Author: Nicole

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Recipes

Orange Candy Cookies

Nicole

If you like orange slice candy you will probably love these cookies. These are a staple in our family for the holidays. I don’t particularly like them, but then again I don’t like orange slice candy. I will tell you that I am in the minority in our family because everyone else loves this recipe. 

It’s a very old fashioned recipe that was my Papa’s favorite cookie during the holidays. I don’t think it would have been Christmas in his heart without Orange slice candy cookies.

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound bag orange candy slices (jelly candy)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 pound box brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 oz. of whisky
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:

  1. Cut orange slice candy into small pieces, coat with ¼ cup of the measured flour
  2. Beat eggs till lemon colored
  3. Gradually add sugar to the eggs, and continue beating as you are adding sugar.
  4. Add vanilla and whisky
  5. Stir in flour, salt, baking soda, pecans and candy
  6. Mix well
  7. Spread ½ inch thick into a 17x11x1 pan (Jelly Roll Pan)
  8. Bake at 275 degrees 20-30 minutes.
  9. Cut into bars while hot then roll into powdered sugar
  10. Cool then seal in an air tight container. 

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Recipes

Peanut Butter Fudge

Nicole



I am not a fan of Peanut Butter fudge but my husband loves it and so does my Uncle Floyd. We thought it would be a fun addition to Uncle Floyd’s gift this year. It actually set nicely for once. Normally it’s too warm to set up well, but this year we got lucky and it turned out perfect. I highly advise that if you are going to make this recipe make sure that your kitchen isn’t piping hot or it will take forever to set.

This is a simple recipe to make and in truth you don’t even need a candy thermometer you just have to watch it and never walk away from it while it’s on the stove top. My best advice is to have every ready to go and premeasured and stir … stir … stir… You don’t want it to burn!

According to my husband this is delicious and extra creamy!!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups sugar 
  • ¾ cup butter
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 7oz. jar of marshmallow cream
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Spray a 13×9 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside
  2. Combine sugar, butter, and milk in a heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan and place on a medium heat
  3. Bring to a full rolling boil (important) stirring constantly
  4. Continue boiling for an additional 5 minutes (no less) once it’s at a rolling boil
  5. To prevent scorching remove from the heat and stir in peanut butter (stir well) next add the marshmallow cream (stir in well). Then add the vanilla and beat until well blended.
  6. Pour into your pre-sprayed 13×9 pan cook to room temperature and cut into squares.

Makes approximately 3 pounds.

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Recipes

Blue Pudding (Ambrosia Salad)

Nicole




Before I get the obvious questions I will answer this question first…. Why this recipe is called blue pudding…. It’s not blue nor is it pudding! Explain! Well you are right it’s not blue nor is it pudding. I think the recipe is actually what would be called ambrosia salad.

This recipe was made by my great aunt Fern for Christmas when my Mom was a child in the 1950’s and 1960’s my great aunts father called it Blue Pudding and the name stuck. Blue Pudding is the only name this recipe has ever had to my knowledge and my Mom’s knowledge as well.

We had it with our Christmas dinner this year for the first time ever and I fell in LOVE with it. It’s so easy to make and it taste soooo good! I love the creaminess, the texture, and the random flavors and more than anything I love the Christmas colors.
Yummm… excellent!

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups waters
  • 13 large marshmallows
  • 1 small box of lime Jell-O
  • 8 oz. can pineapple chunks drained
  • 4oz package cream cheese (room temperature)
  • ½ pint heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ½ cup maraschino cherries (drained) chopped in half

Directions:

  1. To a large bowl add room temperature cream cheese. Pour boiling water over the cream cheese and mix well (If you have a stand mixer put it to work on this one) Stir until melted (it may still be lumpy but that’s OK) 
  2. Next add marshmallows and allow them to melt also. They may not melt a lot either.
  3. Next add Jell-O to the water/marshmallow mixture and mix well. 
  4. Stir until it begins to cool. Add drained pineapple, cherries, and nuts then mix well. 
  5. Place in the refrigerator until it begins to congeal. 
  6. While the Jell-O is congealing in a separate bowl or in a mixer bowl add heavy whipping cream and begin beating either by hand or using a mixer until the creamy turns into whip cream with stiff peaks.  
  7. Remove Jell-O mixture from the refrigerator and fold in whip cream and refrigerate until it sets to a firm mixture then serve. (About 1 hour)

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Recipes

Russian Tea Cookies

Nicole



I love … Love… LOVE these cookies! They were traditional for Christmas in my husband’s home growing up. They were also something we always had in my house too but instead of Russian tea cookies we called the Mexican wedding cookies. The recipes are exactly the same!  

These cookies are great and easy! Wow so easy! I stuck them in the Kitchen Aid mixer and then !BAM! they were done! I rolled them into little balls baked them and sugared them. Just that easy and oh so good!!

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling cookies
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla then gradually add the 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, beating until light and fluffy. 
  3. Sift the flour, measure, then sift again with the salt. Add gradually to the butter mixture. Add the pecans and mix well.
  4. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are very lightly browned. 
  5. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets and roll in powdered sugar while still hot. Cool on wire racks and roll cookies again in powdered sugar before serving. 

Once they are completely cooled, cookies may be stored in airtight containers for up to 1 week.

Original Recipe Source


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Recipes

Knorr Spinach Dip

Nicole


Spinach dip is one of my favorite dips to have during the holiday season we always have it on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. I rarely make it any other time of year. Why… no idea! I guess it’s just the holiday’s that make me crave it.  I was think today it would be excellent in a wrap.

If you don’t like spinach don’t let that stop you from making it because to be honest with you… you can’t even taste the spinach. It’s an excellent dip that goes a long way for a group but it’s also inexpensive and very tasty. I grew up on this dip and now my family is growing up on it too. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
  • 1 (10 ounce) package baby spinach, chopped or 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 (8 ounce) package vegetable soup mix
  • 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped 

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. 
  2. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours over night would be best.

MAKES 4 cups dip.

    Original Recipe Source

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