I have been asked to bring "something sweet" to our holidays celebrations this year. What shall I bring? I love pumpkin pie, but that is so Thanksgiving! I am used to cooking, not baking. I need ideas and recipes! Got any for me? All are appreciated! Thanks!
Oh Jo... You're killing me. Buche Noel sounds soooooo good right now!!! And that's not something you can just start craving and go get! Drool.
It really is super complicated, but my non-baking/non-cooking sister manages to make it every year, and it really is to die for!!!
Alternatively... super easy... Chocolate covered strawberries!!!
Go to costco and grab a party tray.... LOL!!
Or pick up a pecan pie...
Some traditions from my mother that don't require baking:
Peanut brittle (my friend just made some Bourban Peanut Brittle that is fantastic)
Apricot Coconut Balls
Easy Fudge
I made the Crack today (first time..I did a few batches to distribute..some with pecan topping, some with almonds..some with crushed candy canes)...very yummy stuff. Gets that crack name as it has crackers in it..you can "crack" it apart..oh yah..and its addictive nature. Just a few pieces will do ya!
Maybe google some fancy cupcakes or something with candy canes? We just always do a bunch of cookies everyone has brought..I do my cornflake wreaths...and some "crack this year"...LOL
Have you ever had "Christmas Crack" (also known as saltine toffee)? It souds weird but is probably the most delicious and addictive treat in the world. Basically you place a bunch of saltines on a pan, pour a caramel sauce over them, bake them, then melt chocolate chips on top. Once it is cooled, you cut it into pieces. It tastes like toffee/roca but is easier to make and even tastier, maybe because of the salt? You can also put chopped nuts or ground up candy canes on top to make it festive. I use the Paula Deen recipe and will send it to you if you like.
Yule log! They take a bit of time to make but I have never seen anyone pass up a bite.
What about a cherry cheesecake? It's easy, it's tasty and the red cherries are very Christmas-y and festive-looking! You get a 9" graham cracker crust or baked shell. You beat 8 oz. of cream cheese until fluffy, and add a 14-oz. can of condensed milk. Beat these together until they're smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of vanilla (or almond, which is my preference). Pour it into the crust, and chill for 3 hours or until set. At the last minute you top this cheesecake with a *chilled* 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling. (Leftovers must be refrigerated, for obvious reasons.)
What about a jello salad? Some are gross, but some are surprisingly good.
My aunt always brings (at my cousin's request) some strawberry jello, pretzel, cool whip concoction that is pretty dang good.
I found the actual recipe!! Go to food.com and search for "strawberry pretzel jell-o" or Recipe# 4460.
Also on food.com is "Guilt-Free Trifle." I had a friend do this (or something similar) to cut down on their sugar intake. I'm pretty sure she used orange jello, and I'm not sure about the pudding, but it was good. And it wasn't heavy, which is good after a huge, heavy meal.
MMMM.... now I want to make one of these....
Check out: http://www.food.com/cookbook/jello-and-sweet-salads-119338
Check out veryculinary.com and see if there's anything you like there. I'm a big fan of the A-Z bread.
Here's a super simple cookie recipe:
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
! egg
Mix ingredients together in a bowl until blended well. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes or until the outside feels crunchy. Remove from oven. Gently press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie.
Be warned that these are highly addictive!!!!
Mini cherry cheesecakes! Just made these yesterday...
http://www.bakerella.com/super-easy-mini-cherry-cheesecakes/
I had some of the toffee made with saltine crackers the other day and it was awesome! Here is a recipe.
http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-english-toffee-241448
Another easy recipe is Apple Cranberry Cookie Cobbler. It is a pampered chef recipe, I think.
Here is a link.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/1786/Apple-Cranberr...
@NBinMN - we call that "white trash toffee" at my house and it is SO EASY and delish... :-)
Chocolate pie is always good...
You have a lot of good suggestions so far! I make a chocolate pecan pie which is SO easy it's ridiculous (don't tell anyone!) and I just made for the very first time cinnamon almond brittle. It was awesome! Both recipes get me rave reviews and I'd be happy to share them but I don't have them in front of me. If you'd like them let me know and I'll send them to you. The pecan pie one is Girahdelli and the other I got out of Parent's Magazine this month!
And Jo I just said to my friend this week that I was thinking of making a Yule Log! I've never done it but I was searching for a cake roll type thing and that's all I could really find! But, I've never had one or made it!
I just discovered cake balls. So easy and yummy! Make a cake, mix it with icing, roll into balls and coat in candy coating and I topped with green sugar crystals. Google for better recipe but you get the idea!
Updated
I just discovered cake balls. So easy and yummy! Make a cake, mix it with icing, roll into balls and coat in candy coating and I topped with green sugar crystals. Google for better recipe but you get the idea!
