Christmas countdown!

Merry Christmas to y'all! The big day is quickly approaching! Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit more than baking. Every year, I spend hours and hours baking homemade gifts for family and friends. This year is no different, I have spent the last two days baking our traditional favorites and a few new things. I stocked up at the grocery store on Monday morning...

Got my tools and gadgets out...

And started the baking marathon!
Most of my recipes are from Everyday Food.

I started with a special request from Justin. His favorite from last year was Molasses Sandwich Cookies (click links for recipes). These are amazing, like big gooey christmas- filled sandwiches!
They start out with chewy molasses cookies.

The cookies are filled with a buttery molasses filling.

Soft, chewy, spicy goodness! Make sure you have a huge glass of milk, or better yet, hot coffee!


Next up: Chunky Chocolate Everything Cookies! I got the idea for these cookies from this Food Network recipe. I had pecans on hand (like, a lot...) so I used them instead of cashews. Also, I replaced the M&M's with Craisins and dried cherries, but otherwise followed the recipe. The dough was very dry, so I added a few tablespoons of milk at the end to pull it together.
Yum, yum!


I always make these shortbread cookies every year...they are MY favorite! Another one from Everyday Food...Martha is always right on time! You can make them with ANY mix in or coating you can imagine. My favorite is the orange- cranberry. This year I also tried dark chocolate, dried cherries, and pecans (like I said, I have a lot of pecans...). Both turned out quite delicious!
Icebox Shortbread



I decided to try another shortbread variation, too! Chocolate Shortbread Wedges...I got a tad carried away with the shortbread...but it is soooo easy!



Moving on...Butter Pecan Cookies! These are seriously the easiest cookies I have ever made. Plus they are delicious, and look like you got them from a bakery! Justin and I both love these sparkly, sugary treats!


Whew! Yep, there's more!

Pumpkin Chocolate chip Squares. This was a new one, but it will definitely be a repeat next year. So, so good! I love pumpkin. I love chocolate. I love these!!


Almost there...Hope my family is hungry! :)

Chocolate Chunk Biscotti
Again, I needed to use my pecans...so I replaced the pistacios and raisins in the Everyday Food recipe with pecans and chocolate chunks. I also had some coconut left over from the Chunky Chocolate Everything cookies, so I threw that in, too! MMMMMM! I love biscotti and coffee!




And finally, last but certainly not least, the infamous Red Velvet Truffle! Everyone loves these, but I have to admit....I hate to make them! I know. It's the one thing (baking-wise) that is just a total pain in the butt! I make them because Justin loves them and I love Justin! :)

Red Velvet Truffles

1 red velvet cake mix, baked according to package directions
1 can cream cheese icing
2 bags white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or crisco
chopped pecans

Crumble cake into a large bowl and stir in icing until uniform in color. Scoop out cake mixture with a cookie scoop onto parchment paper- lined cookie sheets. Place cake balls in the freezer for at least 2 hours to firm. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate chips with oil or crisco in a double boiler. Using two forks, coat each ball in white chocolate and rest on parchment paper. You can sprinkle with leftover cake crumbs or chopped pecans.



I packed everything up in tins and plastic goodie bags...



All ready for the trip to Meridian...get ready, everyone!

Goodbye November...Hello December!!

Well, I am finally getting around to posting my Thanksgiving recipes and photos. I hope you all had a fabulous holiday...I, for one, am still in a food coma...and there is another pan of dressing in the fridge!!

We had a wonderful day Thursday. I cooked all morning, and once Justin got home from work, we pigged out. The best part about Thanksgiving for two?...Immediately changing into stretchy PJ pants after we ate!!!

Here are all my recipes...

Appetizer:
Brie, drizzled with honey, and topped with pecans. Served with cracked pepper water crackers



Katie's brined, buttered turkey breast with gravy

1 7-8 lb fresh turkey breast
1/3 cup cider vinegar per 1/2 gallon of water
1/3 cup kosher salt per 1/2 gallon of water
1/3 cup brown sugar per 1/2 gallon of water
6-8 whole peppercorns
1 whole head garlic, cut in half; plus 3 cloves, minced
1 bunch each: fresh sage, rosemary, thyme
1 shallot, cut in half
ice
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 lemon
1 Tbsp dry mustard
2 squirts Tabasco
2 tsp EVOO
1 stalk celery, cut into sticks
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into sticks
1 cup apple cider
2-3 tbsp burre manie (50/50 paste of butter and flour)

1. Brine the turkey: In a large bucket or stockpot with a lid, bring 4 quarts of water to a simmer. Add vinegar, salt, sugar, peppercorns, garlic head, 2 sprigs rosemary, 5-6 sage leaves, 3-4 sprigs thyme, and shallot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Add ice to brine until you have enough liquid to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate 8-12 hours.

2. Butter the turkey: Remove your turkey breast from the brine and pat dry, set aside. In a small bowl, combine butter, minced garlic, dry mustard, 1 tbsp chopped rosemary, 1 tbsp chopped thyme, 1 tbsp chopped sage, EVOO, juice of 1 lemon (reserve lemon halves), and tabasco. Separate the skin from the turkey breast. Place 1/2 of butter under the skin and 1/2 on top of the skin. (Don't be shy! Generously coat inside and out)

3. Prepare your pan: Place a rack in the bottom of a roasting pan. Arrange celery and carrot sticks, lemon halves, onion halves, and remaining herbs in the bottom of the pan. Pour cider into pan. Place buttered turkey on the rack.

4. Roast the turkey: Heat oven to 325. Roast turkey for 2 hours 15 min or until instant read thermometer shows 160 degrees. Remove from oven and transfer to serving platter. Tent with foil and allow to rest 20 min before carving.

5. Prepare gravy: Strain drippings from roasting pan. Place drippings in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Skim fat from drippings. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add burre manie and whisk until desired thickness is achieved. Strain gravy into serving dish.

Serve turkey with gravy.


Deep South Cornbread Dressing
"Southern Seasons"

1 Cornish hen
2 quarts chicken broth
1/2 onion
1/2 carrot
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
2 tsp celery salt
2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 cups mushroom bechamel (recipe follows)
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups chicken broth strained from cooking hen
4 eggs
1 recipe cornbread, crumbled
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Place the hen, broth, onion, carrot, and bayleaf in a medium stock pot. Simmer 1 hour and 20 minutes over medium heat. Remove hen and strain broth. Allow hen to cool and pull meat from bones. Chop meat.
Preheat oven to 325
In a medium skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add bell pepper, celery, onion, celery salt, and poultry seasoning and cook slowly for 10 minutes.
Pour into a mixing bowl. Add mushroom bechamel, cream, broth, and eggs mixing well. Add crumbled cornbread, boiled egg, and chicken. Mix. Pour into 3 qt baking dish. Bake 1 hour and 15 min. Dressing should be moist, but not runny.

Mushroom Bechamel

2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp onion, minced
1 tbsp shallot, minced
1 tbsp celery, minced
1/2 tsp salt
3 oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup chicken broth, heated
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/8 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup whipping cream, warmed
Heat oil in a 3 qt saucepan over low heat. Add onion, shallot, celery, and salt. cook vegetables until tender. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium. cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Add chicken broth, garlic, and thyme. Bring back to simmer and cook 10 more minutes.
In a separate skillet, make a light blond roux by melting butter and stirring in flour. Add to simmering broth mixture. Cook 3-4 min and add cream.



Mama's Sweet Potato Casserole

Filling:
3 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients for filling in a mixing bowl with hand mixer until smooth. Pour into casserole dish. Mix topping ingredients until well incorporated. Sprinkle on top of filling. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.



Parker House Rolls
Bobby Flay

click link for recipe



Pumpkin Cheesecake
"Southern Seasons"

Filling:
1 1/2 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
5 eggs
4 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice

Crust:
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 275
Place softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat using paddle attachment on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape sides and beat again to ensure there are no lumps. Add sugar and salt and mix well. Add eggs and yolks, a few at a time, allowing them to incorporate well before adding more. Set the mixer to low and add vanilla, pumpkin buree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Blend well another 2-3 minutes.

Combine crumbs, cinnamon and sugar and mix by hand. Add butter in stages, mixing well before each addition. Evenly distribute crust in a 10 inch springform pan, pressing firmly on the bottom of the pan and building crust up 2 inches on the sides.
Pour the cheesecake batter and bake 1- 1 1/2 hours. The cheesecake should jiggle slightly when tapped. Remove and refrigerate overnight before serving.