Holiday Archives - Eat Move Make

Caramel Candy Bar Cookies

December 18, 2016 By Liz 74 Comments

I enjoy baking my family’s favorite holiday treats at this time of year, including these amazing Caramel Candy Bar Cookies. They’re a bit of cookie and a bit of candy in a single dessert. We love them, and I’m happy to be partnering with the National Candy Association to talk about enjoying confections like this in moderation.

Candy has always been a part of our holiday traditions. When we put our Christmas tree up, we have a candy cane scavenger hunt before hanging them on the tree, and I’m definitely part of the 85 percent of Americans (according to the NCA) who give sweet treats for gifts.

As with everything in life, candy and treats should be enjoyed in moderation, so when I make these caramel candy bar cookies, I cut them into very small pieces. I’ve always found that the first bite of any food is the most satisfying bite, so small servings are the way to go!

Oh, and my candy cane Christmas tree tradition? Well, the candy canes are free for the taking once they’ve been put on the tree, but only at a one-a-day rate. A traditional peppermint candy cane (which is what I use) is only 55 calories, so it’s another great way to enjoy seasonal sweets in moderation.

In fact, according to the NCA, most Americans enjoy candy 2-3 times a week with an average of just 40 calories and a single teaspoon of sugar coming from those confections. Read more at www.candyusa.com

Caramel Candy Bar Cookies

Author: Liz Mays

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 32 bars

Ingredients

1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
1½ cups butter, softened
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup crisped rice cereal
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
35 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
⅓ cup milk
14 oz candy-coated chocolate pieces

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray.
Combine brown sugar and butter; beat until smooth. Stir in oats and cereal. Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix until well blended. Reserve 1 cup of mixture for topping; set aside.
Press remaining mix into bottom of pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in small pan on stove, heat caramels and milk over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.
Remove partially baked crust from oven. Sprinkle with 1 cup of candy-coated chocolate pieces. Drizzle with melted caramel, avoiding the sides of pan.Drop reserved oat mixture by heaping spoonfuls over the top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate pieces.
Return to oven. Bake 20-25 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown. Cool 1 hour.

I wish you the happiest of holidays filled with love, laughter and delicious sweet treats in moderation (like these caramel candy bar cookies). Happy Holidays!

Rustic Glam Christmas Tablescape

November 29, 2016 By Chanelle 33 Comments

This post is in partnership with Oriental Trading Company. Ideas and opinions my own.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we’re free to decorate for Christmas as we please! Wheeee!

I haven’t decorated for Christmas in a few years so this project was verrrryyy exciting for me to work on. Since I no longer have any of my old holiday decor, I was starting from scratch for this project and wanted to decorate a space that wouldn’t overwhelm me too much. That’s why I picked my dining table – there’s a limited amount of space to work with and hopefully no chance of decor burnout!

When it comes to holiday decor, my style tends toward the silver and gold side rather than the red and green side, so I wanted to bring that theme into this tablescape. I decided to create a “rustic glam” Christmas tablescape with metallics, sparkles, and a little greenery.

When I was shopping the Oriental Trading website, I planned out (for the most part) the tablescape in my head. That way, once I received my items in the mail, I had a good general idea of where I wanted to place everything.

Once I had laid down the pearl table runner, I started with the biggest items – the silver lanterns and the mercury glass candlesticks. I staggered them so that they alternated between tall and short. I filled the lanterns with two packages of pinecones (about 70% went to the large lantern and 30% to the small one).

Then I wove two boxwood garlands around the lanterns and candlesticks, making the garlands look as fluffy and full as possible.

Then I incorporated copper Moscow Mule mugs and balloon wine glasses. Here’s what it was looking like after I’d done all that:

For the place settings, aside from the copper mugs and wine glasses I placed a gold woven runner underneath white plates with silver trim.

On top of each plate, I laid a gold paper napkin and a burlap gift tag to use as a placecard. I couldn’t bring myself to write directly on the burlap tags because I think I’ll be able to use them for tons of different events. (But if I were using them for a dinner party, I would probably look for some letter stickers in a script font and label them with each person’s initials.)

You might notice that I also decided to add a burlap runner underneath the pearl runner for more texture. I also wove some sparkly gold floral picks into the garland and added gold pillar candles to the candlesticks.

I’m so happy with how my tablescape came out! Even my boyfriend, who doesn’t really care about decor – especially holiday decor – loved it and told me to leave it up for the season!

I love how versatile this look is. If you remove the sparkly picks and replace the gold pillars with white ones, this would work throughout the fall. As is, I think it would look great for Christmas all the way through New Year’s.

I hope my rustic glam Christmas tablescape shows you that you can create a glamorous, festive holiday look without shopping at expensive stores – all you need is some creativity and the willingness to experiment with layering colors and textures until you land on the perfect look!

You can find the pieces I used in my tablescape at Oriental Trading! Click here to shop their Christmas section. And because I’m feeling jolly, here’s a list of the exact pieces I used!

Looking for a deal at Oriental Trading? Visit their coupon page for the latest in sales.

‘Tis the Season for Our Favorite #HolidayTraditions + Giveaway

November 22, 2016 By Liz 20 Comments

‘Tis the season of holiday traditions, and I love the memories and warm feelings those traditions bring! I’ve always been the tradition keeper in my home, and my kids still expect certain things to remain exactly the same year in, year out.

At our house, holiday traditions begin the day after Thanksgiving, when we decorate the house and put up the Christmas tree. We love to play Christmas music while we hang the hundreds of ornaments I’ve collected over the years. I might have a bit of an ornament obsession.

Once the tree is up, we have a candy cane hunt! I buy two dozen candy canes, and then hide them around the house. The kids search them out, and then hang them on the tree. They’re allowed to eat no more than one per day, so sometimes by Christmas day there aren’t any candy canes left. But that’s the idea! It’s best to enjoy those candy canes during the season.

On Christmas Eve, we pile into the car with hot cocoa, and drive around looking at all the Christmas lights. Sometimes we go through neighborhoods, and sometimes we visit special drive-through holiday light shows. It’s such a magical tradition!

Of course, food is a major part of everyone’s holiday traditions, right? While I don’t usually leave munchies out, the holidays are different. I love to put out a bowl of nuts with a nutcracker, fill candy dishes with favorite treats, and have a nice big container of Chex snack mix on hand. ‘Tis the season for snacking!

Of course, there are also lots of freshly baked cookies around, and the cut-out cookies are the family favorite. The recipe comes from an old Betty Crocker cookbook my mom gave me. It doesn’t even have a cover on it anymore, but I can’t give it up!

I’d love to hear about your holiday traditions, and so would General Mills. For 150 years, the family of brands, including Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and Chex, has been a part of the beloved food and holiday traditions that we all hold so dear. This year, the company wants to celebrate the people who make the season special. We all have someone close to us who inspires and keeps traditions alive, right?

I encourage you to share your nostalgic holiday photos and any stories you have that celebrate your special tradition keepers. Please share those photos and stories on Twitter and Instagram with #HolidayTraditions, and each time you share, you’ll be entered to win my giveaway!

GIVEAWAY

One (1) lucky reader receives a Betty Crocker Big Red Cookbook and a $25 Visa gift card!

To enter, share your holiday photos and stories featuring food, family and fun on Twitter and Instagram using #HolidayTraditions. You can share every day, and for each one you’ll receive another entry! Want to see what everyone else has been sharing? Take a look!

Entry -Form

Compensation was provided by General Mills. The opinions are my own.

RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm ET, December 8, 2016. No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States. Void where prohibited by law. One lucky winner will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Privacy/Rules/Terms of Use policy.

Try Denny’s Holiday Menu. Pssst, Denny’s is Open on Thanksgiving and Christmas!

November 21, 2016 By Liz

I’m sharing Denny’s seasonal menu as part of a sponsored ambassadorship for Denny’s Diners. All opinions are my own.

Did you know Denny’s is open on Thanksgiving and Christmas? YES! If you’re on the road for the holidays, and need an affordable seasonal meal for the family, stop at Denny’s.

You’ll find traditional favorites like the popular Turkey & Dressing Dinner. It features a tasty new recipe with perfectly carved slices of premium turkey breast served with savory stuffing, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce along with a choice of two sides and dinner bread.

But there are also festive pancake flavors you’ll love. Through January 4th, you can have your pancakes drizzled, sprinkled, topped or infused with the festive flavors of pumpkin, pecan or caramel!

New Pumpkin Cream Pancake Breakfast– Offering fall flavors with every bite, two fluffy pumpkin pancakes are layered and topped with tasty pumpkin cream and served with two eggs and hash browns, plus a choice of two strips of bacon or sausage links.

New Sticky Bun Pancake Breakfast– Sinfully sweet cinnamon sauce and cream cheese icing are drizzled over two fluffy buttermilk pancakes with glazed pecans cooked inside, served with two eggs and hash browns, plus a choice of two strips of bacon or sausage links.

New Salted Caramel & Banana Cream Pancake Breakfast– This delicious seasonal dish features two fluffy buttermilk pancakes with shortbread pieces cooked inside, layered with vanilla cream and topped with fresh bananas, warm salted caramel sauce and even more shortbread pieces. Served with two eggs and hash browns, plus a choice of two strips of bacon or sausage links.

Be sure to bring the kids too! They’ll adore the the New Rudolph Pancake Breakfast and Rudolph kids cup!

Have a sweet tooth? Don’t miss the Red Velvet Pancake Puppies, made with white chocolate chips, tossed with powdered sugar and served with a side of cream cheese icing for dipping.

Or maybe you’d enjoy the new Holiday Cookie Milk Shake, made with premium vanilla ice cream which is blended with cookie butter, then topped with whipped cream and shortbread pieces.

To enjoy the limited edition Denny’s seasonal menu, be sure to visit by January 4th! Find a Denny’s location near you.

There’s Nothing Cuter than Jellybean Toes

December 22, 2015 By Chanelle 123 Comments

This post is sponsored by Lunchbox.

LOOK AT THESE BEANS!

LOOK AT THEM!

Whenever my cat’s bean toes are showing, I snap a photo because it’s so damn cute. So I thought I’d take it one step further and make a paw print ornament so I can remember how cute she is for all my Christmases to come!

If you think Mony’s cute and want to see some more pics and a video, check out this recent post about a cat toy (which would be a perfect stocking stuffer for your kitty).

I chose to use salt dough for my paw print ornament. It’s really easy to make and will make four good-sized ornaments.

Salt Dough Paw Print Ornament

1 cup flour
1 cup salt (just your usual iodized table salt)
1/2 cup water
Glass to cut out the ornament shape
Straw to punch a hole for the ribbon
Aluminum foil
Baking sheet
Festive ribbon

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F
Mix flour, salt, and water in a bowl. The result should be a Play-Doh-like consistency – you may need to add a little water if the dough is crumbly.
On a floured surface, pat the dough into an even layer about 1/2 thick. Cut out ornament shapes with a glass.
Press your pet’s paw into the ornament, then punch a hole at the top with a straw.
Place ornaments on baking sheet covered with foil and bake for 2-3 hours (until dry).
If necessary, file the edges to smooth them out. I used a nail file.
Add ribbon, and hang!

DIY Paw Print Ornament Step by Step Tutorial | Click through to eatmovemake.com for full instructions!

Pin me!

You can find this and other DIY ideas like printable pet gift tags and Mason treat jars on the Purina Holiday page at Walmart.com, along with $9 worth of coupons for pet items!

Available coupons:

SAVE $3.00 Purina® on any two (2) 6oz or larger packages of Purina® Beggin’®, Busy® or Beneful® brand Dog Snacks
SAVE $1.00 Friskies® on ANY two (2) packages of Friskies® Party Mix or Whisker Lickin’s® Cat Treats
SAVE $4.00 Waggin’ Train® on any one (1) 8oz.or larger package of Waggin’ Train® Treats for Dogs
SAVE $1.00 ALPO® on two (2) packages of ALPO® brand Dog Snacks

10 Clever Ways to Package Holiday Candy Gifts

November 20, 2014 By Liz 219 Comments

I love to think of fun ways to package holiday candy gifts for my kids, family and friends. It’s simple, festive, fun and oh, so tasty!

So, I thought of my favorite candy gift package ideas,and put together a collection that not only includes the candy itself, but the gift packaging can be re-purposed in other ways too!<

Candy-filled cookie cutter

Glue a doily onto sturdy cardboard backing. Fill a small treat bag with candy, tuck it inside a cute holiday-themed cookie cutter and tape or glue to doily. To finish, add a pretty ribbon on top.

Candy Pouches

These are easy to find at holiday time, and they only cost me 50 cents each. After the candy is gone, they’re super cute for storing post-it notes.

Candy Jar

Fill a decorative candy jar and tie a pretty ribbon around it.

Gift Boxes

Look for colorful boxes or bags, and then add holiday die-cuts or notions to the front.

Stocking Stuffer

Slip your sweets inside a mini stocking, and dangle some tiny decorations from it to dress it up.

Treasure Box

Paint a small hinged wooden box in festive colors, and add a cute holiday sticker to the top. Tuck your candy treats inside.

Holiday Cups/Mugs

A candy-filled cup or mug is a classic favorite.

Ornaments

Fill clear plastic ornaments with colorful candy, and then either tie a pretty bow around the top or attach ribbon stickers. They can be hung on the tree or if you can’t resist the candy, go ahead and shake it out!

Treat-sized Bakeware

Fill a mini loaf pan, ramekin or pie dish with candy. Wrap it with cellophane and some holiday ribbon.

Fabric Bags

Choose a drawstring fabric bag in a fun holiday pattern and tuck a whole bag of candy inside!

All of my ideas were created using Haribo Sour Gold-Bears. They’re brand new, and since so many people, including my kids and I, love sour gummies, they make a perfect choice for a holiday candy gift.

The original gummi bear found in signature gold bags across the country is announcing a new flavor roll-out: Haribo Sour Gold-Bears.

Flavors include Pineapple (clear), Strawberry (green), Lemon (yellow), Orange (orange) and Raspberry (red)m and they taste fresh, fruity and uniquely sour – but not too sour.

Haribo Sour Gold-Bears will hit U.S. shelves in 5-ounce bags this month at a suggested retail price of $1.09 – $1.69.

For more information, visit www.haribo.com.

Partnered post. All ideas and opinions are my own.

Magical Memories #PCholiday

December 7, 2013 By Liz 166 Comments

This is a sponsored post with Provide Commerce and the Social Media Chicks. All opinions are my own.

With eyes shining brightly, the six of us kids would dash into the family room on Christmas morning. We’d squeal with delight as we spotted our personalized stockings, for they were filled with treasures from Santa!

The stockings had our names on them, and were embellished with handmade miniature ornaments and candies. The letters on mine were the smallest of all six of us, since I had the longest name — Elizabeth.

I could smell the Christmas turkey in the oven as I reached into my stocking to pull out my gifts, and one by one I marveled at them all. When I reached the toe, I knew I would find the juiciest, sweetest orange I could ever imagine, and I’d race to the kitchen to eat it as my special Christmas morning treat.

Nothing will ever replace the cherished memories of my special childhood stocking, but I desperately wanted to order new stockings that would mimic the feeling and style of the one I hold so dear.

I spotted a selection of “Winter Wonderland” stockings at Personal Creations, and when I instantly got the warm fuzzies, I knew they were meant to be mine.

They’re super soft and squishy, have dimension and texture, and they ooze warmth and comfort. I adore them.

As you can tell, I’m sentimental, but I also have a fondness for whimsy. I personalized these jingle bell mini stocking gift card holders for my kids. The designs make me think of mischievous elves, and I love that!

I have hundreds of ornaments, and my Christmas tree needs the entire year off just to prepare itself for the number of decorations I insist it hold for the entire month of December.

However, in the last few years, I’ve really tried to be more selective in the ornaments I buy. But when I saw “The Christmas Key,” it was destiny. It just had to be my 2013 ornament. In fact, I liked it so much that I ordered one for my mom as well.

It comes with a little message to Santa that talks about the key to Christmas being Jesus, and it makes me smile that this ornament brings the two sides of Christmas together. Love.

I hope you enjoyed sharing my Christmas memories with me, and perhaps you’ll find some personalized holiday magic yourself at Personal Creations. It’s certainly worth a look.

Follow Personal Creations Blogger Board: Christmas Ideas on Pinterest

Ready to personalize your own Christmas creations? Personal Creations is offering my readers 20% off of all of your purchases through the end of December. Click here to start shopping and the 20% will be applied in your shopping cart.

Do you have special holiday stockings, ornaments or decor that gives you the warm fuzzies too?

Not A Fruitcake Fruitcake Recipe + Harris Teeter #SeasonsEatings Giveaway

December 1, 2013 By Liz 68 Comments

There’s no two ways about it: fruitcake is a food foul. It’s horrendous. I wouldn’t be surprised if the origin of fruitcake could be traced back to the devil himself.

I hate fruitcake.

So I made a fruitcake. Ha!

But this is not the gummy brick-shaped lump of clay served by the devil’s kitchen staff. This is an old family recipe that turns the curse of the fruitcake on its bumble, and sets things right in the world again.

Introducing the… Not a Fruitcake Fruitcake.

What inspired me is that Harris Teeter (one of my fave grocery stores here) is having a #SeasonsEatings Pin to Win contest on Pinterest, and they’re giving away some awesome prizes including a KitchenAid mixer!

I just felt like getting into the spirit of things by baking a holiday recipe and creating my own Season’s Eatings board on Pinterest.

But first, here’s my recipe for a holiday dessert so good that it’s a shame it has the word fruitcake in its name!

Not A Fruitcake Fruitcake Recipe

Author: Liz Mays

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Cake

1½ cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup jam (I used red plum)
1 tsp vanilla
⅓ cup raisins
⅓ cup dried cherries
⅓ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup chopped dates
⅓ cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp flour
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Topping

10 pineapple rings (1 large can)
5 maraschino cherries
1½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
¼ cup brown sugar

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 round layer cake pan, but nonstick pans are preferable for this recipe.
In small bowl toss dried fruits with 1Tbsp flour; set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs; beat until smooth.
Add jam, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth.
In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to wet ingredients. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
Fold in dried fruit mix.
Pour equally into two round cake layer pans.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Topping

Lay out pineapple slices onto foil-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
In large bowl, combine coconut, pecans and raisins; set aside.
Blend sugar, flour and eggs in a mixer and then cook over medium heat until mixture reaches a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and whisk in the cinnamon and cloves.
Stir in the coconut, pecans and raisins. Refrigerate mixture for about 15 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of the mixture on the top of one cake layer, and then 5 pineapple slices. Lay other cake layer on top and spread remaining topping over entire cake. (The finer the nuts are chopped, the easier it will be to spread.)
Decorate the cake top with the five remaining pineapple slices, placing a maraschino cherry into the center of each ring.
Add a touch of fruit or coconut to center of cake, if desired.

Be sure to check out the Harris Teeter Season’s Eatings Pinterest contest!! Follow Harris Teeter on Pinterest too!

GIVEAWAY!

One lucky reader will win a $25 Harris Teeter gift card.

Entry -Form

I received a gift card from Harris Teeter to buy recipe ingredients. The gift card featured in this giveaway is also provided by Harris Teeter. I have not been compensated for this post in any other way.

RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm ET, December 15,2013. No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia, Eighteen (18) years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. Three lucky winners will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Terms of Use policy.

My Favorite Things Holiday Giveaway

November 17, 2013 By Liz

Happy Holidays!

It’s officially the season, and many of us are starting to think about the gifts we’d like to give our family and friends. So, this year I’ve gathered together some of my favorite things to share with you as gift giving inspiration and as a giveaway!

But not just me… I’m partnering with a great group of my fabulous blog friends and we’re all doing it. You’ll find gift giving ideas from each of us along with the chance to win “Our Favorite Things”.

________________

How to Enter:

Browse the gift collage to see all the giveaways you can enter!

Scroll down to see everything included in MY giveaway.

Enter to win My Favorite Things at the bottom of this post in the Giveaway Tools form.

HOP around to all of the other sites for their gift ideas and giveaways.

_______________

Let’s take a closer look at what’s inside!

Set of 3 mixing bowls, Air Wick Scented Oils, decorative candle, set of two spatulas, holiday kitchen towel and hot pad

Eyelash kit, two nail press-on kits, makeup palette, super cute necklace I found at Nordstrom.

Muffins & Mayhem (recipes & stories), notebook from Minted.com, napkins,moleskine notebook, iHome Glow Tunes speaker.

Seattle’s Best Tasting Kit, Brookside chocolate, Tom Douglas rub snack mix, Omega coconut water filter, Cheese straws, Hershey’s Baking Melts and Hershey’s Chocolate Chips.

And those are just a few of my favorite things. Please enter my giveaway for the chance to win it all!

Entry -Form

RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm ET, November 30, 2013. This giveaway is sponsored wholly by A Nut in a Nutshell. All items are as is and not guaranteed against manufacturer defects or accidental damage during shipping. No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia, Eighteen (18) years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. One lucky winner will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner(s) and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Terms of Use policy.

Oven-baked Blueberry Pain Perdu

April 1, 2013 By Liz 141 Comments

I’m not generally one to make a fuss over a holiday breakfast, but Easter is a very special day, so I like to make my Easter meals special as well.

One of my very favorite breakfast recipes is for an overnight Pain Perdu, which is like a baked French Toast. This year I decided to go with blueberry, but I sometimes make it with strawberries or cinnamon and maple.

The bread used to make it is key, so be sure to use an artisan bread like Ecce Panis. (sold at Walmart <—click for coupon) The European baguettes are perfect for the recipe.

Oven-Baked Blueberry Pain Perdu (French Toast)

Ingredients for Pain Perdu

1 Ecce Panis European baguette (you’ll want a French bread-type texture)
10 oz Philadelphia brand cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
2 cups blueberries
10 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash nutmeg

(Blueberry Sauce)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
4 Tbsp corn starch
2 cups blueberries
2 Tbsp butter

Directions

1. Cut bread into cubes and then layer on the bottom of a greased 9″x12″ baking dish.

2. Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk until soft and creamy. Carefully spread over top of bread cubes. It won’t be a perfectly smooth layer, but that’s ok.

3. Mix together eggs, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over the top of the bread and cream cheese layer. Sprinkle on 2 cups of the blueberries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 30 minutes until center sets and bread turns golden brown.

5. During the last 30 minutes of baking, prepare the blueberry sauce by stirring together water, sugar and corn starch and bringing to a boil. Stir constantly to prevent scalding and cook for several minutes. Add blueberries and reduce heat to a simmer; let cook for about 10-12 minutes.

6. Pour blueberry sauce over the Pain Perdu. Cut into squares to serve and enjoy.

Trust me when I tell ya that you won’t soon forget this recipe. Scrumptious!

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop (entire excursion on Google +) has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Ecce Panis #EccePanis #cbias #SocialFabric. All opinions are my own

Cinnamon Roll Sauce Recipe – Drizzle This on EVERYTHING!

December 30, 2012 By Liz 177 Comments

One of my favorite New Year’s Day traditions is to make a special breakfast/brunch-y type meal, and I wanted to make something with some of the Country Crock I had in the fridge.

And that’s how I happened to create this unbelievably delicious cinnamon roll drizzle sauce which you’ll want to spoon over EVERYTHING!

Cinnamon Roll Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup Country Crock Original
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

1. Toast the chopped walnuts on a heated skilled until fragrant and browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.

2. Melt Country Crock over very low heat in the skillet. When it’s completely melted and begins to get slightly frothy, gradually add and stir in brown sugar. Then add vanilla and cinnamon. The brown sugar should dissolve and the cinnamon and vanilla should be dispersed completely.

3. Add walnuts back into skillet.

4. Continue to stir as sauce thickens for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a serving dish or small pitcher. And then drizzle the heavenly cinnamon roll sauce over EVERYTHING!

Enjoy!

I partnered with Country Crock to create an original recipe, and the recipe and opinions are my own.

Holiday Nut Crescents

December 13, 2012 By Liz

These delicate bite-sized cookies are a holiday favorite of mine. Sometimes I glaze them like I did this year, sometimes I sprinkle cinnamon on top, and sometimes I just enjoy them completely as is. They’re delicious every which way they’re made.

Holiday Nut Crescents

Ingredients

Dough:
2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
1 egg yolk

Cut 1/4 cup butter into flour, then cut in the other half. Add sour cream and egg yolk. Mix with hands; dough will be extremely sticky! Refrigerate 4 hours. Divide dough into 3 equal portions and form into balls on a heavily floured surface.

Filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 box yellow raisins

Combine sugar, walnuts and cinnamon. Roll out dough ball into the size of a pizza pan on a heavily floured surface. Spread filling evenly over dough. Sprinkle with raisins. Cut dough into 16 slices as with a pie. Start at the large end of each slice and roll towards the center.

Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 22 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately after crescents are done baking, shift each of them slightly on the cookie sheet to prevent sticking. Let cool a few more minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Glaze if desired.

Yield: 48 cookies

I am pretty new to organic products because they’re expensive, and I’m cheap. (Just being truthful.) However, my two kids are extremely eco-conscious and if my poor starving college son chooses to buy organic meat and dairy products, how could I not at least consider using them to bake the holiday recipes I’ll be sharing with him this year?

After doing a little research on Organic Valley, I discovered they’re not only independent and farmer-owned, but most importantly to me and my children, they operate with a pasture perfect policy which includes sustainability and humane treatment of every animal on every co-op farm.

So that’s why I decided to use Organic Valley eggs and sour cream (which is the creamiest, whipped sour cream I’ve ever seen in my life) to make these treasured family cookies. I wanted their butter too, but my store didn’t sell it. 🙁

(I don’t trust these cookies to just any product, you know…)

For wonderful holiday recipes from the Organic Valley farmers and kitchens, visit Pasture Perfect Holidays where you can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win up to $12,000 for kitchen appliances, a $1000 gift certificate for cookware, or a weekly drawing for a year of free Organic Valley products.

GIVEAWAY!

One lucky reader will win an Organic Valley prize pack which includes free Organic Valley products for 1 month (10 free full-value product coupons), an Organic Valley tote bag, storage container, bumper sticker and $1 off coupon for Organic Valley American Singles. (ARV $100)
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Note: This is a sponsored post with Brandfluential for Organic Valley. All opinions are my own.

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Nestlé Chocolate Chip Cookie Sleds

December 11, 2012 By Liz 130 Comments

When I looked at all the Nestlé holiday candy I’ve been accumulating for my kids’ stockings, I couldn’t resist busting open a bag or two. I wanted to make these candy cane chocolate chip cookie sleds I found on Nestle’s website.

I began with all of this candy…. Nestlé’s got holiday handled, don’t ya think?

(Note to my kids: I have plenty left for your stockings, ya little candy grubbers.)

So back to the recipe…. it calls for using their Toll House Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough. It’s the kind that comes as a square with all the pull and separate cookies. If you can’t find it, you could probably use the tube and then just smoosh it into a square-ish shape.

Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie Sleds

Ingredients

1 package (16.5 ounces) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
1/3 cup ready-to-use white frosting
20 (5 1/4-inch) WONKA SweeTart Candy Canes
NESTLÉ and WONKA assorted Holiday Candy
Edible white glitter (optional)
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease or foil-line a large baking sheet.

2. Place whole bar of dough on prepared baking sheet. Allow to soften for 5 to 10 minutes. Using fingertips, pat dough gently to form an 11 x 8-inch rectangle.

3. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Gently slide cookie onto cutting board. Trim edges of rectangle as needed.

4. Cut cookie into 4 x 2-inch rectangles, or to about the length of the candy canes you will be using. Cut smaller rectangles for mini candy cane sleds. Use frosting on backside of cookies to attach candy canes. Let stand for 30 minutes or until set. Once set, turn the sled over so the candy canes are on the bottom.

5. Fill sled with candies and sprinkle on glitter to look like snow. [I used white sanding sugar to keep it edible.]

I made several of them and then went searching the Christmas tree and toybox for little trinkets to add.

Have fun!

Nestlé provided candy and holiday inspiration. All opinions are my own.

Springtime Mini Cheesecakes for Easter

March 20, 2012 By Liz 89 Comments

Make little Easter cheesecakes in delightful Springtime hues, and fill them with your choice of topping(s). The possibilities are endless and delicious!

Filling
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese
1 14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
18 4-oz mini graham cracker crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk; beat well. Add vanilla and eggs; beat on medium speed until smooth.

3. Separate filling into individual portions (about 1/3 cup). Using food coloring, tint in the colors of your choosing.

4. Fill mini graham cracker crusts with the filling. (Optional: Fill crust halfway, then spoon a couple teaspoons of jam (blueberry, cherry, raspberry, etc.) and add the rest of filling.) Bake for 15-20 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate until serving.

Cherries in a Cloud Cupcakes

February 2, 2012 By Liz 111 Comments

I wanted to combine two of my favorite desserts into one, so a few weeks ago I experimented and came up with these easy to make cupcakes for Valentines Day and beyond!

Ingredients

1 box Duncan Hines classic white cake mix
3 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 box cherry pie filling
1 tub cream cheese frosting

Directions
For cupcakes: Prepare and bake according to box directions. Let cool.

1. Carefully cut around and remove the top of each cupcake. Set aside and save.

2. Gently cut the mounded underside of the cut-off top to level it out.

3. Scoop out a portion of the cupcake center. I used a fork to have more control over how much I was removing.

4. Spoon cherry pie filling into the hollowed out cupcake center.

5. Gently place the cupcake lid back over the top.

6. Frost and garnish as desired.

Note: Other pie fillings could easily be substituted.

Enjoy!

Caramel Candy Bar Cookies

Oven-Baked Blueberry Pain Perdu (French Toast)

Cinnamon Roll Sauce

Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie Sleds

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