Thursday, December 23, 2010

Merry Christmas, Everyone!! (Rocky Road Fudge, Soft Gingersnap Cookies With White Chocolate, Philly Fudge, Most Excellent Cookies Ever-Chocolate Mint Cookies, and Divinity Chocolate Truffles)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.  We are pretty much ready here.  After wrapping most of the presents last night after the boys went to bed, they were beyond excited all day today checking out the presents constantly, trying to figure out what could be in each one.

DSCF2920I made more Rocky Road Fudge Candy today.  After finding these fun marshmallows in the store, I just had to give them a try in the fudge.

DSCF2918 

The fudge sliced with some great marshmallow shapes.  Fun and festive!

DSCF2941

A little intermission from Chip.  I love that he always has one ear up and one ear down.  Chip weighs all of about 5 1/2 pounds.  He’s becoming less shy and starting to chew on things.  (We’re in a puppy training class with him.)   I’ve been calling him Chipper Chew.

DSCF2926 I made these Soft Gingersnap Cookies with white chocolate that I saw Maria post at Two Peas and Their Pod.  I tried some with no chocolate, some with mini semi sweet chocolate chips and some with chopped white chocolate. I baked some on a baking sheet (they baked flatter than the ones on the pizza stone) and some on a pizza stone as Maria said her friend suggested who shared the recipe with her.  The best ones by far were the ones I did just as the recipe suggested with the white chocolate and baked on a pizza stone.  These are some great soft ginger cookies and again I was surprised how much I liked the white chocolate.  Give these cookies a try sometime!

DSCF2865

DSCF2858

DSCF2860

While trying to find different fudge recipes to make, I came across a post on the blog, Dying For Chocolate for Philly Fudge.  Who knew National Fudge Day was on June 16?  I’m so happy to know this now.   Fudge isn’t just for Christmas anymore!  On Janet’s post, there are also links to many more fudge recipes.

DSCF2886

This fudge is a softer one that has a hint of cream cheese taste and needs to stay in the refrigerator.  It tastes great!

__________________________________________________________________________________

One of my friends from Kansas, Tiffany, who moved to Albuquerque before we even left Kansas (so yes, she left me first! ;) called me a few days ago and told me someone gave her the best cookie recipe ever and that I just had to try it.  Try I must!  These are a chocolate cookie and once it’s baked and comes out of the oven, you put an Andes Mint on top, let it melt a few minutes, then smooth it over the cookie.  (I sprinkled mine with some festive sprinkles.)  The cookies are good!  Mine were slightly crisp and chewy.  Tiffany said hers were a little more soft chewy.  I think it’s an altitude issue here.

DSCF2901

I’m not sure of the origin of the recipe Tiffany shared with me, but here it is.

Most Excellent Cookies Ever (Chocolate Mint Cookies), origin of recipe unknown

3/4 cup butter
1  1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons water

2 large eggs
2 cups semi-sweet choc chips
2 1/2 cups flour
1  1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Andes Mint candies (1-2 packages)


Melt butter, brown sugar & water over medium heat until melted, add in choc chips and stir until completely melted. Cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to mixing bowl and beat in 2 eggs. Add dry ingredients and mix. Let chill for 45 minutes. Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 min. Place an Andes Mint on top of each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven. Allow to melt and then swirl with a knife. Yummy!

Thanks, Tiffany!  Miss and love ya to pieces!  I love it that when people eat a yummy cookie they often think of me. ;)

And finally (for now), yesterday I decided to make divinity.  Then I realized I am almost out of corn syrup.  So I searched the internet for an alternate kind that doesn’t have corn syrup and found a recipe on Kraft Foods for Creme Divinity that uses marshmallow creme and I had a jar in the pantry, so I gave it a try.

Now, when a recipe says “Beat until mixture just begins to lose its gloss and hold its shape when dropped from spoon.” (about 5 minutes) that you should not get interrupted when it’s almost to that stage and turn back to look a few minutes later and see that it is well past “gloss”.  You just shouldn’t do that if you want divinity.  Well, needless to say, that is what happened to me.  I wasn’t about to just toss the concoction, so although it was a little stiff, I threw in the pecans and rolled the now nougat-like mixture into small balls.  After those sat for about an hour hardening up slightly, I then dipped each ball into melted chocolate and once the chocolate hardened, I swirled some white chocolate on the top of each.

DSCF2908

These are really good little truffles.

DSCF2914

DSCF2916

A certain someone has taken over claims on this chair.  We don’t mind so much because we want him to stay off our new black leather couches!  ‘Sides, he’s cute when he’s all nestled down in the chair.  “The children were nestled all snug in their beds…..”

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

12 comments:

MOM said...

Great post!! Love and miss you all...

Kruzon said...

What a sugar rush that will be. Awesome.

Lisa said...

From the look of all your treats, you're going to have the sweetest Christmas ever. Merry Christmas.

Lisa Ernst said...

Isn't it interesting how, every once in a while, something works out better without dark chocolate? Thanks for all the fun recipes on this post. I used to love making Philly fudge -- I'd do a double dicker peanut butter and chocolate.
It looks like you and your family are set for a wonderful Christmas.

Paige said...

Katrina, You're amazing. You're raising FOUR boys, you've just moved across the country, you have a new dog, you keep up with French Friday's with Dorie and the Twelve weeks of Christmas AND when you have a kitchen disaster, you execute a pretty fine save--your divinity truffles look great. I just threw away a batch of overcooked fudge yesterday....

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Maria said...

So many sweets, so little time! Everything looks delish! So glad you liked the cookies. Merry Christmas! We really need to get together after the holidays! Have a good one!

Fallon said...

Merry Christmas!!!

That has got to me the creamiest fudge ever. First year I didn't make fudge, but June will be here before I know it. ;)

CaSaundraLeigh said...

I bet it's so much fun watching all your little guys open gifts! And all of those goodies make Christmas even better at your house I bet!

Merry Christmas to you and your family!! Can't wait to follow along in 2011!

Tiffany Winters said...

That post makes me happy. Thanks for the shout out! I love that you actually called it Most Excellent Cookie Ever. Makes me happy. I think when it comes down to it, I want to end up living by you again. You're one of my absolute FAVORITE people, did you know that? Merry Christmas to your sweet family!

Delishhh said...

Ok i am going to save this recipe. My favorite flavors are mint and chocolate. Love this!

Unknown said...

Wow that's a lot of baking. I would never have thought of white chocolate in gingersnaps!! The truffles look delicious too. happy Holidays <3

Kerstin said...

Oh yum, I'll have one of each please :) Merry Christmas!!