What sweets do you look forward to making and/or eating this time of year????



One of my faves to make is Rum and/or Bourbon balls.




HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!


[Edited 12/14/08 8:49am]

My mom's Sweet Potato Pie will always be my favorite!!! It's to die for...
[Edited 12/14/08 5:03am]

When I am done with my chores and giving the dog her haircut and bath I shall return ...


I made homemade peppermint marshmellows last night

When I was a little girl a close friend of the family would have me over for baking day. She'd make, like, 12 different kinds of cookies and let me help with everything. My favorite part was she'd always let me lick the bowl and always let me sample anything I wanted fresh from the oven. It's from then that I remember falling in love with anything with almond extract in it. To this day that is one of my favorite smells on the planet.

These days, I get excited for my friend Darin to make cookies. He usually sends me home with a small box at some point during the holiday season. He's only making a couple of different kinds this year, but one of them has that yummy almond thing going and so those are my favorite, favorite cookies.

My mom's 7-Up Cake.

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[Edited 12/14/08 6:58am]

Red velvet cake!

We are going to make these for our holiday dinner.

Ingredients
• 455g best-quality cooking chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• 50ml hot espresso or good strong instant coffee
• 125g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 6 eggs, free-range or organic, separated
• 200g caster sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g rice flour
• 1 small handful chopped hazelnuts, toasted


baked chocolate pudding
This pudding is chocolate heaven! The original recipe idea for it came from my mate Ben, the head chef at Monte's. I've changed it round a bit to make it easier to make at home.

Melt 125g chocolate with the coffee, then pour into small ice-cube moulds and freeze until hard. Take 6 small 3 inch pastry rings, dariole moulds or cappuccino cups and grease well with some butter. Place in the fridge while you make your sponge mixture. Melt the remaining chocolate with the butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, then in a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with the sugar until firm. Fold the yolks into the cooled chocolate and butter mixture, then add the almonds and flour. Finish by carefully folding in the egg white mixture. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Take your moulds out of the fridge and spoon a little mixture into each one, then push in a cube of the frozen coffee and chocolate mixture. Cover with the rest of the sponge mixture so each ice cube is completely enveloped. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18–20 minutes, then remove carefully from the moulds while hot. Serve immediately sprinkled with hazelnuts.

I love Jamie Oliver

shanti0608 said:

i thought you had those everyday

horatio said:

Ho-Ho-Ho

i looooove puppy chow

Anxiety said:

horatio said:

well i do.

Dec 21 ( winter Solstice ) We are hosting our annual Yule bakeoff

There will be around 10 people here baking and making ALL kinds of YUMMIES all day long

The guys might be out at the grill and outdoor burners making candies and all that kinda jazz

serving mulled wine too

we make breads and cakes and cookies - all kinds

we'll hand paint the scotish shortbread cookies and the gingerbread people

one of my faves is the stained glass cookies we make with crushed lifesavers

so yeah ... come on ova

Anxiety said:

recipe please

shanti0608 said:

it's VERY easy:

http://www.momswhothink.c...ecipe.html

I like melted fudge on JustErin's nipples.

Feliz Navidad!

STAINED GLASS (LIFESAVER) COOKIES


5 rolls Lifesavers (the colored, fruit flavored kinds!)
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. shortening or butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder (optional)
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, shortening, vanilla and
eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; cover
and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Roll dough 1/8-inch on floured
board. Cut into shapes; use 1 (small) cutter for small shapes within cookies, another for shape outline of cookies themselves.
Place cut cookie dough on large, foil covered, cookie sheets. Crush Lifesavers;
place in cut outs within unbaked cookie dough that is cut out and on sheets. Bake until very light brown and candy is melted,
7 to 9 minutes. Use metal spatula to spread melted candy to edge
of cut outs, if necessary

This isn't a serious thread is it ? Ahhhh gotta love GD





have a blessed Yule Val

Mach said:

YUM! I think I gained a few pounds reading that. I just had a piece of Green & Blacks dark chocolate gingerbread bar.

Mach said:

That sounds dope. I'm making these today. I would also like to eat them off...

Mars23 said:

I know I know

Erin's nipples

shanti0608 said:

NOM NOM NOM YUMMEEEEE n

Mach said:

I really am making them though.

Mach said:

Yes I know, I know...it was lame until Mars brought up Erin's nipples.

Mars23 said:

Keep a close eye on them cuz the crushed candy can burn quick - I ususally turn the over a bit lower


Post pix when their done

shanti0608 said:

Yeah cuz all threads without mention of erin are lame

Mach said:

I'm thinking I might "press" shapes into the cookies rather than cutting all the way through to keep the candy from sticking to the pan. That may affect the melting of the candy though. It will be an experiment.

Anxiety said:

yeah, you had me making that last year at this time.
And needless to say i gained a bit pigging out on it.

My mom makes the best peanut butter cookies:

Mach said:

I mull wine every year!

I think I may follow an actual recipe this year, though. I usually just throw a bunch of spices I like in and hope for the best. This year I think I'll try something specific...