Holiday Baking

The past few weeks have just flown by, getting ready for a couple visitors over the Christmas holiday!  Last week though, it was my Boss's Birthday, a luncheon at work and just needed to take something to my guys at work so I've been baking a lot this week.

First I made No-Bake cookies for my boss, which I ended up giving him the entire batch as his birthday present but then I made another batch for dessert yesterday evening as we had our friends Jenna and Peter over for dinner.  I made homemade lasagna.....I should have taken a photo of that, but I didn't .....it was really good though. So anyway, the No-Bake cookies are super easy and you never have to turn on the oven.  To me they are like fudge and a cookie rolled into one.....and since they have oatmeal and peanut butter in addition to the chocolate, they have to be sort of healthy....right?  LOL

Kids love these as well as the adults!

My guys at work all love brownies and they kept asking me when I was going to bake them something again. Not only did they ask that, it was followed by, we'd really like caramel brownies!  LOL  So I found a recipe that looked good and tried it out...they turned out beautifully, were not difficult and well, the guys LOVED them.  I never even got one to try one!

The luncheon was a great success.  We have so many that cook so well and we were all stuffed to the brim.  I made a Pumpkin Spice Cake that is a winner every time I make it......is it the perfect blend of spices and it's so moist!  I didn't get a photo of it, but I'll share that recipe with you.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups vegetable or canola oil
1 can (15oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 teaspoon vanilla

In another bowl mix together the following:

2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly great bottom and sides of 15”X10”X1” pan you can use a 9” X 13” pan, your cake will just be thicker and you may need to cook slightly longer. I used a 11”X15”X2” pan and baked for 25 minutes.

In large bowl beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil, pumpkin and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread in pan. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until light brown. Cool completely in pan in cooling rake about 2 hours.

Icing

8 oz cream cheese (I used the light cream cheese and it still tastes good)
1 stick butter ( ½ cup)
4 cups 10X sugar (powdered sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until smooth and spreadable. Spread icing over cake and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Store in the refrigerator.

Then today I made some Spritz cookies and used my cookie press but the camera is acting up again and I didn't get any photos, but they literally melt in your mouth.  I found the recipe on The Food Network.
I have about another week before I start more holiday baking.  I love this time of year......I could bake everyday and no one thinks a thing about it. LOL  Apparently as long as it's "holiday baking", it's okay!


Hope all are having a great Christmas Season!


May you all be blessed!


Bakingmomof4