Scratch n' Win - aka Blog Candy

  Good morning!!

The next couple days are going to be super busy...& there's no better time for Scratch n' Win!!

I have my Holiday Class tomorrow among other things (like putting up my Christmas tree). in other words  I'm going to focus on my "To do List".

I will draw a winner Thursday night around 10pm.  Here's the tricky part :) To enter this drawing....I'd like for you to submit a recipe.  What's your favorite recipe you make during the holidays?  Mine would have to be my Christmas Bell cookies (or little pecan pies).

 I know...are you scratching your heads....why am I asking this?  Sorry!!  I love Christmas baking.....and every year I bake for everyone....some years I bake a whole variety of items and make the cutest cookies plates...I could show you pictures of those if you'd like :)))) And years that I'm running behind I make one cookie....usually the Christmas Bells...the recipe makes 5 dozen. Have I told you about the year that Fluffy jumped on the kitchen table and knocked 15 dozen cookies on the floor (yes, I cried..... that year everyone got fewer cookies)?

So, long story short....what baked goody do you like to give each year?  If you don't bake for the holidays....hmmm....how about posting your favorite recipe.   I can't wait to read all the recipes!!

Have a great day & Good luck!!

p.s.  If you have trouble submitting a recipe, email it to me and I'll post it for you.

Christmas Bell Cookies

2/3 cup butter (softened, non salted)

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour (all purpose)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

30 maraschino cherries, halved

Beat butter in large mixing bowl until creamy.  Add sugar and beat well.  Add egg, orange peel & vanilla. Beat until well blended.  Combine four & baking powder; gradually add butter to mixture.  Beat until well blended.  Cover & chill for 30 minutes (not much longer than that or dough will be too hard to roll out).  Shape dough into 2 rolls.  Wrap rolls with Saran Wrap and chill for 8 hours.  Cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Place one cherry half on top of each cookie.  Bake @ 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.  Let cool on wire rack...store in shirt boxes between tissue paper.  Makes 5 dozen.

 

Comments

[Maria]

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITH HERSHEY
KISSES

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter (creamy)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together first 5 ingredients; then add remaining flour and mix until you form a sticky dough. Roll into small balls and place onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until just golden brown. Place unwrapped Hershey kiss in center of each cookie, while they are still hot. Makes approximately 48 cookies.
Make sure not to touch the kiss until they are cool or you will change there shape (i have kids I know this..lol)

[Missy D]

Hi Angie!

Here is my Christmas recipe... my 16 year old makes this every year, now. It is so easy but, people think you've baked all day ;)

Peppermint Bark

Melt one bag white chocolate chips. I use a pyrex bowl and the microwave - in one minute intervals until the chocolate chips are melted.

Break and Crush (some really small and a bit larger - none bigger than a raisin, though) one box of peppermint flavored candy canes. I like the red and white ones, but my kiddo like to make them funky colors!

Add one teaspoon peppermint extract to the melted chocolate and then stir in the candy canes. Spread the mixture on wax paper laid out in a jelly roll pan or on a cookie sheet. Cool completely (I put mine in the fridge).

Break into candy pieces by hand. Wrap in cellophane with a cute bow and hand stamped tag.

Enjoy!

[Susan Blanton]

Pumpkin Gingerbread Triffle
:1 12-ounce carton Cool Whip
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 30-ounce can pumpkin pie filling
1 5.1-ounce package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
2 14-ounce packages gingerbread mix
1/2 cup gingersnaps (optional)

Directions
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, clear bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped cream. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

This is a delicious dessert, you will fall in love, it is so pretty and taste yummy.

[Sharon]

ok, I have to come claen with you all. I do not like to spend all day in the kitchen baking or cooking....in fact, I hate it. So, the easier and faster, the better. And every now and then I run into the best "recipe" like what I am going to share with you now. Very quick and easy and the best you will ever have!! (I get the absolute best compliments on these cookies from men and women alike....from everyone who bites into one.....)
I use the bag mix of peanut butter cookies from Betty Crocker....follow the recipe on the bag. Roll the dough into balls by teaspoonful bake about 8-8 1/2 minutes (depends on your cookie sheets...I use the air bake sheets) and then add a miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in the center (instead of the Hershey Kiss). Bake for another minute or 2 until golden brown. That's it! takes about 1/2 hour or so to make a bag of cookies from this mix and they are delicious!! I get many requests for these and they are the easiest to make so I am all for it!!

[Wendy Swenne]

I like to make tiramisu for the holidays.

Ingredients for this Tiramisu Quick Italian Dessert Recipe:
• 30 Italian lady fingers that are divided
• 2 ½ cups of strong warm espresso
• 2 ounces of chopped chocolate
• Unsweetened cocoa used for dusting the dessert
• 6 egg yolks
• ¾ cup of white sugar
• 1 ¼ pounds of mascarpone cheese
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1/3 cup of white sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons of dark rum

Directions for making Tiramisu Quick Italian Dessert Recipe:
• Dip the first 18 Italian ladyfingers into the espresso
• Line the bottom of a 12 x 9 pan with the ladyfingers
• Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate over the mixture
• Add a generous dusting of the cocoa on the mixture
• Set this aside
• Combine the egg yolks and ¾ cup of the sugar
• Mix this on high in a mixer for about ten minutes
• Mix the mascarpone by hand until it is completely mixed and lump free
• Set this aside
• Mix by a mixer or by hand the cream, 1/3 cup of sugar and the rum until it forms stiff peaks
• Add the mascarpone mix and whip this again until completely homogenous
• Spread half of the egg and cheese filling onto the ladyfingers in the pan
• Soak the rest of the ladyfingers in espresso and make a second layer over them
• Leave some spaces in between the ladyfingers and sprinkle the remaining filling evenly over the ladyfingers
• Lightly sprinkle this with more cocoa
• Wrap and refrigerate for about four to six hours
• When this is chilled, sprinkle it again with a light dusting of the cocoa
• Slice and serve with a spoon or spatula

[Cheryl Kosakura]

Angie,
I love your blog and visit everyday. Thank you for all the great ideas.
-Cher

These cookies are so yummy! Enjoy!

RITZ COOKIES

1 (1 lb.) box Ritz crackers
Smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 lb. white chocolate
3 tbsp. shortening

Spread peanut butter between 2 crackers. Make 65 peanut butter crackers. Melt white chocolate and shortening in the top of double boiler. Carefully dip peanut butter crackers into chocolate, completely covering them. Put them on waxed paper to dry. Use any leftover chocolate mixture to cover gaps in the coating on the crackers. Makes 65 cookies.

[Beverley]

This cookie is sooo EASY and YUMMY all you need is a bag of the bite sized Snicker bars and a package of the Betty Crocker Peanut butter Cookie Mix.

Unwrap all of the Mini Snicker Bars
Make the cookies according to the package.

Take about a tablespoon of the cookie dough and wrap the Mini snicker bar with the dough. Make sure that the Snicker Bar is completely covered.

Use a Silpat or parchment paper on your cookie sheet, just incase you have a snicker bar melt down.

Bake according to the directions--I always check just a little bit before the shortest time stated, you don't want the cookies to melt all over.

You can drizzle with melted chocolate when cooled if you like, but I have never gotten them to last that long.

Hope you try them, they have become a mandatory part of the cookie platters I give too!

Happy Holidays to all!

[Jackie]

I discovered this one a few years back and have made it every morning for Christmas breakfast since...it is a Paula Deen recipe, need I say more?!

Pineapple-Upside Down Biscuits (Paula Deen)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
10 maraschino cherries
1 (12-ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (if you buy the frozen bag ones, use 10 for this recipe, but I’ve used 8 when I’ve used a Pillsbury container)

Grease appropriate cups of a muffin tin based on the number of biscuits you’re using, do not exceed 10. Strain the can of crushed pineapple, save juice for later. Combine the pineapple, sugar, and butter, and mix well. Divide the pineapple mixture among the muffin cups. Place a cherry in the center of each muffin cup, making sure cherry hits bottom of cup. Place 1 biscuit in each cup on top of sugar and pineapple mixture. Spoon 1 teaspoon reserved pineapple juice over each biscuit. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool for 2 minutes. Invert the pan onto a plate to release the biscuits. Serve warm.

[Anji Settles]

We love to *snack* and salt is a fave... here are our super easy spicy snack crackers:

3 sleeves of unsalted top crackers
1 cup canola oil (this is the only oil that will work)
1 pkg of dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1 gallon size ziplock bag

Mix oil, dressing mix, and peppers. Put crackers in bag. Pour mix over crackers and leave on the counter. Turn the bag whenever you see it so that crackers are coated evenly. Do so for about 24 hours. You can leave the crackers in the bag if you eat them fast like we do or put them in another sealed container. The pepper is optional.

YUM!!

[Elizabeth Fortuna]

I also bake a lot for the holidays. I think a cookie plate looks so much more festive with several different varieties on it. My favorite is a recipe I got from when I was in Brownie Girl Scouts (wow-now that is a long time ago!)
Church Windows
1 (12 oz.) bag chocolate chips
1 pkg. miniature colored marshmallows
1 stick butter
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)
Powdered sugar to sprinkle over logs

Melt butter and chocolate chips together and blend thoroughly. Place marshmallows and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Pour chocolate mixture over marshmallows and pecans and mix thoroughly. Shape into 2 logs and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Put in freezer. When relatively solid, cut into 1/2 inch slices to serve.
thanks for the chance to win!
Elizabeth

[jennP]

Hi!
my favorite Christmastime recipes are cookies. ANY christmas cookies. I buy every single special cookie magazine available every season. Then when December comes, I start trying some out. I end up packaging them nicely in tins and giving them away.
One of the favorites of the season though is a regular recipe that is at the back of chocolate chip bags (hersheys) except i replace the chocolate chips with Andes mint chocolate chopped up in pieces. VERY addictive!!

[LISA C PARSONS]

Our family favorite is the Christmas Cheese ball and it is so easy to make!

Recipe:

2 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (I prefer Philadelphia)

1- bunch of green onions (green part chopped only)

1 - jar of Hormel Dried Beef

1- small can of Chopped Black Olives

And one package of good crackers.

Mix all ingredients and form into a cheese ball.

Taste yummy and looks Christmas-see!!!!
Enjoy!

[Betty Button]

Angie,
I love your blog. I look forward to reading your new additions. Here is my favorite recipe....
Peanut Butter Balls.
I make them every year and when I dont people are bummed. LOL.
3 pounds confectioners sugar
2 pounds peanut butter
1 pound butter or margarine, melted.
Mix above ingredients until dough is formed. Roll into balls and stick toothpicks in center, freeze for a few minutes and then dip in chocolate mixture.
Chocolate mixture.....
2 12 oz bags of hersheys morsels
1 1/4 bricks of parafin wax
melt the above ingredients in double boiler while rolling all the little peanut butter balls stir as needed. When fully melted, dip every ball into chocolate and re freeze for a few minutes again, remove toothpicks and put them in ziplock baggies until you are ready to package them up to go to your friends and family.
I started this tradition about 14 years ago and one year I was too busy with Stampin Up and didnt want to make them but when I told some that I wasn't going to they were disappointed so I made them just the same.
ENJOY.

[laurie v]

This is fun - great idea! Last year I made caramel corn as gifts for some of my neighbors. This is so easy and everyone loves it and asks for the recipe.

Caramel Corn - Old Dutch Style

1 bag 9oz. Old Dutch Puffcorn
1 cup butter (do not use margarine)
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Combine butter, brown sugar, and light corn syrup in a 2 quart sauce pan, cook on medium heat until mixture has melted. Once mixture has melted add the baking soda. (Note: This will cause the mixture to foam.) Pour Old Dutch Puffcorn into a large roaster pan. Pour caramel mixture over the Puffcorn and stir until mixed. Place in oven at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven, pour on wax paper and break apart. Let cool. For a special touch melt chocolate and drizzle it over the caramel corn.

ENJOY!

[Dale]

I love all the cookie recipes that are being submitted. I too make up CHristmas tins filled with a variety of cookies.
Our favourite (and I make them at Christmas)

Rolled Gingerbread Cookies (from Company's Coming Cook Book by Jean Pare)

1/4 cup margarine/butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup water

3 1/4 flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
In mixing bowream margarine and sugar together. Add molasses and water.

Mix in remaining ingredients. Roll out on a lightly floured board to about 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 350 degrees for 810 minutes. Decorate as desired.

[Gail T]

HI .. I am new to this blogger card things but it has captured my attention. I love to do the Christmas cookie thing and often bring plates of them to co-workers or favorite relatives. My family says their favorite is Snickerdoodles. I use the recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookbook and I have been making these since 1980 or so when a friend requested them after I took her a plate of my regular selections. Snickerdoodles became a real holiday favorite in my family at that time too. Here ya go.. a real family winner.
Snickerdoodles
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1. Heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
3. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

[Sara Freitag]

What a great idea. I am find so many things that I am so going to try this year!

I haven't done a lot of baking in the past but my boys, 7 and 4 want to make cookies and all sorts of stuff this year. And I remember growing up and making so many different types of goodies. I just found out about this recipe this past summer and it is to die for. I am going to make these this year and I know they are going to be a hit!

These are so good. And they are even really good with pie filling istead of apple.

Apple Dumplings

2 large granny smith apples
2 can BIG AND BUTTERY crescent rolls (get Phillsbury)
1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup water

Peel, core and cut the apples into 6 slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Divide the crescent rolls. Wrap each piece of apple into the divided crescent roll and seal. Place into a 9x13 pan. In a saucepan put the butter, sugars, vanilla, and water. Cook over heat for 5 minutes after butter is melted. Pour sauce over dumplings. Back at 350 degrees until golden brown.

[Martha Delgado]

Hello! Angie, I like your blog and this time I want to have a chance to win.
I have a very easy recipe, do not require baking.

Ingredients:
4 cups crushed cookie (powder) "Maria cookies"
1 can of condensed milk
2 cups crushed walnut
1 cup sugar, to wallow

Preparation:
On a table clean and smooth put the dry ingredients (except sugar) and you're adding a little milk, while integrating igredientes. It must be a dry weight and manageable.
To make the dough balls small (the size of a walnut), and cover with sugar, ready!
They are a rich gift for the holiday season.

[Susan]

I love reading your blog every day and being inspired! I've made cookie plates in the past, or actually cookie/quick bread plates, but I doubt they looked like yours. I have to see someone else's creativity before I have any! ;)

I make these cookies every year for my husband as part of his Christmas presents from me . . .

Jam Thumbprints

2/3 cup margarine or butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 lightly beaten egg whites
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (my dh prefers pecans)
1/3 to 1/2 cup jam or preserves

In a mixing bowl beat margarine or butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add about half of the flour, the sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat till thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Cover and chill about 1 hour or till easy to handle.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in egg whites, then in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet. Press centers with your thumb. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Just before serving, fill centers with jam or preserves. Makes about 42.

[Kim]

Angie~ What a fun blog candy topic! I love it! :) I am going to have to come back later and get everyone's recipes! And the candy you are giving away is on my wish list! I really want the stamp set! hee hee!

My FAVORITE holiday candy/cookie is:
CORN FLAKE BALLS

2 c. sugar
2 c. maple syrup
2 c. peanut butter
11 c. cornflakes
1 c. nuts (peanuts or pecans) (we usually don't add the nuts)
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt sugar and syrup together. Bring to a boil. Add 2 cups peanut butter and stir until it melts. Add vanilla and stir well. Stir in nuts and pour mixture over cornflakes. Let cool slightly before rolling into balls and place on wax paper. Quick and easy!! And VERY VERY yummy!!!

[tonya]

I make easy fudge every year, mostly beacuse it is super fast and the only dirty dishes are the one the fudge is set in.

1 can of sweetened condensed milk.
1 bag of milk chocolate chips.
1 bag white chocoolate chips.
1 lid full of vanilla.

Put all ingredients in the microwave in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cook 2 minutes at a time, stirring after each round. When everything is smooth and melted, usually 6ish minutes, put in fridge until cooled completely.

[Diane]

Thanks to everyone for all of the recipes. I am coping as fast as I can. This is one of my favorite recipes, handed down from my mother. (She probably got it out of a cookbook years ago) Christmas was the only time of the year she made this and we always thought it was such a treat. I remember my father helping stir all the ingredients together. Hope you try it and like it.

Mama's Creamy Fudge

4 1/2 cups of sugar
1 large can Pet Milk

combine and bring to a boil for 7 mintues. Stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add the following items one at a time STIRRING CONSTANTLY

3 6OZ packages of Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 large jar marshmallow cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter 2 cups (more or less) of chopped nuts. I use pecans
Mix throughly ( the mixture gets very thick and tough to stir) and pour into large greased pan (13x9 or little larger)
Cool and cut into small squares (1x1) Makes about 5 lbs. Very rich and creamy.

[Cathy M. Hone]

THIS RECIPE IS QUITE TIME CONSUMING, BUT OH, SO WORTH IT. MY MOTHER MADE IT EVERY CHRISTMAS!

1 cake compressed yeast or dry yeast 1/4 c. lukewarm water ¾ c. milk scalded
¼ c. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/3 c. butter or oleo
3 to 3 1/2 c. flour 2 eggs beaten 1 c. rolled oats
FILLING
1 c. chopped dates 1 c. water ½ c. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice ½ c. chopped nut meats

Directions:
For dough, soften yeast in lukewarm water. Pour scalded milk over sugar, salt, butter. Cool to lukewarm.
Stir in 1 c. flour and eggs. Add softened yeast and oats. Stir in enough flour to make soft dough. Turn out on lightly floured board, knead until satiny, about 10 minutes. Round dough in ball, place in greased bowl, brush lightly with melted shortening. Cover and let rise until double in size. While dough is rising, combine filling ingredients. Cook over low heat until thickened. Let cool.
Punch dough down, turn out on lightly floured board. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Roll each half out to form a rectangle 16x9in. Spread ½ filling lengthwise down center of each rectangle. Cut 1 inch wide strips in dough. Fold strips at an angle toward filling, alternating sides. Place each filled dough on a greased cookie sheet. Form into a circle. Cover, let rise in warm place about 45 min. Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) 22 to 25 minutes. Drizzle warm coffee cakes with powdered sugar frosting.

[Cathy M. Hone]

THIS RECIPE IS QUITE TIME CONSUMING, BUT OH, SO WORTH IT. MY MOTHER MADE IT EVERY CHRISTMAS!

1 cake compressed yeast or dry yeast 1/4 c. lukewarm water ¾ c. milk scalded
¼ c. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/3 c. butter or oleo
3 to 3 1/2 c. flour 2 eggs beaten 1 c. rolled oats
FILLING
1 c. chopped dates 1 c. water ½ c. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice ½ c. chopped nut meats

Directions:
For dough, soften yeast in lukewarm water. Pour scalded milk over sugar, salt, butter. Cool to lukewarm.
Stir in 1 c. flour and eggs. Add softened yeast and oats. Stir in enough flour to make soft dough. Turn out on lightly floured board, knead until satiny, about 10 minutes. Round dough in ball, place in greased bowl, brush lightly with melted shortening. Cover and let rise until double in size. While dough is rising, combine filling ingredients. Cook over low heat until thickened. Let cool.
Punch dough down, turn out on lightly floured board. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Roll each half out to form a rectangle 16x9in. Spread ½ filling lengthwise down center of each rectangle. Cut 1 inch wide strips in dough. Fold strips at an angle toward filling, alternating sides. Place each filled dough on a greased cookie sheet. Form into a circle. Cover, let rise in warm place about 45 min. Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) 22 to 25 minutes. Drizzle warm coffee cakes with powdered sugar frosting.

[Hannah]

My mom and sister make a big day of baking every Christmas. My favorite Christmas goodie is:

take a circle pretzel, place a rolo in the center (smaller/top end down) bake in 350* oven for a little while until melted then place an M&M on top (peanut or peanutbutter).

Very Very good!