This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®.
After last month’s amazing Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts posts, we were so excited to get the email to see if our family might want to participate in a holiday version!
Until the box arrived, we had a fun time guessing what flavor the Christmas season Pop-Tarts might be. Gingerbread was a front runner, candy cane/mint was one of Faith’s ideas, and Shaun even tossed in the idea of eggnog (which sounds rather bad, in my opinion). Our nice little box arrived with several packages of gingerbread Pop-Tarts. (Thank God Shaun was not right, I could not even fathom choking down eggnog flavored anything.)
After the initial family sampling and the awesome fact that mine had a hockey goalie on it, we needed a recipe to use with them. Since we did a Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts cheesecake, I wanted something different. Gingerbread Pop-Tarts would make an awesome cheesecake crust though, and I do plan to try that at a later date. Originally, my mom (who is always in on my baking plans) suggested an éclair style cake with a vanilla pudding and whipped cream topping. That was the plan, till Shaun randomly tossed in the idea of brownies.
Brownies and gingerbread sounded so good, and brownies, gingerbread and some candy cane flavored sounded even better, so he ran to the grocery store and I got to work. An hour later, we had a lovely pan of “Candy Cane-Gingerbread Brownies” that might not make it more than a day or two around here. He picked up the candy canes, so in lieu of mint, they are cherry flavored, but I think mint would be wonderful as well.
Candy Cane-Gingerbread Brownies
1 package brownie mix
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
3 packages of Gingerbread Pop-Tarts (6 total pastries)
3 candy canes
Prepare brownie mix in a separate bowl with eggs, oil and water, mix well.
Crumble Gingerbread Pop-Tarts into coarse chunks and sprinkle at the bottom of a greased 9x9 pan.
Slowly pour brownie mixture over Pop-Tarts, spread to cover the pan if needed.
Bake for 30-32 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven, crush candy canes and sprinkle over top.
Return to oven for another 5 minutes till candy canes melt and glaze together.
Cool, cut & serve!
**Adjust your brownie recipe per the box you purchased (eggs, oil, water, etc).**
In conjunction with this post, BlogHer is giving away a $100 Visa gift card. Since I am in a total holiday mood right now, leave me a comment sharing one of your favorite holiday memories for a chance to win! Do you have an awesome family tradition? A funny story? A recipe that I simply must try that is exceedingly delicious and magically has no calories? I’d love to hear them!
Visit the Visit the Exclusive Offers section for 9 other fun Pop-Tarts posts and 9 other chances to win a gift card!
Visit the Official Pop-Tarts site for more products and ideas.
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
Sweepstakes runs 12/13-12/25.
The Official Rules are available here. Visit the Official Rules
My favorite holiday food memory is of churek. It's a braided Armenian sweet bread from my mom's side of the family, and every Christmas she would make a big wreath-shaped loaf and we'd have it fresh for breakfast on Christmas morning with cream cheese and jelly. So good!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid my dad and I always spent time Christmas eve making a giant jigsaw puzzle with Christmas music playing.
ReplyDeleteI remember spending Christmas in South America as a child and watching the children in the street with sparklers.
ReplyDeletemami2jcn at gmail dot com
tweet:
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/13747809878548480
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
I just love spending time with family. We get together and play games Christmas Eve. It's great!!
ReplyDeleteshannonmickles@gmail.com
I most love the time with family.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, the caroles, the food, the fireplace, and the tree.
I am the oldest of 7 siblings. We would come home from the late Christmas Eve mass and make a batch of chocolate chip cookies and open up one gift. The cookies were for Santa. Then as we got older and had our own families we have continued this with our own families. We just like the time it gives us to catch up.
ReplyDeletemsgb245 at gmail dot com
I love the Christmas season! I love it when someone opens something I get them and they loved it! I also love to watch old christmas movies!
ReplyDeleteI just read the official rules of the contest!
ReplyDeleteBaking cookies with my family on Christmas Eve for Santa with my six brothers and sisters is an all time favorite family tradition and memory. I love doing it with my kids now. We even leave carrots for the reindeer, just like when I was a kid! ;)
ReplyDeleteprestonandcarrie(at)hotmail(dot)com
Our family tradition is going to Christmas eve mass and then coming home to find that Santa has come early. We open presents on Christmas eve and always have.
ReplyDeletenuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net
tweeted: http://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/14505906473537536
ReplyDeletenuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net
My favorite tradition is opening up all our presents on Christmas Eve. We stay up late and laugh for hours!
ReplyDeleteWe go to my Aunt's house on Christmas Eve and play games and cards, and eat lots. Sometimes one of the family has too much spiked eggnog:) stormvikki at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteSome of our traditions, we just spend time baking cookies, playing games, or watching movies together.
ReplyDeleteHot chocolate, warm blankets and holiday cartoons. Fun!
ReplyDeleteDecorating the tree with the family, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows.
ReplyDeleteMCantu1019 at aol dot com
We enjoy freshly baked cookies, hot chocolate, and a good book to read aloud to the family.
ReplyDeleteWe have a scrumptious family recipe for pecan pie... I make it every year. I also bake an extra pie to send home with my son when he visits for the holidays.
ReplyDeleteWe love watching the parades especially on Thanksgiving as part of our holiday traditions and sweet potato pudding
ReplyDeletetbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/15376928827514880
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I remember baking cookies with my Grandma and cousins and having decorating contests.
ReplyDeletes2s2 at comcast dot net
http://twitter.com/susan1215/status/15429989616844801
ReplyDeletes2s2 at comcast dot net
My favorite holiday memory is Christmas 2006 when my oldest son (now 4) took his first steps Christmas morning.
ReplyDeletedgoodridge84@yahoo.com
I also did the alternate entry from the official rules page.
ReplyDeletedgoodridge84@yahoo.com
Every year on Christmas Eve my grandma makes ebelskiever (little pancake balls with currants) and kringle. All the adolescent boys (of all ages) compete to see who can eat the most. The family record is 40-some in one sitting.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas story is now a long running joke in our family as well. A few years ago my uncle was out in the yard BBQ a turkey while the rest of us were upstairs talking, eating and just hanging around. All of a sudden one of my cousins that had been downstairs with him comes running up the stairs shouting "Uncle Claude just blew up the backyard!!!" Well all got quiet for a second before we just ignored him and went back to what we were doing. A minute later the front door flies open and the neighbor comes running into the house and down the stairs with a garden hose trailing behind him. At this point we all know something did happen. My uncle finally comes trudging up the stairs looking like a mad scientist. His glasses and face are black with soot, his eyebrows and mustache are singed, and his brand new shirt now is covered in burn holes. While the poor guy was hurt (burned his lips and chest from the coals, and still has a piece of concrete in his face), the doctor said he was lucky he was wearing his glasses and was not blinded. Sure enough there was a big hole in the cement out back, which is now patched up, but will forever remind us of when Uncle C blew up the backyard on Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI love our annual berry bread pudding. Of course it has no calories at all due to the magic of the season.
ReplyDeleteadrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com
tweet! http://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/15651370526838785
ReplyDeleteadrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com
We pick up and decorate Christmas tree together and baking gingerbread cookies during holidays.
ReplyDeletetcarolinep at gmail dot com
tweet.http://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/15668408913764352
ReplyDeleteMy first daughter was born on Dec 17 and my second daughter was born on Dec 30 Those were my best Christmas memories
ReplyDeletebepoia(at)hotmail(dot)com
Here is a quick and easy recipe for pot lucks or yourself when you have no time but want something tasty...sorry...has calories...we love it though and make it all the time in the winter...true comfort food!
ReplyDeleteCheesy Potatoes Casserole
1 32 zo bag frozen southern style potatoes
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 8oz bag shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz. sour cream
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup corn flakes
1/3 stick butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In 9 x 13 glass pan, mix frozen potatoes, soup, cheese, sour cream, and onion powder well.
Melt butter in bowl in microwave and then stir cornflakes into melted butter until coated.
Sprinkle buttered corn flakes over top of casserole.
Bake for 1 hour. Stir and serve!
Angie
one 4 earth at aol dot com
I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/FotoMacro/status/15853265828716544
ReplyDeleteAngie
one 4 earth at aol dot com
Here is a recipe that my wife came up with and its a wonderful thing to have over the holidays as its stupid easy and goes in a crock pot so you don't have to think about it and people can help themselves. Even our meat-eating friends and family love these!
ReplyDeleteVeggie Crockpot Meatballs
3 bags of frozen meatless meatballs (I prefer Quorn brand but any brand you like will do)
2 bottles of maple BBQ sauce (I prefer Annie's Organic Smokey Maple BBQ Sauce)
1 jar/bottle 100% grape juice (you only need a bit so a single serve is OK...I prefer to get R.W. Knudsen Family® Organic Concord Grape in the 32 oz size so that I have some left over to drink hehehe)
Set crockpot to high.
Dump in all meatballs and both jars of BBQ sauce.
Fill one of the empty BBQ bottles 1/2 way up with grape juice, put on lid, and shake vigorously (trying to get extra sauce out). Take the grape juice from the one BBQ bottle and dump it into the other empty BBQ bottle and repeat.
Dump BBQ sauced grape juice into the crockpot.
Stir it all up.
if it seems too thick, add more grape juice until you like the consistency.
Put on crockpot lid and cook for 2-3 hours until the meatballs are fully cooked and yummy, stirring occasionally. Eat up! GREAT side dish to cheese fondue!
Scott
nynekats at aol dot com
my tweet http://twitter.com/#!/RePurrPussed/status/15859842723880960
ReplyDeleteScott
nynekats at aol dot com
Our tradition is to eat Sheperd's Pie at Christmas-time to keep it simple and more to the meaning of real Christmas!
ReplyDeletethanks!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom
we bake christmas cookies every year
ReplyDeletermartinclarke at gmail dot com
My very favorite tradition about the holidays is just getting together with family and freinds and sharing, laughing and eating.
ReplyDeletegmissycat at yahoo dot com
Tweeted here
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/gmissycat/status/16094930539642880
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
Ok now you just have to try the eggnog cookies I discovered this year. I thought the same as you that they would be disgusting, but also out of curiosity just had to try them and they were delicious! My husband says they are the best cookies ever, but he loves eggnog.
ReplyDeleteEGGNOG COOKIES
Ingredients
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar
* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup eggnog
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 egg yolks
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.
I also made eggnog frosting to drizzle on by just mixing eggnog with powdered sugar.
We have a tradition that on Christmas eve everyone may open up one gift. It is usaully something small. It is a lot of fun. I usually get clothes and my kids get a toy;-)
ReplyDeleteJeanette Huston
jeanette_huston@yhoo.com
Tweeted
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/josephvh1982/status/16227063857942528
Jeanette Huston
jeanette_huston@yahoo.com
I love decorating the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving with my granddaughter.
ReplyDeletemarcia.goss@gmail.com
Tweet.
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/#!/mgoss123/status/16274217574072320
marcia.goss@gmail.com
We love making large batches of muddy buddies made from chex cereal. Yummy!!!
ReplyDeletegina.m.maddox AT gmail.com
http://twitter.com/#!/CrazyItalian0/status/16323756507013120
ReplyDeletetweet
gina.m.maddox AT gmail.com
my best holiday memory was a few years back when my mom had been so sad cause he dog had died the month before....and in walked my brothers friend with the puppy my brother had gotten her for christmas
ReplyDeletenannypanpan at sbcglobal.net
I love our tradition of opening our gifts on Christmas eve while drinking coffee, hot chocolate and eating cookies. We also watch "It's a Wonderful Life" every Christmas eve.
ReplyDeleteMy dad used to read the entire book, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, to us every Christmas Eve. He would totally get into it and if you were sitting near him, you'd get dragged along acting it out, too. Good times.
ReplyDeletei love Christmastime because my daughter is home for about a month from college!
ReplyDeletedebbiebellows[at]gmail[dot]com
tweeted
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/bellows22/statuses/16728387619921921
debbiebellows[at]gmail[dot]com
I was probably 6 years old the Christmas that my Mom had the stomach flu. She was so sick there was no way she could cook dinner so we all roasted hot dogs on the fire in the family room and then finished that feast off with roasted marshmallows. The four of us kids couldn't have been more satisfied by Christmas dinner that year!
ReplyDeleteChristmas morning is by far my favorite tradition of the holiday season. My family wakes up early, we open gifts, listen to Christmas music, and cook a HUGE breakfast. It's just a time filled with so much love!
ReplyDeletepaigewiley16 AT gmail DOT com
Our favorite holiday memory is having a snow ball fight after christmas break-feast. It was a blast!
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/#!/benny8484/status/17077712346681344
ReplyDeleteI tweeted!
My favorite holiday memories involved baking and cooking together! It was always so much fun and brought us really close together.
ReplyDeletebvbabybv at gmail dot com
Tweet:
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/#!/bvbabybv/status/17088163776307200
My favorite holiday tradition is one with myself and my kiddos. We spend an entire day in our jammies working on the perfect gingerbread house. We watch Christmas movies and eat the candy that is suppose to be for our gingerbread house while waiting for it to set up. I look forward to it every year. :)
ReplyDeletetyson 2468 (at) charter (dot) net
Tweet! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/HeidiHMc/status/17123931831930881
I'm from the South! On X-Mas day we love to fry a Turkey!We have this new thing we bought,called The Big Easy!It uses no OIL!Comes out Great!
ReplyDeleteI read The Official Rules! THANKS.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid I tried my best to be good before Christmas. On Christmas morning I would open my gifts and let loose. One year I was being particularly... challenging. My parents told me that Santa could come back and take my gifts away. I didn't believe them. The doorbell rang and I ran to answer it. When I saw Santa there I screamed, became hysterical, and didn't calm down for hours. My parents had no idea a family friend has sent Santa over as a surprise.
ReplyDeleteWe must have krumkake - a super yummy Swedish cookie. I only make them for Christmas just as my grandmother did!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite holiday memories is the year my inlaws got snowed in and couldn't come for Christmas. We were snowed in too, and had a nice quiet Christmas with just us and way too much food. It is fun when everyone comes, but a quiet Christmas is good once in a while.
ReplyDeleteajolly1456 at gmail dot com
I blogged
ReplyDeletehttp://lunaj14568.blogspot.com/2010/12/poptarts.html
ajolly1456 at gmail dot com
Santa used to come to our house before we went to bed and brought a present for each of us to open on Christmas Eve. As I got older, I figured out that the time notation on my mom's calendar was when he was scheduled to arrive, and if I peeped out the picture window in our living room, I could see him walk down the driveway and get our packages out of my mom's open car trunk, or the garage before coming to the door. The only mystery was: Who was it? I found out when I was much older that it was the next-door neighbor. He and his wife lived alone and all their kids had grown. I was always terrified of going there for no particular reason, and avoided trick-or-treating there when I was old enough to go without my parents. But they were perfectly nice people, and I was sad when they moved away in my early 20s, even though we were all too old for Santa. He still came every Christmas Eve, since my cousin was still young, and would come over Christmas Eve for Santa and to spend the night.
ReplyDeleteThe last year Santa came I arrived super late at my (then boyfriend, now) husband's family's festivities, so that I could say Goodbye.
LudicrousMama(at)gmail(dot)com
I have a homemade fudge recipe from my great aunt who made it every year for us for Christmas. I now make it and I am sure it has no calories:)
ReplyDeleteMy tweet: http://twitter.com/njhhb/statuses/18050350682472448
ReplyDeleteA favorite tradition is getting a Fresh tree to decorate.
ReplyDeleteAnd "opening" our Christmas stockings early Christmas morning.
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com
We always leave cookies that we decorate Christmas eve especially for santa and the reindeer.
ReplyDeleteTweet: http://twitter.com/cjwallace43/status/18103354894848000
ReplyDeletecjwallace43 at gmail dot com
The tradition that I've started with my family is a big Christmas breakfast. Now that we're older, it's more about spending time with one another instead of ripping open packages for toys. Anyway, the most delicious thing to eat for breakfast, at least to my family, is homemade sausage gravy over homemade biscuits. :) It's easy to make and so yummy. You should give it a try!
ReplyDeleteMY SISTERS CHILD WAS BORN ON NEW TEARS! IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL! kytah00@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteTWITTERED TOO http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/18153039307210752 kytah00@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteblogged http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/2010/12/get-pop-tarts-recipes-and-watch-fun.html
ReplyDeletetweet http://twitter.com/sodahoney/status/18154321707270144
ReplyDeleteA tradition we have is baking cookies and giving them out to family & friends! :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas memory was when I went to Hungary to spend it with my little sister. She'd been over there for 4 months teaching English - and I was fortunate enough to get to go visit her for 10 days. We set up a little Christmas tree and also experienced some of the Hungarian Christmas traditions too. It was VERY special!
ReplyDeletewilburnnewsome atyahoodotcom
Traveling cross country to spend Christmas with my grandparents!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite memory would have to be the year my Mom and Dad were up and we all spent Christmas and my sister-in-laws house. One houseful of people and we all had a great time.
ReplyDeletetweet http://twitter.com/#!/vlbsweeps/status/18396082119643137
ReplyDeleteWe decorate the tree on Christmas Eve :)
ReplyDeleteI tweeted http://twitter.com/simplydab/status/18397612533088256
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried the gingerbread pop tarts yet, but plan on trying your Candy Cane-Gingerbread Brownies. I love all Pop Tarts, and I am sure I am going to enjoy the Gingerbread ones.
ReplyDeletemarybug2@yahoo.com
I tweeted
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/#!/marybug2/status/18663674923196416
marybug2 at yahoo.com
I most love time with the family
ReplyDeleteAnother tradition is to read The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.
ReplyDeletepauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com
http://twitter.com/lpauld68/status/18780802456223745
ReplyDeletepauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com
One of my favorite memories is the year we got all five of our children new bikes for Christmas. They were totally astonished and their faces were priceless.
ReplyDeleteTweet - http://twitter.com/willitara/status/18832625695199232
ReplyDeletetweet
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/jillyrh/status/18922525035601921
Thanks