HOLIDAY FLAVORS: Sweet ideas for making memories

ALBANY — Nothing says the holidays like the aroma of great food being prepared in the kitchen. Here are recipes from our readers that are sure to create some wonderful memories at your home this holiday season.

BUTTER BALLS

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter or oleo

3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in vanilla and flour. Stir in nuts. Chill several hours for ease of handling. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 20 minutes. Roll balls while warm in confectioner’s sugar. Cool. Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

Cook’s Note: If these are made according to recipe, they taste like wedding cookies. I have made them by wrapping the dough around a Kiss or miniature Reese’s Cup. I prefer Reese’s Cup.

— Barbara Akridge

DREAM COOKIES-PLUS

Ingredients:

1/4 pound butter or margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sifted plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla. Add flour and soda gradually. Roll into balls the size of cherries. Chill. Bake at 300 degrees until golden brown.

Cook’s Notes: For extra flavor, add chocolate or butterscotch chips and pecans. May be prepared ahead. Freezes well.

— Barbara Akridge

WHITE CHOCOLATE

PRETZEL KRISPIES

Ingredients:

1 bag of white chocolate chips

1 cup Rice Krispies cereal

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup pretzels, crushed

Directions:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute and stir. Continue melting the chocolate for 15 seconds at a time and stir until very smooth. Add the Rice Krispies cereal, chopped pecans and the crushed pretzels. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper or wax paper. Allow them to dry. Store candy in an air-tight container.

— Joyce Malone

CANDIED PECANS

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup Karo Light or Dark corn syrup

4 cup pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place butter in 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 jelly roll pan and place in oven until melted. Remove pan from oven and set aside.

Beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl with mixer at medium speed until foamy. Add sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Beat in corn syrup. Stir in nuts, coating well. Pour mixture into prepared pan; spread in a a single layer.

Bake nuts for 10 minutes, stir thoroughly. Return nuts to oven and bake 10 minutes longer; stir and bake 10 minutes more.

Remove nuts from oven. Stir to break up nuts and cool slightly.

Coat a 30 inch piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Spread nuts on the foil and separate with two forks.

Cool completely and then store in an air-tight container.

— Joyce Malone

BROWN SUGAR PECANS

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups pecan halves

Directions:

Place butter in Pyrex dish and microwave 1 minute. Add brown sugar and microwave for 1 minute. Add pecans and microwave 2 minutes. Stir to coat, then microwave 2 more minutes. Pour onto wax paper to cool. Pat with paper towel to absorb excess butter. Makes 2 cups.

— Annette Collier, Albany

PECAN CARAMEL CLUSTERS

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz.) package of caramels

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp butter

2 cup chopped pecans

4 oz white candy coating, coarsely chopped

4 oz semisweet chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped

Directions:

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the caramels, water and butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

Stir in pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Freeze for 15-20 minutes or until set.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine candy coatings. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds; stir until smooth. Dip caramel clusters in coating; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets.

Chill until firm. Makes about 2 pounds.

— Joyce Malone

CARROT CAKE MUFFINS WITH

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup flour

1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup grated carrots (2 to 3 medium)

1 apple, peeled, cored and grated

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

1 1/2 tsp orange zest

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Frosting ingredients:

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 tbsp softened cream cheese

2 tbsp orange juice, if desired

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk flour, brown sugar, spices, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add carrots, apple, nuts and orange zest, and toss to coat. Whisk oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Stir egg mixture into carrot mixture until combined. Divide the batter evenly among lined muffin cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of muffins comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let muffins cool completely.

Sift together confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, orange juice and vanilla extract until smooth and drizzle over cooled muffins.

Makes 12 muffins.

— Joyce Malone

BANANA, PEANUT

AND OATS COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup crushed dry peanuts

1 cup quick-cook oats

2/3 cup melted butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup self-rising flour

Directions:

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop by tablespoonful onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on racks. Store in air-tight container.

— Claudia Burch, Albany

SKILLET COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 stick margarine

1 cup chopped dates

1 tbsp vanilla

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

Mix first five ingredients in a large skillet. Cook over low heat until dates soften and mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies and pecans. Mix well and cool slightly. Form into small balls. Roll balls into the coconut flakes.

— Claudia Burch, Albany

BROWN COW CHOCOLATE PATTIES

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz) pkg milk chocolate chips

1 tbsp Crisco

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped/slivered almonds

Directions:

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in raisins and almonds. Drop by tablespoon onto wax paper. Chill until ready to serve.

— Claudia Burch, Albany

LOW-CALORIE STRAWBERRY PIE

Ingredients:

1 6-inch graham cracker crust (will make 9-inch pie)

1 small box sugar-free strawberry Jell-O

1 (8 oz) Cool Whip (do not use light or sugar-free)

2/3 cup hot water

2/3 cup cold water

Directions:

Pour Jell-O into hot water and stir until dissolved. Add cold water and stir. Pour into bowl big enough to hold the Cool Whip. Let Jell-O cool. After cool, add Cool Whip. Fold in until well-mixed, then pour into pie crust. Chill.

Cook Notes: This would be good at Thanksgiving and Christmas after you’ve had a big meal. You also can use other Jell-O flavors. Orange and lemon are good.

— Nancy McLendon, Donalsonville

MARRY ME TOFFEE

Ingredients:

2 sticks salted butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

On medium-high heat, melt butter and add sugar. Bring mixture to boil, 7 minutes. Spray a 9-by-13 cookie sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans evenly on sheet. Pour the toffee over them. Let cookie sheet stand on towel for 30 minutes, then place in freezer 30 minutes to cure. Flip pan over to get out of pan and break into pieces to serve.

— Angie Fowler, Leesburg

CRISPY CEREAL POPS

Ingredients:

1 box (12 oz) crisp rice cereal treats

32 lollipop sticks

1 (16 oz) pkg milk chocolate-flavored candy

Sprinkles for coating (optional)

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Open cereal treats and shape into 2 1/2 inch balls. Insert sticks. In a medium saucepan, melt candy coating according to directions and roll pops in chocolate and sprinkles until coated completely. Place pops on the sheet and let stand until set.

Cook’s Note: Kids love these.

— Angie Fowler, Leesburg

BERRY GOOD COBBLER

Ingredients for berry mixture:

1 (16 oz) pkg unsweetened frozen mixed berries, thawed

3 cups blueberries, raspberries and blackberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Ingredients for crust:

1/3 cup butter

1 (7 oz) pkg Martha White strawberry muffins mix

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Gently stir together berries, 1/2 cup sugar and water in large bowl. Set aside. Place butter in 8-by-8 baking pan. Microwave on medium for 2 minutes. Stir together muffin mix, 1/4 cup sugar and milk in a medium bowl until just blended. Pour evenly over butter in pan. Spoon berry mixture evenly over crust mixture in baking dish. Do not stir. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Cook’s Note: Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

— Angie Fowler, Leesburg