Spiced Cranberry Punch

Are you having any holiday parties? If you are having a party and need to volunteer to bring something, how about a punch? All you have to do is purchase the items and assemble it at the party. It can not be any easier plus it will give you more time to shop, cook, or sleep. 

I like assembling punch for a party. Children are so cute because they want to pour their own with the ladle. Usually, the children do a very good job. I leave extra napkins by the punch bowl just in case they are needed. The recipe calls for cloves. I liked it and cloves are not my favorite spice. If the party are adults only, you could spike the punch.

Spiced Cranberry Punch
 1 lemon
2 cups 100% cranberry juice, chilled
1 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 (12 oz) can of ginger ale, chilled

Directions:
Slice the lemon in half. Squeeze half of the lemons in a pitcher and slice the other half to garnish the punch.
Combine all the remaining ingredients into the pitcher and mix. 
Garnish with the lemon slices. (orange slices work well too.)

Recipe adapted from Domino Sugar website. .

I used lemon and orange slices

Did you already know..........
-Since 400 B.C., the Chinese have been using cloves.
-There is a written reference about a Chinese emperor. The Chinese emperor wanted his subjects to sweeten their breath with cloves before approaching him.
-Cloves are the unopened and immature flower bud of a clove tree belonging to the plant family Myrtaceae.
-Cloves are native to Indonesia.

Candy Cane Cookies

The moment we see candy canes are being sold, the children want them. They are very specific on the type of candy canes too. They want the traditional peppermint candy canes. They don't ask for the Jolly Rancher Candy Cane or the blueberry ones. The children are so helpful by offering to place them on the tree. I know why. This way they can later reach them and know where to find them.The candy canes are gone within days. If little elves are taking them, I wish the elves would help with a little cleaning too.

When my youngest daughter saw this recipe, she asked me to make it.  I read the review of this cookie and it appeared to be very popular. I was at the store and was talking to a friend. She said she makes this cookie. I figured I would give it a try. My youngest daughter was happy that I did. If you are not a big fan of peppermint, you can substitute almond extract instead.Warning: Dough needs to be refrigerated for at least 4 hours. I refrigerated the dough for 24 hours.

Candy Cane Cookies


1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 egg
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red food color
2 Tbsp finely crushed candy canes
2 Tbsp sugar


Directions:


In a large bowl, mix the sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract, and egg.
Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Divide the dough in half. Set aside one half of the dough.
In the other half of the dough, mix the red food color dye until the color is incorporated.
Wrap the doughs separately and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To shape, take about 1 Tbsp of dough. Roll the dough into long ropes. Repeat with the other color dough.
Press the two colors together and lightly twist.
Place the twisted dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and curve the top to form the candy cane shape.
Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until dough is set and light brown.
While the cookies are cooking, combine the crushed canes with the sugar. Top the cookies once removed from the oven.
Remove the cookies from hot cookie sheet and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Allow the cookies to cool for about 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker website.

Did you already know.............
-In 1670, a German clergyman bent the all white sugar sticks to represent a shepherd's staff.
-To many, the shape of the candy cane also represents the "J" for Jesus.
-In the 1950s, Gregory Keller (a Catholic priest) an automatic machine to produce candy canes.
-There is a website devoted to just the candy cane.


Happy Holidays!

Honey Butter Pork

When you were a child did you make up your own version of games? I did. I liked the game Simon Says but I didn't know any Simon. Since I liked to be boss when I was little (my husband would say as an adult too), I called the game Jen Says. Jen Says stand on one foot. Jen Says to make this recipe. We will see how many of you would win at Jen Says. It is funny since I do not say because Mom said so.

The other day my two youngest children made up their own game. It was an inside freeze tag. Every time our dog Parker walked past them, they were frozen until their sibling unfroze them. Since Parker was just walking in circles, it was pretty easy to predict which child was going to be frozen. My children played this game for quite awhile. They thought it was so funny. It was alright to talk because either they were laughing or calling the other one to unfreeze them.

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin


3 Tbsp butter, unsalted
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cups water


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Trim the fat off the pork tenderloin. 
Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.
Heat a skillet slightly under medium heat.
Add the butter and honey.
Add the pork tenderloin to the skillet.
Brown on each side for about 5 minutes. Stir the honey butter once in a while so it doesn't burn to be used later for the sauce.
Place the pork tenderloin on a cookie sheet and roast for 10 minutes or the pork's internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
Cover the pork with foil and let rest for five minutes.
Warm the honey butter in the skillet and add the water. Stir the sauce and be careful the sauce doesn't burn. Simmer the honey butter until reduced.


Recipe adapted from Momma Hen's Kitchen and originally from food.com.

Did you already know........
-Simon Says is a child game with several players.
-The players are eliminated by either following the command with Simon Says or completing the command in which was not preceding with Simon Says.
-Versions of Simon Says can be found in many cultures since Roman times.
-Simon Says is a healthy way to teach self-control.

Blueberry Muffins

What is your favorite muffin? I would have to say my family loves blueberry muffins. I have made some many blueberry muffins over the years. I have made a brown butter blueberry muffin that is wonderful the day I bake it. It would be my favorite but I don't really like it the next day. Muffins have to taste great the next day since it will our breakfast while we rush out the door. 

 I made these blueberry muffins and they tasted great the next day. I love Maine wild blueberries but they aren't in season right now. So, I used the frozen wild blueberries and the recipe came out so well my youngest ate so many of the muffins I thought she was about to turn into Violet the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
 milk
1 cup blueberries, frozen

Topping ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
Line the muffin tin with muffin liners.
Mix the 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and the 2 tsp baking powder.
Place the vegetable oil in a 1 cup measuring cup. Add the egg and top the cup with milk until the 1 cup measuring cup reaches the 1 cup mark.
Fold in the blueberries.
Fill each muffin cup to the top.
If desired the crumb topping, combine the 1/4 cup sugar, 1/8 cup flour, 1/8 cup of butter, and the 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Mix with a fork and sprinkle on top of the muffins.
Bake the muffins for 20 minutes or until done.
Let cool before serving.

Recipe adapted from allrecipe.

Did you already know...........
-Roald Dahl wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 1964. 
-The book was adapted into the musical film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder.
-In 2005, Tim Burton directed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 
-The main difference is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory focused more on Charlie while Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory focused more on Willy Wonka.
-Mr. Dahl also wrote James and the Giant Peach and Matilda.

Which movie did you like better? 

Russian Tea Cakes

It is always nice to have unexpected company. Every time I think we are going to have a quiet weekend, we have someone visit. I will admit my Dad visits me almost every day. I like when he stops to see us. He likes to give my husband a hard time which my husband thinks he is being abused. Believe me, my husband gives my Dad a hard time back so please do not feel sorry for him. My sisters occasionally stop to see us. My favorite friend visits us often which we like especially the kids since she spoils them and she is one of their favorite people too.

This past weekend we had unexpected company from out of town. I served these cookies to them. I asked them if they were blog worthy and they agreed. My husband liked them so I'm unsure if he knew there were nuts in them. My oldest daughter brought them to school to share and they agreed they are good. I hope you like them too!

Russian Tea Cakes
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 cups of powdered sugar to coat the cookies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix the 1 cup of butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla.
Add the flour, nuts, and salt. Mix until the cookies form a ball.
Roll the dough into one inch balls.
Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet about one inch apart.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until set but not browned.
Let cool for about 1 minute and transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
After a few minutes cooling, roll the cookies in the powdered sugar.
Place the cookies back onto the cooling rack to cool for about four minutes longer and then roll the cookies in the powdered sugar again for a second coating.

Recipe adapted from the Betty Crocker website.

Did you already know................
-The Russian Tea Cake originated from Russian in the 18th century. 
-Catherine the Great was inspired by prevailing French customs began to have tea ceremonies with confections including the Russian Tea Cake.
-Similar cookies can be traced to the Medieval Arabian region before being introduced to Europe by the Moors.