I know Christmas is over...

But this is the beautiful Christmas tree in Montreal Trust Shopping Centre. It is huge!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Today was so cold! I guess Winter is officially here!

Christmas Carrot Cake

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We did - we spent it with family and had a great time!

Too bad my dear brother and his girlfriend were sick - they missed a great party on the 24th! My step-sister had asked for a carrot cake - so that's what she got!! Decided to add some m&ms to decorate!

This is one amazing carrot cake - DELICIOUS!!!

Carrot Cake
food.com
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 3/4 cups white sugar (used 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup vegetable oil (used Canola oil)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts (didn't use in case of allergies)

1 (8 ounce) cans crushed pineapple, drained

FROSTING

1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened (used 1/2 cup)

2 cups icing sugar (used 3 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

2.Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.

3. Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple. Pour into 9x13 inch pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Don't panic, the centre will sink a little.

4.Allow to cool; when cool, ice the cake. You can certainly use your favourite cream cheese frosting to ice this cake, but the one I've included is highly recommended (I usually leave the cake in the 13x9 pan and just ice the top).

5. To make the frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth; add the icing sugar and beat until creamy.

NM Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is my last day at work then I am off for the holidays! Yeah!!

When I was looking for recipes for my Christmas baskets, I knew that I had to bake some chocolate chip cookies. Decided to try Neiman Marcus' recipe... mmmmmmmm!!!

I used chocolate chunks instead of chips to make them even better!

I hope these will be enjoyed by all my friends and family!


Chocolate Chip Cookies
from neimanmarcus

Ingredients 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1 cup light brown sugar 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder (used regular instant coffee) 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (used chocolate chunks) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds) 2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds. 3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips. 4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie. Yield: 2 dozen cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Loaf

I make these every Christmas to give in gift baskets. They are soooo good!!

I rarely use cake mixes, but I started making these when I started Weight Watchers (couldn't believe it was a WW recipe!)


White Chocolate Cranberry Loaf
1 (18 1/4 ounce) boxes white cake mix
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon orange rind
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare 2 loaf pans with cooking spray.

Mix cake mix, flour, and orange peel.

Add egg, egg whites, water, orange juice, and applesauce.

Fold in white chocolate chips.

Fold in cranberries.

Spread batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
 

Chocolate Mini Loaves

These little loaves can be served with a sweet glaze. I didn't make the glaze yet - maybe I will before I give them at Christmas!  and I didn't get a chance to taste a loaf (I think it would have looked bad if a slice was missing off the loaf ;)






Chocolate Mini Loaves
tasteofhome.com

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Glaze
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
5 teaspoon water
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dash salt

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate chips, eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with applesauce just until moistened. Fold in miniature chips.
• Divide batter among five greased 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans, about 1 cup in each. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For glaze, combine the chocolate chips, butter and water in a saucepan; cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Drizzle over cooled loaves. Yield: 5 mini loaves (6 slices each).
  
  Editor's Note: Two 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans may be used; bake for 50-55 minutes.

Nutella Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

I knew I wanted to bake some cookies with some Nutella in them.

When I saw this recipe - I loved the fact that there was Nutella AND chocolate in these cookies!

They were quite easy to prepare and they look delicious (didn't try those but they smelled heavenly!)

They went straight in the freezer before I started eating them all!
nutella-milk-chocolate-chip-cookies

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar (used about 1/2 cup)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup nutella

2 cups milk chocolate chips (used 1 1/2 cups)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Cream sugars and the butter in large bowl until smooth and light in color. Add the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla extract and Nutella.

Add the flour mixture on low speed 1/3 at a time until just mixed. Fold in chocolate chips.

On an ungreased baking sheet, place rounded balls of dough at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes until set but still soft. Let cool on a rack.

3 Day Baking Weekend

What a weekend! I had Friday off and I spent 3 days baking! I hadn't started my Christmas baking yet... next year - I will start in November!!


The first recipe I tried, I found on Two Peas NSBR board. Everyone was raving about these cookies. And I agree - they are delicious!! I just hope they freeze well :)


Cream Cheese Cookies
from BelleMagic from Twopeasinabucket

1 cup butter
1 sm pkg of Cream Cheese (3oz)
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2.5 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese . Slowly add sugar beat until fluffy
Beat in egg yolk, add flour and vanilla. Mix Well. Chill dough
For at least 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 mins.

Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoons of butter
1 tsp. almond extract (get the real stuff not flavored imitation but extract)

ETA: I love almond flavoring so I add a dash to the cookie mix too. I use vanilla and almond in the cookie base the original recipe uses vanilla only.

After I made the frosting I made sure it was mixed really well and than I tasted it and I could have added a tad more milk or extract to taste but I can't remember. I held the cookies upside down and just dipped them in the frosting and the frosting gently settled as they sat there and firmed up. I did made sure they were cool when I frosted them so the frosting stayed on.

Bake Sale

We had a bake sale at the office this week. These were one of the goodies I made. Nothing better than a sweet and salty mix!! Used long pretzels that I dipped in chocolate and added some Christmas sprinkles!

Cappuccino Chips Muffins (Light)

2 days in a row of muffin blogging. Sorry about that! I haven't had a chance to do much outside photography in the last week, I have been baking a lot for different events (and lot more to do before Christmas!).

These muffins are healthy as they don't contain too much oil. I cut the sugar a bit so they would be even lighter!

I had these with some nice clementines and a nice hot cup of coffee for breakfast one morning!


Cappuccino Chips Muffins 12 small muffins
adapted from rose reisman

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2/3 cup low-fat milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (used a little less)
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with vegetable spray.

Dissolve the instant coffee in hot water.

In a large bowl and using a whisk, combine dissolved coffee, milk, oil, egg, vanilla and sugar.

In another bowl, stir together flour, chocolate chips and baking powder.

With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture into the coffee mixture just until everything is combined.

Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out dry.

Jam Muffins

You might have noticed that I love baking muffins...

I don't know why, but they are my favorite thing to bake!

They don't take too long to make and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

I made these easy and tasty muffins last week - had some delicious strawberry jam to use!


Jam Muffins
from allrecipes

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup any flavor fruit jam

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl beat egg, milk and oil together. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly until moistened, do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Gently stir in jam.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until golden.

Grizzly

That was the name I gave her when I got her 11 years ago. Now I call her everything but that. She follows me everywhere and wakes me up many times during the night just so that she can get comfortable on my chest or on my legs... She meows all the time, she thinks we are there to serve her and to listen to her. She can make me crazy (and she does all the time) but I am sure I will miss her when she is not there to follow me around...