Home-cooked treats ideas for Christmas?

Question

Ok, my husband is in construction, and I wanted to bake some things for the guys he works with for christmas. What are some things I can bake? Like cookie recipes, cakes, things like that. I was going to get some little Christmas tins to put them all in. Thanks!

Answer 1

Candied Walnuts

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 c. walnut halves & pieces (pecans work well, too)

Bring sugar and water to a boil over high heat in large saucepan. Boil 1 min. stir in vanilla and walnuts; stir until coating sets. spread on cookie sheet and cool.
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Microwave Peanut Brittle

in a 4 cups+ glass measuring cup, stir together:
1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of corn syrup; microwave for 4 minutes

stir in 1 cup of raw peanuts; microwave for 4 minutes

stir in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; microwave 2 minutes

gently stir in 1 teaspoon of baking soda
pour onto lightly greased cookie sheet
allow to cool and store in airtight container

--Katie B., Yahoo Answers
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Salty Dogs (like PayDay Candy bars)

1 (12-ounce) package butterscotch chips
1 cup marshmallow cream
1/2 cup nonfat instant powdered milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 bag caramel candies, approximately 22 pieces
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups salted cocktail peanuts, coarsely chopped

In a medium size glass bowl, melt the butterscotch chips in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove bowl and stir in the marshmallow cream and powdered milk. Add the vanilla and mix well. The mixture will be very thick. At this point use your hands and knead the mixture almost like bread dough. Roll the mixture into walnut size pieces and shape like your little finger. Place finger shapes onto waxed paper to set.
In a separate bowl, melt the caramels and milk together in the microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir well. Roll set fingers into the caramel, making sure the caramel is not too hot and will burn your fingers. Once rolled in caramel, immediately roll in chopped nuts, and place back on the waxed paper to harden.

--Paula Dean
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Microwave Caramel Popcorn
1 c. brown sugar
1 stick margarine
1/4 c. white karo syrup
½ tsp. salt
3-4 qts. popped corn
½ tsp. soda

In a 2 qt. Pyrex dish, mix all ingredients except soda and popcorn. Bring to boil in microwave and cook 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in soda.

Spray a large brown grocery bag with Pam. Put popped corn in bag. Pour caramel mixture over it. Fold bag down a couple of times, shake it. Put in microwave 1½ minutes. Take it out. Shake well again. Microwave another 1½ minutes. Pour into a bowl and cool.

Can add pecans and red candied cherries for Christmas. This is always so good and works every time.
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Rajun Cajun BBQ Sauce

1/2 C. Dark Brown Sugar plus 1 Tbsp.
1/2 C. Blended Bourbon
1/2 C. Heinz Ketchup
2 tsp. Liquid Smoke
1 clove garlic mined
1 Tbsp. minced Onion

In a saucepan combine brown sugar, and bourbon. Turn heat to medium and mix well. Add Ketchup and remaining . Stir until all is well blended. Heat through for about 15 - 20 minutes. You want to make sure the alcohol cooks away. You can use this as a basting sauce for BBQ, or you can spoon it over chicken breasts and pop those into a 400-degree oven covered for about 30 minutes.
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APRICOT WALNUT TEA BREAD

1 cup dried apricots
1½ cups boiling water
2½ cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" loaf pan. Cut the apricots into small pieces & place in a bowl. Add the boiling water; set aside to cool. Sift the flour, baking powder & salt & set aside. In a large bowl, combine the egg, vanilla, sugar & oil; beat until blended. Gradually add the apricot mixture, beating constantly. Add the flour mixture & beat until smooth. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan.
Bake 1 hour. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen with spatulas & transfer to a rack. Cool. Wrap in foil & store in the refrigerator at least 12 hours before serving.
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LISA'S MOLASSES PUMPKIN BREAD

1/3 C shortening or butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup pumpkin or banana or sweet potato
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla or nocello (walnut liqueur)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream shortening and sugar. add eggs. Add molasses, cream and pumpkin. Add remaining ingredients and mix it all up.

Bake at 350ºF in a greased loaf pan for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Answer 2

This is "Christmasy" and so tasty...

White Candy Bark

1 T. melted butter
2 pkg. ( 10-12 oz) white or vanilla chips
1 & 1/2 C. walnut pieces
1 C. dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Line a 15 X 10 X 1 pan with foil. Brush with the butter.

Place chips in a microwave bowl. Microwave on 70 % power for 3-4 minutes. Stir until smooth.

Stir in walnuts, cranberries, and nutmeg. Spread into pan.

Chill until firm. Lift foil and break " bark" into pieces.

(This was a recipe contest winner in Quick Cooking Magazine a few years ago.)


Cake Mix cookies

2 eggs
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 box cake mix

Preheat oven to 350. Mix eggs and oil with the cake mix.

Now, be creative by adding 1/2 C. of other ingredients... choc. chips, raisins, nuts....

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes... watch for burning. Let cool

Answer 3

This is the most important tip for any baker. Adding too much flour will make your baked goods tough and dry.And be sure to not overwork the dough; mix just until the flour disappears. I was watching Everyday Italian on the Food Network, a show that I love, and one of Giada's guests brought Starlight Mint Cookies to a cookie exchange. I could tell by the look of the cookie when she broke it open that too much flour was used; it was dry and hard.
Reduce Flour by 1/4 Cup
I like to reduce the flour amount in most cookie recipes by 1/4 cup to make the most tender cookies that do not dry out even after several days. To be able to handle the dough, see the next tip:
Chill the Dough Before Baking
Chilling the dough helps softer doughs keep their shape and makes the dough easier to work with. I find that chilling the dough improves the flavor and allows the dough to relax a bit.
Use a Silicone Rolling Pin
With this new rolling pin, you won't have to use as much flour when rolling out doughs and your cookies will be more tender. You can also purchase a Marble Rolling Pin and chill it to keep the dough cold while you're working with it. Or use a Rolling Pin Cover and Cloth. You won't have to use as much flour with these cloth accessories. Rub flour into the rolling pin cover (also called a stockinette) and the cloth that is placed on the work surface, and the dough won't stick. Using a combination of powdered sugar and flour to dust the work surface will also help keep the cookies more tender. Also think about purchasing Rolling Pin Rings that you wrap around the pin so your dough is an even thickness and all the cookies bake at the same time.
Use an Oven Thermometer
Be sure that your oven is accurate with a thermometer, then bake cookies at a slightly lower temp. The instructions for your stove or oven will tell you how to adjust the heat if necessary. I have a digital oven, so when a recipe calls for a 350 degrees F oven, I set the temperature to 345 degrees F. This small reduction in temperature ensures the cookies won't overbake and overbrown, especially on the bottom. With each batch of cookies, the baking time will be reduced because of the increased humidity in the oven from the cookies.
Soften Butter Properly
It's difficult to soften butter properly in a microwave oven; too often part of the butter melts, which will change the structure of the cookies. Butter and sugar form the basic structure of the cookies; the sugar cuts small air pockets into the butter, which are stabilized by the flour and filled with C02 from the baking powder. Soften butter by letting it stand at room temperature for a couple of hours. You can also grate the butter into a bowl, then it will soften in a few minutes.
Freeze Dough
Making and freezing doughs ahead of time not only is a great time saver, but it improves the texture of the cookies. Icebox cookies are shaped into a log, wrapped, and chilled or frozen until it's time to bake. You can form drop cookie dough into balls and freeze; bake from the frozen state, adding a few minutes to the baking time. This technique also lets you make all the doughs one day, then take another day for the fun part: baking and decorating!
Use Fresh Ingredients
Make sure that all of your ingredients are fresh. Buy new baking powder and baking soda, vanilla and spices, flour and sugar. Most of us don't bake often during the year, and it's a good bet that your ingredients are more than a year old. You're putting a lot of effort and heart into these cookies: start with the best ingredients!
Baking Times
I set the timer for 2-3 minutes less than the cooking time called for in the recipe. I take the cookies out of the oven just as they're beginning to look done because the residual heat from the cookie sheet will continue to bake the cookies. Also, slightly underbaked cookies are more tender and moist.
Insulated Cookie Sheets and Cookie Scoops
I adore the insulated sheets my sister gave me for Christmas. One of the biggest problems with delicate doughs is they can get too brown on the bottom. Insulated sheets prevent that so your cookies turn out perfectly every time. And using cookie scoops means your cookies will all be exactly the same size.
Now that you are a cookie expert, enjoy the time you spend in the kitchen with family and friends, baking wonderful cookies.

If you're serving more than four people, roast two chickens!
INGREDIENTS:
3 lb. chicken
2 lemons, washed
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. kosher coarse salt
1 cup water
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the giblets and any fat from the chicken cavity. Roll the lemons on the counter with your hand to soften, then prick with a fork, going all the way through the rind to the flesh.

In a small bowl, mash the garlic with the salt until a paste forms. Rub half this paste inside the chicken and then stuff the lemons into the cavity. Rub the remaining paste on the outside of the chicken. Place in a shallow roasting pan, on a rack (you can use sliced onions for a rack for even more flavor) and roast for 60-65 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F, juices run clear when pricked with a fork, and the drumstick moves easily in its socket. Cover the chicken and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the pan juices. Serves 4

Answer 4

Cut-out sugar cookies with frosting and/or sprinkles; chocolate chip cookies; oatmeal raisin or craisin; cranberry bars; Mexican wedding cakes; butterscotch cookies and/or blondies; brownies; date nut cookies or bars; coconut macaroons; lemon madalyns if you have that pan; pecan tassies; snickerdoodles.

Cookies and bars probably fit better in the tins than cakes, but (if your tins are large enough) you might fit a cupcake or 2 in the middle and surround with cookies.

Or check out all the cookie recipes at northpole.com

Answer 5

How about some really easy fudge!!

1 12oz package peanut butter chips ( 2 cups)
1 can of vanilla frosting (DO NOT USE WHIPPED)
nuts if desired

Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges. Place chips in medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave on HIGH for 90 seconds. Stir until smooth.
Add can of frosting to melted chips mixture, Mix well. Microwave 90 seconds, mix well. Add nuts. spread in foil lined pan. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
remove fudge frompan by lifting foil and cut into squares.

Experiment a bit and have fun. Use chocolate chips with chocolate frosting for a great chocolate fudge, Mint chocolate chips/chocolate frosting. Peppermint crunch chips with vanilla frosting., coconut-pecan frosting with dark chocolate chips, cream cheese frosting with peanut butter chips is great. use your imagination and have fun

Answer 6

Pumpkin bars! Hold on while I find the recipe.
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4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup oil
1 cup pumpkin
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder

Mix oil with sugar. Add eggs and pumpkin. mix well add dry ingredients. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes in 9x13 sheet

Icing

3 ounces cream cheese
6 Tbsp butter
1 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Spread on cooled bars

Answer 7

Oh, this one is good:
you take really small cups, the paper ones that fit into the miniature muffin pans? and you fill the bottom with liquid chocolate. When that dries, you put on a layer of coconut, then another layer of chocolate. then, put a walnut on top, and it is amazing, you'll want more and more!!

Answer 8

REINDEER CANDY:
pretzel topped with a hershey kiss, warm it up slightly in a warm over then top w/ a peanut m&m

addictive :)

Answer 9

brownies decorated with white chocolate xmas trees!