Welcome to Happylifeblogspot! A food blog with drool worthy recipes
Why make plain ole mashed cauliflower when you can make Asiago Mashed Cauliflower? This low carb mashed potato alternative is the best mashed cauliflower recipe to try. The secret lies in its ingredients. Tangy cream cheese adds richness and texture while asiago cheese lends comfort […]
Elevate any dinner by adding Brandy Glazed Carrots to the menu. You’ll be amazed at the way brandy can transform the same old carrot dish into something quite special. Fresh baby carrots are cooked until tender, simmered in a mixture of honey and butter with […]
Candy Cane Cookies are my favorite way to spread Christmas cheer! This nostalgic butter cookie has a rich almond flavor and is a Christmas staple in our house. It takes a little time and practice to get that perfect red and white swirl but I promise this eye catching cookie is worth the effort. Everyone loves making these and once you nail the technique there’s really nothing to it. This festive little cookie looks so cute hanging from a coffee mug, adds a whole lot of pretty to a cookie plate, and will steal the show at a cookie exchange or Christmas party. Bring a smile to someone’s face this holiday season with Candy Cane Cookies!
Here’s all you’ll need: shortening, butter, confectioners’ sugar, an egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, flour, salt, red food coloring, and sugar. 
Time to get baking! Add the shortening, butter and confectioners sugar to a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Confectioners’ sugar keeps these cookies light and gives them that melt in your mouth feel.
Next blend in the egg, salt, almond and vanilla extracts. Of course for those of you with nut allergies out there, skip the almond extract and replace it with equal amounts of vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour at a low speed until fully combined. 
Divide the dough in half. Add food coloring to one of the halves to tint the dough red. Wrap each portion of the cookie dough individually and refrigerate for 2 hours or until the dough is firm and easy to handle. All out of red food coloring? Green works well too and will keep it Christmas-y! 
Now for the fun part! Remove the cookie dough from the fridge. Grab about 1-2 teaspoons of plain cookie dough and 1-2 teaspoons of red cookie dough. Shape each into a 4-5 inch rope. Place the two ropes side by side. Lightly press the ropes together and twist to form a swirl. Curve the top of the cookie downwards to form the candy cane shape. Repeat until all the cookie dough is used.
So a few things to keep in mind; if the dough is too hard you can warm it in your hands to soften. If the dough is too soft toss it back in the fridge to harden. A quick and soft hand works best. And most importantly don’t overthink it. Recruit some little helpers because it’s just like playing with play-doh. Have fun with it!
Place the Candy Cane Cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Be sure to keep the cookies placed about 2 inches apart. Parchment paper is such a great tool for baking and helps to reduce browning. I highly recommend in all of my cookie baking posts. Always have always will.
And here’s my best cookie baking tips for that picture perfect cookie every time. Use the top and middle racks in the oven, never the bottom. Always rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking which means about halfway through baking time swap positions. So the cookies that were baking on the top rack get bumped down to the middle rack and the cookies that were baking on the middle rack get moved up to the top. I also rotate the baking sheets so that the cookies that were in the front of the oven are now in the back and vice versa. This helps all the cookies to bake evenly and will yield the very best results. Every. Time.
Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 8-9 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and while the cookies are still warm, immediately sprinkle them with sugar. Cool on wire racks. 
Serve with coffee, hot cocoa and of course your favorite Christmas movie and enjoy!! Don’t forget to try some of our most popular cookie recipes like Cappuccino Swirl Cookies and Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies too. What are your favorite holiday cookies to bake? 
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Attention all chocolate and peanut butter lovers…I’ve got the recipe of your dreams right here!!! Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are calling your name (and mine too). Chocolate and peanut butter is a combination that I just can’t resist and these soft, chewy, sinfully delicious […]
Calling all cinnamon roll lovers!!! Have I got a cookie for you?!? Clear your schedule because you need to put “Bake Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies” at the top of your to do list. From the very first batch all I could think was WOW…these cookies […]
Looking for the perfect last minute side to bring to your holiday gathering? Well Tennessee Apple Maple Glazed Green Beans are here to help! Dress up green beans with a delicious maple glaze that’s simple, sweet, and savory. A little splash of Jack Daniels Tennessee Apple takes this easy recipe to the next level. These are not your Grandma’s green beans. I’m talking flavor-packed, jaw dropping, make you beg for seconds type of amazing! Loaded up with savory bacon, delicious onions, tart cranberries, sweet maple syrup and a wallop of whisky, seriously how could you go wrong? Your family will be talking about this show stopper all year long.
Here’s all you’ll need: green beans, onion, bacon, dried cranberries, maple syrup, salt and pepper, and Jack Daniels Tennessee Apple.
First things first let’s trim and cut the green beans. To really save time you can buy cut beans at the grocery store. Frozen green beans will work in a pinch too!
Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the green beans once the water begins to boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a low boil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the beans are tender. Drain the water and set aside.
Meanwhile roughly chop the bacon and add it to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Next add in the chopped onion. Continue to cook over medium heat until the bacon is crisp and the onion is tender. You’ll want to stir constantly towards the end so they don’t stick to the pan.
Turn the heat down to low, then mix in the cranberries. Stir in the maple syrup, Jack Daniels Tennessee Apple, and season with salt and pepper. We first heard about Tennessee Apple when we toured the Jack Daniels Distillery back in September. I knew it would be an instant hit in our house but I didn’t realize just how much of a staple it would be until I added it to this recipe. Seriously so good!
Lastly add the green beans back to the skillet and toss to combine until the beans are heated through. We want everything green bean to be smothered and covered in that delicious whisky maple glaze!! Things that make you go Mmmmmmm…….
Move over green bean casserole there’s a new star in town! I’m not asking you to make this Tennessee Apple Maple Glazed Green Beans, I’m telling you that you absolutely HAVE to!!! Just trust me on this one. Looking for Thanksgiving sides that are both easy and delicious? Try our Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing or Aunt Lisa’s Sweet Potato Casserole too!
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
Call it stuffing or call it dressing, it really doesn’t matter as long as you call it delicious!!! Stuffing is one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving. Our take on this Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing is a classic, no frills, anything but basic holiday stuffing recipe. […]
Zucchini bread is great and all but aren’t Zucchini Cupcakes even cuter?!? I mean it just doesn’t get any better than these adorable hand held little bundles of joy. In fact, I’m already planning on growing zucchini in my garden next year just for this recipe! […]
Our Everything Dinner Rolls go with well…..EVERYTHING!!! Simple enough for a weeknight dinner, yet fancy enough to serve at a holiday meal, like say…Easter for instance. I find myself constantly coming back to this recipe, especially at the holidays. It’s great in a pinch because I usually have everything on hand. But don’t let the simple ingredients fool you. This recipe really is something special! Everything Dinner Rolls draws it’s complex flavor and texture from the iconic NY bagel. Jam packed with garlic, onion, poppy and sesame seeds, and the perfect amount of sweetness! It’s everything you love!! Just don’t skimp on the topping!!
Here’s all you’ll need: sugar, yeast, salt, flour, milk, water, butter, eggs, kosher salt, minced garlic, minced onions, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds. For those of you in the Buffalo area, you HAVE to check out Marilla Country Store. You won’t believe how cheap their seeds and seasonings are!!! Like $2 for 5 oz of sesame seeds as opposed to $7 for just one ounce at our local grocery store.
In a large bowl, mix the sugar, yeast, salt, and one cup of flour. Stir to combine.
Next heat the milk, water, and butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Heat until the butter is melted and the liquid just starts to bubble. If it’s boiling you’ve gone too far!
Now add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Then add the egg. Beat for two minutes on high speed.
Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough. Knead dough for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour. The dough should be doubled in size. Feel free to use a bread machine to mix the dough if you have one. I do, but I really enjoy making bread by hand every now and then.
After that’s done, punch down the dough. Go ahead punch it. Take some of that aggression out. Kidding!! Divide the dough into 12 balls. Place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper….cause you know I have an addiction to parchment paper!! It really does come in handy with this recipe. You’ll see why in the next step. Cover the rolls and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Next combine the kosher salt, minced garlic, minced onion, poppy seeds and sesame seeds in a small bowl. The best part about Everything Dinner Rolls is that you can substitute just about anything. Don’t have sesame seeds on hand? Swap out for sunflower seeds. Or skip the kosher salt and go with pretzel salt for an even more unique flavor. The possibilities are endless! Brush the tops of the rolls with a lightly beaten egg. Sprinkle with everything topping. Be generous!! This is the best part!! Do you see how that parchment paper is collecting all the fallout? Kitchen Superstar!!
Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown in color. Remove from the baking sheet and serve warm. They’re great cold too. You just can’t beat bread hot out of the oven! I can picture the butter melting already!! Everything Dinner Rolls really are, well…..EVERYTHING!!!
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
I’m going to let you in on a little secret…..my hubby is an eggnog freak!!! No he doesn’t do weird things with eggnog……but he IS pretty eggnog obsessed!! He absolutely loves it and cannot get enough. Unfortunately for him, it’s only available for a short […]
Hi There! I’m Lisa. I’m a lover of all things crafty, creative, DIY, and delicious!!! Oh yeah and puppies too! I love cooking and baking for my friends and family but especially WITH my friends and family. I show my greatest affection through food. If I cook or bake for you, it means I really like you!
