Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

Eric has fond childhood memories of his mom making these. And my dear friend, Cheryl, recommended these to me because she has been making them for 20 years now and they are one of her favorites! I made these tonight and they are indeed delicious! The almond extract is the key ingredient that make them so yummy!:)

By: Susie Horne & Cheryl Dillon

1/2 c. butter softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red food color

Heat oven to 375. Cream the butter, shortening and confectioners sugar. Add egg and flavorings. Blend in the flour and salt. Divide the dough in half and blend food color into one half. Take a little bit of dough from 2 colors and roll each ball out into a nice long snake, then do the same with the other ball, then place them side by side and roll them/twisting them together, pressing lightly; then curve them at the top for the candy cane shape and put on the cookie sheet.
Bake about 9 minutes, until set. They harden more as they cool on the cookie sheet.

Cheryl says, "I actually also make these around Halloween and make orange dough and I do the same thing with the dough, twist 2 snakes together, but I put them in the circle shape and then some green dough at the top for the stem. I try to think of every way I can make these cookies!"

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Very delicious and festive!

Ingredients & Supplies
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
red food coloring
green food coloring
various Christmas cookie cutters - stocking and candy cane for red dough and
Christmas trees for green dough

Directions
1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Divide the mix in half. Add and mix red food coloring into half and green in the other half. (If you wait and put the red food coloring on the dough after it is slightly chilled, it will make a tie-dye effect that looks cool for the candy canes.)
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. I like using a stocking and candy cane cutter for the red dough and a Christmas tree cutter for the green dough.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

*Dough freezes well*

Eggnog Cookies and Cupcakes

Eggnog Cookies and Cupcakes

Recipe found on www.babycenter.com "Cookies for Santa"



Ingredients
Cookies & Cupcakes:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used ground cloves instead)
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks

Icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons eggnog
Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons of spiced rum or rum extract (I did not use.)

Preparations
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. (If consistency is hard to work with, cool dough first in refrigerator.) Bake 16 to 24 minutes or until edges start turning light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. To prepare the icing, put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the remaining eggnog one tablespoon at a time (and the rum or rum extract, if opted for) until the desired consistency is reached. Spread onto cooled cookies and sprinkle tops very lightly -- adding too much will overpower the taste -- with nutmeg.

6. Let icing harden. Serve and enjoy!

Carrot Orzo

Carrot Orzo

Karen Brosius, Columbia, S.C.
Southern Living, JUNE 2010

This turned out very delicious! It was my first time cooking with orzo but now I look forward to more orzo recipes!

Ingredients

* 8 ounces carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
* 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup Parmesan cheese
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried chives
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme

Preparation

1. Process carrots in a food processor 15 seconds or until finely chopped.

2. Combine 2 1/2 cups water and broth in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until very hot.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Add orzo and garlic, and cook 1 minute.

4. Slowly stir hot broth mixture, salt, and pepper into orzo mixture. Cook, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

5. Stir in Parmesan cheese, chives, and thyme until blended. Serve orzo immediately. Garnish, if desired.

Sweet Potato Crunch

My mother, Teresa, has made this recipe for years! It is my all-time favorite Thanksgiving dish! Even if you're not a big sweet potato fan, you are sure to like this dish with all the yummy butter, brown sugar, and pecans that are added. It's like getting to eat a dessert, but you can call it a "vegetable", ha, ha!:)

Sweet Potato Crunch

3 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 stick butter, melted
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased baking dish. Cover with crunch topping.

CRUNCH TOPPING:

Melt 1/3 stick of butter. Add 1 cup brown sugar packed and 1/3 cup all- purpose flour. Blend well and add 1 cup chopped pecans. Sprinkle on top of potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.


Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1938,145171-246199,00.html
Content Copyright © 2010 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie

I love coffee creamer, so when I saw that this recipe calls for hazelnut creamer, I just had to try it!

Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie
by: Sunny Anderson
*freezes well

Yummy!!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients

* 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3 tablespoons hazelnut creamer, divided
* 1/2 cup butter, melted
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
* 3/4 cup light brown sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1/4 teaspoon allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make crust, mix graham crackers, sugar, 1 tablespoon of hazelnut creamer and butter until combined. Press into a 9 to 10-inch springform pan or cake pan making sure to press mixture up the sides and bottom as well, set aside.

For filling, in a large bowl mix in order cream cheese, brown sugar, eggs 1 by 1 and pumpkin puree. In a small cup stir remaining 2 tablespoons of hazelnut creamer, allspice and salt into heavy cream. Pour heavy cream mixture into pumpkin mixture and blend until combined. Pour into crust and bake for 35 minutes or until the center sets. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake
by: Paula Deen, 2007

I made this cheesecake this Thanksgiving for the second time! Last year in Macedonia was my first time making it and I was so pleased! It is incredibly delicious!! This is now a traditional recipe that I want to have every Thanksgiving on the menu.

Ingredients
Crust:

* 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 stick melted salted butter
*

Filling:

* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
* 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg (optional)
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.