Hello all,
So I know it has been QUITE some time since I have blogged...I did post in September but I have recently been editing/deleting things so that post has been disintegrated!
Another semester, another YEAR, GONE. I cannot believe it! It sure has been an adventure. Anyways, now that I am on holiday - no excuse! So, I am posting a few last-minute holiday ideas you can easily and quickly prepare for all your December/January-related celebrations!
ENJOY!
Snowball Cookie Balls (the original recipe is from the Kraft Canada website but I have tweaked it to suit my own tastes)
-1 (250g) package Philadelphia light cream cheese
-350g cookies (Kraft suggests store-bought peanut butter cookies, but I MADE my own Coconut Cookies for this and the results were DELECTABLE - recipe to follow)
-2 packages (6 squares each) Baker's white chocolate
-1/2 cup flaked coconut
-fancy cupcake liners
-optional: 3 drops blue, green OR red food coloring, silver mini decoration balls/sprinkles
Crumble cookies (just use your hands it's more fun!). Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended. Shape into 42 (1 inch) balls. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Melt white chocolate squares (as per package directions) - but I used a double boiler so I could be sure the chocolate wouldn't burn. (To do this, put a pot of water on to boil. Place a stainless steel mixing bowl on top (this is where you put the chocolate). Keep the stove on medium/high heat and KEEP stirring until the chocolate melts and has a shiny appearance.)
Stir in food coloring (optional - if you really wanted to have some fun, divide the chocolate into three portions, and add a different color to each portion - you will have a variety of colors!). Dip balls in chocolate, place on parchment or wax paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with coconut. (Optional: sprinkle with silver balls.) Place in fancy cupcake liners! Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. ***WARNING: do NOT try to take the balls out of the muffin cups before they are firm, or you will have a sticky mess on your hands. Wait until they are firm, and the balls will easily come out of the cups.
Also, Kraft's tip for easy coating - roll cookie balls in chocolate using two forks and let the excess drain before placing it on a baking sheet - HARDER than it sounds. Give yourself extra time if you have never done this before.
And that's it! DELICIOUS DELICIOUS DELICIOUS! Many of my friends have tasted these delights and they absolutely LOVED them.
Now if you are ambitious (like me)...here is the recipe I used for the cookies. ***WARNING: IF you are using the below recipe for the Snowball Cookie Balls, I would suggest you only make 1/4 of the recipe, because it makes ALOT of cookies!
Coconut Cookies
-1 cup butter/margarine
-2/3 cup white sugar
-1/3 cup brown sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp. vanilla
-2 cups all purpose flour
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-3/4 cup coconut (finely shredded and UNSWEETENED)
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. Add vanilla. Mix.
In separate bowl, mix flour and baking soda. Add to egg mixture. Mix well.
Add coconut. Mix. Drop cookies onto baking sheet with teaspoon (or hands). Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes.
And now...here's another delicious holiday treat - mini cheesecakes! They are great because you can use lower fat ingredients and the portions are just right for this rich dessert.
Mini Cheesecakes
-1 crust recipe (to follow)
-2 (250g package) of light cream cheese
-2 Tbsp. butter/margarine
-3 eggs, separated
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 cup light sour cream
-1 Tbsp. vanilla
Crust
-2 cups flour
-3/4 cup (total 3/4 cup NOT each) finely chopped walnuts and pecans
-3/4 cup light brown sugar
-3/4 cup butter
-1 egg yolk
-fancy cupcake liners
For the crust: combine flour, nuts and brown sugar. Cut in butter (just like for biscuits) and toss with beaten yolk. The mixture should be crumbly. Pack down lightly at the bottom of fancy cupcake liners. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes. The edges should only be slightly golden brown. After removing them from the oven, let them cool.
For the mini-cheesecakes: beat cream cheese and butter together. Add egg yolks and sugar. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into sour cream mixture. Pour into cupcake liners on top of crust. Bake at 325F for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and LEAVE mini cheesecakes in oven for an hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. This prevents your cheesecakes from cracking. Afterwards, you can top them with whipped cream, berries, or, as I did, white and milk chocolate! These treats are delicious for any occasion, including a birthday surprise. ENJOY!
And finally, no holiday would be complete without SHORTBREAD! This is a recipe I found online, it is SO easy and quick to make and you will not get over how LIGHT and AIRY they are!
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
-1 cup butter
-1&1/2 cup all purpose flour
-1/2 cup icing sugar
-optional: sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine butter, flour and sugar. Beat for 10 minutes.
Drop from teaspoon onto cookie sheet. You can then top with a few almond slices if you like. Bake for 13 minutes (if smaller cookies), or up to 15 minutes if the cookies are larger than a teaspoon until bottoms lightly browned. Makes about 26 cookies.
And now, I think this post has definitely made up for my lack of posts for months! Hope this gives you some great ideas...ENJOY, HAPPY EATING AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
