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Hassle-Free
Holidays
Take a break with sweet treats and freshly brewed coffee
Cherry Mini Pound Cakes
Chewy Cherry Bars
 (Family Features) - Holidays are all about hospitality, and there's no better way to
greet guests than with a delectable treat and freshly brewed hot
cup of coffee.
Maraschino cherries brighten an easy-to-make pound cake, making
it perfect for a brunch buffet when baked in a Bundt pan or as
take-along gifts when prepared as mini loaves. Chewy oat bars
too, studded with red cherries, are festive enough for any party,
and leftovers (if there are any) make a welcome pick-me-up for
weary shoppers.
Best of all, both use ingredients that are probably in your
pantry, which makes them quick to make, leaving you with more
time to celebrate the season.
Cherry Mini Pound Cakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Makes 6 mini cakes
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 3/4 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 cups quartered maraschino cherries, well drained (two 16-ounce
jars or three 10-ounce jars), well drained (reserve juice if
using frosting option*)
Powdered sugar
- In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, eggs
and vanilla on low speed until blended, then on high speed 5
minutes until light and fluffy.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients
alternately with sweetened condensed milk to creamed mixture,
mixing lightly after each addition.
- Fold in cherries. Turn batter into greased and floured mini
loaf pans.
- Bake at 350°F 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted
near center comes out clean.
- Let cool in pans 5 minutes; invert cakes onto rack and let
cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Note: This recipe may also be prepared in a 10-inch Bundt pan.
Use only 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk. Increase baking time
to 55 minutes plus 15 to 20 minutes covered loosely with foil,
shiny side out. Cake may be dusted with powdered sugar prior to
serving or frosted. In medium saucepan, combine remaining
sweetened condensed milk with 2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened
chocolate. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts and
mixture thickens. Stir in 1/3 cup cherry juice and spoon over
cake.
Chewy Cherry Bars
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Makes about 4 dozen bars
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
Filling
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coconut
1 cup maraschino cherries, drained and coarsely chopped (two 10-ounce or one 16-ounce jar)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Icing
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
- For crust, combine flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda in
mixing bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press into 13 x 9-inch
cake pan. Bake at 350°F 10 minutes.
- For filling, beat eggs, brown sugar and extract together
thoroughly. Combine flour and baking powder. Stir into egg
mixture. Mix well. Stir in coconut, cherries and nuts. Spread
evenly over crust. Bake at 350°F 25 minutes, or until lightly
browned. Cool completely.
- To make icing, beat all ingredients together until smooth and
creamy. Drizzle over bars.
Celebrate the Season With a Great-Tasting
Cup of Coffee
Nothing complements breakfast or a homemade treat like a good cup
of coffee. Thanks to single-serve brewers, a popular kitchen
appliance, it's easier than ever to enjoy a quality cup of coffee
in a minute without leaving the comfort of your home.
So what do coffee lovers like best about this latest in-home
coffee brewing trend? A recent survey commissioned by Maxwell
House Café Collection coffee pods revealed that:
- Eighty-eight percent of single-serve brewer owners like that
these machines make one cup of coffee in about 60 seconds. If
friends and family are staying with you this holiday season, you
may want to consider using a single-serve brewer to satisfy your
household's coffee needs. The speed of these coffee brewers means
that you can satisfy coffee cravings quickly. And with an
assortment of coffee pods in the pantry, all of your houseguests
can enjoy the coffee variety or flavor of their choice each
morning.
- Over 90 percent of coffee drinkers appreciate that the single-serve
brewers don't require measuring coffee grinds or cleaning
them up afterward. Ease of use and speed means more time to
tackle the tasks on your holiday to-do list — whether it's
staying up late to make a meal or wrapping gifts in the pre-dawn
hours.
- Sixty-five percent of single-serve brewer owners say that
quality is a consideration when buying coffee pods. Found in the
coffee aisle of your grocery store, Maxwell House Café Collection
coffee pods are made with premium 100% Arabica beans that have
been carefully selected, custom roasted and finely ground to
deliver peak flavor and aroma. And because these pods fit into
most single-serve brewers, there's no hassle with online or mail-in
orders. Simply pick up a few bags of your favorite variety
while doing your holiday grocery shopping.
SOURCE: Maxwell House Café Coffee Pods
National Sweet Cherry Foundation
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