Holiday Cooking

I don't know about you but I am soooo very much excited about cooking for the holidays. We stay home for Thanksgiving and I still cook the whole meal...just for my little family.

Up until last year, I have always baked about 10 different desserts to divide and take to my parents', my in-laws', and the huge family celebration at my grandmother's for Christmas. In previous years I have taken orders from co-workers and just baked to my heart's content. We're talking 30 lbs of candy! Last year we stayed here and I didn't get to do much because my little miracle was born on December 20.

This year will be quite different because I lost my mother in April and my grandmother in June. My aunts and uncles won't be having the big family gathering as we have my entire life. It just won't be the same. We don't know what we will do for Christmas this year. We don't know where we're going, if we're going anywhere at all, but I do know this, I am already planning on trying some new truffles, bark, and fudge recipes. Come back later and I'll tell ya what I tried and how it turned out.

Overwhelmed With Joy is once again hosting Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style. Please stop by her site and see what wonderful recipes everyone else is sharing. If you are new to my site, thanks for stopping by and please visit Aggieland Mommy where I still have MANY great recipes I need to move to this site. Last year I posted 25 Sweets in 25 Days. Please feel free to leave a comment, it gives me warm fuzzies to hear from you.

Happy baking!

My FAVORITE:
White Christmas Fudge by Domino Sugar

2 1/2 c powdered sugar
2/3 c milk
1/4 c butter
12 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/2 t almond extract
3/4 c dried cherries, chopped
3/4 c toasted almond slices

1. Line an 8" square pan with foil; grease foil.
2. Mix powdered sugar and milk in a heavy 3 qt saucepan. Over medium heat, add butter and stirring constatnly, boil constantly for 5 minutes.
3. Over low heat, add chocolate and almond extract. Stir then whisk until chocolatemelts & mixture is smooth.
4. Stir in dried cherries & toasted almonds. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
5. Refrigerate 2 hours until firm. Invert pan. Peel off foil & cut into 1" squares. Makes 36.

Tip: To toast almonds, spread in a single layer on cookie sheet with rim. Bake 350 for 5-10 minutes, shaking pan occassionally until they begin to brown & turn fragrant. Makes about 2.2 lbs.