Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.


Hey Gals Marry Christmas to All

Santa is so tired in giving away presents all over and is here for us to give away the presents. As he just passed by all your Treats and is very tempted to eat all the yummy cakes and cookies. Please bare with his delay in delivering Gifts to all of our participants. Will be back with your presents in the New Year ..... Now its your turn to have the Christmas Treats

Polling starts on 29th Dec 2010
Polling ends on 5th Jan 2011 11:55PM PST
Results will be announced on 6th January
Don't make Santa wait too long...hurry in with your treats....---With Greetings from Santa's Elves
Sowmya, Sirisha and LakshmiKalyani 

Entry 1 - Quick and Easy Butter Biscuits







Ingredients:
Maida – 1 cup
Confectionary Sugar  – 1/2 cup
Ghee – 5 to 6 table spoon
Elaichi crushed – 3
Baking powder – 1/2 table sp
Crushed Pistachios and Almonds for Garnishing

Method:
Mix all the dry ingredients first without ghee
Add ghee little by little while making a smooth dough and make small balls out of the dough
Press the dough ball to make it flat and garnish it with pista and almond flakes
Preheat the oven to 300deg
Divide the dough into small round balls and flatten them on the top with your fingers.
Bake for 12 mts and check if biscuits are well done and not burnt, you can allow it for another 3 mts if it’s not done yet (you will see small cracks on the biscuit, when it is fully done, usually biscuit bottom burns quickly, so make sure you check after 12 mts)
Let the biscuits cool for few minutes before you take a bite!!!

Entry 2 - Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole

 

Ingredients:-

4 Cups Sweet Potato boiled and mashed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

4tbs butter softened

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Procedure:-

Mix all the above in a big bowl until you get a smooth cake like batter. Grease the baking pan with butter and transfer the above mixture to the baking pan. Preheat the over at 325 degree Fahrenheit. Bake the mix for 30 mins or until the top is slightly golden brown and your yummy sweet potato casserole is ready to please your Santa.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year friends.

Entry 3 - Sweet Puffs Filled With Coconut & Tutti-Fruity

Sweet Puffs Filled With Coconut & Tutti-Fruity

Ingredients

2 Sheets of puff pastry thawed

1/2 cup fresh scraped coconut

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup tutti fruity/mixed dried fruits.

4 -5 green cardamom powdered

1/4 cup water

Method

For filling: 1) Heat sugar , water and powdered cardamom powder in water and boil till sugar melts completely. Now add coconut and bring to a boil and then fry till the sugar gets blended well with the coconut and then add colourful dried fruits and mix. Boil till all the water is dried.

2) Take one puff pastry, cut other a bit smaller than the first one.

3) Take the big piece place the filling now put the smaller sheet on the top and seal the edges with the help of a little water.

4) Now brush a little butter on the top of prepared one then bake it in a preheated oven of 180'c for about 20 mins or till nicely baked and golden on the top.

5) Check the base if its not done,flip the puff so that the base is also baked properly.

6) Cut the shape according to your interest I prefer squares easy to distribute.

Tip : For best taste and result use fresh coconut .

Entry 4 - CHOCOLATE CAKE

CHOCOLATE CAKE

 

This is my first trial of baking a chocolate cake for my friend's anniversary that falls during the Christmas season. I decorated the cake with some chocolates in Xmas tree fashion and chose to write anniv (acronym of anniversary). Here I used two baking pans and instead if you want to use one baking pan, adjust the baking time accordingly.

Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

1.       All purpose flour                   - 2 cup

2.      Unsweetened Cocoa             - 3/4 cup

3.      Baking powder                      - 1 tsp

4.      Sugar                                       - 2 cup

5.      Salt                                           - pinch

6.      Vegetable oil                          - 1/2 cup

7.      Vanilla extract                       - 1 tsp

8.     Eggs                                         - 2

9.      Cold water                              - 1 cup

PROCEDURE:

1.       Heat oven to 350F. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2.      Add eggs, water, oil, vanilla extract and beat on a medium speed for 2 mins.

3.      Pour into two 9-in round pans. Bake it for 35 minutes approximately or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4.      Cool it for 10 mins and move them on to wire racks.

5.      Let them cool completely, frost the upper layers of each and place one above the other, bottom side up. 

6.      Spread the frosting evenly on the cake.

7.      Leave it for 30 mins and make your own design on it. 

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

Ingredients:

1.       Dark chocolate - 8oz

2.      Heavy cream - 1/2 cup

3.      Butter - 3 tbsp

4.      powdered sugar - 2tbsp

5.      Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Procedure:

1.       Microwave the chocolate for 2 mins.

2.      Mix all the ingredients on a low speed for 2-3 minutes.

Entry 5 - Ginger Bread House

Ginger Bread House


Its Christmas Eve. I wanted to celebrate with something special. So planned to bake Ginger Bread house from scratch. I started this 2 days before and finally done :). Feels so happy to see the house.

Royal Icing

1 large egg white
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Lemon

Beat all ingredients until smooth, adding the powdered sugar gradually to get the desired consistency. 

Ingredients for Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, well packed
2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup boiling water
5 cups all-purpose flour

Method

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

2. Meanwhile using the wax paper make the house patterns. It requires 2 Front Panels, 2 Side panels and 2 Roofs. Also cut the Ginger Bread man pattern

3. Using the Rolling pin roll the dough, place the wax paper patterns on the dough and run knife gently to get the desired shape and transfer them to baking sheet

4.Preheat the oven to 375'F and Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.

The toughest  time was to assemble the house.

5. Prepare the base initially. I used White Square Dinner plate as Base to my house
6. Time to place the side panel first, Pipe the Royal icing on the plate as long as the side panel and then place the side panel and give it a support. I used Coke tins as support. In a similar fashion place the f ront panels and the other side panel. Lastly the roof. 
Be careful don't break your panels as I did. I broke one of the side panels :)
7. I left the house with all supports over night and then next day decorated the house with some candy and Ginger Man.
It was real fun making this Ginger Bread house. 

Wishing All a Merry Christmas

Entry 6 - Ginger Bread House

Ginger Bread House

 

Cook Time: 15min

Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light molasses or dark corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water

For assemblage and decoration:

• Royal Icing
• Gumdrops, m&m, licorice and peppermint

Royal Icing:

• 3-3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 large egg whites and 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla or lemon juice

Mix all of the ingredients together using an hand mixer, until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. Add more lemon juice, if necessary.

But i bought the readymade icing and used

Preparation

Gingerbread House:

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut paper patterns for the gingerbread house.

Grease the cookie sheet.

Roll gingerbread dough out to edges on a large, rimless cookie sheet. Place paper patterns onto the rolled out dough. With a sharp, straight edged knife( u can use the pizza cutter also), cut around each of the pieces, but leave pieces in place.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm.
Place patterns on top of the gingerbread again and trim shapes, cutting edges with a straight-edged sharp knife. Leave to cool on baking sheet.
Place royal icing into pastry bag with a writing tip and press out to decorate individual parts of house, piping on decorations, windows, door, etc., as desired. Let dry until hardened.
Glue sides, front and back of house together at corners using royal icing.
Glue the two roof pieces to the pitched roofline of the house.
According the patterns u make u just glue those pieces.
I actually followed some google images to make my ginger bread house.
So according to the pictures i made the paper patterns for the ginger bread house to be included in my recipe.
I made a ginger bread house, a sleigh and rein deers for my whole recipe.
I just bought readymade santa candy to place in the sleigh.
Continue decorating the house, glueing on gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as desired.

This was my 1st attempt and din't feel like it at all.
My daughter insisted me to do homemade ginger bread.
I just gave an attempt and it turned out good not only to see but the taste too.
This recipe of the gingerbread was quick and very easy recipe to follow. It turned out very well. My daughter had a great time decorating it.
This recipe i googled and followed this recipe as i read many reviews.
So the instructions i followed for the recipe i just copy pasted.
So all of u give it a try as it is very simple and easy to make.
Hope u all liked it.

Entry 7 - Butter and Chocolate Crush Cake

Butter and Chocolate Crush Cake

Ingredients

* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 cup chocolate powder(intlo unna chocolate bar use chesanu)
* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2 1/4 cups white sugar
* 6 eggs
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, pour boiling waterand chocolate powder, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. Inko pedda bowl lo , cream butter and sugar kalipi baga kalapali light and fluffy ayyentha varuku. Ippudu eggs and vanilla extarct vesi kalapali. Add the flour mixture alternately with the chacolate mixture. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

decoration on the top:(no creams used)

I chacolate bar
2 butter bar

i used just chocolate and Butter bar....and nenu turumedi vuntundi kada adi thesukuni cake meeda first long chocolate bar turimi vesanu..and madya madyalo butter bar turimi....refrigerate chesanu....yee creams use cheyyaledu....

Entry 8 - Ginger Bread Cookie Gift Box

Ginger Bread Cookie Gift Box

Christmas is the time for making Ginger Bread and also its the season for gifts,so I thought of making the edible ginger bread cookie box filled with candies.Last year I made these ginger bread cookies for the 1st time,I found a book in our local library which have very good ginger bread ideas I bought this book again this year also and adopted this idea.

Ginger Bread Cookie Gift Box:

Ingredients:

Ginger Bread Mix:1 pack

Egg:1

Butter:1 stick(1/2 cup)

Water:1 Tablespoon

Ingredients for Royal Icing (To glue the box) Wiltons Recipe:

Meringue Powder:3 level tablespoons 

Confectioners Sugar:1 lb

Luke Warm Water:5-6 tablespoons

Procedure to make icing:

Place sugar,meringue powder in a bowl and mix at low speed until blended.Add luke warm water and mix for 7-10 mins at low-medium speed until icing loses its sheen.To prevent drying,be sure to cover the bowl with a damp cloth,while working eith icing.

Procedure To make cookies:

1.Take a mixing bowl,cream butter egg and water,now add the ginger bread mix and beat on medium speed to make it to smooth dough,scrap the dough on to plastic wrap and cover completely and chilli in fridge for min of 2hrs n a max of overnight.

2.Take the chilled dough on to a floured surface and using a rolling pin roll the cookie dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut rectangle shapes out of it...I made 3 pieces of 18X10 cm rectangles and 2 pieces of 10X10 cm rectangles.

3.Transfer the cut cookie rectangles on to a baking sheet and bake for 11-12 mins at 350 F,when done take them out of oven and let them cool for 2 min n then transfer them to a cooling rack and wait for 15-20 mins.I made a small decorative glass effect either sides of the box,I first the cookies for 6 mins,removed them from oven and then used a small heart shaped cookie cutter and cut the sheets n then filled the gaps with candy(I used mango mood n Pan pasand) and put them in the oven and bake for another 6 mins.

4.When the cookies are completely cooled u can decorate the cookies right away or store them in a air tight container.

5.Lay a 18X10 cm rectangle on a flat surface and pipe the royal icing on 1 18 cm sides of the cookie and then place another 18X10 cm cookie and let it dry for 20-30 mins.Support the cookies with a glass or a can so that the cookie is in place.

6.Repeat the same process with all the sides using the cookies.Carefully glue the edges together with royal icing to hold them in place.

I even made small cube in 10X10 cm size and glued it using blue colored royal icing and filled it with snowman pops which I bought 4m dollar store and filled the big cookie gift box with candies from See's candies.

Wishing U All a Merry Christmas and A Very Happy New Year.

Entry 9 -Egg less Dates Cake

 Egg less Dates Cake

 

This is a very simple cake which can be made in no time and is a healthy one too!!

Ingredients
15 dates (seedless)
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp almonds for garnish

Preparation

Soak the dates in hot milk for 1 hour. In a food processor blend the milk, dates and sugar into smooth paste.
In a bowl sift the all purpose flour along with baking powder. To this add the puree, oil and mix well with a spatula. Sprinkle almonds over the batter. Pour the batter into a floured baking dish and set in a 150 degree Celsius preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or till a clean knife inserted comes out clean. I used microwave so I baked it for 10-15 minutes on high.
You can also add raisins and other nuts. To make it more special for kids during Christmas you can add tutti- fruity to it:)

Entry 10 - PRESSURE COOKER CAKE

PRESSURE COOKER CAKE 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all purpose Flour/Maida

1/2 cup Sugar (powdered)

3 Eggs

75 gms Butter

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

2 drops any essence (PineApple)

METHOD

In a bowl, beat the eggs with a beater by adding essence and baking soda.

2. In another bowl, mix butter and sugar.


3. Add all purpose flour/maida.


4. Add the beaten eggs.


5. Now mix well till you don't find any lumps left over.


6. Grease the baking tin (or cake tin) with butter and dust it by sprinkling maida over greased surface evenly.


7. Pour the mixture into the greased baking tin.


8. Heat the pressure cooker on high heat for 2 minutes.


9. Now put the cake tin containing the cake batter, inside on cooker dish.( Do not put water inside the pressure cooker)


10. Close the cooker lid and do not put the whistle on the lid.Lower the flame from high to low after 2 minutes.


11. Let it cook for 40 minutes, then switch off the heat. Do not open the lid immediately.


12. After 10 minutes open the lid to check whether the cake is done. Put a skewer inside the cake. (Skewer - a long thin pointed piece of metal or wood, used to test whether something is completely cooked )


13. If the mixture will not stick on it, means that cake is done.


14. Ready to Serve.