HOLIDAY RECIPES

Tis The Season... To eat with the holiday spirit!!!

Candy Cane Jello Shots

Ingredients:

	Red Layer:
2 pkgs	(3 Oz. Each) Cherry Jello
1⅓ cups	Boiling Water
⅔ cup	Hot Damn Liquor
	White Layer:
1 can	Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup	Boiling Water, divided
2 pkgs	Knox Gelatin
½ cup	Cold Water
¾ cup	Peppermint Schnapps

Servings: 32 shots

Directions:

Red Layer Instructions: Mix 2 packages cherry flavored jello with 1 1/3 cups boiling water. Stir jello until dissolved. Allow to cool and stir in 2/3 cup liquor.

White Layer Instructions: Mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk with 1/2 cup boiling water. In a small bowl sprinkle 2 packages Knox gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Let stand a few minutes; add remaining 1/2 cup boiling water to dissolve gelatin. Add gelatin mixture to milk mixture and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature; add 3/4 cup peppermint schnapps and stir to combine.

Layering the Jello Shot: Rotate a white layer and then a red layer making sure to refrigerate each layer until set. Garnish each shot with whip cream, crushed candy canes and red sprinkles.

*courtesy of betterreciepes.com*

Kisses Candy Cane Blossoms

Ingredients:
48 Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane Mint Candies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
Red or green sugar crystals, granulated sugar or powdered sugar

Serving size About 4 dozen cookies.

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove wrappers from candies.
2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in red sugar, granulated sugar, powdered sugar or a combination of any of the sugars. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookie is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press a candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Giada De Laurentis's Berry Strata

Ingredients:
•2 tbsp unsalted butter
•3 tbsp honey
•4 large eggs
•1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
•3 tbsp sugar
•1 cup whole milk
•1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
•4 slices bread, torn into 1" pieces (about 4 cups)
•1 10 oz. bag frozen mixed berries, thawed and drained

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat, add honey and stir. Set aside.
2. Place eggs, ricotta and sugar in a large bowl. Using a fork, mix to combine and beat eggs. Add milk, orange juice, butter and honey mixture, and then add bread. Stir to combine. Gently fold in berries.
3. Pour mixture into a two-quart baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake strata until golden on top and baked through, about 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Spoon into dishes and serve.
Serves 6 (with leftovers)

*courtesy of InStyle*

Roasted Garlic and Peppers Pizza

Ingredients:

1 large head garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2−inch−thick rings
1/3 cup oil−packed sun−dried tomatoes, drained, oil reserved
1 − 12 inch pizza dough shell (uncooked)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers from jar, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.

Directions:

Slice top off garlic head; place in small baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.Brush baking sheet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place onion slices on sheet and brush onion with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Bake garlic and onion until garlic cloves are light brown and soft and onion is tender, about 45 minutes.
Remove from oven; let cool.
Using fingers, squeeze out roasted garlic cloves into food processor; add sun−dried tomatoes. Using on/off turns, process until almost smooth, adding enough reserved oil form sun−dried tomatoes to form paste. (Onions and garlic mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Prepare pizza dough of choice and have it ready to be topped. Spread garlic paste evenly over crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, onion, pepper strips and feta cheese. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons basil and 1 tablespoon parsley.
Bake pizza until crust is golden brown and cheese bubbles. Transfer to cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and 1 tablespoon parsley. Cut into wedges and serve.

*courtesy of bestcrhistmasreciepes.org*

Candy Cane Cocktail



Ingredients

• 1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish
• 2 ounces strawberry vodka
• 4 dashes white creme de menthe
• 2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
• Ice cubes

Directions

1. Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.

Eggnog

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 12 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup bourbon, (optional)
• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• Grated nutmeg, (optional)

Directions

1. In medium saucepan, whisk milk and sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks. Whisking constantly, pour hot mixture into yolks in a slow and steady stream.
2. Return mixture to pan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, 20 to 25 minutes; do not let simmer. Quickly strain into a bowl. Stir in bourbon, if desired, and cream. Cool completely; cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with nutmeg, if desired.

*both drinks courtrsy of marthastewart.com*