Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins

I'm baaack!

Back like Jack!

At least for today. The last 6 weeks have been  complete and utter torture. I literally have survived off of popsicles, saltine crackers and orange juice. But as expected, weeks 12-14 offer relief and a silver lining. This silver lining comes with an abundance of yummy treats, savory dinners and more yummy treats.

 Some of us can wait longer than others. (Swayze's little paws reaching up for her "cookie.")

By the way, how were your holidays?

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain or vanilla non fat yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (more if desired)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
TOPPING:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Fold in yogurt. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir into the creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two thirds full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack.

Candy-Cane Kiss Cookies

Merry Christmas Eve, one and all! Each year the holiday season brushes by quicker and quicker. Likewise, it seems that the allure and excitement of Christmas time is overshadowed by retail shopping and larger than life sales. 

But through it all, there is one thing that remains classic to me. Christmas Cookies. Floodgates of memories open up and pour into my home. Christmas cookies and candies remind me of my childhood Christmases. They were the best of time. The whole family came together in my parents large colonial home, and consequently it was the only time the whole family got along. For the most part. I think cookies bring people together. 

What do you think?

Candy-Cane Kiss Cookies

Yields: 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Candy Cane flavored Hershey's Kisses, finely chopped
granulated sugar
additional, unwrapped Candy Cane Kisses- about 30

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Make room in either refrigerator or freezer for your cookie sheet.
2. In large mixer bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, extracts and egg. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often until creamy (2-3 minutes). In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to wet mixture and beat, scraping bowl often until well blended (1-2 minutes). The mixture will be a bit crumbly. Stir in chopped Kisses.
3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch to 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. As soon as they come out of the oven, press a Candy Cane Kiss in the center of each cookie. They'll crack a little around the edges, so just use your fingers to kind of hold the cookie together while you set the kiss inside. Put cookie sheet (with cookies) immediately into the freezer (preferred) or refrigerator so that the Kisses will set quickly. As soon as you press them into the cookie, they will begin to soften... so if you can get them into the freezer then they will keep their Kiss shape.
4. Store in a covered container- at room temperature for up to a week. In the freezer they should be ok for a couple of weeks.

Blue Cheese Spinach Toss

If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Because this baby is HOT! It's maxed out with flava, and you can tone the heat down to fit your preferences, but why?

These days my culinary experiences consist of freezer twin pops and saltine crackers. Dee-lish, lemme tell you! Why, you ask?
Yes, it is what you are thinking... I have a bun in the oven! I'm sick as a dog. And food, well... I'd rather pull my eyelashes out one-by-one than actually ingest something with aroma or flavor.

That said, I couldn't not share this with you. It's lovely and creamy. It' spicy and sweet. It's everything a dinner should be. Eat this for me. Because I can't. And because someone out there should be eating fabulously!

Blue Cheese Spinach Toss
   adapted from PW
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
12 oz Angel Hair Or Thin Spaghetti
1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1-2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
Dash Of Sugar
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste
1/2 cups Crumbled Blue Cheese
1/2 cups Heavy Cream
2 cups Baby Spinach
Half-and-Half, for thinning
Extra Blue Cheese Crumbles, For Garnish

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and cook for a minute. Pour in drained tomatoes. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in crumbled blue cheese. Add cream and stir, then a little splash of half-and-half if sauce is too thick. Cook for a minute or two, tasting and adding more seasonings as needed.
At the very, very, very last minute. toss in spinach. Immediately toss in the cooked and drained pasta. Serve immediately!

Lemon BBQ Roast Chicken

Come to Mama, baby. Come. To. Mama.

I have told yall before that I can't carve worth a cent. This time was no exception. But lemme tell you, I didn't need to carve, it tasted just as scrumptious having been mutilated by yours truly. If I could have I would have just buried my face into this bird, sinking my teeth into this tangy juciness. But, that's not very lady-like. Not very Hollis-like. Uh,Right.

*Sigh* A girl can dream, can't she?

Make this soon. You need to.


Lemon BBQ Roast Chicken
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
2 small Lemons
1/2 c BBQ sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cloves Garlic,peeled
1 whole Chicken, 4 lbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grate 1/2 tsp lemon peel; set aside. Cut lemons in half, squeeze juice into small bowl. Set aside lemon halves for later use. Add BBQ sauce and seasoning to the lemon juice; mix well.
Place rinsed and dried chicken in a large baking dish. Place 2 lemon halves and garlic cloves inside the cavity of the chicken. Rub skins of chicken with remaining 2 lemon halves and discard. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
Bake for 1 hour and 45 min or until chicken is cooked through, brushing with BBQ sauce mix every 5 min during the last 20 min of the baking time. Sprinkle with reserved lemon peel the last 5 min.
Remove and discard the lemon halves and garlic cloves. Serve with potatoes and stuffing.

M..M..M..Meatloaf

I know. I know.

I know exactly how you feel. I have been there.
You hear that very word and your jaws start salivating as your stomach turns over. All those childhood memories start to resurface. There you are, sitting at the dinner table with this brick of meat staring back at you. All the while your father is glaring at you, just daring you to try to toss it to the dog. GULP!

No fear. This meatloaf is so not like that. It's moist and flavorful, smothered in tangy tomato sauce.
So take a deep breath, close your eyes and enjoy. It's time to face your fears.


M..M..M..Meatloaf
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1/2 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 Med Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic
1/3-1/2 c Breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
 Ketchup
 Heniz 57 Sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a meatloaf pan or bread loaf pan.
In a large bowl add the ground beef and turkey. Add the bell pepper,onion and garlic. DON"T MIX YET!
Add the egg and 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs, some ketchup and Heinz 57. Start to mix with hands. You do not want to over mix. If the meat is too soggy, add more breadcrumbs. You want it to come together, but still quite moist.
Add the meat to the loaf pan, shape into loaf. You will need to do some smoothing, leveling and packing here. Top with some more ketchup and Heinz 57, spreading sauce with back of spoon. Bake for 45 min to 1 hour.


TAKE THAT DAD!

Sticky Bun Pumpkin Muffins

What do you do for Thanksgiving breakfast?

Do you have a gourmet feast, filled with eggs, pancakes, waffles, skillet potatoes, fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juice?

Or does your family route for the bagels or muffins with coffee and juice?

Whatever your family tradition, this year you need to include these. It's all the wonderful spiced flavor of pumpkin, soaked in a sticky caramel pecan sauce. They are every bit as Thanksgiving as pumpkin pie.


Sticky Bun Pumpkin Muffins
`Makes 2 dozen muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups Pecan Halves and Pieces
1/2 cup Butter, melted
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Light Corn Syrup
3 1/2 cups Flour
3 cups Sugar
1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 15 oz Can Pumpkin
1 cup Canola Oil
4 Large Eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Stir together melted butter and next 2 ingredients. Spoon 1 rounded tsp butter mixture into each cup of 2 lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, and top each with 1 tbsp pecans.
Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients  in a large bowl, and make a well in the center of the mixture. Whish together the pumpkin, next 2 ingredients and 2/3 c water. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, filling 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 min or until a wooden pick is inserted and comes out clean. Invert immediately and arrange on wire rack. Let cool 5 min.

Pumpkin Cream Pie

For those of you in search of "Pumkin Pie", this is not what you are looking for.

But...

Those of you that are in search of a pure ecstacy, your search is over!

This pie, as my someone once "reminded" me is not pumpkin pie. Yes, thanks for clearing that one up!

It's better than pumpkin pie. I attest to that.

Serve this as an alternative to the tradish-onal Thanksgiving dessert! Your guests will love it!

Pumpkin Cream Pie

from Pioneer Woman

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST:

1-1/2 package Graham Crackers (about 15 Cookie Sheets)
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 stick Butter, Melted
FOR THE FILLING:
1 box (3 Oz. Box) Vanilla Pudding (Cook And Serve Variety)
1 cup Half-and-half
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Pinch Of Cinnamon
Pinch Of Nutmeg
Pinch Of Ground Cloves
2 Tablespoons Whiskey (optional)
1/2 cup (plus 3 Tablespoons) Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup (additional) Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
Extra Graham Cracker Crumbs, For Garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Grind graham crackers in a food processor (or, if you don't have a food processor, place them in a large ziploc and pound 'em with a rolling pin.) Add powdered sugar and melted butter and process until totally combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan until nice and firm. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warm and "set." Remove from oven and allow crust to cool completely.
In a medium saucepan, mix dry pudding mix with half-and-half and cream. Add spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey, if using. Add pumpkin and stir to combine. Place lid on pot and set aside to cool. When cool enough, place pot in the fridge to cool completely.
When mixture is cool, remove from the fridge. In a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and brown sugar. Beat until very light and fluffy. Fold in pumpkin cream mixture until combined. Pour into cooled crust.
Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Serve with graham crackers crumbled on top.