Recipes from the Drummer Test Kitchen
Our Drummer Test Kitchen bakers have been very busy!
This week, we are sharing some of the new recipes we tried, shared, enjoyed, and recommend!
REMINDER- This is your last chance to win a Darlene Dixon prize pack! This will be the last of our inventory, and this prize pack will include one of each of her four published cookbooks!
Submit your recipe and register to win at: clickit.entries@gmail.com
(All submissions will be entered into the drawing and need to be received by Dec. 18, 2023. Please include: Name and phone number/email address. Winner will be announced and contacted. We do not ship the prizes but are available for pick up Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
Blueberry Baked Pancakes
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Additional Time: 5 min
Total Time: 30 min
Submitted by Jenny White, Drummer Test Kitchen
1-1/2 C. pancake mix
1 C. water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. fresh blueberries, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 T. all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350° F, line an 8x8-inch pan with foil for easier cleanup, and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
To a large bowl, add the pancake mix, water, vanilla, and stir to combine; set aside.
To a medium bowl, add the blueberries, flour, and toss to coat the blueberries.
Add the blueberries and all flour that’s at the bottom of the bowl to the bowl with the pancake mix and stir to combine.
Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
Evenly sprinkle with additional blueberries for both taste and visual appeal.
Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Baking times will vary based on brand of pancake mix used so bake according and until done. Start checking at 15 minutes; you don’t want to overbake this at all, or they will be dry and dense.
Serve with maple syrup, dust with confectioner’s sugar, or use your favorite pancake topping.
Notes: Squares are best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently before serving.
Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Pie
Submitted by Jenny White, Drummer Test Kitchen
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
1 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. milk
1 container (8 oz.) whipped topping
1 graham cracker crust
chocolate chips
chocolate syrup
caramel syrup
In bowl of stand mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and peanut butter; mix until blended. Add milk; mix until blended. Fold in whipped topping.
Pour into crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and caramel syrup. Freeze until set.
Pfeffernuesse Cookies
Prep 35 min + chilling
Bake 15 min/batch
Yield: 10 dozen
Submitted by Karie Bruder, Drummer Test Kitchen
1/2 C. Molasses
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C butter cubed
1/4 C. shortening
2 lg. eggs, room temperature
1-1/2 tsp. anise extract
4 C. all purpose flour
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 C. confectioners sugar
In a small saucepan, combine molasses, honey, butter and shortening. Cook and stir over medium heat until melted. Remove from heat: cool to room temperature. Stir in eggs and extract.
Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, pepper and salt. Gradually add molasses mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 325°. Roll dough into 1 in. balls. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies to wire racks. Roll warm cookies in confectioners sugar. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Note: I could not find Cardamom. Substitutions include: cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. I increased the nutmeg by 1/2 teaspoon.
Cherry Snowballs
Prep 20 min
Bake 20 min/batch + cooling
Yield: 3 dozen
Submitted by Karie Bruder, Drummer Test Kitchen
1 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. confectioners sugar
1 T. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. all purpose flour
1 C. quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp. salt
36 maraschino cherries, well drained
Coating:
2 C. confectioners sugar
1/4-1/3 C. whole milk
4 C. sweetened shredded coconut, finely chopped.
Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in water and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, oats and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.
Shape 1 T. of dough around each cherry, forming a ball. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until bottoms are browned; 18-20 min. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Stir together confectioners sugar and enough milk to reach a smooth dipping consistency. Dip cookies, then roll in coconut.
Place on waxed paper and let stand until set.
Santa Claus Cookies
Prep 40 min + standing
Cook 5 min
Yield: 32 cookies
Submitted by Karie Bruder, Drummer Test Kitchen
12 oz. white baking chocolate, chopped
1 package (1 lb.) Nutter Butter sandwich cookies®
Red colored sugar
32 vanilla or white chips
64 mini semisweet chocolate chips
32 Red Hot® candies
In a microwave, melt white chocolate for 1 minute: stir. Microwave additional 10 to 20 second intervals stirring until smooth.
Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on wire racks. For Santa’s hat, sprinkle red sugar on top part of chocolate. Press one vanilla chip off center on hat for pompom, let stand until set.
Dip other end of each cookie into melted chocolate for beard, leaving center of cookie uncovered. Place on wire racks. With a dab of melted chocolate, attach semisweet chips for eyes and a Red Hot® for nose. Place on waxed paper until set.
Note: when I do this recipe again I will use white almond bark instead of baking chocolate. I also used a mini red M&Ms® for the nose versus Red Hots®. For the eyes, it worked well to dip a toothpick in the melted chocolate and dot where the eyes should go and then place the eyes.
Hidden Mint Morsels
Prep: 30 min + chilling
Bake 10 min/batch + chilling
Yield: 10 dozen
Submitted by Karie Bruder, Drummer Test Kitchen
1/3 C. shortening
1/3 C. butter, softened
3/4 C. sugar
1 lg. egg, room temperature
1 T. 2% milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/3 C. baking cocoa
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
Peppermint layer:
4 C. confectioners sugar
6 T. light corn syrup
6 T. butter, melted
2-3 tsp. peppermint extract
Chocolate coating:
2 Pkg (11-1/2 oz. each) milk chocolate chips
1/4 C. shortening
In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 in. thickness. Cut with a lightly floured 1-1/2 inch round cookie cutter; place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375° until set, 6-8 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine all the peppermint layer ingredients. Knead for 1 minute or until smooth. Shape into ½ inch balls. Place a ball on each cookie and flatten to cover cookie. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 tsp. of chocolate over each cookie. Chill until firm.
No-Bake Christmas Wreath Cookies
Prep 20 min + standing
Cook 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Submitted by Karie Bruder, Drummer Test Kitchen
20 large marshmallows
2 T. butter
Green food coloring
3 C. corn flakes
Red M&M minis® (about 2 T.)
Place marshmallows and butter in a microwave safe bowl; microwave uncovered on high until butter is melted and marshmallows are puffed. About 45 seconds. Tint with green food coloring. Stir in cornflakes.
On a waxed paper lined baking sheet, divide mixture into 8 portions. With buttered hands, working quickly, shape each portion into a 3 in. wreath. Decorate immediately with M&Ms® pressing to adhere. Let stand until set.
Pecan Meltaways
Prep: 15 min + chilling
Bake: 10 min + cooling
Yield: 4 dozen
Submitted by Karie Bruder, Drummer Test Kitchen
1 C. butter (softened)
1/2 C. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C. chopped pecans
Additional confectioners sugar
In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate until chilled.
Preheat oven to 350°. Roll into 1 in. balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Roll warm cookies in additional confectioners sugar; cool completely on wire racks. Roll cooled cookies again in confectioners sugar.
Test Kitchen notes: Make sure you roll through the confectioners sugar while still warm the first time.
Quote of the Week:
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is time for home.”
~ Edith Sitwell
