Oreo-Stuffed Red Velvet Crinkles

Did you have a Merry Christmas?  As always, we had a crazy busy holiday.....but full of family, friends and fun!  

One of the desserts I brought to my in-laws on Christmas Eve were these Oreo-Stuffed Red Velvet Crinkle cookies from Sprinkles Bakes.  Any dessert containing Oreos is automatically placed on the "To Bake" list at our house.  But with the red velvet cookie outside, and the layer of powdered sugar outside.....these screamed Christmas to me.  

The cookie bakes up to what the hubby described at a cake/cookie.....which meant he loved it!  Be careful how much cookie dough you put around the Oreo though.  The first few I made turned out big enough to feed a neighborhood!  And remember to do a final roll in the powdered sugar right before you stick these bad boys in the oven.......it'll give you an extra crinkle-y outside!

Check out Sprinkles Bakes for the recipe.....and Enjoy!!

Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

Have you tried any of the many cookie recipes out there with brown butter?  I've seen chocolate chip cookie, snickerdoodle, and oatmeal cookie recipes all with brown butter in there.  Out of all of those, this recipe for Chewy Brown Butter Sugar Cookies from Cookies and Cups, was the one that screamed for me to try it.  A brown butter sugar cookie that has been rolled in sugar and then covered in a brown butter icing.....sounds delicious!

As you can see from the picture, I ended up not using the icing.  Don't get me wrong.....I'm sure it would be fantastic, and perhaps a little over-the-top for the holidays.....but I really felt like these cookies were sweet and rich enough all on their own.  Oh, and delicious!  Did I mention that these are crazy delicious??!!  The hubby just loved these!  I think these may make a second appearance at our house to leave out for Santa this year :)

Give these a try if you're looking for a new holiday cookie to try.....check out Cookies and Cups for the recipe.....and Enjoy!!

Christmas Treats

Oh my.....I can't believe Christmas is almost here!  Every year it feels like time somehow accelerates once the school year starts, and before you know it......the holidays are here!  So, if you're still looking for something cute to put together for the holidays.....here's some ideas:

How about these fun Oreo Snowman Pops?

Or these cute Oreo Penguin Pops?

Feel like doing cakepops instead of Oreo pops?  How about a little Rudolph?

Or a Christmas tree cakepop?

But what about if you're not in the mood to make pops?  Well, how about some Christmas tree cupcakes instead?

Whatever you end up making, just remember to have fun and relax!  It's just sugar :)

Apple-Cranberry Pie

Have you recovered from Christmas yet?  It took me a couple of days to not feel exhausted.....but man, was it worth it!  We had a fantastic time, both on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day!

As usual, I am in charge of desserts on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day......and in the weeks leading up to the holiday I had a list a mile long of all of the things I wanted to make.  A few days before Christmas Eve I started realizing how much time I needed in the kitchen to do what I wanted to do.......so I made a decision then and there that I had to shrink the list down and spend more time playing with the kiddos and enjoying the season.  So I don't have a million new recipes to show you from Christmas.....most of the things that I ended up making are tried and true recipes that our family loves.  This was the best decision I could have made!  I was completely stress-free, and got to thoroughly enjoy the holiday.  What I ended up making was:

• Apple-Cranberry Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• Christmas Tree Cupcakes
• Joanne Chang's Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Graham Cracker Toffee Bark

All of these were repeats except for the Apple-Cranberry Pie, which was delicious!  I was on a cranberry kick and had seen this recipe in an issue of Gourmet.  Looking online, it had gotten great reviews and looked pretty painless to throw together.

All of the cousins, minus my youngest, who was sleeping.

Again, I used refrigerated pie crust.......one of these days I will get comfortable with making my own.  Both the topping and the filling of this pie are pretty fast to throw together.....the only time consuming part being the peeling, coring, and slicing of apples.  After you place the filling in the pie crust you are actually going to bake it without the crumb topping for a bit, until the apples begin to soften.  Then you'll put the crumb topping on and continue baking till bubbly.  You may want to put a baking sheet or some aluminum foil beneath the pie pan.  I experienced a bit of filling spillage while it was baking....which was not too fun to clean up from the bottom of the oven.  Also, keep an eye on the crumb topping once it's on.....the pecan may darken too quickly and you'll have to top with foil.

The pie had the lovely sweetness from the apples and the crumb topping....contrasted with the yummy tartness of the cranberries.  I heard a couple of people mentioned that it tasted like the holidays.  Perfect!!

Go to Epicurious.com for the recipe.....and Enjoy!

My little monkeys....yep, I dressed them matchy-matchy!

This post is linked to:
Full Plate Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Bake with Bizzy - It's a Keeper Thursday - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Anything Goes Linky - Show Off Your Stuff - I'm Lovin' It - Friday Food - Sweets for a Saturday - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - Tuesday Talent Show - Link Party - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - Tea Party Tuesday - Tasty Tuesday - T Time - These Chicks Cooked - Link It Up Wednesday - Cast Party Wednesday - This Week's Cravings

O Christmas Tree

Christmas Eve is done.  The kiddos are all asleep.....the cookies and milk have been laid out for Santa.....and the reindeer food and carrots have been set outside for the reindeer.

We had a fantastic day with our family today.  Our boys got to play with their 7 cousins (on the hubby's side), and had such an amazing time they were more than ready to go to bed tonight!

I made these Christmas tree cupcakes after seeing picture after picture of similar ones on Pinterest.  I had plans on making Devil's Food cupcakes (the next challenge for the Club: Baked group), but can you believe it?  I ran out of flour!  I bake all of the time, and usually pay close attention to my supplies......how did that completely slip by me?  I decided to do a white cake box mix, and then made my own frosting.  I again used the Perfect Cupcake Frosting from Our Best Bites (it's the only one I ever use anymore).  I tinted it Christmas tree green, and using a large 1B tip, made a tower of frosting topped with a star, and covered in sprinkles.  I did have trouble with a slightly too warm kitchen causing a couple of my trees to lean to the side.  I kept those for me!

I hope that you are all having a wonderful Christmas.......Enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Sweet Indulgences Sunday - Tuesday Talent Show - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - These Chicks Cooked - Link It Up Wednesday - T' Time - Full Plate Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Bake with Bizzy - It's a Keeper Thursday - It's a Celebration - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Anything Goes Linky - Show Off Your Stuff - I'm Lovin' It - Friday Food - Sweets for a Saturday

Merry Christmas!

So do you have everything done yet?  What?  No?  What are you waiting for?  Kidding!  I will be busting my butt tonight finishing up everything.......last minute wrapping.....baking.....and cleaning.  We'll be heading over to my in-laws house for Christmas Eve (with all 9 of their grandkids, and my parents, who flew in from Texas).  Then we'll have Christmas Day at our house with my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, and our dearest family friends.  I'm so excited.....just got to get through today! 

I usually end up passing out cookies to all of our neighbors as a little Christmas treat.  But then, everyone else also does that, so you just end up with a pile of cookies.  So, I decided to be a little bit different this year and bake up little breads instead.  I settled on this Cranberry-Walnut Bread from Martha Stewart Everyday Food.  It's bursting with fresh cranberries, walnuts, and an added zing from orange zest and orange juice.  I had found the paper mini bread loaf pans at Sur laTable a while back, and I figured it was the perfect thing for a holiday gift!  Give this a try.....tastes like the holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!  I hope that you are able to spend the holidays with your loved ones near.....and may your New Year be filled with many sweet things.

Enjoy!

CRANBERRY-ORANGE WALNUT BREAD

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter and flour an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan; set aside.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.  With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until combined.  Add egg, and beat well.  Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until combined (dough will appear very dry).  Reduce speed to low; beat in orange zest and juice.  Fold in cranberries and walnuts.

3.  Spread batter in prepared pan, smoothing top.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour (tent with foil if top is browning too quickly).  Cool in pan 10 minutes; run a knife around edges of loaf, and invert onto a wire rack.  Turn top side up; cool completely before slicing.

This post is linked to:

Friday Favorites - Sweet Tooth Friday - I'm Lovin' It - Friday Food - Sweets for a Saturday - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - Tuesday Talent Show - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - T' Time - These Chicks Cooked - Link It Up Wednesday - Full Plate Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Bake with Bizzy - It's a Keeper Thursday - Anything Goes Linky - Show Off Your Stuff

Spreading the Christmas Cheer

The hubby was on Cloud 9 last night!  We were at the Mark and Brian Christmas show last night (the morning show hosts on 95.5 for anyone not in LA), and thanks to our awesome friend Preva, the hubby got to meet his guitar idol!  The hubby is a musician.......he's been playing guitar forever....and growing up, Steve Lukather (guitar player for Toto) was always his guitar god.  He was terrified of meeting him.....worried he would say something stupid, or worse yet, that Steve wouldn't be a nice guy. Well, it couldn't have gone better!  They chatted for a while, did a couple of bro hugs, got to talk gear......and the hubby looked like a kid on Christmas morning who just got everything they had asked for!  So thank you to Steve Lukather, for being a great guy....and a huge hug and thank you to Preva for making it happen!

Have you started making all of your goodies for Christmas Eve and Day yet?  I'm planning on starting this weekend...still trying to decide everything I'll do.  One thing I made, and really like, is the Cake Batter Chocolate Bark, from How Sweet  It Is.  You pretty much can't go wrong with anything from her site, and this one is no exception.

Can you melt chocolate in the microwave?  Then you need to make this!  Couldn't be easier.....you just need to give yourself time for the layers to harden up (sticking it in the freezer will speed it up).  I went ahead and used Christmas colored sprinkles, but check out Jessica's pictures with the rainbow sprinkles.....love it!

The cake batter flavor isn't overpowering.....so if you're not looking for it, you may not even notice it.  But if you're a fan, you'll notice it for sure, and you'll love it.  Just make sure to use some good quality chocolate, since that;s the only ingredient, you'll want it to shine!

Well, that's it......I'm off to start putting my list together of what I want to get done in the kitchen this week......and maybe try to get my Christmas cards in the mail, finally.

Check out How Sweet It Is for the recipe.....and enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Fusion Fridays - I'm Lovin' It - Fun Stuff Fridays - Anything Goes Linky - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Seasonal Inspiration - Sweets for a Saturday - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - Monday, Mmmm.......Dessert - Tea Party Tuesday - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - Tuesday Talent Show - T' Time - Tasty Tuesday - These Chicks Cooked - Link It Up Wednesday - Anything Goes Linky - Sweet Treats Thursday - Full Plate Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Show Off Your Stuff - Friday Food

Penguin Oreo Pops

Are you sick of all the Oreo pop and cakepop posts yet?  Well, too bad, because I've got another one today!

I picked up some football-shaped Oreos from the store around Thanksgiving, and was trying to figure out what to make with them.  Then I saw a penguin cakepop post from Pop.O.Licious, and decided to give that a try in Oreo form.  Because of the shape of the Oreos, I didn't put any feet on them, but if I had used regular Oreos I think I would have, because it looks pretty darn cute.  You could also put little Santa hats on them, if you wanted that extra little Christmas something.

Check out the Pop.O.Licious site for instructions on making these cute guys, as well as a ton of other Christmas themed cakepops!!

This post is linked to:
Monday, Mmm....Dessert - Holiday Food Blog Hop - T' Time - Tea Party Tuesday - Link Party - Tasty Tuesday - Holly Bloggy Christmas - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - These Chicks Cooked - Link it Up Wednesday - Full Plate Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Bake with Bizzy - Sweet Treats Thursday - It's a Keeper Thursday - Show Off Your Stuff - Fusion Fridays - I'm Lovin' It - Fun Stuff Fridays - Anything Goes Linky - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Seasonal Inspiration - Sweets for a Saturday - Christmas Traditions Linkup - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - It's a Celebration

Christmas Tree Cakepops

Here's another cakepop from Christmas last year.  Little red velvet Christmas trees.  So cute!  I really liked these.....although they do take a little work.  Of course I first saw these on Bakerella (the goddess of cakepops), and although mine look a little chunkier than her trees, I don't think they're half bad.

For instructions, as well as a list of needed supplies, check out Bakerella.....and Enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Sweets for a Saturday - Seasonal Inspiration - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - Holiday Food Blog Hop - A Themed Baker's Sunday - Monday, Mmmm.....Dessert - T' Time - Tea Party Tuesday - Link Party - Tasty Tuesday - Holly Bloggy Christmas - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - These Chicks Cooked - Link it Up Wednesday - Full Plate Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Bake with Bizzy - Sweet Treats Thursday - It's a Keeper Thursday - Show Off Your Stuff - Fusion Fridays - I'm Lovin' It - Fun Stuff Fridays - Anything Goes Linky - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Christmas Traditions Linkup

Oreo Truffles

It's that time of year again.......time to make lots of goodies to take to all your friends and family!  One thing that I was introduced to last year, and will be making tons of this year......Oreo Truffles!!

I know that I'm totally not original in this, and you've probably already seen this all over blogland or Pinterest.  But just in case......if you haven't tried these yet, you have nooooo idea what an amazing thing you are missing!

These couldn't be easier!  And to those who say they aren't bakers......guess what?  No baking required!

The original recipe for these comes from Kraft.  I use my food processor to make this super fast, but if you want to do this by hand, it'll just take a little more muscle, and you won't get quite as smooth of a center.  I like the smooth center better than having chunks of cookie.....but it's up to you!  You're only going to need a few ingredients:

OREO TRUFFLES
1 (16.6 oz.) package of Oreos
1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese, softened
candy melts (I use white candy melts)
sprinkles

Place all of the Oreos into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the cookies have all been finely ground.  Add the cream cheese to the food processor and continue to pulse until well blended with the cookies.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out a small ball of the Oreo mixture and roll in your hands until it forms a ball.  Place and a sheet pan lined with wax paper or parchment paper.  Continue until all of the Oreo mixture has been rolled into balls.  Place in refrigerator until firm.

Melt candy melts in the microwave, and one by one, dip the Oreo balls into the candy melts.  Scoop out the ball using a fork and shake off the excess before sliding back onto the sheet pan.  Immediately top with sprinkles before the candy melts start to harden.  Continue until all balls have been covered.

Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.  I like to serve them in mini cupcake liners......just makes a nicer presentation than throwing them on a plate.

Enjoy!

This post is linked to:
This Week's Cravings - Monday, Mmmm....Dessert - Tuesday Talent Show - Tasty Tuesday - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - T' Time - These Chicks Cooked - Link It Up Wednesday - Bake With Bizzy - Turning the Table Thursday - Full Plate Thursday - Sweet Treats Thursday - Show Off Your Stuff - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Fusion Fridays - Anything Goes Linky - I'm Lovin' It - Fun Stuff Fridays - Seasonal Inspiration - Friday Food - Sweets for a Saturday - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - Holiday Food Blog Hop - A Themed Baker's Sunday

Oreo Snowmen Pops

Ready for another Oreo pop?  After the success of my Halloween and Thanksgiving Oreo pops, I decided to stick with Oreo pops (instead of cakepops) for Christmas as well.  This time around we've got Oreo snowmen!

I'd seen a picture of some Oreo pop snowmen on Pinterest (from The Idea Room) and tried following their instructions.  However, they used mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth of the snowman.  When I tried this, it just didn't look right to me, so I decided to go with candy melts instead.  I still had some black and orange candy melts left from Halloween, so I melted them and put it in squeeze bottles.  I was able to get perfect little black dots for the eyes and mouths, and made a little orange squiggle for the carrot nose.  Once I figured out how I was going to do these, they were super fast to finish.  Still need an Oreo pop tutorial?  Check out How Does She? for a step-by-step.

Packed up and ready to go to our first Christmas party tonight.

Have fun!  Enjoy!

This post is linked to:

Sweet Indulgences Sunday - A Themed Baker's Sunday - This Week's Cravings - Monday, Mmmm....Dessert - Tuesday Talent Show - Tasty Tuesday - Crazy Sweet Tuesday -  T' Time - Link Party - These Chicks Cooked - Link It Up Wednesday - Bake With Bizzy - Turning the Table Thursday - Full Plate Thursday - Sweet Treats Thursday - Show Off Your Stuff - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Fusion Fridays - Anything Goes Linky - I'm Lovin' It - Fun Stuff Fridays - Seasonal Inspiration - Friday Food - Sweets for a Saturday - Christmas Traditions Linkup - It's a Celebration

Rudolph Cakepops

These are some adorable reindeer cakepops that I made last year for my son's preschool class.  As far as cakepops go, these didn't take too long, and aren't too tricky.  You definitely want to get the pretzels into the cakepop before the chocolate starts hardening, or else you're going to get cracks in it.  I found some star shaped pretzels at World Market, and I used the ones that were a little mis-shapen for the antlers.  For a nose I went with red hots, although you could also use red or brown M&Ms.

Check out Bakerella for instructions on these cakepops, as well as other Christmas cakepops.

Have fun.....and Enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Sweets for a Saturday - Seasonal Inspiration - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - A Themed Baker's Sunday - This Week's Cravings - Monday, Mmmm....Dessert - Tuesday Talent Show - Tasty Tuesday - Crazy Sweet Tuesday -  T' Time - Link Party - These Chicks Cooked - Link It Up Wednesday - Bake With Bizzy - Turning the Table Thursday - Full Plate Thursday - Sweet Treats Thursday - Show Off Your Stuff - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - 12 Days of Christmas Goodies - Fusion Fridays - Anything Goes Linky - I'm Lovin' It - Fun Stuff Fridays