Citrus Tea Cookies

Dough needs to be chilled before baking.

·        1 C    Sugar

·        ¾ C   Butter

·        1 Egg

·        2 T    Corn Syrup

·        2 C    Flour

·        1 t      Baking Soda

·        1 t      Baking Powder

·        1 t      Lemon or Orange Extract

·        lemon or orange zest (optional)

Cream butter with sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg, corn syrup, and citrus extract.

Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

Cover and chill dough at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Roll chilled dough into walnut sized balls*, then roll in sugar.

Place on baking sheet.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes (less baking time makes them chewier)

Recipe in original format was: :  Lemon Sugar Tea Cookies from CookieRecipe.com

*I doubled the recipe with no problem and I used the small end of a melon baller to "scoop" out the dough.  I would scoop out about fifteen to twenty at a time, then roll them, then place them in a wide bowl to coat with sugar.

The plate holding the cookies above is a small dessert plate so it gives you an idea of the size of the cookies.  If not making them for a buffet, I probably would scoop the dough with my usual cookie scoop.

I think they would also be good baked without rolling in sugar and then drizzled with a light glaze of confectioners sugar mixed with a little lemon juice after they cool.

Candied Cranberries

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
1 1/2 Cups Fresh or frozen cranberries

Combine sugar and water in saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.

Bring to a boil.. no stirring... to soft ball stage (235 degrees).

Sir in cranberries, cook four (4) minutes until coated with syrup.  Drain well.

Discard syrup and arrange in single layer.  Cool.

(Will show picture soon.)

Cherry cheesecake pie

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (room temperature)

1 1/3 c. (15 oz. can) Borden's Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (22 oz.) can prepared cherry pie filling (can use other fruit pie filling or fresh fruit)

1- 9" graham cracker crust*

Let cream cheese stand at room temperature until softened; beat until fluffy.

Gradually add condensed milk until thoroughly mixed.

Add lemon juice and vanilla extract until well mixed. Turn into prepared crust.

Refrigerate at least three or four hours, then pour cherry pie filling on top - or - plate up individual slices of pie and fruit filling can be spooned onto each slice.  This is especially good if you want to offer a variety of pie filling options.

Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*This can also be made in an 8" or 9" square pan by making your own graham cracker crust and pressing it into the pan (9 x 13 dish if recipe is doubled).  Continue recipe as usual...

This is a wonderfully light and creamy dessert!

Favorite Christmas recipes

I brought this over from Coffee Tea Books and Me...

Pretzel Candy

My favorite time of year to be in the kitchen is December when I'm baking and making candy gifts for friends and family. This year I won't be making as much but I'll choose a few favorites to have available. I will be picking from some of these...

Pretzel Candy... I made these (pictured above) for the first time last year and loved the recipe. It is tasty and easy to make. One of those great recipes for kids in the kitchen as older kids can spoon the white chocolate into the pretzel and small children place an M&M on top.

Rachel Ray's Fudge... This recipe was from one of her earlier 30 Minute shows. As soon as I tried this fudge, it became my Christmas "go to" recipe. So easy and everyone loves it!

Beverly Nye's Candy... The following recipes are all from my favorite Beverly Nye cookbook from the 1970s. Love her recipes! They are all easy and yummy. None of them require a candy thermometer.

• Peanut Butter Easter Eggs -- just shape them into a ball instead of an egg. :)
• Chocolate covered mints -- delicious minty flavor. Also, you can make the "filling" without dipping into chocolate for what we usually call "wedding mints". Just mold them in a candy mold for a pretty display.
• Homemade Mounds candy -- This one basic recipe can be made into all kinds of yummy candies by adding dried fruit, nuts, etc.

Raspberry Truffle Brownies - This is one of those over-the-top brownie recipes that is perfect for the Holidays. They are rich but everyone I know loves them.


Homemade Cocoa Mix - There are lots of recipes online for cocoa and other drink mixes. I made these for my husband's siblings last year. Part of the gift was the glass container, which was very inexpensive. The marshmallows and Christmas M&Ms are in jelly jars that I wash and put back to use for such gifts after the jelly has been used. They made the gift even more festive. :)


Christmas Jam - This is a great December jam to make when cranberries are available and the strawberries called for are frozen.

Of course, there are lots of cookie and cake recipes on my recipe blog, too. :)

Raspberry Truffle Brownies

Picture from Country Woman magazine

The recipe first appeared in Country Woman magazine in their January/February 1994 issue. It has long been one of my most used "fancy" dessert recipes, it has that pastry chef look about it.

However, it is easy to make as written and even easier if you "cheat" a bit and use a boxed brownie mix for the base, just making the truffle topping from scratch. I do that when I'm making it to serve with other baked goods. If it is going to be the star of the dessert show, I'll make it from scratch. It's rich but oh, so yummy. Everyone raves about it.

I usually bake this in a 9 x 13 pan instead of the called for 9" square pan. If you do this, you will end up with a much thinner layer of truffle on top. It tastes just fine but doesn't have the "wow" factor of the 9" dish. If you double the truffle ingredients, you will once again have that nice, thick truffle layer with the 9 x 13 dish. However, I usually just make the one truffle layer as I find it is rich enough that way.

It comes together quickly if you take your cream cheese out the night before you're going to make it. I prefer making it the day before I'm going to serve it, or at least that morning (keep it refrigerated until serving if possible, especially in hot weather). The truffle topping gets time to become firm and cold, as well as easier to cut into small squares.


Raspberry Truffle Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1-1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

FILLING:

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup red raspberry jam

GLAZE: (Optional)

• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon shortening

Directions:

In a microwave, melt butter and chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until blended. Dissolve coffee crystals in water; add to egg mixture. Beat in chocolate until well blended. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add into chocolate mixture.

Spread in a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until brownies test done. Cool completely on a wire rack before adding the truffle filling on top. (If you bake in a 9 x 13 dish, check after 20 to 25 minutes.)

For filling, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Cool. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in jam. Stir in melted chocolate; spread over cooled brownies.

For glaze (optional), in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over filling. Chill before cutting. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.

This tastes even better made the day ahead and stored (covered) in the refrigerator overnight.

Fun pretzel "candy"

I LOVED this recipe. It is so easy that small children can help as long as there is an adult or older child melting the white chocolate (which can get a little hot). My husband dislikes pretzels but he said this is a winner.

You will need one bag of pretzel "twists, one bag of M&Ms, and one or two packages of white dipping chocolate (two if you plan to make the entire bag of pretzels into candy).

You don't need this many M&M's, they also went into another recipe, some were poured into my glass candy dish, and others were placed into a jar to be given as a gift!

Just place the small pretzel "twists" on a tray of some kind covered with either parchment paper or wax paper.

Melt the white dipping chocolate according to directions (see next paragraph). I only used half of it at a time to keep it from hardening too soon. Spoon the white chocolate into each pretzel (don't be stingy, you need enough for the M&M to sit in easily).

Added:  I now often use white chocolate chips for this most of the time, especially the Ghirardelli brand.

Then quickly place one M&M on top of each pretzel while the white chocolate is soft. Obviously the peanut M&M type won't work here.

Let sit until they harden which doesn't take too long but you can also put them in the frig to harden quickly.

This takes awhile if (like me) only one person was making it. But it would be great family fun for a group.

I made two "batches" that covered the cookie sheet with one bag of white dipping chocolate. I'll make the rest tomorrow. People will love receiving these as a gift.

Homemade cocoa mix

Front of cocoa jar

Back of cocoa jar (with instructions)

I made cocoa mix as one of the gifts for my husband's siblings this year. It's something I know they'd appreciate.

The container for the cocoa mix is very inexpensive and it came from Target. I added a Christmasy touch to it.

The front has the "To" and "From" sticker and the back has the directions on a label.

The recycled jelly jars contain miniature marshmallows and Christmas M&Ms. I love those jelly jars, whenever my husband finishes that brand of jelly, he knows to put it in the sink to be washed and not in the recycling bin!

Here are two cocoa recipes. I used one with Nestle's Quick. It was similar to this recipe but I had to "tweak" mine a lot. This one looks a lot better. My recipe was so large that I had to use my bowl I make bread in at times.

Homemade Cocoa Mix

1 (3 lb.) box Nestle Quick (they are less weight now)
1/2 to 1 c. powdered sugar
1 (8 qt.) box powdered milk
6 to 8 oz. coffee creamer powder

Combine all ingredients. To make a cup of hot chocolate, add 1/3 cup of the mix to a cup of boiling water. This keeps indefinitely in a covered container.

The last time I made this, I added about 1/4th a cup of cocoa to the mixture to make it richer.

Here is a recipe using Hershey's cocoa:

2 c. nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. Hershey's cocoa
1/2 c. powdered non-dairy creamer

Mix in large bowl combine all ingredients; blend well. Store tightly in covered container (16 servings). Single serving: Combine 1/4 cup mix to 3/4 cup boiling water.

For mocha flavor, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup instant coffee (I'd make it decaf)

These two recipes were from Cooks.com. There are many variations available by doing a web search.

Cheese Shrimp Ball

I've had this recipe since the 1980's. It is very good and if you have a food processor, extremely easy! If you don't, chop the shrimp as fine as possible and mix everything into the cream cheese.

Cheese Shrimp Ball

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temp
• 2 cans small shrimp - or - 1 8 oz. pkg. frozen salad shrimp, defrosted
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon chili sauce (I use Heinz)
• 1 Tablespoon horse radish (I never have it on hand so I don't use it)
• 2 Tablespoons chopped onion (or a little more)

Blend above ingredients. Form into a ball. Chill.

Can be rolled in nuts if desired.

Christmas cookies

Here are some of the tried and true Christmas cookie recipes I've used over the years. I'll be adding more soon.

I always use real unsalted butter in my cookies (unless a recipe calls for margarine or butter flavored Crisco). I also only use pure extracts (never use imitation vanilla if you want a good quality baked item). I prefer King Arthur flour most of the year but at Christmas, when I am doing a lot of baking, I will also use Gold Medal flour with excellent results.


Jewel Cookies

2 Cups flour
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 Cup white sugar
2 Large egg yolks

Filling: Cherry or Apricot preserves (can also use nuts, Hershey's kiss, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks just until blended. Add flour, again just until blended. Break off walnut size piece and roll into a ball. Flatten each ball with thumb in middle, making an indentation. Fill with preserves.

Bake on greased cookie sheet 20 to 25 minutes.


Butterballs (from The Silver Palate Cookbook)

1 Stick butter, room temp
3 T. honey
1 Cup flour
1/2 t. salt
1 T. vanilla extract
1 Cup pecans, chopped somewhat fine
3/4 Cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease cookie sheets.

Cream butter, beat in honey. Gradually mix in flour and salt, then vanilla...add pecans. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

Form balls by hand, the size of a quarter. Place 2" apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes.

Remove from oven, as soon as cool to the touch, roll in conf. sugar. Cool completely and roll in conf. sugar again.


Chocolate Chip Brickle Bars (From Christmas-Cookies.com)

1/2 Cup (one stick) butter, room temp
1 1/2 Cups graham cracker crumbs
14 oz. Can sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. almond brickle chips (like Skors)
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Cup chopped nuts (sometimes I use coconut instead)

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt butter in 9 x 13" dish in the preheated oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter, pour condensed milk over the crumbs. Sprinkle brickle chips, chocolate chips and nuts (I like to put nuts on half the mixture, coconut on the other half to please both guys in my family). Press down firmly.

Bake until lightly browned, 20 - 25 minutes. Let cool. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Cherry/Chocolate/Toffee Chip Cookies (from Martha Stewart's TV show)

1 1/2 Cup flour
1 t. baking soda
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 Cups sugar
3/4 Cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 Cup quick oats

1 Cup EACH: Dried Cherries, Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Chunks, Skor's Toffee Bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour and soda (sift if you have a sifter), set aside. Cream butter and both sugars until fluffy. Then add egg and vanilla. Combine with flour. Add oatmeal and then the dried cherries, chocolate and toffee.

The original recipe called for dough to be divided into 3 logs, rolled in plastic wrap, chilled and then sliced and baked. I still do this if I'm going to freeze the dough but I found that time consuming and the dough tended to crumble when I cut it (which it doesn't do when frozen).

However, I have had great success with dropping dough by teaspoons (I actually use a little cookie scoop purchased from Target) onto baking sheet and baked 8 - 10 minutes.

Everyone I give these cookies to love them.

Rasberry Truffle Brownies (From Country Woman magazine)

1/2 Cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 Cup chocolate chips
2 eggs
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1 t. instant coffee
2 T. water
1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 Cup flour

Filling
1 Cup chocolate chips
1 8 oz. Package cream cheese - room temp
1/4 Cup confectioners sugar
1/3 Cup seedless rasberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips over low heat. Cool.

In large bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar. Dissolve coffee crystals in water and add to egg mixture with the melted chocolate. Mix well.

Combine baking powder and flour, stir into chocolate mixture. Pour into 9" well greased square dish and bake 30-35 minutes. Cool.

For filling: Melt chocolate chips and cool. Beat cream cheese until smooth, add conf. sugar and jam. Stir in cooled melted chocolate chips. Spread over cooled brownies.

Chill very well before cutting for filling to get firm. Store in the refrigerator.

This is amazing...rich but amazing.