••••HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG!!••••

(Source: kappboom wallpaper photos & Kathy photo)

••••HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG!! ENJOY YOUR CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE SYRUP!!

••••ROASTED APPLES WITH ICE CREAM••••

(Source: GoodHousekeeping & photos also)

••••SUCH A COMFORT!!

••••ROASTED APPLES WITH ICE CREAM••••

PREP: 15 minutes ROAST: about 20 minutes

MAKES 6 servings

•4 tablespoons butter or margarine

•3/4 cup light brown sugar

•1/3 cup golden raisins

•2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy), apple juice, or water

•6 small Granny Smith apples (about 1-1/2 pounds), each cut in half and cored

•1-1/2 pints vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar, raisins, lemon juice, and Calvados and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts.

3. Pour sugar mixture into 15-1/2 "by 10-1/2" jelly-roll pan; add apples, cut sides down. Roast 20 minutes, without turning, or until apples are very soft.

4. Serve warm apples and their syrup with ice cream. 

••••HONEY COOKIES••••

(Source: GoodHousekeeping photo & kappboom wallpaper photo)

••••SO GOOD!!!

••••HONEY COOKIES!!!

PREP: 40 minutes plus chilling and cooling

BAKE: 18 to 22 minutes per batch

MAKES about 3-1/2 dozen cookies

•1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks), 

softened

•1/4 cup honey

•2 teaspoons vanilla extract

•2 cups all-purpose flour

•2 cups walnuts, chopped

•1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat butter until creamy. Add honey and vanilla; beat until well blended.

2. With mixer at low speed, beat in flour, walnuts, and salt until dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough at least one hour.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. With lightly floured hands, shape dough by heaping teaspoons into balls. Place balls, about 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Press 4-tine fork across top of each ball to make decorative indentations.

4. Bake cookies 18 to 22 minutes, until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

••••FOOD TIP••••

(photos-Google+)

••••GOOD TO KNOW!!!

••••THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN!!••••

(Source: Google+ & practically functional & chef Kirsten Helle)

••••COUNTDOWN IS ON!!

••••CHEESECAKE "TORTILLA" FRENCH TOAST••••

(Source: naive cooks.com & photos also)

••••WOW-AMAZING!!!

Cheesecake Tortilla French Toast

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. 4 soft tortillas (I used the fajita size tortillas, 6" size)
2. 4 ounce cream cheese (1/3 less fat and softened at room temperature)
3. 4 tbsp powdered sugar
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. Zest from 1 lemon
6. 1/2 tsp lemon juice
7. Fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
8. Semi Sweet Chocolate chips, about 1/2 cup
9. 1 egg
10. 1/4 cup heavy cream
11. 1 tsp vanilla extract
12. Butter for cooking
13. 1/4 cup powdered sugar
14. 1 tsp cinnamon powder
    

Instructions

1. In a bowl, add cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
2. Take one tortilla at a time and smear with 1/4th of the cream cheese mix all over it evenly.
3. Now in the center lay the thinly sliced strawberries and top them with some chocolate chips.
4. Starting from your side, start rolling it tightly until you roll it all the way. Keep it aside and repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas.
5. Now in a deep dish, break an egg and add heavy cream and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and lay the rolled up tortillas in it. If you need to then flip them once or twice so they get coated with the egg mixture. Now if you are going to keep them overnight, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Make sure they are not touching each other or overlapping or they will stick to each other.
6. When ready to cook, heat some butter in a non stick skillet. Place 1-2 tortillas at time. Cook on medium-low heat until golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side as well.
7. In a bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar. Coat these cooked french toasts with cinnamon sugar and serve.

••••MORE CHRISTMAS!!!••••

(photo-bitzngiggles.com)

••••IT'S ALMOST HERE!!