Diamond Eggnog ~ Just Right for the Holidays

 Everyone loves this eggnog!

Diamond Eggnog Ingredients
4 + 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
1 (125g/ 5 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
30ml (or approx 1 oz) rum
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon, ground

Diamond Eggnog Directions
Using a mixer, beat the egg yolks in a large bowl for 5 - 10 minutes; they need to be thick and resemble the colour of butter.
A little bit at a time, add in the milk, condensed milk, sugar and vanilla essence.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
Slowly fold the egg whites into the rest of the mixture.
Add rum.
Stir gently.
Serve in cups and garnish with ground nutmeg or cinnamon.
Serves: 6. 

{Recipe Source}

http://artschilipepper.blogspot.com/2009/12/thats-not-so-bad-afterall.html

Caramel Popcorn

Caramel Popcorn

• 1 c. butter
• 2 c. brown sugar
• ½ c. corn syrup
• 1 teasp. salt
• ½ teasp. baking soda
• 1 teasp. vanilla
• 5 quarts popped popcorn

Preheat oven to 250°. Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Boil without stirring for 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir baking soda and vanilla.
Pour over popcorn, stir to coat.
Place in two large baking dishes and bake for an hour (or less, depending on how chewy you want it) stirring every 15 minutes.
Remove from oven; cool.

Cheese Balls

It's the holiday season!

I got this delicious recipe from a dear friend.

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard or dijon mustard
• pinch of salt
• green olives with pimentos, drained and spread on paper towels to dry while you mix dough

Mix all together in kitchenaid using the flatbeater (or you can use your hands). Scoop up a small amount of the dough and flatten in the palm of your hand. Place an olive on top and close your palm to shape dough around it. Roll between your hands to form into a ball. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake 20-25 minutes until just starting to brown.

 Easy "How-To-Make" Photos

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http://artschilipepper.blogspot.com/2009/12/grams-cheese-balls.html

S’uthun Supreme Pecan Pie

On Thanksgiving Eve (which I like to call Thankfuleve as in - Thankfuleve I have a daughter to bake with me.), I always spend the day baking. Today, my daughter and I baked two loaves of date-nut bread, two pumpkin pies, a pecan pie, and an apple pie.

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I am trying a new pecan recipe: S’uthun Supreme Pecan Pie

“Ya’ll might have a hard time keeping this pie around. Best to double it!”

3 eggs
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoon flour
½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups maple syrup
               (I chose this recipe because of the maple syrup.)
1 ½ cups broken pecan pieces
1 cup halved pecans

Beat eggs until light. Blend in the melted butter, flour vanilla, salt, sugar, and maple syrup. Sprinkle the broken pecans over the bottom of the pie shell. Gently pour the mixture in, and then make rings of pecan halves, starting from the middle and working out until the surface is covered/ Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for about 40 minutes. Let cool before serving.
Makes one 9” pie

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I am also trying a new piecrust: Alan Carter’s Pie Pastry – from Better Homes and Gardens.

Mix:
3 ¾ Cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ - 1 Tablespoon salt
½ Teaspoon baking powder

Cut in:
1 ¾ Cups unsalted butter, leaving chunks the size of peas

Combine:
2/3 Cups ice-cold water
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 Teaspoon vinegar

Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture (This step is the reason that I Like this recipe.). Quickly stir to distribute. Do no overmix. The dough should be slightly crumbly. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The finished dough should break, not stretch. Divide into three portions; shape into disks. Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Makes 3 single-crust pastries.

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Truly Scrumptious Carrot Cake

Truly Scrumptious Carrot Cake

2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 t. cinnamon
1 ½ c. vegetable oil (I use only ¾ cup)
4 eggs
3 c. grated carrots
1 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
1 t. vanilla

Sift together sugar, flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in oil. Add eggs, one at a time; mix well after each addition. Add carrots, nuts, and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Pour into a greased 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 30 (may take up to 45 minutes, depending upon oven) minutes. Cool in pan. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe from Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook

This frosting is perfect because the amount of powdered sugar does not over-power the taste of the cream cheese.

Prep: 10 minutes
Makes 16 servings, about 2 ½ cups

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl at a low speed until smooth.
2. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable.
Frosts one 13 X 9-inch cake generously, or fills and frosts one 8- or 9-inch cake. Refrigerate any remaining frosting.

Variation: Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled, with the butter.

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Honey Nut Granola

Honey Nut Granola

Honey Nut Granola
2 ½ c. oats
1/2 c/ packed brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 325 °. Combine all ingredients except raisins; mix well. Bake in lightly greased 9” x 13” pan for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in raisins. Spread mixture onto ungreased cookie sheet; cool. Store in a cool dry place. Makes about 6 cup.

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Cinnamon Rolls ~ Quick and Easy

These really are the easiest/best cinnamon rolls. My daughter had asked me to bake cinnamon rolls today, so I finally tried this recipe that I have had around for a long time. They are quick and easy to make.

Cinnamon Rolls
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Scald milk. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Set aside to cool.
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1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/4 cup sugar

Dissolve yeast and 1/4 cup sugar in warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes until bubbly.
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2 eggs
1-teaspoon salt
5 to 6 cups flour, divided

Mix milk, yeast mixture, eggs, salt, and 2 cups flour in kitchen aid. Add enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead 5-10 minutes.
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Spray counter top with cooking spray. Divide dough into thirds and roll each into a rectangle.
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Butter, softened
Brown sugar
Cinnamon

Spread with softened butter; sprinkle liberally with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll up tightly and cut each roll into eighths. Place in three buttered cake pans.
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Let rise in warm place until double.

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Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until light brown. (Servings: 24)
NOTE: My daughter likes them baked 10-12 minutes; my son likes them baked 12-15 minutes.
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For the icing:
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon milk

Mix all ingredients until well blended and of spreading consistency.

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Cranberry Scones

So easy to make:
{Source video ~ Scones}

 ~See Recipe Below~

People exaggerate the difficulty of making scones. They are actually very easy to make.  All it takes to make great scones is light handling of the dough.

Make them for breakfast...

your family will love them!

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Scones 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for work surface
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Stir in dried cranberries.

 • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
 • 2/3 cup dried cranberries

Whisk together 3/4 cup cream and egg.

• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold heavy cream
• 1 large egg

With a fork, stir in cream mixture until just combined. (The dough should be crumbly; do not overwork.) Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 6-inch circle. Cut into 6 wedges and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush tops with 1 tablespoon cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.

 • Sanding sugar (optional)

Bake until golden, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.

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