Cheesy rice

4 cups water
1 cup basmati rice
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup grated cheddar and/or parmesan cheese
salt
pepper

1. Bring water to boil over high heat.
2. Add rice and onion and boil for 16 minutes.
3. While the rice is cooking, cut the butter into small pieces and mix in a medium bowl with the lemon juice.
   
4. When the rice is done, drain it, but reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
5. Add the hot rice mixture and reserved liquid to the butter mixture. Stir to melt the butter.
6. Add the cheese and stir.
7. Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy raspberry bites

3 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp raspberry extract
3 drops red food colouring
4 to 4.5 cups confectioners sugar
granulated sugar for dredging OR melted chocolate for dipping

1. Put the cream cheese, raspberry extract and food colouring in the bowl of your mixer and mix, scraping the sides, until smooth.
2. Add the confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing in each portion thoroughly. If the mixture is not stiff with 4 cups of sugar, add another 1/2 cup.
3. Mix for 2 minutes, until well combined.
4. Scoop out 1/2-teaspoon portions and roll into balls.
5. Dredge each ball in granulated sugar or dip in chocolate to make truffles.
   

This is essentially the same recipe as the Super Easy Mints, but with raspberry flavour. The mints also make excellent truffle centers when dipped in chocolate.

Super easy mints

3 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
3 drops green or red food colouring
4 to 4.5 cups confectioners sugar
granulated sugar for dredging

1. Put the cream cheese, peppermint extract and food colouring in the bowl of your mixer and mix, scraping the sides, until smooth.
2. Add the confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing in each portion thoroughly. If the mixture is not stiff with 4 cups of sugar, add another 1/2 cup.
3. Mix for 2 minutes, until well combined.
4. Scoop out 1/2-teaspoon portions and roll into balls.
5. Dredge each ball in granulated sugar.

These mints require refrigeration, and are good for up to two weeks. Keep this recipe a secret, and your neighbours will think you slaved over these melt-in-your-mouth treats.

Eggnog breakfast: Pancakes and waffles

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 cup egg nog
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
Pam or other oil spray

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except the Pam.
3. Add the dry mixture to the liquid and stir until just combined.
4. For waffles: Follow your waffle iron's manufacturer's instructions.
5. For pancakes: Heat your skillet and spray with Pam. Drop the batter, 1/4 cup at time on the skillet. Allow plenty of room for it to spread. Flip when bubbles break on the surface, and cook for another minute.
6. Serve with maple syrup or chocolate sauce.
   

These pancakes and waffles aren't for everyone, but we love eggnog at our house, and this is a delicious way to share that holiday flavour with the kids.

Christmas caramels

1 cup butter
2 1/4 cup brown sugar*
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (15 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter.
2. Add the brown sugar and salt.
3. Stir in the corn syrup and mix well.
4. Stirring constantly, gradually add the milk.
5. Stirring over medium heat, cook for 12-15 minutes to 250 °F (firm ball).
6. Remove from heat
7. Stir in vanilla.
8. Pour into a greased 9"x9" pan.
9. Cool overnight and cut into pieces with a greased, very sharp, knife.
   

I save my candy-making for the holidays. This year, my husband will be in Korea for Christmas, hosting a dinner for the enlisted troops in his unit. I'm sending a big batch of candy to give all the sweet teeth (sweet-tooths?) there a taste of home.

*If you make a double batch, like I do, just dump in a full 2-pound bag of brown sugar.

Fifteen minute tilapia

12 oz tilapia
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
Pam

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with Pam.
   
2. Mix mayonnaise, honey, mustard and lemon juice, and transfer to a dinner plate.
3. Mix breadcrumbs and salt in another plate.
4. One piece at a time, first coat the fish in sauce, then press into the breadcrumbs until it's completely coated.
5. Place the fish on the prepared sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

This is a great last minute dinner solution. You can bring some stock to a boil and throw in some couscous while the fish cooks, and pull out a bag of pre-washed salad for a complete meal in 15 minutes flat. My picky eater can't get enough of this fish.

Granola bites

Makes about 4 dozen bites

2 cups oats
3/4 cup wheat germ or oat bran
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chopped nuts. Possibilities include:

• Peanuts
• Slivered almonds
• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Cashews

8 oz block jaggery (aka panela) or 2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 Tbsp olive oil or butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt (unless you're using salted nuts and seeds)
1 cup mixed dried fruit and/or chocolate chips. Choose from:

• Raisins
• Currants
• Dried cranberries
• Dried apples
• Snipped prunes
• Snipped dates
• Snipped dried apricots
• Snipped figs
• Dried mango
• Crystallized ginger
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F if you want toasted grains.
2. Meanwhile, grease your mini-muffin tin with olive oil or butter. (I don't recommend liners. Too sticky.)
3. Mix the grains, seeds and nuts in an ovenproof dish and heat in the oven, stirring frequently to frequent burning.
4. Mix the jaggery, honey, oil, vanilla, and salt in a large pot and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
5. Mix all the ingredients together; you can do this right in the pot to minimize cleanup.
6. Place about 2 tbsps of the granola mixture in each muffin cup.
7. Use the back of a spoon, the bottom of a shot glass or a pestle wrapped in greased wax paper to press the granola to the bottom of each cup.
8. After 10 minutes of cooling, remove the bites from the tin with a twisting motion and store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper. Alternately, cut up pieces of saran wrap, place a bite in the center of each piece, gather up the corners and twist together to wrap each bite individually.

This recipe can also be used for bars. Press into a 9" x 13" greased baking dish, cool, and cut into bars. They keep for a week, and don't require refrigeration. These are our standby snacks for trips to the pool, and contain no refined sugar unless it's in the fruit or you go with the brown sugar option.