What Are You Baking for Christmas?

[lacychef]

I'm not doing a lot; just oreo truffles & cranberry crunch bark I think...
my dh works at a mechanic shop, & tons of people bring the guys in sweets; so we get enough from there!

 

[PamperChefCarol]

Rum Balls - these are the youngest's favorite. Now before you all go... what the ?????, she's 28 so it's cool! Packed a bunch of these up in Pampered Chef prep bowls and mailed to AZ.

Dark Chocolate Truffles. These are INCREDIBILY easy to make and everyone thinks I am a master candy maker! Love it. This year tried something differnet. Did you all know that Dove has gone into the direct sales business with their chocolate and have this stuff called coating chocolate?? The chocolate rasberry is awesome. BTW-would never become a consultant for Dove. Way too limited market, too hard a sell.

Besides that, I am not baking much else. Have made the cranberry chutney and peppermint ice cream for gifts, but I get cookie'd out this time of year.

 

[almondfarm]

I have made:

Peanut Butter No Bake cookies
Christmas Cut Outs
Lemon Bars
Fudge
Cherry Bing Bars
Eggnog Spritz Cookies
Puppy Chow
Oreo Truffles
Chex Mix
Shortbread
Peanut Butter Blossoms

 

[PCSarahjm]

No baking here yet, maybe this weekend but here is my funny Brie story.

I make the tangy pepper pecan brie and took it to my boss's Christmas party...told her it needed to be heated for 8-10 minutes at 425. So she preheats the oven...

I hear the ding, go to open the oven to pop it in and there is her drain rack and metal plug/catcher in the oven melting! Luckily she keeps tin foil over her racks. Anyway, reminder to all having company over...don't hide/store stuff in your oven then preheat it with it in there for your guests.

Luckily I was sympathic and the smell wasn't too bad, but she was embarrased. I'm just so glad I wasn't the one that turned the oven on!!!!

Even at shows I check to see if there are things in the oven.....you just never know what you will find!

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Here's my list so far....Chocolate balls - type of chewy candy

Ritz Chocolate cookies - Peanut butter sandwiched between two ritz crackers and coated in chocolate

Almond Thumbprint cookies - fillings are endless - white chocolate, jams, chocolate kisses, nuts and chocolate

Sugar cookies - Cookies I made for a wedding shower favor, delicious, great cookies in different shapes and decorations

Chocolate covered pretzels - yummy

Cranberry bark - our Pc recipe with much more crispy cereal, cranberries and nuts to keep it from being too sweet

Fudge - chocolate and peanut butter - easy and delicious

Petit fours - different flavored cake covered in white, dark or milk chocolate.

So far that's all I have. But I may add some more stuff. I'll let you know.

Debbie

 

[kcjodih]

I have made:

Peanut Butter No Bake cookies
Christmas Cut Outs
Lemon Bars
Fudge
Cherry Bing Bars
Eggnog Spritz Cookies
Puppy Chow
Oreo Truffles
Chex Mix
Shortbread
Peanut Butter Blossoms

I would LOVE the recipes for the Lemon Bars and Cherry Bing Bars if you'd be so kind as to share!

 

[janetupnorth]

Well, I just made:

Rice Krispy Treats with the cocoa/vanilla rice crispies, marshmellows and mini chocolate chips for DD's class tomorrow.

Cranberry Bark - chocolate version without the almonds.

I took the mini fluted pan and filled the sections half full so when cooled, it made mini wreaths. Then when I took them out I put extra dried cranberries in the center. They look cute. Would probably look cuter with regular almond bark, but the grocery store was all out today except 1 pkg. of choc. almond bark.

 

[DebbieJ]

I wish I had time to make some banket this year. Maybe next year.But I will make DH some ollie bollen for his birthday. He's a New Year's baby.

 

[chefjwr]

Has anyone made Neiman Marcus brownies? My friend made some last year that were not chocolate but light in color and had cream cheese. Yummy! She called them Neiman Marcus Brownies. Is that the right name for them? Does anyone know?

 

[Tanoi]

I am making a whole batch of treats for my husband to take to work since he goes in on Christmas day and has to stay 4 days straight. You have all given me lots of good ideas. I'm sure the guys will be thanking you all for the ideas you give me too!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I am making..... fudge
pumpkin cookies
thumbprints
snickerdoodles
spritz cookies
chocolate covered pretzels
pumpkin bars
chocolate coconut balls
jellied filled sugar cookies that is what I can think of right off the top of my head!!!

 

[pamperedlinda]

I wish I had time to make some banket this year. Maybe next year.

But I will make DH some ollie bollen for his birthday. He's a New Year's baby.

please explaine to me what you are talking about....

 

[christy_c]

Question: My brother told me last night that he is bringing a Green Tomato and Apple Pie for Christmas dinner! Anyone tried this before? I've never heard of it, and quite honestly, it doesn't sound very appealing to me.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

please explaine to me what you are talking about....

Don't know what ollie bollen is, but I know Banket!I live in Dutch country......Banket is a long log shaped pastry filled with an almond paste. It is wonderful. Most families in this area have an old family recipe for it, and all of the bakeries make it this time of year. In fact, in some stores in the area, you can buy the pure almond paste by the gallon! Then you add eggs, sugar, etc...to it to make the filling for the pastry.I had never even heard of Banket until I moved here to West Michigan - but now I am a true fan.....I look forward to it every year!ETA: it is pronounced bahn-ket

 

[lacychef]

please explaine to me what you are talking about....

Thanks for asking....Deb had me confused too!

 

[nicki25]

Does anyone have a really good chocolate chip cheesecake or regular cheesecake recipe??? I need to take cheesecake for Christmas with my dad on Sunday and I have never made one before and I want it to be really GOOD. (I have a step mom who is hard to please).

 

[almondfarm]

hERE ARE THE RECIPES. FOR THE LEMON BARS i MAKE 1 RECIPE OF CRUST, BUT 2 RECIPES OF FILLING FOR ON TOP.
CHERRY BING BARS

1 2/3 c. sugar
Dash salt
12 marshmallows
1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. evaporated milk
16 oz. cherry chips
1 tsp. vanilla

In a 2 quart square pan, mix sugar, salt, milk, marshmallows, butter. Blend over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and blend cherry chips and vanilla.

CHOCOLATE MIX:

12 oz. chocolate chips
1 tbsp. butter
2/3 c. peanut butter
10 oz. pkg. peanuts (no skins), chopped

In a 1 quart pan, melt chocolate chips and butter and peanut butter and chopped peanuts.

Lemon Square Bars

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, melted

4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5/8 cup lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour so there will be no flour lumps. Stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the prepared crust and return to the oven.
4. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bars are set. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

 

[janetupnorth]

Does anyone have a really good chocolate chip cheesecake or regular cheesecake recipe??? I need to take cheesecake for Christmas with my dad on Sunday and I have never made one before and I want it to be really GOOD. (I have a step mom who is hard to please).

Ooh, I have some awesome ones! Let me dig through my e-mails!

 

[janetupnorth]

Nikki - this is TO DIE FOR!!!!
A coworker makes about 50 of these each year. I've made it a few times! THE BEST!!!! (Notes in the recipe are from the lady I got it from.)CLOCK STEAK HOUSE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
with modifications

preheat oven 350 degrees-I put saucepan of water in the oven for moisture-helps with cracking

CRUST
2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Mix cookie crumbs and sugar together, stir in melted butter until mixed. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10 inch spring form pan. (I spray mine with pam)

FILLING
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 3/4 cup melted chocolate chips, slightly cooled (I use 2 cups milk chocolate, 2/3 cup semi-sweet)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chocolate chips (I use the rest of the bag of the semi-sweet chips) can add even more if desired

Mix softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla. Blend in eggs. Add melted chocolate chips. Add sour cream. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Makes 16 servings.

When the baking time is up-I turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake sit in the oven and cool down slowly. Around 30-45 minutes more. Take out and sit on counter until cool. Refrigerate until solid-at least 12 hours or more. Can be made ahead--and can be frozen after.

*I learned this one the hard way. Sometimes they leak/drip butter-makes smoke-sets of the fire detector. No problem. Only ours is tied into the security system=automatically calls the fire department=BIG PROBLEM. So I have learned to put a cookie sheet underneath to catch any drips and change the cookie sheet during cooking if needed.

 

[janetupnorth]

Here is her turtle cheesecake one:TURTLE CHEESECAKE

preheat oven to 350 degrees-I put a saucepan of water in the oven also-helps with cracking

CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons melted butter

mix crumbs and sugar together, stir in melted butter until mixed. Press onto the bottom only of a 9 inch springform pan. (I spray mine with pam first) Top with shredded coconut and milk chocolate chips-your preference on quantity.

Bake crust for 10 minutes.

FILLING
5 packages cream cheese (8 oz. each), softened
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Cream softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and flour until smooth. Blend in eggs one at at time on low speed until just blended. Blend in sour cream. Pour over baked crust. Top with milk chocolate chips and pecan pieces-your preference as to quantity.

Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes. At halfway point-drizzle top with butterscotch/caramel topping. I use Mrs. Richardson's brand. I have discovered that if you put the caramel on the top right away before putting it in the oven-the caramel gets overdone-really hard.

At the end of the baking time-turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven and cool down slowly-another 30-45 minutes. (another secret-take a sharp knife and run around the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the rim of the pan-be careful not to get burned. It will split less as it cools if you do this.

Set on the counter until cool. Refrigerate until solid-around 12 hours.

Also it is a good idea to put a cookie sheet on the shelf underneath the cheesecake as it bakes to catch any drips. Change cookie sheet during baking if needed.

Serves 14.

 

[nicki25]

Thanks, I really appreciate it!!! I can't wait to try it.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Question: My brother told me last night that he is bringing a Green Tomato and Apple Pie for Christmas dinner! Anyone tried this before? I've never heard of it, and quite honestly, it doesn't sound very appealing to me.

I saw it on Food Network one time (maybe Paula Deen?). Anyhow, the name sounds nasty, but the recipe actually seemed pretty good. I never tried it though.

 

[DebbieJ]

please explaine to me what you are talking about....

They are both Dutch pastries, as Becky mentioned. She had a good explanation of banket. My sister made some this year. I know a woman from my church who has already made 50 sticks out of one of those big tubs of almond paste Becky is referring to.

Ollie Bollen is a kind of donut hole made with currants. They are a traditional new year treat.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

They are both Dutch pastries, as Becky mentioned. She had a good explanation of banket. My sister made some this year. I know a woman from my church who has already made 50 sticks out of one of those big tubs of almond paste Becky is referring to.

Ollie Bollen is a kind of donut hole made with currants. They are a traditional new year treat.

It's funny I've never heard of Ollie Bollen - I'll have to ask DH if he knows what it is....he still comes up with Dutch words and expressions sometimes that have me scratching my head, and he was born right here in Grand Rapids! He'll probably know.

 

[Jennie4PC]

I believe my DH has had the green tomato and apple pie and he said you couldnt even tell it was green tomatos in it.

 

[chefann]

There's a short piece in the Women's mag that comes with the Sunday Detroit Free Press about a pair of local women who take 3 days off each December to make cookies. They try to beat the previous year's count. This year, they made 10,327 cookies.41 total hours baking (3 14-hour days)
75 pounds of flour
144 sticks of butter
35 pounds of chocolate (white, dark, semi-sweet and milk)
$500 for groceries
15 varieties of cookies
100 tins of cookies and several large plattersYikes!!