Ummm.....YUM!!

OK, so I'm not Paula Deen, but I'm trying. In doing so, I follow homegirl on twitter, look through her recipes, and try to say "y'all" when I'm in the kitchen.

Well, low and behold, Mrs. Deen posted a link to this recipe for Brandied Cherry Cupcakes.

Now, I might not completely duplicate the recipe A) because I can't use flour and B) because it's a little more involved than Betty Crocker recipe, but not as lazy as a box. Anyway, what I really love about this is that you bake the cupcake in the jar! Then, once they are cooled, you frost and seal in the delicious freshness for gifting at a later date. What I also loved is the disposable spoon attached by a ribbon to instant enjoyment!

Seriously? How can you not eat one?!

I think that I will make a batch of these cupcakes-in-a-jar for my co-workers for the holiday and send them home with 4-packs (I only have five people that I would make them for, so that's an easy two-dozen cupcake feat.) I might not go all the way with the vanilla bean paste based frosting, but rest assured that I will blog about it!

Brandied Cherry Syrup Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans of cherries in heavy syrup
½ cup brandy

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low.
Simmer for fifteen minutes. 

 

Use a sieve to strain out the cherries.  Reserve both the syrup and cherries.

Cupcake Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
Brandied cherry syrup from above
Brandied cherries from above
18 half pint mason jars

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
In another medium-sized bowl, beat butter, sugar, and honey until well combined.
Beat eggs and milk into the butter mixture.
Alternately fold the flour mixture and 2/3 cup of the cherry syrup into the wet ingredients.
Fold in all of the brandied cherries.

 

Scoop ¼ cup of batter into each mason jar.

 

Carefully, put the jars directly onto the oven rack – no baking sheet is needed.  Important: Do not put the lids on.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry. 

 

Remove from oven and pour 1 tablespoon of cherry syrup into each jar.  The cupcake will absorb the syrup.

Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons milk
¾ cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla bean paste and milk until fully combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. 

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Another treat that I'm going to make, I actually picked up from another blogger. Jen at A Girl in Pearls & A Boy with Toys posted about a cookie swap and posted her winning recipe for these Christmas Cookie Wreaths.

via

These gems are naturally gluten free! Not to mention I'm all for anything that tastes like rice krispie treats since rice krispies are not gluten free. 

Christmas Cookies Wreath Recipe (courtesy of Cooks Recipes)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

4 cups miniature marshmallows (40 large marshmallows)

1 teaspoon liquid green food coloring

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups corn flakes

Red hot candies

Directions:

1. In 2-quart saucepan melt butter and marshmallows over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Add and mix quickly the food coloring, almond and vanilla extracts, then corn flakes.
2. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls on buttered waxed paper or aluminum foil. Quickly withbuttered fingers, shape into wreaths and decorate with 3 red hot candies each at the top of the "wreath".
3. Cool completely. Store in sealed container in cool area.

Makes 3 dozen.

In addition to the cupcake jars and wreaths, I will also be making fudge and peppermint bark. These are both easy to make ahead of time and freeze. I use the recipe on the marshmallow creme jar and just melt the bricks of chocolate after pounding candy canes into submission.

What are some of your favorite holiday recipes?