Recipes to sweeten holidays

By Jena Seidemann
Student Life Editor

Fudge balls

Around sixth grade, I began dabbling with baking, and after browsing my elementary school’s biannual book fair, I stumbled across a holiday recipe cookbook. Naturally, with a sweet tooth, I immediately flipped to the dessert section and found the perfect recipe: Chocolate Fudge-Peanut Butter Balls or Fudge balls.

I can remember the countless times I experimented to find the perfect way to make the fudge. The pot that held the fudge still has the scrapes from the spoons with which I labor-intensively attempted to spoon the mixture out, one of my many early blunders. Eventually, I found that pouring the somewhat cooled substance into a pan lined with wax paper all around would do the trick.

One of the reasons why I adore this recipe is because it is fudge, my addiction, and two, the fudge balls were the gateway to my love of baking and a way I showed those I love how much I loved them.

I shared the recipe with my Girl Scout Troop’s annual Christmas party, my dear friend Mrs. Rebecca, my elementary crossing guard, teachers, amongst others.

This is an extremely easy recipe that you can make for any get together or gift.

Warning: Peanut and Dairy products

Student Life Editor Jena Seidemann showcases four recipes in her home for holidays, (clockwise) Easy cake cookie, Tomato soup cake, Apple Crisp muffins and Fudge balls. Photo by Jena Seidemann. — Student Life Editor Jena Seidemann showcases four recipes in her home for the holidays. (Clockwise) Easy cake cookie, Tomato soup cake, Apple Crisp muffins and Fudge balls. Photo by Jena Seidemann.

Ingredients

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or any other chocolate you would want)

¼ cup of half and half (substitute milk if you want a healthier recipe)

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup chopped peanuts unsalted

Melt the chocolate in saucepan with the half and half (I would recommend heating the dairy a little before adding the chocolate).

Once that is melted, drop the peanut butter in and mix (use a whisk, the flexible-non metal ones work best).

Let it cool to where it has firmed up a little, but not too much.

Line a pan (sides and bottom) with wax paper and pour. You can stir in the chopped nuts in the cooling mixture and then cut the fudge later and roll into balls or just wait and then roll the balls in the peanuts.

Enjoy!

Easy Cake Cookies

Chewy, delicious and easy, these cookies will become a hit at a party. I would like to extend a warm thank you to my dear friend Chandler Webb for sharing these easy and delicious cookies with me. My stomach has never forgotten and neither has my pant size. Thank you.

1 box cake (any flavor)

½ cup Vegetable oil

½ cup candy or chocolate (choice of mixture item)

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together and break up clumps

Spoon out in tablespoon portions onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges start to brown

Enjoy!

Grandma Burn’s delicious and somewhat nutritious Tomato Soup Spice Cake

During the Great Depression, my great grandmother had to support 11 children alone after her husband died when my grandmother was 5. She became a pro at making delicious, easy and economical recipes. This was one of her favorites.

Instead of feeling guilty while eating this cake, remember that it has nuts, eggs, flour and vegetables or four of the five recommended food groups for a healthy and balanced diet.

1 box of carrot or spice cake

1 can tomato soup

½ cup water

2 eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

Follow the direction on the box for cooking except substitute the water and soup for the liquid (oil and water).

Add eggs

Stir in the pecans

Bake as directed from the cake box recipe

Serve alone or with frosting of choice, Enjoy!

The Original Apple Cake Muffins

Apple crisp is becoming increasingly popular and is a favorite among people today. Before the boom, my great-grandmother Linnie Bell Burns would make these muffins for her children and other family gatherings when they played dominos outside because cards would be blown away.

The recipe is very experimental because both my grandmother and great grandmother were notorious for cooking and baking without measurements because they were so skilled at knowing when and how much made the perfect recipe. However, after a recent talk with my grandma, the recipe was a simple vanilla cake topped with chopped apple and spices. Nothing more; nothing less.

If you wanted, you could make this with box cake if you are low on time, but if not use one of your favorite vanilla cake recipes and top with

Apples

2 peeled apples chopped and cored

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp lemon or lime juice

Vanilla Cake Recipe

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs