orange White Chocolate 7-Layer Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup flaked or shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 cup candied orange peel (you can also use citron or lemon peel)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with a large piece of foil that extends over the edges of the pan. Lightly coat foil with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, stir graham cracker crumbs, orange peel and melted butter until all crumbs are combined. Press mixture into bottom of baking pan.

Pour condensed milk over the entire crust. Then evenly sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on top: the white chocolate chips, walnuts, cherries, coconut and candied orange peel.

Coat a large flat spatula with cooking spray and use it to gently press the layers into the condensed milk.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges of the bars are light brown.

Let pan completely cool on a wire rack. To cut, use foil edges to lift bars out of pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into squares.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Growing up I always liked cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, even though all my family ever did was open up a can of Ocean Spray. Imagine my surprise when many years later, I discovered the awesomeness of homemade cranberry sauce.

At Thanksgiving 2006, I found my forever cranberry sauce -- the kind I have been making every year since and will contine to make for ... well forever. That year, my editor Mike and his wife Alison invited us to celebrate the holiday at their house. I was three weeks away from having my first baby, so you can imagine how relieved I was not to be cooking. I had nothing else to do but stuff my face. What I remember the most: the cranberry sauce, spiced with cloves. I liked the cranberry sauce so much that Alison kindly shared the recipe, which she'd gotten from Mike's mom.

I've shared my forever cranberry sauce recipe with so many friends and  now with you, dear readers. Enjoy and have a very happy Thanksgiving!

XOXO,
Amy

PS: Check out Erin's Thanksgiving Round-Up, in which she offers up Citrus and Ginger Cranberry Sauce a la her mother-in-law.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 pound fresh cranberries
1 cup pineapple juice

Combine all items in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Adjust heat down to medium or medium high and cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot or cold. This cranberry sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks or frozen, too.

One final thing: I always double this recipe so that there's enough for Thanksgiving leftovers and even some for Christmas. It's easy to do since the recipe calls for a pound of cranberries but Ocean Spray packages berries in 12 ounce bags; just buy three bags of berries to double.

Thanksgiving Round-Up

The Thanksgiving countdown is on. Today I'm sharing my perfect Thanksgiving menu.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Spiked Cider: Get the party started right with a holiday cocktail. Make a giant batch of Spiked Cider and keep it warm in your slow cooker so guests can help themselves.

Roast Turkey Breast with Gravy: I like to brine the bird to ensure it's moist and delicious. Roasting just the breast is easier and faster than roasting the whole, plus it takes up less room in your fridge and oven.

Mashed Potatoes: Prepare these babies the day before Thanksgiving and then bake them just before dinner.

Stuffing with Sausage & Cranberries: Stuffing is totally my favorite part of Thanksgiving. Salty sausage, crunchy pecans, sweet cranberries...this recipe has it all.

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon: Maple syrup! Bacon!! I think that's all I need to say about this one.

Cranberry Sauce: I put this Cranberry Sauce on everything. And it's the perfect condiment for a leftover turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving.

Apple Pie: C'mon now. It's a classic.

Gooey Pumpkin Bars: Because one dessert is never enough on Thanksgiving.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

You guys. Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away. I. Am. So. Excited.

Are you hosting this year? Going to your mom's house? Maybe heading to the neighbors' for Friendsgiving? And the most important question...what are you making for the big day?

This is the first year since 2006 that I'm not hosting Thanksgiving, and I'm pretty psyched to be taking a back seat. It'll be a nice change of pace, especially with the baby and all. Babies aren't conducive to cooking all of the things. I'll be putting all of my Thanksgiving culinary love into the cranberry sauce. And then I'll just enjoy the hard work of my sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

Today's Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is perfect if you're feeding a small group for Thanksgiving. Or if you're not hosting, but you'd still like some turkey to slice for sandwiches the next day. This is easy, set-it-and-forget-it cooking. Plus it frees up your oven for the stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, apple pie...

Let's get cooking!
Erin

P.S. Like the idea of a turkey breast, but looking for a more traditionally cooked bird? Look no further! Check out this recipe for a brined and oven-roasted turkey breast.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

6-7 pound bone-in, skin-on turkey breast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
3 carrots, peeled and cut into big chunks
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Sprinkle salt and poultry seasoning evenly over turkey breast. Place onion, carrots, and bay leaves on the bottom of the slow cooker and pour the broth on top of the vegetables. Top with turkey.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours, until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Allow turkey to rest for 10 minutes. The skin gets a little soggy, so I recommend removing it before slicing and serving the turkey.

Are you ready for Easter?

Easter weekend has arrived! In celebration, I'm rounding up some of my favorite springtime recipes, perfect for your Easter gathering.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Rhubarb Muffins: Rhubarb is the ruby announcement that Spring has arrived, and it absolutely shines in these lightened-up muffins.

Stuffed French Toast: Tangy cream cheese, sweet jam, and warm cinnamon make this an immediate brunch classic.

Apricot Mustard Glazed Ham: For me, Easter dinner isn't complete without ham. The apricot mustard glaze on this beauty is unbelievably simple and delicious. I made it just last week, and it's one of my all-time favorite meals.

Lamb Kabobs: If you live in a climate where it's warm enough to grill, these Mediterranean kabobs are for you.

Mom's Cheesy Potatoes: These potatoes are an essential accompaniment to ham. Salty, creamy, and crunchy, they will steal the show.

Crispy Parmesan Asparagus "Fries": Asparagus is the quintessential spring vegetable, and it's perfect for your Easter dinner table. Since these are "fries," you might even be able to convince your pickiest eater to try them.

Amy's Roasted Chicken

About seven years ago, I taught myself to roast a chicken. I've been roasting birds ever since. I consider it my signature dish. It's one way I know my French heritage is legit.

If someone asked me my favorite meal, it would be this: roasted chicken, green salad, roasted or scalloped potatoes, baguette, red wine.

The roasted chicken is super yummy and super easy. And sometimes I make it for Easter dinner.

XOXO,
Amy

Amy's Roasted Chicken

Whole chicken
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425. Remove bird from refrigerator and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the microwave and mix together the dry ingredients. Brush the melted butter all over the bird. Press the salt and herb mixture into the bird, covering the entire bird. Place in a roasting pan breast side up. Cook for 15 minutes at 425. Reduce temp to 375 and cook for 50-60 minutes.

Carve. Or, in my case, have hubby carve. (He does a much better job.) Enjoy. Save carcass to make chicken stock and chicken soup.

Irish Soda Bread

When we were living in Milwaukee, our local grocery store made raisin-studded, sugar-crusted Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day every year, and it blew my mind. It wasn't exactly authentic, but it was dang good.

Since I couldn't walk down the street to the store to pick up soda bread this year, I set out to duplicate it at home. Traditional buttermilk and all-purpose flour for simplicity. Baking soda and baking powder for a little rise, salt for flavor, and sugar because that's how I roll. (I said it wasn't authentic, okay?) Studded with raisins and sprinkled with coarse sugar crystals to guild the lily.

I was giddy with excitement when I pulled this baby out of the oven. The scent alone was absolutely tantalizing. The sugar glittered on the golden crust like treasure at the end of a rainbow.

So I ate a quarter of the loaf for dinner.

Tender and rich with just enough sweetness. Raisins in every bite. Crisp with sugar crystals. Holy cow. The luck of the Irish is with you today, folks, because this bread is good.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons milk (You might not need it all.)
1 tablespoon coarse sugar crystals (I used Sugar in the Raw.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir in melted butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Stir in buttermilk and raisins until the dough just comes together in a shaggy mixture.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured counter. Knead just until the dough comes together in a smooth ball, about 10 times. Pat dough into an 8" circle and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush top of dough with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Use a knife to cut a large "X" on the top of the loaf.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Valentine's Day...Are you ready?

Public Service Announcement: Valentine's Day is this Saturday. No pressure or anything. 

The husband won't be around for Valentine's Day this year, so Danny and I will be on our own. I think I'll make my little sweetheart his favorite meal to celebrate, which means we'll be eating macaroni and cheese from a box. Just keepin' it real, people. 

But if I had to cook for someone who was interested in more than Kraft for dinner, noodles would still be prominently featured. I think it started with Lady and the Tramp. That spaghetti slurping scene was my first glimpse at romance, and it stuck. 

With that in mind, here is just a taste of some Valentine's Day inspiration. Buon appetito!

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce: Classic. Rich. Disney-approved. 

Creamy Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli: The husband's favorite. 

Three Cheese Bacon Macaroni and Cheese: Three cheeses and bacon? Just...yeah. 

Merry Christmas!

Tomorrow is Christmas! I'm so excited, I can't even stand it. I'm pretty sure I like Christmas Eve even more than Christmas day. All the anticipation...Oh, geez!

What are you doing for Christmas? Are you having people over for roast goose and carols? Please tell me you are. In case you were wondering, we'll be a small but fabulous crowd at my house this year: the husband, my sister, Danny (baby's first Christmas!), and me, of course. At the husband's request, I'll be making prime rib, which I've never done before. Wish me luck.

My Christmas excitement is obviously causing a bit of blathering here. Sorry about that. What I meant to share is a super easy centerpiece in case you're like me and forgot about that kind of thing. I always have good intentions about setting the table, but then I get caught up in the food and forget about decor. Miraculously, I thought of this lovely idea for a recent holiday fete at our place:

Purdy, ain't it? So easy:

1. Get out a white platter or plate.
2. Put some candles on the platter.
3. Sprinkle cranberries around the candles.
4. Light candles.
5. Boom goes the dynamite.

Step five was actually my Christmas excitement getting the best of me. Anyway, I used tea lights because that's what I had on hand, but this looks lovely with pillar candles as well. Just use what you've got. Make it work people. 

Go forth and be merry!

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

I'm not the best cookie baker in town. I think I lack the patience required. The instant gratification of dessert bars is more up my alley. My Recipe section confirms this preference: There is only one single cookie listed. In my dessert-obsessed world, that's pretty pathetic.

It being the season of cookie platters, I dragged myself into the kitchen to make an official cookie. Not truffles. Not bars. Not Minty Mindies. A real Christmas cookie. But I'm still my impatient self, so I made a total cheat cookie using a cake mix. (At least I keep it real, people.)

If you want to bring a festive treat to your next holiday party or are looking for a suuuuper easy baking project to make with the kids, Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are right up your alley. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
From The Novice Chef
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1/2 cup powdered sugar
18.25-ounce box red velvet cake mix
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up. (If you don't have parchment paper on hand, spray cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.) Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside for later.

In a separate bowl, stir together cake mix, butter, and eggs until there are no more large lumps. (This will require some elbow grease...just think of it as your exercise for the day.) Roll dough into 1" balls and then roll in powdered sugar so they're coated generously. Place dough balls about 2" apart on your prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the bottoms are set and the tops looked crinkled. (The centers of the cookies will still look a bit gooey, but they set up as they cool. So be careful not to over-bake them.) Let the cookies rest for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Twas the night before the night before Christmas...

It's Christmas Eve Eve! Can you believe it!? Are you finished shopping? Are your presents wrapped? Are your halls decked and your tree trimmed? Are you ready for friends and family to fill your home with joy and mirth? Are you amused that I used the word "mirth"?

In case you're still finalizing your menu for the holidays, check out some of these tempting favorites.

Goat Cheese Spread with Pecans & Cranberries:

Spicy Nuts:

Roast Beef Tenderloin with Bacon Port Sauce:

Mom's Cheesy Potatoes:

Roasted Green Beans:

Minty Mindies (these taste JUST like Thin Mints!):











Oreo Truffles: