Pecan Pie

Honestly?
I have never really cared for pecan pie.
Many may gasp, but I didn't grow up with it, and pecans were never my favorite.
Gimme peanuts and chocolate or ooooo...cashews...but pecans?
Not so much.

So when I took pie orders for Thanksgiving, I had to do a little research, and asked for Pecan Pie loving
TASTE TESTERS.
I had quite a few takers.

This pie got RAVE reviews.  I found it at a blog that I have always had wonderful luck with recipes
 "Gimme Some Oven" --  first off, what a clever name!  and when I read her post on this pie, it made my heart happy.  It was all about her grandma, this is her grandma's pie recipe.

I hope you enjoy it as much as the pecan pie lovers in my life did!

Pecan Pie

Gimme Some Oven

1 pie crust PRE-BAKED < --find how to here

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 eggs beaten

1 stick of salted butter

2 cups pecans

Pre-bake your crust (click here for instructions)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for pie.

In a medium bowl whisk together sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and cinnamon.  Add eggs and whisk until smooth.

In a small saucepan, melt butter and heat for about 4-5 minutes, until butter becomes brown and fragrant.  Stir often.  Pour butter into the sugar mixture and whisk to combine.  Stir in pecan and pour into prepared crust.

Bake for 50-60 minute or until center is set.  If your crust edges begin to get too brown, you can remove pie and cover crust with foil.  I didn't have that problem with mine at all.

Cool pie on rack for 3-4 hours before slicing and serving.

Lemon Kiss

How about jazzing up your holiday toast with a little something new?  

Try this Lemon Kiss while toasting under that mistletoe or maybe at midnight on New Year's Eve?

It's easy to make...and you can even make your own Limoncello!!

Lemon Kiss

1 ounce chilled Limoncello

4 ounces chilled Prosecco

5 fresh blackberries

Place berries in the bottom of a champagne flute, top with Limoncello and Prosecco.

Have you ever made homemade Limoncello?  

Here's a recipe!

Eggnog Fudge

One of the first bloggers I ever "met" was Joan from Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate.
Her blog is full of amazing sweet, most times chocolaty, goodness.
This recipe for eggnog fudge she posted last year is no exception.
 I wanted to make it then, but found I ran out of time!

It was on my holiday MUST BAKE list, and we are all happy that I did! :)
Make sure you pop over and see what Joan has baking in her kitchen, you will always be glad you did!

Eggnog Fudge

Chocolate, Chocolate and More

1/2 cup butter

2 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup eggnog minus 2 Tablespoons

2 cups sugar

1 - 10 ounce bag white chocolate chips

1 - 7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Line a 9x9 baking dish with foil and butter well.

In a medium saucepan combine butter, eggnog, cream and sugar.  Bring to boil over medium heat stirring occasionally.  When it boils, reduce the heat and continue cooking until candy thermometer registers 234 degrees. (soft ball stage)  Remove from heat and stir in white chocolate chips.  Stir until combined, add marshmallow, nutmeg and vanilla, stir until smooth.

Spread into prepared pan, garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.

Let cool at room temperature and then place in refrigerator.

Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

How to: Pre-bake a Pie Crust

Ever made a recipe that called to " pre-bake your crust" and you made the crust, put it in the pan, baked it, and it slide down the side of the pie pan into the bottom.
So, you maybe cussed a little, then sprinkled it with cinnamon and sugar and baked it the rest of the way,  ate it to heal your ego, bought a pre-made crust and used it instead?

No?

Errrrrr..... me either?

Now... in case you need to pre-bake a crust, here's the super easy way to do it correctly!

How To: Pre-Bake a Pie Crust

Lay your pie crust in your pie plate and form the crust edge.

Lay a large piece of heavy duty foil over crust and form to cover.

Bake at 450 degrees for 4 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for 2 minutes more.

Cool.

Fill with whatever your pie loving heart desires!!

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

My Mother-in-law has a facebook page, and my father-in-law says he doesn't need one, because he just uses hers!!

Like most of you, if you're reading this. you love when people post recipes online.

(I love it even more when you all post MINE!! )  *grin*

My Father-in-law, Denny, loves sweets, even more, he loves coconut and chocolate.
My kids always give him all of their Almond Joy bars from their Halloween candy bag.

When he was perusing facebook and actually REQUESTED I make these, how could I resist?
I hit the jackpot in the Father-in-Law department, after all!

If you don't ever read Confessions of a Cookbook Queen's blog, you really should check it out.
I speak her language of sarchasm and mommyisms, and always enjoy her posts.
That is where I found the recipe for these Almond Joy Brownie Bites!

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

1 - 9x13 size bow brownie mix (or your own homemade)

4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 -14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 package of chocolate almond bark or chocolate candy quick

4 dozen almonds

Prepare mini muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie mix according to the package instructions, and fill muffin cups about 1/2 full.

Bake according to package directions.  Mine took about 25 minutes.

Remove from tins and cool on counter.

My mix made exactly 4 dozen.

In a bowl combine sweetened condensed milk and coconut.
Stick an almond in the top of each brownie.

Place a ball of coconut on top of each brownie, and put in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy according to package instructions.
Dip the tops of the brownies in chocolate and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, place in the refrigerator to set.

Cake Batter Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies)

I have been on a serious snack mix/puppy chow kick the last month!

I mixed up Pumpkin Spice Puppy Chow before Thanksgiving, and I ALWAYS make this Candy Coated Crispix Mix for Christmas. 

The other one I tried was Double Chocolate Peppermint Puppy Chow!  

If you want the links to these, here is where you will find them:

double chocolate peppermint

crispix mix

candy coated popcorn

pumpkin spice

I whipped up this Cake Batter Puppy Chow to have at our twins' 11th birthday party.  It was loved by 20 boys and girls who were hungry from swimming and playing in the gym at our local community center!

Cake Batter Puppy Chow

8 cups rice Chex cereal

6 squares white almond bark

4 Tablespoons oil

1 1/2 yellow cake mix

1/2 cup powder sugar

sprinkles

Pour cereal into a big bowl. 

Combine cake mix and powdered sugar in a small bowl.

Melt almond bark and oil in microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until smooth.

Pour melted almond bark over cereal stirring gently to coat.

Dump powdered sugar/cake mix over the top and continue stirring until coated.

Top with sprinkles, combine.

Store in an airtight container.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Puppy Chow

My kids love puppy chow, but my husband hates it!
He hates peanut butter... (I KNOW RIGHT?!? --- gasp!)
So this fall I made some Pumpkin Spice Muddy Buddies and they were a hit!  I started thinking about other ways to make puppy chow for the holidays.  Then I saw the White Chocolate Peppermint Kisses and M&Ms and the idea came to me.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Puppy Chow

2 cups white chocolate peppermint kisses, melted

1 - 14 ounce box of chocolate chex cereal

2 cups powdered sugar

1 package white chocolate peppermint M&M's

Melt kisses in the microwave in 30 second intervals until you can stir them smooth.

They are so pink and pretty! :)

Pour over cereal in a big bowl and stir to cover completely.

Top with powdered sugar and stir to coat.

Add the bag of Peppermint M&Ms!