I wanted to try an new cookie recipe for my annual cookie exchange and this one seemed to be one of the more popular cookies. It has a really unique flavor that is just like hot chocolate - perfect with a glass of milk. I got this recipe from Betty Crocker, and though I wasn't looking for a "shortcut cookie recipe" this one is, so it is perfect if you need a quick recipe or if you are making several cookies because this one saves you time by using a mix as the base.
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
Makes: 48
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Butter
1 19oz Package of Mexican Hot Chocolate Drink Mix
1 Pouch (1lb 1.5oz) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 Egg
1 Cup Miniature Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1) Heat oven to 375
2) In a small bowl mix: sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter and hot chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.
3) Place cookie mix into a large bowl. Stir in melted butter mixture and egg until soft dough forms (you may need to add a little water). Stir in chocolate chips.
4) Shape into balls, roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool 3 minutes
December is the month for Christmas cookies and I love trying new recipes. Unfortunately, some of them don't always work out as planned - but this is one that I modified from the original. The recipe is for dough to be used in a cookie press, but when my Pampered Chef cookie press failed me I made this into a ball cookie instead and it worked perfectly. The next time I make these, I will also increase the amount of the almond extract too - they didn't have as strong of as almond flavor as I had hoped for.
Almond Cream Spritz
Makes: 60
1 Cup Butter, Softened
1 (3 oz) Package Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
Finely Chopped Almonds
1) Preheat oven to 375
2) Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add sugar, almond extract and vanilla. Beat until combined.
3) Stir in flour. Cover and chill dough for about 30 minutes or until easily worked but not too stiff. Pack dough into cookie press.
4) Force dough through press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with almonds
5) Bake 8-10 minutes or until endes of cookies are firm but not brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet one minute and them move to wire racks to cool completely.
This recipe is a take on the traditional cocktail meatballs that are made with grape jelly. These are good for the holidays because they are instead made with cranberry sauce. They are very easy to make and taste great.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
1 Can (16oz) Whole Berry or Jellied Cranberry Sauce
3/4 Cup Chili Sauce
1/4 Cup Water
2 Pounds Frozen, Fully Cooked Meatballs, Completely Thawed
1) Put the cranberry sauce, chili sauce and water in slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the meatballs and stir to coat them with the sauce
2) Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours, until bubbly and meatballs are heated through.
If you are looking for a smiple, easy appetizer that everyone will like I have found the perfect recipe for you. I found this recipe on Allrecipes by Rose Starkowicz and everyone loved it. The best part about this dip is that it can be quickly thrown together in a couple of minutes and most of the ingredients are ones that I have on hand. You could also customize this recipe and add other things to it that you prefer in your taco dip.
Taco Dip
1 8oz Package Cream Cheese Softened
1 16oz Container Sour Cream
1 Package Taco Seasoning
Shredded Lettuce
1 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
3 Chopped Tomatoes
1 Chopped Green Bell Pepper
1 Can Black Olives, Drained and Sliced
1) Combine Cream Cheese, Sour Cream and Taco Seasoning in a medium bowl. Spread this mixture into a 9 inch dish (I use a glass pie pan)
2) Top the mixture with the lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, bell pepper, black olives
I recently made a birthday cake for my daughter's 3rd birthday party. I really wanted something that both kids and adults would like - and I got numerous compliments about this one. It has a hint of espresso flavor, which I loved and it is a great creamy and light consistency. This frosting does best when you make it the day that you are going to use it and don't have to refrigerate it. This recipe comes from Recipezaar from Courtley.
Chocolate Frosting
1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate (good quality)
6 1/2oz unsalted butter
1 tsp espresso powder dissolved in
1 Tbsp hot water
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 sifted powdered sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
5 oz unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 C heavy cream
1) Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a stainless steel bowl with 6 1/2 oz butter. Place over pan of simmering water
2) Whisk together as soon as chocolate and butter soften. Keep whisking until just melted and combined
3) Remove from heat and stir in espresso and vanilla
4) Cool to room temperature
5) Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Place 5 oz of unsalted butter and 1/2 of powdered sugar in a food processor. Process scraping down the sides
6) Add the rest of the powdered sugar mixture, start processor and slowly add in cream
7) Process for about 10 seconds
8) Whisk butter/cocoa mixture together with room temperature chocolate/espresso mixture in a large bowl until it becomes shiny and smooth
9) Bring to room temperature before using
So for Thanksgiving I was asked to bring an Apple Pie. I really wanted to make it from scratch and scoured my various recipe sites for the perfect recipe. I settled for two of Paula Deen's Recipes from Food Network. The crust came out flaky and buttery and everyone commented how great it was. The pie itself was pretty amazing, but I did make a couple of modifications to the recipe after reading some reviews. I used 8oz of cinnamon applesauce instead of 16oz of regular applesauce and I doubled the crunch topping.
Paula's Perfect Pie Crust
2 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Fine Salt
3 Tbspn Granulated White Sugar
1/4 C Vegetable Shortening, Cold
12 Tbson Butter, Cold and Cubed
1/4 C to 1/2 C Ice Water
1) In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt.
2) Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal.
3) Add the ice water a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.
4) When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
5) On a floured surface, roll each disk out into a 10 to 11 inch circle to make a 9 inch pie.
Crunch Top Apple Pie
Paula's Perfect Pie Crust (9 inches)
3/4 C Sugar
1 Tbspn All Purpose Flour
1 tspn Ground Cinnamon
Dash Salt
3 1/2 C Peeled, Chopped Cooking Apples
1 (16oz) Jar Applesauce
1 Tbspn Lemon Juice
2 Tbspn Butter, Chopped into Small Pieces
Crunch Topping
3 Tbspn All Purpose Flour
1 Tbspn Sugar
Dash Salt
1 Tbspn Butter, at Room Temperature
1) Preheat Oven to 425
2) Line a 9 inch pie pan with half of dough (1 disk)
3) Combine Sugar, Flour, Cinnamon and Salt in a bowl. Stir in Applesauce, Apples and Lemon Juice.
4) Spoon Apple mixture into pie pan and dot with Butter.
5) Cut remaining crust into strips; arrange in a lattice design over top of pie.
6) For crunch topping, combine Flour, Sugar and Salt in bowl. Using a fork, cut in Butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over top of crust.
7) Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and continue to bake for about 45 minutes or until crust and topping are golden brown.
I needed to make an appetizer to bring for a party and this recipe that I found on the Pillsbury
website was perfect. It took minimal time to make, the ingredients were simple and it got devoured in minutes. The original recipe calls for a jar of diced pimiento. I actually used a jar of sweet roasted red peppers and just diced them instead because I happened to have that on hand. It worked perfectly.
Artichoke-Cheese Braids
3/4 C Finely Chopped Artichoke Hearts (from 14oz can), Drained, Patted Dry with Paper Towels
1/2 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Rolls or Pillsbury Refrigerated Seamless Dough Sheet
1 Jar (2 oz) Diced Pimiento, Drained, Patted Dry with Paper Towels
1 Egg Beaten
1 Tsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
1) Heat Oven to 375. In small bowl, mix artichokes, 1/2 C parmesan cheese and the mayonnaise
2) Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Place lengthwise on opposite ends of ungreased large cookie sheet. You should have 2 11x4.5" rectangles
3) Spoon 1/2 of artichoke mixture in 1 1/2 inch wide strip down the center of each rectangle. Top each evenly with pimiento.
4) On long sides of each rectangle, make 15 cuts about 3/4 inch apart almost to edge of artichoke mixture. For braided appearance, fold strips of dough at an angle halfway across artichoke mixture with ends of strips slightly overlapping, alternating from side to side; pinch to seal.
5) Bring ends of each braid together to form a ring; press ends together to seal. Carefully brush tops of rings with egg; sprinkle with 1 tsp of parmesan cheese.
6) Bake 13-18 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes and cut.
