Caramel Apple Bites

Finally getting around to posting some of my Christmas recipes.  I took lots of pictures, but didn't have much time for posting everything.

Use dehydrated apples (the kind from the cannery work well).

Dip in caramel sauce (recipe is HERE)

Then dip in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

These are G.O.O.D.

And definitely not just for Christmas.

I almost have myself convinced that they are healthy.  :)

English Toffee

pictured here with layered peppermint bark and christmas caramels

Another favorite from "Christmas Recipes from the Lion House"

1 cup butter
5 tsp. water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup toasted almonds (see below)
1 8 oz milk chocolate bar (chocolate chips also work here)
1/2 finely chopped walnuts (optional)

In heavy saucepan mix butter, water, and sugar.  Bring to boil and cook at highest heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown and candy leaves sides of pan.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and toasted almonds.  Pour onto greased cookie sheet.  Break up chocolate bar into small pieces and sprinkle over top of toffee.  When chocolate starts to melt, spread evenly over top of toffee with knife.  Sprinkle with walnuts, if desired.  Allow to cool for 12 hours.  Break into pieces.  Makes about 12 lbs. candy.

Toasted Almonds:

Spread 1 cup blanched slivered almonds in shallow pan and coat with 1 tsp. salad oil or melted butter.  Roast in over at 300 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often.

Layered Peppermint Bark

17 ounces high quality white chocolate, finely chopped (don’t use chips)
6 ounces peppermint candy canes, crushed
7 ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate
5½ Tbs whipping cream
¾ tsp peppermint extract

1. Turn large baking sheet bottom side up. Cover securely with foil. Mark 12×9-inch rectangle on foil. Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth and candy thermometer registers 110°F. (chocolate will feel warm to the touch). Remove from over water. Pour 2/3 cup melted white chocolate onto rectangle on foil. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill rectangle. Sprinkle with ¼ cup crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir bittersweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate rectangle. Using icing spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate in even layer. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.

3. Rewarm remaining white chocolate in bowl set over barely simmering water to 110°F. Working quickly, pour white chocolate over firm bittersweet chocolate layer; spread to cover. Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes. If you let the bark go much longer than this- it will be very hard to cut neatly.

4. Lift foil with bark onto work surface; trim edges. Cut bark crosswise into 2-inch wide strips. Using metal spatula, slide bark off foil and onto work surface. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections and each section diagonally into 2 triangles, or squares. You can also just break into large chunks and enjoy.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Christmas Caramels

Christmas wouldn't be the same without homemade caramels.  I make these every year with this same recipe.  The recipe came from my cookbook "Christmas Recipes from the Lion House."  I love the Lion House cookbooks.

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
dash of salt

Combine ingredients in heavy pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon.  Keep at rolling boil and cook till soft ball forms in cold water (about 15 minutes).   Pour into buttered 7x11 inch pan.  Cool, then cut into squares and wrap each piece in wax paper.  Makes about 75 piece of candy.

Winter Salad

I am always asked to bring this salad to holiday get togethers.  I love making it at Christmastime.  And it really tastes as good as it looks!

1 can beets, cubed
2 Tbs. veg. oil
juice from 1 orange (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup pomegranate juice (I've found this at Smith's Marketplace at Target)
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar (or rice vinegar)
1 med. red onion, thinly sliced
2 cans mandarin orange pieces
1 cup pomegranate seeds
5 cups of fresh greens (Spring Mix)

Whisk orange juice, pomegranate juice, vinegar, and 2 Tbs. oil in large bowl to blend.  Season vinagrette with salt and pepper.  Place onion in small bowl.  Cover with cold water.  Soak onion 1 minute, drain, and squeeze dry in kitchen towel.  Add beets, onion, orange slices, and pomegranate seeds to vinagrette in bowl, toss.  Season salad with salt and pepper, arrange on top of a bed of greens.

Christmas Kiss Centered Brownie Bites

Original recipe found on Picky Palate.  She remembered to take a picture of the inside.  Aren't they cute!

I just made up a brownie mix from a box.  I greased a mini muffin tin, then pressed the kisses in the center of each tin cup.  Be careful not to press the kiss all the way to the bottom or it makes it harder to get them out of the tin.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!

Pretzel Turtles

Pretzels
Rolos
Whole nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews, any would work)
M n M's
Any other candy you want to use
white chocolate for drizzling over top (optional)

I have a big jar of holiday pretzels (trees, stars, bells).  They are so cute.  So I decided to use some to make some pretzel turtles.  Of course you don't have to have holiday pretzels to make these, the knot pretzels work just great.

To begin, you heat your oven to 350, then spread out pretzels on an ungreased baking sheet.  Top each pretzel with an unwrapped rolo, and bake for 3 minutes.  This will make them soft and gooey, but they'll still be holding their shape.  Remove from oven, and top with candy of your choice.

I topped mine with cashews, M n M's, and cinnamon gummy Santas.  I have drizzled these with white chocolate before, but didn't this time.

These are wayyyyy easy.  And  I am a fan of salty/sweet.

Lemon Star Cookies

I was in a cooking store in Orem yesterday and I saw yellow sugar crystals. I had just barely seen a recipe in one of my magazine for these cute star cookies with sparkly yellow sugar crystals on them and had wondered to myself where you could purchase yellow sugar crystals. When I saw them in the store I knew it was a sign! I bought them and got excited to make these sparkly little cuties!  I love cookie bling.

Recipe from Taste of Home--Holiday Christmas Cookies and Candies

Ingredients:

For Cookies:
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract (I doubled it)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

For Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. butter
3/4 tsp. lemon extract (again, I doubled it)
3 drops yellow food coloring or paste
3 to 4 Tbsp. milk

Yellow colored sugar crystals (I bought mine at the Bosch store, but you could even use regular sugar crystals, mix them with some yellow food coloring, and bake them for a few minutes on a cookie sheet if you can't find the yellow ones)

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and extract.  Stir in sour cream and peel.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Divide dough into three balls; cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle.
2.  Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator at a time.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.  Cut with a floured 2-inch star cookie cutter.  Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
3.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks to cool.
4.  For icing, in a bowl combine the powdered sugar, butter, extract, food coloring if desired and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency.  Ice cookies; sprinkle with colored sugar.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen medium sized stars.

Oreo Truffles--revisited

Remember these SUPER easy, SUPER good "Oreo Truffles"?

They are lovely drizzled with white chocolate, but at Christmas time they become a holiday treat when drizzled with red and green chocolate as well!

Israeli Inspired Pita Sandwich with Yogurt Sauce

From Christine Hansen

We had this served to us at beautiful visiting teaching conference about the Ten Virgins. I think this will be fun to make around Christmas time. We have a tradition on Christmas Eve where we dress up and have a shepherd's dinner.

Yogurt Sauce (make first, to allow flavors to blend)

1 cup plain yogurt
1/3 c. finely chopped, seeded cucumber (I just shredded it)
2 T. finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. sugar

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Best if made at least an hour ahead to allow flavors to blend.

Pita Filling

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned with onion, salt and pepper
2 cups cooked barley (or whatever ratio you like).
1 cup beef broth
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin

Barley is a great meat stretcher! Use pearl barley, available in bags near the dried beans. Cook it like rice, using 2 cups of water for 1 cup barley. I used my rice cooker but the stove top will work well too. Can freeze any leftovers--add to soup, etc.

Combine beef and barley, warm on the stove with 1 cup beef broth (or more if it seems dry). You can use bouillion and water as well. This will help moisten it and allow the spices to permeate the mixture. Add oregano, garlic powder, cumin. Simmer 30 minutes or so.

Serve with:

pita bread (best price and quality at costco)
chopped cucumbers
fresh chopped tomatoes
sliced onions or green onions
yogurt sauce
hummus

Side of red grapes.