Berry Gingerbread Waffles

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
• 3 eggs
• 4 TBSP butter, melted
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 TBSP molasses
• ½ cup berries – blackberries, blueberries or raspberries

Preheat waffle iron. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and ginger together. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, butter, buttermilk and molasses. Stir egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until moistened. Fold in berries. Spray waffle iron with a non stick cooking spray. Pour mixture onto waffle iron and cook until steam no longer rises.

Cranberry Chutney

• 1 (12 ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 large cooking apple, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 15-20 minutes or until apple is tender and mixture thickens. Cool completely. Store in the refrigerator. Serve over cream cheese with crackers or as a condiment with turkey, pork, ham or chicken.

Dulce De Leche Bars

• 2 (16.5 ounce) rolls of refrigerated sugar cookies,at room temperature
• 1-3/4 cups quick cooking oats
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 14 ounces caramels, unwrapped
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 tablespoons caramel topping and 3 tablespoons chocolate topping

Heat oven to 350°. In large bowl stir together 1 roll of cookie dough, ¾ cup oats 1/3-cup brown sugar and 1-teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Press mixture evenly into bottom of ungreased 13X9-inch pan to form crust. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, in same bowl add remaining roll of cookie dough, 1-cup oats, 1/3-cup brown sugar and 1-teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Set aside. In large saucepan add butter, milk and caramels. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Spread over cooked cookie crust. Crumble remaining dough mixture evenly over caramel. Bake additional 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 1 hour then refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into bars and drizzle with caramel and chocolate toppings before serving.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

FRENCH ONION SOUP

¼ cup Butter
2 lbs Onions, thinly sliced
1 TBSP Sugar
7 TBSP All-purpose flour
3 (14.5 ounce) cans beef broth
2 cups Water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Dried minced onion
1 tsp Beef bouillon granules
¼ tsp Garlic salt
¼ tsp Ground black pepper
8 slices French bread, toasted
2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded

Melt butter over low heat. When butter is melted, saute onions and sugar until tender. Sprinkle flour over onions and stir until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Add water, salt, dried onion, bouillon, garlic and pepper. Bring to a boil, boil and stir for 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Ladle soup into single serving size ovenproof bowls. Top with a slice of toasted bread, sprinkle generously with cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve while hot!

Blueberry Cinnamon Doughnuts

• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 TBSP melted butter
• ½ cup rinsed blueberries
• Vegetable oil for frying

Beat together the eggs, 1 cup of sugar, and the buttermilk. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, nutmeg and 2 tsp of cinnamon. Stir into egg mixture, add butter and fold in blueberries. Roll or pat out dough on a floured board to ½” thick. Using a well floured cutter, cut shapes and allow them to rest for five minutes on a floured surface. Heat enough oil to fill 3 inches of a frying kettle. When oil is 365 degrees F on a deep-fat thermometer, drop in 2 or 4 doughnuts. As soon as they float to the surface, turn them over. Fry until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. Combine the remaining cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on doughnuts while warm. Yields about 30 doughnuts.

Mint Truffles

1 10 ounce package mint chocolate chips
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter
1 3.5 ounce container chocolate sprinkles

Line a baking sheet with wax paper, set aside. Melt mint chips with cream and butter in a heavy sauce pan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Pour onto prepared pan and refrigerate until semi-firm, about 1-2 hours. Shape 1 tbsp of mixture into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place sprinkles in a shallow bowl and roll chocolate mint balls in the sprinkles until entire surface is covered in sprinkles. Place is fluted candy cups. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve or gift!