Eggnog Christmas Bread with Buttered Rum Glaze
Makes: 1 loaf

2 eggs
1 cups sugar
1 cup eggnog
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
1 1/2 teaspoons rum extract
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Buttered Rum Glaze
Make this after bread comes out of the oven:

1/4 c brown sugar
1/3 c unsalted butter
1 teaspoon rum extract

Melt butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan until smooth and sugar looses it’s graininess.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9×5x3 bread pans.

Beat eggs, add sugar, eggnog, butter,
rum and vanilla until blended.

In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder and nutmeg. Add to the egg mixture and stir until just moistened. Don’t over stir.

Pour into greased pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out
clean

Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

Glaze with frosting while still warm.

Cool bread completely before slicing.

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Week 7. You didn’t really think I was going to forget, did you? These Hermits are an old, old recipe…but still awesome good. They keep really well unless the kids find out where you have them stored.

1/2 c unsalted butter

1 c brown sugar

1 egg

2 tbs water

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

3/4 c mixed candied fruit

1/2 c raisins (I prefer currants or dried cranberries here)

1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add egg and water and beat well. Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture, then stir in fruit and nuts.

Drop from a teaspoon onto a greased, or silpat baking sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

Try adding 1/2 cup white chocolate chips to this and see how you feel about it then.

Don’t forget to double check the contests page to make sure you are not missing out on anything!

** Lucy mentioned that her batch had come out thin and crispy. I don’t know if anyone else has had a problem?  Mine come out thick and cakey.

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O.k..it is week 5 of the Christmas Cookie (and baking) Countdown! I know alot of people have commented on their blogs about how weird I am to be doing Christmas now. Yeah, I DO check my links.

That’s o.k…I have alot of Christmas to do, and my life is busy. Really busy. I will even be as bold to say that it is busier than most. Preparing for Christmas early allows me to have a peaceful, stress free holiday with my family, and to be generous with my gifts. I enjoy not having to rush around, but to sit with the kids all afternoon and make decorations or watch a holiday movie. So, that’s why I start early.

Amazing Rum Bars 

Makes about 24

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons rum
2/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 c toffee chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Melted chocolate chips for drizzling

Confectioners Sugar for dusting

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Sift together the flour, spices, sugar and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and eggs until creamy. Beat in milk and rum. Gradually stir flour mixture into egg mixture. Stir in chips and nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool.   Drizzle with melted chocolate.  Just before serving dust with confectioners sugar.  Cut into 24 bars.

* If you wish you can sprinkle the bars with extra rum while they are hot..not too much!

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Well, it is almost October. Most people are just now starting to think about the giant candy holiday coming up and it won’t occur to them that Christmas and Thanksgiving are just around the corner until Nov 5th or 6th. By then they will have to scramble to get done and we will be finishing up!

I suggest that you start picking up flour and sugar as you see it on sale now. You know that you are going to be using more than usual over the next few months so keep it in stock in large quantities. These are delicious little bars with the exotic and buttery taste of pistachio. Beautiful presented on a tray of assorted cookies, or a few wrapped in transparent cellophane and tied with colorful ribbon as gifts.

Pistachio Ribbon Bars
Makes about 36

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2-2/3 cup raspberry jam
1 cup pistachios, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Combine butter, sugar and egg; beat until thoroughly blended.
Stir in flour and salt.
Spread one-half of dough into 9 inch square pan.
Bake 10 minutes; remove from oven.
Spread jam to within 1/2 inch of edge.
Add pistachios to remaining dough.
Drop by spoonfuls over jam to cover.
Bake 35 minutes until top is golden brown;
cool.
Drizzle with melted bittersweet chocolate.
Cut into squares.
Makes 2 dozen small squares

You can freeze these two ways. A) after you have baked the first layer add the jam and remaining dough (with pistachios added), cover and freeze. Thaw and bake when needed.
or
B) freeze baked.

Don’t forget!!

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We interrupt your journey to chocolate nirvana to remind you that it is now only 16 weeks until Christmas and there are lots of cookie recipes you can freeze ahead now to help keep your holidays a little more stress free.

Checkerboard cookies are some of my favorites. They look great in gift baskets and on cookie plates and they freeze very well unbaked. When ready to bake just le them thaw a few hours in the fridge, slice and bake! No mess to clean up.
Checkerboard Cookies

1 cup softened unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
2-1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa
In large bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt till fluffy.
Gradually stir in flour until blended. Gather into ball. Divide
ball in half. With hands or wooden spoon work cocoa into half till
well blended. Divide each half into quarters. Shape each quarter
to 1/2″ thick rope, using lightly floured hands if necessary.
Place a chocolate and a white roll next to each other, then a white
roll on the chocolate, and a chocolate roll on the white. Press
lightly to form a compact roll. Repeat with remaining dough. Wrap
rolls airtight. Chill several hours or overnight or freeze at this point.

When ready to bake (thaw) cut in 3/16″ slices. Place 1/2″ apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated (350 degree) oven 12 minutes or until white dough
turns golden. Yield: 6 dozen

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