Holiday Bake Along - Susan Saltzgiver Designs

December 20th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

Chocolate AND Mint… how can you go wrong? LOL

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Chocolate-Mint Brownie Cookies

Chocolate - rich, dark, scrumptious chocolate. Are mouths watering yet? I love chocolate. I also like mint. Put the two together and paradise is not far away. Put them both in a cookie, and the ultimate taste treat has been created.When I discovered a few years back that Hershey’s baking chips came with mint flavor in the chocolate chips, I thought they would be enjoyable in a chocolate cookie. So, I replaced the peanut butter chips in the traditional chocolate with peanut butter chips cookie with the mint chocolate chips and, “Voila!”, these are some of the best cookies I have ever tasted. When a grown daughter described them as “heavenly!” I knew I had a ‘keeper’.

The recipe, which before my changes originally came from the Crisco website, follows:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups firmly packed Domino light brown sugar

2/3 cup Crisco

1 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. McCormick peppermint extract (I have also used 1/4 tsp. spearmint OIL instead. The oil is more intense than extract, so less is used.)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups all purpose Gold Medal or Pillsbury flour

1/3 cup Hershey’s or Nestle cocoa powder (measure may be rounded on top for more intense chocolate flavor)

1/2 tsp. Morton salt (may use less)

1/4 tsp. Arm & Hammer baking soda
2 cups Hershey’s mint chocolate chips (12 ounce bag)

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
1) Place the following in a large bowl.

1 1/2 cups firmly packed Domino light brown sugar

2/3 cup Crisco

1 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. McCormick peppermint extract (I have also used 1/4 tsp. spearmint OIL instead. The oil is more intense than extract, so less is used.)
Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.

2) Add 2 eggs and beat well.

3) Combine:

1 1/2 cups all purpose Gold Medal or Pillsbury flour

1/3 cup Hershey’s or Nestle cocoa powder (measure may be rounded on top for more intense chocolate flavor)

1/2 tsp. Morton salt (may use less)

1/4 tsp. Arm & Hammer baking soda

4) Add to shortening mixture.

5) Beat at LOW speed, JUST UNTIL MOISTENED. Do NOT over beat.

6)Stir 2 cups Hershey’s mint chocolate chips (12 ounce bag)

into dough by hand.

7) Drop dough by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto UN-GREASED baking sheet. (Parchment paper may be used.)
8 ) Place sheets of foil onto counter top for cooling cookies.

9) Bake one sheet of cookies at a time at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-9 minutes or until cookies are set. DO NOT OVER BAKE.

10) Cool cookies two (2) minutes on baking sheet (so they are easier to handle and keep their shape when removed - Trust me, if you rush this step, your cookies will get all ’scrunched’ up, so give them time to firm up a bit before trying to move them with the turner.)
11) Remove cookies from the baking pan to foil to cool completely.
12) (I stored them, while they lasted, in a cookie tin that sealed snugly, to keep them soft.)
13) Serve and Enjoy!

Susan Saltzgiver Designs

Some things take time to really get ‘right’. That includes beautiful stitching. The designs you choose deserve the time and materials to make them all that they can be.

I have always tried to make sure that quality is built into my designs. A large variety of designs, covering many different subjects, and using many different materials, has been created by me over the years. But the one constant has been the attention to detail of whatever design type is created. New designs are always being created for your stitching pleasure, but the “classics” are still available as well. When the group website where my designs appeared changed this year, I was afraid this was the beginning of the end. I have, however, spent countless hours creating my own website with the same attention to detail of my designs. I am open to any suggestions that are made as I constantly add to and ‘tweak’ it. Please feel free to contact me. Bookmark (or add to your favorites) my website so you can return often to see what’s new. Make sure you share my website address with your local needlework shop. I will try to continue to post quality designs on my site. Enjoy!

http://www.SusanSaltzgiverDesigns.com

Holiday Bake Along - Chippewa Creek Quilts

December 20th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

Here is a fabulous quick bread recipe featuring the Holiday favorite, cranberries.

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Cranberry Bread

This recipe has been a part of our family celebration since the mid 1960’s. It was given to us by the mother of a good friend in my Girl Scout troop. We serve it to guests along with the traditional Christmas cookies and we use it for a great breakfast treat. About ten years ago I started bringing this cranberry bread to the annual November bake sale sponsored our fire department auxiliary. It always sells fast because it is the bread with “whole cranberries” so you can actually taste the berries.

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons shortening
1 cup orange juice
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tablespoons hot water
1-12 ounce package of whole cranberries, washed
1 cup walnuts (optional)

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 325.
1) Cream eggs, sugar, and shortening.
2) Add orange juice and mix thoroughly.
3) Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and water and mix thoroughly.
4) Stir in whole cranberries and nuts by hand.
5) Grease two 9 inch loaf pans and divide batter evenly between them.
6) Bake for one hour.
7) Serve and Enjoy!

Chippewa Creek Quilts

Chippewa Creek Quilts brings you a variety of quilts inspired by nature. The quilts are designed in a log cabin in the woods of west central Wisconsin. All of the quilts use an easy fusible appliqué technique that works well for the beginner or the expert. Chippewa Creek Quilts also offers private lessons, classes and trunk shows. Visit us today at www.chippewacreekquilts.com

Holiday Bake Along - Larkspur Lane Designs

December 19th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

Monkey Bread is one of those fun, easy, but intriguing desserts, utilizing prepared food. Try it, you’ll like it!

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Monkey Bread

I would rather be quilting or designing a quilt than almost anything else in the world, so when I decide to bake something it has to taste wonderful and be very quick and easy. This recipe fits the bill. When my kids help me make this recipe, I put the cinnamon and sugar in a plastic bag and let them shake the biscuit pieces until they are coated. While this “cake” is baking, the whole house fills with the smell of cinnamon. If I make this cake for my quilt guild or some other gathering, my family expects me to make another one just for them!

Ingredients

½ cup chopped nuts
3 cans flaky biscuits (Grands)
¾ cup sugar
3 T cinnamon
Glaze:
1 ½ stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 T cinnamon

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 350
Spray Bundt pan with Pam
Spread nuts in pan, set aside
Quarter biscuits
Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl
Place biscuit pieces in bowl and roll until coated
Place coated biscuits in pan
Glaze:
Melt butter
Add sugar and cinnamon
Stir until smooth
Pour over biscuits
Bake 35 to 40 minutes

Larkspur Lane Designs

Sue Cook, under the name of her company, Larkspur Lane Designs, specializes in paper-pieced designs, but has a couple of penny rugs in her line as well. Most of her designs have 3 dimensional elements and embellishments, which are included with the pattern. She has had 2 designs published by Cotton Spice magazine and has a third one about to be published, but doesn’t want to let the “cat out of the bag”, so you’ll have to check back or keep your eyes open at the newsstand! http://www.larkspurlanedesigns.com

Holiday Bake Along - Napa Needlepoint

December 18th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

In my opinion, there are few basic cakes better than Pound Cake. This version adds Poppy Seeds, another of my favorites. But, I don’t think I own a Bundt Pan! Hmmm….. Maybe I need to add that to the shopping list!

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Poppy Seed Pound Cake

I have a tremendous fondness for nativities and collect them. We have a big traditional Italian nativity, but perhaps I’m fondest of my unusual folks art nativities. Putting out each one brings special thoughts to mind. There is a pressed tin one from Mexico which comes in a tin box about the size of a mint tin. One from New Mexico which has the stable as a traditional dwelling (your enter by a ladder through a hole in the roof). Another one, from Central America, has the silliest animals. There is a tiny one in an eggshell which goes on the tree, and a lovely Holy Family from Israel make from olive wood. We put them all over the house and they help us remember the reason for this glorious season.This is my husband’s favorite cake. He loves it so much it was our wedding cake.Janet Perry

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 can Solo ground poppy seed filling
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1) Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan.
2) Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3) Add poppy seed filling and beat until blended.
4) Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
5) Add vanilla and sour cream and beat until just blended.
6) Sift together flour, baking soda and salt and add to poppy seed mixture gradually, beating well after each addition.
7) Beat egg whites in separate bowl until stiff peaks form.
8 ) Fold into batter. Spread batter in Bundt pan.
9) Bake 60-75 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
10) Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove form pan and let cool on rack.
11) To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
12) Serve and Enjoy!

Napa Needlepoint

Napa Needlepoint is dedicated to making needlepoint fast, fun, and affordable through their stitch guides, books, and projects. From their popular stitch guides for canvases from many designers to their exciting books like Needlepoint Trade Secrets. Janet M. Perry’s talent for creating innovative and easy needlepoint shines through. You can also follow Janet’s projects and instruction through her popular blog and newsletter, Nuts about Needlepoint

http://www.naaneedlepoint.com

http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com

Holiday Bake Along - Kreinik Mfg. Co., Inc.

December 17th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

I keep hoping that Doug will show up at one fo the Trade Shows with a pie for me. ;-)

So far it hasn’t happened. Oh, well…

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Oatmeal Pie

As I have always found traveling to be fun, eating at local haunts can heighten the experience. While traveling through South Carolina, my family and I stopped in a nice little restaurant in the very historic town of Cheraw, SC. We had a wonderful meal which we greatly enjoyed. The one outstanding part of the meal was the desert-Oatmeal Pie. The texture and taste were terrific.

I enjoyed the taste so much, that I searched for the recipe until a friend told me that Oatmeal Pie was based on a real good Pecan Pie recipe.

The real secret of this recipe is that if you want a nut pie; just replace the oatmeal with pecans or walnuts. For an added treat, put semi-sweet chocolate chips into the mix.

This pie is great cold, at room temperature or even heated on the griddle.

Educate your taste buds,

Hope you enjoy.

Doug Kreinik

Ingredients

3 eggs slightly beaten
1 Cup blue label Karo Syrup
1/8 Tsp salt
1 Cup white sugar or brown sugar
2/3 Cup Oatmeal
1 Tsp Vanilla (I like Mexican Vanilla because it has less of an alcohol after taste)
1 uncooked pie crust

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
1) Slightly beat 3 eggs
2) Mix in remaining ingredients
4) Pour into an uncooked pie crust
5) Bake at 450F for 10 minutes
NOTE: If baked in a glass dish, the temperature should be 25F degrees less.
6) Then 350F for 30 minutes
7) Serve and Enjoy!

Kreinik Mfg. Co., Inc.

From a little Mom and Pop company in the hills of the West Virginia to a respected world wide purveyor of metallic and silk threads, embellishments and notions, Kreinik has worked hard with stitchers from around the world to bring a quality and enjoyable product to fill the stitcher’s stash. We pride ourselves in producing a great product along with this; we travel a lot and experience many local foods. Being that the family hobby, of always try new restaurants and different foods, we have acquired a taste for tasty foods. Doug Kreinik enjoy cooking and baking and creating interesting dishes for others and hopes you will also enjoy some of his favorites. http://www.kreinik.com/