Red Velvet Cake Balls

This is from Bakerella's site.  She makes cake balls in all shapes and kinds.  They are amazing!

Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark or wafers (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

Directions:
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely(I make it the night before and let it sit out overnight to cool), crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 50-60. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.  Or use a chocolate melting pot and it's alot easier!
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Submitted by Christine Frost

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:1 3/4 cup of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 unbeaten egg
1 tsp vanilla
Hershey Kisses
Directions:- Preheat oven 375 degrees
- Sift together: flour, baking soda, salt
- Cream together: peanut butter, butter, sugar, brown sugar. After creamed together add egg and vanilla
- Blend in dry ingredients (mix throughly)

Shape into 1" balls. Roll in sugar and place on ungreased baking sheets (I like to cover my sheets in parchment paper)

Bake 8 min, remove from oven, push hershey kiss firmly down in center of cookie until it cracks. Return to oven to bake until golden brown (2-5 minutes)

Makes 3 dozen cookies

 

Submitted by Melissa Morgan

Chocolate Spritz Cookies

Ingredients:1 1/2 C butter (3 sticks) softened

• 1 Cup granulated sugar
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 pure almond extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Icing:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons cream (or half & half)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate, egg, vanilla, and almond extracts. Mix well. Sift flour and baking powder together; gradually stir into the creamed mixture, mixing well.

3. Fill cookie press with dough. Turn out cookies in desired shapes, 1 to 2 inches apart onto an un-greased cookie sheet (I also placed parchment paper down first to ensure easy transfer to cooling rack). Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Rotating the cookie sheet halfway through the baking process, ensures even baking.

4. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely. Decorate with Butter Icing (optional). Store in airtight container.

 

For Butter Icing:

Heat cream and butter together in a saucepan over medium heat, until the butter is melted. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar. Remove from heat, and beat with an electric mixer until thick, creamy and smooth. Pipe or drizzle over cookies.

 

Makes about 48-50 cookies.

 

Submitted by Melissa Cypher

Hot Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hot Chocolate Chip Cookies
From the Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen

Makes about 30 large cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks Salted Butter- At Room Temperature
• 1 cup White Granulated Sugar
• ⅔ cups Packed Light Brown Sugar
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla
• 3-¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 4 packages (1 Oz. Packets, NOT Sugar-free) Hot Chocolate Mix
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1-¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 cup Each White, Milk, And Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

 

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients in 3 to 4 parts, making sure all is incorporated. Fold in chips. Chill the dough for an hour or so. Use a 1/4 cup as a scoop to scoop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Submitted by Katie Hyre

Raisin Puff Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 box of raisins, about 2 1/4 cup
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs beaten
• 5 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• Granulated sugar to roll dough in

Directions: 

In a saucepan, combine raisins and water and cook over medium heat until water evaporates....then let cool

Preheat overn to 350.

Cream shortening and 2 1/4 cups sugar until light and creamy.  Add vanilla and eggs...mix well.

In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and nuts.  Mix well and combine with creamed mixuture.

Carefully stir in raisins.

Roll into 1-inch balls.  Roll dough balls in granulated sugar.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 8 dozen cookies!

 

Submitted by Deanna Calderaro

Knock You Naked Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 package German Chocolate cake mix (18.5 oz)
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1/3 cup + 1/2 cup evaporated milk-divided
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 60 vanilla or regular caramels unwrapped (one 14 oz package)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 

Directions:- In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, nuts, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and melted butter

- Press half of the batter into the bottom of a greased 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish

- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.

- In the microwave or top of a double boiler melt caramels with remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk

- When caramel mixture is well mixed, pour over baked layer

- Cover with chocolate chips

- Chill for about an hour or until the caramel is hard.

- Press the remaining batter on top of morsels

- Return to oven and bake 28 minutes (or less for gooier brownies)

- Let cool before cutting.

  

Yields: 24 brownies 

 

Submitted by Sarah Kozloff     

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles makes 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled.
Heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheets. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Place two inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet. Enjoy!!!

Submitted by Brianna Lang

Pizzelles

Yields 6 dozen

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup margarine
• 1 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3 1/2 cups of flour
• Flavoring of your choice: 4 teaspoons of vanilla -or- 2 teaspoons Anise oil

Directions:
Beat eggs, margarine, sugar and flavoring. Slowly add flour until everything is combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto hot pizzelle iron. No need to grease the iron since there is so much butter in the batter! 

Submitted by Leah Pisano

Stained Glass Window Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 rolls mult-colored lifesavers candy

Directions:
1. Beat sugar, vanilla, butter, and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.

2. Stir in baking powder, flour, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for one hour until firm.

3. Heat oven to 375º. Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1/3 of dough at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into shapes.

5. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Cut out window pane designs from cookies. Place partially crushed pieces of candy in cutouts, mixing colors as desired.

6. Bake 7-9 minutes. Immediately spread any unmelted candy with a knife. Cool completely on pan. 

Submitted by Krystle Makola

Mini-Cheesecakes

Makes 48 mini cheesecakes.  Top with pie filling or icing sprinkled with chocolate jimmies!  

Ingredients:

• 2 -8 oz packages cream cheese       
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup white sugar               
• 1 -12 oz package vanilla wafers
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line miniature muffin tins with miniature paper liners.
2. Crush the vanilla wafers, and place ½ teaspoon of the crushed vanilla wafers into each paper cup.
3. Cream together with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.
4. Bake for 15 minutes.  Cool.  Top with your favorite filling or icing!

Notes:  I usually crush cinnamon graham crackers and add a little of melted butter to hold the crust together.  Then I tamp the crust in the cups with a tart tamper.  

Submitted by Tammi Wilson

No-Bake Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup milk

Stir and bring to a boil for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat

Dry Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• dash salt

Directions:

Add hot mixture to oats, peanut butter, vanilla, salt
Mix well.
Drop by tsp on to greased dish or waxed paper.  

Cool

Submitted by Cari Jo Roberts

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Royal Icing
Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons meringue powder
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 6 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Beat all ingredients at low speed for 7 to 10 minutes, or until icing forms peaks. Tip: Keep icing covered with a wet kitchen towel at all times. Icing can dry out quickly.

Submitted by Marci O’Donnell

Chocolate Covered Oreo's

Ingredients:

• Oreo's (any type will do- mint, peanut butter, double stuff, etc)
• Melting Chocolate (milk or dark)
• Sugar Layons, sprinkles or colored melting chocolate
• Wax paper

 

Directions:

Heat chocolate in a double boiler on the stove, make sure to keep the heat at medium so you do not burn the chocolate. 
Once the chocolate is melted, dip each Oreo into the chocolate and use a fork to scoop it out.
Lay Oreo's on wax paper to dry.
If you choose to place sugar layons or sprinkles on top, do so while the chocolate is still warm so it will stick.  If you choose to splatter colored chocolate on top, I would recommend doing so once the milk chocolate has cooled and dried.
Enjoy!
 
Submitted by Arleen Szczypinski

Cranberry Shortbread Bars

I made these last night.  They were really good.  I got the recipe from joyofbaking.com. They were a little tart, but most cranberry dishes are.  We added some cool whip to the top, but it would be good with ice cream too!  They are not as complicated as the recipe looks!

Ingredients:

Cranberry Filling:

8 ounces (2 1/4 cups) fresh cranberries
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons water

Shortbread Bars: 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch (corn flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Cranberry Shortbread Bars : Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place the wire oven rack in the center of the oven.  Butter (or spray with a non stick cooking spray) a 9 x 9 inch pan. 

Cranberry Filling: In a medium sized saucepan place all the ingredients. Then, over medium-high heat, cook the ingredients until boiling. Continue to boil the filling until it becomes thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool while you make the shortbread.

Shortbreads : In a separate bowl whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. 

Evenly press two-thirds of the shortbread into the bottom of the prepared pan. Then evenly spread the cranberry filling over the shortbread base, leaving a 1/4 inch border.

With the remaining shortbread dough, using your fingers, crumble it over the top of the cranberry filling. Then lightly press the dough into the filling. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven, place on a wire rack, and while still hot, cut into 16 squares. Allow to cool completely in pan.

Makes about 16 bars.

Submitted by Megan Greene

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

Recipe from Taste of Home
This is one of my favorite fall desserts!

Ingredients: 2 packages gingerbread cake mix

• 1 package (4.6 oz) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 can (29 oz) pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 carton frozen whipped topping (NOT the spray can)

Directions:
Prepare and bake gingerbread according to directions on box - use 2 greased round baking pans. Cool completely once cooked.

For pudding - in a large saucepan, combine pudding mix and milk; stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir about 12 minutes longer or until thickened. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Once cool, combine with pumpkin and brown sugar and then stir into pudding.

In a 4 qt. glass serving bowl (something deep to show the layers), crumble one gingerbread cake; gently press down. Top that with half of pudding mixture and whipped topping. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve.

Submitted by Callie Cahill

Pumpkin Bars

My old roommate made these for me once and I love them.  I try to make them at least once around the holiday's.  Yummy! 

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Oil
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 2 Cups Pumpkin
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 1/2 Stick Butter
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 tbsp. Milk
• 3 Cups Powder Sugar

Directions:

Mix the following into a greased & floured 15X10 inch pan:  oil, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. 

 

To make the frosting mix the following: cream cheese, stick of butter, vanilla, milk, and powder sugar. 

 

Cool and Frost.

 

Submitted by:  Heather McCurdy

Pumpkin Fluff

This is really tasty with graham crackers, or ginger snaps, or in a pre-made pie shell (let firm overnight in fridge or freezer).

Ingredients: 

• 1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed  
• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix (can also use pumpkin spice pudding mix)  
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin  
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.


Submitted by Melissa Cypher

 

Pecan Pie

This comes from my Grandmother. It has been made for Thanksgiving for as many years as I can remember.  I make it in a standing mixer - very easy to make and tastes so good!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/3 c melted butter
• 1 cup dark corn syrup (Karo)
• 1 cup pecan meats

Directions:

Mix ingredients in order given.

Pour in 9inch pie pan pie shell.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Submitted by Kelly Guzie

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

This week I decided I was in the mood to bake and even though I'm not a big pumpkin fan, this recipe caught my eye in a MixingBowl.com magazine because it just looked so good in the picture.  Besides the pumpkin, it's mostly ingredients you will have around the house if you bake frequently, so it's not very complicated.  The only thing is this recipe makes ALOT of pumpkin bread.  So I ended up taking the second loaf into the daycare and it was a big hit!  Also, if you want you can leave out the cream cheese filling and just make it as a pumpkin bread. 

Ingredients:

• Nonstick Cooking Spray
• 4 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 12-ounce (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 29-ounce can pumpkin
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons vanilla

Cream Cheese Filling

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans with parchment paper.  Coat paper with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add chocolate chips and, if desired, nuts. (Tossing nuts and chips in flour will keep them from sinking during baking.)

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium until smooth.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined.

In a separate mixing bowl prepare your filling by combining the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. 

Spoon half of the batter into prepared pans.  Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over batter in pans.  Top with remaining batter.  If desired, use a fork or spatula to cut though batter and swirl.  Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes.  Remove loaves from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 2 large loaves - 32 slices.

Notes:  I didn't have the pumpkin pie spice and didn't want to buy it just for this.  So I used a mixture of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg instead.  It took a little longer than the 70 minutes to bake completely.  I would say closer to an hour and a half.  Also, I did not put nuts in this...I figured the chocolate chips and filling were enough going on! 

Submitted by Christine Frost