At holiday time, magazines, newspapers, and television shows tout
food gifts. Often these gifts include a pan of some kind, colander,
baking sheet, or muffin tin. They include extras, too, things like
rubber spatulas, measuring spoons, and favorite recipes.
These articles and shows made me think of the food gifts I've given. I chose these recipes because they appeal to many tastes. Lacy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies are delicate and, because they are made with canola oil, contain no cholesterol. They don't contain eggs either.
The loaves of Holiday Coffee Can Bread look pretty, taste great, and can be given in the cans you baked them in. Everyone will love the Sweet Corn Muffins for Sweeties, a perfect companion to soups, salads, chicken, fish, and a host of other foods. Bake them in decorated paper muffin cups for a festive look.
Lacy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies
3/4 cup pre-sifted, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl combine candied cherries, chocolate chips, canola oil, water, brown sugar, vanilla and oatmeal. Stir in dry ingredients and refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto un-greased pans, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let stand for half a minute before removing from pan. Cool and store in airtight container. Makes 3 1/2 dozen.
Holiday Coffee Can Bread
4 cups half white, half wheat flour, divided
1 package quick yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (I use fat-free.)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
2 room temperature eggs, beaten lightly
2 one-pound metal coffee cans and plastic lids
Combine half of the flour with yeast. Stir water, milk, melted butter and sugar together. Add to flour and yeast. Add remaining flour, salt, almonds, cherries, and eggs. Knead the stiff dough on floured board until smooth and elastic. Coat the coffee cans with baking spray. Place half of dough in each can and cover with lid. Let rise in warm place until dough is one inch from can top. Remove lids and bake in 375-degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Makes 2 loaves.
Sweet Corn Muffins for Sweeties
1 cup 2 percent or fat-free milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar or Splenda Blend
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Insert paper liners in muffin tins. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a batter bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, egg, and cornmeal. Add remaining ingredients and stir just until combined. Spoon lumpy batter into muffin cups, filling about 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Makes 1 dozen.
Copyright 2012 by Harriet Hodgson
These articles and shows made me think of the food gifts I've given. I chose these recipes because they appeal to many tastes. Lacy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies are delicate and, because they are made with canola oil, contain no cholesterol. They don't contain eggs either.
The loaves of Holiday Coffee Can Bread look pretty, taste great, and can be given in the cans you baked them in. Everyone will love the Sweet Corn Muffins for Sweeties, a perfect companion to soups, salads, chicken, fish, and a host of other foods. Bake them in decorated paper muffin cups for a festive look.
Lacy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies
3/4 cup pre-sifted, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl combine candied cherries, chocolate chips, canola oil, water, brown sugar, vanilla and oatmeal. Stir in dry ingredients and refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto un-greased pans, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let stand for half a minute before removing from pan. Cool and store in airtight container. Makes 3 1/2 dozen.
Holiday Coffee Can Bread
4 cups half white, half wheat flour, divided
1 package quick yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (I use fat-free.)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
2 room temperature eggs, beaten lightly
2 one-pound metal coffee cans and plastic lids
Combine half of the flour with yeast. Stir water, milk, melted butter and sugar together. Add to flour and yeast. Add remaining flour, salt, almonds, cherries, and eggs. Knead the stiff dough on floured board until smooth and elastic. Coat the coffee cans with baking spray. Place half of dough in each can and cover with lid. Let rise in warm place until dough is one inch from can top. Remove lids and bake in 375-degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Makes 2 loaves.
Sweet Corn Muffins for Sweeties
1 cup 2 percent or fat-free milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar or Splenda Blend
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Insert paper liners in muffin tins. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a batter bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, egg, and cornmeal. Add remaining ingredients and stir just until combined. Spoon lumpy batter into muffin cups, filling about 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Makes 1 dozen.
Copyright 2012 by Harriet Hodgson
http://www.harriethodgson.com
Harriet Hodgson, author of 31 books, was a food writer before she became a health and wellness writer. Her latest released are "Happy Again! Your New and Meaningful Life After Loss" and "Help! I'm Raising My Grandkids: Grandparents Adapting to Life's Surpises." Visit her website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.
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Harriet Hodgson, author of 31 books, was a food writer before she became a health and wellness writer. Her latest released are "Happy Again! Your New and Meaningful Life After Loss" and "Help! I'm Raising My Grandkids: Grandparents Adapting to Life's Surpises." Visit her website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.
