Royal Icing Recipe

Royal icing is the glue that holds a gingerbread house together.  Be careful not to over whip your royal icing, or it will crack as it dries and your house will collapse.

Ingredients
1 pound (4 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar or more as needed
1/2 cup egg whites (3 large egg whites)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and combine. Scrape down sides.  Turn the mixer to high and beat until thick and very white.  Mixture will hold a peak.  This should take at least 7 - 10 minutes.

When finished, cover with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the royal icing so a crust doesn't form.  Royal icing dries out quickly, so make sure it is covered all the time.

I usually put frosting in a gallon size baggie and cut a hole in the corner.

Holiday Spiral Ham

It has a tangy cranberry-apple relish and pineapple wedges on the side.  It is very moist.

Ingredients

1 fully cooked spiral-sliced ham (8 pounds)

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into four wedges

1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries

3 medium apples, peeled and cubed

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 medium navel orange, peeled and cut into chunks

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Arrange pineapple wedges around ham.  Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine cranberries and apples.  Cook over medium heat until the berries pop, about 15 minutes.  Add the sugar, orange chunks and lemon juice.  Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat.

Spoon half of the cranberry relish over ham.  Bake 30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  Cut pineapple wedges into large chunks; serve with ham and remaining relish.

Yield: 12-16 servings

Easter Bunny Treats

Fun Easter Treats.

Ingredients
2/3 cup vanilla frosting
30 large marshmallows
Pink gel or paste food coloring
Red and pink heart-shaped decorating sprinkles
60 miniature marshmallows

Directions

Frost the tops of 12 large marshmallows; stack a large marshmallow on top of each. Quarter the remaining large marshmallows; set aside for ears. Tint 1/4 cup frosting pink. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; place pink frosting in bag. Pipe a ribbon between the stacked marshmallows for bow tie. With white frosting, attach red hearts for eyes and a pink heart for nose. Pipe pink whiskers and smile. For ears, pipe the center of quartered marshmallows pink; attach to head with white frosting. With the remaining white frosting, attach the miniature marshmallows for legs and tail. Let stand until dry.

Yield: 1 dozen.

Chocolate-Mint creme Cookies

I recommend this recipe for all cookie enthusiasts!  It is perfect for the holidays.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, cubed

2 tablespoons water

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1/3 cup butter, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract

Dash salt

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat; stir in the chocolate chips until melted and smooth.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl; cool slightly.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set.  Remove to wire racks; flatten slightly.  Cool completely.

Combine Filling ingredients; spread on the bottom of half of the cookies.  Top with remaining cookies.  Store in the refrigerator.  

Yield:  4 dozen.

Patriotic Cupcakes

A fun surprise awaits when you bite into these cupcakes on the 4th of July.

Ingredients:

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix

1/2 teaspoon blue food coloring

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

Red, white, and blue sprinkles

Directions:

Prepare cake batter according to package directions.

In a small bowl, combine 1-1/3 cups batter and blue food coloring.  In another bowl, combine 1-1/3 cups batter and red food coloring.  Leave remaining batter plain.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups with 2 tablespoons red batter, 2 tablespoons plain batter and 2 tablespoons blue batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 2--24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.  Frost with vanilla frosting; decorated with sprinkles.

Yield: 1-1/2 dozen