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Potatoes Au Gratin is a traditional potato dish baked in a cheesy cream sauce and topped with breadcrumbs. Don’t let the beauty of this classic holiday side dish fool you—this potato recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious. Continue reading “Potatoes Au Gratin” » LEGGI TUTTO
These cookie pops have vintage appeal all while tasting terrific! Their extra-cute rosy cheeks and top hats were inspired by mid-century spun cotton snowmen ornaments.My collection of vintage Christmas decor is getting a little out of hand, so rather than add more to my stockpile, I decided to let them inspire some of my sweets! I spotted some seriously cute spun head snowmen decorations on Instagram by purveyor of excellent vintage wares, Magpie Ethel. Their shape already reminded me of a lollipop, so I had a good place to start!Continued, click to read more… LEGGI TUTTO
This super easy cheese ball recipe is a holiday classic! Form cream cheese, cheddar, and some simple seasonings into a ball and roll it in crunchy pecans. Serve with crackers and sliced vegetables.
Photography Credit: Nick Evans
When I was a kid my mom used to keep a few homemade cheese balls wrapped up in the fridge to hand out to neighbors during Christmas instead of the usual cookie plate. It might seem a little unusual, but not everyone has a sweet tooth, and they appreciated having a savory snack alternative.
Now that I’m an adult, I love having a cheese ball on the table during the holidays (and a spare in the fridge). It’s an easy appetizer to make, and the finished version tastes better than the sum of its parts!
WHAT IS THE BEST CHEESE FOR A CHEESE BALL?
I like to start a cheese ball with some basics—cream cheese, a good sharp cheddar, and some crunchy veggies, but after that, it’s kind of dealer’s choice! I encourage you to branch out! Make this your own and use flavors that you love.
Cheeses to consider: Sharp cheddar, Gouda (smoked or normal), pepper jack, or a mixture.
Cheeses to avoid: Super-dry cheeses like Parmesan or Cotija cheese, as they won’t be as spreadable.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING THE BEST CHEESE BALL
A good cheese ball is all about mixing different flavors and textures to create the ultimate flavor experience.
My base recipe is made of sharp cheddar and cream cheese. I add some minced bell pepper and scallions to balance the richness of the cheese, a kick of garlic powder, Worcestershire, and lemon juice to boost the flavor, then I roll it in pecans for texture and just a hint of sweetness.
You can mix up the ingredients however you see fit, but keep a few things in mind:
Don’t skip the crunchy bits, otherwise, the cheese ball is just a creamy spread.
You probably don’t need to add much salt.
Acidic flavors like lemon, hot sauce, or Worcestershire help cut the richness of the cheese. (I don’t use hot sauce in my base recipe, but a dash or two works well.)
Most importantly: Roll your cheese ball in something that will help it keep its shape! Pecans are a classic option, but any nut or seed will work.
If you need some alternative ingredient ideas, look no further. I could go on for days! Here’s a short list of some cheese ball variations:
Roasted jalapenos instead of bell peppers for a spicy kick
Sun-dried tomato and basil
Minced artichokes and feta
Bacon and scallions
Minced dried cranberries and Fontina
Rolled in Everything Seasoning instead of pecans
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHEESE BALLS
I like serving my cheese balls with buttery crackers like Ritz, but you can use any cracker. Vegetables like celery sticks or thick radish slices would work well too. The spread is also good smeared on a crusty baguette or served on a tortilla in a wrap!
HOW TO STORE A CHEESE BALL
The best thing about cheese balls is you can make a few and keep them in the fridge for up to a week for easy snacking. Just roll them in nuts (or your coating of choice) and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
I wouldn’t freeze the cheese balls. In theory, it could work, but I think the texture loses something when frozen then thawed.
MORE HOLIDAY SNACK IDEAS
Classic Cheese Ball Recipe
Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
4 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 small lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup chopped pecans, for rolling
To serve:
Method
1 Make the cheese ball: In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bell pepper, scallions, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Mash the ingredients together using a big fork. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking.
2 Prepare the pecans: Onto a clean surface or cutting board, spread your pecans into an even layer.
3 Roll the cheese ball: Once your cheese ball is mashed together in a bowl. Roughly separate the mixture into two halves. Using a large spatula or your clean hands, scoop one half out and form into a ball.
Place the cheese ball onto the chopped pecans. Use your hands (or some plastic wrap) to gently roll the cheeseball around in the pecans, coating it completely.
Repeat with second cheese ball.
5 Serve: You can serve the cheese ball immediately or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to a week. Serve with crackers or chips.
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Nick Evans
Nick has been writing delicious recipes for the home cook for almost a decade. He lives in Denver, CO and embraces a delicate balance of diaper changing, trail running and beer drinking. His website is Macheesmo and his first book is Love Your Leftovers.
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Food blogger extraordinaire Peabody Johanson shares her love of dessert with her new cookbook Holy Sweet! 60 Indulgent Recipes for Bigger, Better Desserts which includes this ultra-decadent Honey Buns Bread Pudding.
I’m so excited to share this brand new cookbook with you today, authored by my pal Peabody, veteran blogger of Sweet ReciPEAs (and by veteran I mean a 15 year tenure of blogging!). I’ve always admired the recipes on her blog and felt a kinship for her love of nostalgic treats. She uses them to inspire other, bigger, better desserts, just like the book cover says!
When I saw the Honey Buns Bread Pudding recipe on page 22, well. Pure nostalgia. Aptly from the “Inner Child” chapter in the book, it brought back a host of childhood memories, all of them warm and happy.
Honey Bun pastries are pretty darn good on their own (Duchess brand is yeasty and perfect) but Honey Buns Bread Pudding? I was intrigued.
Preparing the recipe was easy with Peabody’s instructions, and I’m happy to say that this bread pudding delivered on all fronts. The baked pudding was custardy and fluffy, and a scratch-made honey caramel sauce drizzled on top really made this an ooey-gooey home run!
I’ve been enjoying this cookbook so much, and I think it would make a wonderful Christmas gift for your favorite dessert-lover. Or, if you’re considering this for your own shelf, there’s a chapter on holiday baking, which would really be useful right now!
This recipe is easy to love, and so is Holy Sweet! With chapters like Inner Child, Candy Crush, and Cereal Killer (think Fruity Pebbles Crumb Cake), how could you not? You can find it right now at book stores and on Amazon. You can also read a little more about what’s inside the book on Peabody’s blog, right here.
Enjoy!
Honey Buns Bread Pudding
[Click for Printable Version]
Yields about 8 servings
Recipe from Holy Sweet! 60 Indulgent Recipes for Bigger, Better Desserts
by Peabody Johanson
(Page Street Publishing, 2020)
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 Honey Buns, cut into large cubes
2 tablespoons (30ml) honey
2 tablespoons (30ml) water
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray an 8×8 inch pan with nonstick baking spray.
To make the bread pudding: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until they’re fully combined. Spread half of the Honey Buns cubes over the bottom of the pan. Pour in half the custard mixture and press the bread down to soak up the custard. Spread the remaining Honey Buns cubes on top of the bottom layer. Pour on the remaining custard and press the bead pieces down.
Heather’s note: I wanted my bread pudding to look exactly like Peabody’s in the book, so I kept one Honey Bun whole and nestled it in the center of the pan before baking.
Cover the pan with the foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until none of the custard mixture is still liquid. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool while you prepare the caramel sauce.
To make the honey caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the honey, water, and sugar. Heat over medium heat, swirling the pa, until the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Then bring the mixture to a boil and cook until it is a deep golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the cream, butter, salt, and vanilla. The mixture will spatter, so be careful
Let the sauce cool to thicken. The honey caramel sauce can be served either warm or at room temperature. You can refrigerate it in an airtight container up to 2 weeks; gently reheat it before serving.
Note: You can serve this bread pudding with ice cream to make it extra special.
link Honey Buns Bread Pudding Recipe from the Holy Sweet Cookbook By Heather Baird Published: Sunday, December 06, 2020Sunday, December 06, 2020Honey Buns Bread Pudding Recipe LEGGI TUTTO
These Christmas Cookies are buttery, tender, and ready for icing. A tried-and-true family favorite, this is THE cookie that Santa wants on his cookie plate! Continue reading “Christmas Cookies” » LEGGI TUTTO
The world is full of incredible cuisines, and this week’s meal plan explores flavors and ingredients across the globe. Transport yourself to India with Chicken Korma or Puerto Rico with Bacalao Guisado (Salted Cod Stew) or you could hangout stateside with a TexMex variation on Chile Rellenos. Continue reading “5 Dinner Ideas from Around the World” » LEGGI TUTTO
A centerpiece that doubles as dessert, this birch log looks fresh from the forest but it's actually a delicious cake! Christmas wouldn't be the same without my yearly endeavor of making a Bûche de Noel! You may remember some of my yule log cakes from Christmases past, such as this Black Forest version, or even this Mulled Wine Stump Cake. However, this one with tiled pieces of white candy birch 'bark' might be my favorite of them all!Earlier this season a friend at HGTV asked if I'd be interested in styling a few tablescapes with matching edible centerpieces for the website. I was so honored and excited to be asked – yes! Anyone who knows me knows I love a beautifully set table and couldn't wait to get started. I really loved creating this cake, and I feel the corresponding tablescape matches its woodsy-cozy appeal.Continued, click to read more… LEGGI TUTTO
These light and sweet meringue cookies are made with just three ingredients: egg whites, sugar, and pecans. Great for Christmas or for a Passover or Easter treat! Start them the night before and let them cool slowly in the oven until morning.
Photography Credit: Sally Vargas
Pecan Meringue cookies are a classic cookie to make for holiday gatherings, especially Easter! Called Easter Cookies or Resurrection Cookies, they’re made with whipped egg whites, sugar, and pecans.
The tradition is to put them into a hot oven the night before Easter, turn off the heat, and go to bed. The next morning you wake up to sweet, light clouds of meringue cookie pecan fluffiness.
They’re crisp on the outside and meltingly light on the inside, and so easy to make!
Video! How to Make Pecan Meringue Cookies
The Ingredients for Pecan Meringue Cookies
There are only 3 main ingredients in these meringue cookies:
Egg whites
Sugar
Pecans
We also add a pinch of salt and a little vinegar to help stabilize the meringue cookies so they hold their shape.
How to make pecan meringue cookies
Before you start, you’ll want to make sure that your mixer bowl and whisk are spotlessly clean. Separate your egg whites and let them sit at room temperature for a while (about 30 minutes), and toast and chop your pecans.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites in the mixer bowl and mix on medium speed until the egg whites foam up to soft peaks.
Slowly add the sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time, allowing for the sugar to dissolve in the egg whites before adding more. Add a teaspoon of vinegar and beat the meringue on high speed until it is glossy and has stiff peaks.
Gently fold in the chopped pecans. Don’t over-mix or you’ll deflate the meringue.
Drop spoonfuls of meringue onto a lined baking sheet. You can also pipe them using a star tip, but I find that the chopped nuts can interfere a bit with the piping so I prefer to just drop them by spoonfuls.
Bake for 25 minutes at 250°F, then turn off the heat and keep the cookies in the oven (without peaking!) for another 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
Tips for meringue cookie success
Making meringue cookies is fairly straightforward, but keep the following in mind:
Whenever whipping egg whites, make sure that your equipment is squeaky clean! Even the smallest amount of residual fat in the bowl may keep the egg whites from whipping properly. Also make sure that there are no bits of egg yolk in your egg whites. Use a piece of egg shell to fish any out if you see them.
Humidity is not your friend. If it’s a rainy or humid day, the meringue cookies may not crisp up well. If that’s the case you may need to bake them longer.
Are the cookies browning? Lower the heat. Every oven is calibrated a little bit differently. The heat should be high enough to set the cookie, but not so high that the meringue browns. If you see it starting to brown, lower the temp by 25°F.
Still a little gooey inside? Let them sit out for a while (assuming low humidity). Or bake them a little longer.
From the editors of Simply Recipes
How to Store Meringue Cookies
To store at room temperature: Seal the meringues tightly in a container, separating layers with parchment or waxed paper. Putting a silica gel packet in there to absorb excess moisture can’t hurt. The meringues should keep 2 weeks, possibly longer.
To freeze meringues: Pack them in a rigid, airtight container in layers separated with parchment or waxed paper. Store up to a month; thaw on the counter.
Fun Variations on These Cookies!
Add 1 teaspoon extract: Try vanilla, lemon, peppermint, or almond.
Switch up the nuts: Pistachios, walnuts, or almonds work well. Use toasted nuts for the best flavor.
Swap out the nuts: Use chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, coconut flakes, or even crushed Corn Flakes instead.
Tint the cookies: Add a drop or two of food coloring added in the last minute of whipping.
Make chocolate meringues: Sift 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder over the beaten meringues at the beginning of Step 5 and fold together when you add the pecans.
What to Do With Your Leftover Egg Yolks
Love Meringue? Try These Recipes!
Updated December 4, 2020 : We added a new video to help you make the best meringue cookies ever! Enjoy!
Pecan Meringue Cookies Recipe
Notes on working with egg whites. Eggs are easiest to separate when they are cold, and they fluff up the best in the oven when they start at room temperature. So separate the eggs when you take them out of the fridge, then let the whites sit for a while (30 min or so) to take the chill off before beating them.
Make sure that all bowls, hands, and utensils that might touch the eggs are clean and free from oils.
Ingredients
1 cup (100 g) whole pecans, preferably lightly roasted for 8-10 min at 250°F (120°C)
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
Method
1 Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
2 Break pecans into small pieces: Place pecans in zipper baggie and beat them with a wooden spoon or roll over them with a rolling pin to break them into small pieces. Set aside.
3 Beat the egg whites to soft peaks: Put egg whites into a spotlessly clean standup mixer bowl. Add the salt. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks start to become visible and the egg white bubbles are very small and uniform, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4 Slowly add sugar as you continue whipping: Increase the speed to medium-high, and slowly add the sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time, to the egg whites. Continue to whip the eggs and sugar for a few minutes.
Then add the vinegar to the bowl. Increase speed to high and whip the egg whites until they fluff up and become glossy, and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 4-5 minutes.
5 Fold in pecan pieces: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the pecan pieces.
6 Drop by teaspoons onto a cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
7 Bake: Put the cookies sheet in the 300°F (150°C) oven, close the door and lower the heat to 250°F (120°C). Bake them for 25 minutes at 250°F (120°C), then turn the oven OFF. Leave them in the oven for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. When they are ready they’ll be crisp on the outside, and light and airy on the inside.
If they are a little marshmallowy or chewy on the inside, just let them dry out for a few more hours.
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Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family’s recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
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