Thursday, December 17, 2009

Great Holiday Recipes

PanettoneI've been baking like crazy here--I'm in the mood for it and I'm not entirely sure why. Regardless, I've been collecting recipes to try in my del.icio.us bookmarks and here is a sample of some of the best.

1. Panettone
Last year I raved about the French toast I made from this Italian sweet bread and was told that you don't really bake panettone, that it must be bought from an authentic Italian bakery. Well my favorite bread blog, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day posted a recipe and if there's anyone that I trust it's those guys.

Bought the ingredients, will be making it this week.

Chocolate Cobber2. Chocolate Cobbler
I love cobbler. I love chocolate. So I'm pretty sure I'm going to flip for this one. I'm just trying to decide if making it for breakfast Pizza Rollswould make me a bad mom . . .

3. Pizza Egg Rolls
Pretty much anything that uses the word "pizza" as an adjective is going to be A+ with me. I love pizza more than getting mail, more than my minivan, more than having all my laundry clean and folded and put away . . . I just love it.

So these got the thumbs up right away. I'm planning on making them for New Year's Eve--they'll make a great treat while we're playing games and staying up way too late.

Eggs en Cocoote4. Eggs en Cocotte
This is really just a pretty little baked egg in a cup but it looks so fancy and sweet that I'm going to give it a try. I've never fixed eggs like this and while it's simple the presentation is going to make it feel really fancy--which will compensate for the Lucky Charms they typically have for breakfast.

Pofosen5. Pofosen
And speaking of breakfast, this too is going on the menu. It's really just jelly-stuffed French toast but with a fancy European name it feels ridiculously luxurious, like you need to eat it with linen napkins or something. Or rather you need to eat it with linen napkins on your lap. Boy, I almost messed up and got caught advocating napkin eating. Don't let that rumor get started.

Houdini Bars6. Houdini Bars
Yes, as in Harry Houdini. And why are they called Houdini Bars? Because they disappear, silly!

7. Motherload Layered Cookie Bars
And if you haven't succumbed to diabetes yet, just wait until you see these guys.

A layer of cookie, a layer of chocolate, a layer of peanut butter then another layer of chocolate-chip infused cookie topped with stripey chocolate heaven. It does not get more decadent than that folks. My picture space is getting crowded so go look for yourselves. Picky Palate has tons of amazing treat recipes guaranteed to send you running for the insulin. Boy they look good. . . .

The Ultimate Brownie8. The Ultimate Brownie
It may all be a big advertising scam but with a name like that these babies sure caught my attention. Who wouldn't be interested in something claiming to be the mother of all brownies?

They supposedly have taken the original ultimate brownie recipe and made it even better--easier, healthier but without losing the ultimate flavor. If that's true people, I think we have a new World Champion.

Black Bottomed Mini Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites9. Black Bottomed Mini Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
See? Another Picky Palate recipe. Apparently the palates there aren't that picky, as long as it has lots of sugar it's good. I had to check the name about three times before I could type it properly, there were so many modifiers in that title. They're like a five-course meal in one bite.

But I dare you to say that any part of that sounds less than magically appealing. I bet you can pop five or six of those into your mouth before you even realize what you've done.

Creme de Menthe Cupcakes10. Dark Chocolate Creme de Menthe Cupcakes
I'm a huge fan of mint and dark chocolate together--though in an odd twist of fate and despite my addiction to ice cream I cannot stand that green stuff they palm off as mint chocolate chip ice cream at the grocery store. It might as well be full of garden soil for all I know, it tastes nasty. However, if you really want the good stuff stick with the Ben and Jerry's variety that isn't green but very naturally yummy with Girl Scout mint cookies chopped up in it (not to be confused with Girl Scouts chopped up in it--that would be very unnatural and un-PC).

So these cupcakes are right up my ally.

11. Banana White Chocolate Toffee Cookies
I'm not usually a banana fan but if it's baked in enough sugar even I will try it. Add white chocolate and I'm smitten. Add toffee and I'm yours forever. So these too are on the list to try. No picture, go check the link for yourself. They look just like any cookie and not that amazing but I'll bet they taste terrific.

Sausage Bread12. Sausage Bread
No sugar in this one but there's enough fat to truly compensate I'm sure. Sausage, bread, I'm so there with this one. I figure it'll make for a great breakfast if I know my family. A guaranteed home run.

Pop Tarts13. Grown up Pop Tarts
I will not eat pop tarts, they're little more than glorified cardboard and they taste horrible but these? Now these look like something I'd be willing to waste some empty calories on.

14. Sticky Apple Butter Biscuits
And finally, biscuits. I love apple butter--I'd have it more often around here if it wasn't such a pain to make. I bet you could even use applesauce in a pinch though it would certainly give it a different flavor. Boy they look good though.

Sponsored by Pak Naks--decorate your stuff!

24 comments:

Jennifer said...

Did you really say apple butter was a pain to make? Huh? It is the easiest thing in the world in you have a crock pot! Just rough chop the apples and throw them in your crock pot with some spices. Stir every hour or so until you get the consistency you want.

I make and can this on a yearly basis (except for this year, I still had some left from last year).

Unknown said...

Oh, Michelle. You're killing me with these recipe posts!

Mrs. Ohtobe said...

Oh no! I have been baking for a week straight and now you go and show some terrific recipes that I am just going to have to try! They all look so good who could resist baking a few more things!

RoeH said...

I'll take one of everything. Especially the Houdini bars. I'm grabbin' that recipe. Thanks.

Jolanthe said...

Now I am thinking of chocolate for breakfast....sigh

Kathy G said...

Definitely some here I want to try. Thanks.

Shannon said...

All the recipes look fabulous and I will definitely trying some of them. I just made apple butter this week so maybe I will try that recipe first. The house smells do good when it cooks. As for the grown up pop tarts the bakery just down the street from me always has pain au chocolat and it WONDERFUL! Glad to have a recipe so that when I'm not in Germany I can still have my favorite treat.

Cristie said...

What a beautiful blog, so glad I found you. Your holiday line up sounds wonderful!

Janelle said...

I love that those pizza (or whatever!) eggrolls can be baked and not fried -- makes them a little healthier.

And regarding the chocolate cobbler for breakfast, you really need to watch Bill Cosby's "Chocolate cake for breakfast" routine.

jean said...

Chocolate Cobbler! I may faint.

Oh No She DIDN'T said...

I found your blog a few weeks ago and have been loving it! The chocolate cobbler looks like a heavenly combo! xo

Roo said...

I too have been in a baking mood, but your projects are much more industrious than mine. Mine was 6 different batches of cookies in 4 days. I loved it.

Merry Christmas!

Kristen M. said...

Yes to all of these! Yum.

miriama said...

OMG. I hate you. I still have that strawberry truffle bread recipe. I haven't made it because it looks too good and I know that I would eat it ALL. Literally. And now I know what I am making for Christmas brunch. The pofosen, sticky apple butter biscuits, the strawberry bread...sigh. Maybe if I don't eat from now til Christmas.

owlfan said...

I'd love to hear how the panettone comes out. I tried a recipe for it last year - it made quite tasty bread, but it wasn't much like panettone. I have a store bought panettone in the pantry waiting for Christmas morning, but I'd love to be able to bake one myself.

Nick P said...

Once a week, I send out a blast to all of my life insurance agents letting them know some interesting thing that's happening in the industry...but this week, it's going to be Houdini bars. They're going to love it for the holidays!

* said...

Panettone, or rather, Pan Dulce (as they say in Spanish), is delish.

We ate it by the platefuls during the holidays when I lived in Uruguay. Yummy toasted with butter. We have some in our kitchen right now...

Lori said...

Pizza egg rolls! I'm giving that a go for sure! We've been cooking a lot though (I've got a great recipe for pasties on my blog right now) these will have to wait until next weekend!

Thanks for all the seemingly easy, fancy sounding foods. Beautiful pictures, too. If I can get any of my food looking this good then I'll retire.

Nancy A. from Two Mountains said...

...I thought I wasn't hungry before starting to read today's blog but now I think I just gained a few pounds just by checking out these great recipes!! Sounds yummy!

Erin said...

I think I just drooled on my computer. I can't wait to try those black bottom caramel cupcakes!

daysease said...

O my goodness, they all look so scrumptuous!!! I am interested in your link to the panettone bread. Is that okay? And would love to know more about making apple butter. and... yum! Thanks for this post. great, useful ideas... now to utilize them.

Linda said...

Regarding the chocolate crisp for Breakfast... Did you NEVER watch Bill Cosby as a youngster? "Dad is great! He gives us chocolate cake!" After all, as Mr. Cosby said, "Cake has all the necessary ingredients for breakfast. Eggs, wheat (that's from the flour), milk... isn't that what they put in breakfast cereal???" I think you'd be just fine to serve chocolate crisp for breakfast. Not to mention, your children would think you've just fallen from heaven...

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Hey Michelle! Your pannetone is picture perfect. I have got to try it now.

Sammy said...

I have tried to impress my wife for such a long time now with a simple side dish on the menu. But everytime it has resulted in such a failure because I have no knowledge whatsoever about baking. And i know baking is definately much harder than cooking because you have to measure out everything so much. But all of your recipes, especially the simple brownie recipe is so easy to follow. I printed out the brownie recipe and actually tried this out at home and I dont know how I managed to get this turned really good.