Lemon Stars/Bells

Once again, this is a new recipe this year but they are an awesome little cookie! It has just the right hint of lemon flavor. This recipe was featured in the Taste of Home websites 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. I did not have a star cookie cutter so I used a bell.



1/2 c. butter-flavor shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

FROSTING:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
6 tbsp. butter
3/4 tsp. lemon extract
3 drops yellow food color
3-4 tbsp. milk
Yellow Color Sugar Sprinkles

1. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. Stir in sour cream and lemon peel. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to cream mixture and mix well. Divide dough into 3 balls, cover and chill 3 hours.
2. Remove one ball at a time and roll to 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut with 2-inch star cookie cutter (or cookie cutter shape of your choice). Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 375 degrees 6-8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on wire racks.
4. Combine frosting ingredients in a bowl, frost cookies and sprinkle with sugar.

9 dozen cookies

Simply Sensational Truffles

This creamy, chocolaty delight comes from Kraft Food & Family magazine. Every year I make truffles at Christmas time, but I usually use a different recipe. This year, I decided to try something just a little different. My normal truffle recipe is a chocolate concoction that is chilled and them rolled in nuts, powdered sugar or sprinkles. This one however is dipped in chocolate.

On the outside, they look just like the Peanut Butter Balls but on the inside I assure you they are very different although just as yummy!


2 1/2 pkgs. (20 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate (I like Baker's)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1. Melt 8 chocolate squares in double boiler (melts best if coarsely chopped).
2. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy; stir in chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.
3. Shape into 36 balls. Place on waxed paper covered cookie sheet/tray.
4. Chop remaining 12 squares and melt in double boiler. Using a fork (I prefer to use a spoon by dropping them in, rolling them around a bit and gently picking back up) to dip truffles. Return chocolate covered truffles to tray. Decorate as desired (optional) and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

DECORATIONS: finely chopped nuts, sprinkles, powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

Makes 3 dozen

Double Boiler Method

How many of you have scorched chocolate drying to melt it for candy making, dipping, coating, etc.? Well, chances are you have-more than once, especially if you have tried to do such a task with the microwave.

Well, for years now, my mom and I have made our Peanut Butter Balls and it calls for them to be dipped in chocolate. One of my truffle recipes calls for me to do the same thing. And for years now, I have melted my chocolate in a double boiler or makeshift, creative double boiler. My mom has used this method for forever. I have heard countless tales of one friend or another burning their chocolate and shared this method with them and since it is the holidays again already, I thought I'd take the time to share it here.

Until recently when I acquired an actual double boiler, I just used my fondue pot set atop a little bit larger saucepan or two saucepans. A double boiler really is two saucepans that fin neatly together with the top saucepan having a lip around it to hold it above the bottom saucepan. I have pictures to share here of my double boiler and how it works.


This picture shows both of my saucepans that make up the double boiler.


To get started fill the bottom saucepan with about 1/8-inch full of water. This will warm up on the burner and create steam between the two pans and melt the chocolate.


Place the second pan (fondue pot) on top of the pan with water. Empty chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate in top pan. Place both pans (double boiler) on stove over low heat. It won't take long for it to heat up, create steam and start melting your chocolate, so don't leave it.

To evenly distribute the heat and melt the chocolate, constantly stir until all melted and smooth. Now it is ready for dipping, spreading, candy molds, etc.

ENJOY! And HAVE FUN!!

Butter Spritz Cookies

One of favorite holiday treats to make are Spritz cookies because I get to use my cookie press that I otherwise don't use at all. After searching for just the right recipe that is soft, I found the perfect one a few years back on the Food Network site. Most people's Spritz come out of the oven and they are hard and brittle. I think mostly because they tend to over bake them, but this recipe is my favorite!

(From L to R, top to bottom: holly and berry wreath: red, green & white star; green Christmas tree with red hots; red heart and blue snowflake)

1 c. powdered sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
Sprinkles of choice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixer, add sugar and butter. Mix until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extracts and mix to incorporate.
3. Measure in the baking powder and mix. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time and mix until combined.
4. Using a cookie press, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. Top with sprinkles.
5. Bake for 5-8 minutes; just until firm, but not browned yet.
6. Remove immediately to cooling racks.

NOTE: Recipe from www.foodnetwork.com.

Gumdrop Fudge

This is another recipe, new to my annual Christmas goodies this year. I love gumdrops and I just could not pass up making this treat. I thought it would be too much with the white chocolate but surprisingly everything balances our just right. I found this recipe while I was the Taste of Home website looking at all the holiday baking recipes.



1 1/2 lb. white chocolate, chopped coarse (I used white chocolate chips-two 12 oz. pkgs.)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. gumdrops, chopped (I used DOTS-2 large boxes- as out store was out or the sugar coated spice gumdrops, and I just cut them in half)

1. Line 9-inch square baking pan with foil.
2. In a large pan, heat chocolate, milk and salt over low heat until melted. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and gumdrops.
3. Spread into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Use foil to lift fudge from pan; cut into 1-inch squares. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Cranberry Swirl Biscotti

This was a holiday recipe featured on the Taste of Home website. The picture made them look so good and they are indeed very good. The glaze is supposed to have almond extract but I substituted it for orange extract. After all, cranberry and orange make a delightful combination. This is a new recipe for me this year and it is one I plan to add to my annual Christmas goody tray every year.



2/3 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. cherry preserves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, soft
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

GLAZE:
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract or orange extract

1. In food processor, process cranberries, preserves and cinnamon. Process until smooth and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
3. Divide dough in half. On floured surface, roll each portion into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Spread each with cranberry filling; roll up jellyroll style, starting with short end.
4. Place seam side down 4-inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325degrees for 25-30 minutes or until light brown.
5. Carefully transfer to cutting board; cool 5 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch slices with serrated knife. Place 2-inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet and bake 15 minutes or until centers are firm and dry. Remove to wire rack.
6. In a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients together and drizzle over warm biscotti. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Chocolate Fruitcake

This is not your average, ordinary fruitcake with the candied, dried fruits. It is very yummy and the recipe comes out of Debbie Macomber's book, There's Something About Christmas. I made two minor changes in swapping dates with raisins and instead of Creme de Cocoa, I used chocolate syrup. I think you will find this a surprisingly enjoyable fruitcake.



In a large bowl, (or two) combine the following ingredients:
2 c. maraschino cherries, halved
2 c. dates or raisins (I like to use Craisins)
2 c. pineapple tidbits, well drained
1 c. coconut
2 c. walnut pieces
2 c. pecan halves
2 (12 oz. each) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a third bowl, combine the following ingredients and mix at low speed for 30 seconds and then on high for 3 minutes:
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. butter
2/3 c. Creme de Cocoa (plus extra) or chocolate syrup
1/2 c. cocoa powder
9 eggs

Pour batter over fruit and nuts mixture and mix well. Pour into two well-greased loaf pans and bake at 275 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. After two hours of baking, check with a toothpick every 15 minutes.

When cool, set each loaf on a large piece of plastic wrap and pour a jigger of Creme de Cocoa over them (soaking a cheesecloth with creme and then pour extra over top and wrapping in plastic wrap seems to be a little less messy). Wrap tightly and place inside a ziploc bag and keep refrigerated for at least a couple days longer if time allows.

NOTE: Mini loaf pans, baking time is about 1 1/2 hours; cupcake pans about an hour.

I am able to get 8 mini loaves, 12 cupcakes and 1 large loaf out of this recipe. The large loaf is only about half the height of a regular loaf, however.