Blogs

Submitted by Mary Beth Roe

Minnesota Mint snowballs 

Cookie ingredients:

1 cup softened butter (or shortening)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

1 cup quick oatmeal

Mix together all of the above ingredients and roll into 1 inch size balls. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  

Frosting recipe:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon mint extract

1/4 cup milk

Green food coloring

1-2 cups shredded, sweetened coconut

Mix the first three ingredients together, then add just enough green food coloring to the frosting to make it a pretty mint color.

Allow baked cookies to cool a few minutes. Then, dip each ball into the frosting and then roll in the coconut and set on a plate to cure.

No snowball fights...just eat and stay warm!

Counting our blessings,

Mary Beth

Submitted by Jane Treacy:

Nutcracker Pumpkin Bread

You all know how near and dear to me and my family the Nutcracker is, so I thought this would be a good time to share my Nutcracker Pumpkin Bread recipe. This version was adapted from one of the dancers when I was in the Nutcracker! But I love it year-round! Hopefully your family and friends will enjoy it as much as we do! 

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup plain pumpkin
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix pumpkin, eggs, oil, and water. Mix all dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin. Mix until just blended (I mix it by hand for this recipe). Add in raisins and nuts. Pour into 9'' x 5'' loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center.

Submitted by Alberti Popaj

Baked Ziti

One tradition my family has always had during the holidays is our Christmas Eve Dinner. My mother has always enjoyed cooking large meals with a variety of flavors, but a definite staple dish each year is always her Baked Ziti and homemade garlic bread. Living alone in California, I quickly learned my way around the kitchen, and the photo above is a collage of my 2013 Christmas Eve Dinner. This year I decided to make one which incorporated meat and ricotta cheese. I found last year's recipe from: www.allrecipes.com

Follow my Facebook Page Alberti Popaj QVC to see other great photos of the things I make in my kitchen and around my house, as well as what’s going on at the Q!

Submitted by Rick Domeier

Candy Cane Kisses

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar


• ¾ cup coconut oil


• ¾ cup Cocoa


• 4 eggs


• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 2  1/3 cups all-purpose flour


• 2 teaspoons baking powder


• ½ teaspoon salt


• 1 cup chopped finely walnuts


• 1 Pack Hershey’s Peppermint Candy Can Kisses


• 1 packet Red Sugar

Instructions
1. Combine granulated sugar and oil in Kitchen aid mixer; add cocoa, beat until well blended
2. Beat in eggs and vanilla
3. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add cocoa mixture, beating well.
4. Mix in finely chopped walnuts
5. Cover; refrigerate until dough is firm enough to handle, at least six hours.
Heat oven to 350degrees F.
6. Lightly grease cookie sheet or parchment paper
7. Shape dough into about 48-50 1 inch balls and roll into red sugar to coat.
8. Place about two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
9. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly and tops are crackled.
10. Place/gently press in the candy cane Kiss on each cookie while cookies are still warm. Place cookies on wire rack.
11. Devour cookies. (hint: try them while still warm and the peppermint Kiss will melt in your mouth). 

Submitted by Amy Stran

Mocha Ice Box Cake

Steve and I love this recipe my friend Bev shared with me. She had the mocha icebox cake at  her holiday party and I had to know more about it. Imagine having tiramisu with a great cup of kahlua coffee, that's what this tastes like

Ingredients:

2 cups cold heavy cream

12 ounces Italian Mascarpone Cheese

½ cup sugar

¼ cup Kahlua liquer

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3-(8-ounce) packages of Tate’s Bake Shop chocolate chips

OR

2-(9-ounce)packages Nabisco Famous chocolate chips

Directions:

You mix all the ingredients (except cookies) together starting slowly and then picking up speed until firm peaks appear. Lay the chocolate wafers in a baking dish covering all the dish and then top with half the cream mixture. Repeat and then you just cover and refrigerate overnight

Submitted by Sandra Bennett

“Nikki’s Healthy Cookie”

Don't judge this cookie by how it looks! I wanted to share this cookie recipe with you from a favorite blog of mine, 101 Cookbooks. You may not know but, along with my love for all things beauty, I love to cook and bake. Claire loves these cookies and can't get enough - and that's okay because they are all healthy ingredients. I hope you try them and love them as much as we do!

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.
In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips. The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.
Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.

Submitted by Jill Bauer

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Warm Cider Sauce

There wasn’t much that could distract me from opening presents as a child….unless I smelled the buttery aroma of apple cider sauce and cinnamon apple pancakes coming from our kitchen.  This recipe is one of my favorites to this day…and always evokes wonderful memories of me and my parents during the holidays.

Ingredients:

Pancakes:

2 cups pancake or biscuit mix

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1-1/3 cup milk

3/4 cup apples, grated

Sour cream (optional garnish)

Créme fraiche (optional garnish)

Greek yogurt (optional garnish)

Cider Sauce:

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp corn starch

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 cups apple cider

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine

Preparation:

1.To make the pancakes, combine the biscuit mix, cinnamon, egg, and milk, then stir in the apples last. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter onto a hot griddle to ensure evenly sized pancakes. Cook until lightly brown on both sides. Keep the pancakes warm in the oven while you make the sauce.

2.To prepare the sauce, combine the cornstarch and spices in a small sauce pan. Add the cider and lemon juice and cook over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture gently boils and thickens. (If the sauce doesn't thicken, add a little more cornstarch.) Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter. Immediately serve it over your finished pancakes and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, créme fraiche, or Greek yogurt, if desired

Submitted by Antonella Nester

Antonella's Famous Lasagna

We go all out for Christmas and do the Feast of the 7 Fishes – as well as tons of appetizers, pasta, salads, desserts etc…. Since I would take up the ENTIRE blog with the 7 fishes recipes, I thought I would give you all my famous lasagna recipe that is ALWAYS a staple at our Christmas dinner.  Enjoy and MANGIA!!!   Xoxo  A

ANTONELLA’S FAMOUS LASAGNA

1 lb. lasagna noodles

1 lb. lean ground beef, crumbled and cooked

2 onions chopped

2 green peppers chopped

2 boxes of sliced mushrooms

1 large container of Ricotta cheese

2 lbs. of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 stick of cream cheese

2 cans puréed tomatoes

Olive oil (to sauté veggies)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Garlic powder (to taste)

Oregano powder (to taste)

Fresh sweet basil, chopped

Directions:

Boil lasagna noodles. Sauté beef, then add salt, pepper, and some of the strained tomatoes. Sauté the veggies in olive oil, then add garlic powder and oregano powder. Mix the beef and veggies into one pan. In a separate bowl, mix the Ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and some fresh chopped basil.

Putting the lasagna together:

First sauce the bottom of your lasagna pan. Next, add a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by a layer of meat and veggies. Add a layer of mixed cheese (Ricotta and cream cheese), then a layer of sauce. After that, add a layer of shredded mozzarella. Repeat these steps two more times to create three layers total. The last layer should be mozzarella. Cover and then place into a preheated oven at 350°F for 1 hour or until done to your liking.

MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JULY FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU!