Peanut Butter Meltaways

1 c. white chocolate melting wafers (I use member's mark--Sam's)

1 c. milk or dark chocolate melting wafers  

1 c. smooth peanut butter

Place white and chocolate wafers in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir. Repeat. Add peanut butter and stir until fully combined. May need to be microwaved a few seconds. Place silicone molds on baking sheets for stability. Use a small spoon to fill molds 2/3 full. Do not overfill. Lift the baking sheet about an inch and drop it so that it taps down. This will help get the air bubbles out. Refrigerate 1-2 hours until set. Remove from molds. May be stored on the counter or in the refrigerator for several days. This recipe made 46 1-2" pieces. See picture below.

These were a big hit! Everyone loved them and thought they were so cute!

Whipped Shortbread Cookies with Cherries

1 c. butter, room temperature

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 c. plain flour

1/4 c. cornstarch, for chewier cookie

24 maraschino cherries, drained, pat dry

1 t. almond extract

Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whip butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Mix together flour and cornstarch. Gradually add flour mixture in at low speed. When all the flour is added, turn the mixer speed to high and whip for 8 more minutes. Add almond extract. Fill piping bag or ziploc bag with batter. Snip off corner of bag and squeeze out cookies unto baking sheet. Top each cookie with maraschino cherry. Bake 15-17 minutes. Cool completely. Store in refrigerator to firm up the cookies if they are too crumbly.

Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 c. plain flour

3/4 c. maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

1/2 t. almond extract

1 t. vanilla extract

1/4 t. salt*, omit if using salted butter

4 oz. white chocolate, optional, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet. Cream softened butter and powdered sugar. Add extracts and mix well. Combine flour and salt*. Gradually add to butter mixture until clumps form. Fold in chopped cherries. Shape into balls and flatten. Place on baking sheet and bake 11-13 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, and transfer to wire rack. Drizzle with melted white chocolate, if desired. Store cooled cookies in airtight container.

*This recipe makes classic, buttery, melt in your mouth shortbread cookies. These are not a super sweet cookie. Adding some of the maraschino juice might help or use the juice to make a glaze for them. 

Cake Mix Donuts and Frosting

cake mix, any flavor

1/3 c. oil

1 egg

1 c. water

Frosting:

1 T. butter, melted

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. milk

1/2 t. vanilla or almond extract (or others depending on cake flavor)

1-2 drops food coloring

sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease metal donut pans, but not silicone ones. Whisk oil, egg, and water. Add cake mix and stir until combined. Pour batter into piping bag or ziploc bag. Snip off corner and pipe into pan, fill 3/4 full. Bake 13-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in pan 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove to a cooling rack. (Silicone pans are much easier to release.) After donuts are completely cooled, whisk together butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Add additional milk if needed to make pourable, but not runny. Stir in food coloring if using. Dip donuts into icing and place on a cooling rack to set, (with parchment paper underneath to catch drips), add sprinkles or decorating sugar, if desired. 

Muffin Mix Donuts and Glaze

Store bought muffin mix, any flavor, made as directed on package. Preheat oven to 350. Fill donut pan 3/4 full. Bake 10 minutes until done. Flip out of pan to serve. Icing can be added if desired.

Icing flavors:

Vanilla/Almond: 

4 c. powdered sugar

1/8 t. salt

2 t. vanilla or almond extract

10-12 T. milk or cream, about 3/4 c.

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Place parchment paper under wire racks to catch any drips from the icing. Coat the donut one at a time by holding near the top and dunking until half submerged in the glaze. Place on wire rack until set. This recipe makes enough to glaze 12-15 donuts. 

Simple Glaze:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

2-3 T. milk

2 t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients, whisk until smooth. Dip donuts one at a time until donut is half submerged. If you want thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar. If you want it thinner, add more milk. For extra thick glaze, dip once, allow to set and then dip again. After dipping, place on wire rack to dry. Glaze can be stored in airtight container in refrigerator for 2 weeks. Sprinkles can also be added to glaze before it sets up.

Chocolate Glaze:

to simple glaze recipe, add 1/4 c. cocoa and 1 more T. milk.

Maple Glaze:

to simple glaze recipe, add 1/4 c. maple syrup + more for taste if needed

substitute maple extract for vanilla

Pumpkin Glaze:

 to simple glaze recipe, add 1 t. pumpkin spice, substitute pumpkin extract for vanilla

Lemon Glaze:

to simple glaze, substitute 1 t. lemon extract, for vanilla extract, add more lemon extract 

if needed. Yellow food coloring can also be added if desired.

Orange Glaze:

to simple glaze, substitute 1 t. orange extract for vanilla extract.

Funfetti Glaze:

to simple glaze add 1 drop pink food coloring (how to make pink? Some stores actually carry pink!) and sprinkles. 

Cranberry Pie aka Nantucket Pie

This pie is actually cake!

Topping:

2 c. fresh cranberries, halved or whole*

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. sugar

Cake:

2 eggs

3/4 c. butter, melted & cooled

3/4 c. sugar 

1 c. all purpose flour

1/4-1 t. almond extract, your choice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8-9" springform pan. Combine cranberries, nuts, and sugar. Toss well. Pour directly into well greased pan. Spread evenly and pat down a bit. Combine butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix until smooth. Add flour. Mix. Batter will be thick. Spread gently over cranberry mixture until all areas are covered. Place pan on parchment lined baking sheet and bake 30-35 minutes. Once removed from oven, let cake set for 15 minutes. Go around the perimeter of the pan with a knife, gently breaking the connection of the pie and pan. Slowly release the side of the pan and remove the ring. Let the pie set for another minute. Gently invert onto a plate. Use a butter knife to remove the topping away from the pan. (newer pans may not need this) Cool and serve.  

*cranberries release more flavor when halved, and also allow the sugar to seep in better (less tart this way) but it's not necessary

**can also be made in a 9x13 pan instead of springform, but may be harder to invert onto a surface.

Orange Drop Cookies

3/4 c. sugar

2/3 c. butter

2 T. orange peel

1/2 c. orange juice

1 egg

2 c. SR flour

Orange Butter Icing:

2 T. butter, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. orange juice

1 t. orange zest

orange extract, optional

Preheat oven to 400. Mix together first 5 ingredients. Gradually add flour. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until edges are light brown, about 8-9 minutes. Cool. Make icing and frost cooled cookies with icing. OR for bigger cookies, drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Make orange frosting by combining all ingredients and spread over cooled cookies. Glaze will set up after a few minutes. 

 

Sharon's Chocolate Cherry Cookies (Brandy's favorite)

1 1/2 c. SR flour

1/2 c. cocoa

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/4 t. salt

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 t. vanilla or almond extract

48 maraschino cherries, halved or left whole (about a 10 oz jar), drained, reserve juice

1 c. chocolate wafers 

1/2 c. Eaglebrand milk

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour and cocoa. Beat butter with mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar and salt. Beat in egg and extract. Gradually add in flour mixture. Shape into 1" balls and place on baking sheet 2" apart. Press down center of each ball. Place a whole cherry or 2 halves in center of each cookie. Melt chocolate with eaglebrand milk in microwave. Add 4 t. reserved juice. Spoon 1 t. frosting over each cherry, making sure to cover the cherry. May thin frosting with more juice if desired. Bake in  oven 10 minutes until edges are firm. Cool on rack. Makes 48 cookies. Store in airtight container. May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Overnight Orange Roll Casserole

1/2 stick butter, melted

4 eggs

1/3 c. light brown sugar 

zest and juice of 1 small orange

2 cans refrigerated orange rolls, cut into quarters (other flavors can also be used)

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

1 t. vanilla

Glaze: (or just use the icing from the rolls)

1-2 c. powdered sugar

1 T. orange zest

2 T. butter, melted

1 t. vanilla

3-4 T. orange juice

Preheat oven to 375. Pour1/2 stick melted butter in bottom of 9x13 dish. Swirl to coat bottom. Arrange orange roll pieces in dish. Whisk together all casserole ingredients. Pour over rolls. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator overnight. The next morning, uncover the rolls and bake until rolls are cooked through, but still soft, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. While rolls cool you can make the glaze or warm up the icing that came with the rolls. Adding more orange juice to the icing will make a thinner glaze. Pour over cooled casserole and serve.

White Chocolate Candied Cherry Fudge

14 oz. can Eaglebrand milk

16 oz. white chocolate wafers

2 t. vanilla or almond extract (or 1 t. each)

1/4 t. salt (to enhance sweetness)

1/2 c. red candied cherries, chopped or halved

1/4 c. green candied cherries, chopped or halved

1/4 c. chopped nuts, optional

Line 8x8 pan with foil or parchment paper. In a large bowl, add condensed milk and wafers. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave another 20 seconds, stir, repeating as necessary to melt chocolate. Do not overheat chocolate. Add extract(s) and salt. Mix well to combine. Add cherries and pour into pan. Add nuts, if using. Place in refrigerator to set up for at least 3 hours. Cut into small squares. This makes a very festive fudge.

*dried cranberries can also be used, add them to the top of the mixture and press gently before refrigerating.

Glazed Orange Cranberry Loaf

1/3 c. orange juice

2 t. grated orange zest (I used "true orange" crystals, 1/2 t. = 1 T.)

2/3 c. buttermilk

6 T. butter, melted

1 egg

2 c. SR flour

1 c. + 2 T. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1 c. fresh cranberries, sliced in half * (can use food processor), lightly coated in flour to keep them from sinking to bottom of loaf

1/2 c. chopped pecans, optional

Glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar

1-3 T. orange juice, or lemon juice for a tarter glaze

1 t. orange zest (I used "true orange" 1/2 t. = 1 T.)

orange extract, if needed

Preheat oven to 375. Spray bottom of loaf pan. Whisk together 1/3 c. orange juice, 2 t. orange zest, buttermilk, (it's ok if there are lumps), butter, and egg. Add flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Gently stir in cranberries and nuts, if using. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking until golden brown (about 45 minutes longer). Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto serving plate and cool more before adding glaze. 

Whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest. More juice can be added for a thinner glaze if desired. Spread or pour over cooled bread. (I used 3 T. orange juice, true orange, and a little orange extract with the powdered sugar.) Slice and serve. This makes a wonderful breakfast bread!

*cranberries open up more flavor when sliced, but can be left whole if preferred. You can also use only 1/2 c. cranberries and add 1/2 c. blueberries for a different taste.

**mini silicone loaf pans may also be used as giveaways to friends and neighbors. Bake about 25-30 minutes until lightly brown and springs back to the touch.

1st pic: slicing the cranberries on my new cutting board from a friend, 2nd pic: out of the oven, 3rd pic: glaze added, 4th pic: sliced and ready to eat! Yum!

Sharon's Cranberry Salad

3 oz. box red jello, cranberry if you can find it, if not you can use cherry or strawberry

16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 c. chopped pecans, optional

16 oz. can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup

3/4 c. chopped celery, optional

1/2 c. orange juice

Heat pineapple in its syrup to a boil. Add jello. Dissolve well. Add orange juice and cranberry sauce. Stir to mix well. Let cool. Add celery and nuts, if using, and pour into 8x8 pyrex dish. Refrigerate overnight.

Never any leftovers with this salad!