Chocolate Cherry-Dipped Pretzels

We got a chance to use our Santa plate this year for many a dish and appetizer or snack.

Here is a fun snack to try out with those cute new Christmas dishes. :)

These cherry chocolate pretzels are sooooo delicious and will be a big hit with your kiddos, guaranteed!

(If you like cherry cordials, we are on the same wavelength)

Ingredients:

Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks

Recipe for Mint Chocolate Sauce {Here}, 

substituting cherry andes confections for andes mints.

red colored sugar

apples 

Directions:

Make your sauce

Using a spoon, dip pretzels and roll all the way around in the chocolate until the tip *or however much you want* is covered

Chill in the refrigerator for 20 min.

Add Christmas sprinkles or colored sugar

Who knew that the sugar-sprinkled apples would be the big hit?!

#kids #canneverpredict

yum, yum, yum!

Enjoy!

two easy-peasy chocolate sauces (with agave nectar!)

These sauces are very versatile. I have given you examples for serving, but feel free to be creative! These are so easy-- I hope you try them! They may just give nutella a run for its money! :0)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce (for serving with graham crackers)

• 1/4 stick of butter
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. agave nectar
• 1 heaping tbsp. peanut butter

-Melt about 1/4 a stick of butter
-Add 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
-Add the agave nectar and peanut butter
-Stir, and Melt again 15 seconds

Mint Chocolate Sauce (for serving with ice cream)

• 1/4 stick of butter
• 1 tsp. agave nectar
• 1/2 cocoa powder
• 4 Andes Mints

-Melt 1/4 stick of butter
-Stir
-Add agave nectar
-Add cocoa powder
-add the mints and melt for up to 30 seconds, stopping to stir
-if it isn't pepperminty enough, add 2-3 drops of peppermint extract or oil.

Ideas for use:

Dip for pretzels, graham crackers, ritz crackers, etc.
Sauce for pancakes, ice-cream, bread, cake
Eat it plain, on a spoon
Any kind of seasonal dessert
Cool it and use like "chocolate chips" on desserts *like brownies, etc*
Have it with coffee or hot cocoa


That's it! So easy and so ridiculously delicious.  Share this snack with your husband and kids! :0)

Delicious Strawberry Cupcakes... that I'll probably bake again ;)

These cupcakes were delicious and best served warm or right out of the oven. Of course, fan them (like they do on my fave, "The Great British Baking Show"), so that the frosting doesn't melt off.  These recipes have been tweaked, but are all inspired by another great show, "Cupcake Wars."

For the Cupcakes:

3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. strawberry yogurt
1/4-1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. baking pow.
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Add dry to wet. Bake at 350 for 15-18 min.

For the Strawberry Compote Filling:

1/2 c. strawberries
1 tbsp. pow. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. water

Cook down about 10 min. Scoop out centers by cutting in a circle with a knife. Use a small spoon to fill cupcakes.

For the Buttercream Frosting:

3-31/2 c. pow. sugar
1 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 tbsp. milk

Use beaters and make sure the butter is softened but only a little. 

This recipe was perfect- it bakes up nicely, and I will definitely do the compote filling again. So yummy and a win with all of my kiddos and Molly's friends. ;)

Baird McClure's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. almond flavoring

1 c. brown sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. chopped almonds or pecans

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs.

Add sour cream and flour alternately.

Add the rest of the ingredients. For best results, let stand until batter reaches room temperature.

Grease pan, add half the batter for one cake. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar. Add the other half for one cake. (makes 3 cakes total). Sprinkle the top with crushed almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Bake 25 min. @ 350 °. Freezes well.

Baird Mclure was a friend of my Granny B's. I think she lived near us when we had a house on Richardson St.  She was a dear lady and an excellent cook.  Her coffee cake recipe can't be beat!

Gingerbread Man Cookies

3 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground ginger

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves (SO Important!!)

6 tbsp. (1/4c. + 2 tbsp) c. unsalted butter

1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar

1 large egg

2/3 c. unsulphured molasses

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together sugar and butter. Add egg ad molasses, gradually add flour mixture.

Roll out.... bake at 350º for 8-12 min.

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Scones!

chocolate chip scones!

Once I discovered the recipe for Shortcake on the back of the Bisquick box, I went hogwild with ideas. 

Adding sugar to a biscuit recipe makes it dessert? Sign me up.

I recently went grocery shopping in search or Bisquick, but couldn't find it.  I am sadly dependent on the box mix, as opposed to dicing butter for the perfect biscuit.

I found a great alternate plan, and these AMAZING chocolate chip scones were born.

Recipe:

3 1/4 c. Southern Biscuit Flour (with shortening flakes)

1 1/4 c. buttermilk

1 c. mini chocolate chips

3 tbsp. sugar

butter for brushing

drop biscuit style- and bake on 450 for 10 minutes! 

Enjoy! 

....for a snack, for dessert, or for breakfast!

Snickerdoodles

ingredients:

1 1/2

cups sugar

1 c. butter

2

eggs (or 1/2 c. milk)

2 3/4

cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose or unbleached flour

2

teaspoons cream of tartar

1

teaspoon baking soda

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/4

cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1 Heat oven to 400ºF. 
• 2 Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. 
• 3 Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down for bigger cookies.
• 4 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. 

adapted from: this recipe