Cream Cheese Braids page ~ 230

This recipe makes 4 loaves...they aren't really braids, not sure why I didn't change that title. They are rolled up jelly roll style and "scored" with a knife. They freeze so well, that there is no reason to not freeze them.
Above you will see how lumpy the dough is, you don't have to kneed it like most bread recipes, you just mix it up then plop in a bowl overnight. Below is the dough rolled out getting its filling spread on top.
Here they are as they are rising...
And here is a picture to show how I like to cut them for serving...just a one inch slice is perfect for serving. One loaf serves about 8- 10 if you do skinny slices. --Enjoy ..Carissa

Cheese & Apple Spread ~ page 27

It's Christmas day and I am ready early, and waiting for the time to go to relatives house to eat--so I thought I would post a Christmas spread I made last week for an earlier family celebration. This cheese and apple spread is a light and refreshing spread/dip for the holidays.

Chop your apples with some of the peel showing--this is pretty with both red and green apples, but I only had red ones this day. Make the spread several hours early and cover and refrigerate to let the sharp cheddar infuse the spread with flavor.

I like to serve this spread with our flax seed crackers--but any cracker will do. Extra apple slices to dip a bite are nice too.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

***From Janice and Carissa***

Hot Roast Beef and Provolone Subs page ~ 68

After all the sweet and sugary posts I thought you could use a delicious savory option. These sandwiches are always a hit. This really is on the table in no time! The recipe calls for 6 inch subs, but I just used some bread shaped like hamburger since that is what I had.
You saute' the onions then simmer them in beef broth, then add the meat in for a few minutes while you broil some cheese on the bread...
Once you put it all together you get this yummy looking sandwich! Serve the broth on the side to dip the sandwich in as you eat. I ate the leftover one cold the next day and thought it tasted great! --Carissa

Butter Crisp Cookies ~ page 205

I used to make these cookies when I was a kid (and that was a very long time ago!) back when butter was called oleo...(where did that name for butter come from??). These came out a little different texture for me this time because I have a different oven now that cooks very slow, henceforth the cookies took a long time to get a tiny touch of brown on the edges. That just shows you that each person must take into account some differences in their ovens, and even in the weather, when baking.

I like to use cherries to decorate some, pecans for some, and then sometimes I just leave the tops plain. Butter crisp cookies always make a pretty platter for a party.

Peppernuts ~ page 215

Just had to share a few pics I took of my recent batch of Peppernuts...

8 of these large baking sheets and I was tired of making cookies!

A very large bowl of Peppernuts, even after a lot of snacking!

A cute take-home treat for the holidays!

Aunt Judie's Swedish Limpa Bread ~ page 274

My job for Christmas is the traditional Swedish Limpa bread... and here is the most interest the boys have ever shown in the kitchen:

A while back I tried to make the full recipe in my mixer, had a horrible experience and ended up with way too much bad limpa. This time I halved the recipe and made it twice. Both batches turned out great. Here is the second rise:

I actually ran low on regular flour for the second batch and used bread flour which I think turned out a bit fluffier but the difference was slight. I wouldn't go out of my way to use the bread flour again. And here is my finished limpa bread, with the hot oven open, pouring out heat to keep me toasty on one of the colder nights we had!

Santa's Whisker's ~ page 271

This is my go-to cookie when I need a LOT of cookies--great for a party, school, or a bake sale! You can make them Christmasy, like the ones on the left in the picture with the bright red cherry bits in them, or make it a crispy pecan shortbread cookie for any occasion, like the ones on the right. Both ways are delicious!

This recipe makes into a slice and bake cookie. You can make up the logs of dough a couple weeks ahead even, and store them in the fridge. I made half the dough with chopped nuts and cherries and left the other half with only the nuts. If you need a lot of cookies, make one batch after another.

Wrap logs in either wax paper, or plastic wrap...both work fine.

Oops, I forgot to roll my logs in coconut before wrapping them, so I had to unwrap and get that step in--after all, the coconut is supposed to be the "whiskers"--so can't forget that step!

These slice up so fast and nice...

You can pack the cookies on your cookie sheet because they don't spread at all. It will be so easy for you to make lots of these for Christmas!

Gingerbread Men ~ page 210

Guess who decorated these gingerbread men?--well, I did do one of them, for an "example"

This Christmas, with grandkids dropping by at random times, I have kept some gingerbread dough in my fridge and candy decor is a bag ready to pull out for quickie gingerbread memories at Grandmother's house.

So far, only 3 grandkids have got their gingerbread time...but I am sure they will all get their turn in the next week or so...

I have been making this gingerbread recipe since my own kids were pre-school age. This is the original Betty Crocker recipe--the only cookbook I owned back then! ~ Janice

Peppernuts ~ page 215

Do you like to give interesting homemade gifts to friends and family at Christmas? This is one of my favorite gift foods because they are tasty and unique. These cookies are so cute, they will make you smile. I first had them years ago at a friend's house in Canada. They were served in a dish (like nuts) along with afternoon hot tea. After one or two you will notice the "heat" of the pepper, for that hot/sweet mix of flavors. I made two batches this year--one with the suggested low end of red and black pepper, and then a batch with the high end of pepper. I really like the peppery ones, but if you want to share your Peppernuts with little kids, then you might want to use less heat. However, it does keep kiddos from eating too many if they get a little heat build-up going on in their mouth!

Roll the Peppernut dough into little snakes. Then here is a trick--put the rolled snakes on a tray and pop them in the freezer for 10 minutes, or even a few days.

Now slice 3/8 inch slices and lay them out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife for cutting so that you don't squish the dough down.

My grandsons like Peppenuts with a glass of milk...I especially enjoy a handful with hot chocolate or a mocha!

Elias wanted to show how tiny Peppernut cookies are! ( One of my grandkids asked me if this was puppy food--well, I had to admit they do kind of look like it!!)

Find a pretty container to fill with Peppernuts for Christmas!

Peanut Butter Truffles~ page 224

These little truffles are addictive! I made the "dough" for the middle of the truffles a couple days ahead of time and then when I was ready for them I diced the "dough" into little cubes to roll into balls. These can seem a little crumbly, but just keep rolling till the balls are smooth and round.
Below is what the dipping chocolate looks like....usually comes in an ice cube try thingy.
You just pop a couple out at a time and microwave them 1 minute, stir, then microwave them another 30 seconds or till smooth. I use fondue forks for lifting them out of the chocolate, works like a charm.
They might look a little messy when you plop them down on the parchment paper, but once they harden you can break off any extra chocolate around the edges.
Below is a close up of the middle of one! If that doesn't make you want to make these, then I don't know what will!

Flax Seed Crackers ~ page 19

 

I think these crackers are so much fun to make--and they are always a hit and a conversation piece at any event; people will be amazed you made a "cracker". Oh, and these are delicious--light, crispy, with a touch a spicy pepper. I love them with soft brie cheese--which is how I first was introduced to them at a friend's wedding. I added cracked black pepper to the original recipe, and simplified the mixing by using the food processor.

Dry ingredients and butter are dumped into the food processor--this is a fast way to cut in the butter. I like to add ground flax seed powder as part of my flour in addition to the whole flax seed, just to pump up the nutrition.

Add the milk and the dough will quickly form.

Divide the dough in half, and roll out and cook one half at a time. Cover the waiting half with a towel so it won't dry out.

This is one half of the dough. After I rolled it as thin as I could, I cut it in half, then rolled the center edges a bit more before putting the two fourths on a baking sheet. Dividing the half into fourths keeps the center from getting a little thicker and taking longer to bake up crisp.

Take from the oven when they just start to turn golden brown. You want them crisp, but not overly brown. Sometimes I have to break off the edges and cook the centers a little bit more. You can make up the dough and cover and put in the fridge to bake the next day if you want to. I often bake up several recipes of these crackers for a party, or to give as a gift at Christmas. I like to mix them all up one day, then roll and bake them the next day.  These are also good with the Cheesy Olive Spread on page 28.  ~Janice