Making Christmas Center Piece Cakes

Step1

Decide how large a centerpiece you want. Do you want 1 center tree or more? 1 cake mix will make 4 to 6 trees, and 1 cake mix will make 60 to 75 mini cupcakes. If only using 1 or 2 trees, I suggest using 1 cake mix. Make the number of tree cakes you need. Now use the rest of the batter to make your mini cupcakes using the baking cups to line your pan with. This helps with clean up later and it's easier to get the cupcakes out of the pan. Cool all completely on a wire rack.

Step2

Prepare your tray or cake plate by covering with a thin layer of white icing for snow, doilies, or some wrapping paper or foil. Ice the tops of all your mini cupcakes white.

Step3

Tint enough icing green to ice your trees. Position the tree cakes on your display platter. Ice trees with green icing using leaf tip. It's best to start at the bottom and work up. This will give you the layered look. Tint the rest of your icing yellow, red, blue, and any other colors you would like.

Step4

Using the writing tip, pipe small dots on trees in different colors for ornaments. I pipe a larger dot on top in yellow for a star. Pipe bows on top of each cupcake. You can use any colors for the bows that you like. Arrange cupcakes around trees as mini presents.

Step5

Optional: Sprinkle with sparkling sugar or shimmering dust to make glisten. Or sprinkle with snowflake candy sprinkles.

How to make Christmas Cherry Cookies

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups
• 3 cups maraschino cherries

Step One

In two bowls, separate the eggs, with yolks in one bowl and whites in the other.

Step Two

In a mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until well blended.

Step Three

Add the syrup and egg yolks and continue beating.

Step Four

Stir in flour. Once that is done, chill for at least an hour and a half.

Step Five

Shape into balls and dip into egg whites. Place them on a cookie sheet and make an indentation. Place a cherry in each cookie.

Step Six

Bake in oven at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden.

Step Seven

Remove from oven and let cool. A very delicious treat indeed!

Tips & Warnings

• You can roll them in pecans or walnuts for added texture.

How to make Yorkshire Pudding

Things You'll Need

• Flour
• Milk
• Eggs
• Oil
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Whisk or Fork or Hand-Blender
• Non-Stick or Glass Pan (6x8 = 4 servings, 12x9 = 6-8 servings, muffin tins)

Step One

Use two people per serving per cup of flour to determine pan size and number. If using muffin tins, do not use baking cups in this recipe. The muffins are great because the pop-up, and you can fill them with crème or custard for a delectable dessert for after dinner!

Step Two

Coat pan(s) with Oil, leaving a tiny layer of oil on the bottom.

Step Three

Place pan(s) with the oil in oven at 350 degrees while oven is pre-heating.

Step Four

While oil is heating in the pans …

In mixing bowl, add flour, milk, and egg(s) (depending on number of people, see Step 1)

Step Five

Mix all ingredients until smooth, you may leave a few little lumps, it won’t hurt too much. Thickness should be a little thinner than pancake batter, but not as thin as crepes.

Step Six

Take the pan(s) out of the oven; oil should be getting bubbly and hot.

Step Seven

Pour the flour, egg, and milk mixture into the pan(s), filling 2/3 full.

Step Eight

Place the pan(s) back in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes (35-40 minutes for higher altitudes).

Step Nine

Pudding should be light golden brown on top, and crispy around the edges. Center should “poof” up, and may settle once taken out of the oven.

Tips & Warnings

• Leftover bread is great with honey for dessert or breakfast with a glass of milk!
• Muffins will have an air pocket in the center, to fill with your favorites, or eat with your main course as your bread.
• Enjoy with ribs, chicken dishes, meatloaf and pasta too!
• Your family will love it and request it often!!

How to make Strawberry Pie

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lb strawberries, washed and sliced
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 pre-baked pie shell
• Whipped cream

Step One

Combine strawberries and sugar in a medium size mixing bowl and let it sit for a few hours until juicy.

Step Two

Drain off juices into a saucepan after several hours. At this point, the strawberries and the juices are separate.

Step Three

Bring the strawberry juice to a boil by placing over a medium-high flame.

Step Four

Add the other ingredients. Stir in the water, butter and cornstarch to your saucepan on the stove. Reduce the flame to medium-low heat.

Step Five

Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes after covering the sauce pan.

Step Six

Stir in the previously separated strawberries when your sauce has cooled slightly.

Step Seven

Place in a pre-baked pie shell. You may use a pre-baked pie shell available in your grocers freezer, or even a graham cracker pie shell, which is also available at your local supermarket, or of course bake your own. Place the strawberry mixture into the pie shell, cover with whipped cream, place in the fridge and serve cold.

How to make Blueberry muffins

Things You'll Need

• Measuring Spoons
• Wire Cooling Rack
• Muffin Pans
• Rubber Spatula
• Groceries
• Measuring cups
• Whisk
• Mixing bowls
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Step One

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Step Two

Generously butter a standard 2 1/2-inch muffin tin or line it with paper liners.

Step Three

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl, stir together and form a well in the center.

Step Four

Beat the egg and milk together in another bowl, then beat in the butter.

Step Five

Pour the wet ingredients and the blueberries into the flour and stir the mixture together slowly only until everything is combined. The mixture should still be lumpy, not smooth.

Step Six

Divide batter between muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 full.

Step Seven

Bake about 20 minutes or until the tops turn golden.

Step Eight

Let the muffins cool in the tins about 5 minutes, then remove them to a rack to finish cooling.

Tips & Warnings

• A standard muffin tin holds a dozen muffins, each one 2 1/2 inches in diameter. You can bake these muffins in smaller tins; just decrease the cooking time and check closely for doneness.
• It's important to let the muffins cool in the tins for a few minutes because they'll steam when they leave the oven, and this steam helps moisten them. But too much steam will turn them soggy, so remove them when they're still hot and finish cooling them outside the tins.

How to make Apple Pie

Things You'll Need

• 4 TB flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Cinammon
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 5 Granny Smith Apples
• Frozen Deep-Dish Pie Crust
• Beaters
• Oven
  
• prep time: 20 min
• cook time: 45 min

Step One

Preheat the oven to 400. Place an oven shelf on the bottom rack of the oven.

Step Two

The apples. Slice the apples into eight slices each. Be sure to cut out the seeds from the middle part of each slice. Peel the apples. Place the apples evenly in the deep dish pie crust.

Step Three

The ingredients. Pour 1 cup heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Pour 4 TB flour on top of the heavy cream. Pour ½ teaspoon of cinnamon on top of the flour.

Step Four

Mix the ingredients. First, mix the ingredients by stirring with a spoon. Then, take some beaters, and “whip” the mixture for about 2 minutes or until the mixture begins to harden.

Step Five

Gently pour the mixture onto the apples in the pie crust. Distribute evenly over the apples.

Step Six

In a separate container, mix 1 Tablespoon sugar with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir together until evenly mixed. Place a thin layer evenly on top of the pie.

Step Seven

Cook the pie. Place the pie on the bottom rack of the pre-heated oven. Cook for about 45 minutes. [Cooking time will vary according to oven.] Remove when edges are golden brown.

Step Eight

Cool the pie. Remove the pie with an oven mitt. Place on a cooling rack for about 20-30 minutes. Cool the pie until the mixture that you placed on top begins to harden. If you cut the pie too early, the pieces will not maintain a shape.

Step Nine

Serve with one scoop ice cream.

Step Ten

Add to the holiday spirit by serving the slices of apple pie on paper plates decorated with the holiday spir

How to make Pumpkin Pie

Things You'll Need

• pie pumpkin
• 1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 9-inch pie shell
• For pie shell:
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup firm unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup ice water

Step One

Cute your pie pumpkin in half and remove the stem. Scoop out the seeds and extra string. Place both halves on a foil lined baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake your pumpkin at 350˚ for about 1.5 hours or until tender. Scoop out the flesh, which should be quite soft and puree the pumpkin using a hand or regular blender

Step Two

After your pumpkin has been prepared, combine together the sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves, ginger and salt. In a separate bowl beat eggs and stir in your dry ingredients as well as your pumpkin. Mix well and slowly add in the evaporated milk while you stir. Make sure the filling is blended and smooth. Preheat your oven to 375˚

Step Three

For your pie shell, combine your flour and sugar together and cut your butter into the flour-sugar mixture. Use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients. Pour in the ice water a little at a time (on low speed) until your mixture begins to clump and hold together. Remove the formed dough from the mixer and sprinkle a bit of flour before wrapping in plastic wrap and refrigerating for an hour. Remove the dough after it has set in the refrigerator and roll out the dough using a pie crust bag or placing it in between wax paper. Place the dough in your pie pan and shape the edges however you like. You can also use scissors to cut off the top edge. Pour your pumpkin mixture into your pie shell.

Step Four

With your oven already pre-heated, bake pie in the middle of the oven for 50 to 65 minutes. Cool and serve with whipped cream with a dash of cinnamon on top. You have just made pumpkin pie from scratch!

Tips & Warnings

• If you would really like to make full use of your pumpkin, why not bake the pumpkin seeds! Remove the string from the seeds, run them under water and put them in a plastic bag. Add about 1 teaspoon of oil (olive oil or grapeseed oil are healthy alternatives) and shake vigorously until all the seeds are coated. Spread them out on a baking sheet and toast them in a 375 degree oven for 12 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with salt and enjoy!