The Holiday Sweets and Treats recipe collection is now ready!  All you have to do is click on the link below.  You do have to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to read it.  Then you can either save it to your computer or print it out.  I handed out several today to family and friends.

The book is best if your printer is able to print double sided. Then you can just fold it in half, staple it to keep it all together, and you’re finished.

If you aren’t able to print double sided, keep the cover page as it is, cut the other pages in half down the middle, then fold the cover over and place the other sheets inside it. You can staple everything together to keep it all nice and neat.

Okay, here’s the download link: Holiday Sweets and Treats

I hope you enjoy trying out some of these yummy recipes.  I think I’ll be using this as a reference year-round!

Happy Holidays!

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Wipe 1″ wide band of butter around the rim of a 3 quart pan to prevent boil-over.
Combine milk, sugar, cocoa, butter and peanut butter.
Stir and bring to boil over medium heat. Let boil for 1 1/2 minutes, do not stir.
Remove from heat. Stir in oats and vanilla. Stir until oats evenly distributed.
Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. Cool. Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

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Don’t forget to send me your favorite holiday cookie recipe!

Cake Balls

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting
1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate flavored confectioners coating

Directions:
Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.

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Don’t forget to send me your favorite holiday cookie recipe!

Sugar Coated Pecans

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
2 cups pecans halves
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Beat egg whites until foamy. Add pecans and toss until well coated. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over pecans and toss to coat. Spread in a layer on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Don’t forget to send me your favorite holiday cookie recipe!

Toffee Bars

Ingredients:
1 stick margarine and 1 stick butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 small package slivered almonds
Graham crackers (broken using the lines on the crackers into individual pieces) to cover bottom of 11 x 17 inch pan. (I use a metal cookie sheet but make sure it has a rim around it so syrup stays in the pan.)

Directions:
Combine butter & sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil and boil for 2 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Pour syrup over crackers & sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from pan & place on waxed paper to cool.

(I use a metal pancake turner & knife to remove from the pan onto the waxed paper. After letting them cool & harden up a bit, I move them to a new sheet of waxed paper so they won’t stick. Also, these make a bit of a mess with the butter seeping through the paper & the syrup is very hot, so either a thick protective dishcloth or even newspapers underneath the waxed paper should be used so your table/countertop doesn’t get damaged.)

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Don’t forget to send me your favorite holiday cookie recipe!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

I picked this recipe up years ago, made it once and then forgot about it for a while.  Just after Halloween this year I decided I wanted to make a batch and I’ve made it three times since then.  It disappears nearly as fast as I can get it baked!  I’ve made a couple of slight revisions to the recipe, but the original came from Libby’s.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups (15 oz can) pure pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries

Directions:
Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.  Combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla extract, and oil in small mixer bowl and beat until just blended.  Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir until just moistened.  Spoon batter into two greased and floured 9×5 inch loaf pans.

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 55-60 minutes (I find it takes a little less time) or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 5-10 minutes.  Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Variation:
I like to make this in a mini loaf pan (like a cupcake pan but loaf-shaped).  Make recipe as above, then spoon into greased mini loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.  Makes about 3 dozen.

As I was thinking about all of the cookie options I had an idea - what if I could get all of my friends and family to send me their favorite holiday cookie recipes?  There may be a few duplicates, but I’m sure you all have some great recipes you’ve been stashing away.

I thought about turning it into a contest, but in the end I figured out a way that everybody can win!  What I would like to do is collect all of your favorite holiday cookie recipes and create a downloadable pdf recipe book for everyone to share.  Each recipe will be featured in a post on Recipe Corner, as well as included in the printable recipe book.

Here’s what I need from you:

1. Your favorite cookie recipe
2. Your name (Keep in mind this will be published online.  Feel free to use a nickname if you would like.)
3. Your web site or blog address if you would like it included (not necessary)
4. A photo of your cookies (if you have one and would like it included)

E-mail your entry to dee(AT)recipecorner(DOT)net (please send to this address only so I can keep them straight)

Deadline for entries is next Friday, December 19, 2008 to allow time for me to put the pdf book together.

Any questions?  Feel free to leave it in the comments or e-mail me at the address above.

Ingredients:
1/2 loaf sandwich bread (cubed)
1 pkg cornbread (cooked and cubed) (I use a box of Jiffy cornbread mix)
I onion (chopped)
1 stem celery (cut fine)
4 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
1 to 2 T. Sage (I use more, flavor to taste)
Broth, enough to make moist

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.  Bake until light brown or onions and celery are done.  About 45 minutes at 325-350 degrees.

Apple Salad

Ingredients:
1 head Romaine lettuce
1/2 white onion chopped (or sliced)
1 green apple (cut up in bite size pieces)
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ to ½ c. sliced almonds (candied)

Dressing:
(It is best to make it the night before.)
1 cup sugar
¾ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup oil
1 T. fine ground black pepper
½ to ¾ c. parsley chopped fine

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl and enjoy!

To candy almonds – Place ¼ c. sugar in a small pan and add the almonds. Heat the almonds on med high. Stir often. You can add a little more sugar if you need to, to cover all almonds. When they are brown, lay out on wax paper to cool. Then add to salad.

Ingredients:
1 package banana cream instant pudding (we used sugar free)
2 cups milk
8 oz. sour cream
1 regular size tub of Cool Whip
1 box ‘Nilla Wafers (minis or regular)
3-4 bananas, sliced

Directions:
Mix pudding packet and milk according to package directions.
Mix sour cream and Cool Whip into pudding (I use an electric hand mixer for this to make it nice and fluffy).
Layer bottom of pan or bowl (we used a 9×13 dish here with a double batch of pudding) with Nilla wafers.  Spoon a layer of pudding on top.  Add a layer of sliced bananas, then another layer of pudding, etc. until you’ve used up all the pudding.

In the picture above I got a little decorative with some canned Cool Whip, banana slices, and crushed Nilla Wafers, but that isn’t necessary. (It is fun though!)

Suggestions:
If you want to make a double batch, use one package of vanilla pudding and one package of banana cream pudding.  If sugar is a concern, you can use sugar free pudding and sugar free Cool Whip.  The cookies still have sugar, but it reduces it quite a bit!