|
 
One thing that I miss by working from my home office,
and probably a good thing, is the office break room around the
holidays when tables and counters are filled with everyone’s
favorite baked goods. It’s definitely that time of year again
when everyone tries to out-do the other with the gooiest, yummiest
sweets of the season. Hope these treats will become some of your
newest Christmas traditions!
Walnut
Blondie with Maple Butter Sauce
1 cup sifted flour
½ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
½ cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
½ cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Sift flour, add baking powder,
baking soda and salt. Sift again. Add chopped nuts. Mix well and
set aside. Melt butter. Add brown sugar and mix well. Add egg
and vanilla extract. Blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at
a time, mixing well. Stir in white chocolate chips. Spread in
a 9-inch square pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden
pick inserted in center comes out clean or with slightly fudgy-looking
crumbs. Serve with ice cream and Maple Butter Sauce.
Maple
Butter Sauce
¾ cup maple syrup
½ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Combine syrup and butter, cook over low heat until butter
is melted. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
Add walnuts.
Chocolate
Layered Mint Bars
1 (12-oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. white chocolate
½ to 1 Tbs. oil-based peppermint extract (to taste)
Few drops green or red food coloring (optional)
In a heavy saucepan or a double boiler, melt the chips with
1 cup sweetened condensed milk. Stir in vanilla. Spread half of
the mixture in a wax-paper or foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Chill
10 minutes or until firm. Hold remaining mixture at room temperature.
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler with 1/3 cup remaining
sweetened condensed milk. Stir in the peppermint and food coloring.
Spread this on the chilled chocolate layer. Chill for 10 minutes
or until firm. Then spread remaining chocolate mixture on mint
layer. Chill 2 hours. Turn onto cutting board; peel off paper
or foil and cut into 64 one-inch squares.
Baby
Ruth Brownies
1 pkg. brownie mix
3 (2.1-oz. bars) Baby Ruth candy bars, chopped
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, brought to room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. milk
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package,
then stir in chopped candy. Pour into a greased 9x13" baking
pan.
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Add egg and milk to the cream cheese mixture and blend well.
Drizzle cream cheese mixture over brownie batter and swirl with
a knife to create a marbled look.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes
out almost clean.
Remove brownies from oven and cool completely in pan, on a wire
rack. Cut into bars with a wet knife.
Low
Fat Chewy Fruit and Oatmeal Bars
½ - ¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 (8 oz.) container vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 Tbs. fat-free milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1½ cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt (optional)
3 cup oats (old fashioned or quick, uncooked)
1 cup diced dried mixed fruit, raisins, or dried cranberries
In a large bowl, combine the sugars, yogurt, egg whites, oil,
milk and vanilla. Mix well. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking
soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well. Add to yogurt mixture; mix
well. Stir in oats and fruit. Spread dough onto bottom of ungreased
9x13 pan and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 28-32 minutes or
until lightly brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars
and store in a covered container.
Don’t forget to pick up a copy of my cookbook, Lovin’
Spoonful – Cooking with Family and Friends. There are just
a few more copies left and will be available for Christmas only
at the Mountain Times/Watauga Democrat offices in Boone, The Avery
Journal-Times in Newland and at Trailway Laundry in Boone. My
thanks to each of you who helped make this such a sweet success,
but I have decided not to reorder any more.
Don’t forget your copy of “Lovin’ Spoonful
. . . Cooking With Family and Friends,” a compilation
of nearly 400 mouth-watering recipes by Sherrie Norris.
It is available at all locations of High Country Media
– Boone, Banner Elk, West Jefferson, and at The
Avery Journal in Newland, all Boone Drugs, Black Bear
Books, Trailway Laundry, Wilcox Emporium,( top level,
booth 312-W,) and beginning June 15 at Mast Store locations.
EMAIL:
|
Get Firefox