Christmas Treats Day 8: Sticky Buns (Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Sauce)

I absolutely love these when I first get up in the morning.  They do not make a nutritious breakfast, but it is the holidays and everyone can cheat on their diets.  Warm baked cinnamon rolls with a caramel sauce and pecans makes for a fantastic treat Christmas morning before or during presents.

1 package (1 dozen/12) frozen cinnamon rolls

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ pint (1 cup) heavy whipping cream

Pecans, optional

Mix together brown sugar and whipping cream until smooth, making a caramel sauce.  It should still be liquid and turn a light brown color.  Pour into bottom of greased 9x13 baking pan.  If making pecan sticky buns, sprinkle the nuts on top of caramel sauce.  Place frozen cinnamon rolls on top.  Let rise overnight and bake in the morning according to package directions.  Remove from oven and let set about 5 minutes.  Turn pan over onto a baking sheet so sauce runs down onto rolls.  Serve once cool enough to eat.

Christmas Treats Day 7: Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse

Chocolate and fruit make this a fantastic dessert for any time of year, but I love it because it's different from the typical pie and cookies served during Christmas and other holidays.

1 package raspberry gelatin

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ Tbsp sugar

½ cup boiling water

1 cup orange juice

2 tsp. grated orange peel

1½ cups whipped topping

1½ cups fresh or thawed raspberries

In a medium bowl, combine gelatin, cocoa, and sugar; add boiling water and stir to dissolve.  Stir in orange juice and peel.  Refrigerate 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.  With an electric mixer, beat gelatin mixture 3 minutes.  Gently fold in whipped topping.  Divide evenly among 8 dessert cups.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm. Garnish with raspberries.

Christmas Treats Day 6: Hot Chipped Beef Dip

I've only had this dip once that I can remember and it tasted yummy at any temperature.  It's good on tortilla chips, crusty bread, crackers, and veggies.

1 block (8 oz) cream cheese

½ cup sour cream

Some pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

6 ounces chipped beef, drained and crumbled

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients except pecans in baking dish.  Stir-fry the pecans in butter. Sprinkle over the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Christmas Treats Day 5: Caramel Corn

I'm not entirely sure why, but I only seem to think about caramel corn around the winter holidays.  I want to blame it on the popcorn tins my family used to get annually as I was growing up.  They always had three sections of delicious popcorn: buttery, cheesy, and caramel.  There's also a company I used to sell for a fundraiser growing up and they make a popcorn variation that is caramel corn drizzled with chocolate and white chocolate.  It wouldn't be all that difficult to make using this recipe for the caramel corn.

½ cup oleo

¼ cup Karo syrup

1 cup brown sugar

Popcorn

Spray a brown bag with cooking spray, pop corn and place in bag.  Microwave remaining ingredients for 2 minutes or until it boils.  Pour over corn and stir.  Microwave for 2 minutes and lay out on wax paper lined cookie sheets to dry.

Christmas Treats Day 4: Bacon Water Chestnut Roll-Ups

 I love this recipe as a party appetizer, but I seem to make it most around the holidays.  This too, sounds like a weird combination but tastes fantastic. 

Bacon

Water chestnuts, drained

Sauce:

½ cup Miracle Whip

½ cup (2 bottle) chilli sauce

½ cup brown sugar

Roll bacon around water chestnuts.  Poke each roll-up with a toothpick.  Place roll-ups on cookie sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350. 

Mix together sauce ingredients and simmer on stove until done.  Pour over roll-ups and bake another 15 minutes.

Christmas Treats Day 3: Fudge Nut Layer Bars

This bar cookie makes a yummy addition to any platter of Christmas or holiday sweets. 

Filling:

            1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

            ½ cup sweet and condensed milk

1 tablespoon butter

            ¼ teaspoon salt

            ¾ cup chopped walnuts

            1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust:

            ½ cup butter

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon soda

1 egg

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1½ cups quick cooking rolled oats

In medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips, sweet and condensed milk, butter, and salt over low heat, stirring constantly until chips melt.  Stir in ½ cup walnuts and vanilla.  Set aside.  In large bowl, combine ingredients for crust.  Blend until mixture is coarse.  Press half of mixture into 9” square pan.  Spread chocolate filling over base.  Sprinkle remaining nuts and crust over filling.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

 (Note: Double recipe makes 36 bars in a 9X13 pan.)

Christmas Treats Day 2: Sausage Wonton Cups

This is another recipe introduced to me by my Aunt Mary.  She made these for my cousin's birthday one year and has since made them for appetizers at different family functions.  Admittedly, the combination sounds really weird.  I promise you these are delicious!

8 ounces cheddar or Colby jack cheese, shredded

8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

1 cup ranch dressing

1 pound breakfast sausage

35 Wonton wrappers

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cook and drain sausage.  While cooking the sausage, take wonton wrappers and push them into the muffin shape of the muffin pan.  Bake in the oven just long enough the shape will set (about 5 minutes).  Remove from muffin pan and place on the cookie sheet.  Combine the cheeses, dressing, and sausage in a medium bowl.  Place the mixture into the formed wonton wrappers on the cookie sheet.  Once the cookie sheet is full, or you have enough for what you need, bake them until the cheese is all melted.