Sunday, December 14, 2014

Kraftmas 2014: Easy Sugar Cookies

"Tis the season to make cookies, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la"

This is a very simple sugar cookie recipe that will not disappoint! You don't have to roll the dough, and you can also make the frosting recipe that I'v included here too. I made green and red frosting for my cookies, but they would also be delicious if you decorated with sprinkles, rolled them in cinnamon sugar, or added some M&Ms to the batter before baking.

What you need:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla





Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.















In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat with an electric mixer.















Slowly mix in the flour mixture.















Make tablespoon sized scoops of dough and round them into balls.















Place the dough balls onto your greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
















If you'd like to frost the cookies, make the frosting while the cookies are cooling...















What you need:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon of milk (I used almond milk)
Red, green food coloring

First, mix the butter and confectioner sugar with an electric mixer. Add in the vanilla and milk. Finally, add in a few drops of red or green food coloring.






























Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can frost and decorate them!

Friday, December 12, 2014

Kraftmas 2014: Painted Paper Mache Ornaments

This time last year I started what would be a new tradition for my crafting endeavors every December: Kraftmas! While I intended a craft each day of the 25 Days of Christmas, I was unable to deliver as it was quite exhausting. However, I pledged to continue the tradition every year...

And without further delay...Kraftmas 2014 has begun!

I apologize for the lack of organization of this yule tide craft time as there was this time last year. However, I do promise to have a few more holiday crafts and cookies for this season in the coming days as we await the day that Santa comes to town (and, most importantly, the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus, without whom we wouldn't have this holiday to share with loved ones).

Last year I painted glass ornaments, made heart ornaments out of Christmas sheet music, and also made modge podge vintage Santa ornaments. This year, I'm starting Kraftmas with a few new ornaments to add to our tree: paper mache ornaments from Michael's. They had lots of ornaments to chose from, and I chose one in the shape of a diamond, a star, and a gingerbread man.

Here is what I painted and hung on the tree!







Three new ornaments for our tree! Currently working on some painted glass ornaments...stay tuned!

Thursday, November 27, 2014

KT Did It: Pecan Pie Bites

Happy Thanksgiving!

Woke up extra early this morning to get to the gym for that pre-feast workout, and it is a good thing too because I can expect an extravagant, delicious Thanksgiving meal at my sister's house this year. Between my mom and my sister, all of my family favorite dishes will be there including mom's cream cheese mashed potatoes, cheese creamed corn and cranberry jello salad...mmm!

And, of course, I cannot fail to mention the desserts - my grandmother's cherry cheese pie (made by my brother this year) and my mom's famous pumpkin cheese cake.

For my contribution to this year's feast, I will be bringing creamed spinach and, not surprisingly, a dessert!

Knowing that there would already be several desserts displayed, I wanted to make something that would hopefully not have too many leftovers. I also have a weakness for pecan pie. So, instead of making a large pecan pie, I decided to make bite sized pies. And here is how I did it!

What you need:

2 packages of frozen filo pastry cups (30 individual cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon of butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt


First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chopped pecans onto a pan and roast the pecans for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.












In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and corn syrup.












Add the egg, melted butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt to the mixture.
























Finally, add the pecans.












Fill each pastry cup with about 1 tablespoon of the pecan mixture.
























Bake on a cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, then allow the mini pies to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.












These are really easy to make, and you can double the recipe for more if you choose.

Hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with time spent with loved ones! And be sure to check out my blog during December for Kraftmas 2014!

Saturday, November 22, 2014

KT Baked It: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bread

With Thanksgiving around the bend, the time for holiday baking is almost upon. So crank up the cardio, friends, because I'm beginning the baking season with a pumpkin bread that I grew up looking forward to my mom making this time of year: pumpkin cream cheese swirl bread. Yummy! I got this recipe from Taste of Home, one of my mom's favorite cookbook series. The recipe here is my version with a few alterations in the spices and without the walnuts, dates and raisin from the original recipe. The original recipe also provides a recipe for an optional frosting, which I did not make. This recipe is also great because it makes 3 loaves of bread, so you have plenty to share for the holidays.

What you need for the bread:















3 cups sugar
4 eggs
15 oz can of solid-packed pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
1 cup water
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg

What you need for the filling:
2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each), softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

First, I made the filling. In a small bowl, combine all four ingredients with a hand held mixer. Set aside.















For the bread, begin by combining the sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water. Mix well and set aside.






























Next, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a separate bowl.















Slowly add the flour mixture to the "wet ingredients" and mix well.















Next, grease and flour three 8x4 loaf pans. Fill each pan with about 1 1/2
cups of batter. Next, divide the filling equally and place over the bottom layer of bread batter. Finally, divide the remainder of the bread batter and spoon over top of the filling mixture.






























Cook the bread at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for approximately 65-70 minutes.

Voila! Delicious pumpkin bread to start off the holiday baking season.



Saturday, November 8, 2014

KT Made It: Homemade Potpourri

Happy November!

Only a few weeks until Thanksgiving, and I am ready for the holiday season. In fact, I may or may not have been caught humming Christmas carols by my husband this morning...

While it may not be time for that yule tide spirit quite yet, there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to enjoy some seasonal crafts (and indulge in looking at some holiday recipes as well). And with my jar candles nearing their last scented breath, I decided to start off November with something that I've never tried to make before: potpourri.

There are two types of potpourri, simmering and dried. Both seem pretty easy to make with any array of spices, herbs, fruits, or flowers that you like. For today's craft, I decided to make orange spice simmering potpourri with some of the fruits and spices that I have around the house. I'm hoping to make some dried potpourri in the future with the growing pile of pine cones I've been hoarding and the pine needles from our Christmas tree coming the first weekend in December!

What you need:

2 large oranges
2 red apples
Cinnamon, ground or sticks
Nutmeg
Cloves, ground or whole
Apple juice concentrate
Vanilla extract
Large pot

First, I added about 1/2 cup of vanilla extract and the entire can of apple juice concentrate to a large pot on low heat, then added two cans of water using the empty juice container. 
Now you can start adding your spices. I started with 1 Tbl of ground nutmeg...
...then 1 tsp of ground cloves...
...and finally 1 Tbl of ground cinnamon. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer. Of course, you can use any amount of spices that you like, but these portions ended up working really well. 
Next, I sliced the oranges thinly and then added them to my pot of simmering water. 

The potpourri really started smelling wonderful! Eric could smell the aroma from his study and even came downstairs to see what I was making. 

Next, slice the apples and add them to the pot. You could add other fruits too, such as cranberries which would look very pretty! I'm hoping to use them in my Christmas batch of potpourri.

And you're all done! Let the pot simmer on the stove, and it will fill the house with that unmistakable autumn aroma. 
If you have a small crockpot or potpourri burner, you can put some of the potpourri in it and sit the pot to simmer in the living room or bathroom.
As you're letting your potpourri simmer, make sure to keep an eye on the amount of water in the pot! Add extra water and spices as the liquid decreases. And when you're ready to turn the pot off, store your potpourri in a jar for the next time you want to fill the room with that wonderful fragrance! It can even make a nice gift!

Sunday, October 26, 2014

KT Did It: Annual Pumpkin Carving

Happy October! Like so many others, I am excited for the changing of the leaves, the cool temperatures, and the coming of the holiday season. And to kick it off every year, my sister and her husband host their annual pumpkin carving party - family favorite get-together not only because my siblings and I put our artistic talents to use crafting a new pumpkin each year, but also because my sister  is certainly the hostess with the mostess! From the festive decorations to the food, the party is always a hit for kids and adults alike.

This year, I wanted to contribute my own goulish treat to the table. With about an hour and a half to spare before the party started, I whipped together these easy Eye Ball Deviled Eggs!

What you need:
6 large eggs
1 Tbl mayo
1 Tbl yellow mustard
Green and red food coloring
1 can of sliced olives

Bring a small pot of water with the eggs in the pot to a boil. I usually let the water boil for about 10 minutes, then turn the heat off and let the eggs sit with a lid on the pot for another 10-15 minutes. Next, strain the contents and let the eggs cool. If you're impatient or have a time crunch (like me), run the eggs under very cold water to get them to cool a little faster. It also helps to peel the eggs under water to get the shell off easier (thanks for that trick, mom!).


After you've peeled the shells from the cooled eggs, cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks from the eggs, and place in a bowl. 

Now, this is a very simple deviled egg filling. There are much more complex and probably even better tasting recipes out there. However, I like this one that doesn't have much in terms of seasoning or spices. Needless to say, there were only 3 deviled eggs on the plate when I left the party, so I think they turned out pretty good!

That being said, for the filling mash the egg yolks with 1 Tbl mayo and 1 Tbl yellow mustard. 

Next, add ~4 drops of green food coloring and mix well. 

Time for the egg whites! Using a tooth pick and red food coloring, make little red squiggly lines around the outside of the center of the egg white as seen here. 

Next, add about 1/2 Tbl of filling to each of the 12 egg whites. Finally, take 1 slice of an olive and place it in the center of the green filling of each. Now you have 12 easy, delicious goulish green eyes to share!

My spooky deviled eggs went well with the rest of the snacks at my sister's party! Lucky for me, not only did my sister make some scrumptious dishes, but my master-cook mom also contributed a few. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Assorted cheeses (e.g. goat cheese with honey, goat cheese wrapped in blueberry preserve) with crackers, bread and dried apricots

2. Taco cheese spread made from cream cheese and ranch seasoning with a cheese Dorito crust!
3. My mom's famous white chocolate Halloween chex mix

4. Chocolate-pumpkin cake...need I say more?

And of course my sister had lots of decorations out on the table too!


And once we were all effectively stuffed, we set about carving out pumpkins. I went for a classic jack-o-lantern.
My brother, staying true to form, showed me up and made this awesome jack-o-lantern!
My sister, who loves the beach, stuck with a nautical theme. 















My mom took a very crafty approach and made this Mama Bat pumpkin with her three baby bat pumpkins.

























And I'm not sure who made this Scooby Doo pumpkin, but it's pretty cool too!

Another great pumpkin carving party with my family! Thank you, Jess and Bayard for being such gracious (and festive!) hosts, as always. 

Happy Halloween!