Buckeyes

After all the buckeyes we had to eat before the Canfield Fair I wasn't sure if my family would be ready for more by Christmas.  Oh, they were ready.  You're going to make us buckeyes, right?  There'll be enough left for us too, right?

Yes, yes there'll be plenty for you too!  They'll be plenty if you keep your little fingers out of the peanut butter filling!  The hardest part of cooking with my family is keeping them away from the dough.  A recipe may say it yields three dozen cookies, but leave the kitchen one minute and that same recipe only makes a dozen and a half.  Funny how those things happen.  

My sister is the worst when it comes to the buckeyes.  She'll be glued to my hip, licking the spatula, taking spoonfuls of peanut butter, and "sneaking" the rolled balls from the freezer.  Really, I don't notice the missing four or five balls on a sheet that was once full.  

You'd think I only make these once a year or something!  Some things have to be kept for special occasions.  Maybe if I put the recipe up they'll start making them themselves...

Buckeyes

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071079

Ingredients

• 2 sticks margarine
• 11 ounces peanut butter
• 1 pound box confectionery sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds Hershey’s chocolate

Instructions

Mix margarine, peanut butter and confectionery sugar.

Roll into balls and freeze overnight.

Melt chocolate in melting pot.

Removing five balls from the freezer at a time, dip in chocolate using a toothpick.

Place in miniature paper cups and freeze until chocolate hardens.

Powered by Recipage

Molasses Cookies

As a kid, these cookies really confused me.  They tasted just like a gingerbread...but were in a circle.  And they were decorated with sugar...not icing.  Someone got lazy and didn't wanna cut out gingerbread men?

Not the case.  While they can satisfy a gingerbread craving with half the work, Molasses Cookies are not the same as Gingerbread Men.  

Mom and I usually don't make them, but in a close second place behind pitzzelles, these are my Grandma's second favorite cookies.  So we decided to whip up a batch this year.  What a daughter won't do for her mother.  

Molasses Cookies

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071082

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 4 tablespoons molasses
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Mix all ingredients well. Chill dough at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll dough into balls and roll in white sugar.

Press down with fork and bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Powered by Recipage

Gingerbread Men

You could argue the best part of Christmas baking is decorating gingerbread men.  I take that back.  Taste-testing the dough and/or baked creations is the best.  Gingerbread come in at a close second.  

This year a teacher ordered a batch of gingerbread men, so they had to look gorgeous... Well how did I do?  I was pretty proud of myself!  Not a difficult design, but they all turned out decent and uniform.  

Halfway through I was ready to chop off my hand!  (If it was like the gingerbread's arms I would have taken a big bite!)  One batch makes 2-3 dozen...and each cookie has 4 swirls, 2 eyes, a mouth, a bow tie, and two buttons.  Let me tell you that's a lot of decorating! But it was worth it.  Look how beautiful, they belong on a big tray at some expensive Christmas party...

Okay, maybe I'm dreaming a bit...  One day.  One day someone rich or famous will order my gingerbread men for their Christmas party.  But until then I guess I'll just have to keep making them for myself.  

This is really the only gingerbread recipe I'll use.  It's soft and chewy, not too sweet but still has all the flavors of gingerbread.  I'm surprised there were enough cookies left to take a picture!  Or the ones in the photo aren't missing an arm or a leg!

Gingerbread Men

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071081

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Decorating icing and assorted candies

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg, vanilla and lemon peel.

In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves. Gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. gingerbread man cookie cutter.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are firm.

Cool on wire rack and decorate.

Powered by Recipage

Secret Santa Gifts

Secret Santa shopping is either super easy or impossible.  Lets face it, there's no in-between.  Am I the only one, or does every year it seem like I get myself into more and more gift exchanges.  (yay!)  And every year I get stuck with the most difficult people!  (so not fair!)

This year was no different....  I got one easy person, one medium, and one hard.

Easy: my cousin Megan

Medium: my friend (sister) Sara

Hard: my friend Andrew

What do you get a guy for a Secret Santa gift?  It took me almost a week to think of the perfect present... You ready for the ultimate gift for your most difficult... (what are they called? ....gift recipient?)  You get the point...

A Candy Card!! Yes, I wrote my own candy card and I'm very proud of it.  I guess I'll let you copy it if you're in the same situation I was...Merry Christmas.  Here's what I wrote (candy bars are bolded) :)

Mr. Goodbar,

        I tried to come up with gift ideas and found myself in a Crunch.  After Black Friday shopping I didn't have 100 Grand and it wasn't PayDay.  I talked to Mounds of people and offered a Whatchamacallit for any ideas, but not even the 3 Musketeers were able to help.  Then, strolling down 5th Avenue, I had a Nutrageous idea.  What about a card that will make him Snicker!  So I'd like to Take 5 and wish you a Merry Twix-mas because your M-Azing friend couldn't think of anything better.

Your Secret Santa, 

Carmello

There's only one problem.  Mars quit making the "M-Azing" candy bar.  :(  I didn't know this before I wrote the card and really didn't want to change it.  So instead of an M-Azing bar, it's a Hershey's bar with a picture of the "M-Azing" wrapper taped to it.  Just paste this image into Word, change the size (1.06" height and 3.00" width) and print.  Clever right!  He'll get the idea...  

Here's what you'll need...

-Mr. Goodbar

-Crunch

-100 Grand

-PayDay

-Mounds

-Whatchamacallit

-3 Musketeers

-5th Avenue

- Reese's Nutrageous

-Snickers

-Take 5

-Twix

-Hershey's 

-Carmello

-printed "M-Azing" wrapper

-poster board or foam board

-packaging tape

-pencil

-sharpie or marker

Start by writing your message on the board in pencil.  I always write too small, so this step is a must, but if you feel you can do it in marker, by all means go ahead.  Trace over the pencil in sharpie once your spacing is okay.  Roll tape and tape each candy bar in it spot.  Sit back and admire your creation, because it's going to be the best gift this year!  (I guess you can take some credit...I won't tell you found the idea online!) :)

Unique Halloween Costumes

What to be for Halloween?  A cat, a ghost, a witch, a princess, a cheerleader? Been there done that!  I like to be something unique!! But every year it seems like we wait until the the last minute to do our Halloween costumes.  Most of the time we don't even know what we're doing until the night before!  

This year may have been my best idea ever.  What you may ask could be the ultimate Halloween costume?  Well let me start by saying I don't like anything too scary, bloody, difficult, etc.  Family and kid friendly is the way to go.  :)  

So what was I this year? (drumroll please.....) A CHRISTMAS TREE!!  And you know what?!  It was so easy!  

Here was my Pinspiration.  Not too bad (for the night before) if you ask me! All I did was take a green crew neck sweatshirt and pin on garland and Christmas ornaments.  With leggings and boots you're good to go!

Now if you want to go all out, you can add ribbon and bows to your boots.  (Presents under the tree)  And wear yellow gloves.  (A star)  

You'll have to stand with your hands above your head to get the full effect.  Now when you're our trick-or-treating use a gift bag to carry your candy.

Our English class also had some great costume ideas.  Yes, it's a class of all girls...and it's the most amazing class ever!  But anyways back to the point.  One girl was even a leaf blower! Definitely going to keep the flower and energizer bunny on tabs for next year!

Snicker Doodles

If you haven't guessed it already, I absolutely love Christmas! Not because I get presents and go shopping (well...those are pretty great too) but mostly because I get to give everyone gifts. Really. I look forward to it all year.

But since I have so many teachers it's hard to get them something they'll use that's not too expensive. Last year I may have given my teachers the best gift yet.  Everyone gives baked goods or little homemade treats. But unbaked goods? Now we're talkin!

Yep that's exactly what I did!  I gave each of my teachers a box of cookie dough balls. They loved it too! Why? Because who wants more sweets over the holidays? Since these were unbaked they could be saved for later.

Just one thing...make sure you include baking instructions...

Snicker Doodles

:Ingredients:

1 cup butter flavored Crisco shortening

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups flour

Cinnamon Sugar

:Directions:

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the first six ingredients.

Stir in flour, adding more if batter is too sticky.

Roll balls in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake at 350* for 8 to 10 minutes.

Copyright © 2014, Grace George. Simple and Sweet Creations. All Rights Reserved.

Click for printable recipe.

Cut Out Sugar Cookies

These are my aunt's favorite cookies!  When we make them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner she swears she could eat them all.  Sometimes she even makes us hide them from her!  Yes, they're that delicious.

I made these for my bake sale last week (red, white, and blue stars for Veterans) and they were a hit.  An elementary teacher came over and bought (not lying) at least a dozen.  By Saturday night she said they were all gone.  So much for freezing them for the holidays...

I'm pretty picky when it comes to cookies.  Nothing too crunchy, too sweet, too dry, too soft.  Let's just say I'm pretty hard to please.  (You can blame my mother for that one!  I've been spoiled since day one with delicious homemade cooking!)

These may be the only sugar cookies I'll eat.  They're firm, but not too hard.  Soft, but not fall apart in your hand.  Sweet, but not that you can't finish the whole cookie.  (You could will easily eat more than one!)  

Oh...and don't forget to sample the dough!  You can always tell if a cookie is going to be good by tasting the dough. :)

Cut Out Sugar Cookies

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071080

Ingredients

Cookie

• 1 cup margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tarter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting

• 3 cups confectionery sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer.

Cover and chill several hours before rolling.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Roll and cut out on a generously floured surface.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Allow to cool before frosting.

Powered by Recipage

Christmas Wreath

Nothing says football like a Christmas Wreath.  No, not a wreath like you hang on the door in December.  A chicken Christmas Wreath!  This is my dad's absolute favorite game day appetizer. He waits all year for it...no lie.

I was in the kitchen this weekend baking for my bake sale and decided to whip this up for dinner.  A good football game was about to start, my dad had been asking for it for weeks, and the oven was already on.  It was the perfect time!

It's super simple, I really don't know why we don't make it more often.  Just crescent rolls, chicken, soup, cheese, and veggies. The hardest part is waiting for it to bake!

Start by laying the crescent rolls in a circle on a baking stone.  You want the point to be facing in, like so. And made sure you overlap the edges slightly.  

Mix the remaining ingredients and spoon around the outer edge.  

Now here's the tricky part.  One at a time, pull the tips of the crescent rolls over the mixture and off to the side.  Lightly press to the edge so it stays.  Bake bake at 325º for 30 to 45 minutes.

Christmas Wreath

Ingredients

• 2 cans crescent rolls
• 1 cup chicken, cooked and chopped
• 1 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/4 cup water chestnuts, cooked and chopped
• 1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 can cream of chicken soup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325° F.
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except crescent rolls.
Lay crescent rolls around baking stone with points in the center.
Spoon mixture evenly around edges.
Pull points to the outside to form a wreath.
Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Powered by Recipage