Hot Cocoa Toppers

Provided By: Rachel Kirtley

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspooon vanilla

Ensure whipping cream is cold, straight from the refrigerator. In a chilled metal mixing bowl, add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into the bowl and beat for about 6 minutes on medium speed until stiff peaks form. 

Do not overwhip (this will make butter), but

it needs to be stiff enough to use in a piping bag.

Use a 1M tip to pipe the whipped cream onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Chill in the freezer for a few hours and top your hot chocolate, coffee, or favorite hot toddy!

Perfect for the holidays!

Candy Cane Cookies

Provided By: Rachel Kirtley

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup shortening

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 eggs

3 teaspoons almond extract

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 cups flour

2 tsp salt

red food coloring

In a large bowl, mix together butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. In a separate bowl, stir flour and salt together. Once combined, stir flour mixture into the butter mixture, one cup at a time.

Divide the dough in half. Mix red food coloring into one half of the dough until you get the desired color.

Take a small ball of dough from each of the red and regular dough, roll into ropes, and twist together to shape a candy cane. Repeat until all of the dough is gone. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 375 F for about 9-10 minutes.

Pumpkin Cookies

Provided By: Rykse & Co

1 pound butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups pumpkin

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¹⁄8 teaspoon cloves

¹⁄8 teaspoon all spice

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ginger

In a bowl, cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add the pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Scrape the bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until

combined. Scoop onto parchment- lined sheet pans. Do NOT flatten.

Bake for 14-16 minutes at 350 F. Cool and top with warm penuche frosting.

PENUCHE FROSTING

¼   pound butter

1 ¹⁄³ cups brown sugar

²⁄³ cup milk

4 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add brown sugar and milk, and cook until boiling.

Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until frosting is thick and glossy.

Enjoy!

Crab Delights

Provided By: Elizabeth Precopio

5 ounces sharp pasteurized cheese spread (I use one jar of Kraft Old English cheese)

7 ounces crabmeat (I use imitation, but canned is fine too!)

½ cup butter 1 ½ teaspoons

mayonnaise

½ teaspoon garlic salt

8 English muffins split

In medium bowl, combine ingredients — cheese through to garlic salt. 

Place English muffin halves on baking sheet. 

Spread about 3 tablespoons cheese crab mixture on each half, dividing evenly as possible. Cut into quarter triangles.

 At this point you may freeze the canapes. Once frozen, you can remove them from the tray and store in a zip top bag or freezer-safe container.

To prepare, heat broiler on LOW. Place frozen canapes on baking sheet. Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes, checking after 5 minutes to make sure they do not burn. 

Heat until warmed through and cheese mixture is bubbly. If you would like them to be a little golden on top, switch broiler to HIGH and broil an additional 1-2 minutes. 

Serve immediately.

Mushroom Soup (30-YEAR-OLD RECIPE)

 Provided By: Bravo! Restaurant & Cafe

1 ounce olive oil

1 stalk celery, diced

½ small carrot , diced

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoon garlic, minced

4 ounces white wine

1 ½ cups vegetable stock

1 pint heavy whipping cream

4 ounces tomato juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch (dissolved in 1/4 cup water)

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot over high heat add oil, carrots and celery. Cook until soft (approximately 5 minutes).

Next, add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring often, until soft (approximately 10 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer for 10 minutes. Add stock, cream, tomato juice and simmer for 10 minutes.

Finally, stir in cornstarch (dissolved in water) to thicken. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

 Makes 2 quarts.

Gingerbread

Provided By: The Garden Griddle

1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup (4 oz) light molasses

¼ cup (2 oz) water

2 tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 cups (20 oz) all- purpose flour

Before starting the recipe, make templates for your desired house with paper or cardboard.

Heat oven to 375 F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and brown sugar. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add molasses and water, and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda. Add to wet mixture and mix until flour is incorporated.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface (parchment paper helps) and cut your shapes from your templates made earlier.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Once it comes out of the oven place your templates onto baked pieces to trim off any excess. Let cool and then assemble!

Royal Icing

8 large egg whites

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice

12 cups (3 pounds) powdered sugar food coloring (optional)

Beat all ingredients together on high until light and fluffy and doubled in size, about 3 minutes. Add desired food coloring.

Potato Candy

Provided By: Heather Dombos

1/3 cup peeled, cooked, and mashed russet potato, cold (about 1 large potato)

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon table salt

6 to 7 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Beat mashed potato and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer 2 minutes. Beat in 6 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add up to 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, to form dough.

Gather dough into a ball; dust with powdered sugar. Roll to 1/8 inch thick on parchment paper, and cut into a 12- x 10-inch rectangle. Generously sprinkle powdered sugar over dough, and place a piece of parchment paper over rectangle. Invert rectangle; discard parchment paper on top.

Spread peanut butter over dough. Starting at 1 long side, tightly roll up candy, jelly-roll fashion, using parchment paper as a guide. Wrap in parchment paper, and freeze 1 hour. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and serve. Refrigerate sliced candy in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Red Pesto

Provided By: Jim Mumford

The word pesto is old world Italian (Genoese, for those fact-checking at home) meaning “to crush.” The Latin root shows up in English, in our favorite tool the mortar and pestle. The pesto we all think of, pesto alla Genovese, is a sauce originating in Genoa, containing basil, pine nuts, cheese, etc. But there’s a range of “crushed” sauces, like this red pesto, Pesto alla Siciliana. Don’t let the simplicity fool you, this pesto is the best thing that ever happened to grilled bread.

¹⁄³ cup Pecorino Romano cheese

¼ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup toasted almonds

2 cloves garlic

10 leaves basil

¹⁄³ cup sun dried tomatoes

¹⁄³ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil Black pepper

In a food processor, pulse garlic until chopped. Add in Romano cheese, almonds, basil, and tomatoes, and pulse a few times to mix. While running, stream in olive oil. Season with a heavy grind of pepper.

Remove pesto from bowl, and fold into ricotta cheese to lighten. 

Serve on charred bread, white fish, chicken, or anything you want to taste amazing.

Mulled Head Games Wine

Provided By: St. Julian Winery

2 bottles St. Julian Head Games (A Spiced Red Wine)

2 cans Forbidden Fruit Cherry Cider

2 packets of mulling spices

2 cinnamon sticks, optional

Mix all ingredients into a crockpot and set to low for 4-6 hours. Serve warm with an apple slice and cinnamon stick for extra goodness.