Corn Flake Wreaths

The following recipe for Corn Flake Wreaths was submitted by HI Cookery, and is similar to the Rice Krispy Wreaths we have shared in the past.   I especially love the suggestion of  replacing the red candies with three purple and one pink for Advent.  Thank you Highlander and Islander! 

We have at least two wreaths in our home during the holidays: an Advent wreath with purple and pink candles and a Christmas wreath hanging on our front door. Another wreath, made out of corn flakes, is a sweet centerpiece on our table when we entertain. It is inexpensive and quick to make as an alternative to cookies and fruitcakes. A corn flake wreath is a festive food and a delicious dessert at holiday parties and potlucks. Make one (or many minis) for a Merry Christmas!

Recipe

(Adapted from Kellogg’s)

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 package (10 ounces) marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon green food coloring (we used Wilton brand Kelly Green color food gel)
• 6 cups corn flakes cereal (we used Kellogg’s brand)
• red tube frosting (we used Wilton brand icing tube)
• round red candies (we use M&Ms or Red Hots)

Directions

Have a sheet of wax paper and a pat of margarine or softened butter in a bowl ready on the work surface before assembling the corn flake wreaths. In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the green food coloring until thoroughly mixed. Add the corn flakes cereal and coat well.

Using margarine or butter, grease fingers and quickly shape the cereal mixture into mini wreaths or one large wreath on a sheet of wax paper. Let cool and transfer the wreath(s) to a platter or round cake board. With a little amount from a tube or red frosting, dot one side of a red candy and place randomly on the wreath. Attach a bow with a toothpick (optional). Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Notes

• For an Advent-style wreath, replace the red candies with three purple and one pink candle.
• Try this recipe with rice cereal instead of corn flakes.
• Eat…drink…and be merry! Highlander and Islander wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Pin It

Ave Maria Toast

For the Feast of the Immaculate Conception we made a simple snack to celebrate Immaculate Mary.  This simple idea would be appropriate for any of Our Lady's feasts, including the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on January 1st! 

Ave Maria Toast

In separate bowls each, I dyed a small amount of whipped cream cheese (whipped definitely spreads smoother than block or regular cream cheese) pale blue and golden yellow with food coloring. I spread some white whipped cream cheese onto some toast. Using snack size ziploc bags, I piped an "A" and an "M" onto the toast in a design inspired by Catholic Emroidery's Ave Maria design.

I think it turned out lovely and the kids enjoyed eating it after they colored Charlotte's Immaculate Conception coloring page. I am sure many of you could come up some with wonderful ideas to add to this or tweak it for other feast days.

Pin It

The Martyr's Crown :: A Cake for the Feast of St. Thomas Becket

"Remember the sufferings of Christ, the storms that were weathered...the crown that came from those sufferings which gave new radiance to the faith...All saints give testimony to the truth that without real effort, no one ever wins the crown." 

~ St. Thomas Becket

In addition to being an excellent choice for the various feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and many other saints who were kings or queens here on Earth, the crown also symbolizes the martyrs, who have been victorious over sin and death and have been crowned saints in heaven.   

For today's feast of St. Thomas Becket, a (middle) name-day for two of our sons, I decided to bake a cake in a "crown" shape pan to celebrate.  The following recipe for Easy Persimmon Cake is my mom's recipe and has been a favorite of mine since childhood.   Persimmons are rare in our area, and my grandparents, who would always send a big box of persimmons to my mom each year, have both passed away, but I was so excited to find some persimmons at Costco this past week!  I'll be making some persimmon cookies soon...  

A Martyr's Crown Cake for St. Thomas Becket

Easy Persimmon Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg Yellow Cake Mix
• 2 Eggs
• Water
• 3/4 cup Persimmon Pulp
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• 3/4 cup Walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Place cake mix in a large mixing bowl;  add eggs and 1/3 cup LESS water than called for on package of cake mix.   Add spices and persimmon and mix as directed on package.  Stir in nuts.  

Pour into a greased 2 qt ring mold or tube pan. (I used my Fleur de lis Bundt Pan, though I would love to buy this Cathedral Pan for next year... It would be perfect for St. Thomas Becket!) Bake at 350˚F for 45-55 minutes.  Cool.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Note:  You may also use a 9"x13" pan; bake at 350˚F for 35 to 40 min; or two 9" round pans for 25-30 min. 

"Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."

~  Revelation 2:10

St. Thomas Becket, Pray for us! 

Pin It

Eagle Brownies

One of our sons celebrates a name-day on December 27th, the feast of St. John the Evangelist!  I've posted the directions in the past for the Eagle Cake we often make to celebrate this feast day, but this year I thought I'd share a few pictures of this year's version, made with brownies.  

It was a little harder to get out of the 9" square pan (next time I need to remember to line the pan with parchment paper) but the chocolate frosting disguised all the imperfections.  ;)  We used a black M&M for the eagle's eye, some yellow frosting for the beak, and 1 orange spice drop (cut in half) for the feet.

"The Eagle when accompanying St. John the Evangelist is an emblem of the spiritual character of his Gospel, but when the King of Birds accompanies St. Prisca it refers to the legend that an eagle held watch over her body until it was buried after her martyrdom. When a figure bearing an eagle's head, or a four-winged eagle, or a male saint with an eagle is depicted, it always represents St. John, not in the character of a simple Apostle, but as the Evangelist."  ~ How to Distinguish the Saints in Art by Their Costumes, Symbols and Attributes

St. John the Evangelist, Pray for Us! 

Pin It

Footprint Cookies on St. Stephen's Day

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel.

"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

Having some cookie dough already made up in the fridge and knowing that tonight our Christmas book was Stephen's Feast, I decided to make some footprint cookies in honor of St. Wencenslaus and the miracle of his footprints on this special day. I used this template to cut out the shape of the cookies. My first thought was to fill them in with icing and topping them with red and yellow sprinkle sugar.

"Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

But then they looked less like footprints and more like sprinkled blobs. That was when I decided on the outline of the shoe print. The sprinkles represented the warmth felt in holy King's steps. I used a simple cookie icing recipe that called for light corn syrup. I was out of light corn syrup so I substituted with honey.

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.

Cookie Icing

1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 tsp. milk
2 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Stir together sugar and milk. Add honey and extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick add more honey or milk.

Pin It

Catholic Cuisine's Christmas Baking Link-Up

Are you ready for Christmas?  It's been a busy week in our home, since we had a My Favorite Things: Sound of Music Birthday Party for our 3 year old on the 15th and a Winter ONEderland Birthday Party for our 1 year old on the 19th!   We decorated these St. Nicholas Cookies inspired by the picture book The Baker's Dozen earlier this month, but we are just now starting our Christmas baking!

I thought I would take a little break from the kitchen to post a link-up for all of our visitors here who would like to share their own Christmas baking from this year!

To participate, just post the recipe(s) on your blog, link back to this post, and add the link to your recipe below. This link-up will remain open until January 7th.  For inspiration, here is the link to our 2010 Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange Link-Up.  Additional ideas can be found in the archives.

May you all have a very Blessed Christmas!  

Pin It

Nativity Butters

My children love making homemade butter in a mason jar so much that we decided to do it for Christmas this year too. Instead of making an Easter butter lamb, we used our nativity chocolate molds to make butter molds for Christmas dinner. 

 All you need is a mason jar, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Be prepared for your arms to get a little sore, but it only takes about 10 minutes of shaking the jar to get butter.

We used the same recipe for our homemade butter...

 Homemade Mason Jar Butter

 Pour heavy cream and a few pinches of salt (and honey or lavender or other flavoring) into the mason jar filling it up 1/2 way or less. 

Screw on the lid very tightly. Start shaking and shaking. Now shake some more. At some point after about 5-10 minutes the cream will have gotten very thick. 

Keep shaking and soon it will separate into a soft butter ball and liquid buttermilk. Transitioning to this point is the hardest part as you will feel like it's a whipped firm mass and not even shaking anymore. Keep shaking though, you are almost there.

 Shake a few more minutes to thicken up the butter ball. Then pour the buttermilk out. Save it in a jar for using later for pancakes, biscuits or baking. 

Then we spread our butter into the nativity molds and let it chill in the freezer for a few hours. 

  

What a lovely addition to our Christmas dinner table.

Hope you have a blessed Christmas!

Pin It