Let's Play With Our Food

The holidays are the perfect time to play with your food. I hope you'll enjoy this delicious macaroon recipe, and these food craft ideas. They should all help to make the season bright and add some wonderful memories too. Enjoy!


Macaroon Snowmen
What You Need
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3-1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup macadamia nuts ( finely ground)
16 (5-inch) wooden skewers
16 mini gift boxes ( available in  the bakery dept)
Cookie sheets
Parchment paper
Cooling racks
Electric mixer
Pretzel sticks
Ribbon or fabric scraps

Before You Start : Preheat oven to 350 ˚Line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Let’s make it! Beat egg whites in a large bowl on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar, extract, and salt, beating to stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Gently fold in 2 cups coconut, then the nuts, until just combined. Roll with damp hands into 32 balls (3/4 inch in diameter) for bottom and middle of snowmen, and 16 balls (1/2 inch in diameter) for the heads. Roll balls in remaining 1-1/2 cups coconut, coating well. Carefully transfer to cookie sheets, placing 1 inch apart. Bake macaroons in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching positions halfway through, until bottoms are pale golden ( about 12 to 15 minutes) Transfer macaroons from cookie sheets to racks and cool completely.
To assemble snowmen: Push 1 skewer into the center of each box and carefully thread 2 of the larger macaroons through the skewer to sit on the box; top with a smaller macaroon for the head. Add pretzels, ribbon,fabric, etc for embellishments if desired. Fill the box with cookies. Makes 16 snowmen.

Gum Drop Trees

What you need
Styrofoam cones
Plastic wrap
Gum drops
Tooth picks
Lets Make them
Wrap the Styrofoam cones with plastic wrap. Insert tooth picks into the gum drops, poke the toothpick covered gum drops into the plastic wrapped trees. Be creative, use different colors add frosting for ribbon. It's edible fun.

Edible Snowman ( post from 2009) Click Here

Candy Cane Bark Two Recipes

Some people call it candy cane or peppermint bark, others call it peppermint brittle, whatever you call it, I know you'll call it yummy. Here are two recipes I hope you'll enjoy making this holiday season. Great to fill holiday tins with and give to friends and neighbors too.

Recipe One

 6  oz. chocolate-flavor candy coating (chopped)

 3  oz. milk chocolate bar (chopped)

 6  oz. vanilla-flavor candy coating (chopped)

 3  oz. white chocolate baking squares (chopped)

1/4  cup ( about four) peppermint candy canes (crushed)

Baking sheet (should accommodate a 10 x 8 rectangle)

Foil

2 Small saucepans  ( thick bottomed)or double boilers

Spatula

Before You Start Line a large baking sheet with foil.

Let’s Make It! In a small saucepan or double boiler, melt chocolate-flavor candy coating and milk chocolate bar, stirring over low heat until smooth. Pour onto baking sheet and spread into a 10x8-inch rectangle; set aside. In another saucepan or double boiler, melt vanilla-flavor candy coating and white chocolate baking squares, stirring over low heat until smooth. Slowly pour white mixture over chocolate mixture on baking sheet. With a thin spatula, swirls white candy mixture into chocolate mixture. Shake baking sheet gently for even thickness. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Chill in refrigerator 30 minutes or until firm. Use foil to lift candy from baking sheet; break candy into pieces.

Katie’s Tid Bits *Try substituting milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and/or white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter for candy coating.

Makes 1-1/4 pounds. Store in air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Or try this simpler recipe using white chocolate…..

What You Need

12 large candy canes

2 Lbs white chocolate ( chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)

1/2 tsp peppermint oil

Large baking sheet ( 11x 17 works well)

Parchment paper

Knife or meat tenderizer and cutting board

Double Boiler

Before You Start Line the baking sheet with parchment; set aside.

Let’s Make It!Using a chef's knife or meat tenderizer, cut or smash candy canes into 1/4" pieces. In the top of a double boiler, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat as soon as the chocolate is melted. Stir candy cane and peppermint oil into the chocolate. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread evenly. Refrigerate until firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Break into pieces, and serve.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Caramel Candy Apple Treats

Try these yummy candy apples this weekend. I added three recipes. Try one or try them all!* note instead of popsicle sticks try using chocolate and candy coated thick pretzel sticks.

Pistachio Chocolate Apples
1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (1-oz) square unsweetened chocolate( coarsely chopped)
6 medium red eating apples such as (Gala, Empire, or Red Delicious)
6 flat wooden Popsicle sticks
1 bar (1.4 oz) chocolate-covered toffee candy (chopped)
3 Tbsp chopped pistachios
In heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat or microwave-safe bowl in microwave oven, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Set aside. Place apples on a tray or plate. Remove stems if present and insert a stick into each through stem end. With teaspoon, spoon melted chocolate over each apple around the stick, letting excess drip down the apple. Sprinkle chocolate with toffee candy and pistachios. Refrigerate apples until chocolate is set.
Caramel Candied Apples
12 crisp apples (Gala, Empire, or Red Delicious)
1 1/3 cups dark corn syrup
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar( packed)
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp vanilla
Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper. Push a popsicle stick halfway through the core of each apple. Combine the syrup, sugars, heavy cream, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the mixture reaches 240˚. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Let cool for 8 to 10 minutes, until caramel thickens to a toffee like consistency. Dip the apples into the caramel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cool completely.
Caramel Apples
12 crisp apples (Gala, Empire, or Red Delicious)
1 1/3 cups dark corn syrup
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Line a baking pan with a generously oiled sheet of parchment paper. Push a candy apple stick into the core of each apple. Combine the syrup, sugars, heavy cream, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the mixture reaches 270 ˚about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and vanilla. Let cool for 6 to 8 minutes, until caramel thickens to a toffeelike consistency. Dip and gently swirl the apples into the caramel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely.

Enjoy, and don't tell your dentist, giggle.

Wordless Wednesday Peeps

Wordless Wednesday Peeps

Seasons Eatings

Seasons Eatings from Go Ask Katie!

I've recently added "Seasons Eatings" to my "Recipes from Katie's Kitchen" category at my website.

Stop by for some delicious holiday treat recipes!

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Candy Canes

Candy Canes

The candy cane, it’s one of Christmas’s “fun foods” you can eat it, decorate with it , put pipe cleaner antlers on it, and lick it until your tongue turns red. It’s one of the “sweetest Symbols, of the holidays.

Candy canes came from the creative minds of European choirmasters, who bent candy sticks into the shape of shepherd hooks to present to children attending the Crèche ceremonies. Candy canes came to America in the 1900’s and a few red stripes were added to the peppermint sticks. I’ve often heard that the three red stripes represent the Holy Trinity. What have you heard? I’ve also heard that the hard candy represents the solid foundation of the church and the peppermint flavor represents the hyssop used by Jesus for purification.

So now you know a little something about the candy cane. It’s not just a fresh breath making treat, or a delicious holiday decoration, it’s symbolic too!

Remember the reason for the season.

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