Quick and easy christmas baking

[Cachoo]

Thank you for adding--"the girls"--friends since first grade--want to do a cookie exchange this year. NNNNNOOOOO!

[flyingsit]

I just made the beer bread. Thank you!

[Matryeshka]

I love that recipe; it's great at Christmas, and it's great with really hearty soups. It's also good if you want something a little sweet but not dessert-y.

The only thing is, like wine, don't use a beer you wouldn't drink. This is not the time for Natty Light.

[Christina]

Ooh, I'm gonna make some tonight. You could make some croutons out of the leftover bread - dense, day old bread makes the best ones.

How does one make croutons?

I made the beer bread last night, and it was fine this evening with dinner. I toasted it and put foofy Land o' Lakes butter on it and it was yummy. But then I had a piece not toasted and it was good too. The key to storing that type of bread is just stick it on a plate or something cut side down. It doesn't get gross that way.

[milanessa]

How does one make croutons?

Just cut the bread in cubes (about a half inch or so square) and toss in melted butter. I usually add half of a capful of olive or canola oil to the butter to prevent burning. Throw in a pan and brown lightly. You can add garlic, parmesan, pepper flakes, dill, onion powder - anything you want to the butter. Enjoy!

[Bostonfan]

This is a stupid question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. For the Oreo cookie truffle, it reads: finely crushed and divided

Does that mean you have to take the white filling off of the cookie part, set the filling aside and then crush the cookie part? Or can you just crush them as is?

[Prancer]

You crush them as is and then divide the result--three cups for the truffles, with the rest saved to sprinkle on the truffles when they are done.

[Ajax]

I make that cake, Ajax. You don't have to bother with the "wells" for putting in the baking soda and vinegar--just mix it all together like any other recipe and it rises just fine. It also makes amazing cupcakes.

My husband's new favorite thing is when I frost it with this:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/peanut-...ng/detail.aspx

Oooooh, cupcakes, what a fantastic idea! Do you bake them for the same amount of time or shorter (I guess shorter?)

[julieann]

Maybe some no-bake recipes?

Cheesecake Make some cherry topping or use canned pie filling for something a little more festive. I know people who like this better than baked New York style cheesecake.

Oreo Truffles I can't eat these because they are soooooo sweet, but they got snarfed up last Christmas

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Cut these REALLY small; they're more like candy than cookies. I make these as payment for a guy who occasionally handyman stuff for us. I hope he never figures out how easy they are.

Then there's the staple candy of Ohio. They're everywhere here at Christmas and everyone has a pet recipe.

Fifteens--haven't made these, but I think I might try them this Christmas. Not sure what I will use for digestive biscuits; maybe some tea cookies?

There are a lot of no-bake cookie recipes; these are really popular, but there are others.

My kids make the Oreo Truffles all the time and love them; except they use almond bark instead of chocolate.

[aliceanne]

I made the beer bread Wed. morning, and what little is left is fine today (Friday). I put it on a cake plate with a lid, I didn't refrigerate it.

I made mine with dark brown sugar and Guiness Stout, so you can definitely taste the beer. I agree with Southpaw, it's best straight out of the oven with melted butter. I ate half the loaf before work!

[orbitz]

The recipes in this thread beg the question: Why are people making fun of Sandra Lee?

[Vagabond]

The recipes in this thread beg the question: Why are people making fun of Sandra Lee?

Sandra Lee has already posted in this thread.

[Southpaw]

The recipes in this thread beg the question: Why are people making fun of Sandra Lee?

I'm the only one in the Sandra Lee thread who has said, repeatedly, that I would hit that Kwanzaa cake and hit it good. So there.

[Prancer]

As the person who shall probably live in infamy here forever for defending Aunt Sandy's use of baby food in baked goods, I await overedge's gourmet quick and easy Christmas baking recipe with bated breath.

[Matryeshka]

Aunt Sandy would never bake these recipes. There's no vodka or corn nuts in the ingredients.

[BigB08822]

Try this wacky chocolate cake recipe from my blog:
linky
The basic cake recipe is super easy - just flour, sugar, cocoa, oil and it is leavened not by eggs but by a combo of baking soda and vinegar. Cheap as chips and it never fails, I always get a moist, delicious cake.
You can frost it with a simple chocolate ganache (recipe also given in the link). I fill it with pecans, caramel and coconut to make german chocolate cake.

Thanks! I am going to try this. I love making cupcakes.

2 Ingredient Fudge

1 Can of Frosting
1 Bag of Chocolate Chips

Melt Together, pour in pan to set. Done

Any flavour combination you can think of. I did milk chocolate chips with cream cheese frosting.

Others have tried chocolate frosting with the mint chocolate chips.

Have fun

Is this really good? It seems so...odd. You melt it completely so that the chips are no longer noticeable? I may try this tomorrow, it's not very expensive, just a can of frosting and 1 bag of chips!

That beer bread is STUPID delicious! I mean, it's simply ridiculous how tasty it is for being nothing but flour and a bottle of beer. It's nice and dense and probably won't be very good tomorrow but today fresh out of the oven with some foofy French butter?

Ok, now I have to try! Someone mentioned using Stout Guiness. Can anyone else recommend a beer to use? I don't drink much beer so I have no idea what would be best. The only thing in my fridge is Bud Light and I have a feeling I should try something a little more high class.

[my little pony]

As the person who shall probably live in infamy here forever for defending Aunt Sandy's use of baby food in baked goods, I await overedge's gourmet quick and easy Christmas baking recipe with bated breath.

what type of baby food?

[BigB08822]

I still want to make these but they don't seem easy!

Carrot Cake Cookies

[Southpaw]

Ok, now I have to try! Someone mentioned using Stout Guiness. Can anyone else recommend a beer to use? I don't drink much beer so I have no idea what would be best. The only thing in my fridge is Bud Light and I have a feeling I should try something a little more high class.

I bought a craft beer from Colorado that was brewed with maple syrup.

[aliceanne]

Thanks! I am going to try this. I love making cupcakes.



Is this really good? It seems so...odd. You melt it completely so that the chips are no longer noticeable? I may try this tomorrow, it's not very expensive, just a can of frosting and 1 bag of chips!



Ok, now I have to try! Someone mentioned using Stout Guiness. Can anyone else recommend a beer to use? I don't drink much beer so I have no idea what would be best. The only thing in my fridge is Bud Light and I have a feeling I should try something a little more high class.

Try a regular Bud. The light beer may not be strong enough to taste. The beer flavor is an aftertaste. Whatever beer you use that is the taste you will get.