My dad's favorite gingerbread cake

I remember as a kid, we would go up home to narrows virginia at christmas, to vist my daddy's people. My Great Aunt Elgie would alway make my dad a gingerbread cake. My dad is no longer with us, but I still make  my  Great Aunt's gingerbread cake in remembrance of daddy, and my hubby loves it too.

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1 cup molasses

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan or bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
3. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool  on a cake rack  before serving.

Peppermint Cookies

I found this on the crisco website  and Man! they are good. this outta get you into the cristmas spirit too.  Here is the website I found it on if you want to check it out.

http://www.crisco.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=1931

• 3/4 stick Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks
• OR 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes or peppermint hard candies, divided

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. 1.
   HEAT oven to 350ºF.
2. 2.
   BEAT shortening, brown sugar, sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl of electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup crushed candy. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.
3. 3.
   BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately sprinkle each cookie with about 1/4 teaspoon crushed candy. Cool 2 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.
4. TIP
   To have enough crushed candy for this recipe, use 9 medium candy canes or 36 peppermint hard candies.

maple chipotle wings

this is my recipe, I make it during the holidays and the hubby and kids love it.

chicken wings ( I use the drumettes)
1 stick of butter
1 cup of ketchup ( I use Hunts)
1 chipotle pepper ( I buy the canned ones in adobe sauce)
1/2 cup of maple sryup
1 tbsp of vinegar


first I bake the chicken drummettes.  I melt the butter in the saucepan, then chop the chipotle pepper up and to butter, add ketchup  and maple sryup plus a the vinegar. I generally cook the sauce until it thickens. I then toss in a large bowl with the cook drummettes until the wings are coated with the sauce

Mini Pumpkin Pecan Orange Soaked Cakes

Here is a recipe I found on the http://www.verybestbaking.com/

 and it was really good. I also plan on making some for holiday gifts too. I love homemade baked items during the holidays, from friends and family. I also love to bake and give them to friends and family myself. Merry christmas Y'all

Mini Pumpkin Pecan Orange Soaked Cakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) spice cake mix
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 6-cake mini Bundt pans. Sprinkle nuts over bottom.

COMBINE cake mix, pumpkin, vegetable oil and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until blended. Beat for 4 minutes on medium speed. Spoon about 1/2 cup into each mold.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven. With back of spoon, carefully pat down dome of each cake to flatten. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling rack(s). Poke holes in cakes with wooden pick. Spoon a tablespoon of Orange Syrup over each cake. Allow syrup to soak in. Cool completely before serving or wrapping for gifts.

FOR ORANGE SYRUP:
PLACE 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons grated orange peel in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons orange juice.

Sugar Free Christmas Cookies

I am a diabetic, so in order for me to partake of christmas cookies, I have to eat low sugar and low-fat cookies, here is a recipe I found on diabetic gourmet, here is the website if you are looking for diabetic friendly recipes. http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/Desserts/Cookies/

• 1/2 cup butter flavored crisco
• 3 tablespoons splenda sugar blend
• 1 egg
• Several drops of food coloring (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Cream shortening. Add sweetener, egg, and food coloring (if desired); beat well.
2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, add the milk, vanilla, and water. Put in flour mixture and stir well.
3. Chill dough 2 to 4 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
5. Roll out 1/8 inch thick and cut the cookies into desired shapes. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Cool. Store in air tight container.