12 Days of Cookies - Day 1 - Gingerbread Cookies

These made an appearance at Georgette and Chuck's Christmas gathering. It was here that I was endlessly ridiculed and tormented for my couponing.....I'm planning a get even post....stay tuned.

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks lightly salted butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 orange, zested
The dry ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup additional for rolling, if needed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground dry ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 lemon, juiced
Easy Orange Frosting, recipe follows

Instructions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, add the butter, sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses and lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the butter and sugar are integrated, lower the speed of the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and when blended, remove the bowl from the machine. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press the first half of the dough in between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second half. This step will make it easier to finish rolling out the dough when it has chilled. It will also mean you only have half of the dough getting warm as you roll it.

Lightly flour a flat surface. Use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the first half of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly flour the cookie cutter(s) and cut the shapes, making as few scraps as possible. Use a metal spatula to gently transfer them, cookie by cookie, (the cookies should be similar size) to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough and transfer them to another baking sheet. A note about crowding the tray(s): these particular cookies can spread a little. Leave room between the cookies. Better to use 3 baking sheets with fewer cookies than to crowd them on 2 trays. Bake until brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Got scraps? Form the scraps into a ball, press it flat and chill in the refrigerator. These cookies may be a little more "tough" because the dough will have been worked a little more than the others.

Easy Orange Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange liqueur
1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
In a medium bowl add all of the ingredients and whisk together to combine. If too thick in consistency, add a touch more orange juice or water to thin out.

Lessons Learned -
- cold dough is key - less likely to stick to the rolling pin
other than that it was a pretty basic recipe. and yummy!

12 Days of Cookies - Day 6

The second batch of cookies that I made for Capri's Christmas party.

Citrus Trio Butter Dipping Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, cool but not straight from the fridge
4 ounces cream cheese, cool but not straight from the fridge
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Dash salt
Finely grated zest from 1 lime
Finely grated zest from 1 orange
Finely grated zest from 1 lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. On the lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until blended. Divide the batter into 3 bowls, and gently stir in the different zests among the bowls, making 3 citrus flavored batters.

Scrape each batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip, or a sturdy plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe 2-inch long strips, about 2 inches apart, on a cold unlined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Repeat with the other batches.

Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing with a spatula to cool completely on baking rack. Serve with tea or coffee, or just nibble...addictive!

Cook's Note: To butter cookie purists: these are also delicious without the zest!

Lessons Learned

1. The recipe has changed since I made these. Instead of the pastry bag, I rolled them out like a rope and sliced them into pieces rather than piping them. Your choice.

2. These would be amazing dipped in coffee!

3. Another kitchen gadget I came to love after this recipe - Microplane grater/zester!

12 Days of Cookies - Day 5

Every year Food Network releases their 12 Days of Cookies newsletter. Every year, I am crazy enough to make them - ALL of them. I have a big, 3 sided family and now being married adds more sides so we have a lot of family Christmases. Add in getting together with friends, work parties and now baby showers (YAY Alyce and Dave!) it means I have to come up with a lot of dishes to bring. I found myself stressing about it until last year. I made up all of the cookies ahead of time and whenever I had a party to attend I would just pull out my platter and load it up with various cookies - AND DONE! The glitch to that system was living in an apartment made it really hard to store dozens of a dozen types of cookies. This year, even though we are in a house, I haven't had an entire day to devote to baking so I'm making them 2 at a time. My parent's hosted their annual Capri Bakery Christmas party for all of their employees on December 6th and that was the kickoff for the holiday season. I didn't go in order with these cookies so if the days don't make sense, you know why.

Cinnamon Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Mexican cocoa powder (or subsitute by adding 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to unsweetened cocoa powder)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons sweet butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Generous pinch ground black pepper
Generous pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg white
1/2 cup dulce de leche, optional
1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped, optional

Directions
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk and set aside. Combine the sugars in a small bowl and mix well with your fingers pressing out any lumps. (Combine in a food processor if lumps are stubborn.)

In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter and margarine until creamy. Add sugar mixture, cinnamon, peppers, and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the egg white and until the mixture is smooth. Stop the mixer. Add the flour mixture, beating on the lowest speed, just until incorporated.

Gather the dough together with your hands and form it into a neat log, 9 to 10 inches long by 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Fold or twist ends of the paper without pinching or flatting the log. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes, or until needed.

Put the oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Use a sharp knife to slice rounds of chilled dough, a scant 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the cookies, 1-inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through. Cookies will puff and crackle on top, and then begin to settle down slightly when done.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or stacking. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.

To spice things up, after the cookies are baked, let them cool on a wire rack, drizzle with dulce de leche and sprinkle chopped almonds on top.

Lessons Learned

I totally copied and pasted this recipe because I didn't feel like typing it out. Just putting that out there. However, here's what I learned when doing this.

1. It pays to have better tools! Last year, I was rocking dull knives and borrowed my mom's older stand mixer plus all my other stuff was college leftovers. Thanks to everyone who blessed us with amazing wedding gifts this past year, I have much better baking tools and it makes life easier! I am IN LOVE with my Kitchenaid and Nick was laughing at me as I talked to my knives and thanked them for staying so sharp.

2. Dulce de Leche - pretty much caramel.

3. These cookies were delish!

Ben's 7th Birthday Cake

I've done a Lego, Indiana Jones and now I attempted a robot. He decided to have his party at The Hands on Museum and it couldn't have turned out better. I would highly recommend them! Anyway, onto the cake....it's a Betty Crocker recipe.


Ingredients
1 box of cake mix - make according to package directions and bake in a 13x9 pan
container of frosting
Black food color
Blue food color
2 colorful licorice twists (7 inch)
2 large black gumdrops - I used DOTS, couldn't find gumdrops
2 soft fruit ring candies
2 blue m&ms
3 pull-apart red (cherry) licorice twists
20 m&ms - any color
1 roll Fruit by the Foot® (any variety from 4.5-oz box)
6 thin chocolate wafer cookies - I used chocolate covered graham crackers



Instructions
Tint frosting with black and blue food colors to make desired gray color. Using serrated knife, cut rounded top off cake to level surface; place cake cut side down. Cut cake as shown. On tray, arrange cake pieces as shown in template, attaching to tray with small amount of frosting. To “crumb-coat” cake, spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes.

Frost entire cake with remaining frosting. Cut 1 colorful licorice twist into 2 (1-inch) pieces. Carefully insert licorice pieces between head and body.

Cut remaining colorful licorice twist in half. Using scissors, make several cuts in 1 end of each licorice piece to form antennae. Insert licorice pieces, antennae ends up, in top of head. Insert gumdrops into sides of head for ears. Arrange fruit rings on head for eyes; use 2 blue m&ms for pupils. Separate 1 pull-apart red licorice twist into single strands. Trim 1 strand to 3 inches; place on head for mouth. Use remaining strands to decorate base of robot as desired, trimming to fit.

Tie a knot in each remaining pull-apart red licorice twist. Insert knotted licorice twists in each side of body for arms. To decorate robot body, arrange 20 m&ms in desired pattern on body. Use fruit snack to form border around candy design, trimming to fit. For wheels, insert chocolate wafer cookies in base of cake.

Cookie Dessert

I first had this at my cousin's wedding a whole lotta years ago and my grandma has been making it ever since. Super light and tasty! I recommend putting the cookies in just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Ingredients

1. buttermilk

1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 container cool whip

1 can crushed pineapple

1 pkg. fudge striped cookies

Instructions

1. Combine buttermilk, pudding, cool whip in large bowl.

2. Drain pineapple and add to cool whip mixture.

3. Crush cookies and stir into mixture.

Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

I got this recipe from my future mother in law. Delicious but sinful. I made it Easter morning. It is super easy to make but the picture doesn't quite do it justice. Enjoy

Ingredients

3/4 c. sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

2 cans of refrigerator buttermilk biscuits (7.5 oz cans)

1/2 c. butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut dough into quarters.

2. Mix cinnamon and sugar. Roll dough in mixture to coat.

3. Place half of the dough in a greased fluted tube pan. Drizzle with 1/4 c. of melted butter. Top with remaining dough and melted butter.

4. Top with remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake 40-45 mintues until golden. Let stand 5 minutes then invert onto a plate.

Layered Strawberry Cheesecake Bowl

We had both sets of parents over for dinner last night and I made 3 different recipes from the new Food & Family magazine. This is the dessert I made and I got tons of compliments. It is super easy and tastes incredibly light and fresh.

Ingredients

3 c. fresh strawberries - sliced
3 TBSP sugar
2 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese - softened
1.5 c. cold milk
1 pkg (3.4oz) vanilla instant pudding
2 c. thawed cool whip
2 c. frozen pound cake cubes - I could only find chocolate chip pound cake and I think it tasted better that way
1 square semi-sweet baking chocolate



Instructions
1. Combine berries and sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk.

2. Add pudding mix and mix well.

3. Blend in 1.5 c. of cool whip. Spoon half into serving bowl.

4. Top with cake, berries and remaining cream cheese mix. Refrigerate 4 hours.

5. Melt chocolate, drizzle over dessert. Top with remaining cool whip. (I just realized as I type this that I totally forgot that part)

Amazing Bars

These are chocolate-peanut butter mallow bars from Food and Family. I made them to bring out to my future in laws for a little gathering. My future mother-in-law is known for her desserts and I normally don't even attempt dessert when we are going out there but I couldn't resist with these. I got tons of compliments. They basically combine every yummy thing into one ooey gooey bar.

Ingredients

1 pkg devil's food cake mix

1/2 c. butter - melted

2/3 c. cold milk

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

7 oz. marshmallow creme

1/2 c. salted peanuts

6 squares semi sweet chocolate - coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350. Mix dry cake mix, butter and 1/3 c. milk until blended. Press 2/3 onto bottom of 13x9 inch pan. Bake 12-14 min until center is almost set. Cool 3 min.

2. Mix peanut butter and remaining milk, spread onto crust. Top with spoonfuls of marshmallow creme and remaining cake mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate. Press gently into cake mixture.

3. Bake 18 min or just until center is set. Cool before cutting into bars.

Ben's 6th Birthday Cake

My attempt at making an Indiana Jones birthday cake for Ben. I thought it turned out pretty cute and it tasted good too! I got the recipe from another blog...here's the link - http://www.lifeasmom.com/2008/05/presenting-indiana-jones-birthday-cake.html

I didn't use the cake recipe she did. I just used a cake mix and baked according the box directions.

Ingredients

1 plastic palm tree

1 plastic bush

1 Indiana Jones action figure

1 dark chocolate cake mix

1 tub premade chocolate frosting

1 small box shortbread cookies

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray all three pans with non-stick cooking spray. You need a square cake pan, a loaf pan and a mini loaf pan. Prepare cake mix according to package instructions. Pour cakes into all three pans. Bake for 20-35 minutes, keep checking for doneness. Cool cakes completely.

2. Place square cake on serving platter and frost top. Cut off about 1 inch from the end of the loaf cake to make it the same size as the square cake. Place smaller piece in front of square cake for a "step." Place loaf cake on top of square cake near the back edge. Frost the top. Place mini loaf atop the regular loaf. Frost the entire thing.

3. Place the cookies in a plastic bag. Seal bag and crush cookies with rolling pin. Sprinkle cookie crumbs all over surface of cakes. Place palm tree, bush, and action figure.

Apple Tart

The cream cheese added that extra something that made it much better. This is another Food & Family recipe. Forewarning - leftovers aren't that tasty so definitely finish it the first time you make it!!

Ingredients

1 premade refrigerated pie crust

4 oz. cream creese

3 apples - thinly sliced - definitely use smaller apples, mine were too big

1/4 c. sugar

2 TBSP. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon sugar

1 c. cool whip - thawed

Ingredients

1. Heat oven to 450. Line 9 inch pie plate with crust. Spread cream cheese around the center.

2. Toss apples with sugar and flour. Spoon over cream creese.

3. Fold crust partially over apples. (I couldn't do this part since my apples were too big) Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 25 min. Cover loosely with foil for last 5 min. Cool. Serve with cool whip.

Scary Pudding Cups

I thought these would be fun for Ben so I gave them a try. I had to improvise because I didn't have the semi sweet melting chocolate. Instead I used black icing I had bought to decorate Halloween cookies. It worked well at first but after the pudding sat in the cups for a bit, it started to drip down the inside of the cups. Also, it appears that it should be minty since it's green but it's not. Although, mint would be pretty tasty.

Ingredients

1 square semi sweet baking chocolate

2 c cold milk

6 drops green food coloring

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding - the smaller package

8 oreo cookies - crushed - I scraped the creme off the cookies to make crushing them easier

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate in micowave as directed by package. Use a small paint brush to paint a monster face on the inside of cups. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Add milk and food coloring to dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min - or until well blended. Pour into prepared cups.

3. Top with cookie crumbs. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.