Spiked Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

2 cups heated low fat milk
2 tablespoons Wildtree Chocolate Lover’s Syrup
4 ounces Kahlua
Whipped cream, optional

Directions:
Stir the Chocolate Syrup and Kahlua into the warm milk. Divide among two glasses. Top with whipped cream if desired.

*Recipe Picture from Wildtree Website

Reader Submitted Recipe

Mairead Matula

Wildtree

www.mywildtree.com/mairead

Christmas Ornament Cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C. flour

1/4 C. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix in a bowl the flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Cream in a separate bowl the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir flour mixture into the remaining creamed ingredients gradually, until blended. Cover and chill 15 minutes or longer. Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness and cut with Christmas-shape cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets and decorate with sprinkles (or icing could be used, after baking). Pierce a small hole through each cookie, toward the top center portion (use a barbecue skewer). Bake at 350ºF  for 8 minutes. Cookies are still pale-colored when finished, not browned. Cool on a cookie sheet.

Store in an airtight tin for 2 to 3 weeks. Use yarn or wire ornament hangers to hang cookies on your Christmas tree. They are best if eaten and replenished daily.

Holiday Punch

Ingredients:

4 cups cranberry juice (you can use light)

1 bottle sparkling cider

1 liter ginger ale (regular or diet)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons

12 ounces vodka

1 orange, sliced

Directions:

In a large bowl, over ice combine all of the liquid ingredients. Float the orange slices on top, for garnish and serve. Cranberries for garnish.

Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

2 loaves frozen bread, thawed

2 C. brown sugar

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 tsp. cinnamon

Nuts (optional)

Directions:

Tear 1 loaf thawed bread into irregular pieces and place in a buttered 13 x 9-inch pan. Sprinkle the mixture of brown sugar, pudding and cinnamon over the brad pieces. Tear up the second loaf of thawed bread and layer on top. Cover with a wet towel and let rise about 4 hours. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Turn upside down immediately. Nuts and raisins may be added with the brown sugar layer.

Cider Braised Berkshire Ham

Ingredients
• 2 sprigs rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs sage, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Pork Fresh Ham
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 bundle thyme, tied with string
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 quarts apple cider

 Directions
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a food processor, combine the chopped herbs with the garlic, crushed red pepper, a generous pinch of salt and enough olive oil to make a paste. Brush the paste on the outside of the pork roast.
• Toss the onions with olive oil, and salt, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the thyme, bay leaves and 2/3 of the cider. Place the pork on top of the onions and place in the preheated oven. Roast the pork at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork has developed a lovely brown crust. Check the pork, stir the onions and cider if they are starting to burn. Add more cider when the level starts to go down.
• Lower the oven to 375 degrees F and roast 1-2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F. If the crust on the pork starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.
• Let the pork rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. When ready to carve remove the pork from the bone and cut the leg into thin slices. Serve with the onions braised in cider.

Reader Submitted Recipe

Marina Backes

Circle B Ranch 

 www.circlebranchpork.com

Baked Chicken Breast with Fresh Basil

Ingredients:

10 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 1/2 lbs.)

3/4 cup low-fat yogurt

1/2 chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Arrange chicken in single layer in baking dish. Combine yogurt, basil and cornstarch; mix well and spread over chicken. Combine bread crumbs with Parmesan and sprinkle over chicken. (If making in advance, cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.)

Bake chicken in 375 degrees oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Pumpkin cream pie

Ingredients:
FOR THE GINGERSNAP CRUST:
• 1 1/4 cups ground gingersnaps (from about 25 cookies)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
FOR THE PUMPKIN CREAM FILLING:
1. 2 cups whole milk
2. 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4. 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5. Pinch of ground cloves
6. 1/2 cup sugar
7. Pinch of Salt
8. 4 large egg yolks
9. 1/4 cup cornstarch
10. 1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin (from one 15-ounce can)
11. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
12. 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, whisked to medium peaks

DIRECTIONS:
Make the gingersnap crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine gingersnaps, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir in melted butter. Press
mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch metal pie dish. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Let cool.
Make the pumpkin cream filling: Bring milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan
over medium heat.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl.
Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup milk mixture into yolk mixture. Gradually whisk in remaining milk mixture. Return entire mixture to saucepan. Cook over
medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbling in center, about 2 minutes.. Remove from heat. Immediately whisk in pumpkin. Whisk in butter.
Strain filling through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Pour into gingersnap crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, at least 4
hours. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream, and garnish with nutmeg..

Reader Submitted Recipe

THE MADLOVE COOKING

Joe Arvin

www.madlovecooking.tv