FOOD RECIPES : CHRISTMAS FUDGE

CHRISTMAS FUDGE Food Recipes, Christmas is almost here and everyone I know is running around looking for that last minute mini-gift for the mailman, a teacher, the newspaper boy or even the UPS man!!

This fudge recipe is the perfect answer!! Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it tastes great and I love that it can be made way ahead of schedule.



4 cups white sugar
1 twelve ounce can of evaporated milk
8 ounces of real butter (no margarine or spreads)
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 TABLESPOON vanilla
chopped nuts if desired (we like honey roasted peanuts)

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, mix the white sugar and evaporated milk; bring it to a boil over medium high heat.  Once it is at a full rolling boil (one that you can not stir down), turn the heat down to medium and boil for 6½ minutes (stirring CONSTANTLY). I stir with a wooden spatula that has a square end and I stir in a figure 8 (the flat blade of the spoon really scrapes the  bottom of the pan well).

After 6½ minutes at a full rolling boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, a TABLESPOON of vanilla and all of the chocolate.

At first the butter will sort of stay separate from everything, but if you use a whisk, it will incorporate quickly. When it's all smooth, add the nuts if you are using them (as many as you like).

Pour into a FOIL LINED 9" x 13" pan and cool overnight in the fridge. If you are using these cute little tin foil stars (instead of the 9" x 13" pan), you can just wrap them in clear cellophane bag (after they are chilled) and tie it up with a bright Christmas bow!!

 MERRY   CHRISTMAS   FRIENDS!!!

NOTE: You can make this with any flavor chocolate chips you like.
I've tried them all and the only one I DON'T recommend is using ALL semi-sweet. The three chocolate blend listed above results in a wonderful flavor (you won't taste the white chocolate, but it adds a lot to the final taste).

Note: Make sure you use a good quality butter, not a soft spread butter or a diet butter and definitely no margarine.

CHRISTMAS FUDGE FOOD RECIPES
By Coleen Marie

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FOOD RECIPES : APPLE PIE JAM

APPLE PIE JAM Food Recipes, This is another great tasting recipe in my "Gifts from the Kitchen" series.  It is very economical and it is unique enough to make a great gift for co-workers, church friends, babysitters, etc. (any time you need a small gift from the heart for friend).

It really does taste just like an apple pie!!

APPLE PIE JAM

6 cups diced granny smith apples (6 or 7 apples)

1/2 cup apple juice  (you can use water in a pinch)

1/2 teaspoon butter

3 cups granulated sugar

2 cups brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best)

(1) small box (1¾ oz.) Sure-Jell Premium powdered pectin

Dice the apples, then put them in the food processor for just a (very) few pulses. You don't want the pieces too small.

Cook the apples, apple juice and butter (in a large heavy pot with tall sides) over low heat until the apples are soft but not mushy.

Stir in powdered pectin and bring to a full rolling boil (one that does not stop boiling when you stir it); stir constantly.

When it comes to a full rolling boil, add the sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well and bring back to another full rolling boil.  Keep it at a full rolling boil (while stirring) for exactly one minute, no longer.

Remove from heat and skim off any foam from the surface of the jam(if there is any). Pour the jam into HOT clean jars, leaving 1/4" head space. Wipe the rims of the jars with a CLEAN wet cloth and put on the two piece lids (hand tighten). 

Process in a hot water bath:  half pints for 10 minutes; pints for 15 minutes.  This recipe makes (7) half pint jars.

NOTE: As with a lot of jams that have chunks of fruit, if you aren't careful, the fruit will "float" in the jar and it won't be evenly distributed throughout the jam. It doesn't change the taste at all, but it isn't "picture perfect" for gift giving either.

To avoid that:  After you take the cooked jam off of the heat for the last time, Sit it on a towel or a pot holder so that the pan stays as hot as possible. Let  the hot jam sit in the hot p an for five minutes before you put it in the HOT jars. Stir the hot jam every 60 seconds or so with a CLEAN spoon. After the five minutes is up, put the jam in the hot jars and proceed with the same directions.  This little trick will stop the fruit bits from floating to the top (see above photo).



APPLE PIE JAM FOOD RECIPES
By Coleen Marie

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FOOD RECIPES : GINGERBREAD HOUSE

GINGERBREAD HOUSE Food Recipes, Gingerbread houses make wonderful gifts. Not only are they easy (you really can't goof them up because frosting fixes everything) but they are an impressive GIFT FROM THE KITCHEN!!

You can make them out of gingerbread dough, like this one (it is delicious and smells fantastic), or you can make them out of graham crackers (glued together with royal frosting). You can make them simple or elegant. You can use any candy, cereal, cookies, crackers or pretzels you have on hand... let your imagination be your guide.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Upside down (and frosted) ice cream sugar cones (decorated with sprinkles) make wonderful Christmas trees next to your gingerbread house. Pretzels make perfect fences, marshmallows make cute snowmen and if you really want to get fancy, you can use tufts of cotton candy coming out of a chimney for smoke and marshmallow cream frosted around the bottom of the gingerbread house makes wonderful snow ....the sky is the limit. Decorated gingerbread houses have a LONG shelf life if you use royal frosting (recipe below). It dries rock hard and is very strong.

5 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs

Beat the shortening and sugar together until well mixed and creamy. Add the molasses and eggs and beat until well combined.

Combine the flour, spices, baking soda and salt and slowly add it to the shortening-sugar mixture; beat until everything is smooth. 

You will be rolling out the gingerbread house pieces on the BACK of ungreased cookie sheets. The reason for this is so that after you cut out the pieces, they don't have to be moved before baking and they won't get mis-shapen.

CLICK ON THIS PICTURE TO ENLARGE

Use the above measurements to make a pattern on paper or a manila folder, even waxed paper will work. Roll out some of the dough right on the back of a big cookie sheet, using a lightly floured rolling pin, to about 1/8" thick.

Lay the paper pattern pieces right on the rolled out dough and cut the dough out with a sharp knife. Remove any excess scraps so that just the gingerbread piece is left on the back of the cookie sheet. Using the BACK of the cookie sheet also makes it a lot easier to slide the baked cookie onto a cooling rack (no cookie sheet "edge" to deal with.

Bake the pieces in a pre-heated 350° oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Let the baked pieces cool on the pan a little before you try to remove them. Cool them completely on a wire rack.

Now the fun starts!!

ROYAL FROSTING 
This is what you glue the pieces together with

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 egg whites (if you are going to eat this use egg white powder)

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and egg whites until smooth. Place in a pastry bag with a star tip (or place in a resealable plastic bag and cut the corner off).

Use a large serving tray or a foil lined piece of heavy cardboard to hold the finished gingerbread house. Put a few dots of this royal frosting on the underside of the "floor" piece and stick it to the serving tray. This will keep it from sliding around if its moved.

Lay an end and one side of the gingerbread house down flat(where they are supposed to go) around the edges of the "floor". Pipe a generous line of the royal frosting around the edges of each piece.

Carefully lift and press the edges of one end of the house to the side of the house.Repeat for the other side.

Now, I've made these for years, and there is a trick I'll share with you.  Get the ends and sides up and use a little extra royal frosting on the seams but DON'T put on the roof until the next day.  If you wait until the next day, the walls will be VERY strong and there is no chance that the roof will be too heavy.

Day two, put the roof on and let the royal frosting harden until day three......now you are good to go, you can almost drive a truck over it after this point, and it won't break on you.

White tree's with sprinkles, green trees with sprinkles, pretzel fences, gum drop topped candy cane's, Necco shingles (frosted shredded wheat also makes great shingles).

This older photo is a "house" I made using chocolate graham crackers. I hope you try it. It might seem complicated, but once you make ONE......you'll be hooked.

NOTE: If your making this to eat (some people eat them, some people just display them), make the royal frosting using powdered egg whites (sold in the baking isle). If you are going to let little guys eat the gingerbread house..... use royal frosting to glue the structural pieces together, but use a softer frosting to embed the shingles or frost the trees. It makes it easier for the kids to "pick off" the candy goodies.
NOTE:  Royal frosting dries out almost instantly if it isn't covered with plastic wrap (that is why it makes such a great frosting "glue". Keep a wet dish towl over your frosting bowl while you work.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE FOOD RECIPES
By Coleen Marie

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FOOD RECIPES : CROCKPOT SHORT RIB TACOS

CROCKPOT SHORT RIB TACOS Food Recipes, The next two weeks are very busy "baking" weeks for me, how about you? I've made three different kinds of jam to put in gift baskets, and now I'm starting the fun stuff like cookies, breads and a gingerbread house.

While I'm happy to be in the kitchen, I'm not as happy about cooking real food (like dinner), so my crockpot is getting a workout while I have fun baking cookies.

Today's post came about the other day when I had some BONELESS beef short ribs thawed out and I had no clue what to do with them.  I decided to make boneless short rib tacos and they were SO GOOD, I will definitely be making these again!!

Start with 2½ pounds of BONELESS beef short ribs. I'm sure every butcher shop has their version, but the ones I use look like this and they are about 1/2" thick:

In a small cup, mix 3 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin (don't leave that out), 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of oregano and 1 tablespoon of dry onion flakes. Mix well and sprinkle both sides of the meat evenly as possible (no need to brown the meat). 

Put the seasoned meat in the crockpot and top with a 4 ounce can of undrained mild green chile's (I use Ortega).

Cook on low for 6 hours or until they are fall apart tender (it really depends on how thick the meat is). Don't add any liquid.

Remove the meat from the crockpot and cover with foil to keep warm for a few minutes. There will be about a cup of broth in the bottom of the crockpot...thicken it and coat the meat with the "taco gravy". Each boneless short rib makes one awesome taco!!

The leftovers (sliced on the bias) made fantastic grilled beef and cheese subs.



CROCKPOT SHORT RIB TACOS FOOD RECIPES
By Coleen Marie

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FOOD RECIPES : HONEY ROASTED CASHEWS

HONEY ROASTED CASHEWS Food Recipes, Cashews are big at our house (any time of year) but especially during the holidays, so... when I came across this QUICK and EASY recipe at www.simplyscratch.com I knew I had to give it a try. It is definitely going onto my GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN list this Christmas!!!

The nuts are a HUGE hit with picky-picky husband. At this very moment, he is watching NBA basketball and snacking on them; he is in "heaven"!!

My variations to the original recipe are in BLUE.

Before you start, you'll need 2 cookie sheets; one lined with foil and one lined with parchment paper.  Warm up ONE of the empty cookie sheets in your oven while it preheats to 350°.

Now, a note about the cashews: I bought mine from the bulk natural foods section of our super market. They sell salted AND unsalted... I suggest you use the UNsalted cashews if you can find them. If you can't find unsalted, then just leave out the salt in the honey mixture.

1  pound unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons honey
1½ tablespoons real maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4  teaspoon cinnamon (I left this out)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt

In a small glass bowl, mix the honey, maple syrup, butter and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Heat until the butter is melted and there are a few bubbles around the edges of the bowl.

Put the nuts in a large bowl and drizzle the honey mixture over them (make sure you use a spatula to get all of the syrup mixture out of the bowl.  Gently toss the nuts until they are completely covered.

Take the foil lined cookie sheet out of the oven (it should be nice and hot) and spread the honey coated nuts out to a single thickness (do not grease the foil).

Put the nuts into the 350° oven for 6 minutes.  After 6 minutes, remove the nuts and they will look a little "foamy" like this:

Quickly toss or stir the nuts and put them back into the oven for another 6 minutes.  During that time mix 2 level tablespoons of granulated sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt in a little cup and set aside.

When the nuts come out of the oven, the 2nd time, put them in a CLEAN large bowl and sprinkle them with the sugar-salt mixture. I found that you get better coverage if you sprinkle them with about 1/3 of the mixture... toss the nuts...then repeat that two more times.

Transfer the nuts to the 2nd parchment lined cookie sheet and spread them out as much as possible to cool; any nuts that are touching each other will stick together when they are completely cooled (although that is not the end of the world either... they easily break apart).

When the nuts are COMPLETELY COOL, put them in a glass jar with an airtight lid.

I'm warning you, these are totally addictive!! 

NOTE: If you don't have parchment paper, just line BOTH cookie sheets with ungreased foil.

NOTE: Make sure the cookie sheets have a raised lip around the edge.
NOTE: I left out the cinnamon because picky-picky husband doesn't care for it, but I think it would be a very nice addition. The cinnamon would probably give a darker color to the nuts.
NOTE: A note about salt in this recipe. If you can't find UNsalted cashews and/or UNsalted butter, I would suggest that you leave the salt out of the honey mixture so they don't turn out too salty.
NOTE: There is no OBVIOUS maple flavor to these nuts, but the maple syrup does blend beautifully with the honey and vanilla.

HONEY ROASTED CASHEWS FOOD RECIPES
By Coleen Marie

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FOOD RECIPES : GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN

GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN Food Recipes, Over the Christmas season, I will be posting a variety of easy recipes that I'm calling GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN. The beauty of this idea is that you can make these gifts far in advance of your hectic holiday baking schedule and they will be "waiting in your pantry" for that neighbor, school teacher, office friend or unexpected last minute guest on Christmas Eve!! (check out link at end of this post for some wonderful (and free) "From the Kitchen of..." gift tags you can download).

My first GIFT FROM THE KITCHEN post is for Blueberry Jam... a quick and easy recipe that uses frozen blueberries (I don't even thaw them first). This jam has a wonderfully fresh taste!!

BLUEBERRY JAM (makes 8 cups of jam)

5 cups finely chopped frozen blueberries (see notes below)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
7 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter
(2) 3 ounce pouches of liquid Certo pectin

Prepare your jam jars. Personally, I put them through the hottest setting on my dishwasher, and then let them sit/steam in there while I make the jam. For the lids, I wash and rinse them, then let them sit in a pan of almost boiling water, while I make the jam.

We like a jam that doesn't have a lot of serious "chunk-age" (as picky-picky husband calls it) so I put the frozen blueberries in the food processor (a few cups at a time) and process them until they are about the size of rice, so the final jam has the consistency of a fruit spread. If you like "chunk-age" in your jam, just don't chop the berries so small.

The recipe calls for five cups of chopped berries. I use a regular measuring cup and pack as many chopped berries as I can in it (do that for each of the 5 cups). Place the chopped berries, lemon juice, sugar and butter in a large heavy kettle.

Heat on medium, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved.  Increase the heat to medium high and bring it all to a FULL ROLLING BOIL (one that will not stop boiling when you stir it).

Remove from heat (but don't shut off the burner) and add BOTH pouches of liquid Certo pectin (make sure you squeeze it all out of the pouch). Put the pan back on the heat and bring the jam back to a FULL ROLLING BOIL FOR ONE MINUTE.

Turn the heat off and skim any "foam" that is on top of the jam  (if there is any) and fill HOT jars, leaving 1/4" of head space.  Wipe rims of glass jars with clean, wet towel. Put on the two piece lids and tighten. 

Process in hot water bath: Pints for 15 minutes or half pints for 10 minutes.

NOTE: If you decide to thaw the berries (I never do)make sure you do not rinse them or drain them (you will want to include any berry juice that results from thawing.

NOTE: I can't tell you exactly how many pounds of frozen blueberries makes 5 cups of chopped berries. I'm guessing that I used about 1½ or 2 pounds?

NOTE: This recipe uses LIQUID pectin, I have never made this with powdered pectin. Certo is made by Sure Jell and there are two 3 ounce pouches of liquid pectin in each box.

NOTE: I found a trick in an OLD cookbook that has worked wonders to eliminate "floating jam pieces"...those bits of fruit that work their way to the top of each jar, but THIS STEP IS NOT NECESSARY!!! IT IS SIMPLY COSMETIC!!!

Right after you take the jam off of the heat for the last time, let it remain in the hot pan for FIVE MINUTES; gently stir (with a sterile spoon) every 60 seconds. It really does eliminate problems with floating fruit).

NOTE: I found some fantastic gift tags for "Home made gifts from the Kitchen" that you can download (free) at: www.unsophisticook.com   CLICK HERE       You can print them on cardstock or photo paper and they look excellent!!


GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN FOOD RECIPES
By Coleen Marie

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