The holidays seem to have a particular "smell" to them, don't they? Christmas, to most, smells like warm spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
To others, it may be peppermint or the spicy scent of rum.
If your mouth starts watering at the mention of anything "spiced," then it might be time to hit the kitchen and start whipping up some holiday treats! To get you started, I have a few recipes for some Christmas favorites that the whole family is sure to enjoy.
To start out, here is a great recipe for pumpkin bread.
The preparation for this recipe is easy; in fact, it only takes about 15 minutes! It does yield quite a lot of bread, so you can freeze a few loaves to save for later or give them to friends or family members.
What You Need: 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour 3 cups Sugar 2 teaspoons Baking Soda 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt 1 teaspoon Cinnamon (ground) 1 teaspoon Nutmeg (ground) 1/2 teaspoon Cloves (ground) 1/4 teaspoon Ginger (ground) 1 can Pumpkin Puree 1 cup Vegetable Oil 2/3 cup Water 4 Eggs How to Make: Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
This recipe yields 3 loaves, or 2 loaves and about 9 cupcakes.
Grease your pans and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, then combine them with the dry mixture.
Thoroughly blend until the mixture runs smooth.
Pour the batter into the pans.
Place in the oven and cook for about 50 - 60 minutes.
Muffins will usually be ready within 25 - 30 minutes.
What is Christmas without cookies? Ginger snaps are a cozy way to bring in the holiday season, plus they will keep long enough that you can leave a few out for Santa! The recipe below is for soft ginger cookies.
That's right, you can finally enjoy the rich, spicy flavors of a good old-fashioned ginger cookie without the tough "snap.
" What You Need: 2 cups Sugar 2 Eggs 1 1/2 cups Butter 1/2 cup Molasses 4 1/2 cups Flour 1/2 teaspoon Salt 3 teaspoons Baking Soda 2 teaspoons Cinnamon (ground) 1 teaspoon Cloves (ground) 1 teaspoon Ginger (ground) 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg (ground) How to Make: Cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the eggs.
Beat well, adding in the molasses as you go.
Slowly add in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Grab pieces of the dough and roll into one-inch balls.
You can roll them in sugar, if you like, then place them about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Place in the oven (preheated to 350 degrees F) and bake for about 8 - 12 minutes.
Allow them to sit for a minute or two, and then place them on a wire rack to cool.
And finally, what could be better after a delicious ham dinner than a generous slice of sweet potato pie? This recipe is a cinch to follow and cooks within an hour, so you can forget slaving over a stove for hours on end! What You Need: 1 Pie Crust (9" - uncooked) 2 cups Pureed Sweet Potatoes 3 Eggs 1 cup Evaporated Milk 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon Cloves (ground) 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg (ground) 1 teaspoon Cinnamon (ground) How to Make: Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Once blended, pour into the pie crust shell.
Bake at 350 for 50 - 60 minutes.
I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays!