What a wonderful white Christmas we had at home.  Truly a down home country Christmas filled with family, fun and food. Lotsa good food! A few pics above from my parents house.  It’s like a cabin in the woods 🙂  The tree was brightly lit, the deer even had on his Santa hat, the stockings were hung and the staircase was cheerfully decorated!

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My mom is the best cook ever.  She always makes wonderful meals for us when we are home.  She is so creative with her cooking too!  She loves to try new recipes as much as I do~  She made us Dutch Baby Pancakes for breakfast.  And I made these holiday shaped jello jigglers for the kiddos coming to the party.

Dutch Baby

• 1c. milk
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 c. flour
• 1/4 c. melted butter + 2 Tbsp.
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix eggs, milk, flour, 1/4 c. melted butter, sugar and vanilla in a blender.  Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a cast iron skillet.  Add batter and bake at 375 degrees for 35 min.  Dust with confectioners sugar.

So easy and delicious!  Our favorite thing to do is drizzle with fresh lemon juice~~~

Our Christmas punch with lemon rind cutout garnish~

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Nutella-Mallow Pillow Pockets

• 1 pkg. puff pastry, 2 pastry sheets thawed
• 1 c. Nutella spread
• 1c. mini marshmallows
• Egg white wash: 1 egg whisked with 1 Tbsp. water
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut each square of pastry into 8 equal size pieces.  Spread a couple Tbsp. of Nutella spread onto the center of each pastry leaving 1/2 inch border around edges.  Top each with about 10-12 min marshmallows and fold over to form a triangle.  Crimp edges firmly with the tines of a fork.  Brush with egg white wash then sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Place triangles on parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-24 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown.  Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar and then dig in! 

Recipe originally found here.

YUM!

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Strawberry Kiwi Angel Food Dessert

• 1 large angel food cake cut into pieces
• 1 pkg. prepared vanilla pudding
• Cool Whip for topping
• 4 kiwis peel and cut into pieces
• 2-10oz. pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
• 2 tsp. cornstarch

Drain strawberries, saving the liquid too.  Stir corn starch into liquid and cook to a boil over medium high heat on the stovetop.  Cool  Add strawberries.  Refrigerate.  Place 1/2 of cake in 11×13 glass dish.  Pour half of pudding over cake.  Then layer on kiwis, other half of cake, rest of pudding and cool whip.  Then drizzle with the strawberry mixture.  Assemble just before serving.  Enjoy!

Or you can leave everything seperate and serve it in a row like we did above.  This is my preferred method so that the cake doesn’t get soggy before eating it.  And the leftovers will last alot longer if you do not assemble it beforehand.

Layered in a glass dish though, this dessert looks really pretty and festive!

Original recipe came from Pillsbury back in Dec. 1995.

I did not take a picture of the assembled dessert as I was too quick in eating it due to its deliciousness!

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Two cooks in the kitch!

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Bacon Breadstick Focaccia

• 1 can Pillsbury refrigerated breadsticks (12 breadsticks)
• 1 jar real bacon bits
• `1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley, if desired (I used dried parsley flakes)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll dough; separate into 12 strips.  Starting at center of parchment paper cookie sheet, coil bacon bits and cheese with dough strips into a loose spiral, pinching ends together securely as strips are added.

Drizzle or brush egg over dough using all of egg to fill crevices.  Sprinkle with bacon bits and parsley.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown.  Cut into wedges, serve warm. 

Recipe originally found here.

Enjoy!

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Look who showed up!!!!!!!!!!  S A N T A ~

We enjoyed a wintry white Christmas!

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Rasberry Almond Puff Bites

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 container fresh rasberries
• 1/3 c. powdered sugar
• 3/4 c. whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  On lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry with rolling pin into 12-inch square.  Cut square into 6 rows by 6 rows to make 36 squares.  Place squares 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.  Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.  Cool completely, about 15 min.

Reserve 36 of the smallest raspberries. In small bowl, mash remaining raspberries (about 1/2 cup) with fork. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the powdered sugar. In medium bowl, beat whipping cream, remaining powdered sugar and the almond extract with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold mashed raspberries into whipped cream.

Split each puff pastry square into 2 layers. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the whipped cream mixture on bottom layers; replace tops. Top each square with tiny dollop (about 1/4 teaspoon) whipped cream mixture; add reserved raspberry. (If desired, squares can be refrigerated up to 2 hours at this point.) Just before serving, place reserved powdered sugar in small fine-mesh strainer, and sift over tops of squares.

Enjoy~

Recipe originally found here.

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  We had a full dessert bar with homemade chex mix, snowy yule log, chocolate pretzel rods, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate iced chocolate cookies, cranberry oatmeal cookies, german chocolate trifle, kiss pies, snickerdoodle cookies, white chocolate pretzels and rasberry almond puff bites.

My sister-in-law Kelli made these KISS PIES as an addition to our dessert bar!

Yum!

So many treats, so little time!~!~!

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My totally loving, caring and gracious parents!

Santa Paws~Rebel, Jag and Oakley with their Christmas gear on!  My brother and sister-in-laws doggies.

Kelli and I were totally fashionable with our heels and leggings!

My wild new leopard print furry had with ear flaps and my fluffy new leopard print pj bottoms!

I hope everyone had great Christmas Eve and Christmas day filled with all the things you love!

Happy Holidays from me to you!

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What is the best thing you ate on Christmas Day?