Sugar Plum: December 2009

Cinnamon-Apple-Butterscotch Muffins

This is my last post of 2009. 2010, here I come! 2009 flew by fast, didn't it? It was an interesting, happy, sad, and exciting year. I wonder how I will feel when I look back at it years from now. So what happened to me in 2009?

- I was on Food Network's Ultimate Recipe Showdown.

- I bought my first KitchenAid Mixer.

- I competed in the Top Chef-Quaker Oats Quickfire challenge.

- I was a judge at the Great American Pie Show in Branson, Missouri, and met Al Roker!

- I went fishing for the first time!

- I went to Las Vegas with Eric!

- I lost someone who I loved dearly.

- I had a grand-old time at the fair.

- I went to New York City with my mom!

- I ate Levain Cookies. Mmm.

- I went to Fresno, California for the POM Blogger Harvest Tour.

- I had a blast on Halloween with Guy Fieri.

... and a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas with my friends and family.

What does 2010 hold?? Flying cars? Will we finally be able to live on the moon?
Will Rosie O'Donnell settle down with her new gal pal? Only time will tell....

How has YOUR year gone? Heck, how has your decade gone? You know where I was in 2000? I was in eighth grade. Miserable, except in art class. And I think I wore Abercrombie and Doc Martens and listened to Sugar Ray.

I wish I had some sort of new year's treat for you, but unfortunately I'm making the treats and drinks today, so I'll have to post the recipes later on. These are Cinnamon-Apple-Butterscotch Muffins, and they're very tasty. They have applesauce, apple, butterscotch chips, toasted pecans and oats in them. I know that's a lot of ingredients for a muffin, but the flavors meld really well together. Perfect for fall and winter. Perfect for New Year's Day breakfast!

Have a happy and safe new year, everyone! See you in the year 2010. Peace be with you.

Cinnamon-Apple-Butterscotch Muffins (By Me)
Printable Recipe

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup applesauce
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk
3/4 cup finely chopped apples
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 12 Texas-sized muffin cups with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk in oats and butterscotch chips until combined. In a large bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy, about 1 minute; beat in applesauce, eggs and vanilla until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until combined - about 1-2 minutes. Stir in apple and pecans until combined.

Divide batter into muffin cups. I pressed dried apples into the surface, but that's optional, of course - and then I drizzled them with maple syrup and sprinkled the muffin tops with cinnamon-sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, before running a knife around outside edges and removing muffins onto wire racks to cool.

Makes 12 big muffins

S'mores Crème Brûlée

I'm still in a bit of a Christmas daze. Is it really over? How did that happen? It went by so fast...
What day is it? What time is it? Where am I and how did I get here? Why do I have Reese's peanut butter cup smeared on my hoodie?

I'm telling you, I'm in a Christmas haze and I don't know how to pull myself out of it. I wish the holidays could last all year long. Sigh. Oh well. At least we still have New Years. Snacks galore! Bugles! Chicken in a Biskit! Mini quiches, here I come.

Here's a quick recap of my Christmas:

We actually had a white Christmas, because it snowed on Christmas Eve and made the roads slick. After opening presents with Eric's family, I was lucky enough to attend their big breakfast buffet that they have every year, where I tried my first sausage ball and Honeybaked Ham.

So then we went to my family's house and opened up stockings and Christmas presents, smelling like sausage balls. Highlights in the stocking included an Archie comic (yes!), candy, coffee and a Goldie Hawn movie. Highlights in the presents included dishes and props for food photo shoots, new coat, baking supplies, and GUESS WHAT? Eric bought me a light refector kit for photo shoots! Just what I wanted, and I didn't even have to tell him. That's a mighty fine boyfriend.

But my favorite present would have to be my grandma's: a lazy susan basket-thing. Or as I like to call it - a spinny basket. I don't know what to do with this thing. I stuck it under my bed for the time being.

Remember years ago when I told you about the Mexican apron that my Grandma bought me?Well, my younger sister got one for her very own on Christmas! She was absolutely thrilled with her gift.

My nephew Jayden loved the punching bag that I got him. You should see him attack it. It's perfect for him because he has so much energy.

Dinner was Mr. Yens, and it couldn't have been more perfect. :) I think this needs to be a new tradition!

This was a really great Christmas. It was nice and relaxed and fun. You can come over next year if you want to. We have games, champagne, cigars and a hot tub.

S'mores Crème Brûlée really doesn't have anything to do with Christmas or New Years, unfortunately. The only reason I'm posting this now is because I made it months ago, and also because this is a pretty indulgent dessert, so it's best to make it and eat it now before everyone goes on diets.

I love how simple and delicious crème brûlée is. I love it in its plain form, but I also love it flavored with chocolate, graham cracker crumbs and broiled marshmallows.

S'mores Crème Brûlée (By Me)
Printable Recipe

2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place 6 ramekins in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with hot water, until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Heat cream, chocolate and sugar, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, whisking frequently, until chocolate is melted. Whisk yolks and vanilla together in a medium mixing bowl until combined. Gradually whisk hot cream into eggs, until combined.

Divide mixture into ramekins. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until custard barely wobbles. Remove from oven, remove ramekins from water and cool five minutes.

Preheat oven broiler. Sprinkle tops of custards evenly with graham cracker crumbs, followed by mini marshmallows. Broil custards a few seconds until marshmallows brown. Cool for 30 minutes before placing in the refrigerator until chilled completely - about 1-2 hours.

Makes 6 servings

Cashew-Caramel Popcorn Toffee

Merry Christmas!

Let the merrymaking begin!

I meant to get this post up yesterday, but I ran out of time. So I'm blogging at 1:00 AM on Christmas Day! Yessss. I've never blogged on Christmas before.

Are you ready?

Are your presents wrapped?

Are your lights and rastafarian flag up?

Are the stockings hung by the chimney with care?

Do you have all of the Christmas goodies made? Chocolate peanut butter Ritz=amazing.

Sugar cookie baking!

Such a good helper.

I'm giving these to my family. I hope they like them...

Yup. I'm all ready here. It's time for bed now. Santa will be here soon...

Here's one of my favorite holiday treats: Cashew-Caramel Popcorn Toffee - caramel popcorn topped with toffee and salted cashews. This stuff is addicting! This is a great way to use up stale caramel popcorn from a popcorn tin. :)

Happy festivus. Good night.

Cashew-Caramel Popcorn Toffee (By Me)
Printable Recipe

2 cups crushed caramel popcorn
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup finely chopped salted cashews, toasted

Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Place popcorn evenly into dish.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; stir in brown sugar and water until combined. Cook mixture, without stirring, for about 8 minutes or until the hot syrup is a deep golden brown. Stir in vanilla and baking soda until combined. Working quickly, pour hot toffee evenly over popcorn. Sprinke cashews over the top.

Cool completely before lifting out foil and slicing

Brie Phyllo Cups with Honeyed Figs & Almonds

D o you know what I have been thinking about today? I've never had fruitcake before. I've heard such horrble things about it. But for some reason, I think I'd like it. I love cake, I love fruit, and I love alcohol.

I won't be baking a fruitcake this year, because I don't think I could get my family to eat it, even though I would. And then I would be left to eat a whole fruitcake by myself.

So, I still haven't decided what I'm making for our Christmas dessert. Time is winding down and I need to figure something out... quick. Any ideas? I really don't feel like baking a cake. I guess it should go along with our dinner, but we don't know what we're having yet. I'm pushing for take-out Chinese food.

I don't want to stress out too much like I did with Thanksgiving. I'm already making my mac and cheese appetizers, and a dessert for Eric's family's Christmas-thing. Thank you for all the sweet congrats about the contest, by the way! I'm very excited!

I made another appetizer the other day for my friend's holiday party, using President Brie Cheese logs. My favorite cheese in the whole wide world is Brie, so I was ecstatic when President asked if they could send me a sample.

This huge box arrived!

Inside were three Brie logs, a cheese board, and little cards and cardholders to display the names of dishes. I don't know what they're called.

This is like, the nicest thing I own. I want to display it.

I made Brie Phyllo Cups with Honeyed Figs & Almonds for my friend's party. I cut out and made little shells out of phyllo dough, filled them with slices of Brie, topped with chopped figs, sliced toasted almonds, and a drizzle of honey. YUM. They were amazing! Figs are perfect for the holidays, I think.

I would definitely recommend this recipe and their cheese. I was worried about the rind on the cheese, because I don't like rind on Brie, but it didn't bother me much. You used to be able to buy phyllo cups, but I'm not sure if you still can. I looked at the grocery store for them and couldn't find any, and made my own, but I recommend using the pre-made shells. MUCH easier.

Here's the spread at the party. The phyllo cups looked out of place, surrounded my chips, peanut butter balls and sugar cookies. Oh well.

It makes me nervous to bring over strange, gourmet food to parties. I should have just brought Triscuits or Wheat Thins.

Have I shown you our Christmas tree yet? Here it is. She's a beauty.

I love our old fashioned ornaments. Some are just made to look old, but some really are! Some of them were my Grandma's. I posted a few of my favorites.
That's all I have for you today. I'll be back with another treat before Christmas.

Brie Phyllo Cups with Honeyed Figs & Almonds (By Me)
Printable Recipe

8 sheets phyllo dough
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 President Brie logs, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
1/2 cup finely chopped dried figs
1/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush a little melted butter into cups of 2 (24-cup) mini-muffin pans.

Fold each sheet of phyllo dough over. Cut rounds using a 2-inch cookie cutter and fit into cups (you should have 2 layers of phyllo per cup). Brush phyllo cups with melted butter. Bake 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden; remove from oven.

Place a slice of brie into each cup, followed by a sprinkling of figs and almonds. Stir together honey and water in a small bowl; drizzle an even amount of honey-water over figs and almonds. Bake 5 minutes or until brie is bubbly. Cool 2 minutes before transferring cups to a serving platter.

Makes 24 cups (8 appetizer servings)

Mint Chocolate Meringues

Thanks everyone for entering the POM apron/juice giveaway, and also for leaving such nice, funny comments. I had a blast reading them.

The three winners are... drumroll please...

-Vivian
-Tracy
-Lisa

Congrats ladies! I hope you enjoy your new aprons! I'm telling you, they make you feel like a natural woman. Email your info to me, and we'll get the prizes shipped to you as soon as possible.

Thank you POM Wonderful for hosting another giveaway!

Are you guys still with me? I have to tell you something.

I've been waiting tables for eight years at the same job. Do you know what gets me through the nights? I think about things I want to cook and bake when I get home from work - whether it's for family, this blog, or contests.

Two weeks ago at work, I dreamt up an idea for an appetizer... little bites of white cheddar mac and cheese baked in mini muffin tins, topped with bacon, white cheddar crackers and melted butter.

I went home, made them, and decided to enter the recipe in an appetizer contest. Remember when I asked you if you could vote for me??

Friday night, I received word that the panel of judges, including chefs from Food Network Kitchens, executives from FoodNetwork.com & Food2 as well as Kelsey Nixon - co-host of Kelsey & Spike Cook, picked my recipe as THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

Oh my goodness! How lucky and blessed am I?! I couldn't believe it! I ran through the house, yelling at the top of my lungs, and then texted Eric the news, which may or may not have had some profanities.

Get this: The Grand Prize winner gets a trip for 2 to New York City for a tour of Food Network Kitchens, a meal with Kelsey Nixon and a year of Food Network Magazine. So I will be going back to my beloved New York City!

Wow. Isn't that incredible?? You know that I will be blogging ALL about the experience. I asked Eric if he would like to go with me, and he has accepted the offer. Yessss. He has never been to New York before!

Thank you to everyone who voted, Food2.com, and Food Network judges! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

This has been a windy post, and I'm sorry about that. Mint Chocolate Meringue cookies were something I invented because I needed to use up the dark chocolate & mint chips, and some egg whites.

I'm not a huge meringue lover, so I was kind of skeptical about these, but guess what? They're good! They're really different... and light. And minty. And Christmasy. I could eat a whole stack of them.

Have a good day! I'll be back with more posts before Christmas.

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues (By Me)
Printable Recipe

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teasoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Nestle Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and grease paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Stir until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form - about 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar mixture and vanilla until well combined, and stiff peaks form - about 2-3 minutes.

Place the meringue into a piping bag and pipe rounds onto cookie sheets; top meringue rounds with chocolate chips. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and leave meringues in oven for an additional 45 minutes. Carefully transfer meringues to wire racks to cool before storing.

Makes 2 dozen meringues

Christmas Jumble Cookies

O hhh these cookies were so good. But first, a little holiday giveaway sponsored by POM!

Pom Wonderful would like to give away an apron and a bottle of juice to three lucky Sugar Plum readers!

An apron!

Yes, a POM apron.

What does it look like?

It looks like this:

Wait, turn up the volume on your computer.

Ready?

Isn't this the best apron ever?! I love it. It empowers me and makes me feel womanly.

Meow.

Wouldn't you like to own one? To win the apron and juice, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post.

Anyone can enter; you don't have to have a blog - just be sure to leave your name and a way to contact you. Also, you can only comment once. The giveaway starts today and ends on Sunday, December 20th at 11:59 PM (CST).

Thank you Jeff & POM for the giveaway!

Christmas Jumble Cookies are the new, hawtest cookies out there. They're very stylish like those POM aprons. And let me tell you, they're just a jumble of good times. It's a chocolate batter with Christmas M&M's, toasted cashews, chopped Oreos, and dark chocolate chips.

These are SO good! I know cashews in the batter seems weird, but don't doubt them. They make the cookie.

Okay, that's all I have for today. I have to start and finish my Christmas shopping today, so wish me good luck. Oh, also, congrats to Oh-Nuts Eric for finishing his finals! He had some tough classes this semester. I'm very proud of him. Good job, caaaaake.

Christmas Jumble Cookies (By Me)
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted, plus an additional 1/4 cup
2/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted salted cashews
2/3 cup coarsely chopped Oreos
1/2 cup Christmas M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla and eggs until combined, about 1 minute; beat in melted chocolate chips until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until combined. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips, cashews, Oreos, and M&M's until combined.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets, about an inch apart. Bake 12-13 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes before transferring cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen