Friday, January 27, 2012

Since September?!

Well, school started.  And instead of just substituting for elementary music, I'm hired and teaching elementary music.  And life actually hasn't been as busy as the last couple years.  That's why I'm so surprised to see my last post from SEPTEMBER!  I PROMISE I haven't been living at school like I did my first two years of teaching!  PROMISE!!!

Since the holidays have come and gone and I didn't post a single time, I'll do a tribute to my holiday baking.  When I have spare time (aka my FAVORITE holiday ever, Thanksgiving and then Christmas), I bake.  My favorites this year come from several places...but all from friends and family.  These recipes are the best of the best when it comes to my baking, so enjoy!  But make sure you have people to help you eat these tasty treats...otherwise, it'll be really hard to keep your paws off of this goodness and your new year's resolutions will be DONE FOR.

In the order that I learned these recipes....drum roll, please...and by the way, this will completely make up for my lack of blogging as I will share one recipe for every month I was "gone"...oh boy!.....here we go!......
7 Layers
Oreo Truffles
White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Apple Pear Crumb Top Pie

7 Layers: These little bars have been made every Christmas since I can remember...reheat them in the microwave for 14 seconds for a little gooey goodness and man, oh man......
Ingredients: (7 of them, of course)
1 stick butter
1 pkg. graham cracker crumbs (1 ½ C)
1 sm. Pkg. butterscotch chips
1 sm. Pkg. chocolate chips
1 sm. Can coconut
1 C pecans
1 can Eagle brand milk

Directions:
Melt butter in 13x9x2 inch pan; sprinkle crumbs over butter. Layer chips, coconut, and pecans. Save a little coconut and pecans for top. Put Eagle Brand over top, then sprinkle coconut and pecans on top and bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes.
 


Oreo Truffles: College roomies helped with this one!  I'm almost ashamed to tell you how easy these really are for how delicious they really are.  Now, they are a royal PAIN to roll in the chocolate, but trust me...they're worth it.  And once you drizzle a little white chocolate on top, you'll look like a pastry pro.  Cover up all your chocolate melting mistakes.
Ingredients:
1 package of Oreos
1 package of Neufchatl cream cheese
1 pack chocolate chips (good to have more on hand just in case you need more)
small amount of white chocolate (just a baking bar is great)
Directions: 
Blend oreos completely.   Mix with cream cheese and get your hands messy.  Roll into small balls.
Melt chocolate (double boiler is great for this if you have one.  otherwise, microwave it).  Roll oreo balls in chocolate and place on cookie tray (line it with wax paper for less cleanup).  Place tray in freezer to harden.   Melt white chocolate & dribble white chocolate over hardened bon-bons.  Done.

White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies: The best. holiday. cookie. period.
Ingredients:
1 c. unsalted softened butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c. dried cranberries
6 oz. white chips
Directions:
Oven 350. Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda. Add oats and mix until just combined. Stir in cranberries and chips. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 min and let finish baking on cooling cookie sheet.

Apple pear crumb top pie: My newest addition and my favorite pie as of now.  This pie is so incredibly delicious and perfect.  Lets just say, there have never been leftovers and I've made it on five occasions since Thanksgiving.  It's January.  Can we say addicting?! crowd pleaser?! best thing to impress friends and family since those summer hand fruit tarts?! It's that good.
They wish they could have some. And I really don't have a picture of this one.  Take it as a testament to how good it really is.  It disappears before I can even capture it on camera.  The focus is 110% on eating it, not staring at it. So. good.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup crushed Nilla wafers (about 24)               
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted                        
1 ready to use refrigerated pie crust...or of course, make your own!
4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz) Philadelphia cream cheese
2 large baking apples, peeled and chopped
1 large pear, peeled and chopped           
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup of flour                                                     
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Mix wafer crumbs, brown sugar, and butter until well blended; set aside.  Place pie crust in 9-inch pie plate. Spread cream cheese carefully onto bottom of crust; sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Set aside.
Combine fruit in large bowl.  Add granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon; toss to coat.  Spoon over crumb layer in pie crust; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake 35 min. or until fruit is tender and crust is lightly browned, covering loosely with foil after 25 min. if necessary to prevent crust from overbrowning.  Cool (if you can take it) and devour.