Okay, question: I know Red Velvet cake is a southern thing, but what's special about it other than being red? Or is the red just it?

Well, red velvet cake tastes sort of like devil's food cake, since it's got chocolate in it. And it's usually really moist with yummy cream cheese frosting and pecans on top. I guess it's the novelty of having a red cake that makes it fun to eat? Besides being delicious, of course.

Super duper easy, not technically cookies but more of a truffle:

1 package Oreos
1 package cream cheese (can use fat free or low fat, doesn't matter)
2 containers of baker's chocolate (the ones you can microwave)

Pulverize Oreos however you'd like (food process is the easiest)

Dump in a bowl. Dump in the cream cheese. Roll up your sleeves, and get to squishing the two together.

Next, roll into small balls (size is up to you). If it's too sticky, stick the "dough" in the fridge for 15 minutes. Roll into balls, then dip in the melted chocolate. Set on wax paper. For some color, put sprinkles on top - the little sugar crystals look pretty. Put them in the fridge to set. They also freeze well.

THESE ARE FRIGGIN AMAZING! And really easy.

oh wow - i'm really hungry now! gotta try this one, seems to easy to be true! lol

I may include this in my candy making. I'm already making vanilla buttercream candies dipped in milk chocolate. But these sound super easy and good. I think I'm making the cake/cool whip cookies also.

Wouldn't they taste killer dipped in white chocolate? It reminds me of the lovely white chocolate oreos that they only sell this time of year!

also how many balls do you usually make from this recipe? A ballpark estimation is fine :)

I bet they would be awesome with white chocolate. I LOVE LOVE LOVE those white chocolate covered oreos.

I wish I could give you a ballpark, but it can vary every day- my ball sizes are not even *insert snarky comment here*

I usually make a double back and I wind up with tons and tons but they always get eaten. Sorry I can't give more of an estimate. This was just a word of mouth recipe passed on to me from an old coworker!

You simply cannot do hoilday baking with out snickerdoodles. Best cookies ever.

And my mom makes an eggnog pie that brings people to their knees. Seriously. They all just rave about her famous pie. It is really good.

First, Red Velvet Cake is a delicious experience, not just a dessert. If you're not excited by it, someone didn't make it right.

Eggnog pie - I'd LOVE that recipe!!

Lastly, I know people whose last name is Kingelkine - nicest people you'd ever meet. They had a cat named Snickerdoodle. Wouldn't you have just loved to have been at the vet's when they brought the cat in? "Next is Snickerdoodle Kingelkine!"

Why did I not think to name my cat Snickerdoodle?! I love that name! Maybe it should be her middle name....Madison Snickerdoodle....lol maybe not.

Anyway, I love that story.:)

Here you go....

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
60 maraschino cherries with stems (do not use fresh cherries)
24 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped, or 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Butter or margarine for greasing the pan and the cookie sheet


First off- drain the cherry juice from the jars of cherries, refill the jars with vodka. Let soak no more than 24 hours. The original recipe I have says to soak at least 24 hours, I soaked the first batch for 48hrs- tried the cherries (sounded like a good snack!) and they had fermented. ICK!!! So, less time in the vodka!!!

PREPARING THE FONDANT
Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.
Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, stir gently over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup comes to a boil.
Clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan and cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 F (soft ball).
Immediately pour the hot syrup into the prepared 9 X 13-inch pan. Let the syrup cool undisturbed until the bottom of the pan feels lukewarm to the touch.
Using a heavy wooden spoon, stir the lukewarm mixture -until it forms a ball. Some of this fondant may stick to the 9 X 13-inch pan. The fondant may also seize into a very hard ball that is impossible to stir. In any case, seal the ball of fondant into a 1-gallon plastic Ziploc bag, removing as much air from the bag as possible. Let the fondant rest 1 minute before continuing.
With the fondant sealed in the plastic bag, roll the candy with the heel of your hand, pressing down toward the counter. Continue this light kneading motion until the fondant looks smooth and creamy and feels like a firm cookie dough, about 10 minutes. Set the fondant aside, wrapped in plastic, while you prepare the cherries. The fondant can be made up to a week ahead of time and kept well wrapped in the refrigerator.

FIRST DIPPING
Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid. Place the cherries on paper towels to absorb any excess liquid.
Butter a large cookie sheet. Line it with wax paper and set it aside.
Place the fondant in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. If you don't have a double boiler, simply place the fondant in a. medium bowl that fits snugly over a pot of simmering water. Stir the fondant until it melts. Rest a candy thermometer in the melted fondant and continue to stir gently, working around the thermometer, until the fondant reaches 150 F. Turn off the heat.
Stir in 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reserved cherry liquid to give the fondant a pink color and a mild cherry flavor. Should the fondant fall below 150 F, turn the heat on low and bring the water back to a simmer just until the temperature of the fondant rises back to 150 F.
To dip, hold one cherry by the stem and quickly dip it into the melted fondant to cover the cherry. Avoid getting fondant on the stem. Place the dipped cherry on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining cherries until all are dipped. Stir the fondant occasionally. If the fondant becomes too thick as you dip, add more cherry liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a thinner consistency is reached. Set the dipped cherries aside while preparing the chocolate for dipping.

SECOND DIPPING
Melt 12 ounces of the semisweet chocolate in the top of a clean double boiler set over hot water. If you don't have a double boiler, simply place the chocolate in a bowl that fits snugly over a pot of hot water.
When the chocolate has melted completely, remove the top part of the double boiler or the bowl from the hot water. Add the remaining 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate and stir until all of the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Insert a candy thermometer or chocolate thermometer into the melted chocolate. Its temperature should be 88 to 90 F. If the chocolate is too cold, place it back over the hot water until the temperature reaches 88 to 90 F. If it is too hot, let it cool until the desired temperature is reached.
Hold one fondant-covered cherry by the stem and dip it into the melted chocolate to cover the pink candy coating. Repeat the process with the remaining cherries until all are dipped. Stir the chocolate occasionally.
Let the cherries sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Place them in the refrigerator overnight, and the chocolate will harden while the centers liquefy.
Store the cherries in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!! :)

I made these tonight -- super easy and so yummy

Peanut clusters

1 bag Reese's peanut butter chips
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 c peanuts

Melt peanut butter chips and chocolate chips in microwave (check every 30 seconds or so to make sure they don't scorch). Stir in peanuts. Drop by tablespoon onto wax paper or aluminum foil. Let set until firm -- about 30 minutes.

I made one batch with 1 c peanuts and 1 c marshmallows, those turned out really good, too.

Posting this recipe for a cake that one of my sisters brought to our alumnae club meeting Wednesday night. It was incredibly good!

CANDY CAKE



4 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces (** I RECOMMEND DOUBLING THIS **)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine (** I RECOMMEND BUTTER AND DOUBLING THIS ALSO **)

1 bag (10.5 oz) miniature marshmallows

6 cups crispy rice cereal (6 oz)

1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts

1 cup M&Ms Mini Baking Bits (** I RECOMMEND USING REGULAR PLAIN M&Ms **)



* Spray 10-12 cup fluted baking pan (such as a Bundt) with nonstick cooking spray

* In large bowl, heat chocolate and butter in microwave oven on High 1 minute, stirring once during heating. Remove from microwave; stir chocolate mixture until melted and smooth. Add marshmallows to mixture. Heat in microwave on High 1 minute longer; stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.

* Add cereal, peanuts and M&Ms to chocolate mixture. Stir until all ingredients are coated and mixture is well-combined.

* Transfer cereal mixture to prepared pan, pressing mixture down with fingertips. Let stand at least 1 hour to set chocolate (in warm weather, refrigerate to set).

* To unmold, with knife or metal spatula, loosen cake from side of pan; invert onto serving plate. Cut into slices and serve. Store in covered container at room temperature up to 3 days.

thank you so much for the vodka choclate c herries.

I got my Kitchen aide mixer last yr for christmas and I LOOOOOOVE IT! mixing is sooo much easier then by hand.


WHat is the recipe for Egg nog pie?


I love truly love my grandma's handed down recipe of red velvet cake. That cheesecake recipe i am going to have to try....nothing is better then Cream cheese!:)

While I normally don't bake with a mix or refridged dough, especially at holiday time, I can't get my gingerbread to come out good. It is always too crispy.
I bought the Pilsbury sheets of gingerbread. The directions called 8-11minutes baking, I baked mine for 7 minutes. I just tried one, granted they are 10 minutes out of the over, they were soft. Hopefully they stay that way. I wrapped them up real well hoping to keep them soft.

Put a piece of bread in with the cookies. It keeps them soft....I'm not sure why but it does. I even used a tortilla in a pinch when I didn't have any bread and it worked.