CHRISTMAS baking time....

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

1 pound almonds (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 egg white
1 teaspoon cinnamon syrup, optional
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.   Preheat oven to 250. Lightly grease a 10x15" jellyroll pan.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg white with a fork until frothy.
3.  Add the vanilla and syrup

4.  Add the nuts and stir till well coated. 

5.  Mix the sugars and cinnamon.   Pour over nuts..  Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the prepared pan.

6.  Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until golden. 

Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge 
3 cups of sugar

¾ cup of butter

2/3 eggnog

1 7oz jar of marshmallow crème

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 12oz bag of white chocolate chips

Stir butter, sugar, and milk into a heavy pan and bring to a full boil, boil 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in chocolate stir until all chocolate is melted then mix in vanilla and marshmallow crème. Pour into a buttered 8×8 baking dish, and cool at room temperature.

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1 cup crushed peppermint candy canes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow creme, candy & vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 9x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

3 cups canned pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

4 cups white sugar

6 eggs

4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1  to 1 1/2 cups Milk chocolate chip morsels

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

Cranberry Nut Bread Recipe:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan.
Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf.

Sugar Cookie Kisses

Cream Together:

2/3 C margarine (not butter)          

2 eggs                                              

1 tsp vanilla                                               

2/3 C sugar                                      

1/4 C milk                                        

Mix in:

2 ½ C flour                                      

½ tsp salt                                        

2 ½ tsp baking powder                   

1 bag Hershey kisses - candy cane

green sugar sprinkle

Mix well.  Dough will be gooey.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Roll into walnut size balls.  Coat with sugar.  Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.  As soon as they are removed from oven, push a kiss slightly into the middle of it.

Christmas Dessert  Raspberry Tiramisu

1 cup raspberry flavored Italian soda

1/4 cup raspberry jam, seedless

6 tablespoon(s) Grand Marnier, optional

1 pound(s) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

1 cup(s) heavy cream

1/4 cup(s) granulated sugar

40 dry Italian ladyfingers (2 packages)

3 to4  cups fresh raspberries, (1/2 dry pint each, about 3 3/4 cups total) (can use frozen, byt keep frozen until

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Stir together the syrup, jam and 4 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier in a small bowl to blend.

Stir together the mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier in a large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream & granulated sugar, in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, stir a fourth of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold the remaining whipped cream in to the mascarpone mixture.

Line the bottom of a 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking  dish or other decorative serving dish with a third of the ladyfingers. Spread a third of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers. Spread a third of the mascarpone mixture over the jam mixture, then cover with a third of the fresh raspberries. Repeat layering with the remaining ladyfingers, jam mixture, mascarpone mixture, and raspberries. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Dust the confectioners' sugar over the top and serve.

For added fun, color the whip cream Green!