Holidays

Hello Everyone !
I hope you all enjoy your holidays ! I probably won't be around much as I have my little grandson (Dawson) coming over to visit for Christmas this year. I am so excited I won't even be able to think straight. I hope to come back next year full of great new recipes to try after things have calmed down from the holidays.

I also want to say thank you to those who follow my little blog. It is one of my little hobbies I enjoy.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a special New Year !
Much love,
Sherrie ♥

Maple Drizzled Apple Muffins

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I thought these turned out so nice I would scrap the page. So we'll see how this comes out when I post it.
These muffins are very nice. The only thing I would do different the next time I make them is I would grate my apple so it distributes more evenly. And I would probably cut the apple amount down to 1 cup as they were very moist. But the taste is out of this world.

Potato Savoyarde

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I tried making this recipe and it's really nice. It's a variation of the Dauphinoise Potato. The main difference is the Dauphinoise potato is made with cream and garlic. This one is made with broth and cheese on top. It turned out wonderfully and I will definitely be making these again (can you say Christmas dinner) They are very easy to make. This picture doesn't do these mouth watering potatoes justice but since I made it I thought I'd post it anyway.

Preheat oven to 200 deg C/ 375F
Serves 2 generously and let's face it if we're not being generous why bother :o)

2 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 can consomme or 1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 egg, beaten
150 grams Gruyers cheese, grated
butter optional
salt and pepper and nutmeg

I coated my baking dish with spray olive oil. Mix all the ingredients above together except the cheese. Transfer to the baking dish, sprinkle over the cheese and dot with butter if desired. Bake 45 minutes or until brown and crispy on top.

NOTE: For additional color sprinkle smoked paprika over the cheese before you bake it. I didn't do it this time but I think even a little liquid smoke would be nice in these.

Raspberry and white chocolate chunk cookies

Heat the oven to 180/c/I made these cookies and they turned out really nice. I didn't add the raspberries as I am not a big fan, but I did add in macadamia nuts instead. This recipe was taken from the Nov 2009 issue of Olive Magazine it is also listed on the Carnation website.

8 ozs/225g unsalted butter

8 oz/225g golden caster sugar

6 ozs/ 170g Carnation Condensed Milk

150g/5 oz white chocolate chopped

175g raspberries

• Heat the oven to 180C/350F


• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and then stir in the condensed milk. Sift in the flour and then work into a soft dough with your hands. Mix in the chocolate


• Take a small ball of dough and flatte nwith your fingers. Place 2-3 raspberries into the center of the cookie and fold-up the sides of the dough to encase the raspberries. Repeat with remaining dough.


• Line baking tray with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil. Space them well apart and bake for 15 - 18 mins or until golden brown at the edges.


• Leave to cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.


• NOTE: The dough without raspberries will keep in the fridge fof 2-3 days or 1 month in the freezer. Freeze in small slightly flattened chunks and bake as required.

Cream of Coconut Cake

I found this recipe on the internet and I don't remember where I got it from so if it's yours please let me know and I will definitely give credit. However, I followed the recipe and it was wayyyyy too sweet for me. The icing that is not the cake. The cake is delicious ! And yes it's made starting with a box cake mix. ;o) And if you are in UK I don't know where to get a plain old white cake mix at. I had one I brought over from home so if you do please let me know. This cake has such a nice flavor you could eat it without any frosting but . . .it sure is nice with it.

1 18.25 ounce package white cake mix

3 large eggs

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 8 oz can cream of coconut (I used 1 can coconut milk)

1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and flour one 9x13x2 inch pan. Combine in large mixing bowl, cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, cream of coconut and sour cream; beat with electric mixer for 4 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 35 - 40 mins, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting. Serves 12

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

4 cups powdered sugar ( I recommend 1/2 to 1 cup)

Coconut for garnish frozen or fresh is okay

Combine cream cheese, vanilla, milk and powdered sugar and beat with electric mixer until smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time.

Frost cake and garnish with coconut.

Bacon & Baked Potato with Blue Cheese Soup

I made this soup and there were no leftovers. I think that says it all. The creamy mild blue cheese is optional. I served it with a crusty baguette. It was delicious. I found this recipe at http://www.kraftfoods.com/ and adjusted it to suit our tastes.

1 tbsp butter/margarine

1/4 c chopped onion or shallot

1/4 c chopped celery

2 c. chicken broth (can use low fat/ low sodium)

1 1/4 c milk (I used 2%)

2 baking potatoes, baked and cubed (1/2 inch)

salt and pepper

8 slices oscar mayer bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled

3/4 c cheddar or creamy blue cheese optional

1 tbsp green onion slices,

1/4 c sour cream

Melt butter in saucepan and add onions and celery and cook and stir 5 mins. or until crisp tender. Add in broth, milk. potatoes and cheese. Stir to mix and then crush potatoes with back of spoon. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

When ready to serve stir in cheese and stir until melted through.

Serve with green onions, some reserved bacon and sour cream if desired.

Notes: I used blue cheese and shallots instead of cheddar and onion. I also left off the celery as I didn't have any. I also whizzed my potatoes instead of crushing them with a spoon. I wanted a smoother soup. As for the bacon you might as well go ahead and cook the whole pack because when you smell it you're gonna want to sample it to make sure it's "soup quality" bacon...lol

Let me know if you like it. This can easily be doubled. The potatoes can be baked days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just take them out and let them come up to room temperature before using. This is a perfect autumn warmer me up soup.

Take 5 Ingredients - Tomato baked eggs

This also appeals to me and is one for my vegetarian friends. It's one of those quick prep and throw it in the oven kinda meals and forget about it until it's done. Another one of the Take 5 Ingredients Recipes for you.



Serves 4, Prep 10 mins, Cook 50 mins



900g/2lb ripe vine tomatoes

3 garlic cloves

4 large free-range eggs

2 tbsp chopped parsley and/or chives



1. Heat oven to 200C/400F. Cut the tomatoes into quarters or thick wedges, depending on their size, then spread them over a fairly shallow 1.5 litre ovenproof dish. Note: The recipe didn't call for greasing the pan but if I make it I will spray it with the cooking spray first.

Peel the garlic , slice thinly and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil, season well and stir everything eogether until the tomatoes are glistening.



2. Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 40 mins until the tomatoes have softened and are tinged brown.



3. Make 4 gaps among the tomatoes and break an egg into each and cover the dish with foil. Return to the oven for 5-10 mins until the eggs are set to your liking. Scatter over the herbs and serve piping hot with thick slices of toast or warm ciabatta bread with a green salad on the side.



204 cal per serving