Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup half-and-half cream
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 to 4 tablespoons half-and-half cream
• Food coloring and colored sugar, optional

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cream. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
In another large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and enough cream to achieve spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired. Frost cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Our son and family were here from WV and the grandkids had a great time in the snow. I hate to see them leave, but I'll be down there for Christmas, and that will be here before you know it.

Cherry Peanut Butter Candy

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 1 cup Jif® Peanut Butter*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 24 to 26 maraschino cherries with stems
• Additional confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup shortening

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Pat cherries dry with paper towel. Dust hands with additional confectioners' sugar. Wrap each cherry with a rounded tablespoon full of peanut butter mixture; shape into a ball. (Peanut butter mixture may need to be refrigerated occasionally while rolling cherries.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip peanut butter balls in chocolate; place on waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set. Yield: about 2 dozen. *Note: Reduced-fat or generic brands of peanut butter are not recommended for this recipe.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 egg and orange zest; beat until smooth. Set aside. Sift together 1 2/3 cup flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin pie spice; set aside
3. Place pumpkin, vegetable oil, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl; beat well. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the pecans if desired. Pour 1/2 of the pumpkin batter into the loaf pans. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of this layer and then pour on the remaining batter.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Silicone Bakeware

This stuff is great, I have gotten quite a collection of it and it makes clean up so easy. If you haven't tried it yet, you should!

Results are terrific - you get quick even baking and cooling. Very impressive is the easy food removal. A slight twist or should I say movement of the pan, and sides just pull away, revealing evenly baked food.

Benefits of Silicone Bakeware

• No greasing or oiling of pans required
• Pans heat quickly and bake evenly with no burnt or dark edges or bottom.
• Removal from pans is super easy - a slight twist or gently pulling on the sides, and roll out your baking.
• Freezer, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and oven safe.
• Bake, store, freeze and reheat right in the pans.
• No rusting or staining.
• No need to alter your batter or temperature - bake as usual.
• Cleanup is a breeze.
• Lightweight and perfect for a camper or RV.
• Storing is easy - although they do not easily nest, no special attention is required, they retain their shape.

Notable Tips for Successful Baking

• Follow manufacturer's maximum heat ratings.
• Pans are hot to touch while in the oven but cool down quickly; use hot pads to remove them.
• Using a cookie sheet underneath will provide stability even for smaller pans.
• Always use a metal baker's sheet or specially designed sled or rack underneath wider or larger silicone pans.
• Wash pans thoroughly before first use.
• Warranties tend to vary.
• Do not use knives or sharp objects - they could damage your pans.
• Never use on an open flame or on stovetop burners.

I love this site, they have some great ideas for baking and some special holiday recipes.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cups plus 4 tsp. sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter and add two cups of sugar gradually, beating until very light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in flour sifted w/baking powder and salt. Combine remaining sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Place about 1/3 of the batter in a well greased and floured bundt pan or a nine inch tube pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the nut mixture. Spoon in the rest of the batter. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture and bake about 60 minutes or until done. Cool on rack.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fudge

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Nuts, optional

Cook sugar and milk to soft ball (234). Add other ingredients. Mix well and pour into buttered pan 9 x9. Cool and cut in squares.

Caramel Apple Dip

We used to make this recipe and bring to work when we were having a luncheon or party. It's a really good appetizer.

1 pkg. cream cheese - room temperature, spread on bottom of pie plate

1 jar caramel topping, pour over cream cheese.

Cover with 2 cups of chopped walnuts if desired.

Apples for dipping.

Cream Filled Cupcakes

I really enjoy baking and would just like to share some great recipes that I have collected over the years and some that I have found online. I'm starting over, maybe I can make this blog a little better! This first recipe was given to me by a good friend, it was her Mom's and I use it a lot. Sometimes I just make them without the filling too, it's a quick and easy cupcake recipe.

Filling:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
dash of salt

Beat all ingredients and set aside.

Cupcake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, soda, salt and cocoa. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Fill 18 paper cups with 1 tbsp. cake batter. Place one heaping tsp. cream filling on top of batter. Place another tbsp. cake batter on top of cream filling. Remainder of cream filling will be used in frosting, so cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Frosting: Combine remaining cream filling with approximately 2 cups confectioners sugar. Frost when cupcakes are cool. Store in refrigerator.