Makes: 6 to 7 dozen, 2-inch or 4 dozen, 4-inch cookies

Prep: 30 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Bake: 7 minutes per batch

Image: BHG.com

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing* and/or 1 recipe Creamy White Frosting (optional)
• Creamy White Icing
• Sanding sugar and/or small hard peppermint candies
• Red food coloring (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thick. Use a 2-or 4-inch candy-cane-shape cookie cutter to cut dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. If desired, tint part of the Powdered Sugar Icing and/or Creamy White Frosting bright red with food coloring; decorate cookies with white and red icing and/or frosting, sanding sugar, and candies. Makes 6 to 7 dozen, 2-inch or 4 dozen, 4-inch cookies.

*Powdered Sugar Icing: In a small bowl combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk. Stir in additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time until icing reaches desired consistency.

*Creamy White Frosting: In a large mixing bowl beat 1 cup shortening, 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Slowly add in about half of the 4 cups of powdered sugar, beating well. Add 2 tablespoons of milk. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1-3 tablespoons more milk to reach spreading consistency.

To Store: Place undecorated cookies in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or place in a freezer container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cookies before decorating. Or, allow decorated cookies to stand until completely set. Layer decorated cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Servings Per Recipe 6 to 7 dozen, 2-inch or 4 dozen, 4-inch cookies

Calories 73, Total Fat (g) 4, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 16, Sodium (mg) 66, Carbohydrate (g) 9, Total Sugar (g) 4, Fiber (g) 0, Protein (g) 1, Vitamin A (DV%) 0, Vitamin C (DV%) 0, Calcium (DV%) 1, Iron (DV%) 2, Other Carbohydrates (d.e.) .5, Fat (d.e.) 1, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Post from: Blisstree

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

When I made these shortbread cookies, I substituted vanilla extract for the almond extract (just because I didn’t have almond on hand). They turned out divine!

Image: BHG.com

Prep: 40 min
Bake: 10 min per batch
Stand: 30 min

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup cold butter
• 12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
• 2 teaspoons shortening
• White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

6. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 87, Total Fat (g) 5, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Cholesterol (mg) 9, Sodium (mg) 28, Carbohydrate (g) 9, Fiber (g) 0, Protein (g) 1, Vitamin C (DV%) 0, Calcium (DV%) 0, Iron (DV%) 0, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Image and Recipe Courteay of BHG.com’s 100 Days of Holidays.

Be sure to visit BHG.com this week to find out the big winner of their America’s Favorite Better Homes and Gardens Cookie contest.

Post from: Blisstree

White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

Makes: about 60
Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 10 minutes per batch

Image: BHG.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1-1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup blackberry preserves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a medium bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sage, and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks, lemon peel, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour mixture.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly press the tip of your thumb into the center of each ball. Fill the centers with about 1/4 teaspoon blackberry preserves. Bake about 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool completely.

Makes about 60 cookies.

Nutrition FactsServings Per Recipe about 60, Calories 115, Total Fat (g) 5, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 24, Sodium (mg) 57, Carbohydrate (g) 16, Total Sugar (g) 8, Protein (g) 1, Vitamin C (DV%) 1, Calcium (DV%) 1, Iron (DV%) 3, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Image and Recipe Courteay of BHG.com’s 100 Days of Holidays. Be sure to visit BHG.com this week to find out the big winner of their America’s Favorite Better Homes and Gardens Cookie contest.

Post from: Blisstree

Berry-Sage Thumbprints

Looking for an interesting and new way to spend time with your friends during the holiday season? Try something new this year and invite your friends over for a Holiday Craft Party. Not only is this a way to spend a relaxing evening, but you can complete presents for those on your holiday gift list.

First, you will need to decide on what project you and your guests will be making. You might want to consider something that is simple enough to finish in one evening, or if you are feeling adventurous you can teach your guests a new skill, like knitting or rubber stamping. It is a good idea to make the project ahead of time, or at least to have a photo of what you’ll be making so guests can see an example. If you need ideas for your activity, many holiday magazines have numerous ideas for holiday crafts as well as online sites like JoAnn’s Crafts or Martha Stewart.

Image: istockphoto

Project Ideas

Cookies - Ask guests to bring their cookie cutters, decorations or recipes, and let the baking begin. Sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are traditional holiday favorites, but be creative and try something new or use your year-round specialty.

Ornaments - A big assortment of supplies, available at any craft store, can be used to make a variety of ornaments, from clear glass balls to undecorated wooden shapes or even flexible foam. Creating recycled ornaments from old Christmas cards, tin cans, even cardboard boxes is a good way to save money and decorate for the holidays.

Greeting Cards – If you schedule your party early enough in the season, you can make holiday cards to send out for that year. Create cards around a theme, like snowmen, stars, snowflakes or trees.

Shrink Plastic - Shrink Plastic, commonly known as Shrinky Dinks, starts off as thin pieces of plastic that when baked shrinks down to 35% of the original size. Wine charms, earrings, or pendant projects are good choices for this material. They can be colored with colored pencils or stamped on with rubber stamps. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions on the package.

Mystery Craft – Give your guests a bag filled with supplies like papers, ribbons, buttons, beads, yarn, bottle caps, and anything else that looks intriguing and have access to glue, scissors, and hole punches. Tell them just to make whatever they want with the supplies in their bag. When they are done, have everyone show off their new creation.

The Finishing Touches

Enhance your festive atmosphere with holiday music and decorations. Be sure to include some treats to snack on before or after craft time or ask guests to bring their favorite potluck dish. For tempting recipe ideas for foods to serve for your crafty celebration, check out the Food Network or Martha Stewart website. Set your table with colorful dishes like Noritake Colorwave, which comes in a variety of colors that easily mix and match with any holiday palette. Most importantly, relax, have fun and engage in the creative spirit of the holidays while enjoying the company of your friends.

Post from: Blisstree

Hosting a Holiday Crafting Party

Image: BHG.com’s 100 Days of Holidays

Today, let’s take a look at one of their fabulous cookie recipes. The Red Velvet Whoopie Pies pair velvet cookies with a luscious cream cheese-based filling.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Prep: 45 minutes
Bake: 8 minutes per batch

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
• 1 recipe Whoopie Pie Filling, recipe below

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined. Stir in food coloring.

3. Spoon batter in 1- or 2-inch diameter rounds, about 1/2-inch high on prepared baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between each round.

4. Bake 7 to 9 minutes for 1-inch cookies or 9 to 11 minutes for 2-inch cookies, or until tops are set. Cool completely on baking sheets on rack. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets.

5. To fill, dollop Whoopie Pie Filling on flat sides of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down. Makes 60 one-inch or 42 two-inch cookies.

6. Whoopie Pie Filling: In medium mixing bowl beat 1/4 cup softened butter and half an 8-ounce package softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in one 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme.

7. To store: Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 70, Total Fat (g) 3, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 12, Sodium (mg) 49, Carbohydrate (g) 10, Total Sugar (g) 5, Fiber (g) 0, Protein (g) 1, Vitamin C (DV%) 0, Calcium (DV%) 1, Iron (DV%) 2, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

And don’t forget to vote!

Image and recipe credit: BHG.com’s 100 Days of Holidays

Post from: Blisstree

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

October is:

National Apple Month

~ Apple Recipes
~ Old Fashioned Apple Cakes
~ Apple Almond Tart
~ Granny Smith Apple Pie
~ Apple Crisp

National Apple Jack Month

~ Apple Jack Recipe
~ Apple Jack Pound Cake
~ Apple Jack Cocktail Recipe
~ Apple Jack Brandy Recipes

National Caramel Month

~ Caramel Sauce Recipe
~ Caramel Apples
~ Caramel Apple Cookies
~ Caramel Banana Cream Pie
~ Homemade Caramel Corn

National Chili Month

~ Turkey Chili in the Slow Cooker
~ Beef Chili
~ Vegetarian Chili
~ Healthy Chili (video)
~ Ten Tips for Cooking the Best Pot of Chili

National Cookie Month

~ How to Make Perfect Cookies
~ Cookie Tips and Hints
~ Vegetarian Cookies
~ Gluten-free Cookies
~ Decorating Halloween Cookies

National Dessert Month

~ Dessert Tips and Terms
~ Dessert Tips
~ Vegetarian Dessert Index
~ Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes
~ Healthy Desserts

National Popcorn Poppin’ Month

~ Healthy Popcorn Collection
~ Gourmet Popcorn Recipes
~ Perfect Popcorn from Alton Brown
~ Homemade Microwave Popcorn
~ Popcorn Toppings

National Pork Month

~ Pork Chop Casserole
~ Pork Recipes
~ Slow Cooker Pork Recipes
~ Healthy Pork Recipes and Tips
~ Healthy Pork Chops Recipes

National Seafood Month

~ Seafood and Fish Recipes
~ Seafood Allergies
~ Top Seafood Recipes
~ Homemade Fish Tacos
~ Seafood Tips

[image: flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

October Is…

Today I have a craft for you that is very yummy. You can make these for yourself or give them as a hostess gift when visiting this autumn. They make great gifts. I gave them last year for Christmas using a variety of recipes. I chose two recipes today, one for White Hot Chocolate and one for Chocolate Chip Cookies. Can you tell I’m a chocoholic?

Image: istockphoto

For these recipes you will need a quart jar. If your jar is airtight add the ingredients directly otherwise place them into an airtight Ziploc bag and attach the lid. Add a tag with directions to the neck of the jar. Wrap the jar up with some cellophane, clear or colored, and add some curling ribbons and a bow to finish off this gift.

White Hot Chocolate

• 1 tsp. vanilla powder
• 1 tsp. dried orange peel
• 1/2 cup grated white chocolate or white chocolate chips

Combine and blend the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Tag Instructions:

White Hot Chocolate (Serves 2)

• 1 and 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup White Hot Chocolate Mix

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until bubbles form around the outside. Add the White Hot Chocolate Mix and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Continue to whisk until the mixture is hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Combine the flour, baking soda, white sugar, and the chocolate chips. Place 1/2 of the mixture in a clean quart sized glass jar, and pack firmly. Place the brown sugar on top, again packing firmly. Place the remaining flour mixture on top. Cover with a lid.

Tag Instructions:

Empty contents of jar into a large bowl. In separate bowl combine 3/4 cup of butter, 1 1/2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add to dry mixture. Drop by tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

Post from: Blisstree

Goodies in a Jar

So I’m going through and doing my annual “fall cleaning” with my recipe folder, and the one section that I pay a little more attention to is my desserts. I have a habit of printing off pretty much any recipe that catches my eye, or ripping out a magazine article of something that looks good one day, and a week or so later leaves me wondering what I was thinking. The purge is satisfying, especially when I’m able to thin the folder down a bit. At the same time, though, seeing so many of my autumn favorites gets me in a mood to fire up the mixer!

That being said, and because September 21st happens to be Pecan Cookie Day, I’ve added the ingredients to make my favorite Pecan Shortbread Cookies to this week’s grocery list. I’m really in the mood to not only start baking, but to start filling the house with yummy fall scents, too!

~ Pecan Shortbread Cookies
~ Mini Pecan Pumpkin Pies
~ White Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Cookies
~ Butter Pecan Cookies
~ Orange Pecan Cookies
~ Buttered Rum Pecan Cookies
~ Organic Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies (video)
~ Gluten-free Butter Pecan Cookies

What are your favorite pecan cookies?

Post from: Blisstree

Pecan Cookie Day

INGREDIENTS :
2 sheets of foil, about a cookie sheet long
3/4 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of mini-chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325°. Fold a sheet of foil in1 inch pleats to create the accordion look. Place on a cookie sheet pan. Do the same thing wiht the other foil.

Beat margarine, and sugar until light and fluffy, Add vanilla and eggs to beat.

Add the flour and salt and keep beating until everything is well-blended. Stir in the chocolate chips using a spatula.

Drop 1 rounded teaspoon of the dough into each pleats of the foil. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. The dough will spread to look get the shape. Remove them from the foil and cool completely.

Turn the pleated foil sheets for the following batch. Then turn it back again for the next batch.

You can substitute the chocolate chips with chopped walnuts.

I adapted this accordion treats recipe from a Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off Cookbook year 1996.

(Images : Dexie J Wharton)

Post from: Blisstree

Chocolate Chips Accordion Treats

I’ve been in a cookie making mood lately which my family always appreciates. We’ve had good old chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies and no-bake cookies.

And now I’ve got myself craving more! I’ll probably try something from below today:

~ New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies at Ezra Pound Cake

~ Soft Ginger Cookies from 6 Bittersweets

~ Gluten-free Chocolate, Walnut and Cranberry Cookies at Lemonpi

~ Hot Chocolate Shortbread Cookies from Jules Food

~ Gingersnap Raspberry Sandwiches at Every Last Cookie

~ Maple and Brown Sugar Macarons from Sugarcrafter

~ Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Shortbread at Pease Pudding

~ Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies from Our Best Bites

~ Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies at Stolen Moments Cooking

~ Chocolate, Cranberry and Cinnamon Biscuits from Our Kitchen

~ The Lazy Baker Cookie Mix at Erin Cooks

~ Homemade Mini Milanos from La Fuji Mama

~ Triple Lemon Doodles at Luna Cafe

~ Rum Raisin Shortbread from Every Last Cookie

~ Double Chocolate Biscotti with Walnuts at Elizabeth’s Edible Experience

~ Oatmeal No Bake Cookies from Maebird

~ Zucchini Whoopie Pies at Cook Woman Food

~ Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies from Active Life Cooking

~ Vegan Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies at Healthy. Happy. Life.

~ Bali Rama Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Salt News

~ Rum Spice Cookies at Cooking Etcetera

~ S’more Cookies from Two Peas and Their Pod

~ Trail Mix Freezer Cookies at The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

Post from: Blisstree

Weekend Foodie Links: Cookies