New Year's Puppy Chow

You can't have the holidays without some sort of chex mix on the table. We spent New Year's day cozied in the house playing cards and looking forward to our belated Christmas dinner that we would be enjoying later that night. Puppy chow is the perfect sweet snack for a day like today. You can be as creative or boring as you'd like with your add-ins. In my opinion, any snack dipped in peanut butter chocolate and then coated in powdered sugar tastes great. We kept it simple and added pecans and dark chocolate M&M's. Pretzels, mixed nuts and additional cereals are all great additions. Enjoy with your family tonight - Happy New Year!!

Puppy Chow
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Butter

1 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 tsp. Vanilla
8-9 cups Crispix or Chex cereal
1 cup whole pecans
1 bag M&M candies
1-2 cups Powdered Sugar
Combine peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for one minute then stir to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir well.
In the largest bowl you own: mix cereal, M&M’s and pecans and pour the butter-chocolate mixture over the cereal and toss evenly, making sure everything is well coated.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cereal and toss as you sprinkle to cover each piece well. (You can sprinkle powdered sugar in the bowl or in a separate Ziploc bag.)

Christmas Eve Eggnog

There is snow on the ground (with much more on the way!), Christmas music is playing throughout the house, the gifts are wrapped under our sparkling tree and all is well in the Vossen Kitchen. Thank you to those who have followed my adventures in the kitchen this holiday season. After my cookie marathon, I am ending my Christmas preparations with creamy homemade eggnog. I started making this about 12 years ago and I have continued to every Christmas Eve since. With a big batch of whipping cream and nutmeg involved you can't go wrong. I am excited because my co-worker brought me fresh eggs from his farm today so this eggnog is as fresh as it can possibly get. Because I am making the custard tonight, I will not have a finished product until tomorrow so my photo shows the beautiful fresh eggs I'm using. I want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas - I will be back in the kitchen next week!

Christmas Eve Eggnog

Soft Custard

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Dash of salt

2 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Eggnog

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup light rum (optional)

Ground nutmeg

In 2-quart heavy saucepan, stir eggs, granulated sugar and salt until well mixed. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture just coats a metal spoon; remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Place saucepan in cold water until custard is cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours. Just before serving, in chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Gently stir 1 cup of the whipped cream and rum, if using, into the cooled custard. Pour custard mixture into small punch bowl or large pitcher. Top with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve immediately. Store in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Andes Mint Cookies

There are many Christmas cookie variations that use the lovely Andes Mint for a frosting. I like this recipe for its simplicity and that it uses chocolate chips instead of cocoa powder. These mint cookies are soft and chewy and the swirled chocolate mint makes them simply beautiful. The best part is that after making these, your kitchen will actually smell like Christmas! Once again, I am using parchment paper (one of the best inventions : ) on my cookie sheets. If you do not plan on using parchment paper you will want to lightly grease your baking sheet because these cookies have a tendency to stick.

Andes Mint Cookies

3/4 c. butter

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

2 Tbls. water

12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

2 boxes Andes Mints

Melt together butter, brown sugar and water. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Let stand about 15 minutes to cool. Add remaining ingredients (except mints) and mix until well incorporated. Chill dough 1-2 hours. Roll into 1" balls and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 F for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven and place 1/2 of an Andes mint on top of each cookie. Let cookies sit for 30 seconds or until candies are melting and glossy. Swirl melted chocolate with a butter knife.

Tip: I like to use mini chocolate chip morsels since they melt so easily.

Homemade Caramels

Good things come in small packages. Nothing could be more true when it comes to these buttery, vanilla homemade caramels. They make the perfect gift for practically everyone on your Christmas list. As a child we tested the caramel in a glass of water, waiting for a "firm ball" to form...spare yourself this hassle and buy a digital thermometer so you will know exactly when the caramels are done. My tip is to use parchment paper in your pan instead of butter. Once the caramels have cooled and set, all you'll have to do is lift the parchment paper and everything comes out in one easy step. Peel the parchment paper back and you are ready to cut and package your candies.

Homemade Caramels

1 c. butter

2 1/4 c. brown sugar

dash of salt

1 c. white Karo syrup

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Place a large sheet of parchment paper in a 8x8 pan and set aside. Melt butter over medium to medium/high heat in a large sauce pan. Add brown sugar and salt, stir well. Slowly pour in Karo syrup and sweetened condensed milk stirring constantly. Continue to stir as mixture bubbles and reaches 245 degrees on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into parchment lined pan and let cool. Cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.

Raspberry Thumbprints

There is nothing better than a Saturday afternoon devoted to the kitchen. Especially when it is the Saturday before Christmas and the excitement of the season is in the air. I don't think Raspberry Thumbprints are traditionally a Christmas cookie but I love the way the red jam livens up a Christmas platter. I like to make these cookies bite-sized and enjoy them with a good cup of coffee in the morning. Go ahead and double the batch right away because they disappear fast!

Raspberry Thumbprints

1 c. butter at room temperature

2/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. almond flavored extract

2 c. flour

1/4 c. raspberry jam

Cookie glaze 1 c. powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. almond flavored extract 4-5 tsp. water Mix above ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Beat butter until well blended. Add sugar and almond extract and beat until creamy. Stir in flour (dough will be slightly crumbly) and shape into small 1" balls. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and make a shallow indent with your finger or the end of a wooden spoon. Fill each cookie with 1/4 tsp. raspberry jam. Bake at 350 F for 14-16 minutes. Let rest about 5 minutes and then drizzle with glaze.

Tip: I scoop the jam with my 1/4 tsp and then using a butter knife, empty the jam into the indent.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisps

This was my favorite Christmas treat as a kid. (I'm sure this had a lot to do with the fact that they were so easy to assemble that my mom let me make them by myself!) These chocolate peanut butter crisps are easy enough for kids yet sophisticated enough to share at an office Christmas party. I like that you can make these days ahead of time and they keep well in the refrigerator. The best part of these candies is that you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry to make them tonight!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisps

1 box Wheat Thins crackers

1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

6 oz. chocolate flavored almond bark

1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

Spread each cracker with peanut butter and place another cracker on top to make a small "sandwich". Melt chocolates in a double boiler and dip prepared crackers until well coated. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and let cool.

Oreo Truffles

With Christmas only 9 days away...I feel very behind on my Christmas cookie baking! My plan is to make one "goodie" a night for the next week and I should have all of our holiday favorites covered. I am starting with my personal favorite: Oreo truffles. The first time I bit into one I was amazed that with all of the rich chocolatey-goodness, they still only contained three ingredients! These can be frozen and should always be stored in the refrigerator to keep them tasting fresh. Santa enjoys these best with a tall glass of milk.

Oreo Truffles

(1) pkg. oreo cookies

(1) 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

(1) pkg. vanilla flavored almond bark

Crush oreos in a large food processor or large stand mixer. Add cream cheese and mix until well blended. Refrigerate dough approximately 2 hours. Roll into small tablespoon size balls and place on waxed paper and refrigerate another 2 hours. In a double boiler, melt almond bark and dip chilled oreo balls until well coated. Place on wax paper and cool. Store in the refrigerator.

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

My co-worker brought these cute cookies into work last year at Thanksgiving and I liked them so much that I emailed a picture of them to my family. My sister saved the email this past year and while I had forgotten about them, she had not. We made them on Wednesday night and decided they would be a fun activity to do with our nephews when they get a little older. They are quick and easy to assemble and keep your Thanksgiving table looking festive.

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

1 can cream cheese frosting

1 pkg. fudge striped cookies

1 bag mini Reece's peanut butter cups

Reece's pieces candies or mini M&M's

Place fudge striped cookie face down and add approximately 1 tsp. frosting to the center. Place peanut butter cup face down on top of frosting. Add a mini M&M for the button. Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

With Thanksgiving around the corner I am hurrying to perfect my side dishes since this is the first time I'll be hosting my family for the holiday. Last year I decided to forgo my usual canned cranberry sauce, and I tried making my own - we loved it!! It is tart and refreshing and packed with antioxidants - it is also much prettier on your table than the gelatin molds you get from a can! It really should be enjoyed more than on just Thanksgiving day. Try serving it warm over pancakes with maple syrup; baked on brie and then spread on crackers or a crusty bread; or try topping your vanilla ice cream for a sweet treat. (The best part is, this is a side dish you can make this ahead of time since it keeps really well in the fridge.)

Cranberry Sauce

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. water

4 c. fresh cranberries

zest of an orange

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

In a sauce pan bring to boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer approx. 10 minutes or until cranberries burst. Stir in orange peel, cinnamon & nutmeg. Remove from heat. Cool at room temperature and then store in refrigerator. (Sauce will thicken as it cools.)