COOKIN-FUN DECEMBER 2006 RECIPES

Issue #13

1. NEW ORLEANS FRUITCAKE

2. COW PIES

3. PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS

4. PECAN PIE BARS

5. MAINE POTATO CANDY

6. SUGARPLUMS RECIPE

7. PAYDAY BALLS RECIPE

8. COFFEE MERINGUE MUSHROOMS

9. SANTA'S VICTORIAN CANDY CANES

10. SALTED PEANUT CHEWS

11. UNBAKED FRUITCAKE II

12. CHOCOLATE SPIDERS

13. REINDEER CHOW RECIPE

14. PENUCHE

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COOKIN-FUN DECEMBER 2006 RECIPES

New Orleans Fruitcake

INGREDIENTS
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 pounds pecan halves
1 pound candied cherries
1 pound candied pineapple
1 pound pitted dates

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease and line with parchment paper two 5x9 inch loaf pans.
Beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until frothy.
Sift together the flour and baking powder; add to the egg mixture.
Add the candied cherries, pineapple and dates.
Mix well and pour into loaf pans and bake for 1 hour.
Cool before serving

Cow Pies

INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped almonds

DIRECTIONS

In the top pot of a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and shortening over simmering water in the bottom pot..
Stir until smooth.
Remove from the heat; stir in raisins and almonds.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper or parchment.
Chill until ready to serve.

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COOKIN-FUN DECEMBER 2006 RECIPES

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package pound cake mix
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees C (175 degrees C).
Coat a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan with non-stick spray.
In a large mixing bowl, on low speed, combine cake mix, 1 egg, margarine, and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice until crumbly.
Press onto bottom of prepared pan.
In another large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, then remaining two eggs, pumpkin, remaining 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and salt; mix well.
Pour over crust; sprinkle with pecans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until set.
Cool, then chill in refrigerator.
Cut into squares.
Store covered in refrigerator.

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COOKIN-FUN DECEMBER 2006 RECIPES

Pecan Pie Bars

18 1/4 ounces (1 box) chocolate cake mix (set aside 1 cup of cake mix from package)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 eggs

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside.
Set aside second measure of the cake mix for the filling.
For the crust, in a large mixing bowl combine remaining cake mix, butter, and slightly beaten egg.
Stir with a fork until crumbly. Turn into prepared pan.
With lightly floured hands, press evenly onto the bottom to form a crust. Bake for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium bowl combine the second measure of eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla.
Add the reserved cake mix; stir with a fork just until blended. Some tiny cake clumps will remain.
Spread filling evenly over baked crust; sprinkle with pecans.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until filling appears set when pan is gently shaken.
Cool completely on wire rack.
Cut into bars.
Cover and chill to store.

Maine Potato Candy

1 cup butter
3/4 cup mashed potatoes
2 pounds confectioner's sugar
10 ounces sweetened coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate dip
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 bar baking or paraffin wax

Melt butter. Add butter to potatoes, then add sugar, coconut, vanilla and salt to the mixture. Mixing by hand works best.
Place in a 9-by-13-inch pan and pat down smooth. Place in refrigerator until firm, about 1/2 hour. Cut into small squares.

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COOKIN-FUN DECEMBER 2006 RECIPES

Sugarplums Recipe

1/2 C. dried apricots
1/4 C. dried figs or dates
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/4 C. golden raisins
1/4 C. flaked coconut
3 T. orange liqueur or orange juice
1/4 t. almond extract
1/4 C. granulated sugar

In a food processor, finely chop apricots, figs or dates, pecans, raisins and coconut.
Add liqueur or orange juice and almond flavoring.
Stir until well blended.
Roll into 36 balls, about 1 inch in diameter, using the palms of your hands.
Roll each ball in the granulated sugar.
Layer in an airtight container, placing wax paper between each layer to prevent sticking. S
tore in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Payday Balls Recipe

1/2 lb. melted white chocolate coating
1/3 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. marshmallow cream
melted caramels for dipping
chopped peanuts

Mix together 1/2 lb melted white chocolate coating, 1/3 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup marshmallow cream.
Roll in logs or balls, Freeze ( if you do not freeze these before dipping in caramel, they will melt and mix with the caramel)
Dip frozen ball or log in melted caramel and roll in chopped peanuts.
Set on waxed paper to dry

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COOKIN-FUN DECEMBER 2006 RECIPES

Coffee Meringue Mushrooms

3 eggs whites, at room temperature
1/8 t. cream of tartar
3/4 C. sugar, preferably superfine
1 1/2 t. instant coffee or espresso powder (optional)
About 2 t. unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
2 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 200°F.
In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted.
On high speed, gradually add the sugar with all the coffee powder, if using, about 1 tablespoon at a time.
The mixture should stand in stiff glossy peaks when the beaters are lifted.
Scrape the meringue into the pastry bag. Pipe tall pointed "kisses" about 1 inch high to make mushroom stems. Don't worry if the tips bend or sag.
Pipe domes to make mushroom caps and stems and fan them or blow on them vigorously to blur the cocoa and give the mushrooms an authentic look.
Bake until crisp and completely dry, 2 hours.

ASSEMBLY:

Place the chocolate in a small bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water.
Immediately turn off the heat and stir the chocolate until melted and smooth.
Use a sharp knife to cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the tip of each stem, to create a flat surface.
Spread a generous coating of melted chocolate over the flat side of several mushroom caps.
Allow the chocolate to set partially before attaching the cut surface of the stems.
Repeat until all the mushrooms are assembled.
Set assembled mushrooms aside until the chocolate has hardened and caps and stems are glued together.
Meringue mushrooms may be made 3 to 4 weeks in advance and stored at room temperature in a an airtight container.

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COOKIN-FUN DECEMBER 2006 RECIPES

Santa's Victorian Candy Canes

2 C. sugar
1/2 C. light corn syrup
1/2 C. water
1/4 t. cream of tartar
3/4 t. peppermint extract
1 t. red food coloring

Mix the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cream of tartar in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Place a candy thermometer in the mixture, and cook without stirring until the thermometer reaches 265° F.
Turn off the heat and add the peppermint extract. Divide the mixture in half by carefully pouring part of it into another pan. Add the red food coloring to one of the pans.
While waiting for the candy to cool, grease three cookie sheets (two as working space, and the third to provide a non-stick surface for the canes to cool).
Butter your hands, and use a buttered spatula to cut off a portion of one of the clear taffy. Have a helper do the same with the red taffy.
Pull and fold the pieces repeatedly on your cookie sheet until they appear glossy, then roll them into an 8-inch long coil.
Give the head of the cane a twist before setting it aside to cool on the third greased cookie sheet.

Makes 6 medium sized Candy Canes

PENUCHE

two cups of brown sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup of pecan meats
a teaspoon of vanilla.

Put the sugar and milk into a saucepan and stir until the sugar dissolves.
After it has boiled for ten minutes, test it.
If it forms a soft ball in cold water or if the candy thermometer reads 240', remove from the fire.
Stir in the butter, the chopped nuts and vanilla.
When it is cool, cut into squares.

If you want to vary the penoche, use one Tablespoon of peanut butter instead of the nut meats.

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