Jelly Belly Cupcakes

I bought a big container of Jelly Belly's and wanted to give them to my parents in a cute decorative way for Christmas.  I remembered I had a lot of Christmas cupcake wrappers, so I decided to Jelly Belly cupcakes. 

Christmas is coming and I am getting ready

I started with a gift card and started wrapping it with crepe paper, after several wraps I would add something ex: pop rock candy, small box of jelly bellys, band aids, small container of floss and much much more.  After I wrapped all the items and the crepe paper snowball looked like a ball I covered the ball with tissue paper.  I got the idea here

Monster Cookies

Click here for the free printable cellophane bag tags.  

Ingredients

1 dozen eggs
2 Cups (4sticks) margarine or butter, softened
2 pounds brown sugar
4 cups sugar
1/4 Cup vanilla extract
4(12oz) jars peanut butter
8 teaspoon baking soda
18 Cups quick-cooking oats
2 2/3 Cups chocolate chips
1 pound chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 pound M&M's chocolate candies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat butter, sugars, vanilla, peanut butter and eggs together

Add the baking soda and oatmeal, one cup at a time. Last, add the chocolate chips, M&M's and nuts (optional).  I usually cut the recipe in half but today I made the whole recipe and it is hard work.  Bake for 8 to 14 minutes.  Keep checking.  

Mulled Wine Cider

Recipe Adapted by Barefoot Contessa

Katie did it again!!!!  I love everything she makes but this drink surprised me.   I didn't think I would like this drink because I am not a fan of apple cider.  But I was wrong...I love this drink and can't wait until Christmas.  I am making it for the family.   I can't wait to impress everybody. 

Ingredients

4 cups apple cider

1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

1/4 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, zested and juiced

4 whole cloves

3 star anise

4 oranges, peeled, for garnish

1/4  Cup Grand Marnier

Directions

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

Sugar Cookies

No Fail Sugar Cookies - NFSC

Posted by Jackie on Cake Central

I am so glad I found Cake Central, so many great recipes. 

I always use the No Fail Sugar cookie and the Royal Icing recipes. 

Ingredients

• 6 cups flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar (white granulated)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla, almond or lemon extract or desired flavoring
• 1 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.
2. Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or see Hint below)
3. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees F (176 C) for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges. This recipe can make up to 5-dozen 3" cookies.

HINT: Rolling Out Dough Without the Mess

• Rather than wait for your cookie dough to chill, take the freshly made dough and place a glob between two sheets of parchment paper.
• Roll it out to the desired thickness then place the dough and paper on a cookie sheet and pop it into the refrigerator.
• Continue rolling out your dough between sheets of paper until you have used it all. By the time you are finished, the first batch will be completely chilled and ready to cut.
• Reroll leftover dough and repeat the process!

Royal Icing

4 cups Powdered Sugar
5 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Click here for Royal Icing with egg whites.
Click here for Royal Icing with cream of tartar.

Directions:

Beat powdered sugar and meringue powder together on low and add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the extract (vanilla, lemon or almond) and corn syrup. Keep mixing, scrape the bowl if there is powdered sugar that didn't get mixed in. Turn the beater up to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes. You might have to add more water if you are using this frosting to flood .  Keep icing covered with plastic wrap at all times.

Monster cookies

Click here for the free printable cellophane bag tags.   I love Monster Cookies at Christmas time. 

I think it is because my aunt would send us these cookies in the mail for the holidays.   I use the big scoop from Pampered Chef ... their scoops are the best!!!!

Ingredients

1 dozen eggs
2 Cups (4sticks) margarine or butter, softened
2 pounds brown sugar
4 cups sugar
1/4 Cup vanilla extract
4(12oz) jars peanut butter
8 teaspoon baking soda
18 Cups quick-cooking oats
2 2/3 Cups chocolate chips
1 pound chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 pound M&M's chocolate candies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat butter, sugars, vanilla, peanut butter and eggs together

Add the baking soda and oatmeal, one cup at a time. Last, add the chocolate chips, M&M's and nuts (optional).  I usually cut the recipe in half but today I made the whole recipe and it is hard work.  Bake for 8 to 14 minutes.  Keep checking.  

Cookie Exchanges

 2015 Invitation

2014 Invitation

  2015

 I made the peanut butter filled ritz crackers dipped in

chocolate 2014

 Ione's cute gingerbread cookies from 2015 

These cookies were thin and I thought they would be too hard.  But they weren't.  They had a snap and still a little chewy.  So this cookie would please both gingerbread cookie lovers... the people that like them with a snap and the people that like them chewy.

 Mamma Mia~  This toffee is the BEST!  Such an easy recipe.  Teresa makes it great every time.  I...on the other hand mess up more than get it right.  I don't understand what I am doing wrong.  Teresa and I are following the same recipe but we get two different results.

 This is Teresa 2014, we were are Walmart. She is wearing a Christmas headband but in the picture it looks like it is bigger than it really is.  Most of the stuff hanging by her head is Walmart's ceiling decorations.  She just happens to be standing in the right spot on accident.  I laughed so hard when I saw this picture.

These are too cute...I think Natalie or Leslie made these reindeer.

Karries Amazing Cookies 2013