We are on the fast-track to Christmas so menus should be organized and soon shopping will be underway to achieve the festive holiday results you want.
There are so many different recipes I want to try between now and then, and I know I am not going to have time to get it all finished. But, that is okay and I will hold them to New Year’s gatherings or until next year’s Christmas season.
Today we look at a variety of fun and festive recipes from an appetizer cookie, a punch recipe to a couple of desserts and more. Maybe one or more of these recipes will find a way onto your seasonal table to share with those you love the most.
May you have a blessed and meaningful Christmas. Merry Christmas!
Mini Pineapple Cranberry Cheese Balls with Pecans
These Mini Pineapple Cranberry Cheese Balls with Pecans are the perfect bite-sized treat that brings a taste of the tropics to your table. Creamy, tangy, sweet, and nutty all at once, each mini cheese ball combines smooth cream cheese with juicy pineapple, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans. Whether served as an elegant appetizer, festive holiday snack, or quick make-ahead party bite, they deliver a delightful burst of flavor in every nibble.
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, adjust to your taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Additional pecans for rolling
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, crushed pineapple, dried cranberries, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until well combined and smooth.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow it to firm up.
Once chilled, use a small cookie scoop or your hands to form the mixture into bite-sized balls.
Roll each cheese ball in the finely chopped pecans until fully coated.
Place the cheese balls on a serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes: Make sure to drain the pineapple well; excess liquid can make the mixture too soft to shape. Chill the mixture long enough to make rolling easier and less sticky.
Use freshly chopped pecans instead of pre-packaged ones for the best texture and flavor.
Source: www.averyrecipes.com
Cornmeal Thumbprint Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Jalapeño Jam
• 1/2 cups unsalted butter (softened)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cups Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Strawberry Jalapeño Jam
• 2 ounces white chocolate (melted)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and salt and mix well. Mix in cornmeal and flour.
Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet 2-inches apart. Using your thumb, make a well in the center of each cookie and fill with 1/4 teaspoon jam. Bake 8 to 9 minutes (cookies remain light in color). Let cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
When cookies have cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate. Once the chocolate has set up, store in a tightly sealed container.
Source: www.backforseconds.com
Christmas Banana Bread
Christmas Banana Bread blends sweet cranberries and orange into a cozy loaf of quick bread that’s perfect for brunch, freezing, or gifting.
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed bananas, about 3
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
Equipment: 1 large loaf pan or 4 small
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 9-inch loaf pan and one small loaf pan or four small loaf pans.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; combine with the butter mixture. Add the sour cream, bananas, vanilla, fresh squeezed orange juice and orange zest; stir well. Add the dried sweetened cranberries and the chopped pecans or walnuts, if using. Mix until combined.
Pour into prepared pans and bake a large pan for 50 to 55 minutes. [Small pan for 33 to 35 minutes].
Cool for 10 minutes and then turn the loaf out onto a rack.
Source: www.reluctantentertainer.com
Jingle Bell Bars
Making spirits bright! These Jingle Bell bars are loaded with cranberries with a surprising topping that will be a true holiday delight.
Crust:
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, whites reserved
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping:
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for topping
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for egg mixture
• 1 1/2 cups pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set out a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg yolks one at a time, then slowly add flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
Transfer dough to the baking dish and use your hands to press into an even crust layer.
Bake crust for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
Prepare topping as crust bakes: Add cranberries to a medium-sized saucepan and cover with 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Drain off water, then set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until stiff peaks form. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar while continuously beating until stiff peaks form again. Gently fold in chopped pecans.
Spread cranberries over crust, then sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar over them. Scoop egg white mixture over top and gently spread to edges.
Bake bars for 18 to 20 minutes or until top is slightly golden.
Allow bars to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then carefully slice into squares.
Allow bars to continue cooling to room temperature before removing from pan and serving.
Source: www.12tomatoes.com
Baked Brie with Cranberry-Orange Sauce and Pecans
Warm, creamy baked Brie topped with tangy cranberry-orange sauce and toasted pecans — an easy and elegant appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings and special occasions.
• 1 (8 ounce) Brie wheel, rind left on
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/3 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange zest, usually from 1 orange
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, adjust to personal taste
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
• Honey for drizzling
• Fresh rosemary for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the Brie (with rind still on) in a baking dish and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the Brie is baking, make the cranberry-orange sauce by adding the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, orange zest, and cinnamon to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the cranberries are bursting open and the sauce has thickened.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the butter.
Remove the Brie from the oven and spoon the cranberry-orange sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the toasted pecans.
Drizzle honey over the top and garnish with sprigs of rosemary (if desired). Serve immediately with toasted baguette slices, crackers, or fresh fruit.
Note: Store any leftover baked Brie covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat gently in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through and gooey.
The cranberry-orange sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to three days.
Toast the pecans just before serving to keep them crunchy and flavorful.
For best results, serve immediately after baking to enjoy the creamy texture.
Source: www.howtofeedaloon.com
Candy Cane Christmas Punch
A visually stunning and easy-to-make beverage, this punch is an instant favorite. Ideal for holiday parties, it adds a cheerful and colorful touch to your festive spread.
• 2 liters ginger ale, chilled
• 1 liter cranberry juice, chilled
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup peppermint syrup, candy cane syrup or peppermint schnapps
• Ice cubes
• Candy canes, for garnish
• Fresh cranberries, for garnish
In a large punch bowl, combine the ginger ale, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and lemon juice.
If you’re including peppermint syrup or schnapps, stir it into the mixture.
Add ice cubes to the bowl to chill the punch thoroughly.
Pour the punch into cups and garnish each with a candy cane and a handful of fresh cranberries.
Ready to EnjoyThis Candy Cane Christmas Punch is sure to bring smiles and a festive flair to your holiday table. It’s not only easy to prepare but also offers a refreshing taste that guests of all ages will enjoy. This delightful punch embodies the joy and excitement of the season in every glass.
Source: www.reffors.com
Cranberry Butter Crunch Bark
• 1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1 cup butter, divided
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 8 cups chopped white candy coating (about 3 pounds)
• 3 cups dried cranberries
Grease a 15x10x1-inch pan with 1/2 teaspoon butter.
In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, bring 1 cup butter, sugar and water to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 290 degrees (soft-crack stage). Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape side of saucepan). Refrigerate for one hour or until hard.
Break toffee into pieces. Place in a food processor; cover and process until coarsely chopped. Divide in half; set aside.
Butter two 15-inch-by-10-inch-by-1-inch pans with remaining 1 teaspoon butter.
In a microwave, melt 4 cups white candy coating. Stir in 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries and half the toffee pieces.
Pour into 1 prepared pan; spread to edges. Repeat with remaining white candy coating, dried cranberries and toffee pieces. Refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces.
Source: www.tasteofhome.com
Sticky Toffee Pudding
This classic Sticky Toffee Pudding is the quintessential Christmas dessert! Deliciously moist and sweet, this lovely sponge-like cake is made in individual servings which makes it feel incredibly special. Serve it with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a dessert worthy of the holidays!
For the pudding:
• 8 ounces dates pitted and roughly chopped *measure the dates, then chop them
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
For the toffee sauce:
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• Pinch sea salt
• To serve: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, optional
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Add the chopped dates to a mixing bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Sprinkle with baking soda and allow to soften, undisturbed, for 10 to 15 minutes.
While the dates are softening, cream together the turbinado sugar, butter, and molasses in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer until completely combined. Mix in the eggs 1 at a time, adding the vanilla extract in with the last egg.
Puree the softened dates and the liquid by pulsing in a food processor or blender until they are mostly pureed. It’s ok if there are a few pieces of date visible. Add the date mixture to the batter mixture and mix to combine. Add in the flour and mix just until combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each well about 2/3 of the way full. Smooth the tops of the batter.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a pudding comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing. Trim tops of the puddings if desired.
For the toffee sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, brown sugar, and sea salt.
Heat and whisk occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture comes together and thickens slightly.
Assembly: Place the puddings upside down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Generously brush the tops and sides of each pudding with the warm toffee mixture. Save the remaining toffee to drizzle over the puddings when they are served.
Turn on your broiler and move an oven rack to the top 1/3 of your oven. Broil the puddings for 2 to 3 minutes or until the toffee begins to bubble and becomes very sticky.
Serve with extra toffee sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Notes: The puddings tend to have a rounded top when baked in a muffin tin. If you would like the tops of the puddings to sit flat you can use a sharp knife to shave off the rounded top. You can eat and snack on them!
If you like a lot of toffee sauce you can double the recipe to make extra.
You can make the date puree as smooth or chunky as you’d like.
These toffee puddings can be eaten warm, cold, or at room temperature although eating them warm is best.
Source: www.momontimeout.com
Cranberry Pomegranate Caramels
These Cranberry Pomegranate Caramels are tart, sweet, chewy and absolutely delicious! The vibrant red color is all-natural, and these make for a fantastic edible holiday gift. They’re also delicious dipped in dark chocolate!
• 2 cups no sugar added pomegranate juice (freshly squeezed if possible. You’ll need 3 large or 4 smaller pomegranates to yield 2 cups of juice)
• 2 cups no sugar added cranberry juice
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• Peel from 1/2 of an orange, white pith removed
If making freshly squeezed pomegranate juice: Start by juicing the pomegranates. Add all of the pomegranate arils to a vacuum sealed bag or just a regular zip lock, remove all of the air, and gently roll with a rolling pin until you’ve “popped” all of the arils without crushing the seeds inside. Try to get as much juice out of each aril as possible.
Strain the pomegranate arils through a fine mesh sieve. Press down on the arils with the back of a spoon to remove as much juice as possible.
Add the pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, and orange peel to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium low. The mixture should be gently simmering and it should bubble up a lot when whisked.
Let it reduce until there’s about 1/2-3/4 cup of syrup. It’s done when you can drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan and the syrup takes a moment to cover the exposed area again. It should be thick and should cover the back of a spoon.
While the syrup is reducing, lightly spray an 8×8-inch pan and line with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper covers the sides of the pan so the caramel is easy to remove.
Remove the orange peel with tongs, then add in both sugars, butter, and heavy cream. Keep the heat on medium low and stir until everything is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and increase the heat to medium. Bring to a boil.
If you want a softer caramel, heat to 245 degrees to 250 degrees. For a harder caramel, heat to 255 degrees to 260 degrees (this is what we do). Once it reaches your desired temperature, remove from the heat, then immediately whisk in the vanilla and salt, and carefully pour into the prepared pan.
Place in the refrigerator for about an hour and a half to cool and set. Once the caramels are set, remove the caramels from the pan and place on a cutting board. Keep the parchment underneath the caramels, otherwise it will stick to the cutting board.
Using a knife lightly greased with cooking spray, cut the caramels into roughly 1/2-inch-by-1 1/2 -inch rectangles. Wrap the individual caramels in wax paper.
Notes: Pomegranate juice: We make freshly squeezed juice for maximum fresh flavor and a super vibrant color. If you use store-bought, just keep in mind that the color may be a bit more brown than red.
Wrap each caramel in wax paper to keep them from drying out. (This also prevents them from sticking together.)
Storage: Store the caramels in a closed container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the refrigerator for up to a month. Note that they harden up quite a bit in the fridge, so let them soften to room temperature before enjoying.
Freezer: For long term storage, you can place the wrapped caramels in a freezer bag and freeze for up to a year.
Source: www.crowdedkitchen.com
Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking and Merry Christmas!
Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.
Dining and Cooking