Spinach dip Christmas tree

Its always a great day when the whole family, both your childhood family and your grown up family comes together. It is always great if you can sit with people with whom you have shared the childhood and grown up. You know exactly what was funny in those days. What annoyed who and its amazing to see the young cousins playing together. Some day they will come together for holidays and cherish "this day" which will be long past.

The original recipe called for a pizza roll but I did not have it and all I had were Pillsbury Crescent rolls. So I used them. The original recipe is from itsalwaysautumn.com

Spinach dip Christmas tree

Ingredients

1. 1 can chopped baby spinach, squeezed out of water, as much as possible
2. 6 oz cream cheese softened
3. 2 bug garlic cloves chopped fine
4. 2 tablespoons onion finely chopped
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, chilli powder
6. 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
7. 1/2 cup your fav cheese grated
8. 2 tablespoons butter
9. 1 tube refrigerated thin crust pizza or crescent roll

Mix all the ingredients together until creamy and smooth.

Unroll the crescent roll or pizza crust. Cut it into a triangle. Spread the spinach dip .

Lay the 2 pieces of triangles cut upside down and lay on it to cover the spinach dip.

Cut 1 inch strips leaving 1 inch in the middle intact.

Bake according to the package directions + 2 minutes. Enjoy

eggnog pancakes

Eggnog is one of my favorites during Christmas time. Its super sweet and loaded with calories. What else could be wrong with it LOLLLLL. No Matter, I just luuuuuuuuuuvvvvveee it. I have one of the recipes for cooked eggnog. I make it when I have a hunkering for something sweet and creamy and its not December

So, once I found the eggnog in the markets, I got it. Ofcourse, there is only so much you can drink. And I was trying to find a good breakfast for Christmas. Ofcourse I made it before Christmas because I had to try it :) and boy oh boy it is sooo delicious. DO try.

Eggnog Pancakes

Eggnog Pancakes

Banana and Raspberry cane 

Ingredients:

1. 11/2 cup all purpose flour
2. 1 tablespoon sugar
3. 2 teaspoons baking powder
4. 1 cup eggnog
5. 1 tablespoon melted butter
6. 1 egg
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt 

Beat together the butter egg and eggnog. In another dish sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour and add water little by little until you get the pancake consistency batter.

Heat a griddle and add some butter to it and add a ladle of batter. Cook until you start seeing bubbles and flip the pancake and cook for 2 more minutes.

For more festivity set the fruits...banana and raspberry or strawberry in the form of a candy cane and enjoy with syrup or without

Strawberry jelly roll

Today being Christmas eve I was searching for some cake recipes and whatever I found needed ingredients I didn't have at hand. And I don't want to go shopping today evening certainly. The shops are so super crowded.
           And finally I found the recipe here and this time around I followed it to the dot. I usually modify it in one way or other but today its not the case. And I am very happy with the results. It is so simple and easy to make and it can be made pretty fast too. Other than the 1 hr you need to wait for the cake to cool down

Strawberry Jelly Roll

Strawberry jelly roll

Ingredients:

1. 2 tsp. powdered sugar
2. 4 eggs
3. ¾ c. sugar
4. ¼ c. cold water
5. 1 tsp. vanilla
6. 1 c. flour
7. 1 tsp. baking powder
8. ¼ tsp. salt
9. ¾ c. strawberry jelly

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. (350 degrees if the baking tray is dark) Grease and lightly flour a 15” x 10” x 1” baking pan. Lay a clean kitchen towel on a flat surface and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
2. Using a hand mixer, beat eggs at high speed for 5 minutes or until thick. Add sugar ¼ c. at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in water and vanilla.
3. With the mixer running on low speed, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Continue to mix until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes. The cake is ready when it springs back after being lightly touched.
5. Remove baking pan from oven and run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen. Immediately invert on to the towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove pan.
6. Starting with the short side, roll up cake in towel and set on a wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
7. Unroll cake and remove towel. Spread cake with jelly and re-roll loosely to incorporate filling. Wrap in foil or wax paper and store in the refrigerator until serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving if desired.