Cranberry Orange Scones-What's Baking?

   This month the What’s Baking? Challenge was to make something new for the new year. I was super excited about this challenge because I had already decided to make scones for a winter book challenge and scones are something I’ve never made before. I’ve often wanted to make scones just because I hear they go wonderfully with tea or coffee.

   I really like these cranberry orange scones. They are a little lighter and fluffier then your typical scone, though they still get crunchy on the outside. The cranberries really stand out in the recipe with hints of the orange as well. The scones are great for breakfast or as a snack with tea and coffee.

Cranberry Orange Scones (adapted from Plum Pudding Murder and Sweet as Sugar Cookies  )

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
½ c. sugar
4 T. butter
3 T. applesauce
2/3 c. low fat milk
1 egg, beaten
1 c. dried cranberries
Zest of 1 orange

3 T. fresh squeezed orange juice (from zested orange)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Mix well. In a smaller bowl combine milk, butter, applesauce, and beaten egg. Slowly stir into the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together.

3. Top the dough with the orange zest and orange juice. Fold in the cranberries.

4. Form the dough into a ball and place on a floured cutting board. Pat it into a circle about ½ inch thick. Cut into 12 or 16 wedges using a sharp knife coated in flour.

5. Place wedges on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until the tops just begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack.

This post linked to:

Tuesday Night Supper Club, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Tuesdays at the Table, Real Food Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday, Sweets for Saturday

Salt and Vinegar Pork Chops

   My brother got me I’m Just Here for the Food 2.0 by Alton Brown for Christmas. Not only is this book full of interesting cooking facts, it also has some tasty recipes. I was very intrigued by the salt and vinegar crusted pork that was in the book. It calls for 1 bone-in rib pork chop, but I went with the boneless pork chops I had in the refrigerator.

   The pork chops are coated in flour, egg, and then the potato chips. They are fried up for color then put into the oven. When they came out they were golden brown looked crispy. The flavor was bold and I didn’t need any additional sauce paired with this tasty chop. It was crunchy, salty, with a hint of the vinegar. A unique twist on breaded pork chops, we’ll definitely be making this one again!

Salt and Vinegar Pork Chops (adapted from Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here for the Food 2.0)

6 oz. salt and vinegar potato chips
1 egg
4 pork chops (boneless, about ¾” thick)
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
½ c. flour
2 T. olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Take out 3 shallow dishes and set them on the counter.

2. In one dish mix the flour, salt, and pepper. In the second dish put the beaten egg. In the last dish place the crushed up potato chips.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Dredge the pork chops into the flour shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg mixture then put in the chips. Gently pat the chips onto the pork chops and shake off excess. Put in the pan.

4. Fry the pork chops for 1 minute on each side, just until they begin to brown. Transfer to a baking pan.

5. Bake for 20 minutes.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Mommy's Kitchen,

 Let's Get Social Hop!, Your Recipe, My Kitchen

Steelers vrs. Ravens-Smiley Cookie Pack!

   My awesome mother sent my husband and I a treat for the weekend.  It's Eat N Park's rival pack of smiley cookies!  We don't have an Eat N Park near us and I absolutely love Smiley Cookies.  Included in the rival pack are 1 dozen Ravens cookies (for Frank) and 1 dozen Steelers cookies (for me!)  Smiley cookies, BBQ chicken dip, and Steelers football-it's going to be a fun weekend!  Let's go STEELERS!

BBQ Chicken Dip

  This weekend is the big game.  My Pittsburgh Steelers vrs. my husband's Baltimore Ravens.  It's always an exciting match up during the year but when we play in the play-offs it's chaos at our house.  That means food, friends, and fun!  I've got my standard appetizers and game day treats but this time I wanted to try something a little different.

   The North Park Clubhouse in Pittsburgh has this awesome BBQ chicken dip that they serve with multi-colored tortilla chips.  I've looked around for a recipe that is similar but came up with nothing.  I experimented and came up with a dip that tastes just like the one I had at NPC.  It is an awesome alternative to buffalo chicken dip.

  The dip is a creamy cheese dip with hints of bar-b-que sauce topped with bar-b-que chicken then topped with melted cheddar cheese.  It is sweet, spicy, and cheesy-perfect for a party appetizer or a game day snack.  It can be made the morning of and refrigerated for up to 12 hours before baking.

BBQ Chicken Dip (a Hezzi-D original)

1 1/2 c. shredded chicken (or 1 (12.5 oz) can of chunk chicken)
1 c. sweet BBQ sauce (like Sonny's or Sweet Baby Rays)
1 (8oz) package of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/4 c. low fat ranch dressing
1/4 c. light sour cream
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
2 c. cheddar cheese


1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  In an 8 x 8 baking dish mix the cream cheese, ranch dressing, sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and 3 tablespoons of the BBQ sauce.  Mix well and spread evenly into the pan.

3.  In a small skillet heat the chicken and the remaining bar-b-que sauce.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce cooks into the chicken.  Spread evenly on top of the cream cheese mixture.

4.  Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes and serve with tortilla chips and crackers.

Note:  This dish can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours after assembling.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.  Cook directly from refrigerator for 20 minutes.

**This dish can also be doubled and put into a crock-pot on low for up to 4 hours**

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

  This yummy quiche recipe is great to make for a brunch or as a side dish for dinner.  I actually made this one as a side for Christmas dinner and people seemed to like it.  The bacon adds flavor and a touch of salt to an otherwise vegetables quiche.  Spinach and mushrooms are my favorite vegetables to use in this quiche, but any combination of vegetables can be used.


Spinach and Bacon Quiche (adapted from allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/spinach-quiche/Detail.aspx )

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pound fresh spinach, stems pulled off and chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
8 oz (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 t. oregano
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
3 eggs + 1 egg white, beaten
1 c. low fat milk

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.  In a medium skillet melt the butter.  Add the garlic and onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Add in the spinach and mushrooms and continue cooking for 4 additional minutes.

3.  Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the feta, half the cheddar cheese, bacon, salt, pepper, and oregano.  Mix until just combined.  Pour into pie crust.

4.  In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, egg white, and milk.  Pour over top of the vegetable mixture in the pie crust. 

5.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven, top with other half of cheddar cheese, and return to oven for additional 30-35 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before cutting.

This post linked to:

Tuesday's at the Table

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Real Food Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Baked Pineapple

   This is one of my all time favorite side dishes that my mom makes.  She only makes it at Christmas and Easter which may be one of the reasons why I love it so much.  This year I helped her make it for Christmas.  I'm sure this dish is great anytime, but it goes especially well with ham.

  It consists of pineapple, fresh bread, milk, eggs, and spices.  It bakes up into a bread casserole that has sweet bursts of pineapple with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.  This dish quickly became a favorite of my entire family and we look forward to eating it at the holidays.

Baked Pineapple (recipe adapted from my mom's recipe)

12 slices of fresh white bread, broken into 1 inch pieces
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 c. (1 stick) melted butter
1/2 c. low fat milk
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar, butter, and milk.  Stir in the pineapple and juice.  Add in the cinnamon and nutmeg.

3.  Put the bread pieces in the bowl and stir until just combined.  Spread into the prepared pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. 

4.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Serve warm or cold.

This post is linked to:

Potluck Sundays

Not Baaad Sundays
Frugal Antics
Meatless Mondays
What's on Your Plate?!

The Best Baked Corn

  This recipe was released to the public in December.  For years Dean Koontz talked about his wifes' famous baked corn dish.  I'm not really a huge fan of corn but since I am an avid reader of his books I decided to make this as a side dish.  I wasn't sure what I expected but this wasn't it.

  The sauce looks like an Alfredo but is much sweeter.  It baked into a sweet corn quiche-type side dish.  It was just ok.  A little to sweet of a side dish for me.  The reviews from my family were mixed.  Some people really liked it and others thought it was just ok.  It's different and would be good for families that like sweeter vegetable dishes. 

Best Baked Corn  (recipe adapted from Dean Koontz http://www.food.com/recipe/best-baked-corn-dean-koontz-444556 )

1 c. low fat milk, divided
2 T. butter
2 T. sugar
3 T. flour
1 15-oz. can of corn (whole and drained)
2 eggs (well beaten)
1 t. pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray an 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Bring 3/4 c. milk, butter, and sugar to a boil over medium high heat.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the remaining 1/4 c. milk until dissolved.  Whisk the flour mixture into the boiling milk until smooth.  This will make a white sauce.

4.  Pour the corn into the prepared dish and sprinkle with pepper.  Pour the milk mixture over top of it and mix well. 

5.  Stir the beaten eggs into the corn mixture and mix well.

6.  Bake for 1 hour.  Serve hot.

This post linked to:

Friday Potluck

What's Cookin in the Kitchen

Frugal Food Thursday

Pumpkin Ravioli with Garlic Butter

I’ve had a recipe for pumpkin ravioli sitting on my couch for the past week just begging to be made. I bought all the ingredients for it at the market this past week but I just haven’t gotten motivated to make it, because I knew it was going to be time consuming. After an especially busy week my Thursday night after work looked clear so I decided to try it out then.


After looking over the recipe I only had to make very minor changes as it looked great! The filling was incredibly easy to make and tasted pretty good. The part that took forever was stuffing the ravioli, sealing it, and then crimping the edges so the filling didn’t fall out. It took me well over an hour to make about 40 ravioli.

The bad news was that I didn’t have a biscuit cutter or a cookie cutter that I could use to cut around the ravioli, so I had to use a knife and cut each one into a circle. The good news is that after I finished all of them I was able to freeze 20 of them for another day.

I decided to make a garlic butter sauce to pour over top of the ravioli’s. While I heated the butter I put garlic bread in the oven and made a tossed salad to go with the ravioli. The last step involved cooking the fresh ravioli. On my first attempt I put 6 ravioli’s in the boiling water. Two of them stuck together and one of the two ended up tearing.

On my second try I put 4 ravioli in the pot and they floated to the top and were perfect. I was easily able to cook a portion for both my husband and I putting 4 raviolis into the pot at a time. They only need to cook for 2-3 minutes, so it’s a very fast process. They looked and smelled good when I put them onto the plates. I topped each pile of ravioli with a spoonful of bubbly garlic butter and served it with a piece of garlic bread.

After my husband’s first bite he told me that this was definitely a meal worth waiting for. The raviolis were delicious! They had a great balance of creamy ricotta cheese and smooth pumpkin. The garlic butter added a little more depth to this savory dish. The flavors in this dish all come together so that neither the cheese, the pumpkin, nor the garlic is too overwhelming. It makes for a lovely fall pasta dish that can be made in advance, frozen, and later showcased at a dinner party.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Garlic Butter (recipe adapted from Jacob’s Kitchen )


1 package wonton wrappers
1 c. part skim ricotta cheese
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ c. pine nuts
½ t. salt

1 t. black pepper

½ t. nutmeg

Garlic Butter:

6 T. butter

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
2 t. oregano
1 t. Italian seasoning

1. Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat to toast. Stir every few minutes. No need to add oil. When the pine nuts begin to brown add the minced garlic cloves plus 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and sauté for two minutes. Remove from heat and chop pine nuts.

2. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, pumpkin, parmesan cheese, garlic cloves & pine nuts, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well then taste. Make any adjustment needed to the filling.

3. On a cutting board line up as many wonton wrappers as possible. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the wrappers. Working on 2-3 ravioli at a time, brush the edges with water and top with another wrapper. Work from the middle, pressing on the filling, to ensure a tight seal. Then cut each ravioli with a knife or a biscuit cutter into a circular shape. Use a fork and crimp the outer edge of the ravioli.

4. If you are freezing any of the ravioli, put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight. In the morning you can remove the raviolis and place in a freezer bag to store in the freezer. These can be frozen for up to one month.

5. Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once it is boiling slip 4-6 raviolis into the water (making sure they don’t touch). When the raviolis begin to float gently lift them from the water with a slotted spoon to drain. Continue on with this process until the desired amount of raviolis is cooked.

6. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. When butter begins to brown add the garlic and herbs. Heat for an additional two minutes, then pour over cooked ravioli and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

This post linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesdays

Real Food Wednesdays

What's on Your Plate Wednesdays?

Cooking Thursday

Recipe Swap Thursday

Fat Camp Friday

Homemade Marshmallows

After making a ton of homemade hot cocoa mix, I was anxious to get started on homemade marshmallows. I am totally in love with marshmallows but have never made them myself. The actual making of the marshmallows wasn’t too bad. I was very excited when during my mixing the clear liquid began to transform into fluffy white clouds.


My first complication came when I tried transferring the mixture from the mixing bowl to the cookie sheet. It was sticky and didn’t want to go anywhere. After several attempts I covered my hands with oil, grabbed the mixture, and spread it out. It took about 3 coatings of oil on my hands but I got it in the pan. The mixture looked wonderful.

The second complication came after I began to cut the marshmallows. Cutting them proved to be easy; dipping each individual marshmallow was the hard part. I was so happy my husband was busy with other things because our entire kitchen was covered in powdered sugar. The sink, the counter, the kitchen table, the floor, and me…EVERYTHING was covered.

In the end, it was a long process but one that was more then worth it. I packaged the marshmallows with cute tags and wrapped them along with the homemade hot cocoa mix. My husband and I tried some of each and it’s true what people say-once you eat a homemade marshmallow you’ll never eat store bought again. The homemade ones melt very slowly in hot cocoa so they are there almost to the end. They also have a better taste-not chalky or syrupy sweet like the store bought ones. I will definitely be making these again, even after the powdered sugar fiasco!

Homemade Marshmallows (recipe from Alton Brown  )

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 c. cold water, divided
1 ½ c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
½ t. salt
1 t. vanilla
½ c. powdered sugar
¼ c. cornstarch
Vegetable oil



1. Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 cookie sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle with the powdered sugar mixture to coat the bottom and sides. Save the rest of the sugar mixture for later.

2. Put the gelatin in the stand mixer mixing bowl with ½ cup cold water. Stir gently.

3. In a small saucepan combine the remaining ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat. Clip a candy thermometer on the side of the saucepan and boil until the temperature reaches 240 degrees, about 10 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.

4. Using the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low. Slowly pour in the sugar mixture. Once all the sugar mixture is in the bowl, turn the mixer on high. Continue to mix until your mixture because very thick and is white, about 15 minutes. Add in the vanilla the last minute of mixing.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pans, using an oiled spatula to spread evenly into the pan. At this point I needed to oil my hands in order to transfer all the mixture to the pans. Dust the top of the marshmallow mixture with the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Let the marshmallows rest uncovered for 4 hours and up to overnight.

6. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1 inch squares using a pizza cutter. Once cut, dip each marshmallow in the remaining sugar and cornstarch mix, covering each cut side. Store in an air tight container for 3 weeks.

Also, my 7-Layer Bars have been nominated for Best in Show at Lamb Around.  Make sure you stop by and vote for them!  http://lambaround.blogspot.com/

This post linked to:

Potluck Sundays

Meatless Mondays

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Tuesdays at the Table

The Best of Hezzi-D 2010

Happy 2011!  I hope everyone had a safe and happy end to 2010.  My husband and I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at The Oxford House with one of our favorite couples and then ended the night watching the ball drop and drinking our favorite champagne.  2010 was an amazing year with my husband and I getting married, going to Hawaii, starting my cooking blog, and many other wonderful events that occured within my circle of friends and family. 

Out of all the recipes I've posted in 2010 here were our top 10:

10.  Meat and Veggie Lasagna- I've always loved lasagna and this one is the perfect balance of meat, cheeses, and vegetables.

9.  Halloween Cakepops- I had never even heard of cakepops before making these cute Halloween treats-now I'm obsessed with Bakerella's book!

8.  General Tso's Chicken-One of our favorite Chinese take out dishes, this is a recipe that is almost as good as the original with spicy chicken, crisp broccoli, and the out of this world sauce!

7.  Cranberry-Apple Mini Pies- I made these for the What's Baking? challenge and they were awesome!  Made in individual muffin cups, they are the perfect size to pick up and bite into-no forks required!  Sweet and tart they were the perfect fall dessert. 

6.  Cuban Pork Chops-After trying Bobby Flay's Cuban sandwich in Vegas I found this recipe for his Cuban pork chops.  They are marinated in a citrus marinade the stuffed with pickels, ham, and cheese.  An awesome grilled meal. 

5.  Hot and Sour Soup-We make this soup at least twice a month.  It's vegetarian, it's easy to make, and it's actually better then the hot and sour soups we've had in Chinese restaurants.  Served with eggrolls it makes a hearty, mostly healthy meal.

4.  Hummingbird Cupcakes- After seeing several gorgeous Hummingbird cakes on other blogs I tried making the cupcakes.  They are sweet, fruity, and so pretty!

3.  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies-Rich, chocolatey brownies with warm chocolate chip cookies in the middle of them topped with a sweet chocolate ganache; need I say more?

2.  Jalapeno Popper Dip-This spicy dip won over my friends and family this fall when I took it to my mom's house.  A spicy dip full of cheeses and jalepenos that tastes great with tortilla chips, crackers, or veggies.

1.  Christmas Stollen Wreath-This was the December Daring Baker's challenge.  This fruit and nut bread was a show stopper that I made several times over the holidays.  It's beautiful to look at and tastes amazing.  It's great for a brunch or as a dessert.

This post linked to:

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Hot Cocoa Mix

I’ve recently seen a ton of recipes for homemade hot cocoa mix and thought that it was a fabulous idea, especially since I just got a new recipe for homemade marshmallows. I found several recipes using sugar and powdered cocoa but that didn’t sound all that appealing to me. I finally saw one recipe that had actual chocolate pieces chopped up into it.


I chopped the chocolate with one of my Henckel knives then put it into my brand new Food Network food processor to grind it to a fine powder. It worked like a charm. Frank and I each had a cup of hot cocoa, made with milk, right after I made it. The hot cocoa is rich, creamy, and definitely chocolaty. It’s much better then the powdered stuff I buy at the market.

This also makes a great gift when packaged with a cute tag and a bag of homemade marshmallows.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix (adapted from Foodie Bride )

4 c. sugar

10 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Ghirardelli)

4 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups Dutch process cocoa

1. Chop the chocolates into small pieces. Add to the food processor and pulse at 5 second intervals until it turns into a powder.

2. Pour the sugar into a large freezer bag. Add in the chocolates as well as the cocoa. Seal the bag and shake to mix.

3. Add 2 tablespoons of hot cocoa mix to 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) hot milk. Stir well and enjoy!

**Hot cocoa mix stays fresh for 6 months if kept in an airtight container.**

This post linked to:

Friday Potluck

Simple Lives Thursday

What's Cookin' in the Kitchen

Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker

Cauliflower Cheese Pie with Potato Crust

I’ve been wanting to make a cauliflower cheese pie for a few weeks now. Cauliflower was on sale this week so I bought a large head in hopes of finally making this vegetable dish. My husband is not real fond of cauliflower, but I thought if I could disguise it with some cheese he might eat it. Then last week I saw a recipe that used potatoes as a crust for a vegetable pie. We love potatoes so I thought I’d combine the two recipes and have a cauliflower cheese pie with the potato crust.

I won’t lie; this recipe takes a while to make. I had to start it an hour and a half before we were having dinner. It wasn’t hard to make, just time consuming. However, when I pulled the final product out of the oven both Frank and I were drooling over the cheesy goodness and the delicious smell.

The first bite was hot, creamy, and cheesy with a crispy crust. I could taste the soft cauliflower in a cheese herb mixture baked in the crispy potato crust with a mound of cheese on top. The result was a great tasting vegetable dish. Even my husband enjoyed the flavors of this veggie cheese pie.

I will be making this dish again, but next time I’ll make sure we have company over. While this dish is great when it is right out of the oven, it’s just ok when it’s reheated the day. The crispy potato crust gets softer and the flavor just isn’t the same. This recipe makes too much for the two of us to eat in one sitting, but I think it would be perfect for a holiday dinner or a dinner party.

Cauliflower Cheese Pie with Potato Crust (adapted from Branny Boils Over)


Crust:

2 c. shredded raw potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes)

1 medium onion, grated

1 t. salt
1 egg, beaten

Filling:

2 T. butter
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t. thyme
1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 ¼ c. part skim milk cheddar cheese
¼ c. parmesan cheese
½ t. salt
2 eggs
¼ c. low fat milk
1 t. black pepper
1 t. smoked paprika


1. Preheat the oven to 400 degree. Spray a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine potatoes, medium onion, salt, and egg in a bowl. Mix. Pat into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Cook for 30 minutes then spritz with cooking spray. Bake 15 more minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute, stirring. Add the time, cauliflower, and salt. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes.

4. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and pepper. Add milk slowly.

5. Spread half of the cheddar cheese on the crust. Top with cauliflower mix then the rest of the cheddar cheese. Pour egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and paprika on top.

6. Bake 35-40 minutes.

This post linked to:

What's on Your Plate?!

Real Food Wednesdays

What's Cooking Wednesday?

Recipe Swap Thursday

Homemade Tea and Coffee Blends

I always enjoy making homemade gifts for friends, relatives, and co-workers for the holidays. I generally make cookies, candy, or cakes as I love to bake. This year I decided to make my own coffee and tea blends. Most everyone I know like either coffee or tea and I thought this would be a fun sampler to receive.

I put the blends in mini zip top bags and then printed out custom labels on the computer for each blend. I bought tins to put the tea mixes in and gave them with a tea ball and a jar of honey. I also bought tins for the coffee. I either gave the coffee with two mugs and chocolate, or a jar of creamer and chocolate. These mixes are easy to create and you can really mix any flavor you can think of! Get creative! My only word of advice is to try the blend yourself before you give it to anyone as a gift.

Tea Blends (my own creation)

Lemon Black Tea Blend:

1 c. loose black tea

1 T. dried lemon peel
1 t. lemon extract
1. Put the black tea into a bowl. Add in the lemon peel and lemon extract. Stir well. Let sit for 10 minutes to dry then package in a zip top bag or place in a tin.

Citrus Green Tea Blend:

1 c. loose green tea
1 T. dried orange peel

1 T. dried lemon peel

½ t. cinnamon

1 T. dried cherries (optional)

1. Place the green tea in a bowl. Add in the orange and lemon peels. Sprinkle in the cinnamon. Add cherries if desired. Mix well and package in a zip top bag or a tin.

Coffee Blends (my own creation)

Vanilla Medium Blend:

1 c. medium roast ground coffee

1 t. vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean

1. Scrape out half of a vanilla bean and put it in a bowl. Add the ground coffee and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. Let dry for 1 hour. Package in zip top bag or an air tight tin.

Pumpkin Spice Blend:

1 c. mild roast ground coffee (I use breakfast blend)
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. cinnamon

1. Put all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and package in zip top bags or air tight tins.


Peppermint Mocha Blend:

1 c. mild roast ground coffee (I use breakfast blend)
3 T. milk chocolate chips
1 t. cocoa powder
2 t. peppermint extract
1. Put the chocolate chips and ground coffee into a food processor and mix until the chips are ground. Place in a bowl. Add in the cocoa powder and peppermint extract and mix well. Let dry for 10 minutes then package in zip top bags or air tight tins.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays

Not Baaad Sundays

Tuesdays at the Table

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Wonderful People, Wonderful Presents

   I have the most amazing family and friends.  Seriously.  This Christmas was wonderful.  My husband and I began our holiday trek Friday morning, stopping in Morgantown to get all weather floor mats for my brand new Subaru.  We then stopped and had lunch at one of my favorite "big salad" places, Texas Roadhouse.  From there we went to Barnes and Noble and Starbucks.  Finally we made it to the Embassy Suites in Pittsburgh where we would be spending the night.  The Embassy Suites rock-they had an awesome managers reception with drinks, chips, veggie platters, and a cheese tray in the evening.  We ended Christmas Eve at the candlelight service at my hometown church with my mom, dad, and brother.

   Christmas morning started off with a wonderful cooked to order breakfast at the hotel.  We then packed it up and went to my parents to open gifts.  Afterwards I helped my mom cook dinner and my entire extended family came over for dinner, desserts, and presents.  My Christmas Stollen Wreath was a huge hit!

   I'd like to take a few minutes to thank my friends and family for making my Christmas so wonderful.  In addition to spending time with my family, friends, and husband, I received some awesome books and new cooking gear!  Since those are the that pertain to my blog, I thought I'd share them with you:-)

  From my Nest Book Club secret Santa I received 3 new books:

-Mum's the Word by Kate Collins

-Murder Past Due by Miranda James

-Kiss by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

From my parents I received an e-reader!  I'm very excited to try it.  It's the Literati which is powered by Kobo.

I also received a gift card to Barnes and Noble.

On the cooking side this year I received a TON of cookbooks!  I am so excited to get cooking from them.

-Cooking Light The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook

-Williams-Sonoma Cookbook

-Alton Brown cookbook

-Baking by Dorie Greenspan

-What's Cooking? Baking

I've been dying for some new recipe holders as well.  They are very difficult to find because many people save their recipes online now.  I have 3 places online I save them, but really, it's so much easier to cook from a hard copy.  My parents found wooden boxes and my dad stained them to make 2 beautiful recipe boxes. My husband ended up finding a really cool looking red recipe box from Martha Stewart.

My fabulous What's Cooking?  Secret Santa (hbkises) made me all kinds of homemade goodies.  I received homemade hot cocoa mix, homemade spiced hot tea mix, homemade pepper jelly, and a jar of potato soup mix!  The fabric she put on the jars is so pretty!

Finally, I did receive a few kitchen gadgets.  My husband got me a micro plane and a zester.  My cousin gave me a brownie pop pan.

Thank you to all the wonderful people in my life who made this a wonderful Christmas.  I can't wait to read my new books, make some new recipes, and use my new gadgets.  Thank you!

**What was your favorite cooking or book gift this holiday?  Leave me a comment and let me know!**