Swedish Kringler

Time for some Christmas baking!

First up is some Swedish Kringler. A favorite of Brent's...and mine! I love anything almond and that flavor shines in this recipe.

It starts with a flakey pie crust bottom. The next layer is pate choux which has almond in it. The final layer is the almond icing sprinkled with toasted almonds.

It's ready for the Christmas brunch at bible study tomorrow morning...hope they enjoy!

If not Brent will be a willing participant in any leftovers...lol

Swedish Kringler

Mix as for pie crust using a pastry blender until crumbly. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time if needed:

1 cup flour

1 stick cold butter

1 to 2 Tbsp water

Gather into a ball and cut in half. Take one half and place onto ungreased cookie

sheet. Pat into a 12 x 4 oval strip. Take the other half and pat into another 12 x 4 oval strip.

Set pan aside.

In a saucepan add:

1 cup water

1 stick butter.

Bring to a boil and take off burner. Add:

1 cup flour

Stir until incorporated.

Add one at a time:

3 eggs ( I use room temperature)

Stir after each egg until smooth. Add:

1 tsp almond extract

Stir in and spread the mixture onto each oval strip.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Cool.

Mix:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp soft butter

1 to 3 Tbsp cream( milk or water also works)

1 tsp almond extract

Stir until smooth adding 1 tablespoon of cream at a time until of spreading consistency.

Spread on top of the two strips and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds.

Cranberry snackers

These appetizers are great for the holiday. Some people like to just take a block of cream cheese, and then pour cranberry sauce over it to serve with crackers.

I like to spread it on the cracker and add some cranberry on top....put them on a platter. They look to festive and pretty on a tray!

Cranberry sausage bites

These are a fave of mine.

I love cranberries.

 I think the cheese and sausage taste just perfect with a bit of cranberry on top! 

I used canned whole cranberry sauce, but of course you could make your own. 

Yum!

Cranberry Sausage Bites

12 oz. smoked sausage, cut in slices and browned

8 oz. cheese, cubed

1 can whole cranberry sauce

 Assemble and enjoy!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

YUM!

These were great!

I found the recipe over at Sally's Baking Addiction.

I stumbled on her video one day and thought..."Hey, maybe I can do this."

I have always been afraid of decorating those beautiful Christmas cookies I see everywhere...but secretly would love to learn. All those gorgeous cookies with royal icing...wow they are amazing! But intimidating. Where to start?

This recipe, icing and technique looked fun and easy and got good results. So I tried it and I learned quite alot!

First, the cookie. I was glad I used this recipe, because they are delicious! I loved the bit of almond flavor added with the vanilla. And they are so EZ to roll out and cut if you follow her suggestions. I rolled them out THICK between parchment and then chilled them in the frig b4 cutting them. This worked great!

The icing is just powdered sugar, corn syrup, water, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. I love the shine! 

I also used squeeze bottles which made it so much simpler. First I would outline the shape with a pipping bag, then flood with the bottle. After a bit I realized I really didn't even need the piping bag so I just used the bottles.

I left them out overnight to dry before I packaged them up in airtight containers and froze them.

Here are the cutters that really got me motivated to try this recipe...they are so cute!

Now these aren't perfect but hey I'm satisfied! I didn't get frustrated and this makes me want to practice some more. Will I ever try royal icing and get more detailed? I'm not sure, but I will be using this recipe and icing again!

Moist Banana Bread

I made some yummo banana bread today. I added chocolate chips to one loaf...it was so moist and delicious!

The other loaf is for my grandson. He loves Bananas!!!

Here you go:

Banana Bread

3 ripe Bananas, mashed

1/2 cup melted butter

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. Baking soda

Add the mashed Bananas to the melted butter. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the sugar.

In a separate bowl Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.

(You can add chocolate chips or nuts if desired)

Pour into a greased loaf pan.(I did 2 smaller loaves)

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Cookin' Up North Snicker Doodle

It's fall and I'm bringing out the cinnamon and pumpkin recipes!

First up are Snicker doodles. I don't make them very often but every once in awhile I crave some. My hubby prefers chocolate chip every time I bake cookies. He will eat anything but I get tired of the same ole recipe.

So I dug out this one.

Such a great cookie... with a rich buttery crumb, crisp edges, and a soft middle.

The house smells like cinnamon...so warm and inviting!

Snicker doodles

1 cup of softened butter

1 and 1/2 cups of sugar

Cream well, beating for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add:

2 eggs

1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Beat another minute or two.

Mix in dry ingredients:

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tarter

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 and 3/4 cups of flour

Mix well and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour. Roll into 30 balls and then roll in this mixture:

1/3 cup of sugar

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of cinnamon

Place on parchment lined baking sheets, press middle down lightly with your fingers and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. (Less if you like them soft and more if crispy.)

Snickerdoodle Bars

My daughter made Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars for Christmas....wow they were amazing! VERY rich and so delish....a perfect treat for the holidays!

Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars

Taste of Home

1 c, butter, room temp

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 eggs, room temp

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

2 cans (13.4 oz) dulce de leche

12 oz white baking chocolate, chopped

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350, and line a 9 x 13 with parchment paper. Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy...about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture and spread in the pan.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. over the batter and bake 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Spread the dulce de leche over the cooled crust. In a saucepan. melt the white baking chocolate, cream and corn syrup until smooth. Spread over dulce de leche. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from pan and cut into bars. Keep refrigerated.