2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup shredded Swiss cheese
¼ teaspoon ground sage
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 375º F.
Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles. Drain well. Combine sausage, flour, and next 5 ingredients in a bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture.
Combine milk, oil, and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened. Spoon batter into greased (or paper cuplined) muffin pans, filling 2⁄3 full. Bake for 20–22 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Makes 1 dozen.
Nikki’s Recipes
1½ cups heavy cream
8 ounces white chocolate chips
In a saucepan heat the cream and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat. Place white chocolate chips in a large bowl and pour hot cream into the bowl. Let sit for 1 minute or so, then whisk until smooth. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool, stirring occasionally.
When mixture is cold and thickened, beat with an electric mixer into soft peaks, then beat the last few strokes by hand with a whisk until thick and firm. Do not overwhisk, or mixture will become grainy.
For flavored ganache, use 1 ounce less of cream (or 2 tablespoons) and add 1½ ounces (3 tablespoons) of rum or your favorite liqueur. Or add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, or other flavoring.
Ganache can stay at room temperature for 2 days, as long as it’s kept in a cool place.
Makes about 1 cup.
1½ cups sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 heaping teaspoons baking powder
1 cup buttermilk (or commercial eggnog)
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour, soda, and baking powder. Alternate adding buttermilk and dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.
Refrigerate overnight.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out a portion on floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. (To keep dough from getting tough, use confectioner’s sugar instead of flour.) Cut out with your favorite cookie cutters. Place on lightly greased or nonstick cookie sheets or parchment paper-covered baking trays.
Bake at 350º F for 8–10 minutes, until they just start to brown.
Cool in pans for about 5 minutes; transfer to cooling/wire racks, and cool completely before decorating.
Makes (approximately) 4 dozen.
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1½ tablespoons water
3 to 4 drops food coloring (or more as needed)
Colored sprinkles (optional)
In a small bowl, mix sugar and water to form a thick, smooth icing. Stir in food coloring to reach desired shade. Use separate bowls for additional colors. Frost cookies. Add sprinkles before icing dries.
½ cup shortening
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1½ ounces (or 3 tablespoons) red food coloring
1 teaspoon salt
2½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
Cream shortening; beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring; add to creamed mixture. Add salt, flour, and vanilla alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Sprinkle soda over vinegar; pour the mixture over batter. Mix well.
Bake in 3 prepared 8-inch pans or 2 9-inch pans for 30 minutes at 350º F, or until toothpick tester comes out clean.
12 servings
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1½cups butter, softened
3¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients; beat until smooth and creamy. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.
Frosts one cake.
You can color your cream cheese frosting with red food coloring, or make your own “stage” blood.
1 cup white corn syrup
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 tablespoon yellow food coloring
1 tablespoon water (optional; it’ll “thin” the “blood”)
Mix well, drizzle over one side of cake.
Makes 1 cup (or ¼ pint).