Christmas Treats Days 7-10!

I know, I know, I have been holding onto these pictures for awhile. I just haven't felt like taking the time to upload them and all that jazz. But here they are in all their deliciousness.

Day Seven: Cherry Crumb Bars

So, I picked this specific recipe because I knew Jason would like it. It is very simple and requires just about no time at all, but I would advise you not to make them unless you really like cherries. They are very messy and I did not enjoy cutting them up. Don't tell Jason, but it got to the point where I just threw the middle pieces away because they weren't going to look like squares, just blobs and plops. Oh well, he loved them and ate them all. I got this recipe from BH&G Christmas Cookies.

Nonstick cooking spray

1/2 cup butter

1 17.5 oz. package oatmeal cookie mix (I used oatmeal chocolate chip)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 16 oz. package frozen cherries, thawed and drained (unsweetened and pitted)

1/4 cup cugar

Powdered sugar icing (I didn't use this)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x9 baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges. Lightly coat the foil with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to cut butter into dry cookie mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of mixture and set aside. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract to remaining mixture in bowl. Stir until combined. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. In a medium bowl, stir together cherries and sugar. Distribute cherries over mixture in pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

3. Bake in the oven about 45 minutes or until top is golden. Cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with Powdered sugar icing. Let stand until icing sets. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into bars. Makes about 16.

Powdered Sugar Icing

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and enough milk to make an icing of drizzling consistency.

Messy!!

Day Eight: Marble Poundcake

I think these loaves just look so pretty and they are moist and have just the right amount of sweetness. They are also really easy to freeze. I got this recipe from Mom's Big Book of Baking.

3 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325. Coat the inside of a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and dust it with flour, knocking out any extra flour.

2. Melt chocolate in double boiler and set aside to cool.

3. Combine the eggs and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

4. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

5. With the mixer on low speed, pour egg mixtureinto the bowl in a slow stream, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the bowl.

6. Ture the mixer on low and add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.

7. Scrape half the batter into a medium bowl and set aside. Add the melted chocolate and stir to combine.

8. Scrape half the yellow batter into the loaf pan and smooth top with spatula. Scrape half the chocolate batter into loaf pan and smooth. repeat the layers with remaining batters. Run knife blade through the batter to create marbling. Do not overmix.

9. Bake until it is golden, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for about 5 minutes, invert onto wire rack, to cool completely.

Day Nine: Spiced Apple and Raisin Turnovers

I picked this recipe because it seems to me something the characters out of Little Women (my favorite) would bake for Christmas treats. They really aren't hard to make and most of it you can make ahead of time and store in the fridge until you're ready. Jefferson loved these the most of all. I would find him on top of the kitchen counter trying to open the bag. Jason was a little put out because he only got about two while Jefferson got about six. At least they have fruit in them!! I also got this recipe from Mom's Big Book of Baking. Enjoy!

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 lbs. (4 large) firm, tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

1/3 cup raisins

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 disks sweet pie dough (recipe to follow)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. To make the filling: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the apples and cook them until they begin to release their juices, 4-5 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup sugar, the salt, ginger, cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, 7-10 minutes. Remove from stove, stir in raisins, and allow the apples to cool completely.

2. Preheat oven to 400.

3. Combine the remaining 2 tbsp. sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 chilled dough disk to 1/8 inch thickness and cut out as many 4 inch rounds as you can. Reroll scrapes and repeat. Repeat with remaining dough disk.

4. Spoon a heaping tbsp. of the filling onto the center of each round. Fold the round over and seal by pressing the edges together with the tines of a fork. Bruch turnovers with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar.

5. Bake until the turnovers are golden, and 20 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Sweet Pie Dough

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chilled butter, diced

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

2. Add the eggs and continue to stir on low speed until the dough just comes together.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Knead each half into a smooth round ball. Press each ball into a 6 inch disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour and for up to 2 days.

Day Ten: Christmas Popcorn Wreath

Brings back memories. My family has been making this for years and we all still look forward to it. Of course my mom usually gave most of them away, but hey, we always remember it. This is super simple and ooey, gooey and sticky. All great things.

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernals

1/2 cup butter

1 10 oz. bag marshmallows

Green food coloring

1 cup peanuts

1 cup holiday M 'n M's

1. Pop the kernals in a hot air popper if you have one. If you don't, using a little bit of oil, pop them on your stove top (this is what I did). Transfer popcorn to bowl and make sure to discard all unpopped kernals

2. In a deep and heavy pot melt butter. Once melted, add the marshmallows. Stir continuously until marshmallows are melted. Add as much food coloring as you want until it is the color you desire.

3. Turn off the stove and add in the popcorn a few handfuls at a time until mixed well. Add the peanuts and candies.

4. Pour mixture into a greased bundt or tube pan to shape like a wreath (You will have to press the mixture down so it doesn't fall apart when you remove it). Remove quickly and let harden a little on a plate or cooling rack.