Holiday Baking and Delivering

So this past weekend we continued our fun holiday tradition of holiday baking day. We started this a few years ago and as the kids have gotten older, it has become more and more fun. We spent all day on Saturday baking a ton of different things. My poor kitchen was a wreck! McKell was by far my biggest helper, but they all helped along the way. I was exhausted by the end of the day, but all of the 45+ neighbor gift plates were assembled and ready to go. On Sunday evening, we hooked up the little trailer, grabbed a ton of blankets, bundled everyone up and off we went. Rob drove the car with Sadie inside with him. The older kids and I sat in the back of the trailer and had a blast! It was freezing cold, but so much fun to have the kids jump in and out of the trailer running plates of goodies to people. It is truly one of the highlights of our Christmas season. Afterwards, as tradition would have it, we had hot cocoa and watched the First Presidency Christmas devotional on TV in our pajamas by the fire. It really doesn't get any better! Here are a few pics and recipes from our baking day:

YUMMY Caramel Popcorn

This is such a fun and easy recipe:

Pop 2 batched of air popped popcorn and set aside in a large bowl.

In a pan, combine 1 square butter, 1/2 C light corn syrup, and 2 C Brown Sugar. Bring this to a boil and let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp vanilla. Poor over popcorn and mix well. Spread out on a baking sheet or form into popcorn balls. YUM!

Peppermint Marshmallows

I actually saw these in a magazine and decided to try them. You just make a glaze of water and powdered sugar and crush up some candy canes. Dip one end of the marshmallow in the glaze and then into the crushed candy cane. Put on parchment paper while they dry. These are SO yummy in hot cocoa. Next year I think I am going to dip them in melted chocolate and then candy cane. YUM! Peppermint Brownies

These are from a recipe I got from Kneaders Bakery. They are so yummy!

Ingredients: Brownie 1 cup butter 4 oz unsweetened chocolate 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoons vanilla 4 eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2 quart bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every 20 – 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted. Cool slightly. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix well with a spatula. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a buttered 13-inch x 9-inch x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Do not overcook. Cool. Ingredients: Filling ½ cup softened butter, margarine, or shortening 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 2 drops mint flavoring or to taste 1 drop pink food coloring In a small bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter and mint flavoring until smooth. Add food coloring to make a light pink. Spread evenly over cooled brownies and then chill. Ingredients: Chocolate Ganache ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips ¼ cup heavy cream crushed peppermint ( red and white) Put the chocolate chips and cream into a small bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute stirring every 20 – 30 seconds until chocolate is melted. Do not over heat. Immediately pour over the brownies. Decorate with crushed peppermint. Do not refrigerate. Mixture will set up on brownies in about 15 – 20 minutes.
My 2 little helpers licking the brownie bowl

We made a ton of gingerbread men using my mom's old fashioned gingerbread man recipe

My helpers loved cutting out the gingerbread men

The gingerbread men all decorated and ready to go!

All bundled up in the back of the trailer. Off we go to deliver plates!
PS I almost forgot to mention that there were some people not home that night so we left their plates on the front doorstep. We later found out that the Herriman deer population had a very happy evening and at least one of our sweet friends found an empty plate with the tag still attached with nothing in it! Who knows how many people this happened to...hopefully not many! Dang those deer!!