Red Velvet-Peppermint Swirl Brownies

This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Southern Living magazine. I love Red Velvet Cake (be sure to check out that recipe too!) and I needed something festive to take to a party. Well, cake is nice be not as easy to serve and eat when it’s more of a grazing thing going on.

I couldn’t resist giving this a try. The photo made it look yummy. And it is. Even with everything that went wrong. LOL I didn’t have Peppermint extract. I added crushed peppermints. It seemed to work. I’ll know when I actually buy some Peppermint extract and make them again. Oh, and I had to retrieve utensils -- and wash them -- more times than I can say. But it all worked out and I managed to laugh through it all. The brownies were worth it all.

Red Velvet-Peppermint Swirl Brownies

1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
¾ cup butter
2 ¼ cups sugar, divided
4 large eggs
1 (1 oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 13-x-9-inch pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in 2 cups sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Add food coloring, peppermint extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gently stir in 1 ½ cups flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese and remaining ¼ cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg whites and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until blended. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls over batter in pan; gently swirl with a knife.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles. Gently remove foil; cut brownies into squares.

Makes about 2 dozen. (I cut them into smaller, bite-size pieces)

Lemon Light Fruit Dip

I totally love fruit. And it’s good for you, which is always a plus. But sometimes you need something extra to make it festive, like when you’re taking it to your Sunday School Class party. That’s tonight. I think it’s wonderful. But the true test will come when I find out if everyone else likes it too.

This recipe comes from Pillsbury. I found it in the December 1998 Holiday Appetizers & Desserts book.

Lemon Light Fruit Dip

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon honey

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to blend flavors. Serve with cut-up fresh fruit.

Makes 1 ½ cups.

Holiday Squares Florentine

I have no idea how long I’ve had this recipe or where it originally came from. It just works great when you need to serve an appetizer that’s a little different but easy to do.

Holiday Squares Florentine

4 eggs, beaten
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, WELL drained and minced
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
¼ cup minced green onions
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except crescent rolls; mix well.

Unroll crescent rolls, but do not separate. Press into bottom of 13-inch by 9-inch buttered baking pan. Press seems together. Spread spinach mixture over dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Makes 50 appetizers

Zesty Orange Cookie Cups

I found this recipe Wednesday in the commissary, right there in the holiday baking section. Doesn’t it look wonderful? I can’t wait until the FFA oranges come in and I try it. Be sure to check out all the recipes at tollhouse.com.

Zesty Orange Cookie Cups

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups al-purpose flour
2 cups (12-oz pkg.) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE PREMIER WHITE MORSELS
2 large eggs
1 can (14-oz.) NESTLE CARNATION SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
½ to ¾ teaspoon orange extract
1 tablespoon grated orange peel (1 medium orange)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 48 mini-muffin cups

Beat butter and sugar with wire whisk. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and orange extract. Spoon almost a measuring tablespoon of mixture into each muffin cup, filling about ¾ full.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until centers are puffed and edges are just beginning to brown. Upon removing from oven, gently run knife around each cup.

While still warm, top each cup with 8 to 10 morsels (they will soften and retain their shape). Cool completely in pans on wire racks.

With tip of knife, remove cookie cups from muffin pans. Top with grated orange peel just before serving. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Makes 48 cookie cups.

Triple Layer Chocolate Bars

This is another wonderful recipe from the folks at HERSHEY’S and EAGLE Brand. And it’s easy! And did I mention that it’s chocolate? Yeah. Perfect to take off from home or save for yourself.

Triple Layer Chocolate Bars

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa, divided
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (14-oz.) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup chopped nuts
2 cups (12-oz. package) HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine crumbs, ¼ cup cocoa, sugar and butter. Press firmly on bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In large mixer bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk, flour, remaining ¼ cup cocoa, egg, vanilla and baking powder. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly over prepared crust. Top with chips.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set. Cool. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes 24 to 36 bars.

Easy Karo Pecan Pie

I’m not sure it’s possible to have a holiday meal without Pecan Pie. At least not in the Deep South. It’s one of those staples we always see. Of course, that doesn’t mean that every Pecan Pie is good. This recipe is from a Karo advertisement a long time ago. Karo syrup makes a big difference in pecan pies so be sure to give this recipe a try.

Easy Karo Pecan Pie

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Karo light or dark corn syrup
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups pecan halves
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

In large bowl, stir together eggs, Karo syrup, sugar, margarine and vanilla until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into shell.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool.

Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Follow recipe for Easy Karo Pecan Pie. Melt 4 squares (1-oz. each) semisweet chocolate with margarine.

Heavenly Ambrosia

This recipe comes from the November 1990 Redbook magazine. Ambrosia is a favorite around our family table during the holidays.

Heavenly Ambrosia

1 fresh, ripe pineapple, 3 to 3 ½ lbs., peeled, cored and cut into about ten ½-inch slices, or one 20-oz. can sliced pineapple, drained
10 seedless oranges
2 large, firm, ripe bananas, about 1 lb., cut into ½-inch slices, about 1 ½ cups
1 ½ cups grated coconut, fresh or frozen, or one 3 ½-oz. can flaked coconut, toasted
¼ cup maraschino cherries, stemmed and halved

Place pineapple in large bowl.

Peel oranges with small sharp knife, removing orange skin and all white pith; slice thinly and add juice and all to bowl with pineapple.

Toss bananas, coconut and cherries gently but thoroughly with fruit in bowl.

Serve ambrosia in large, deep platter or bowl.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

To prepare fresh grated coconut, pierce “eyes” of one small coconut with ice-pick or nail; drain off and discard clear liquid. Bake coconut in preheated 375 degree oven about 20 minutes until shell cracks. Tap shell with hammer to loosen meat; tap hard to crack shell open. Remove coconut meat from shell; peel off brown skin with small sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Cut meat into 1-inch chunks; grate in food processor or with hand grater. Store unused coconut in airtight plastic bag in freezer up to 6 months.

To toast coconut, heat dry 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add coconut; cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently until golden. Cool before using.