At our home many of our traditions and sentimental memories revolve around food. Seems the desserts especially get people quite excited and quite a few are attached to their particular favorite that must be on the table. It may be fruitcake, pecan or pumpkin pie, or Christmas tree sugar cookies. This year seems like a good time to freshen up these long-time favorites and try some great new recipes to liven up some classic holiday desserts.
Pumpkin pie has never been one of my favorites. That's part of the reason I was so happy to find a really different variation on the classic pumpkin pie that uses pumpkin ice cream as the filling. This dessert is super easy if you buy a pre-made graham cracker crust. Mix one pint of vanilla ice cream with one can of pumpkin, and 1/4 teaspoon each ground allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Spread the mixture into the piecrust, cover with fresh whipped cream (or store bought!) and place covered in the freezer. It is a fantastic lighter take on a heavy dessert for those who spend the holidays in warmer climates.
Another classic that I find a little puzzling is the ever-present fruitcake. The fruitcake does have a bad reputation, and can be so sweet it's quite overpowering, yet they are always present during the holidays. This is one dessert overdue for a makeover. As a substitute for this heavy, sugary cake, why not try something new? You can create rich dessert bread with some added fruits. Or another variation is oatmeal bread with coconut shavings and pineapple baked inside. Spread scrumptious white chocolate cream cheese icing on top and serve with some fresh-brewed coffee.
Another creative variation on fruitcake is something to the effect of a fruitcake sushi. To start you'll need some phyllo dough and finely chopped fresh fruits. You then would roll your fresh fruits into the dough so that it looks just like sushi, with the phyllo dough representing the seaweed on the outside of sushi and the fruit on the inside like the fish. Quickly bake in a hot oven and cut the baked dessert into rounds. Drop white chocolate icing on the tops and there you have it - a very modern version of fruitcake!
No one ever has enough cookie recipes in the holiday seasons. We want cookies to swap, to have available for company, to take to parties, and for a host of other reasons. The first cookie I'll suggest is very old fashioned, but so unusual it definitely rates as a fresh take on the standard holiday cookie! Mix 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon all spice, and 1/2 cup butter. After mixing place in your favorite baking pan. Cover with one pound of mincemeat. Cover the mincemeat with a 1/4-cup of roasted nuts. Bake in a 350-degree oven for forty minutes. Mincemeat sounds scary, but these cookies have a complex taste that is unbelievable.
We all want to see our favorite holiday desserts on the table. It's only natural! Tastes (not to mention nutritional standards) do evolve over time, though, and it is important to let our favorite desserts evolve with them. These are some suggestions for easy ways to reinvent holiday desserts, so use some of these ideas (fresh ingredients for canned, different methods of preparation) to update your family must-have holiday desserts. - 16650
Pumpkin pie has never been one of my favorites. That's part of the reason I was so happy to find a really different variation on the classic pumpkin pie that uses pumpkin ice cream as the filling. This dessert is super easy if you buy a pre-made graham cracker crust. Mix one pint of vanilla ice cream with one can of pumpkin, and 1/4 teaspoon each ground allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Spread the mixture into the piecrust, cover with fresh whipped cream (or store bought!) and place covered in the freezer. It is a fantastic lighter take on a heavy dessert for those who spend the holidays in warmer climates.
Another classic that I find a little puzzling is the ever-present fruitcake. The fruitcake does have a bad reputation, and can be so sweet it's quite overpowering, yet they are always present during the holidays. This is one dessert overdue for a makeover. As a substitute for this heavy, sugary cake, why not try something new? You can create rich dessert bread with some added fruits. Or another variation is oatmeal bread with coconut shavings and pineapple baked inside. Spread scrumptious white chocolate cream cheese icing on top and serve with some fresh-brewed coffee.
Another creative variation on fruitcake is something to the effect of a fruitcake sushi. To start you'll need some phyllo dough and finely chopped fresh fruits. You then would roll your fresh fruits into the dough so that it looks just like sushi, with the phyllo dough representing the seaweed on the outside of sushi and the fruit on the inside like the fish. Quickly bake in a hot oven and cut the baked dessert into rounds. Drop white chocolate icing on the tops and there you have it - a very modern version of fruitcake!
No one ever has enough cookie recipes in the holiday seasons. We want cookies to swap, to have available for company, to take to parties, and for a host of other reasons. The first cookie I'll suggest is very old fashioned, but so unusual it definitely rates as a fresh take on the standard holiday cookie! Mix 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon all spice, and 1/2 cup butter. After mixing place in your favorite baking pan. Cover with one pound of mincemeat. Cover the mincemeat with a 1/4-cup of roasted nuts. Bake in a 350-degree oven for forty minutes. Mincemeat sounds scary, but these cookies have a complex taste that is unbelievable.
We all want to see our favorite holiday desserts on the table. It's only natural! Tastes (not to mention nutritional standards) do evolve over time, though, and it is important to let our favorite desserts evolve with them. These are some suggestions for easy ways to reinvent holiday desserts, so use some of these ideas (fresh ingredients for canned, different methods of preparation) to update your family must-have holiday desserts. - 16650
About the Author:
While most people think of stoneware and glass for making casseroles, Clay Bakers are another great cooking option. Romertopf Clay makes a great line of clay cookware for every budget.
