Homemade Holiday...

Can you believe it..two posts in 2 weeks!  I think I deserve a gold star or something!  Ok, not really..and if you count quality over quanity then this really isn't much more then a filler post, but a post none the less! 

I'm sure for most of you, the end of this year has been financially challenging. I personally made a commitment not to overspend this holiday season since things are so tight all around. I didn't do as well as I had hoped to, as I look at a closet stuffed full of presents, but I did much better then I had in the past.   I've noticed though, that when things do get tough, it's equally as nice to give as it is to receive.  I would have liked to have done a handmade holiday for all the folks on my list this year, but I really didn't have the time or the foresight to get my stuff done back in July.  Actually, that's not true, I had the foresight just not the will power to follow through with it.   Regardless, I did manage to take some time out of my hectic schedule and do a little Christmas baking. It was actually pretty easy, I choose my recipes carefully, and I had a nice time spending part of the last couple days in the kitchen.  I wanted to share my a favorite recipe or two, it's not too late to get baking! 

The first is a Martha Stewart one that I've been baking for a quite a few years now. It looks a bit complicated but it's really not!  You can find the recipe here but here is a quick type up also:

Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

3 large eggs

45 round swirled peppermint candies, coarsely crushed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add sugar, extracts, and eggs; mix on medium-low speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Stir in one-third of the candies. Refrigerate dough until firm, about 30 minutes (or wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight).

 

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, form mounds of dough; dip tops into remaining candies to coat. Place cookies, candy sides up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until just set, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

The second recipe I wanted to share with you is compliments of Wondertime.  Not only was this particular recipe much better then I thought it would be. The technique is a keeper!  Granted, the proper way to make bark is to spend a couple hours tempering the chocolate but I didn't really have time.  The refrigerator gave the chocolate that extra snap and I doubt it will be around long enough for anyone to analyze it.

Cherry-Pumpkin Seed Chocolate Bark :

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds (the green kind)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 (11- or 12-ounce) bags semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried, pitted sour cherries

Heat oven to 250. Line a 12-by-17-inch jelly roll pan (or rimmed baking sheet) with parchment paper. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the oil until a drop of water sizzles on contact, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring constantly until the seeds are fragrant, starting to brown, and making popping sounds, about 3 or 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the salt and cayenne, and leave to cool about 5 minutes. Scatter the chocolate chips evenly in the prepared pan. Place pan in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove and spread chocolate with a rubber spatula. Scatter the cherries over the top of the melted chocolate, then scatter the pumpkin seeds. Chill at least 2 hours, until firm enough to break into pieces.

 

I made two other kinds, white chocolate peppermint bark and oatmeal cookies with holiday m&m's.   I plated the sweet treats on 8 cute dessert plates I had bought on clearance last year, bagged them up and off they will go to their lucky new homes. I'm happy to be done. I'm pleased with how they turned out and I felt better getting back to a handmade holiday.  Hope you take the time to enjoy one of these recipes! 

 

Comments

[Jenny Bennett]

So glad to see your back!! I used to get onto your blog all the time to see what you've been up to and how the girls are doing. I would always ooohh and aaahh over your knitting (inspirational!!). The cookies look fantastic! Hope all of you have a great holiday!!!

[Zonda]

Oh..great, drooling over all of them here! Nice job and love the little plates!

[Ruinwen]

What yummy looking cookies! I love peppermint bark! I hope you and yours have a happy and healthy holiday! :)

Oh BTW I made a lace scarf out of that lovely pink/black combo you dyed and it came out fab! The camera died so I couldn't send you a shot but my secret snowflake loved it! Thanks again! :)