Some Post-Christmas Recipes

So Christmas has come and gone…the radio stations have stopped playing Christmas music, Christmas movies are nowhere to be found on TV…it’s all a little depressing. I plan on spending the next week in my new Christmas sweats, watching lots of movies and continuing my Christmas eating. I may also do a little shopping. I probably won’t go to the gym. I may cook instead. And speaking of cooking…

Now, I’m not one to brag about my Christmas gifts or do some “Christmas Haul” post, however my very handsome and loving boyfriend bought me a Bravetti slow cooker for Christmas…and it is BEAUTIFUL! Consequently, we will most likely be eating chilis and stews for all of 2011. I’m pretty excited. And you should be too.

But before I get into a whack of slow cooker adventures, here are a couple more Christmas recipes…in case you’re like me and just can’t let go.

However, I am Ukrainian. And our Christmas (or my 2nd Christmas) doesn’t happen until January 7th so my tree stays up until then.

Pecan Puffs
You know how everyone has that traditional Christmas sweet that their mom makes that just takes them back to their youth? These are that for me. We haven’t made them the past couple years and this year my mom gave me the flour-stained, yellowing, barely legible recipe card and told me to make them for Christmas. So I did. They lasted about 3.5 minutes on the table after dinner.

Ingredients:

½ cup soft margarine or butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flour

icing sugar, for rolling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix all the ingredients together (you usually have to get your hands in there by the end). Roll into balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 30 minutes.

After they come out of the oven, wait about 5 minutes and then roll the balls in icing sugar. Wait until they are completely cooled and then give them another healthy roll in icing sugar. You can do either of these steps or both, it doesn’t matter. We’ve done a variety of different techniques over the years but this is my favourite. The icing sugar gets a bit sticky on the warm cookies initially, so the second roll is usually needed.

Makes about 2 dozen small balls.

Enjoy!

I also made red, white and green marble cupcakes for Christmas. These are always a hit and people are always super impressed but they’re actually pretty easy – you just need a little extra time.

Basically, just whip up your favourite vanilla cupcake recipe, separate the batter into 3 bowls and add red food coloring to one of the bowls, and green to another. Then, drop a scoop of each color into each cupcake wrapper and swirl with a toothpick.

People will think you’re a cupcake magician.

I topped mine with vanilla butter cream and chopped candy canes. Delish!