Christmas Baking

So what do you do when you aren't much of a baker, and the biggest baking season of the year rolls around? Well, you suck it up, find some simple recipes you know even you can't screw up and get into the ho-ho-ho, fa-la-la-la spirit! 

Yes, that's right, even after over 5 years of doing this blog (Hard to believe!) I still do not consider myself much of a baker. Sure, I can do it, but it just isn't "my thing". There are just things I enjoy more in the kitchen. But if you've been following me for a while now, you know the one thing I do enjoy baking, and have become kind of an expert at, are muffins! 

This time of year I have some favorite flavors and favorite smells. For flavor, I can't get enough peppermint. It just makes my tongue feel Christmas-y. And for smells? Ginger, cinnamon...basically gingerbread. Oh, the house just smells like a holiday when you've got some gingerbread baking in the oven. So when a friend, who knows my love of all things "spicy" this time of year, passed these on, I couldn't wait to make them!

They are so much more simple than old fashion gingerbread, are ready in almost no time, and still give you all those same festive flavors. Oh, and they just happen to be the perfect dessert, breakfast, snack, or even teacher/neighbor gift!

What are your favorite things to bake this time of year? Do you go the easy route or maybe you have some tried and true recipes that are a little more labor intensive? Either way, make sure you are doing things you love, with those whom you love the most, for it truly is the most wonderful time of year.


Gingerbread Muffins
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. molasses
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. milk
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. allspice
Decorating Sugar Crystals, I like gold

 Preheat oven to 400. Line a muffin tin with papers, or grease bottoms only. In a large bowl using a wooden spoon, beat together molasses, brown sugar, egg, milk and oil until well combined. Add flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and allspice. Stir until mixture is combined, but do NOT over stir. Divide mixture among 12 wells evenly. (I used a cookie scoop and it was 2 scoops each.) Sprinkle with sugar crystals. Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes 1 dozen.

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Recipe from Betty Crocker

Fall is Coming

Any one that knows me well, or is a faithful reader of this blog knows I love summer...and when it comes to an end I tend to get a little grumpy. I don't mind fall, in fact, I enjoy it. Sunny days at the pumpkin patch, apple orchard or one of our favorite autumn festivals. Donning a hoodie because there is a chill in the air. Decorating for Halloween. Enjoying a family meal with all the trimmings at Thanksgiving. 

But this is where the train comes off the track. See, while I don't mind fall, I detest what comes next. I hate snow. I hate the cold. The only bright spot for me in winter is Christmas. As far as I'm concerned, we can go from summer, to fall, back to summer, take a two-day break at Christmas for some festive flakes, and then go right back into summer again. Yeah, I know....I live in the Midwest...it's a pipe dream. But there are things to look forward to with fall on it's way, so I try to make the best of it, and find solace in those. 

One thing I love to do during the chilly fall days is make a big pot of a warm drink to enjoy all day long while we are watching football, coming and going, or in this case, feeling a little under the weather. That's right, before summer was over, little man and I both got sick. Between his strep throat and my sinus infection, we made a good pair. But the one thing we could both enjoy was this delicious, warm, comforting drink that not only tasted great, but really soothed our oh so sore throats. 

If you love apple cider, this takes it to the next level. It combines fantastic autumn flavors with the brightness of citrus. It's perfect for your fall cook-out or bonfire too because you can heat it up, and then leave it warm in the slow cooker all day and night long. Oh, and if there is some left, you can keep it in the fridge for up to three days, so it doesn't go to waste. 

Autumn is on it's way. I can't hide from it. But I can enjoy these last warm days, and look forward to the things I do love about the next season. And as far as what is coming after it, denial is a beautiful thing.

Hot Citrus Cider

1/2 gal. apple juice

2 1/4 c. water

1 1/2 c. orange juice

3 4-inch cinnamon sticks

1 TBS whole cloves

1/4 c. molasses

Garnish: apple slices

Mix together all ingredients except garnish in a large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Transfer to a slow cooker; keep warm on low setting. Serve in mugs, garnished with an apple slice. May be refrigerated in a covered container up to 3 days. Makes about 3 quarts. *NOTE* I did not have cinnamon sticks on hand, so I used 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon.

Shared on The Country Cook Sept. 12, 2014

From Gooseberry Patch

Slow Cooker Summer Series Day 3

Every summer backyard barbecue, cook-out, family reunion, graduation party, bonfire at the lake, etc. has some tried and true staples. The top ones that come to my mind? Potato salad, coleslaw, grilled meat of some kind, and of course, baked beans! Now, I've shared with ya'll my favorite bean recipe on the face of the planet, my mom's, and I still say nobody makes them better; but this recipe definitely comes in 2nd, for both flavor and the use of my slow cooker!

If you've never tried making baked beans "from scratch", please jump in my boat, because neither had I. The can of Bush's is my friend, what can I say? But I'm telling you, trying it for the first time might have been intimidating had I not had my trusty Crock Pot doing most of the work for me! 

And for a big get together, what's better than knowing you don't have to think about making sure one of the side dishes is always full? Simple set up your slow cooker to make these, then turn it down to warm, and let your guests eat out of it all day long! 

The flavor of these lets your taste buds know they were slow cooked all day. Sweet, savory and rich they are just what you're looking for in a good summer time baked bean. Oh, and did I mention they have bacon in them too? 

Next time you've got a crowd coming over, or you are just firing up the grill on a Sunday for the family, be sure to remember this recipe. I promise you won't be sorry! 

Crock Pot Baked Beans

1 lb. dried navy beans

1/2 c. molasses

1/2 c. brown sugar

4 TBS Dijon mustard

3 c. hot water

1/8 tsp. dried cloves

10 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place beans in a large bowl. Cover with water. Soak overnight. Drain and rinse beans. In a medium bowl mix together water, molasses, mustard, brown sugar and cloves. Spray Crock Pot with nonstick spray. In the bottom, lay half the bacon. Cover with half the drained beans. Add onions. Top with rest of beans and then rest of bacon. Pour hot water mixture over top. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Reduce heat to LOW and cook 5-6 hours, checking water level a few times. If dry out, just add more. In the last hour of cooking, test the tenderness of beans. If not soft enough, cook on HIGH for the last hour.

Shared on The Country Cook June 13, 2014

Old Fashion Holiday Baking

Today is one of those recipes that when you are making it, it instantly feels like Christmas. Even if you aren't quite in the holiday spirit, it forces you to be!

For me, it brought back memories of the way my grandmas' houses smelled all those Christmases from my childhood spent in Pennsylvania, surrounded by snow covered mountains. The day I made this for my family was bitterly cold, there were snowflakes falling, we had all the Christmas lights lit in the house, and the house filled with all the aromas we love this time of year. I was immediately in a better mood and truly felt "Christmasy" in my heart.

Are you looking for a special dessert for Christmas Eve (that's tomorrow, in case you aren't paying attention) or maybe Christmas Day? Your family will love this, and you will love how easy it is. But honestly, you could also serve this as a breakfast treat early Christmas morning! This, a cup of coffee or cocoa, and your day will start off deliciously.

We are all so busy this time of year. Dashing from here to there, shopping til we drop, attending party after party, trying to fit all the fun of the holiday season into just a few weeks. But I promise if you take about an hour out of the hustle and bustle, to make this, your holiday will instantly be transported back to the days of old. When the holidays were simpler, and families were more interested in spending the day in the kitchen baking and making memories than fighting the crowds at the mall. I think we can all use some old fashion holiday brought into homes this year, and this is the perfect way to start!

And a special note from me to you: This will be the last post of mine before Christmas. Bekki will be here tomorrow with a special recipe for Christmas Eve, so I didn't want to sign off without wishing each and every single one of you a very Merry Christmas from my family to yours~ May it be filled with those whom you love most in the world, and the spirit of the Lord, goodwill and peace to men that the oh so tiny baby brought to the world in a stable all those years ago!

 "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "

Snowy-Day Gingerbread From Hometown Christmas

2 1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. sugar

1 c. molasses

3/4 c. hot water

1/2 c. shortening

1 egg

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 TBS ground ginger

1 TBS cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325. Spray a 9" deep dish pie plate with vegetable spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer, on LOW, scraping bowl occasionally, for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping, for 3 minutes. Pour batter into pie plate. Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Serve with whipped topping if desired.

*NOTE* To easily remove molasses from measuring cup, rinse it out with HOT water first. The molasses will slide right out!

 

Turkey Day Tradition Twist

Only two more days people! I hope everyone has been to the grocery store and your turkey is thawing in the fridge. Maybe even some of you have started the prep work and have some dishes already in the works! There are so many traditions when it comes to food in our family, especially during the holidays, and one of those is pumpkin pie! And it can't be just any pumpkin pie. My mom is the pumpkin pie master! And we are the people that must have it not only at Thanksgiving but then again just a few weeks later on Christmas Day! But I realize many of you are trying to cut out certain things in your diet, and those might include the ingredients in a good pumpkin pie crust. So when I saw this recipe I thought it would be a great alternative as your family gathers around the table for turkey, dressing and all the trimmings. It is rich, creamy and the best part of a the pumpkin pie sans crust. The ingredient that I was so happy to see in the recipe was molasses! I knew it would only deepen the richness and give it an even more "pie-ish" flavor. (Yes, that is a word...) Plus, if your kids are anything like I was when I was little, the "guts" of the pie always get gobbled up with some crust remaining on the plate. So at least this way, there is no waste! This can also be made either the night before, or early Thanksgiving morning and be waiting on you when dinner is ready. Traditions are such a fun, loving part of the holidays, but starting new ones, especially delicious ones, is a great thing too!

Pumpkin Pudding From Taste of Home

1 c. solid pack pumpkin

1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 c. cold milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon, extra for garnish

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

1 TBS molasses

Extra whipped cream for garnish, optional

In a small bowl using an electric mixer, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Set aside. In a large bowl combine pumpkin, molasses, and spices. Gradually add milk. Add pudding mix. Using electric mixer, mix slowly until thickened, about 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream until well combined. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with extra whipped cream and cinnamon.

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