Christmas and Monkey Bread

I always make monkey bread for christmas morning, for those of you who don't know what that is, it's like sticky buns, but I make it out of pillsbury buttermilk biscuits. You cut them in 1/4ths and shake them in a mixture of 1 cup sugar and 2 tsps cinnamon and put in a bundt pan or I use two foil cake pans, but layer pecans throughout the dough, then you take 1/2 cup of sugar/cinnamon mixture, 1/2 cup of brown sugar and two sticks of butter and melt to a boil and pour over the pan, bake at 350 for 30 mins. it's delicious!

Last Minute Shopping

Today I think I'm finally finished my Christmas shopping. I got Holly's pajamas at Target today, christmas deer pattern. It's always been a tradition in my family to leave a present of pajamas beside the bedroom door to be opened first and worn on Christmas morning. I remember loving that part, my sisters and I would get into one of our rooms and open them together, put them on, then wake up mom and dad. We were not allowed to go downstairs until my mom and dad were already down there, dad got his coffee, and the christmas music was turned on. The music was our signal it was OK to go downstairs.

I've been carrying on this tradition with Holly since she was old enough to open a package. She looks forward to it just as I did when I was a kid.

Kemi

Last Minute

Fudge bombed....

Well my fudge didn't set, it almost set, but it won't come out of the pan in one piece because it's soft in the middle. I used a candy thermometer but my pot or the stove would not allow the chocolate to reach higher than 225. I need a different pot I think, this is a non-stick pot, I think I should be using a regular saucepan, not non-stick. I will try again one more time.

Kemi

Frosted Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

Before and after

These are soooo yummy, it's hard for me to know they are in the freezer and not go and EAT THEM! I only ate two of them last night, I was a good girl. I also made a batch of Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies last night, they are also delicious. Tonight I attempt to make the fudge. I'm feeling confident!

Kemi

Frosted Sugar Cookie Cutouts and Gritty Fudge

Today Holly and I are making frosted sugar cookies, these are a tradition in my family since I can remember. These days though I use the Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Sacks and use the cut-outs recipe on the back, they actually taste exactly like my mom's scratch sugar cookies. I also cheat on the frosting by using store bought icing instead of making my own butter cream frosting. I separate it into three bowls and make red, green, and blue frosting. I have a large collection of christmas cookie cutters, some are those old metal ones. I have my favorites and plan to make at least 4 dozen cookies. Fudge is also a tradition, old fashioned fudge, the gritty kind that dissolves in your mouth like sugar. It's my grandfather's recipe and probably his mom's recipe before that. I shared that recipe with Rene last year. I will attempt a batch of fudge tomorrow, it's sail or fail with this recipe, but this time I finally have a candy thermometer so I will know the exact temperature to pull off the stovetop and pour in a pan. If you don't have the precise temperature it won't set and we usually throw it back in the pan and try again. I'd love to make my first batch that set on the first try. Wish us luck!

Kemi

Cinnamon Pecan Muffins Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

TOPPING:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and mix together with a wire whisk, then stir in the chopped pecans. Mix the egg, milk and oil in another bowl, then stir into the dry ingredients to moisten. Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin cups (fill about halfway). Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done.

For topping combine the sugar and cinnamon. Brush the tops of the warm muffins with butter and dip the top of muffin into sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Enjoy! Makes 12.