Macaroons - Holiday

12 – 15 Min 325°F

3 egg whites
½ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
dash salt
¼ teaspoon rum extract
3 cups coconut
½ to 1 teaspoon red colored sugar

Heat oven to 325F. Grease and lightly flour cookie sheet. In large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add sugar, flour salt and rum extract; blend well. Stir in coconut. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased and floured cookie sheet. Sprinkle with colored sugar.
Bake at 325F for 12 to 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Yield:16 cookies

Oatmeal Macaroons

10 Min 350°F

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 cups quick or old fashioned oats - uncooked.
4 oz flaked or shredded coconut

In medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In large bowl, cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs and almond extract. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in oats and coconut. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cookies cool 1 minute before removing them from sheets to wire racks.

Orange-Chocolate Rounds

375F Yield: 60 cookies REFRIDGERATE

1 Cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
¼ tsp. Salt
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

In large mixing bowl beat butter with mixer on med to high for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour.
Divide dough in half. Stir orange peel in one, chocolate in other. Cover & chill about an hour or until easy to handle.
Shape each half into 10 inch long roll, wrap in plastic or waxed paper. Chill till firm.
Cut each roll lengthwise in quarters, reassemble alternating colors. Wrap & chill 30 more minutes or until firm.
Using sharp knife, cut dough into ¼” slices, place 1 inch apart on UNGREASED cookie sheet.
Bake 7-9 minutes until edges are firm and bottoms lightly browned, transfer to wire rack, cool.

Pastry Pillows

A bit of work.
This recipe was when Mom taught me how to do Italian cooking technique. She gave me Grandma's (Aldovina's) ravioli cutter to use to make these and showed me how to use it correctly. Who Knew??


REFRIDGERATE
Prep: 40 minutes Chill: 1 hour Bake 10 to 12 min 375F
2 Cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, cut up
1 8 oz package cream cheese, cut up apricot, peach, raspberry, strawberry, or cherry preserves
almond paste
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon water coarse or pearl sugar

In a food processor bowl combine flour and salt.
Cover and process until mixed.
Add the butter and cream cheese.
Cover and process until well combined.
(Or in a med mixing bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until combined. Add flour and salt: beat on low speed of mixer just until combined.)
Divide dough in half.
Cover and chill at least 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time to 1/8” thickness.
Cut dough into 2 inch squares.
Place half of the dough squares on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Place a scant ¼ tsp. each of preserves and almond past in the center of each square.
Combine beaten egg and water.
Brush edges of layer squares with egg mixture.
Top each layered square with a plain dough square.
Lightly press edges together then seal all edges with tines of a fork.
Brush filled and sealed dough squares with egg mixture.
Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake in 375F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.
Makes about 52 – 2” cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Globs

(Makes 20 to 22 cookies)

Copyright 2012, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, All Rights Reserved

Photo: Quentin Bacon

    

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, such as Medaglia d’Oro
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup whole walnut halves (chopped)
1 cup whole pecan halves (chopped)
2/3 cup peanut butter chips, such as Reese’s

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a few sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter, 6 ounces of the chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally, until just melted. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla until combined. Add the sugar, raise the speed to medium-high, and beat for 2 minutes, until the batter is thick and falls back on itself in a ribbon. Set aside.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Combine the 1/3 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and fold it into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. In another bowl, combine the walnuts, pecans, peanut butter chips, the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate chips, and the tablespoon of flour and fold it into the chocolate mixture. With 2 soup spoons, drop rounded mounds of batter 1 inch apart onto the prepared sheet pans. Bake for 15 minutes exactly. Cool on the baking sheets.
http://barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=895&S=0

Pecan Pie Squares

350°F YIELD: 60 squares
Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350°F.
Grease jelly roll pan, 15.5”x10.5”x1”
Beat flour, butter, sugar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly (mixture will be dry.)
Press firmly in pan.
Bake about 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups corn syrup
3 tbsp. Butter or marg, melted
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla
2 ½ cups chopped pecans (can sub walnuts)

Mix all ingredients except pecans in large bowl until well blended.
Stir in pecans.
Pour filling over baked layer; spread evenly.
Bake about 25 minute or until filling is set.
Cool completely.
Cut into 10 rows by 6 rows.

Princess Crown Cookies (Pink Princess Piggies) - sugar cookie

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice or syrup

1 to 2 drops pink food color

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pig cookie cutter

Pink sugar crystals or decorations

1. Preheat oven to 375 F

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl.

Add sugar and beat until light  & fluffy

Add egg, almond extract, maraschino cherry juice and food coloring

2. Combine flour, soda and salt in a separate bowl.

Add slowly to creamed mixture; blend well

3. Flatten out dough until about 1/4 inch thick, cover with plastic wrap and put in freezer for 15 minutes to chill.

4. Divide dough in half - roll to 1/8" thick on lightly floured surface.

Cut out with pig cookie cutters.

Sprinkle with decorations.

5. Place 1 inch apart on cookies sheets lined with parchment.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

Made by Emme & Marty 2009

2010 - Emme

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Bake time: 12 min 350F

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp baking soda
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup solid-pack pumpkin
2 cups uncooked old-fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries (optional) we used cherries

Heat oven to 350F
Line baking sheets with parchment paper..
Sift the flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg & baking soda, into a bowl.
Cream butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer at med speed – about 5 minutes
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Add pumpkin; beat at low speed until blended.
Beat in flour mixture just until blended.
Add oats; mix well.
Stir in cranberries.
Drop by rounded teaspoon, 1” apart on parchmented sheets.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until tops feel firm when lightly touched.
Cool for 2 minutes, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Makes: 2 to 3 dozen
2007 Made by Kaitlin & Joules

Laurel’s Raisin Puffs

375F

1 cup water
1 ½ cups raisins
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, boil water. Add raisins; boil until water is gone. Cool. Combine flour, soda and salt. Beat together the 11/2 cups sugar and butter till combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture; beat till blended. Stir in raisins.
Combine the ½ cup sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in cinnamon sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375F oven for 8 minutes. Remove; cool on wire racks. Makes 70.

Rocks

12-15 min 400°F :
1 cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups dates, cut up
1 ½ cups pecans, chopped
2 ½ cups sifted flour
½ tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well.
Add dates and nuts and blend. Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheets
Bake at 400°F for about 12 to 15 minutes.

Spicy Nut Rugelach

10-15 min 350F
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup butter
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, Melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix cream cheese, butter, and flour together.
Chill to firm dough.
Roll out about one-third of the dough on a floured board in a circle.
Brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
Combine walnuts, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle one-third of the mixture over the dough.
Cut into 12 long triangles, and roll up starting with the short end so that the point is on the outside.
Repeat with the rest of dough and sugar mixture.
Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350°F for about 10 or 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool on rack.
Makes 36.

Filling can be varied – use apricot jam or tiny chocolate chips.

2024 variation:

used Nutella and crushed pistachios

Could try blend of Almond paste, cherry juice and diced candied ginger

Pre-made dough, rolled to rectangle, placed in fridge between parchment to speed up making. rolled in logs, and rolled outside in crushed pistachio.

Rice Krispies - Peanut Butter

Incredibly Sweet! Cut very small

1 cup white Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
5 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup Semi-Sweet chips

Prepare 9 x 13 pan by lining with foil - allow tails to hang over ends to give you handles to lift out
- spray with non-stick spray.
Bring syrup & sugar to slow boil.
Stir in peanut butter
Remove from heat and pour over Rice Krispies.
Spread in prepared pan
Melt butterscotch & chocolate chips in the microwave - stirring frequently.
Spread melted chocolate across top. 
When cooled and chocolate  is hardened, lift out of pan by foil
use large pizza cutter to cut into roughly inch squares

Made by Cari and Marty 2009

Spritz Cookies - Lemon

10-12 min 400°F
2 cups butter (1 lb.)
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
4 cups sifted flour
¼ cups chopped almonds

Cream butter and sugar until light.
Add egg yolks and beat.
Add rind and lemon juice and mix.
Add flour and nuts and mix well.
Using cookie press, bake on lightly greased cookie sheets at 400°F for about 8 to 10 minutes. Also good with a thin powdered sugar frosting, colored.

Sweetened condensed milk - make your own

1 cup instant dry milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
3 tbsp melted butter

equivalent to 15 oz can of expensive stuff.

Sugar Cookies (Roll Out)

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°F In large bowl with mixer at medium high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. the dough will be very stiff; blend last addition of flour in by hand. Do not chill dough.

2. Divide dough into 2 balls.
On a floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll each ball approximately 1/4 inch thick.
Dip cutters in flour before each use.
Bake cookies on top rack of oven for 12 -15 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
Cool before decorating.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies. (About 105 calories)

To Make Chocolate: thoroughly blend 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa with dry ingredients before adding them to the butter mixture. (If dough is too soft to roll, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a short time.)

2009: added Walnuts, pressed into Cari's shape pan, or made as simple cookies (by Sami)

S'More's Bars

Easy. And very yummy! Cut them small. I added Macadamia nuts 

24 graham crackers (12 double ones)

2 cups miniature marshmallows (white not colored)

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup salted cashews

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: toasted coconut

Spray a 9x13 cake pan with Pam or line with parchment

Line the bottom of the pan with a layer of graham crackers - ok to overlap

Sprinkle graham crackers with marshmallows

Sprinkle marshmallows with Chocolate Chips

Sprinkle Chocolate Chips with cashews.

Sprinkle cashews with toasted coconut if using.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and brown sugar - stir constantly til dissolved.

Turn off heat, move to cool burner, stir in the vanilla.

Drizzle sugar mixture over the cakepan.

Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes or until marshmallows are golden on top. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

When cook, remove from pan - use pizza cutter to cut into 1" squares

They can be wrapped, sealed in freezer bag and frozen for up to two months.

2010: did wrap in wax paper

Skor Cookies

Based  On the original Chocolate Chip cookie recipe :

9 to 11 Min 375°F

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs

1 cup Skor Cookie Bars - broken into pieces
1 cups Chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, gran sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips, broken Skor and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchmented or ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 375° oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Coffee TOFFEE Chocolate Crunch

6 Tbsp. Salted butter
1 cup white sugar
¼ cup water
2 tsp. Coffee liqueur
¼ tsp. Baking soda
½ cup (3 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Lightly grease a 9x13” glass baking dish; line with parchment. In a heavy 2 qt saucepan, combine butter, sugar and water. Heat over medium temperature, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Cover pan for 2 minutes to wash down any sugar crystals. Uncover pan and increase heat to high. Without stirring, continue cooking until mixture begins to turn golden brown. Quickly remove from heat; stir in coffee liqueur and baking soda. Pour immediately into prepared baking dish. Spread thin with a wooden spoon. Cool to room temperature. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips, stirring constantly until smooth. Then, dip a fork into the chocolate and drizzle lattice patterns over the toffee candy. Let stand until chocolate is set. Break toffee into irregular-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Triple Chocolate Caramel Cookies

350°F YIELD: 6 dozen
1 ½ cups butter (no sub) softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup baking cocoa
1 package (12oz) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 bottle (12.5oz) caramel ice cream topping
4 to 6 oz dark chocolate bark, melted.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Combine flour and cocoa; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
Roll into 1” balls.
Place 2” apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 3/8 to ½” deep indentation in the center of each ball. Smooth any cracks.
Fill each indentation half full with caramel topping.
Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes or until caramel is very bubbly and cookies are set.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.
Drizzle cooled cookies with chocolate bark.

Walnut Christmas Balls

10-12 Min 350°F
1 cup California Walnuts
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
In food processor or blender, process walnuts with 2 tablespoons of the sugar until finely ground; set aside.
In large bowl, cream butter and remaining sugar.
Beat in vanilla.
Add flour and the walnuts; mix until blended.
Roll dough into about 3 dozen walnut-size balls.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in in preheated 350°F oven 10 to 12 minutes or until just golden around edges.
Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

WHAT TO BRING!

Containers (to take cookie home)
Recipe to make
*** special ingredients for said recipe ***
Basic ingredients (to contribute to the booty)
parchment paper
happy & relaxed attitude
apron
hairnet
wax paper (for between cookies)

IF you want: but please LABEL with a permanent marker
Mixing bowls
beaters
spoons
baking sheets

Successful 2009

Well - it's over (in theory) for another year.
First time in years we've held it at Connie's house - she has a great oven & a much bigger kitchen.
Strange & I got there about 5:30 & we went for Mexican for dinner. Quick trip to the store for some last minute stuff (lunchmeat for Saturday) and back to the house in time for Cari, Kaitlin, Emme & Marty to arrive.
We took some time to organize ingredients - then started up on the refrigerator doughs - getting them ready for baking day.
By the time we stopped around Midnite - we had about 12 types ready to go.
1. Key Lime Cookies - Strange
2. Princess Crown Cookies (pink princess pigs) Emme / Strange
3. Hungarian Kiefles - dough-Boug / bake - Connie
4. Chocolate cookie slices
5. Caramel slices - Emme / Kaitlin
6. German Springerle (oops not anise, cinnimon nutmeg)
7. Swiss Chocolate cookies - Strange & kaitlin
8. Pinwheels - Boug
9. Chocolate Crinkles - Vicki
10. Ginger Cookies - Emme / Cari
11. lemon wafers Emme/Strange
12. black & white cut outs - Emme / Cari

Saturday Morning - breakfast for all (pancakes & bacon) and on to the baking!
in no particular order here's the rest made -
13. oatmeal raisin - Sami
14. Cranberry Cherry Oatmeal - Sami/Boug
15. coconut snowballs - Marty
16. Mock Macaroons - Boug
17. Snickerdoodles - Vicki
18. Maple Bacon Chip - Kaitlin / Boug
19. Leonard's Oatmeal cookies - Vicki/Con
20. Buried Cherry Cookies - Emme
21. Almond Galettes - Boug
22. Lemon Bars - Strange & Emme
23. Sugar Walnut - Sami
24. Angie's Figgy Cookies - Sami & Vic
25. Carmel Tartlets - Boug
26. Pecan Tartlets - Boug
27. Skor Cookies - Cari
28. Carmel Pecan Cookies - Sami
29. Chip & Dip - Strange
30. Orange Ginger cookies - Strange
31. Chocolate Chip - Sami
32. Peanut Butter Krispies - Cari
33. Fiber One Crunchy Fudge Cookies (or Sheet-o-licious) Boug
34. and Cari made a bread for lunch - to go with the sandwiches & homemade Turkey Soup.

Cari & Kids headed out shortly before dark on Saturday - enough sugar in their systems to keep Marty buzzing for a month (and most of the first batch of Bacon Maple chip cookies)
and finally, on Sunday - after breakfast out at Egg & I -

35. S'More Bars - Boug

Cleaned up the kitchen in the morning, then packed cookies into containers & headed back north.
We still have snow on the ground, but down south - it had mostly melted away.

Date is Set for 2009

The date & Location are set - New & Improved!
Saturday December 12th at my sister Connie's house
Because this is open to the public I won't put her address here, but I did send out the Evite with all the pertinent info.
Assume from 10am to Sunday (if ya feel like staying over -' Shotgun!' a bed early)

I may head over there Friday nite for prep, or maybe prep at home & head over there Sat am.
Con's got a great oven - room for about 6 cookie sheets comfortably at once.
We'll definitely need an oven control person.

Let me know if you have questions or need a copy of the evite sent to you -

Family Fave - Cranberry Ring Mold

(Doubled Recipe - may be cut in half)

1 - 3oz package Cherry Jello
1 - 3oz package Black Cherry Jello
1 cup sugar
1 - 18oz can Crushed Pineapple
2 cups hot water
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 cups ground fresh cranberries (whole bag - frozen)
Large orange - seeds removed

Drain Pineapple - reserve syrup. Add enough water to syrup to make 1 cup.
Dissolve Jello & sugar in hot water.
Add reserved syrup & lemon juice.
Chill until partially set.

In a food processor - grind entire orange (skin & all)
add frozen cranberries - continue grinding until all finely ground

Add pineapple, cranberries & orange to partially set jello into a 10 cup ring mold. Chill overnite. makes 8 to 10 servings.

Notes: original recipe called for 2 cups of sugar - we cut to 1.
Jello flavors can be changed to what you like, but cranberry jello makes it kinda boring.

Family Fave - Garlic Bubble

We do a triple recipe - this could be cut to 1/3rd but, it works well toasted as leftovers.

3 loaves Rhodes frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup butter - melted
1/4 cup garlic infused olive oil
1/2 head of garlic cloves crushed - or more (to taste)
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Thaw and soften dough (usually a day or 3 in the fridge -follow package directions)

Blend butter, olive oil, eggs, garlic, parsley and salt.
Cut off pieces of dough (kitchen shears work best) about size of a walnut and dip into butter mixture. Place in greased pans - two 8" x 8" may contain the blob. Or original recipe calls for a loaf pan for one bread loaf - so 3 should do it.
This year I tried some in muffin tins - grease well, - they turned out yummy!
Let stand and rise until doubled in size
Brush with melted butter.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.