Dec 27, 2023
These bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts are perfect for serving as an appetizer or side dish.
Prep Time: 5 mins • Cook Time: 25 mins • Makes: 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 12 strips bacon
- 12 brussels sprouts
- maple syrup
- black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- On a cutting board, lay out strips of bacon.
- Lightly brush each strip of bacon with maple syrup making sure to coat the entire surface of the meat. Lightly sprinkle with black pepper.
- Starting from the bottom of a strip of bacon, roll up a single Brussels sprout.
- Transfer the bacon-wrapped sprouts to a baking sheet, placing seam side down. Lightly brush the tops of each wrapped Brussels sprouts with more maple syrup and sprinkle on additional pepper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is done and thoroughly cooked.
- Remove from baking tray and place on paper towels to remove excess bacon fat.
- Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.
Dec 27, 2023
These delicious bite-size cheese balls are easy and can be made ahead of time.
Prep Time: 30 mins • Chill time: 4 hours or overnight • Cook Time: 10 mins • Makes: 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 1 4-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained
- 1 to 2 jalapeños, minced (seeds & membranes removed), optional
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 18 ounces bacon, cooked until crisp and finely diced
- 1 ½ cups pecans, toasted and finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- Pretzel sticks
DIRECTIONS
- Combine cheese, mayonnaise, garlic and onion powder, cayenne pepper, pimento, and jalapenos in the bowl of an electric mixer and blend at medium speed until well combined. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- In a medium shallow bowl, combine diced bacon, chopped pecans, and chopped parsley. Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, form heaping tablespoons of the pimento cheese mixture into balls.
- Roll each pimento cheese ball in the mixture of bacon, pecans, and parsley, pressing the coating into the cheese so that it adheres.
- Refrigerate cheese balls until firm, and keep them chilled until ready to serve. Just before serving, skewer each cheese ball with a pretzel stick.
Dec 13, 2023
Prep Time: 45 mins • Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins • Makes: 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie Mix (or make from your own recipe)
- Butter and egg called for on the cookie mix pouch
- 1 pouch cookie icing in white, or make royal icing from scratch
- 12 large marshmallows
- 1 tube Black Decorating Gel
- 1 tube Orange or Red Decorating Gel
DIRECTIONS
- Follow the preparation and baking directions on the sugar cookie pouch for making 12 large cookies.
- On cooled cookies, draw a “snow puddle” with white icing. Draw the outline of the puddle, then go back and fill in the shape.
- While the icing is still wet, immediately place a marshmallow on one side of the cookie.
- Once the icing and marshmallow have set, pipe the arms, mouth, and eyes onto each cookie using black gel.
- Using the orange decorating gel, pipe on the nose, and buttons.
- Allow cookies to set for at least one hour before serving.
Dec 12, 2023
These chocolate-filled pastries are so cute for the holiday season, and so easy to make!
Prep Time: 15 mins • Cook Time: 45 mins • Total Time: 1 hour • Makes: 7 trees
INGREDIENTS
- 2 sheets puff pastry dough (7.3 oz), thawed
- 1/4-1/3 cup of chocolate spread such as Nutella
- powdered sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out 2 sheets of thawed puff pastry. Spread a generous layer of chocolate spread onto one of the puff pastry sheets, covering all corners. Then, add the second sheet on top.
- Use a pizza cutter to make 1-inch wide strips. Save the last end piece for making the stars.
- Roll up a strip of dough accordion-style with a minimum of four layers. Work the layers from a wide tree base to a shorter piece at the top.
- Using a wooden skewer, thread through the center of each dough tree, then place each one on the prepared baking sheet.
- Using a small star cookie cutter, cut out stars on the last strip of dough. Add the star to the top of the skewer of each tree. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Dec 12, 2023
These chocolate-covered pretzel trees are the perfect toppers for festive holiday cupcakes.
Prep Time: 10 mins • Cook Time: 30 mins • Total Time: 40 mins • Serves: 12
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- Green food colouring
- 12 pretzel sticks
- 12 chocolate cupcakes
- White vanilla frosting
- Shredded coconut
- Sprinkles
DIRECTIONS
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Lay out pretzel sticks on the lined baking sheet leaving space between them to drizzle chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate chips.
- To prevent your chocolate from seizing, follow this method before adding colour: Place bottles of food colour into a zip-lock bag, remove as much air as possible, and then seal. Submerge the bag in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. Remove the bag and shake the bottles to distribute the heat. Stir the food colour into the melted chocolate until the desired hue is reached.
- Use a drizzling tip for your piping bag. Fill the bag with melted chocolate.
- Starting about halfway up your pretzel stick, pipe the melted chocolate in the shape of Christmas trees.
- Before the chocolate hardens, add sprinkles, if desired.
- Let the trees cool for 5-10 minutes to harden up.
- Top your cupcakes with the finished trees.
- Using another piping bag filled with vanilla frosting, pipe a mound of frosting around the base of each tree. Sprinkle the coconut over the vanilla frosting.
