Christmas Bells Are Ringing

Unable to attribute.

I'm not feeling very much like sharing right now but I have to do something to cheer myself up. This morning I lost my oldest and dearest pet, my cat Nimbus. It wasn't unexpected, but it was traumatic for all of us.

Especially since we lost the pet bunny, Pfeffer, last week.

So here's a recipe for some delicious Christmas cookies. You can make this with just about any jam but pay attention to the lemon extract/peel and substitute if needed.

I usually dress mine up with some colored sugar, but as you can see they're pretty without it.

Lemon Blueberry Christmas Bells

Makes: about 54 cookies

Prep: 1 hour

Chill: 1 to 2 hours

Bake: 8 minutes per batch

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1  3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2  teaspoon lemon extract
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 2-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3  cup blueberry or raspberry jam or preserves
• Finely shredded lemon peel (optional) 
• Colored sugar (optional)

Directions

1. In a very large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in the 1 teaspoon lemon peel, the vanilla, and lemon extract until combined. Beat in cornstarch. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough portions to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round 2-1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place dough rounds 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the jam onto the center of each round. To shape fans, bring opposite sides of each dough circle up over the jam and pinch them together where they meet, forming a point at one end.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Repeat with the remaining dough portions. If desired, sprinkle cookies with additional lemon peel or colored sugar before serving. Makes about 54 cookies.

5. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

A Caramel Freak's Caramel Pie

I came across a can of sweetened, condensed milk in the pantry today.  It transported me back to the old days when my mother would make Caramel Pie.

She made the filling by putting an unopened can of sweetened, condensed milk into a pot of water and BOILING IT over low heat for 3 hours.

Wow.  I have no idea why those cans didn't just explode.  Talk about dangerous!!

But I love that pie.  It's my absolute favorite and I want to make it for Christmas.  Scouring the internet, however, didn't lead me to a safer way to make it other than standing over the stove, stirring constantly for hours.  Who has time for that??

I figure since Mom did it for years (and so, apparently, does everybody else), I'll give it a go.  DH says it's OK if I blow up the kitchen; it's remodel time anyway. (I wish he weren't kidding!)

Here's the recipe:

Eagle Brand Caramel Pie

Yield: 8 Servings

• 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened, condensed milk (lowfat?  I don't know why not)
• 1 graham cracker crust or pastry shell
• sliced bananas and/or nuts and/or chocolate chips and/or coconut and/or whatever you like
• Whipped cream, Dream Whip, or Cool Whip (I beg you, don't use Cool Whip. It's an insult!)

Remove label from the can. Place UNOPENED can in saucepan and cover with water. Place lid on saucepan; boil over low heat for 3 hours, adding hot water as needed to keep the can covered. Remove can and LET COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE OPENING. (Note: Milk can be boiled the day before and placed in the refrigerator overnight to save time. You will need to place the milk into a bowl and stir to spreading consistency.)

Place layer of bananas and/or whatever in bottom of crust; spread with a layer of caramelized milk and then a layer of whipped cream, Dream Whip or Cool Whip. You can make this multi-layered if you like.

Garnish top with banana slices or whatever you like (coconut is good). Refrigerate a couple of hours before serving.

Steak and Boursin-Wrapped Bells

It seems like there are a zillion vegetarian/vegan appetizers out there, and not too many that incorporate meat.  I like meat, so here's one for all of you carnivores like me.  It's great as part of a finger food buffet or as an appetizer.  And it only takes 10 minutes to make.

I'd love to attribute this recipe, but I don't remember where I found it.  If it's yours, please let me know!

Recipe
Makes 16 pieces.

Ingredients:

• 16 thin slices grilled steak, such as filet mignon (about 8 ounces)
• 1 cup light Boursin cheese, divided
• 4 ounces thinly sliced bell pepper

Directions:

Spread each steak slice with 1 teaspoon Boursin cheese and top with bell pepper slices. Roll the steak around the bell pepper slices.

Tip:  For an even quicker preparation, try deli roast beef. But get the good stuff, not the chopped/pressed/formed crap.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: 
Per piece: 37 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 13 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 0 g fiber; 34 mg sodium; 66 mg potassium.

Fruit and Nut Bread

Most people don't like fruitcake. I only like it if it's been soaked in booze. For about a year.

But I do like bread with fruit in it, so here's a nice, simple quick bread that's delicious. It uses dried fruit (not candied, like fruitcake), nuts, and whole wheat flour so it's good for you. I like to serve toasted, buttered slices cut in half as part of a finger food tray on Christmas Eve.

I'd like to attribute the original recipe but I don't know where I found it.  If it's yours, please let me know!

 Recipe

 Ingredients:

 • 2 cups whole wheat flour
 • 1/2 teaspoon salt
 • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
 • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
 • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
 • 3 eggs
 • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 • 1/4 cup maple syrup (use real maple syrup if you can, the darker in color the better)
 • 2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts - I use a mix of walnuts and pecans)
 • 1 cup of chopped dried fruit (dates and/or figs)
 • 1 cup of chopped dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, apricots)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a loaf tin and spread parchment paper at the bottom.
2. In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs and stir in vanilla and maple syrup.
4. Add the chopped dried fruit and nuts into the flour mixture. Stir until nuts and fruit are well coated with flour.
5. Stir in the egg mixture to the flour nut mixture until well combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin, pressing the batter down with the back of a spoon.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

Keep wrapped to maintain freshness. It lasts even longer when kept in the fridge. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 1 month.