Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner

Wishing all my foodie friends and readers  Peace, Joy, and Love
this Christmas Season…
Good health, lots of laughter good food too!
Have a blessed safe

Merry Christmas!

Rouse your senses with these refreshing little cookies!


Zesty Cranberry Pinwheels incorporate the tart sweetness of cranberries with just the right amount of orange flavor and rich pecans ~ they boast a zesty, slightly sweet filling. 
The pinwheels take a little time to make, as the dough requires chilling time.  Other than that, they’re fairly easy to make; just be sure to tightly roll the dough into a log.
You will love the fragrant aroma that fills the house while they’re baking.   Then, all you need to is a cup of coffee, or a little cup of tea to enjoy with these delicious holiday pinwheels!

Zesty Cranberry Pinwheels
Dough ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened ¾ cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1½ cups flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Melting Moments, aka Yo-Yo Biscuits, are homemade dainties ~ a buttery fragile cookie with both a crumbly and creamy texture that literally melts in your mouth.




They are a traditional biscuit (cookie) of Australia and New Zealand, which you have probably seen many versions of all over the Internet.  My version is from a combination of many. 
They are delicious as is or, with just a dab of frosting, or sandwiched with a creamy filling.  To me, they’re very similar to Russian Teacakes or Mexican Wedding Cakes, without the chopped nuts. 
They taste as scrumptious as they sound, and only last for a moment!

Melting Moments
Ingredients for cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar ¾ cup cornstarch 1 cup flour

Unwrapping all those caramels is the hardest part of this recipe ~ that’s when your assistant comes into play, like Bill did for me.  The rest is easy, peasy!



To tell the truth, I didn’t follow directions very well with this recipe.  The bottom is a sturdy oatmeal base, and then it should be topped with melted caramels, followed by chocolate chips spread over all.
I inadvertently melted the chocolate chips with the caramel, and I’m guessing it didn’t matter.  In fact the bars might be even better, as they turned out creamy smooth and delicious, bursting with that great caramel chocolaty flavor.
You’ll either need a chain saw or a strong man like my hubby to cut the cookies into bars ~ it’s a bit of a fight to get that first bar out of the pan!  I suggest lining the pan with parchment paper, enabling you to remove the whole slab from the pan, before slicing into bars. 
They’re a heavenly delightful mouthwatering sweet chewy bar, best cut small…


Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bars
Ingredients:
¾ cup…

In 46 years of being married to Bill, this is a first!  Who would’ve thought?


It’s an understatement, to say Bill's not crazy about salmon.  So, recently at the fish counter, when he said, “Buy some salmon fillets,” you could’ve knocked me over with a feather!  Huh???  The man has pretty much refused salmon of any kind, for any meal, anywhere!

Salmon is way up there on my list of favorites though, no matter how it’s prepared, and I knew I had to make it especially delicious last night...
And, I did!  This is salmon, the quick and easy way!  The spicy glaze makes it flavorful and delectable.  It’s a perfect blend of ingredients, complimenting the salmon.  Hopefully, it will convert that non-salmon lover in your neck of the woods, like it did Bill!

Hoisin Glazed Salmon
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons hoisin garlic sauce 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper