Mini Mac and Cheese in a Mini Muffin Tin

I call this a "kid" Hors D'oeuvre. What a great idea to serve at any party so kids will have something fun to eat.. The adults might like it too!

Here's what you'll need:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

4 - 12 cup nonstick Mini Muffin Tin, generously butter each cup.

1/2 pound of Elbow Macaroni (cooked according to package instructions and drained)

1 1/2 TBS Butter + additional to brush the pans

1/4 C Fresh grated Parmigiano - Reggiano Cheese

2 TBS Flour

3/4 C Whole Milk

1 well packed cup of Sharp Cheddar Cheese

4 oz. of Sliced American Cheese, chopped

1 large Egg Yolk

1/4 tsp Paprika

Sprinkle about 2 TBS of Parmesan Cheese in each cup of the Muffin Tin. Tap out excess.

In a saucepan:

1 1/2 TBS Butter, heat until melted.

Add:

Flour and whisk for 2 minutes.

Add:

Milk, whisking until boiling , about 5 minutes.

Add:

Cheddar and American Cheese.

Whisk until melted.

Remove from the heat.

Whisk in the Egg Yolk and Paprika.

Fold in the Macaroni.

Use a 1 1/2" cookie cutter and drop a scoop into each cup.

Sprinkle the tops with additional Paprika.

Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown and sizzling.

Remove the pans to a rack and col for 5 minutes.

Spoon out the Mini Macs and transfer them to a serving platter.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Cinnamon Sugar Mini Pretzels or Chex Cereal

Another tasty snack to make during the holidays.
I just made these for the first time. They are yummy!

Option:You can also use 9 C of Rice Chex or Corn Chex.

Cinnamon Sugar Mini Pretzels or Chex Cereal

Here's what you'll need:
1 large Jelly Roll Pan lined with Parchment Paper.

9 C Mini Twist Pretzels
1 1/2 C Cinnamon Chips
6 TBS  Butter
1 C + 1 tsp Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 C + 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
3 tsp Cinnamon

Pour Pretzels into a very large bowl.

In a medium mixing bowl:
Confectioner's Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Cinnamon
Whisk well.

In a saucepan on medium low heat:
Cinnamon Chips
Butter
Stir continuously until melted.
Remove from heat and quickly pour over the Pretzels.
Use a rubber spatula and gently fold until evenly coated.
Immediately add Confectioner's Sugar Mixture.
Fold until well coated
Spread out onto the Jelly Roll Pan and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Peppermint Popcorn

This recipe is adapted from The Beekman Boys. It's a great snack to serve during the Christmas Holiday Season. I increase the recipe and make more, just because everyone loves it. We serve it in decorative Christmas Cellophane Bags sealed with a twist tie. The bags are placed in a Holiday serving bowl. It just seems easier than putting out a bowl of Popcorn.

Peppermint Popcorn:

1/4 C Un popped Corn. It makes about 2 quarts popped.
8 oz. White Chocolate, chopped or chips. I use Ghiraradelli.
4 large Peppermint Candy Canes (break into a few pieces so they're easier to pulverize)
1 TBS Sea Salt
2 TBS Granulated Sugar

Pop the corn, however you pop your corn!
Spread it evenly onto a Jelly Roll Pan.

In a Food Processor:
Candy Canes
Salt
Sugar
Pulse until coarsely ground. They'll be a bit clumpy and that's what you want. Don't over grind, they'll begin to clump.

Melt the Chocolate in a Microwave or a Double Boiler.
Drizzle evenly over the Popcorn and immediately sprinkle with the Candy Cane Mix..
Gently stir with a rubber spatula.
Allow to cool completely.

Transfer to a serving bowl or portion it into decorative Cellophane Bags and seal with a twist tie.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Holiday Cream Cheese Bars

Here's another Bar that we serve at our Christmas Open House.

Holiday Cream Cheese Bars

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
1 - 9" X 13" baking dish brushed well with Pan Release Mix or Non Stick Cooking Spray. I use Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each, mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

Filling:

3 TBS Unsalted Butter
1/2 C Light Brown Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
1 tsp Cinnamon
A pinch of fine Sea Salt

In a saucepan on medium low heat:
Butter, heat until melted.
Add Brown Sugar and whisk until combined, about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Crust and Cream Cheese Layer:

2 Cans of refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Dough

2 (8oz) packages of Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 C Granulated Sugar + additional for sprinkling.
1 tsp Vanilla


Roll out one can of dough in the bottom of the casserole dish.

In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer:
Cream Cheese
Egg
Sugar
Vanilla
Beat until smooth and creamy.
Spread evenly over the dough.

Gently spread the filling evenly over the Cream Cheese. (I started by drizzling it evenly over the mixture and then gently spread it evenly over the mixture)

Carefully lay the next can of dough over the top.

Bake 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Remove the dish to a rack, immediately sprinkle with additional sugar. ( I sprinkled mine with the mixture left over from my Cinnamon Sugar Mini Pretzels)
Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and place on a serving plate.

Cut into squares to serve

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Christmas Sugar Plums and Hazelnut Balls

We have a Christmas Open House every year. It's a time to share the scents, sounds, sights and flavors of the season with friends and family.
Every year the menu changes. We find new and unique treats to add to the traditional ones.
This year I'm adding these two new recipes.

Sugar Plums

1 1/4 C Roasted Almonds (roughly chopped)
1 1/2 C Prunes  (roughly cut into pieces)
1 1/2 C Dried Apricots (roughly cut into pieces)
3 TBS Honey
1 tsp Orange Zest
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Scoop the mixture with a 1 1/4" cookie scoop to keep them the same size. Roll them in the palm of your hand to create a smooth ball.
Roll the balls in coarse sugar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Hazelnut Balls
Yield 24 - 26 Balls.

This is my cookie that won second place in the Easy Category at the 2015 Dallas Morning News Holiday Cookie Contest.

3/4 C Hazelnuts (finel chopped, leaving some small pieces)
1 C Rice Krispies
1/2 C Nutella
A bowl of Confectioner's Sugar for rolling the Balls.

Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and gently fold until everything is combined.
Scoop the mixture with a 1 1/4" cookie scoop to keep them the same size. Roll them in the palm of your hand to create a smooth ball.
Roll the balls in Confectioner's Sugar.

(Another tip I've learned as I continue to make these): I've made so many batches of them this season. I scoop quite a bit of the mixture into the cookie scoop and then I press it firmly against the palm of my hand until there's enough to form a dense ball. I release it into a bowl of  Confectioner's Sugar and sprinkle it and roll it around until it's completely coated.

These were my favorite cookie this year.
I will definitely make these every year!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Gingerbread Muffins

Merry Christmas!
Nothing says Christmas in the kitchen like the aroma of Gingerbread!
Here's the perfect recipe to accomplish that. This recipe originated in England. I adapted it for the American baker.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
1 - 6 C Muffin Tin with paper liners, lightly brushed with Pan Release Mix (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil, Flour), meted well and refrigerated in a jar. I start with 1 C of each and always have it available for all of my baking needs.

These are my favorite Kitchen Supply Paper Muffin Molds.
You can get them from any Speciality Culinary Store.

Gingerbread Muffins


9 TBS Butter, room temperature
1/2 C packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 TBS Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 TBS Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix + additional for sprinkling.
1 TBS Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Ginger
A Pinch of Salt
1/4 C Whole Milk
1 C Self Rising Flour
Confectioner's Sugar for dusting when serving.

In a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment:
Butter
Sugar
Salt
Beat until combined, about 3 minutes, don't over beat.

Add:
Eggs
Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
Cinnamon
Ginger
Beat for 1 minute.

Add:
Milk
Flour
Beat just until incorporated.

Scoop into cups about 2/3 full.
Sprinkle with additional Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix.
Bake for 15 minutes, a toothpick in the center should come out clean.
Remove pan to a rack and cool completely.
Dust with Confectioner's Sugar just before serving.


Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice:

1/4 C Cinnamon
2 TBS Ground Ginger
1 TBS Ground Nutmeg
1 TBS Ground Clove
Mix all together and store in a jar.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pralines

I live in Texas, we eat a lot of Pralines. Ours are typically found on the counter of every Mexican Restaurant in Texas. The Praline came to this country from France and made its way to Cajun Country in Louisiana. Mexico soon discovered this sugary confection and embraced it. Texas was next! The history of this sugary treat is fascinating. I only covered a bit of the history here!


French Settlers brought Pralines to Louisiana where Sugar and Pecan trees were plentiful.
During the 19th Century, New Orleans Chefs substituted Pecans for Almonds, added Cream to thicken the confection and created what became known throughout the American South as the Praline. They have the a creamy consistency similar to Fudge.
They're usually made by combining Sugar, Butter and Cream in a pot on medium high heat and stirring constantly until most of the water has evaporated and it reaches a brown color and a thick texture. The mixture is dropped by the spoonful onto waxed paper or aluminum foil (lightly buttered)
and allowed to cool completely.

Here's a sample of Praline recipes. There are easy recipes and more complicated ones.
Here's a variety to choose from.

Mexican Pralines

2 C Granulated Sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Whole Milk
A Pinch of Salt
2 C roughly chopped Pecans
1 tsp Vanilla

In a saucepan on medium high heat:
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Milk
Salt
Pecans
Boil for 4 minutes.
Add Vanilla and stir.
Drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper.
Allow to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Creamy Pralines

1 Package of Butterscotch Pudding (not instant)
1 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Evaporated Milk (not sweetened condensed milk)
1 TBS Butter
1 1/2 C roughly chopped Pecans.

In a saucepan on medium high heat:
Vanilla Pudding
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Evaporated Milk
Butter
Pecans
Stir well.
Boil for 4 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from heat and whisk well.
Drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper.
Allow to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Maple Pralines

1/8 tsp Salt

1 C Water

1 C roughly chopped Pecans

1 3/4 C Granulated Sugar, divided

1 TBS Butter

1/4 tsp Maple Flavoring

In a Cast Iron Skillet on low high:

1/2 C Sugar

Stir constantly until it begins to turn into a light golden syrup.

Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes to create a Caramel.

Add:

Salt

Water 

Remaining Sugar

Gently stir until the Caramel in the Skillet is dissolved.

Add:

Butter

Cook to softball stage , stirring constantly.(use a candy thermometer)

Remove from heat.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Add:

Maple Flavoring

Pecans

Stir until it becomes creamy.

Drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper.

Allow to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Bourbon Praline Cookies

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 C Brown Sugar

2 tsp Flour

A pinch of Salt

1 Egg White

1 TBS of the best Bourbon you can afford!

2 C roughly chopped Pecans

In a medium mixing bowl, Sift together:

Baking Soda

Brown Sugar

Flour

Salt

Whisk well.

In a small bowl:

Egg White

Whisk well.

Add Bourbon to the Flour mixture.

Fold Egg White into the mixture.

Fold Pecans into the mixture.

Use a 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop and drop 3" apart onto a Silpat lined or Non Stick Sheet Pan (lightly sprayed with a cooking spray)

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!