| Author |
Farm Kitchen:  No Apologies! Holiday Treat Cheater, Here!  |
|
|
Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 20 2010 : 12:52:14 PM
|
Okay, so one of our friends emailed earlier today, looking for a ham recipe I shared a few years ago. She also commented that she wished she had time to make all the goodies I make at the holidays, and I had to laugh - I can be the biggest "holiday treat cheater" when this time of year rolls around! I'll admit, I really do like to make everything from scratch, and 9 times out of ten, I do make EVERYTHING from scratch... but when it's a year like this when time has crept up on me and the pressure is really on, HELLO - I'm not BETTY CROCKER for crying out loud!!! I "cheat!!!" LOL!!!
I thought I'd share the ham recipe and the easy, time-saving treat recipes with all of you, just in case you're like me: in a down-to-the wire pinch, and in need of looking - and desperately wanting to feel - like "Queen de la Cuisine" this Christmas! If you're able, by all means: you can make the "made from scratch" substitutions where-ever you want. You'll easily find where they would work! The main thing is: Enjoy!
Brown Sugar Packed Ham:
My cousin taught me that one, and it's awesome!!! Messy, yes, a little, but super duper easy and really good.
All you have to do is, on the night before (or even a couple of nights before, for that matter), score your ham as usual, then take a regular sized bag of brown sugar and pack the sugar all over the ham til it forms a "crust" kind of thing. Then you let it sit overnight in the fridge. Next day, bake as usual and you can baste a little throughout the baking. You'll wind up with a deliciously flavored ham that might have a little bit of a brown sugar crust on top, and in the pan you'll find a nice thick brown sugar sauce to pass with the meat, similar in texture to the sauce in Chinese chicken wings (not the same flavor, though, of course). You'll also find that sauce can harden and stick to your pan, but with a little soak in hot water and soap, it will melt away - your pan won't be ruined. You can also use foil to protect your pan of course, but you honestly don't have to! This brown sugar method is great on ANY type of ham, too, really - so go for it! YUM!
Dump Cake:
Sounds gross, but everyone LOVES it!
In an ungreased 9 x 13 baking pan:
- pour 1 can of crushed pineapple (in syrup or in natural juices is fine), spread thinly
- pour 1 can of cherry pie filling, spread thinly throughout the pineapple (it's okay if they mix, and don't worry whether it's evenly distributed or not)
- dump a cheap yellow cake mix on top, spread evenly to cover fruit - and it's okay, it's supposed to be dry
- sprinkle about a cup or so of chopped pecans over the top if the dry mix (you can use walnuts, too, but pecans taste better in my opinion)
- take a stick of butter, slice very thinly all over the top of that. It's okay if you don't get it completely covered - the butter melts and runs all over.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. The top will brown and lightly crust, and some of the fruit will bubble up through.
Serve warm or cold. My DH loves this on ice cream, but he loves practically EVERYTHING on ice cream. It's just as great by itself!
Toffee cookie bars:
Posted this in another forum. Super easy. Super sweet. Guys love it... apparently Annika does, too! ;)
Either buy two rolls of premade chocolate chip cookie dough from the grocer's refrigerator section OR make your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe from scratch. Spread (or pat) the dough evenly into a cookie or jelly roll sheet pan. Bake according to directions. Cool slightly. While cooling, in a small mixing bowl, place 1 bag of caramel chips (I've found them in the candy aisle of Giant Eagle - they look like tiny caramel balls) with 1 - 2 tsps of cold water. Heat in the microwave or on stove, according to package directions, until melted and stirred smooth. Drizzle all over the top of your warm cookie dough. On top of that, sprinkle 1/2 bag each of mini chocolate chips and toffee chips (or Heath bar chips). Let cool completely. When cool, cut into bars and serve or store. Again... the guys can't get enough of these, and they're super easy.
Peppermint "Snowflake" Cookies:
Super easy. Everyone loves these.
In a bowl, knead about 1 cup of crushed peppermint candies (I use Bob's peppermint sticks from Wal-Mart, usually, but have also used candy canes and peppermint "star" candies) into a roll of premade sugar cookie dough from the grocer's refrigerator section. Roll into 1" balls and bake according to package directions - sometimes it takes a few minutes longer, you just need to watch them to figure out how long. Allow to cool. Melt a package of white chocolate chips in the microwave according to package directions. Dip the top of each cookie into the melted chocolate, or use a spreader to coat. Sprinkle more crushed peppermint candies on top. I'm telling ya, these are as easy as pie and I can't stop eating them with a cup of tea on the side!
Strawberry Banana Trifle:
My bestest friend in the whole wide world made this for me years ago, and it's been a holiday, pot luck and get-together staple ever since! EVERYONE loves this. Looks crazy-fancy, but it's pretty dang easy. You can just use strawberries, or, if you don't like strawberries, substitute just blueberries or just bananas. If you use just bananas, add some crushed vanilla wafers to each layer of pudding to make it extra special. You can make everything from scratch, right down to the sliced strawberries in syrup, of course, but I'll give you the cheat version to make things easiest for you!
You'll need:
2 - 3 large boxes of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
2 - 3 bananas, sliced
2 pound cakes, cut into cubes (Entenmann's or frozen Sara Lee's, thawed of course, are fine)
2 large boxes of cooking style vanilla pudding
Enough milk to make the pudding, less one cup
2 large containers of Cool Whip, thawed
- Make two large boxes of cooked vanilla pudding according to directions, being sure to completely omit 1 full cup of milk. Let cool slightly. (Very important that you use the cooked pudding with this one. It's a little more work, but it's worth it, totally.).
- Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of Cool Whip, set aside
- In a large mixing bowl (or glass bowl or trifle dish if you want to see the layers), layer the following: Start with a large spoonful each of pudding and then a spoonful of strawberries in the very bottom, then add a layer of pound cake, a smattering of vanilla pudding, some banana slices, a layer of Cool Whip, and a smattering of strawberries. Repeat these layers til everything is gone or bowl is full, whichever comes first.
- Top with remaining Cool Whip and chill.
It's A- A- AWE- SO-O-OME!!! This is the crowd-sized version, so you can definitely cut the recipe in half for a smaller dessert. But I assure you, it won't last. You really may want to make the big mama bowl "just in case!"
Finally - there is a recipe for pineapple cream cheese stuffed cookies on one of those Stella D'Oro puff cookie bags that is to die for, but I can't for the life of me remember their name... Marietta cookies, maybe? I can't remember... I'm sorry. Anyway, I'm not sure if they even sell them here in Western PA - it's been that long since we've had them - but if they do, trust me, they are going to make it to my holiday dessert table this Saturday! Well worth the search!!! Can't get enough of those, either. My Grandma used to make them and my DH would just gobble them right up - not leaving one morsel left for poor Grandpa! ;)
Believe me when I say, I understand completely the stress of working full-time and trying to balance that with everything else on our plates. I don't work out of the house anymore, but my job keeps me working from "son up to son down" and often long past that! I'm a homeschooling stay-at-home Mom, and some would think I'd have all the time in the world to make all kinds of extravagant desserts all for Christmas; but sometimes, like this year, I just don't... and I hate that. Sometimes I have to break down and admit it: I'm only human. "Hello. I'm Nini. I cheat with holiday treats sometimes. I'm a Holiday Treat Cheater." But no apologies here! Who cares - they're delicious!!! *<|;)}
Hugs - And Merry Christmas!
Nini
P.S. If any of you have a nice "holiday treat cheat" you'd like to share, please be sure to send it on to all of us, too! The more, the merrier!
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
Edited by - Ninibini on Dec 20 2010 12:56:57 PM |
|
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2010 : 4:39:50 PM
|
Oh NINI!
I am definitely going to try the TRIFLE...I LOVE trifle and I just noticed my trifle bowl when I was scrounging around looking for ornaments in the basement. Thank you for posting dear friend!
Melody
Farmgirl #525 |
 |
|
|
Penny Wise
True Blue Farmgirl
1903 Posts
Margo
Elyria
OH
USA
1903 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2010 : 5:42:11 PM
|
nini i read this earlier and knew the name to the cookie but it wouldn't come to my tongue--it's Anginetti by Stella D'oro......i've been making them for about 20 years!!! can
t always find them in the store.....they are wonderful...addictive....need to be refrigerated and will last if made ahead so long as you don't let anyone in the frig!!!!
i love your ideas and the honesty!
Farmgirl # 2139
~*~ counting my pennies and biding my time; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
|
|
|
natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2010 : 6:18:40 PM
|
I'm a cheater too! I give out 'homemade' candy each year. I have a small chocolate melter and it gets a workout. I dip every kind of marshmallow I can find, plus pretzels, potato chips, dried fruit, fresh fruit, cookies, brownies, and crackers. The large marshmallows get a sucker stick in them and sometimes rolled in crushed graham crackers. The crackers get crushed peppermints sprinkled on top. The cookies are store bought butter cookies.
I do make molasses cookies from scratch, but they take 5 minutes to put together and the kids love to ball up and roll the dough in sugar to bake by themselves. I have added white chocolate chips to them this year for a little change.
I wonder how they would taste dipped in chocolate? I'll have to try it. My DH teases me that he's gonna come home from work to find the cats have been dipped and boxed up for someone! LOL!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
|
|
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2010 : 8:18:45 PM
|
Nini,
This past weekend I made many, many "mini" yellow cakes with a pineapple cream cheese filling and butter cream frosting- anyway...I had quite a bit left over and so I put it in a zip lock bag and froze it for later use. If you come across the cookie recipe you mentioned above please let me know-I will be able to use the filling for the cookies!
Thank you!!
Mel |
|
|
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2010 : 8:24:20 PM
|
WOO HOO!!
Just found this on "Uncle Paedrus, Finder of Lost Recipes web site...
Anginetti Cookies
Makes about 24
For the cookies:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
For the icing:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl beat sugar, vanilla, lemon peel and 6 tablespoons
of butter with an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs one
at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat for
1 minute.
Stir in flour and baking powder (will be a soft, sticky dough).
Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip.
Pipe 2-inch diameter rings onto the parchment paper.
Wet your fingertips and press ends of each ring together to form
a smooth ring. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
To make icing: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Add
sugar, water, lemon juice and vanilla and whisk until sugar melts
and mixture is heated through. If icing is too thick to brush easily,
add more water to thin. Remove cookies from oven and immediately
brush warm icing over hot cookies. Cool iced cookies on sheet for
2 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
Melody
Farmgirl #525
|
|
|
|
Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2010 : 9:09:26 PM
|
Oh good grief. I just finished reading your list, Nini, to my dear, not-supposed-to-eat-any-sugar hubby and we are both drooling. He isn't diabetic, but is battling fungus infections. Ya think he could go off the wagon just for the weekend?!! That trifle sounds absolutely amazing. But then, so does everything else! I'm cutting and pasting and making some choices.
My cheating includes pillsbury crescent rolls, big marshmallows, cinnamon, melted butter and powdered sugar. I separate the crescent rolls. Then I dip a marshmallow in melted butter, roll it in cinnamon and put it in the middle of a roll. I pull the points of the roll up to meet each other and pinch all seams shut. When all of the rolls are filled, I bake them according to package directions, checking on them because sometimes they don't take as long. When they come out of the over, I let them cool on a rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar. When you bite into them, they are hollow and cinnamony. :-)
And can I guess which tea you drink with your snowflake cookie??!! :-)
Mary Beth
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
|
|
|
delicia
True Blue Farmgirl
917 Posts
delicia
cincinnati
ohio
USA
917 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 09:46:33 AM
|
From a fellow cheater.. It is so freeing to come out.. I am definitely going with your ham recipe...
d |
|
|
|
SDPogue
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
Sara
Pullman
Washington
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 10:24:59 AM
|
I boil our ham in coke - something I saw on food network. It makes it really sweet and give a wonderful broth. If I am feeling really savy then I bake it with a brown sugar "crust" after I boil it just to give it a crisp exterior but mostly we eat it boiled.
My son created a wonderful version of dump cake for a contest this summer (his cake got rave reviews but he still didn't win - maybe next year).
Anyway - put a thick layer of brown sugar on the bottom of your pan (we used a dutch oven). Top with a can of peaches. Top with a yellow cake mix. Pour over a can of ginger ale (can mix slightly). Bake. If you do it in the oven then bake at 350-400 degrees.
Sara |
|
|
|
Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 1:03:52 PM
|
Oh WOW! Where do I begin?! YES! Anginetti! That's it! THANK YOU, Margo! I looked for them in the grocery store last night, but nuttin... I'll try another store tomorrow night... OR just try Melody's recipe for the cookies! OMGosh! I never even THOUGHT to make them! Thanks SO much, Mel!!! Maybe they'll have to wait until New Year's though - maybe for my foster kids' wedding! There we go!!! That cake with the pineapple cream cheese filling and buttercream frosting sounds awesome, too... I'm going to ask her if that might be a cake she'd like for the wedding. YUM!
Here's the recipe for the stuffed Anginettis - I'm telling you, Margo's right - they might not last! You won't be able to stop eating them, so make extras!!!
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 tbsp. sugar
1 lg. (8 oz.) whipped topping
1 lg. (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple
2 lg. bags Stella Doro Anginetti cookies
When cream cheese is soft blend in sugar. Add whipped topping and well drained pineapple to mixture. Slice cookies in half and fill. This recipe may be cut in half.
And Margo, even if I tried to keep my guys out of the fridge with big chains and multiple padlocks, it wouldn't work. My husband's a welder... the cutting torch would be out and tearing into the metal in no time. It's hopeless... I've resolved that whatever I make, there will just have to be plenty of extras on hand. I just don't get why they're so thin and I'm the heavy one... Not fair. Dang it!
Double dang it, now I'M hungry, too! Oh, Angela! Your chocolate dipping escapades sound fantastically fun and delicious! I used to do pretzels, but haven't in years! Now I've got some really great new ideas - especially the marshmallows! What fun the kids must have with all of that! Those molasses cookies sound good, too - especially with the white chocolate! WOW! (oh my gosh my poor hips.. i can already feel the spread coming on...)
Mary Beth! You cracked me up! I never thought about the sugar overload associated with those recipes! LOL! You know, though, I really don't do that type of sugar indulging other than at Christmas and Easter... with a little smattering of chocolate euphoria at Valentine's Day, too, of course! LOL! Please apologize to your DH for me - he has my utmost sympathies. I don't know that I'd recommend a splurge if he's suffering like that... but it's Christmas, so I'll leave that up to both of you!!! LOL! I'm definitely doing those marshmallow-crescent pocket thingies for Christmas! My husband is an absolute marshmallow maniac! He eats "fluff" like it's going out of style - something neither our son nor I can fathom!
And of COURSE, I'll be drinking your Candy Cane tea with my Peppermint Snowflakes! YUM! I tried all three blends of your teas when they arrived and absolutely love each of them - the Oklahoma Prairie Blend is truly my favorite as it is yours - it is going to become a staple in my pantry for sure! The bold, fruity flavor of Sugarplum Cinnamon Spice is delightful, too - when I opened the tin, it was like a heavenly aroma of fruited tea potpourri!!! And the Candy Cane is the absolutely PERFECT blend of black tea and peppermint, Mary Beth. I had three large cups full last night, which really was cheerful, snowy Christmas Spirit in a cup. It's awesome!!! I assure you, I'm addicted to your teas! Thank you Mary Beth and The Oklahoma Pastry Cloth for opening my tastebuds to an entirely new world of delicious, full-bodied loose teas!!!
Delicia - you had me bust out in hearty laughter! 'So glad you're feeling "liberated," girlfriend! I don't think we're bad for cheating every now and then. In a perfect world, it'd all be organic and homemade from scratch - that's my goal, always. But every now and then, we need a little help. Next year, perhaps I'll prepare my doughs and cookies from scratch earlier in the autumn and freeze them, just to help me out in case another set of holiday setbacks arise. All the recipes above can be done with your basic homemade recipes from scratch, and that's usually what I do; but this year I was completely blind-sided and unprepared. I'm still wearing my apron and holding my head high with a little flour on the forehead - so it's all good! :)
And Sara - I've never tried the ham with coke, but our foster son's brother makes his steaks with a coke marinade and swears by it! I'll have to try... We receive a ham from my DH's company every Christmas, so your coke recipe will be what we try next! Your son's dump cake sounds awesome, too! We will definitely try it! Yum! I love trying different ones - you'll have to try apple or pumpkin dump cake, too - soooooo good!!!
Thank you all for sharing ideas and recipes - this is so much fun! But like I said - oh, my poor hips... or what's left of them! Only at the holidays, though, right???
Hugs - Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
Edited by - Ninibini on Dec 21 2010 1:08:21 PM |
|
|
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 1:12:52 PM
|
Get out Nini!
My husband is a welder too! He works for a family owned business that makes cooling units for ships---I tell you what though he works with beautiful metals and the end product looks rather artistic! Isn't that funny both of our husbands are in the same profession?
P.S. Just a little note Nini dear...Santa will be delivering a package to you very, very soon---
GOTCHA!!
Melody |
|
|
|
treelady
True Blue Farmgirl
2320 Posts
Julie
Medina
ND
USA
2320 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 1:34:23 PM
|
On Nini, I tried making the cookie dough early and hiding it in the freezer, my husband can sniff out a cookie, baked or not anywhere. He had been sneaking frozen cookie dough balls out for a month and only left me a few, and than has the audacity to act like I must be loosing my mind if I think I had put that much dough in the freezer. Now I am hiding cookies in the trunk of my car in the garage! Thanks for the recipes, I can't wait to try them.
Julie
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. |
|
|
|
Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 2:04:42 PM
|
Wow! That IS a coincidence, Melody! Can you believe it! We just have so much in common - I bet one day we'll find out we're related somehow, too! LOL! Wouldn't that be something? Amazing, simply amazing! We'll have to "chat" and compare notes after the holidays. I'd love to hear more about your husband's artistic work. And OMGosh, girlfriend, you didn't have to send anything, but I know your heart is so thoughtful, sweet and generous, so thank you from the depths of mine! You're such a great friend! Love you!!!
Oh, Julie! I think we've got something in common, too. I call my husband the cookie hound - I actually use the same term you do - mine sniffs them out every time! I have taken to hiding cookies in tins in the rafters above his head, where he could never even look up and see them, and yet he's sniffed them out and found them! LOL! His sweet tooth knows no bounds, but I am pretty sure I've yet to find him pilfering cookie dough from the freezer... THANK YOU for the heads up - I'll be careful! He doesn't like cole slaw, so maybe I'll borrow some premade cole slaw containers from a neighbor or our church and hide the doughs in those... Oh! They can be so charming and yet so sneaky - just like playful little boys, only with facial hair and much more creative tall tales to cover their tracks... I commiserate with you, and feel your pain! I suppose we'd actually feel bad, though, if they didn't have a hearty admiration for our cooking and baking. 'Guess we'll just have to keep plugging along and do what we do best - just smile, nod, pull out the apron and bake some more! Hang in there!
Holiday hugs - Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
Edited by - Ninibini on Dec 21 2010 2:05:51 PM |
|
|
|
delicia
True Blue Farmgirl
917 Posts
delicia
cincinnati
ohio
USA
917 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 3:56:22 PM
|
Nini, you are the best you crack me up.
delicia |
|
|
|
nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2900 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 4:19:43 PM
|
| I agree delicia, Nini's posts make me SMILE (& feel like eating) |
|
|
|
Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2010 : 8:41:16 PM
|
You girls make ME smile TOO! Merry Christmas!
Delicia - before I forget: did you find the ribbon candy? If not, we're close enough that I can probable still send some and get it to you in time for Friday!! Let me know! :)
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
|
|
| |
Farm Kitchen: No Apologies! Holiday Treat Cheater, Here! |
|
|
|
No Apologies! Holiday Treat Cheater, Here!
