Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Blue Cheese Dip

Happy New Year!
If you are looking for a simple, no fuss, yummy good dip to serve for New Years Eve, or anytime, this Blue Cheese Dip is your answer. The ingredients are so basic that you might just have most, if not all of them in your kitchen right now.  So make it this morning, stick it in the fridge to chill, let the flavors meld together, and you are done!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Candy Cane Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache Drizzle /#BundtBakers

It is BundtBakers Day! If you are looking for something special to serve this holiday season, this little Candy Cane Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache Drizzle is the answer. I stepped up the white cake batter a notch by adding peppermint extract and red food color swirling through the batter. The chocolate ganache is rich and decadent, and what better time to have decadent than at the holidays! It is topped off with chopped candy cane pieces and adorned with a candy cane Christmas Tree!
 This sweet little treat screams "Merry Christmas"!


Candy Cane Bundt Cake
w/ Chocolate Ganache Drizzle

Cake
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 cup Butter
1 3/4 cups Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
4 Egg Whites
1/3 cups Buttermilk
Red Food Coloring

Ganache
Milk Chocolate 
1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Candy Cane Tree
(make this the day before or at least before the cake)
 crushed Candy Canes
Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter 
Pan Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour your bundt pans.
Combine your flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
Set aside.
Mix  your butter and sugar together until creamy.
Add peppermint and mix in.
Add egg whites, beating well.
Add some flour and then alternate with buttermilk and
flour on low until combined.
Remove 1/2 cup of batter and place in separate bowl.
Add food coloring one drop at a time until
you reach your desired color.
Place white batter in your bundt pans but only half as high
as you would go. Add red batter with a large spoon.
Spread it around the pan.
Add additional white batter .
Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the two colors together.
Bake for 15-16 minutes.
Remove from oven, take a toothpick around 
the edge of each bundt. Let sit 15 minutes.
Remove from pan.
Melt about 5-6 ounces of chocolate in a double boiler.
Heat your whipping cream so it is warm.
You can do this in a microwave. If you want to do 
it on the stove, do it in a separate pan from the chocolate.
Once the cream is warm to the touch, not hot, 
add the cream to the pot of chocolate, and whisk it together.
Cold cream could make your chocolate seize and it
 will not be unusable. 
Drizzle chocolate on your plate. 
Place the bundt cake on the plate and drizzle 
chocolate on it how ever you like. I like
to fill the center because it tastes so good 
with the peppermint pieces.
To make the candy cane tree and star, set your oven 
to 250 degrees. Wipe the inside of the cookie cutters
with pan spray. Place the cutters on a cookie sheet
covered with parchment paper.  Crush your candies
and sprinkle the pieces in the cookie cutters. The higher
you fill them, the thicker they will be. Cook for
10 minutes or until melted. Keep a close watch. 
Remove from oven and let cool. Then remove from
the cookie cutter. This can be made the day
before you want to use it.
Decorate accordingly!
Here is the inside of your peppermint cake.
See the chocolate dripping down the inside! Yum!

Thank you for joining me today!

Check out what all the other #BundtBakers made today!
Thank you, thank you to Laura and Stacy for making it all happen this month!

BundtBakers


Orange and Mint Bundt bread from A Kingdom For a Cake
     
    #BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme.  Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

    We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

    If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.


Holiday Peppermints

If you are like me, you make a lot of Christmas Cookies for friends and family. As I pack the cookies into fancy tins and pretty boxes, I am always looking for something special to fill in the little spaces between cookies. This year I decided to fill them with these Holiday Peppermints! They are easy and quick to make. Just remember to make them early, because they need 24 hours drying time.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Pfeffernuse Cookies and a Cookie Swap


The holidays are definitely the season of cookies! I have been seeing cookies EVERYWHERE! But I am not complaining. I am rejoicing! Because I love cookies!


 Today I made a pfeffernuse cookie as part of The 3rd Annual Christmas Cookies Recipe Swap.  This recipe was sent to me by Sara from Clever Pink Pirate.  Stop by and see her today. She is baking the cookie recipe I sent her,  Thumbprint Cookies! What is a pfeffernuse cookie? It is a cookie that is popular in Germany, Denmark, and The Netherlands. It is full of wonderful spices that are a treat for the nose and the taste buds. While it is similar to a gingerbread cookie, it has a stronger taste. It contains anise extract, a licorice tasting flavor. But enough talking about it!
Let's give it a taste!

Pfeffernuse Cookies

Monday, December 15, 2014

Gingerbread Man Cookies

It is time for The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap reveal. I always have fun participating in this holiday group. I send a dozen cookies to three different bakers. Three bakers send a dozen cookies to me! It is always fun to see and taste what cookies represent the holidays to others. I also love the fact that this group donates to Cookies For Kids Cancer with help from our sponsors! Such a great cause.
This is the fourth year I have taken  part in the cookie swap, so it is kind of the becoming a tradition for me. Which is how I ended up making gingerbread man cookies. Traditions are every where at this time of year, so I decided to go traditional with my cookies.  So I mixed 'em up, rolled 'em out, gave them eyes and a mouth, and fancied them up a bit with a bow tie, because you should dress for the holidays!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Celebrate It! Blog Party #21

Thank you for stopping by!  I am thrilled that you are here!!

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Celebrate It! Blog Party #20


I am so glad you stopped by today!
If your house is anything like mine, you are probably knee deep in
 holiday preparations.
We have been busy bees baking, crafting, decorating, and shopping.
It's all so much fun isn't it? 

Link up some things you have been crafting, decorating, or baking!
We want to celebrate with you!!

I would love to hear how you are planning to celebrate the holidays! 
Are you hosting a party or going to one?
Are you baking your favorite Christmas cookies?
Do you have special traditions that you follow every year?
Do you have a special meal?
Share with us how you celebrate!


Thank you so much to everyone that took time out of
their busy schedule to link up. I love seeing all your posts!

Here are some features from last week:
Motivation Monday
from

Pretzel Snowmen
from

Snowman Candle Covers
from

 By linking up, you are giving The Freshman Cook permission to feature your post on social media and our blog using a photo, title, and link to your site. Proper credit and links will be given to you.
Look for your link ups on my Pinterest  page for Celebrate It!, on Twitter, and on Facebook!

Party, Party, Party!!
Let's Go!



Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Eggnog Creme Brulee/#FoodieExtravaganza

When I learned that eggnog was the ingredient to use this month for #FoodieExtravanza I was so excited! I had been wanting to make Eggnog Creme Brulee for a while now, and now that I have, I can't believe I waited this long. It is rich, creamy, and has an incredible flavor! 
It will make the perfect ending for your Christmas dinner! 
Eggnog Creme Brulee