My Recipe Reviews

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Christmas

Clementine-Date Cake

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Clementine Date Cake
I’ve found our Christmas morning cake! Clementine-Date Cake from the late, great Cooking Light magazine (R.I.P). I really miss that magazine – every month they had fantastic ‘lightened’ recipes that you could eat and enjoy without feeling guilty. This Clementine-Date Cake is one of those recipes.

This cake is lightly sweet, but not too sweet, with a lovely tangerine glaze over the top. It has walnuts, tangerines, and dates all ground up and added to the batter and I think that’s where most of the moistness comes from instead of tons of butter. It’s really good and what I think is a simple, delicious citrusy holiday cake.

Clementine Date Cake

I altered the original recipe just slightly. The original calls for toasted walnut oil (anyone ever seen that?) and used canola oil instead. Instead of fat-free buttermilk I used low-fat because that’s what I had in the fridge. Oh, I also added about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon – entirely optional, but it gave it a warmer flavor.

This cake is quite the tribute to tangerines. Well, actually I used Halo’s which are clementine oranges (seedless vs. tangerines having seeds). They taste just like tangerines to me and they’re so popular and healthy for kids’ snacks these days.

Clementine Date Cake

Bret said it tasted like an old-fashioned cake (in a good way). Slightly dense and only one layer, without the thick frosting usually found on American cakes. Don’t get me wrong – I like frosting – but occasionally these simple, flavorful cakes are what I’m jonesing for. The baked cake will also freeze well (pre-glaze) and will keep until you need it.

Take advantage of citrus season this year and make this cake for your family. It really will be a nice cake to wake up to on Christmas morning.

Clementine Date Cake

Clementine-Date Cake

Yield: 10 slices
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Delicious one-layer citrusy cake sprinkled with chopped dates and finished with a lovely tangerine glaze.

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp flour
  • 1/2 C walnut halves, plus 5 walnut halves for decoration
  • 6 pitted dates
  • 2 unpeeled clementines, quartered
  • 1/2 C packed brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 9 oz (2 C) flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C low-fat buttermilk
  • 1/3 C chopped, pitted dates
  • 1 C powdered sugar
  • 6 tsp fresh tangerine juice (juice from about 1 juicy tangerine)
  • dash of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9" round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then also spray the paper. Dust the bottom and sides with 2 teaspoons of flour.
  2. Set 5 pretty walnut halves aside for later decoration. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts, 6 whole pitted dates, and the quartered clementines in a food processor; process until ground, about 15 seconds on high.
  3. Combine the brown sugar, butter, and oil in a stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium until well blended. Beat in the vanilla and egg.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture about 1 cup at a time to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk, and finishing with the flour, mixing between each addition. Add the ground nut/date/clementine mixture to the batter, along with the 1/3 cup of chopped dates, and beat at medium speed for 2 1/2 minutes.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to a wire rack with waxed paper under it to catch the glaze.
  6. Combine the powdered sugar and juice, stirring briskly with a whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the warm cake and smooth it out with a spoon to cover the top and drip over the edges. Top with the remaining walnut halves. Cool about 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Yes, you put the quartered tangerines in the food processor - skin and all!  It blends up well, but make sure and use seedless tangerines (clementines).

I added about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon - entirely optional.

Next time I would add about a third of a cup more chopped dates to the batter.  I like them and would have liked more in the cake!

Also next time I will roast the walnuts for a few minutes.  That will bring out the flavor of them more.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 224Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 259mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 28gProtein: 2g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Cooking Light
Category: Cakes

Peppermint Snowballs

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Wow! I’ve found a new favorite Christmas cookie – Peppermint Snowballs!

Peppermint Snowballs

These little cookies are buttery, crumbly little shortbread balls with an incredible creamy, crunchy peppermint filling. The combination is amazing and you won’t be able to stop eating these bite-sized wonders.

I really had to take photos quickly because someone kept throwing the little cookies into my mouth.

They’re best cooled completely and are terrific frosted or not. I had some leftover filling and didn’t want to waste it, so I piped it on top of the cookies and sprinkled a little more topping on them. They look so pretty.

Peppermint Snowballs

The cream cheese along with the crunchy peppermints makes a flavorful filling and a nice contrast with the crumbly shortbread cookie. Be careful when rolling them and make sure and seal in the filling so it doesn’t leak out when baking.

These are easy to make, but initially takes a little investment in time rolling the little balls, filling them, re-rolling the balls and rolling them in the topping. Get the kiddos, whether they’re 10 or 30, to help you crush the peppermints and roll the cookies. It’ll be a fun family activity if they’re ‘holiday bored.’

By the way, I crushed the peppermints by putting about 20 of them in a zip-lock bag and bashing them with my trusty meat mallet. Makes a lot of noise and is a great stress reliever. Scared my husband and cats and they distanced themselves from me for awhile, but these little Peppermint Snowballs are so worth it. Fan-tas-tic!

Peppermint Snowballs

Peppermint Snowballs

Peppermint Snowballs

Yield: 36
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Refrigeration: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 36 minutes

Delicious little shortbread cookies with a fantastic peppermint cream filling. Addictive and outstanding!

Ingredients

  • 1 C butter, softened (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 C powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
  • Filling:
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 C powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp milk
  • 3 tbsp crushed peppermint candy
  • 1 drop red food coloring (optional)
  • Topping:
  • 1/2 C crushed peppermint candy
  • 1/2 C powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the flour into the butter mixture and mix well. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured counter top and knead lightly for a minute, then shape into a flat disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling in a medium bowl. Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, crushed candy, and food coloring (optional) until well blended. Set aside
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Roll the dough into balls (about 1 teaspoon). Make an indentation in the center of each ball and fill with 1/4 tsp. of filling. Flatten another 1/4 tsp. of dough into a thin disk and cover the filling, pinching together the edges. Roll the filled dough carefully back into a ball.
  4. Combine the topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Roll the dough balls in the topping and place on the cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes. (They'll be light in color and golden brown on the bottom, so don't over bake.)
  5. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 1 or 2 minutes, then roll the cookies in the topping again to get a snowy effect. ( If you have filling left over, put it into a zip-lock bag, snip the corner and lightly frost the tops of the snowballs. Sprinkle lightly with leftover powdered sugar/peppermint topping for a more snowy look.)

Notes

Make the first little ball pretty small, as you'll be putting another layer of dough over the top of the filling and the cookie can become a little too big.  Bite-sized is perfect for these little snowballs.

Make extra filling if you want the frosting on top, too.  The cookies are great without the frosting, but they look so pretty for a holiday platter if you add it.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 116Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Maureen Luce, Penzey's Magazine
Category: Cookies

Holiday Date Nut Cookie Bars

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Holiday Date Nut Bar Cookies

This year I’ve decided to try a bunch of new baking recipes in anticipation of the holidays. Holiday Date Nut Cookie Bars originally comes from an old Penzey’s magazine (remember that wonderful short-lived Penzey’s magazine?) and I’ve had it for years, waiting for the right time to make it.

Except for chopping the dates (which is a sticky business) and the walnuts, these cookie bars are easy to make.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves provide that wonderful holiday smell while they’re baking. They’re definitely warm and comforting.

Holiday Date Nut Bar Cookies

Not everyone is crazy about dates, but they do go well in these little cookie bars, along with the crunchy walnuts. Holiday Date Nut Cookie Bars aren’t fancy or decadent – they’re rather simple, well-spiced, and very tasty. I like the addition of the crunchy sugar sprinkled on top.

If you’re looking for a ‘wow’ cookie, this probably isn’t it. But if you’re looking for a delicious addition to the holiday cookie platter, this is it.

I got a ‘hey, these are good” from Bret – that’s high praise! Warm and inviting, they go well with a cup of tea or hot apple cider.

Holiday Date Nut Bar Cookies

Holiday Date Nut Bar Cookies

Holiday Date Nut Bar Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Refrigeration: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Simple, soft cookie bars with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, chewy dates and walnuts.

Ingredients

  • 1 C (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • 2 C sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp water
  • 3 C flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 C chopped dates
  • 1 C chopped walnuts
  • decorating sugar (I used Wilton's)

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
  2. In a small cup, mix the baking soda with the water and then add and mix into the butter mixture.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients one cup at a time into the butter mixture and mix until combined. Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and stir in the walnuts and dates by hand. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up some.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. On a very lightly floured surface, roll one piece into a 7 to 8 inch roll, about one inch in diameter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough. Make sure the rolls are at least 3" apart as they will spread.
  5. Press each roll lightly with your fingers along the length of the roll until the dough is about one-half the thickness of the original roll. Sprinkle each flattened roll generously with decorating sugar.
  6. Bake for 19-21 minutes (don't over bake). Let sit on the cookie sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then slice the bars on a diagonal into about 1 inch wide strips. If you want smaller bars, cut the bars again (also on a diagonal so they end up looking almost like a diamond).
  7. Using a spatula, move the cookie bars to a rack to cool. Store in an air-tight container for 2 to 3 days.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Dough is sticky, but when you're rolling it out make sure and not use too much flour.  For easier rolling, I lightly wet the palms of my hands.

When the cookie bars come right out of the oven, slide a spatula gently under them because they will stick to the pan just a little bit and it's easier to cut them.

If making this for a holiday platter, use green and red decorating sugar.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 Serving Size: 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 37mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Penzey's Magazine
Category: Cookies

Gingerbread Scones

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Gingerbread Scones

Tis the season and all that! Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday flavors and when I found this Gingerbread Scones recipe I just knew it was going to be made in my cozy little kitchen.

Scones hold a special place in my heart (and stomach) – they’re tender but hearty and always great with tea or coffee in the mornings. (Search for ‘scones’ on this site and you’ll see just how much I’m in love with them.)

The deep molasses flavor really comes through, along with the cinnamon and ginger. Be sure your ground ginger is fresh (yes, throw it away if the expiry date is 2005) – it really makes a difference in the flavor.

I love the texture and flavor of these scones.

There are a few people out there who’ve never had really good scones. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people (a.k.a. my husband) say that scones are dry. They’re only dry if you over bake them. Otherwise, they’re tender, almost buttery, flavorful and delicious!

You’ll definitely know the holidays are upon us when that wonderful aroma from cinnamon/ginger baked goods is coming from your kitchen.

Whip up these fairly easy Gingerbread Scones for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning!

Looking for some more fantastic scone recipes? Look no further:

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones
Cinnamon Scones with Orange Glaze
Glazed Lemon Blackberry Scones

Gingerbread Scones

Gingerbread Scones

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes

These scones have a deep gingerbread/molasses flavor and a nice scone texture. 

Ingredients

  • 2 C all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 1/4 C cold butter, cut into tablespoons
  • 1/3 C molasses
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1 egg separated
  • coarse sugar for sprinkling tops of the scones

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°.  Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or Pam-sprayed aluminum foil).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and pinch of cloves.  Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the molasses, milk, and egg yolk until blended and smooth.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just moistened and combined.
  4. Lightly flour a flat surface and turn out the dough onto it.  Gently knead the mixture 6-8 times and pat into an 8-inch circle.  Cut into 8 equal wedges and place 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.  Beat the egg white with a fork, then lightly brush the top of each scone with the egg white and sprinkle generously with sugar.
  5. Bake the scones for 12-13 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I like to cut the butter into the flour with my hands so I can break the butter up better and feel the texture.

I used coarse sugar, but regular table sugar will work OK.

Don't overbake!  They won't brown much while baking.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 scone
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 563mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 5g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© sblades
Category: Breads/Muffins