My Favorite Recipes of 2011

These recipes are the BEST ones I made this year, I think.  Every single one was a giant success with me, my husband and family.  They are the recipes I will make again and again! :) Here they are in no particular order...

1. Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
2. Veggie Quesadillas

3. Strawberry Cream Cheese Waffles

4. The BEST Chocolate Cake 

5. Strawberry Milk Chipster Cookies

6. Chocolate Cherry "Heart-Smart" Cookies

7. Fruit Pizza

8. Southwest Pasta Salad

9. Chocolate Cherry Cake

10. Smoky Mac' and Cheese

11. Apple Streusel Pie Bars

12. Sourdough Turkey Pesto Panini

13. Cranberry-Orange Bread

Sorry there's no pictures...boring I know.  But if you click on the links then you can see my awesome photography :)  Happy New Year and see you in 2012!!

My Favorite Christmas Cookies

Well my favorite Christmas cookies are probably not what you would call... a "classic" Christmas cookie.  You know- snickerdoodle, sugar, macaroons, etc. etc. 

Those are all great (actually I don't recall ever trying a macaroon, so I wouldn't be a fair judge...), but nope.  My favorite cookie was first made last year on my Mom, sister and I's annual "Holiday Baking Day."  Basically we get together and make about a bajillion cookies all day long.  And then sit around and complain about how our stomachs and feet hurt and we don't want to see another cookie for the rest of the year (although that's a lie).  It is one of my favorite days of the year! 

 

Yesterday was our baking day and I was most looking forward to these cookies: Ginger-Lemon cookies.  More specifically, they are a soft, ginger cookie that is amazing on its own, with a lemon glaze/frosting.  The two flavors are amazing together!  The first time we made them, I definitely was not expecting them to be THAT good.  They are one of my very favorite cookies, ever! They are so soft and moist and the lemon frosting is the secret weapon!

Ginger Cookies with a Lemon Glaze

Yields: 24 cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. 

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

4 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix together and after cookies are cooled, frost cookies.  If using sprinkles or other topping, decorate right after you frost it (before it slightly hardens and the topping will not stick to the frosting).

Cranberry-Orange Bread

 

This may well qualify as the WORST picture I have on this blog.  Oh my goodness I should just take it off.  You see, this bread gave me a little bit of trouble last week.  First time making this recipe of my grandmother's.  Instead of putting the bread in a large loaf pan, I poured it into two small loaf pans.  The batter was JUST about gone when the two pans were about full.  I knew I shouldn't pour any more batter into them, but it just didn't seem like I had enough to fill a third pan!!

Silly me.  They definitely over-flowed.  All over the oven racks and oven floor.  Luckily I noticed it before any real damage was done and put a baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any remaining drippings.  Hence, the lack of this bread's beauty.  

BUT, it did not matter.  This is my new favorite bread.  Ever. It is SO good.  So incredibly moist and flavorful.  The orange juice and cranberries compliment each other so well! My family and hubby also raved about it.  Wow.  I want to make it again right now.  New. Favorite. Recipe.  Just make sure you don't over-fill the pans.  Yup.

Cranberry-Orange Bread

 recipe courtesy of my grandmother

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup oil (I used vegetable)

1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tsp. grated orange peel

Preheat oven to 350.  Sift or finely mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  Set aside.  In separate bowl, combine beaten egg, orange juice and oil.  Add to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened.  Stir in cranberries, walnuts and orange peel.  Bake in greased 9x5x3 pan for 50 minutes or until done.

The Best Cheese Ball/Cracker Dip

Surely you've heard of Allrecipes.com  right?  Tell me it's true.  They have millions and billions of recipes (okay maybe not billions...) that are submitted by users and then rated and reviewed by lots and lots of people.  Basically, all the good recipes have thousands of ratings and you can tell it's gonna be a winner.

Well, last Thanksgiving I tried out this cheese ball recipe from Allrecipes.com and let me tell ya... it is SO a winner! I'm making it again this year and cannot wait! It is perfect with crackers (any kind) and is so addicting... not to mention a snap to put together!  Oh and it makes two cheese balls, which is perfect for me since I am going to my parents' house and my in-laws' house for two Thanksgivings.  One for each!

Cheddar Cheese Ball Dip
from Allrecipes.com

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 (1 ounce) package Ranch-style dressing mix
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 4 pecan halves

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and dressing mix. Form into one large ball or two smaller balls. Roll in chopped pecans to coat surface. Decorate the top with pecan halves. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

So guess what.  Yesterday was my 100th post! Took me long enough ;) but I thought that was a pretty cool accomplishment!

Well.  I have one last pie recipe for you before you finalize your Thanksgiving plans and before you stuff your face on Turkey Day in three days.  Wait that's not just me, is it?  This is really a goodie.  Everyone who tried it said they loved it and that it was better than normal apple pie.  How is it different, you ask?  It's got a creamy, buttermilk custard filling that surrounds the sweet, cinnamon-sugar apple filling and is topped with a crumbly, buttery and sugary topping.  Did that do it for you?  :)

Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie
from Cooking Light

Crust:

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough or refrigerated pie crust (such as Pillsbury)
• Cooking spray  

Streusel:

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour 
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces 

Filling:

• 5 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds) 
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 3/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• Preheat oven to 325º.
• To prepare crust, roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deepdish pie plate coated with cookig spray. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.
• To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place streusel in refrigerator.
• To prepare the filling, heat a large nonstrick skillet coated with cookig spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, sitrring mixture occasionally. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared crust.
• Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325º for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300º for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

Maple-Walnut Pumpkin Pie

 

With Thanksgiving just four days away, it's likely you already have your menu planned out. I don't blame you... I started planning for Thanksgiving about a month ago... and it's not like I'm having it at my house or anything.  Nope I'm just bringing some side dishes along to my parent's dinner AND my in-laws dinner.  Yup we're so lucky to have both of our families within 10 minutes of our home... it means Thanksgiving times two! My husband surprisingly considers this a bad thing, since he doesn't know how to eat small portions at the first dinner, ends up stuffing himself at both dinners and then regrets it.  Typical men.  I, on the other hand, am excited.  Hopefully I can eat small portions... but no promises, I mean it IS Thanksgiving! ;)

If you happen to be looking for a pumpkin pie recipe, this one really is special.  Not your average pumpkin pie, this recipe has a walnut streusel on top that is really delicious and adds to the wow-factor of this pie! I'd be making it again this Thursday if my mom wasn't already gonna make the pies.  

INGREDIENTS: 

Crust:

1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

2 eggs

2 tablespoons real maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Streusel:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Topping: (I just used Cool Whip instead)

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Chopped walnuts, if desired

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie. In large bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Pour into crust-lined pan. Bake 10 minutes.  

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, the chopped walnuts and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside. 

3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Sprinkle streusel over pie. Cover crust edge with 3-inch-wide strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.  

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Serve or refrigerate until serving time. 

.5 To serve, in medium bowl, beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons brown sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Serve pie with whipped cream; garnish with chopped walnuts. Store in refrigerator.

A Thanksgiving Favorite: A Paula Deen Staple!

My mom and I started a new Thanksgiving side dish a couple years ago that is not completely traditional to your average Thanksgiving dinner.  We made macaroni and cheese. Yes, you heard me! Creamy, cheesy, and fat-laden, Paula Deen's macaroni and cheese is the BEST macaroni and cheese I've ever had.  Hand's down.  It wins in all categories: cheesiness, creaminess, easiness and (unfortunately) probably unhealthiest as well. :/  But we are talking Thanksgiving here.... I'm sorry but that is no day to diet.  If you are only making this ONE day a year, then I think it's perfectly and marvelously allowable!

I LOVE green bean casserole, sweet potatoes and pie, don't get me wrong. But this is the dish I'm looking forward to most this year! It's my all-time favorite!
The only alterations we made to the recipe were that we left out the eggs, based on the reviews.

 Creamy Macaroni and Cheese 

from Food Network

 Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces
• 2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.