Easy Caramels

Kitchen of Christene H

1 can condensed Eagle Brand milk
1/4 lb. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. white karo syrup

Stir mixture constantly over medium heat unti it reaches 242 degrees (or firm ball stage). It takes a little while.
Add 1 c. nuts if desired.

Pour into a 9x9 pan lined completely with parchment paper, buttered or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Best if allowed to stand 1 day. Remove with parchment paper from the pan and lay on cutting board. Use sharp knife to cut into squares and wrap in waxed paper.
Makes about 50 1" pieces.

Dipped Caramels

Make caramels from the recipe above. Melt white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips one at a time in double boiler. Have several dipping mediums ready in small bowls. I used candy sprinkles (for sugar cookies), chopped walnuts, and crushed candy canes. Quickly dip the caramels in chocolate and then immediately into the sprinkles or nuts. Lay on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Dip half in white and half in milk chocolate if desired. Once everything is dipped, put cookie sheet into the fridge to set chocolate.

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Kitchen of Christene H
Makes 40 servings

1 pkg. (6oz) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 1/2 c. hot water
40 fresh mushrooms (abt. 2lbs.)
2 T butter2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. (10oz) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1 c. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 c. Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oven to 400 degrees. mix stuffing mix and water. Remove mushroom stems; chop stems. Melt butter in skillet. Add stems and garlic; cook and stir until tender. Add to stuffing and with spinach and cheeses; mix well. SPOON into mushroom caps. Place in shallow baking pan.

BAKE 20 min. or until tender.

Snow Ball cookies

Kitchen of Kathleen K

Step (1) Beat butter and sugar until creamy 2 C. Butter 1 C. Confectioners' sugar

Step (2) Add the remaining ingredients, to the butter/sugar mix 1 tsp. Salt 4 tsp. Vanilla 4 C. All purpose flour 2 C. Chopped nuts ( pecan)

(have additional confectioners' sugar in dish for rolling the snowballs in)

Step (3) Rolling, Baking and adding the Snow.

1- Scoop up a teaspoon of dough and roll in to a ball and put 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet.
2-Bake at 375 degrees for 2-15 min.
3-Cool slightly and quickly roll the cookie in the powder snow.

Note: From: cooks.com recipe search This is a doubled batch.

Easiest cookie in the world!

From the kitchen of: Tina L

Here is the recipe:

Mix 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg.

Roll into balls, place on cookie sheet and squish with fork.

Bake at 325 for 12 minutes.

Festive M & M Oatmeal Cookies

kitchen of Mary Ann S

1 cup shortening
1 t. baking powder 1 cup sugar
1 t. soda 1 cup brown sugar
½ t. salt 2 eggs
1 ½ c. oatmeal 1 t. vanilla
1 ½ c, M & M’s

Beat together shortening, sugars and eggs and vanilla. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until well blended. Stir in M & M’s. Drop by teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes.

gingerbread

Kitchen of: Christene H.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup margarine (not oil!), softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup molasses
2 whole eggs


1. Mix flour cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking soda and allspice in medium bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl with mixer for about five minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy. Mixture will not be completely smooth. Beat in molasses and eggs until blended and scrape down the side of the bowl once. Beat in flour mixture on low speed until well blended. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and flatten each piece of dough into a circle. Then wrap pieces in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.


2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease large cookie sheets.3. Remove plastic wrap from one piece of dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough with a lightly floured rolling pin to 1/8 inch thickness. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated until needed. Cut out the dough and place onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for ten minute or until golden brown. Let pieces stand on a wire rack until cooled completely.

One batch can make four houses depending on the size you want to make. Mix up a batch and have some good old fashioned fun!

Home made rolls

From the kitchen of: Dolly S

Ok here is the roll recipe ... It make beautiful large Rolls and Lots of em.

4 Cups Warm (not hot) Water

4 Tbs. Yeast

1 Tbs. Sugar

3/4 Tbs. Salt

Mix these ingredients together and let the Yeast Activate. (It looks like it sinks & then it explodes)

When This is done Add

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 stick of Butter softened

4-5 Cups of Flour

Once these are mixed in well start adding flour. You will continue to add Flour until you have added between 10-12 Cups Total. The dough should start to pull away from the bowl if you are using a kitchen Aid / Bosch type mixer. Once the dough is complete you will remove it form the bowl and Knead the dough on a counter or table thoroughly. If you are Using a Bosch I let it kneed for a 1 -1 & 1/2 Minutes.

Next Place it in a large bowl to Rise (for about an Hour If I'm using the Slow Rise Yeast) The dough Should about Double in Size.

Take the Dough and form it into rolls by Tucking the dough into the bottom ofthe roll. I push up with my middle & Index finger creating a circle with the index and thumb of the other hand and create a ball around my fingers...Pinching it back together at the bottom. It is difficult to describe but . This should give it the nice perfect round look. Don't make them too big because they are going to rise again and should double in size during rising / baking.The trick here is use a little butter or Pam on your hands to keep it from sticking to you.

Once you have formed the rolls place them on a greased pan. Let them Rise again till they have about doubled in size. Cook for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

This recipe is one that took me 3 Try's to get mine to look the way my sisters Do but once I got the Hang of it It was Easy. I use the Large Pans from Sam's Club and This recipe make 2 Pans Full. The trick is not making the Rolls too big and keeping them away from the sides a bit to leave room for expansion. I fit is for a smaller group just cut the recipe in half. I use slow rise yeast.My sister uses quick rise. If you have questions let me know.
This the The batch I made this morning.