As the holiday season is now in full swing, one of the biggest things on my mind is holiday baking. In my home, we have traditional goodies we bake every year. No December is complete without including our Norwegian family favorites, such as krumkake and sandbakkelse.
Krumkake – Norwegian cookie rolled into cone shape
Sandbakkelse – Norwegian cookie pressed into small tart shapes
Each year, I look for one or two new recipes to try. Sometimes, these get added to the annual rotation, such as sea foam candy and fudge. Some are one-hit wonders. And some are complete flops. Did you know that the Bookmobile always has a selection of cookbooks ready to be checked out? When you check out materials on the Bookmobile, you get a four-week checkout period, so you have extra time to try all the recipes! Here are just a few that you might find:
Spice Kits on the Bookmobile
We are very excited about a new program we have on the Bookmobile called Spice Club. Stop by and pick up a spice kit that includes a sample of a spice, a measuring spoon and a recipe featuring that spice (while supplies last).
Cooking with Buddy the Elf!
Since I’m always on the lookout for new recipes, I thought I would share a couple of things I have tried this month from one of the cookbooks available on the Bookmobile. One of my favorite holiday movies of all time is Elf, so when we got a new cookbook inspired by the movie, The Unofficial Elf Cookbook, I just knew that I had to start with this one. All recipes have names inspired by the movie, including the two recipes I tried, World’s Best Cup of Coffee and Son of a Nut Crackle.
One of Elf‘s iconic scenes is when Buddy walks by a café with a sign in the window that says “World’s Best Cup of Coffee.” He runs inside to congratulate them. Later in the movie, he brings Jovie there, and after trying it while blindfolded, she says it’s a “crappy cup of coffee.”
I couldn’t resist trying this version of the “World’s Best Cup of Coffee” since I already had the mug to go with it. Isn’t it pretty?
The verdict? It may not be the world’s best cup of coffee, but it’s definitely not a crappy cup of coffee, either. The combination of spices gives it a chai feeling. I typically drink my coffee black, but this is a nice sweet treat that I would indulge in once in a while. Especially with the whipped topping and sugar sprinkles on top.
Another one of my favorite scenes is when Buddy and his new-found brother Michael are walking through Central Park, and a group of boys try to start throwing snowballs at them. Buddy gathers up snowballs and starts whipping them at the boys with alarming speed and force. When he gets hit right in the face, he screams, “Son of a Nutcracker!” This phrase has become a very popular line to quote.
Now, the recipe for Son of a Nut Crackle? That will definitely be added to the annual holiday baking extravaganza in my home. I’ll be honest; the picture doesn’t do it justice. This delightful treat is made with lots of sugar, chocolate, Cocoa Krispies, salt and pecans. It has the right salty/sweet balance and the perfect amount of crunch.