Christmas Ideas

I'm placing this in this blog and my Loca Arts blog because it's a little bit of both.

Last year I made a mess in my kitchen.  I definately need to stock up on baking pans (since mine have mysteriously dissappeared at family functions) and mixing bowls.

I wish I had two...no three ovens!

Anywho, I was broke trying to do something orginal (I'm not gonna lie, haha) so I decided to do a ton of homemade gifts (gift bags) and baked goods.  I have like tribes and villages of family so quanity and quality come into play.

 For the kiddies:

• I got decrative bags at the dollar store (that's my hot spot).
• Hot Chocolate Mix (the huge one at Costco) and placed a sandwich sized ziplock baggie 1/2 - 3/4 full of it.
• A snack sized ziplock baggie full of mini marshmallows.
• Peppermint sticks.

After stuffing the bags, I tied them off with ribbon and I had got a big box of Christmas ornaments and each ornament I hand decorated with christmas drawings, their names all in silver mettalic permanent marker.  Along with the year so that when they have their own tree and family, then can have an ornament from their childhood. =)

 For the adults:

• I got decrative bags at the dollar store (again, that's my hot spot).
• "Fancy" flavored coffee from Grocery Outlet (shh, I gave everyone decaf. ahaha) and placed a sandwich sized ziplock baggie 1/2 - 3/4 full of it.
• A snack sized ziplock baggie with a few sticks of cinnamon (so they can place in the filter with the coffee for some additional smelling pleasure and cinnamon pop).

After stuffing the bags, I tied them off with ribbon and I had got a big box of Christmas ornaments and each ornament I hand decorated with christmas drawings, their family last name (all in silver mettalic permanent marker. Along with the year. =).

Ready Set Bake!
I was on my way home minding my own business when a garage sale made me pull over.  I seen dishes (a few matched but there were some misfit plates in the stack). I asked the lady how much.  She said $2.  I thought $2 per plate, no.....$2 for the whole stack! 10 plates fore $2? That's like....that's like....well it's cheap.

I took them home and prepped them to be party trays.

I baked my little kitchen out.  On each plate was an array of tasty items:

• Banana Bread Loaves (slices for those who had small familia like 1-3 persons)
• Lemon Pound Cake with a lemon glaze (I used the lemons from my great g-ma's tree mmmm)
• Mexican Wedding Cookies (although my mom loved em, I think they just tasted like almond cookies)
• Bourbon Balls (Chocolate Dusted)
• Bourbon Balls (Coconut Rolled)
• Bourbon Balls (Confectioner's Sugar Dusted)

I'll post recipe's later.  It's not a long list. But when you have 1 oven, 3 mixing bowls, a whisk (remember no Kitchen Aid in my ghetto kitchen) and misfit set of baking pans....this was a task.  I loved every moment of it. but sheesh storing and all.

Needless to say, they loved the idea of baked goods.  So I decided to do it again this years but change the menu.

I'm thinking of making:

Cakes/Cupcakes

• Mini Arroz con Leche Cupcakes with Vanilla Rum Whipped Cream con Cinnamon
• Mini Carrot Cupcakes with either Cream Cheese or Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
• Mini Zucchini or Chocolate Cupcakes

 Cake Pops

• Red Velvet Lollipops
• Cheesecake Lollipops

Pie(s)

• Pie Pops (I really want to do this but it would have to be done for a smaller group)

Cookies

• Chocolate Truffles
• Melting Moments

Pudding

• Bread Pudding with Carmel Vanilla Sauce

Maybe for the Pie Pops I'll make some for Thanksgiving and make Pumpkin Pie Pops.  I've made so called "pop tarts" with phyllo pastry sheets and jam. But pie pops sound waaaaay better. OH! I can use the gluten free crust! hmmm....

Now, not ALL of those will be made, those are just some ideas I'm tossing around. I've made all of the items in the cupcakes/cakes and Pudding Section. I would like to try making them all at one time or another before having everyone be my guniea pigs at Christmas and end up with Chorro.

Anyhow, that's my home made ideas.  Oh check out my Loca Arts for homemade ideas this year (not yet posted but soon).

  

Arroz Con Leche Cupcakes

This makes approx 12-18 Cupcakes depending on how heavy handed you pour the batter.

Ingredients:

½ Cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 Cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Dash of ground cinnamon

½ cup arroze con leche milk base (see post below this one...duh)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter or line muffin cups with paper liners.

In one bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl: Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. (I adjusted the milk based on the thickness of the mixture)

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter (about 3/4) and bake for about 16-20 minutes or (bakers you know the drill) until nicely browned and a toothpick into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with whipped cream before serving.

I got the recipe from cannelle et vanille (8/24/09 web) in the UK http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2009/08/red-currant-and-poppy-seed-cakes-arroz.html

Side Bustin:
Again, trying to figure out the measurements were hard since I suck at grams converting to tsp, tbsp, cups etc. So I scrounged around for various recipes on a basic cupcake recipe trying to stay true to his/her recipe because I've never done this kind before.  You'll notice the changes for: Lemon Zest (86'd), amount of sugar (reduced), Leche Base (increased), Vanilla Extract and Ground Cinnamon (added).

This recipe is so good...that cholos will actually cry real tattoed tear drops, only if you top it with the Vanilla Rum Whipped Cream with Cinnamon.

Arroz Con Leche Milk Base

This will make approximately 2 batches of the Milk Base

Ingredients:

½ Gallon organic whole milk

½ Cup sugar

½ Cup Valencia rice or Arborio rice (I used Arborio)

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped*

Pinch of salt

Two dashes of Nutmeg*

10-15 whole Cloves*

Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the milk, salt, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla bean. Heat the milk over medium heat stirring occasionally until it comes to a light boil. Add the sugar and the rice and reduce heat to medium low.

Cook stirring often for about an hour until the milk has reduced by almost half. We don't want the milk to boil, just lightly simmer (some small bubbles are ok).

Strain the milk through a fine sieve reserving the milk and discarding the rice, cinnamon stick, cloves and vanilla bean. (I strained this a few times and got some of the rice into the milk base for texture and to have more flavor).

Save for another use, if desired.

I got the recipe from cannelle et vanille (8/24/09 web) in the UK http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2008/08/arroz-con-leche-creme-brulee-and-cause.html

Side Bustin:
Trying to figure out the measurements were hard since I suck at grams converting to tsp, tbsp, cups etc.  So I scrounged around for various recipes on Arroz con Leche but kept the bulk of the milk on the high end.  You'll notice everything else is the same as his/her recipe except I added the scraping of Vanilla Bean, Nutmeg, and Cloves as well as reducing the sugar.

Jane Doe Cupcake Mix

Jane Doe: Basic, Plain Cupcake Mix

This makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 Cup melted butter
1 (Sweet toothers use: 1.5) Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
3 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup organic milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (or be a swinger and see below)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep cupcake pans

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add vanilla extract
Add eggs 1 at a time beating well after adding each egg to the butter/sugar mixture.
Add flour and milk alternately into creamed mixture.

Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way.

Ready? Set...Bake!
Bake 17-20 minutes (Bakers you know the drill) or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Cool Completely before frosting.

Believe me and WAIT!  I was inpatient and ended up with slimy whipped cream of a mess all over the counter.  Definate no no.

So....you want to be swinger huh?
Well you can use other extracts in the batter.  Almond, Banana, Butter, Cinnamon, Coconut, Pineapple, Vanilla etc.  Mix them up by using Almond and Vanilla.  Coconut and Pineapple or do half and half of the batter and place on top of each other.

Yellow Cupcake Mix

This recipe makes 12 Cupcakes


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.


In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.

While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients, then add all the milk, and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Take care not to over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tin (about 1/3 cup batter per cup cake.)

Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove. Cool on the rack completely.

Recipe from: Food Network  (9/1/09 web)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/classic-yellow-cupcakes-with-milk-chocolate-frosting-recipe/index.html