I love cheese (oh, sigh)! I’m under the fantastic illusion that cheese really does please! So, this New Year’s Eve, while you’re partying in the New Year with all your favorite people, treat your guests to the perfect cheese ball - I promise, they’ll love it! Happy New Year!

~ Miss K

UTENSILS: 10″ Saute pan, Medium Mixing Bowl

INGREDIENTS:

2, 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese (softened)

1 Cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 pkg Ranch Dressing Mix (careful - Dressing NOT Dip - the Dip Mix is too salty)

3 Cups Shaved Almonds, toasted

Assorted Crackers

INSTRUCTIONS

In the 10″ Saute pan, sauté the almond slivers on Medium heat until aromatic. Set aside. Blend the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, ranch dressing and 1 cup of toasted almonds (I use my hands - it’s much more festive!).

Now, you have two options here to make the balls. You can form your mixture into one big ball and roll it in the remaining almonds. But for fun, and ease of eating, I make many, many bite size balls and roll them individually in almonds - 1 ball per cracker and it makes the buffet line so much easier to maneuver with one hand to gather your loot and the other to hold your plate.

Thank You Simplicity Gourmet! My fiance and I bought some of the best cookware ever designed. Before our investment, Jamie used to be the only one that cooked in the house. We also were forced to eat fast food at least twice a week because of our hectic schedules. Now that we have our new Pots and Pans, I’m the one that does most of the cooking. I love how easy it is. A little water, chicken, veggies, wait for the whistle, and Voila! A meal that used to cost me $15.00 a plate now costs $6.85 for two. These pots are saving me time, money, and they look great after 8 months worth of cooking. My mom told me that “Pots and Pans don’t matter, it’s the cook that makes the meal.” I say, look OUT Mom, there’s a new cook in town. After watching me cook for my family, my mom noticed how great everything tasted and how quickly it cooked. It’s incredible! Overnight, I go from the guy that used to burn hotdogs to a gourmet chef. Cooking is fun because it really is so simple. My secret is to cook some of our favorite meals early in the week, then store them in our “vacuum seal” storage containers. Now, I only cook Mondays and Thursdays. The rest of the week, we just pick any of our already home cooked meal out of the fridge. Is sooo easy. Your cookbook has become my daily reader and is absolutely delicious. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for making our life that much easier.
-Tim

Peanut Blossom Cookies

I have been making these delightful treats for years!! They are an extremely easy crowd pleaser. When I need a quick treat to take to a party and I want my treat to have pizzazz these guys are on my top 5 list to choose from. I love Sandra lee from Semi Homemade on the Food Network. Her style I like to roll, little time to do anything but yet I want it to look and taste fabulous.

Use any packaged peanut butter cookie mix and make according to instructions. Roll the dough into small balls and then coat (roll) in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake according to package instructions.

While the cookies are in the oven unwrap your chocolate kisses.

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven place a kiss on top of cookie and slightly press down.

Let them cool and enjoy!!

I love, love, love all forms of Chex Mix…plus it’s super easy and quick to make! It’s a holiday staple to have a heaping bowl of it out for your family and guests to much on at all times. I hope you enjoy both versions I have here for you - I’m giving you my sweet & sinful version and my salty & savory Darn Good version!

Simplicity Gourmet’s “White Trash” Chex Mix

UTENSILS: 2 qt w/ 2 qt Double Boiler, 1 Large Mixing Bowl, 1 Trash Bag

INGREDIENTS:

CHEX MIX:1 Regular Box Honey Graham Cereal, ½ Box Rice Chex, ½ Box Corn Chex, 4 Cups Cherrios, ½ Bag of Pretzel Stix or Mini Pretzels, 1 ½ Cups of Christmas M & M’s, 2 Cups of Peanuts, 2 Cups of Pecans, 1 cup Golden Raisins (optional)

SAUCE:1 ½ sticks butter, 14 oz milk chocolate chips (1 & ¾ cup), 14 oz white chocolate chips (1 & ¾ cup), 14 oz peanut butter (1 & ¾ cup), 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 Large Bag of Confectioner’s Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:
Place 2″ of water in the 2 qt and pop the double boiler insert into the pan. Add the butter, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and vanilla to the double boiler. Cover, whistle open and cook on medium heat. When the whistle sounds (will take longer than normal in the double boiler), uncover, and stir. Reduce the temperature to Medium Low and recover, whistle closed. Cook for 5-7 minutes and stir again. Keep uncovered and stir until all ingredients are melted together. Remove the double boiler from the 2 qt and set aside to cool for 7-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients until well blended. When the sauce has cooled, stir, and pour over the top of the chex mix and mix well. Add the ingredients to the trash bag and pour in the bag of confectioner’s sugar. Shake the bag up until all the contents are well seasoned with confectioner’s sugar.

Serve and enjoy!

Simplicity Gourmet’s Darn Good Chex Mix

UTENSILS: Large Mixing Bowl, Large Cookie Sheet

INGREDIENTS: 1 Small Box Rice Chex, 1 Small Box Corn Chex, 1 Small Box Wheat Chex, 1 Bag of Pretzel Rods or Mini Pretzels, 1 Box of Regular Cheez Its, ½ Box of Cheddar Jack Cheez Its, ½ Box of White Cheddar Cheez Its, 2 Cups Sesame Stixs, 4 Cups of Mixed Nuts, ½ cup of Olive Oil, ¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce, 6-8 tsp Darn Good Seasoning (Available exclusively through Simplicity Gourmet - on sale for 2 for $5 plus tax and shipping - call me at 866-897-7676 to order!)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Bake in batches at 350, stirring occasionally, until toasted through (about 15-20 minutes). Store in a jumbo air tight container to keep it fresh.

We all have so many things to attend during this time of year: office parties, neighborhood get-togethers, Christmas parties, family gatherings, and the list goes on and on, and on! Sometimes, it may start to feel like we spend more time in the kitchen preparing for these blessed events (not to mention keeping track with all of our regular day to day duties) than we actually do enjoying the time with our friends and family. Have no fear - Katie’s Kitchen is here!

As you all know, I’m all about spending my precious time with the people I love the most and that means keeping things super simple in the kitchen. However, it just isn’t Christmas without special sweet treats! So, I’d like to share a few of my very favorite quick and easy holiday candies that will be huge hits at all your holiday activities - not to mention the perfect midnight snack when you’re up making those lists…and checking them twice!

What are some of your favorite quick and easy holiday treats? Let us know!!!

PEANUT BUTTER BARK

UTENSILS: 2 qt w/ Double Boiler, 2 Medium Mixing Bowls, 1 Large Cookie Sheet

INGREDIENTS:

2 Sticks Melted Butter, 6 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs, 8 Cups Powdered Sugar, 4 Cups Crunchy Peanut Butter, 6 Cups Chocolate Chips, 2 Cup Butterscotch Chips, 4 TBSP Peanut Butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place 2″ of water in the 2 qt saucepan; pop the double boiler into the pan and add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and 2 TBSP of Peanut Butter. Cover, whistle open, and cook on medium heat. When the whistle sounds (it will take longer than normal with the double boiler), uncover and stir. Recover and reduce the temperature to Medium low. Continue to cook for 7-10 more minutes or until the mixture is melted. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in one mixing bowl, combine the butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into the bottom of the cookie sheet. You may need to add more butter - the mixture should be moist - to form a crust.

In the other mixing bowl, mix the crunchy peanut butter and the confectioner’s sugar until well blended. Spread the peanut butter mixture over the graham cracker crust.

When the chocolate mixture is completely melted, pour over the peanut butter layer and spread out evenly.

Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator overnight to set up. The next day, remove and allow to stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cutting into bars.

7-LAYER COOKIE BARS

UTENSILS: Small Mixing Bowl, 14 x 10 baking pan

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs, 1 Stick of Butter, 1 pkg Butterscotch Chips, 1 pkg Milk Chocolate Chips, ½ Pkg Heath Bar Pieces,  1 Cup Shredded Coconut, 1 Cup Walnuts (or Pecans), 1 Can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

INSTRUCTIONS:
In the small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter. Press into the baking pan to form a crust.

Sprinkle on the Butterscotch Chips, Chocolate Chips, and Heath Bar pieces.

Pour on the can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Sprinkle on the coconut and the walnuts.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL NO-BAKE COOKIES

UTENSILS: 2 qt, Wax Paper

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup of Peanut Butter,2 Cups Sugar, ½ tsp Vanilla,½ tsp Salt,½ Cup Evaporated Milk,¼ Cup of Cocoa,2 - 2 ½ Cups of Uncooked Oatmeal

INSTRUCTIONS:
Lay out several pieces of wax paper on a flat surface.

In the 2 quart saucepan, add the peanut butter. Heat on Medium Low until it melts. Add the sugar, vanilla, salt, evaporated milk, and cocoa. Stir on Medium heat until it begins to simmer (stir constantly to prevent scorching). Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes (this is VERY important - the cookie won’t set unless the mixture simmers for at least 5 minutes!). Add the oats and mix well.

Gather the mixture by the Tablespoon and spoon onto the wax paper. Allow to set up for 2 hours before placing in an air-tight container.

CINNAMON CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

UTENSILS: Medium Mixing Bowl, Electric Hand Mixer, Large Cookie Sheet, Cooling Rack

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup butter (2 sticks) - softened, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup Granulated White Sugar, 2 eggs,k 1 ½ tsp Vanilla, 1 ½ Cups Flour, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 2 ½ Cup Quick Cook Oats, 1 ½ Cups Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips, ½ Cup Hershey’s Mini Chocolate Chips, ¾ Cup Raisins

NOTE: Cinnamon Chips are seasonal at some (not all) grocery stores - you may want to stock up when you find them. Otherwise, you can order a variety of different brands off the Internet - they are a MUST HAVE for holiday baking - they are fantastic in all sorts of muffins, breads, and cookies (especially Molasses Ginger Snaps!).

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350.

Beat Butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.

Combine the flour and the baking soda and then add it to the butter mixture, beating well to combine.

Stir in the oats, cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, and raisins - the batter will be stiff.

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until they are lightly browned.

Let cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before removing.

Yields 3 ½ to 4 dozen cookies.

I know we all love the quick and easy holiday favorites, but sometimes, Christmas just calls for a little extra effort to add those special touches that build traditions and memories for generations to come. Every year, my grandma gets Santa Claus cookies from an old-time favorite local baker. Each one is individually wrapped and is the treasure of our stocking stuffers. When we all see those cookies, our mouths start to water, and we just can’t wait to taste the sweet, buttery cookie that we all covet so very much - they really are the very best cookies ever!

This year, my grandma has moved in with my Aunt and Uncle and as it’s very far from our precious cookie baker, I’ve become disheartened at the thought of the absence of those cookies on Christmas morning! As this precious holiday wiggles its way closer down the calendar, I’ve begun to test and try my hand at those cookies and I think I’ve finally got it down! They’ve been such a special part of our family’s Christmas stocking stuffer tradition that I just can’t bear the thought of never tasting a Santa Cookie again and now I won’t have to!

I hope you take the time to make your family these special little treats this Christmas, and, who knows, you’ll probably start a Santa Cookie tradition of your own!

SANTA SUGAR COOKIES

UTENSILS: 2 Large Mixing Bowls, Electric Mixer, Rolling Pin, Plastic Wrap, Butter knife, 2 Large Cookie Sheets, Icing Decoration Kit (bag and tips)

INGREDIENTS:

COOKIES:1 ½ Cups Butter, 2 Cups White Sugar, 4 Eggs, 2 tsp All-Purpose Flour, 2 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Salt

2/2/2/ ICING: (double for this recipe) 4 Cups Butter, Softened, 4 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar, 4 tsp Vanilla

DECORATION: Red food dye or Red Sugar Crystals, Mini Chocolate Chips, Red Hots, 1 Icing Bag, Scalloped Pipe Tip, Small Straight Writing Tip, and Mini-Marshmallows (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

**MAKE THE DAY BEFORE** ~ COOKIE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill the dough for at least one hour (or overnight). ICING: Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Cover and allow to set up in the fridge over night.

TO BAKE:

Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out the dough on a floured surface ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. (we will use a Santa-Head shaped cookie cutter for this project - but you could use any shape for any occasion)

• Place the cookies 1 inch apart on a buttered cookie sheet.
• Bake 5-7 minutes and cool completely before icing.

TO DECORATE:

• Remove about 1 ½ cups of icing into a small mixing bowl; sprinkle the red food coloring in it and mix until it is crimson red. Use this icing for the hat. Using a butter knife, gently fill in the hat section of the cookie. Repeat on all cookies. (you could also use red sugar crystals to color the hat instead of dying the icing)
• Fill an icing bag with the reserved white icing and use a scalloped tip. Pipe on the hat trim and the ball at the end of the hat. (you can get creative here and use a mini marshmallow for the ball of the hat)
• Pipe on the beard, leaving a little space for the mouth section. Repeat this on all cookies.
• Change the tip to a straight dot tip. Make two small dots for eyes; place one mini chocolate chip on each dot to adhere it to the cookie.
• Make one small dot of icing for the nose; place a red hot on that dot to make the nose.
• In the moth section, make a small dot of icing for the mouth. Cut a red hot in half and adhere it to the dot to make the mouth. Repeat on all cookies.

Check back all next week for our Simplicity Gourmet’s Quick and Easy Homemade Holiday Treats!

Christmas Blessings,
Katie�

Festive Fun Treat

Here is a fun treat to make ahead and have on hand for entertaining. Print up the “Harvest Blessing” and put it beside the mix on a table in a pretty fall bowl or attach it to a bag with some colorful ribbon to give as a fun treat to teachers, friends or someone who needs a little lift. The sweet and salty flavors are such a yummy combination together!

Harvest Blessing

The Bugles are a symbol of the Cornucopia, a horn of plenty.

The Pretzels represent arms folded in thanks and prayer.

The Candy Corn reminds us that during the first winter, the pilgrims were allowed only five kernels of corn per day because food was so scarce.

The Fruit is a reminder that Thanksgiving is the celebration of the harvest.

The Peanuts represent seeds, the potential of the bounteous harvest for the next season if they are planted and well-tended.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember the daily blessings that are all around you!

While we slow down, sit back, and enjoy the view this Fall, October has quietly sliped away and we’ve surged into November before we could even count our Halloween loot! Then - it starts to loom over us - turkeys, hams, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie -Thanksgiving is here and it’s time to plan. What will I serve? Who will be coming? Where will they all fit? How and when should I start preparing?

…and the Thanksgiving stress has begun…

Here at Simplicity Gourmet, we strive for just that, Simplicity. We want to help you take your normal Thanksgiving recipes that take hours to prepare and cut the time down so that you are out of the kitchen and making memories with your family and friends. Thanksgiving should be a special time of sharing and laughing and should not be wrought with stress, sweat, and frustration.

We hope you enjoy all of the classic holiday favorites that we have created just with you in mind. Make sure to let us know how your Simplicity Gourmet Thanksgiving turns out!

~ Miss K

This time of year always brings up so many memories of growing up. I love fall - sweaters & sweatshirts, forests of fiery leaves, crisp, cool air, breezy, sunny walks, the smell of fires and apples and baked goods, and, of course, pumpkin carving. When I see an intricately carved jack-o-lantern, I always picture my grandpa on the back porch at my grandparent’s house creating jack-o-lantern masterpieces. My Poppy was an avid jack-o-lantern champ! I’d eventually end up raking leaves into huge piles and jumping around in them but he’d emerge from his huddled position over the pumpkin and I was always in sheer amazement at how he had come up with yet another piece of pumpkin perfection. Their house was the last house on the block and everyone from the entire neighborhood - and I’m sure beyond - always came out to the vast array of faces - silly and scary alike. Oh, sigh, childhood snapshots in time that I miss so very much.

This year, as I started to wish so badly that I could recreate one of his masterpieces just one more time, my mind started to wander to the reason why we have this strange tradition. Ever wonder why we carve faces into pumpkins?

A little easy research and I’ve found myself thoroughly educated on the subject. In short, carving jack-o-lanterns was an ancient Celtic practice on a holiday called “Samhein,” a holiday reserved to honor the memory of deceased family and friends. The jack-o-lanterns would be lighted by burning lumps of coal and placed in the windows and doorsteps of the homes on the last day of harvest. Now, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t actually the pumpkin that the Irish used, but rather hollowed out turnips, gourds, or potatoes.

When the Irish began to immigrate to North America, they brought this tradition along with them. Turnips weren’t so plentiful in our part of the world, but pumpkins definitely were and they were found to make for much more elaborate jack-o-lanterns. While the actual traditions of Samhein was buried along with our ancestors hundreds of years ago, you will still find most houses glowing brightly this week with their very own homemade jack-o-lanterns welcoming home their little trick or treaters.

My research has also given me a few pumpkin picking tips that need to be shared. A couple of things to keep in mind when pick out your pumpkin is that you will always want to make a trip to a pumpkin patch - it’s so quaint and rustic, you almost always get a hayride out to the pumpkin patch out of it! Plus, you will always get the freshest pumpkin when you pick it straight from the vine. A farm stand would be the second best choice to pick up your pumpkin b/c they were picked locally and you know they haven’t endured abuse during a long trip to the supermarket. Try to sit the pumpkin upright when it’s still attached to the vine to make sure that it sits level. Make sure that the stem is still attached to the pumpkin; pumpkins that are ready for harvest should have dried, brittle stems that are easily broken from the vine. Make sure your pumpkin has a vibrant orange color and is free of bruises and scaring, soft spots or any signs of mold. Carry your pumpkin by the base and make sure to store it in a cool place until you are ready to carve it.

This year will be my first year without my Poppy’s Pumpkin Patch, so, I’m attempting to make him proud and create a couple of my own tonight. I found a few pumpkin design books for $5.00 each that I downloaded straight to my computer - pretty fancy, huh?! They are unbelievable - you won’t be disappointed. So, wish me luck - I hope to make my Poppy proud!

Jack-o-lanterns aren’t the only things that pumpkins are good for! For the very best in Fall fare and activities, visit Pumpkinfest with Simplicity Gourmet today!

Have you ever wondered what a “Parsnip” is like? I’m sure you’ve seen parsnips as you meander through the produce deparment. I”m even more sure, you always quickly think to yourself: What recipes would I use parsnips in? What are the health benefits of them? What are they like? Well, wonder no more! I think that a lot of people are intimidated by the way parsnips look and therefore, shy away from them - which makes me very sad for them. Don’t judge a book by its cover!

Parsnips have a nutty, peppery, sweet flavor that you just won’t find in any other veggie. They are good pretty much any way that you want to make them: roasted, baked, fried, sautéed, mashed, and they are awesome in deserts (a lot like it’s cousin the carrot).

Parsnips have historically been the favored vegetable for Europeans over carrots and potatoes. They were introduced to America in the late 16th century but sadly come in a dismal third to carrots and potatoes to the American taste buds. Parsnips are a root vegetable, resembling a creamy white carrot but are considered far more nutritionally superior. They are beneficial for lowering cholesterol and loosing and maintaining a healthy weight. They are low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. They are high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Manganese, and Potassium.

Parsnips are at their best in the winter after the first frost - the cold turns their starch into sugar which gives them their sweet flavor. They are available at your grocer from late fall through early spring - so, for many of you out there, it’s prime time for parsnips in your area! When you get your parsnips home from the store, it’s best to wrap them in a moist paper towel and store in a dark location in your fridge. They will keep for two weeks or longer, making them an ideal vegetable to buy in bulk!

I have 3 Parsnip Side Dishes and 1 Parsnip Dessert that I absolutely LOVE and I’m going to share them here with you today. Of course, I cook all my food on stainless steel bake ware and waterless cookware, if you need any adaptations to these recipes, feel free to email me anytime: ksnyder@simplicitygourmet.com. I hope you enjoy these special Parsnip recipes as much as my friends, family, and I do.