33 Recipes | Wreath Between the Lines

Recipes

Brownies (Gluten-free)

Brownie Frosting

Brownie Reindeer

Brownie Christmas Trees

Cheese Wreath

Christmas Wreath with Pecans

Crystal Cove Succotash

Jenna’s Breakfast Casserole

Popovers with Parmesan (Gluten-free)

Squash Apple Soup

Strawberry Santas

White Chocolate Crackle

Yorkshire Pudding

Yule Log

Yule Log (Gluten-free)

Brownies (Gluten-free)

From Katie:

This is the best brownie recipe I’ve ever concocted, and it’s gluten-free!! So chocolate-y, so moist. By the way, “whey” powder helps keep gluten-free baked goods stay moist longer. Also, check out the recipes following this for Brownie Reindeer and Brownie Christmas Trees. I saw pictures on Pinterest and knew I had to serve these to children who visited during the holidays.

(Makes 12–16)

1/2 cup unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa (I like Penzey’s)

3 large eggs

3/4 cup gluten-free flour (I like a combo of sweet rice flour and tapioca flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon whey powder

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, rub a round 9-inch pan with one tablespoon of butter and then line with parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add sugar and salt and stir until the mixture lightens in color. A pale yellow is fine.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Blend in the vanilla and cocoa, and then add the eggs. Mix until shiny, about 1 minute.

Add in the flour, baking powder, and whey powder. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Make sure you spread it to the edges.

Bake for 32–36 minutes until the top of the brownie is set. Insert a toothpick in the center to make sure it’s cooked through. A tad of chocolate at the tip is fine.

Remove from oven and cool 15–20 minutes before cutting. For the prettiest brownies, wait until they are completely cool, then slice. That way, no crumbs!

Once cool, cover any that you’re not eating tightly with plastic wrap or store in sealed glass containers.

Brownie Frosting

(Yield: 1 to 1-1/2 cups)

6 tablespoons butter, softened

2-2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 to 1/4 cup milk

In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until combined. Beat in cocoa and vanilla. Add 1/8 cup milk, adding more if necessary, until the frosting achieves spreading consistency. If you add too much milk at first, it will be runny, so remember, less is more.

Reindeer Brownies

Use the brownie recipe, but bake it in two 9-inch cake pans so they are ultra thin for 10–15 minutes.

(Makes 12–16)

For decoration:

Peppermint candy canes with hooked tops

Brownie frosting (see recipe above)

Tootsie Rolls

Small marshmallows

Tiny chocolate chips

Vanilla wafers (not gluten-free; see below)

Red M&Ms

How to construct:

Cut brownies into wedge shapes (6–8 per cake pan). Set on decorative flat plate.

Carefully insert candy canes for antlers at the top of the long edge of the wedge.

Paint the brownie with a thin coat of brownie frosting.

Cut Tootsie Roll on a diagonal. Set a Tootsie Roll on each side of long edge of the wedge for ears.

Snip marshmallows in half and set in the upper middle of the brownie face. Using a teensy amount of icing, affix tiny chocolate chips to the marshmallows for eyes.

Add a vanilla wafer to the pointed end of the wedge. Then, using a small amount of icing, affix a red M&M on top for the nose. (Note: Vanilla wafers are not gluten-free. If you need to eat gluten-free—the brownie recipe is—then omit this cookie and only use the M&M.)

Brownie Christmas Trees

Use the brownie recipe, but bake it in two 9-inch cake pans so they are ultra thin for 10–15 minutes.

(Makes 12–16)

For decoration:

Peppermint sticks cut to 2-inch length

Green gel icing or green frosting

White or silver ball-shaped sprinkles

Sno-Caps candies

How to construct:

Cut brownies into wedge shapes (6–8 per cake pan). Set on decorative flat platter.

Carefully insert peppermint stick for tree trunk.

Ice with green swirls, on an angle. (If using green frosting instead of gel, you might want to use a piping tool fitted with a very small tip.)

Sprinkle with white or silver sprinkles.

Using gel or icing, “glue” one Sno-Caps candy at top of tree for the star.

Cheese Wreath

From Aunt Vera:

I love serving appetizers to my guests. During the holidays, a party made up entirely of appetizers is often preferred. Enjoy the ease of this beautiful wreath.

(Serves 12–16)

8–12 sprigs rosemary, rinsed

3 different cheeses cubed, about 2–3 cups

8–12 green and black olives

2 strips of red bell pepper

Crackers

On a pretty platter (square or round), lay out the rosemary in a circular fashion.

Leaving the center empty, create a ring of cheese, standing the cubes on top of each other.

Balance the olives at various intervals on the cheese, like ornaments.

At the top or bottom of your wreath, add the 2 strips of red bell pepper to resemble a bow.

Christmas Wreath with Pecans

From Katie:

I love this bread. It’s so soft and it’s beautiful to serve. You might want to use a piping tool to add the icing. It’s a lovely bread all by itself, but if you serve it warm, your guests might like it served with butter or even apple butter. My one tip: use the parchment paper to roll out the dough, and use a sizeable cutting board or even do the rolling directly on a clean counter so you get the most evenly shaped rectangle you can muster.

(Serves 12–16)

Bread:

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast

1-1/2 cups warm water (110° to 115°)

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon salt

4-1/2 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup chopped pecans, if desired

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (you can use a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature). When the yeast is frothy, add the melted butter, milk powder, brown sugar, egg, salt, and 4 cups of flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft but not “runny” dough. If it’s too runny, you won’t be able to knead it.

Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6–8 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, 18 inches x 12 inches. I like to cover the dough with parchment paper so the rolling pin doesn’t stick. The rectangle might not be perfectly even, but that’s okay. Remove the parchment paper. Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with chopped pecans (if desired) and cinnamon, leaving 1/2 inch of edge free.

Roll up jelly roll style, starting with the long side. Pinch the seam to seal.

Again, I like to use parchment paper to pick up the roll so it doesn’t smoosh. Place the roll, seam-side down, on a greased baking sheet. Form a ring and pinch the ends together. (Tip: if you want, you can reserve a small portion of dough and decorate this section with a dough “bow” before serving.) Using kitchen shears, snip the dough from the outside edge to about two-thirds of the way toward the center of ring. Yes, the whole dough, not just the top. Do this every inch. Then separate the sections slightly and twist the dough to let the filling show. It’s amazing how elastic dough is!

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 375° for 20–25 minutes. The ring should be golden brown. Remove from oven.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, water, and extract. Drizzle over the warm bread. Serve warm.

Crystal Cove Succotash

From Katie:

You need an army of sous chefs to make fresh lima beans. Luckily, I have a very talented crew. For those of you making this at home, it’s okay to use frozen lima beans. Because of the lovely green and red colors in this recipe, it makes a perfect side dish for the Christmas table.

(Serves 2–4)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons white wine

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 cup fresh corn (cut off the cob)

1 cup fresh cooked lima beans (see below)

1 cup heavy cream

2-1/2 cups shredded white chicken breast, cooked (about 2 large chicken breasts)

1 tomato, chopped fine

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the wine and then the scallions. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the corn, lima beans, and cream, and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the tomato right before serving.

To pre-cook chicken breast:

Wrap chicken breast in foil and bake at 300 degrees F for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Shred when cool enough to pull apart.

To Make Fresh Lima Beans:

2 pounds baby lima beans, fresh in the shell

1/2 teaspoon salt

Shell the beans, pulling the string, and wash thoroughly. Soak overnight in enough water to cover by an inch.

When ready, put 2 cups of fresh water and salt into a medium saucepan and add the beans. Cook the beans until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the liquid.

Jenna’s Breakfast Casserole

From Jenna:

This casserole is so easy that even I can make it, and the beautiful colors of red and green shine through, making it a perfect holiday breakfast or brunch item. Enjoy.

(Serves 8–12)

3 yellow potatoes, shredded

6 green onions, shredded

3 zucchinis, shredded

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped

12 eggs

1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and oil a 9 x 13 pan.

Using a food processor, shred the potatoes then set them in a small bowl and douse them with boiling hot water for about 5–6 minutes to partially cook. Pour off water and arrange the potatoes in pre-oiled pan.

Using a food processor, shred the green onions and zucchini.

Spread them on top of the potatoes and top with chopped tomato and chopped Vidalia onion.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the Cheddar. Pour over the veggies. If necessary, with clean hands or a spoon, mix the eggs, potatoes, and vegetables so everything is incorporated.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 40–50 minutes. You want the potatoes tender.

Popovers with Parmesan (Gluten-free)

From Katie:

For those who have to follow a gluten-free diet, these are a great substitute for Yorkshire pudding. They pop up nicely. You will need a popover pan.

(Serves 6)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide 2 tablespoons melted butter among the wells of a 6-cup popover pan, brushing each to coat. Place popover pan in oven to preheat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, water, and eggs. Gradually whisk in remaining tablespoon melted butter.

Add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, salt, pepper, garlic salt, rosemary, and thyme. Whisk until batter is well combined. Carefully remove hot popover pan from the oven and ladle the batter evenly among the popover cups (they’ll be about half full).

Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes until puffed and golden. Do not open the oven during baking time. Run a knife around each popover and remove popover from pan. Using a small knife, make a small slit in the side of each popover to release the steam. Serve immediately.

Squash Apple Soup

From Katie:

If Jenna hadn’t hired me to run the Nook Café, I might have become a soup chef. I adore soup and I love making it. There’s something about the savory aromas and the variety of textures that call to me. This soup is perfect for a winter’s night. The bacon adds exactly the right zing.

(Serves 4)

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips

2-1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 Vidalia or sweet onion, finely diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced

1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

4 cups chicken broth

2 green onions, green ends only, diced

In a large stockpot set over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, 8–10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Increase the heat to medium high. Add the butternut squash to the pot with the bacon fat and cook until lightly browned, 8–10 minutes. Don’t stir too often or it won’t brown. You want it to brown. FYI, the bottom of the pot will start turning brown. This is okay.

Stir in the diced onion, apple, thyme (or rosemary), and white pepper, and cook for 4 minutes.

Add the broth, scraping up the browned bits in the pot with a spoon. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to simmer, and cook until the squash, onions, and apples are very soft, 8–10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool about 5 minutes.

Add half the bacon to the soup and stir.

Purée the soup using a standing blender or immersion blender. You’ll have to do small batches if you use the standing blender.

Pour the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with remaining bacon and diced green onions.

Strawberry Santas

From Jenna:

I love these adorable desserts. They’re like little bites of crust-less strawberry cheesecake. Perfect for kids’ parties as well as adult parties. I saw it on Pinterest, thanks to Katie, who told me she gets lots of ideas for new foods on that site. Enjoy.

(Makes 12–20)

12–20 strawberries

Cream cheese frosting (recipe below)

24–40 miniature chocolate chips

Wash and slice off bottoms of strawberries to create Santa’s “hat and body.” (Proportion about 1/3 for hat and 2/3 for body.)

Set the largest side of the body on plate. Using a piping tube with a star tip, swirl frosting on top to create Santa’s face and beard.

Put strawberry “hat” on and add a touch of frosting for the hat’s “pompom.”

Insert two chocolate chips into the frosting “face” for eyes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put all the ingredients into a medium bowl. Blend until smooth.

Note: leftovers may be placed in sealed container and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature to reuse.

White Chocolate Crackle

From Jenna:

I remember having this crackle at a Christmas party when I worked at Taylor & Squibb. One of the assistants made it and gave me the recipe. Until now, I’d never felt comfortable making it, but I’m getting pretty good with candy recipes. I’m a demon with fudge. This doesn’t require a candy thermometer, just good eyeballing to know when something is ready to go. Enjoy!

(Serves 12–24)

40 salted saltine crackers (or gluten-free matzo, if you need to eat gluten-free)

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 4-ounce bars white chocolate, chopped into bits

Toppings including pistachio pieces and dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spread the crackers on the foil in a single layer and fold up the edges of the foil to contain the crackers.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir constantly. It will turn a nice brown toffee color. Pour the mixture over the crackers and spread to cover.

Bake the cracker and toffee mixture in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the chopped white chocolate over the toffee.

Let stand for 2–4 minutes until the white chocolate melts, then spread evenly over the toffee.

Top with chopped pistachio pieces and dried cranberries for a nice Christmas color.

Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Peel away the foil and break the crackle into pieces.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. This may be frozen for 1 month if you like to prepare ahead. Makes great gifts wrapped in decorative cellophane bags.

Yorkshire Pudding

From Jenna:

Even I can make this and never fail. Four ingredients. Perfect! My grandmother handed down the recipe to my mother. I love Yorkshire pudding by itself, but it’s especially wonderful topped with butter and served with roast beef. Enjoy! PS: If you want to make a gluten-free version, substitute gluten-free flour for the flour. It won’t “puff” like regular Yorkshire pudding, it’ll be flat, but it’s quite tasty.

(Serves 4–6)

4 tablespoons meat fat (from roast) or canola oil

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Rub meat fat or canola oil on the bottom and sides of 9 x 13 pan. Make sure you coat the corners.

In a medium bowl, mix milk, flour, and eggs with blender.

Pour mixture into the 9 x 13 pan.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 degrees. Bake 10–15 minutes longer, until golden brown. The pudding will rise up the sides of the pan.

Serve hot with butter.

Yule Log

From Katie:

This Yule log is intense to make. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s delicious. I’m going to provide a gluten-free version as well, so check out the recipe below. If you’re feeling very creative, make meringue mushrooms to decorate the log.

(Serves 8–12)

Chocolate Jelly Roll:

3-1/2 ounces dark semi-sweet chocolate

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

up to 1/2 cup boiling water

4 egg whites

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Whipped Cream Filling:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

3 teaspoons sugar

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

dash salt

4 tablespoons cream

4 cups powdered sugar

1 ounce espresso

Chocolate Jelly Roll:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make sure rack is in the middle of the oven. Grease and line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate until melted, about 15 seconds at a time. Do not overcook.

In a large bowl, beat yolks, add sugar, and vanilla. Add cooled chocolate.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to egg and chocolate mixture and stir. Add up to 1/2 cup boiling water to make a stiff batter.

In another bowl, whip egg whites to stiff peaks. Add a large spoonful of the whipped whites to the batter to lighten before lightly folding in the remaining egg whites.

Spread the batter on the parchment paper in the jelly roll pan, making sure you get the batter all the way to the corners.

Bake 13–15 minutes.

Remove cake from the oven and loosen the corners right away with a spatula. Let the cake rest for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar. Place a clean (thin) kitchen towel over the cake and carefully flip out of the pan onto a clean counter. Carefully remove the parchment paper. Starting with a short end, roll the cake and towel together. Wrap and chill for about 1 hour.

Whipped Cream Filling:

Whip cream in a deep bowl. As the cream starts to hold its shape in soft peaks, add the sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time. Beat until thick. Stop before it becomes BUTTER! About 3–4 minutes.

Unroll the cake on a clean surface. Spread the cream to the edges, leaving 1 inch of space on the outer edge, where the cake will come together. Roll the cake back up, without the towel this time. Only cake and cream. Place the cake seam-side down on your serving platter. Chill again, for 1 hour, before frosting.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cocoa and salt and stir until smooth. Add cream and stir. Then add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, stirring until smooth each time. When the frosting gets too hard to stir, add the espresso a little at a time until you get a nice, satiny consistency. Cool the mixture!

Frost the log. After frosting, use a knife or fork to make rough edges and stripes to give the look of natural bark. Because it’s a thick frosting, you might have to “saw” back and forth through the frosting. It’s fun!

Yule Log (Gluten-free)

(Serves 8–12)

Chocolate Jelly Roll:

3-1/2 ounces dark semi-sweet chocolate

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla

3/4 cup sweet rice flour (or a mixture of your favorite gluten-free flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

up to 1/2 cup boiling water

4 egg whites

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Whipped Cream Filling:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

3 teaspoons sugar

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

dash salt

4 tablespoons cream

4 cups powdered sugar

1 ounce espresso

Chocolate Jelly Roll:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make sure rack is in the middle of the oven. Grease and line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate until melted, about 15 seconds at a time. Do not overcook.

In a large bowl, beat yolks, add sugar, and gluten-free vanilla. Add cooled chocolate.

In a separate bowl, mix gluten-free flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Add to egg and chocolate mixture and stir. Add up to 1/2 cup boiling water to make a stiff batter.

In another bowl, whip egg whites to stiff peaks. Add a large spoonful of the whipped whites to the batter to lighten before lightly folding in the remaining egg whites.

Spread the batter on the parchment paper in the jelly roll pan, making sure you get the batter all the way to the corners.

Bake 13–15 minutes.

Whipped Cream Filling:

Whip cream in a deep bowl. As the cream starts to hold its shape in soft peaks, add the sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time. Beat until thick. Stop before it becomes BUTTER! About 3–4 minutes.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

After frosting the log, use a knife or fork to make rough edges and stripes to give the look of natural bark. Because it’s a thick frosting, you might have to “saw” back and forth through the frosting. It’s fun!