Christmas Candies

The Christmas season is now in full swing. You know what that means. Time for parties and church/family gatherings. And that means it's candy making time.

All those gatherings are the perfect opportunity to break out those favorite candy recipes you make only during the holidays. Because let's face it, if you make it just to have at home, you're going to be the one eating it all. Well, I would be anyway. I have little restraint this time of year. 

Peanut Clusters are one of the first things I make every year. (recipe here)

They're super easy to make AND they freeze well. That means you can make them now and then simply thaw what you need as you need them. They're perfect for parties and gift-giving.

Another annual treat that freezes well is Peanut Butter Balls. (recipe here)

Also known as Buckeyes, these are reminiscent of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. You can find the recipe here, however I have made one minor change. Actually, one that makes things so much easier. Instead of melting a bit of paraffin into chocolate chips (very old-school), I simply use the melting wafers or coating chocolate. Both are made to coat and harden into a nice chocolatey shell.

My mom's favorite Fantasy Fudge is next. (Recipe can be found here)

This recipe has adorned the back label of Kraft Marshmallow Cream for as long as I can remember. However there was a slight change somewhere along the way. The recipe has always called for a small can of evaporated milk. But for some reason, the makers of evaporated milk changed the amount in the can from 6 ounces to only 5 ounces. And because of that, my beloved fudge just wasn't the same. It wasn't until I stumbled across the original recipe my mom had cut off of the back of a jar many, many years ago that I discovered the problem. So, don't buy the small can of evaporated milk. Do yourself a favor and get the larger can and measure out a full 6 ounces.

Trust me on this one. That one little ounce of evaporated milk makes all the difference.

Another confectionary treat that's perfect for both young and old is Dipped Pretzel Rods, (Tutorial here)

Their sweet/salty mix makes them a delicious treat. And you can add sprinkles or drizzle them with those colored candy wafers you find by the cake decorating supplies to make them extra festive.

My final favorite chocolatey Christmas treats are Pretzel Turtles. (Recipe here)

Like the Dipped Pretzels, these Pretzel Turtles require no baking skills. All you need to do is assemble. But your patience will be rewarded with a very tasty treat that will wow your friends and family. 

That's my lineup of holiday candies. What are some of your favorite Christmas candies to share?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

The Holidays are Here!

The holiday season is finally here. At the Obi house, we kicked Thanksgiving off with four out of five kiddos home with their families.

We had SO much food. And yes, those are paper plates. They make cleanup so much easier.

This was the first time since last Christmas I got to see our two youngest grandchildren together.

And these two little mischief makers...

Had quite a time.

Going so far as to commandeer their uncles' laser tag game.

It's always a treat when our kids bring us flowers. But these apple roses my youngest son made were an even bigger hit. Aren't they pretty?

Then Friday rolled around and everyone went home, leaving Grammy with a big box of tissues. Not because they were gone, but because she woke up with a cold. Fortunately, there was plenty of leftover turkey to make some turkey noodle soup.

Actually, it was a turkey and chicken noodle soup since I had some leftover chicken breast in the refrigerator, too. I used my favorite recipe (you can find that here), except instead of starting with raw chicken/turkey, I simply chopped up the cooked meat and added it to the sauted onions and garlic, then continued with the rest of the recipe as usual. It was exactly what I needed to clear out my sinuses and set myself on the path to feeling better. Because it's time to get ready for Christmas! 

So how was your Thanksgiving? And what are you up to now?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

Easy Thanksgiving Side

Okay, y'all, we're down to crunch time. Thanksgiving is only two days away. You know what that means. Let the cooking begin.

My turkey has been thawing in the refrigerator since Friday. Tomorrow I'll start brining it so it's ready to go in the oven Thursday morning. And then there are the sides. For most meals, I'm good with just meat, a salad and a veggie. But on Thanksgiving, it's too difficult to decide on which beloved side dishes to make so I just make them all. Mashed potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole (with fresh green beans and mushrooms), broccoli and rice... Everyone seems to have their favorite. But the one thing we all agree on is Corn Pudding.

And the best thing about it is that it's so easy to make.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 - 15.5 oz can cream style corn
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 - 4 oz. can diced green chilies
• 1/2 cup corn meal
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix everything together in a medium size bowl.

Now I know some of you are thinkin', "Chilies? Cayenne?" I promise, this is not spicy. However, you're free to skip the cayenne, if you must. The green chilies aren't hot, though. Just flavorful. And we're all about flavor, right?

Pour mixture into a greased casserole, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

It should be golden to slightly brown on the top and around the edges. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture before people started digging in. 

Depending on how many folks I'm feeding, I usually double the recipe and extend the baking time as needed. The shallower the pan, the faster it bakes.

Four out of five kiddos will be making their way home for Thanksgiving this year. Having the two youngest grandbabies in the house at the same time should be fun. One is two and half and the other will be two the day after Christmas. Oh, just think of the mischief they could get into. 

So what are your plans for Thanksgiving? And what is your favorite Thanksgiving side dish? 

Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com 

Pumpkin Bread and Preparing for the Holidays

Like it or not, the holidays are just around the corner. No joke. My asparagus fern is already getting into the holiday spirit.

And before long you'll be contemplating teacher gifts, a little something for coworkers or maybe you just want to let someone know how much you appreciate them. Those types of gifts don't have to cost a lot to be special. Especially when they're made with love.

I've been making this pumpkin bread since my kids were little. It's a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas gift for anyone you appreciate. The best part is that you don't have to try to cram baking it into your busy holiday schedule. Instead, you can make it now. Matter of fact, it will be better if you make it now, because it's always better after it's been frozen.

This makes a very large batch, one that typically yields me 17-18 small loaves, but you can cut the recipe in half should you so desire. Of course, you can also make larger loaves. 

So here we go. You're gonna need A REALLY BIG BOWL. I have a commercial size one I use almost exclusively for this recipe. You can mix by hand or use an electric mixer. I usually start off using an electric hand mixer, then switch to a large spoon or spatula when I start adding the flour.

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 1/4 cups (that's 4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon molasses
• 6 cups sugar
• 12 eggs 
• 2 cups orange juice 
• 6 cups pumpkin puree (2 - 29 oz. cans)
• 10 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 3  cups raisins (regular or golden)

Cream butter, molasses, and sugar until light and fluffy. 

Beat in eggs, one at a time until well blended.

Add orange juice and pumpkin and mix well.

Whisk dry ingredients together into a large bowl and add to pumpkin mixture a little at a time, stirring well to thoroughly combine all elements. (I use my mixer as long as I can, but switch to a spoon as it thickens and, frankly, is too deep for the mixer to properly blend)

Now stir in your raisins.

Spoon into greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour for large pans, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. For the smaller pans, check them after 35-40 minutes.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes.

Then turn out onto racks to cool. 

Once the loaves have cooled, I wrap them in plastic wrap, then foil and store them in the freezer. They keep for months. Then, when it's time for gift giving, simply place the unwrapped bread (sometimes I leave the clear plastic wrap on) into a cellophane bag and tie with some burlap or a pretty ribbon.

Now who wouldn't want to receive this? (barring any food allergies, of course)

You can see the bits of golden raisins I used in this batch. Coupled with the cinnamon and cloves, this bread is a feast for the taste buds. And a tasty treat friends and family look forward to every year.

So, I have to ask, have you started your holiday shopping yet? I prefer to start early so I can space things out, but there are those who like to wait until the week before Christmas and others who will take a single day and knock everything out at once. Which category do you fall into? And do you give any gifts from your kitchen?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.