Stuffed Ranger Round-Ups Cookies

Quick, easy, simple, delicious stuffed cookie.  Prep takes no time at all.  Most ingredients are right in your cupboard.  So if you're craving something sweet, and don't want the hassle of making a complicated dessert, these cookies will do the job.  Very satisfying with little effort.

Ingredients:

1/4 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c butter, softened
6 T brown sugar
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c plus 1 T flour
1 c quick-cooking oats
1/2 c butterscotch chips
1/2 c puffed rice cereal
14 mini Snickers candy bars, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and sugar until well blended. Add egg and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.

In a small bowl, stir together baking soda, salt, flour and oats. Add to peanut butter mixture, blending until just combined. Stir in butterscotch chips and cereal. For each cookie, drop by level measuring tablespoonful on prepared baking sheet.  Set a candy bar horizontally on top and press gently. Place another level tablespoon dough on top of candy and press edges together to seal. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on pan for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to wire racks.

Makes 14 cookies.

Snowy Pine Branch, Bird & Berries Swag

Simple to make and looks like you brought the outside in after a snow storm.  I saw a similar swag in a retail store for $30.00.  With my coupon, I went to Michaels and was able to get all the supplies I needed for under $20.00.  The snow was purchased from Wal-Mart.

Supplies:

2-4 pine branches, depending on how full you want the swag

Christmas picks with pine cones, icy branches and berries.

A bird of choice.  I used a Cardinal to coordinate with the berries.

Wire

Hot glue gun & glue sticks

1 can of snow

Cut the ends of the branches, if necessary, to eliminate the bulk.

Gather together and secure it with wire.  

Trim and wire all picks, if necessary.  Use the glue gun for smaller pieces.  Make a look with the wire and attach to the back for hanging.

When you have the swag assembled to please you, spray with snow, following directions on the can.  Spray heavier on the ends.  Let dry in between layers.

Hang over a doorway or a window and enjoy!

Don't forget to use your coupons for further savings!

Happy Holidays!

Felt Poinsettia Wreath

You can find step-by-step instructions and photos in the 2013 BH&G Christmas Ideas magazine. Otherwise, here is my best attempt at the instructions.  I do not have templates for the petals and leaves, but it's a simple sketch with a pencil.

Supplies:

10" styrofoam wreath

1 skein green yarn

White paper for making templates

2 red felt squares

1 green felt square

Red matching floss & needle

7 small gold jingle bells

Hot glue gun & glue sticks

Wrap the entire foam wreath with the green yarn, taking care to make it neat.  

Sketch a large petal  (approx 3" long) and a medium petal (approx. 2" long) on the paper and cut out.  

Using templates, cut 6 large and 12 medium from the red felt. 

Sketch a small petal (approx. 1 1/4" long) and cut 12. 

Sketch a large leaf (approx. 2 1/2" long) and cut 7 from the green felt.  

Sketch 1 large (approx. 1") and 2 small centers (approx. 1/2") as shown in photo.  Cut from green felt. 

Cut a 24" length of floss.  Thread a single floss thru the needle. Beginning with the large Poinsettia petals, pinch the end of one and stitch closed with floss. Do the same with the 2nd one stitching it next to the first petal.  Continue with all 6 petals and form a ring.  Secure with floss.  

Do the same with the medium petals and place the medium ring on top of the large ring. Stitch together. Add a center and stitch in place.  Add 3 jingle bells and then attach 3 leaves behind.  

Now make 2 medium rings and 2 small rings using the same technique as above.  Add the small rings on top of the medium rings and stitch together.  Add centers, 2 jingle bells and 2 leaves to each.

Arrange Poinsettias on wreath the way you like them and hot glue in place.

Taken from the BH&G Holiday Crafts Magazine for 2013.

Craft on!

Pumpkin Pie Crunch

This is a "dump" dessert/cake.  What that means is that you add all ingredients to the pan.  No mixer, no bowls, no pots, no mess, no fuss.  This was so easy and so delicious.  Reminiscent of pumpkin pie for sure.  I had it warm and it was very good, but chilled is even better.

Ingredients:
1 (29 oz) can pumpkin
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/4 c sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 c graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c toffee bits
1 c butter, melted

Heat oven to 350*F.  Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish.
Dump pumpkin, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar and spices into prepared baking dish. Stir ingredients together until well blended; scrape down sides and spread evenly.
Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Scatter toffee bits over the top.
Drizzle with melted butter.
Bake 50-55 minutes or until cake is lightly browned and tests done with a toothpick.  Cool before serving. Refrigerate overnight, if desired.

Enjoy!

Caramelized Apple & Brown Sugar Spice Cake with Caramel Frosting

If this cake doesn't make you think of Thanksgiving, nothing will.  This is a 3-layer luscious and very moist spice cake filled with a caramel frosting and decorated with Marzipan pumpkins, acorns and leaves.  The leaves are dusted with edible lustre dust available wherever Wilton products are sold..  I'm very proud of this cake.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise

2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and grated on the large holes of a box grater (4 cups)

1/2 cup apple cider

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cups pecan halves (5 ounces), toasted dark and finely ground in a food processor

Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Gold Marzipan Pumpkins, Leaves, and Acorns

STEP 1

Put 1/2 stick butter into a large nonstick skillet. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into skillet, and toss in pod. Cook over medium heat until butter is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in apples, cider, and 1 cup granulated sugar. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until apples are golden and translucent and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Discard vanilla pod. Let cool.

STEP 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour, and tap out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Reserve 1/4 cup flour mixture.

STEP 3

Beat remaining 2 sticks butter, remaining 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, and the brown sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the sour cream and scraping bowl as needed. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour mixture to apple mixture, and toss. Fold in apple mixture and pecans.

STEP 4

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until tops are dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Unmold cakes, and let cool, right side up, on rack. (Cakes can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

STEP 5

Assemble cake: Trim each cake so it's 1 3/4 inches high. Place 1 cake, cut side up, on a cake stand. Spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over top. Place remaining cake, cut side down, on top. Spread 1 cup buttercream over entire cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over cake. (Cake can be refrigerated, uncovered, overnight.)

STEP 6

Before serving, decorate with marzipan pumpkins,acorns, and leaves.

This is a Martha Stewart recipe.

Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Fudge Dessert

It's so easy to throw together a meal in your slow cooker, and lately, slow cooker desserts have become very popular.  I've thrown a few ingredients into a bowl, mixed them up and dumped all into my slow cooker.  The house smelled wonderful while this dessert was cooking, and it it only took 2 hours.  The larger the slow cooker, the shorter the cook time.

Ingredients:

1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1/2 c milk
2 T butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
1 c boiling water

1. In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the peanut butter, milk, butter and vanilla. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.  Batter will be thick like cookie dough.

2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 4-quart slow cooker. Dump in the batter and spread evenly.

3. In the same bowl, stir together the topping ingredients and pour over the cake batter.  DO NOT STIR.

4. Place lid on cooker and cook on high 2-3 hours or until a tester in the center comes out clean. This dessert makes its own fudge topping.  So when you check it after 2 hours and the chocolate you poured in disappea

red and all you see is cake, have no fear, it's all on the bottom!

5. Serve warm from the cooker with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Yield: 8 servings.

This recipe featured on The King Arthur Flour website.

Chocolate Syrup Cupcakes with Marshmallow Butter Cream

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, room temperature
1 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c (1 16-oz can) Hershey's chocolate syrup

Heat oven to 350*F.  Place cupcake liners in cupcake tin, set aside.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour and baking soda and add alternately with the chocolate syrup to the creamed mixture.  Pour the batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full.  It is important that you fill no more than 1/2 full.  This batter is thin and tends to bake over the top of the cupcake well causing the outer edges to burn and the center to sink and pull away from the cupcake liner. Bake 20-25 minutes.  Yield: About 30 cupcakes.

Marshmallow Butter Cream

1 stick butter, room temperature
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 c sifted confectioners' sugar

Beat butter until light & fluffy.  Beat in marshmallow creme until well incorporated.  Add confectioners' sugar.  Beat until combined.  Add more confectioners' sugar, if necessary, to reach desired consistency.  Frosts approximately 30 cupcakes.

Drizzle frosted cupcakes w Hershey's syrup and add chocolate sprinkles, if desired.