Hubby loves pecan pie, so I wanted to try this Pecan Pie Bar recipe!
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
3 cups pecan halves
Directions
For crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray the bottom and sides a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper or foil letting the excess extend over the edges of the pan.
Cube the butter and place in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter smells nutty and the solids have turned brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour the butter into a medium bowl to stop the cooking. Whisk in the sugar and salt. Add the flour, and stir until it is fully moistened. Press the crust evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. (The crust will be moist. Press carefully to reach all edges and corners of the pan).
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and lightly press down any large bubbles in the crust.
For the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Pour over the baked crust.
Bake at 350°F until the topping is puffed and set (it should not wiggle), 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan. Use the excess parchment or foil to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into squares to serve.
I thought we’d start the New Year off with Champagne Cupcakes!
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
1 15.25 oz box vanilla or white cake mix
1 cup sparkling wine, such as champagne, prosecco or cava
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the champagne buttercream:
2 sticks salted butter, softened (1 cup)
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, optional
1/4 cup sparkling wine, such as champagne, prosecco or cava, at room temperature
Gold and white sparkly sprinkles, for garnish
Directions
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the cake mix, sparkling wine, eggs and oil. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Fill each with 3-4 tablespoons of batter. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
For the champagne buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, lemon zest (if using) and prosecco. Mix on low speed just until combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Spread the icing on the cupcakes or transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the icing around the outer edge of the cupcake, spiraling into the center until the cupcake is completely covered. Top with sprinkles and serve.
This is another brand new holiday recipe—Salted Caramel Bundt Cake!
Ingredients
CAKE
2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole milk
GLAZE
1/2 cup unwrapped hard caramel candies, such as Werther’s Original (about 24)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Directions
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter a 12-cup bundt pan, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess, making sure the pan is fully coated. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Beat the butter, brown sugar and espresso powder in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 more minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake until a long toothpick or skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then invert the cake onto a rack to cool completely.
For the glaze: Put the hard candies in a small resealable bag and roughly crush with a rolling pin. Pour the candies into a small saucepot and add the heavy cream and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the candies are totally melted and the glaze is smooth and thick, scraping the bottom of the pan so the mixture doesn’t burn. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes to cool slightly and thicken a bit more.
Meanwhile, put the white chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20- to 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Drizzle the salted caramel glaze over the cake, letting it run down the sides. Drizzle the white chocolate over the caramel. Let set, about 10 minutes.
Georgia inspired me to switch out walnuts in my cookies and use pecans instead. What a distinct improvement! I found this recipe for Butter Pecan Fudge!
Ingredients
1 teaspoon plus 1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
Directions
Line an 8-in. square pan with foil; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter.
In a large heavy saucepan, combine remaining butter, granulated and brown sugars, cream and salt. Bring to a rapid boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Remove from heat. Add vanilla to pan (do not stir).
Cool, without stirring, to 110°, about 30 minutes. Beat with a spoon until fudge just begins to thicken. Gradually stir in confectioners’ sugar until smooth; add nuts and continue stirring until fudge becomes very thick and just begins to lose its sheen. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Cool.
Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.
Every year I try and make one new cookie for Christmas—that way I have a lot of “testers” to let me know if it’s a keeper or not. This year I’m trying Oatmeal Coconut Cookies!
Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Directions
In a large bowl, beat shortening and sugars until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in oats and coconut.
Divide dough into 4 portions. On a lightly floured surface, shape each into a 6-in.-long log. Wrap in waxed paper; freeze 2 hours or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/2-in. slices, reshaping as needed. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
It’s December! December is normally COOKIE month in my house, but I thought I’d start the month with an EASY holiday treat…Snowman Cupcakes! You can go through all the fuss of using homemade cake and frosting recipes or you can use box mixes and canned frosting and get right to the fun!
Ingredients
24 cupcakes (mixed and baked according to box directions—any flavor)
1 tub prepared WHITE frosting
Shredded coconut
Black food coloring
Orange food coloring
Directions
Frost cupcakes. Press shredded coconut into frosting.
Stir together 1 cup frosting and black food coloring in a bowl until desired shade is reached. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip or a zip-top bag with a small hole cut in one corner.
Stir together ½ cup frosting and orange food coloring in a second bowl until desired shade is reached. Transfer to a second piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip or a zip-top bag with a small hole cut in one corner.
Pipe a carrot-shaped nose in the center of each cupcake. With the black frosting, pipe two eyes and five or six smaller dots for the mouth. Store cupcakes, covered, at room temperature up to 2 days.
24 Reese’s miniature cups (wrapped in gold foil, but unwrap for the cookies)
120 pieces candy corn
48 small edible eyeballs
24 yellow or orange Reese’s Pieces
24 red mini M&M’s
Instructions
Prep : Preheat the oven based on the peanut butter cookie dough directions.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, baking mat, or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place 12 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet making sure to leave 2-inches of space between each one. Use the palm of your hand, or a flat bottomed glass, to flatten the dough balls so the top is flat.
Bake the cookies according to the package directions. When done, allow the cookies to cool on the warm tray for about 10 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
Decorate The Turkey Cookies
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring well after each one, until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Dip the bottom of a miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup into the melted chocolate and place it in the center of the cookie, in the lower third of the cookie, to create the turkey head. Create the turkey feathers by dipping one side of five pieces of candy corn into the chocolate. Then place them in a fan shape above the Reese’s. Dip a Reese’s Pieces into the chocolate (just the bottom side) and then press it into the Reese’s cup to form the beak. Gently press a mini M&M next to the beak to form the wattle of the turkey. You may need to dip the mini M&M in the melted chocolate or it might just stay by itself. Dip the bottom side of two candy eyeballs into the melted chocolate and add them to the top of the Reese’s cup for the eyes, above the beak.
Allow the cookies to set for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Cooking a turkey for the Thanksgiving meal can be overwhelming. Butterball Turkey hotline has been assisting home chefs for over 30 years. And in that time, you can imagine that they have had some pretty interesting questions. Here is a list of the most interesting questions they have been asked over the years. If you need that hotline, it’s open on Thanksgiving, call 1-800-288-8372 from 7am-7pm and normal hours are from 9am-7pm daily. This year, Butterball has also added the option of texting. Now through Thanksgiving, you can text the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts 24/7 at 844-877-3456.
1. So I’m looking at a turkey from 1969 sitting here in my father’s freezer … any tips on the best way to cook a 30-year-old bird? A man found a turkey in his dad’s freezer from 1969. The Talk-Line suggested the man throw out the old turkey and purchase a new one. Then, the Talk-Line suggested to cook the turkey in the open roasting pan method.
2. How do I roast my turkey so it gets golden brown tan lines — in the shape of a turkey bikini? A strange request in deed, but the Talk-Line can help in any turkey situation! The experts helped to create a “bikini look” by using aluminum foil in certain places on the turkey.
3. How to carve a turkey when all of its bones have been broken? A proud gentleman called to tell the staff how he wrapped his turkey in a towel and stomped on it several times, breaking the bones so it would fit in his pan. The experts wouldn’t recommend this approach — if you have several folks coming to your holiday meal but a small pan, the Talk-Line would recommend trying a different method, maybe deep frying the turkey. Or, buy two smaller turkeys in place of a large one.
4. I carved my turkey with a chainsaw … is the chain grease going to adversely affect my turkey? A gentleman called to tell the operator he cut his turkey in half with a chain saw and wanted to know if the oil from the chain would adversely affect the turkey. The Talk-Line wouldn’t recommend serving a turkey with chainsaw grease! Instead, let your turkey rest at least 20 mins after cooking to make carving easier. Then, using a carving knife you would find in your kitchen.
5. Why does my turkey have no breast meat? A disappointed woman called wondering why her turkey had no breast meat. After a conversation with a Talk-Line operator, it became apparent that the woman’s turkey was lying on the table upside down. The Talk-Line experts recommend cooking your turkey breast side up in the open roasting pan method. This will give you a flavorful turkey and make it easier when transferring your turkey to a plate so you don’t have to flip it over.
6. It’s my first Thanksgiving and I have a tiny apartment-sized oven … how much will my turkey expand when cooking? A new bride cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in a small, apartment-sized oven, wanted to make sure her turkey wouldn’t expand during cooking (as baked goods do) and get stuck in the oven. Rest assured, your turkey will not expand in the oven. But be sure to use a pan with at least 2″ sides so your turkey juices don’t spill over during the cooking process … you want to save the juices for turkey gravy.
7. How do I get my turkey to stop sudsing? Is a soapy turkey recoverable? A first-time Thanksgiving chef called after she had washed her turkey with dish soap. You don’t have to clean your turkey, simply pat the extra juices dry with paper towels before stuffing or roasting the turkey – quite a bit easier than washing with soap!
8. For the sake of delicious smells, can I cook my turkey over the course of four days? The Talk-Line doesn’t recommend slow-cooking your turkey over the course of multiple days. You are able to use a slow cooker if needed, but experts would recommend 6-8 hours in the slow cooker. If cooking in the oven, it should only take a few hours to cook
9. How do I baste a pre-basted turkey? Some folks love to baste the turkey while it’s cooking. If you’re one of them, the Talk-Line suggests basting only a few times during the cooking process so you don’t continuously let out the heat of the oven.
10. My turkey thawed on my lap … can I eat it? A gentleman won a turkey at the casino, and brought it home on the bus where it had thawed. The safest way to thaw your turkey is in the refrigerator — it takes one day for every four pounds of turkey. The Talk-Line experts wouldn’t recommend eating a turkey that has been thawed in warmer temperatures.
These cute and tasty appetizers will wow your guests while you manage the chaos in the kitchen! The recipes can be found at the link at the end of article.
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Sew Colorful 