Holiday Mocha Mix

This is a nice little sumthin'-sumthin' in a jar that ships beautifully and goes perfectly with the Holiday Biscotti that also ships beautifully, make a fabulous homemade holiday gift!

The trick to this is using a food processor or blender to pulverize the instant coffee granules so when the recipient of this little jar filled with love goes to make a hot cuppa' it all dissolves beautifully!



Here is what you will need (this filled 8-9 8oz preserve jars next year I will just make a double batch!) :P
I kept taste-testing as I went along, different people like different strengths of coffee to chocolate ratio- so test & try and make it your own!

1 10.5oz container of instant coffee granules- totally pulverized in the food processor
2 8-10oz containers of Hot Cocoa mix
2/3 of a tall/large container of powdered coffee creamer**
2 T of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg



Mix all this goodness together WELL in a large bowl- (like I said- taste test it! Add 1-3 T to a coffee mug of hot water and add more of the creamer if it is too strong, also this will help you with your instructions to the recipient, letting them know how many T you suggest using!)
For mine I used 2 T in about 6oz of hot water and it was yummy!



I used a BIGASS spoon to fill the jars that came with cute labels, but another adorable option is cutting a square of fabric and tying it around the lid with a fabulous ribbon~

This is a quick and easy gift that will go great in any basket of cookies or ship across the country with out getting all mushed up!

** on the coffee/cocoa/powdered creamer aisle you'll see the carnation powdered creamer in 2 sizes, I didn't write down the oz, (DUH!) but bought the larger of the two sizes available :)

Holiday Food Gifting

Tis the season for baking, baking and MORE BAKING!! WOOO-HOOOO!! As mentioned in my FREEEEZING post, I have family all over the country and love to send them something from my kitchen every year- this is an easy, inexpensive way to give a little love at the holidays. I sent my family a little box filled with love and these yummy treats;


A Jar of Holiday Mocha Mix


Homemade Cinnamon Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti


Peanut Butter Blossoms in fun holiday colors


Cream Cheese Lemon Thumbprints with Apricot & Raspberry preserves


Gingerbread Cookies

All packed up and on their way to be eaten up!!

It's FREEZING in here!! Freezing Cookie Dough...

Well, it really has been quite cold (as we Southern Californians say, it's been in the dangerously low 60s!!) Seriously though, last night was in the 40s and the heater in our apartment has been on the fritz for over a month now so we've been wearing extra layers and even socks to bed!
Every year I look forward to doing my holiday baking, my family is scattered all over America, from Columbus, to Denver, to Portland, to Atlanta...and I like to ship them all the plate of cookies I wish I could just walk over and hand out.

This year I am making and shipping most of my usual goodies;
A jar of Mocha Mix
Chocolate covered cinnamon hazelnut biscotti
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ginger cookies
Lemon cream cheese thumb-prints with apricot and raspberry preserves

Because my schedule is TIGHT and we are hosting a holiday party here on the 15th (and my kitchen is teeny-weenie) I needed to make my dough ahead and freeze it for as much of the above as possible.

Not all dough is able to do this, but for the PB Blossoms, Thumb prints and Ginger cookies this is what I did.
Read more tips on freezing HERE or HERE

Here are the "supplies" you will need.



A clean odor-free freezer is #1, I cleaned out mine and added 2 Arm n Hammer Baking Powder Fridge and Freezer deodorizers one week before freezing my dough.



Saran wrap
Glad press & seal
1-gallon sized freezer bags
A sharpie marker to label & date the bags
(the Glad-ware pictured was used to ship the cookies :)

First make a single or double batch of the dough you wish to freeze.
If it is a double batch divide it in half and make 2 balls



Place 2 pieces of saran wrap forming a + on a clean flat surface.
Place the loaf-shaped ball of dough on the saran. Fold the top and bottom pieces in and wrap the side pieces around (kind of like wrapping up a burrito).
Repeat this exact process with the Press N' Seal. You can double zip lock bag it at this point if you'd like, single is usually fine.







Label the bag with type of dough and date.

Place wrapped up dough in bag and freeze for future use.




The night before baking with the frozen dough, move it into the refrigerator and thaw by refrigerating for about 12 hours or until thawed all the way through.

Follow baking instructions for each cookie individually.

Ham & Turkey Pot Pie

I got this recipe from Nate's mom and it was really good!! The only major downside of this great dinner with leftovers was that after surviving the making tons of food over a long 5-day weekend, it was taking this pot pie out of the oven that I burned the crap out of my hand. Right after removing my oven mitt I moved my hand and accidentally whacked the pie dish and cookie sheet that were about a million degrees. I'll spare you the nausea of showing you the damage- but I have a gnarly burned line on the outside of my wrist and a good size ding taken out of my pinkie finger too...I keep using the A & D Ointment and used it right away, so I know it could be worse.

Ok, now onto the pot pie......

Source: Nate's Mom
Serves: 6-8


2 9" prepared pie crusts (thaw if frozen)
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of Kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey ( I used leftover thanksgiving turkey and ham)
1 1/2 cup frozen hash browns
1 cup frozen mixed veggies (I used broccoli and carrots, because Nate hates peas)


Pre heat oven to 425°F.
In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well combined. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring constantly until bubbly and thickened.
Stir in meat, hash browns and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spray pie plate with non-stick spray and line with bottom pie crust- bake for about 7-10 minutes then fill with mixture and top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 7 minutes before serving and try not to burn yourself!!

Turkey, Cranberry & Gouda Grilled Cheese

One of my FAVORITE things about Thanksgiving is making turkey sandwiches out of the leftovers. I usually make a big messy sandwich the next day that has stuffing, topped with gravy, and shredded turkey on one side and the top bread spread with cranberry sauce....it's sweet.
Smoked Gouda is a great cheese, and on the Monday after Thanksgiving I was out doing some shopping and found it at a fabulous price so I thought I'd make a grilled cheese for lunch after my morning adventures...

Turkey, Cranberry and Gouda Grilled Cheese:
By Me

2 Slices of wheat bread, each buttered on one side
Lay pieces of Gouda on each un-buttered side of the slices of bread.
Spread cranberry sauce over one side on top of the cheese and put turkey on the other side, put one side on top of the other and cook in a medium skillet over medium head for about 4-6 minutes per side or until each side is golden brown and cheese is soft and getting melty.
Slice in half and enjoy!!

Corn Pudding

My husband's mom makes this incredible sweet creamed corn, and I thought of making that, but I wanted to make sweet corn bread too and couldn't decide...
I came across this recipe for Corn Pudding on All Recipes. It was more like super-super moist corn bread and was DELICIOUS!! When I think of "pudding" I think of Jell-O Chocolate pudding or banana cream pie or something, this was much more bread like than pudding like, but it was awesome all the same. This would be fabulous with bbq or chili.

Corn Pudding V
Source: All Recipes
Serves: 12
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained & rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can cream style corn
1/2 cup margarine, softened I used salted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 (8.5 ounce) package dry cornbread mix I used and reccomend Jiffy mix

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish. In a medium bowl, mix together the whole kernel corn, cream style corn, margarine, sour cream, and corn bread mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

I let it cool for just over an hour and then refridgerated it to take to my moms the next day- we re heated it by baking for about 25 minutes at 350.

Twice Baked Potatoes

This is a great recipe for big dinners & parties (I made these to take over to my mom's when she hosted us for Thanksgiving last Saturday). They can be made ahead, they travel well, and they are freaking delicious, which is why I love em'!

Twice Baked Potatoes
Source: Me
Serves: 8

4 large Russet potatoes, cleaned and dried
5 green onions, cleaned, chopped up
6 pieces bacon*
1 to 2 T butter
Shredded cheese (about a handful, and more to top them off)
2-3 spoon fulls of sour cream
Pinch of salt
Black pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 350 and bake potatoes on a foil lined cookie sheet- don't wrap the potatoes in foil, just put them on the sheet and bake for about 45 minutes- test for soft/done-ness with a shish-kabob stick or butter knife.
Remove potatoes from the oven when done and place on a large plate to cool.
Turn the oven down to 325 and place the bacon on a cookie sheet. Bake bacon for about 15 minutes or until it is crispy, but not burnt~ unless you love some burnt bacon...
Move bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to cool. Cut the cooled potatoes in half longways, and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Make sure bacon and potatoes are room temp or a little cooler before you start assembling, especially if you plan on refrigerating and baking later. Scoop out the insides of each potato into a large bowl, leaving a "shell" to re-stuff. In the large bowl mix the potato, butter, sour cream, onions, cheese, crumbled bacon, salt & pepper- mix/mash until all ingredients are well combined. Use a spoon and fill each potato skin shell with the mixture. Top with more shredded cheese and either bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or .
refrigerate over night and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.