This potholder is a great project for beginners. It’s one of the first things I learned how to make when I started sewing. You can choose which shape you want to make – round, octagonal or square. They’re all easy, fun and make great gifts!
Holiday
Homemade Salted Caramels
These caramels are super yummy and easy to make! If it’s your first time making candy, then this is a great recipe to start with.
Buy equipment you ma need:
Loaf pan – http://amzn.to/1yjZ4oh
IYC Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Candy Thermometer – http://amzn.to/1tC3e9h
Maldon Sea Salt – http://amzn.to/1A7VlA6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Unsalted butter (1 stick), cubed
1/2 cup Heavy cream
3 tbsp Water
1/4 cup Light corn syrup
1 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp flaked sea salt
– Lightly oil a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, line with parchment paper, and oil the parchment. Set pan aside.
– Place butter and cream in microwave-safe bowl/jug. Microwave for 1-2 min until hot and butter has melted. Set aside.
– In a small saucepan combine the water and corn syrup.
– Then gently add the sugar, so it doesn’t spray up the sides of the pan.
– Stir the sugar into the water and corn syrup, just moistening the sugar.
– Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover with a lid for 1 minute.
– Remove lid and attach a candy thermometer.
– Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar reaches 320ºF/160ºC and has a slight amber color around the edge.
– Once the sugar reaches 320ºF/160ºC, carefully pour in about a sixth of the butter/cream mixture and stir using the candy thermometer. Be careful as it will bubble up quickly and is extremely hot.
– Continue to add small amounts of butter/cream mixture stirring, with candy thermometer, after each addition. It will continue to bubble up after each addition. (By adding the cream and butter, the temperature will drop).
– Once all of the butter/cream mixture has been added, continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the caramel reaches between 240ºF-245ºF/115ºC-118ºC, depending on how soft you’d like your caramels (stop at 240ºF for softer caramels).
– Once the caramel reaches your desired temperature, pour into the prepared loaf pan.
– Cool 20 to 30 minutes and then sprinkle the sea salt over the caramel.
– Continue to cool completely – about 3 1/2 hours.
– Unmold the caramel. Cut into desired size and wrap in cellophane, parchment or waxed paper.
– If not eating right away, you can refrigerate or freeze them for later.
Recipe from here: http://www.inspiredtaste.net/8947/salted-caramels-recipe/
French Almond Nougat
This is the best almond nougat recipe and it makes lots. I love giving it as a gift! Feel free to change the almonds to your favorite nut and add in some dried fruit too.
Buy equipment you need here:
KitchenAid Mixer 6 qt. – http://amzn.to/1y9hEEp
8” Square Pan – http://amzn.to/1tyQvVa
Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Candy Thermometer – http://amzn.to/1tC3e9h
Ingredients:
For the first part (mazetta):
2 Egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup Light corn syrup
1/2 cup Sugar
For the second part (nougat):
1 1/2 cups Light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups Sugar
4 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Salt
3 1/2 cups Whole raw almonds, skin on
– For the first part: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff and set aside.
– In a small saucepan, combine corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. – Clip on a candy thermometer and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.
– Reduce to a medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 242 degrees (soft-ball stage).
– Remove sugar syrup from heat. Beating constantly on medium speed, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes until syrup is incorporated.
– Spray an 8″ square baking pan with vegetable-oil spray, line with parchment, oil parchment, and set aside.
– For the second part: In a medium saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugar, clip on candy thermometer, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
– Reduce to a medium-high heat and cook to 280 degrees (soft-crack stage) without stirring. If heat is too high it can boil over, so watch carefully.
– Remove from heat and, without scraping pan, pour syrup over first part.
– Working quickly, stir with a wooden spoon until almost smooth.
– Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt until incorporated.
– Stir in nuts.
– Scrape into prepared pan, and smooth the top.
– Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
– Unmold nougat from pan and cut nougat into bitesize pieces or other desired shapes. Wrap each piece in baking parchment or waxed paper.
Recipe from here: http://www.marthastewart.com/350253/french-almond-nougat
Homemade Marshmallows
Impress with your own homemade marshmallows! They’re a great treat to eat on their own or floating in hot chocolate…perfect for the winter weather 🙂
Buy your equipment here:
KitchenAid Mixer 6 qt. – http://amzn.to/1y9hEEp
Candy Thermometer – http://amzn.to/1tC3e9h
IYC Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Wilton Non-Stick Cookie Pan Set – http://amzn.to/178A116
Ateco Snowflake Cookie Cutter Set – http://amzn.to/1tyPTPb
Ingredients:
2 envelopes Gelatin, unflavored
1½ cups Sugar
2/3 cup Light corn syrup
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Vegetable oil/cooking spray
– Coat a 12″ x 17″ rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and coat parchment with cooking spray. Set aside. – Pour 1/3 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle with gelatin.
– Place sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil.
– Remove lid, clip on candy thermometer, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup reaches 238 degrees (soft-ball stage).
– With mixer on low speed, whisk gelatin mixture, and slowly pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl (to avoid splattering).
– Gradually raise speed to high and beat until mixture is thick, white, and has almost tripled in volume, about 12 minutes.
– Add vanilla and beat 30 seconds to combine.
– Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet and smooth with a lightly oiled offset spatula.
– Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours or overnight.
– Coat snowflake-shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking and cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible.
– Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Original recipe from here: http://www.marthastewart.com/334710/marshmallow-snowflakes
Hello Dolly Squares
We always make these at the start of the holiday season. They’re really quick and easy and bring back great memories for me!
Buy your pan here:
8” Square Pan – http://amzn.to/1tyQvVa
IYC Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Cooling Wire Rack – http://amzn.to/1tIsHwU
Ingredients:
4 tbsp Butter, melted
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
1 cup Sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup Chocolate chips
1 cup Walnuts
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
– Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Line an 8″ (20cm) square pan with a piece of parchment.
– Mix melted butter and graham cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of the pan.
– Sprinkle the coconut, chocolate chips, and walnuts over the top.
– Evenly drizzle the can of sweetened condensed milk on top and bake for about 30min or until golden brown.
– Cool on wire rack.
Quick One-Day Moist Fruitcake
This is a great recipe for a last minute fruitcake. It’s nice and moist and only takes a day to make! Substitute your favorite dried fruits, nuts, and liqueur.
Makes a 9″ round or 8″ square.
Ingredients:
2½ lbs Mixed dried fruit/glace fruit
2 sticks + 2 tbsp Butter
1¼ cups Brown sugar
1 tbsp Corn syrup
½ lemon, juice and zest
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Allspice
¼ tsp Cloves
¼ tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Curry powder
2½ oz Blanched almonds, chopped
¾ cup Brandy
1 tbsp Cornflour
4 Eggs
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
– Preheat oven to 320ºF/160ºC.
– Line baking pan with baking parchment. If using a regular baking pan, wrap some newsprint or parcel paper around the outside of the pan and secure with baking twine.
– In a large pot, bring fruit, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly.
– Once bubbling, add in lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, curry powder, salt, almonds, and brandy.
– Simmer for 10 min, stirring constantly.
– Remove from heat and cool completely.
– Once cool, stir in corn flour.
– Mix in eggs, then flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
– Scrape into prepared pan.
– Bake at 320ºF/160ºC for 30min. Then reduce temperature to 250ºF/120ºC and bake for 3½ hrs or until done.
Ginger-Spicesnap Cookies
These cookies are nice and spicy for the cooler weather and perfect for the holiday season! They are a cross between a gingersnap and a spice cookie and have a delicious snap when you bite or break them.
Buy the insulated cookie sheet here: http://amzn.to/1A9Gim9
Buy the baking parchment here: http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Ingredients:
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking soda
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 tsp Ground ginger
1 tsp Ground cloves
½ cup Vegetable shortening
½ cup Packed brown sugar
1 Egg
½ cup Molasses
White sugar and cinnamon for topping
– Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment.
– In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
– In the bowl of a mixer, beat together shortening and brown sugar.
– Mix in egg and molasses until well combined.
– Stir in flour mixture.
– Scoop into round balls and place on cookie sheets.
– Dampen the bottom of a glass and dip into sugar cinnamon mixture. Use this to flatten cookies to desired thickness, dipping glass into mixture between each cookie.
– Bake for 12-15min or until a light golden color and firm to touch.
– Cool on wire rack.
My Mom’s Turkey Croquette Recipe
These are the turkey croquettes my Mom always made after we had a turkey dinner. They are cheese, onion, sage, and turkey all rolled into a golden fried croquette. Yum!
Ingredients:
4 cups shredded leftover turkey
1 stick (8 tbsp) butter
1 medium onion, diced
4 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
12 oz cheddar cheese, grated
salt, pepper, sage to taste
dried breadcrumbs and eggs for coating
vegetable oil for frying
– melt butter in saucepan
– add onions and saute until translucent
– add flour and cook for 1 min.
– gradually add in milk, stirring constantly
– add cheese and allow mixture to thicken, stirring to prevent sticking on the bottom
– add salt, pepper, and sage to taste
– remove from heat and stir in turkey
– chill until set enough to form a croquette
– shape turkey mixture into desired size croquettes
– roll in breadcrumbs, then egg, then back in breadcrumbs
– fry in oil until golden brown, turning once if necessary
– remove from oil and drain on paper towel
Whip Up a Quick and Easy Pumpkin Pie (Libby’s Recipe)
This is a very easy recipe and works every time. If you’d like to make it a little more homemade, you can always make your own crust and you can puree your own pumpkin.
To make your pumpkin puree, cut a pie pumpkin in quarters, scoop out seeds, place in a large microwave safe bowl with some water in the bottom, cover with cling film, and cook for 15min in mircowave. Once flesh is cooked, puree with food processor or blender. I ususally pass the puree through a sieve to make sure I get a very smooth puree.
Recipe from: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/libbys-famous-pumpkin-pie/
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
POUR into pie shell.
BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.
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