12-4-10

I'm all for making recipes with cheaply bought

ingredients! Here are a few I have found to make
for the Holidays.

.Cheddar Cheese Spritz cookies: Makes about 24 cookies..
You can make these in straight lines
instead of wreaths.

You will need a star disk for this in a cookie press.




You Need:1/2 cup unsalted butter,3tbsp heavy cream,1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese,1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese,1 tsp Baking pd,1tsp sugar,1/2 tsp salt.You can add some herbs and 1/2tsp lemon zest if you like.




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I started browsing my Pillsbury mini cookbooks,
those kind you find at the checkout at the grocery store.
I have somewhere between 300-400 of them.
I've been getting them from yard sales at a fraction
of the cost.

Anyway I ran across a recipe called
candy clay.
It is made from chocolate candy coating
or chocolate bark.
You can mold it into any shape you desire!
Click on photo to enlarge to see recipe.
Sorry I didn't feel like writing it out
so I cheated and took pictures of it.
I'm thinking about making candy canes
and possibly pressing this into candy molds.
...
I have this mold somewhere and I've
always wanted to do a chocolate toolbox
filled with tools for the maintenance guys
but had a problem using melted chocolate with it and getting
it to come out of the mold
without breaking.
If I find the mold I might give this a try with the
candy clay.

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Here's another recipe I found in a
Jello & Cool Whip cookbook.

Easy Rocky Road Fudge

This recipe doesn't require any
chocolate chips so it fits better into my budget!
You could also emit the nuts for an even cheaper version.
Try rice krispies store brand cereal instead for the crunch.
Or Dollar Tree sells a variety of nuts for $1.00.
Store brand pudding is cheaper than Jello!

.
OR here is another cheap version of fudge.

1- 12 oz bag chips, melt 90 seconds in microwave, take out & stir, add 1 can white frosting, (not whipped) stir, microwave another 90 seconds, take out, stir well, pour into a greased pan (8x8 is size I used) chill till set, about 1/2 hour.

Here are some ideas:

.German chocolate (coconut & pecan) frosting and milk chocolate chips.

.Peanut butter chips/chocolate frosting – tastes like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

.Mint chocolate chips/chocolate frosting – tastes like an Andes mint .

.Cherry chips/chocolate frosting – tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry .

.white frosting with white chips and added coconut and slivered almonds..

peanut butter chips with white frosting for peanut butter fudge

.Pina Colada Fudge
1(12-ounce) package (2 cups) white vanilla chips
1 (3.25-ounce) jar macadamia nuts, chopped, toasted
1 (16-ounce) can Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
1/2 cup coconut, toasted
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Line 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges. Place chips in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth.
Reserve ¼ cup nuts for garnish. Add remaining nuts and all remaining ingredients to melted chip mixture; mix well. Spread in foil-lined pan. Sprinkle with reserved nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil. Remove foil; cut into squares.
Makes 36 squares..
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.Favorite Cookies and Cream Fudge
1 (12 oz.) pkg. vanilla chips
1 can cookies and cream frosting
10 oreos, cut in quarters
3 oreos, crushed

Line an 8 inch square pan with foil. Melt chips over low heat. Remove from heat. Add frosting. Stir in quartered oreos, and mix until well coated. Quickly spread into pan. Sprinkle with crushed cookies.
Refrigerate 1 hour until firm..

And remember to save those frosting containers!
Cut out wrapping paper and glue to sides
to give it a more festive look.
Put your cut up fudge inside to give as gifts!
.

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You're gonna needs some of these
after doing Christmas shopping!
Got me and mom some :0)

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Crock Pot Potpourri

You usually have these things when
baking so why not throw a few ingredients
in your potpourri pot to make your house smell good!

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Christmas Simmering potpourri

Simple and great smelling. I like to mix the dry ingredients up in little Ziploc's to have them ready to add to water during the holiday season.

3 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 lemon slices, fresh or 2 tablespoons dried lemon peel
2 tablespoons orange peel or dried orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 quart water

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan. Simmer on low heat. Add more water as needed.

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Spent most the afternoon putting up
Christmas lights & decorations.
Got done around 4:30pm.

........

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6:30PM

This evening I got a hankerin' for some
cookies. I made up 2 1/2 dozen peanut butter cookies.
I had some leftover chocolate from making
the snowman pretzels so rolled the edges of
the cookies in that. Yum yum!!
.


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More Spritz Cookie recipes & ideas.

Classic Spritz Cookies from Wilton

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon no-color almond extract

Makes: 7-8 dozen cookies.

instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat until combined. Do not chill. Fill cookie press with dough and with desired disks, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet on cooling rack. Remove from sheet; cool completely.

.

1 cup butter, softened (I use margarine)
3 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Mix the margarine, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla, add flour and mix by hand.


Spoon into cookie press,then press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars.


Bake in preheated 400 degrees F oven for 7-10 minutes. ( keep a careful eye on the temp & time in oven)!.

.

.

Key Lime Spritz Cookies

.

.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1 tsp. finely shredded key lime or lime peel (set aside)

2 tsp. key lime or lime juice

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Coarse sugar (optional)

Lime Icing (optional)

Green colored sugar (optional)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, salt and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and juice until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour and the lime peel.

2. Place unchilled dough into cookie press fitted with template. Force dough through cookie press, forming desired shapes, 1 inch apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. If you like, sprinkle cookies with coarse sugar.

3. Bake in a 400 degree F. oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. If you like, drizzle with Lime Icing; let stand 20 minutes or until set. Or, dip tops of cookies in Lime Icing, if you like, and sprinkle with green sugar. Let stand until set.

4. Store undrizzled cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Makes about 84 cookies.

Lime Icing
In a small bowl stir together 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons lime juice and enough milk (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make drizzling consistency. If desired, tint pale green with food coloring. Makes about 1/3 cup icing.

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Chocolate-Mocha Spritz Cookies

Ingredients:

Yield:

90 90

90-120

Servings Size

• Spritz cookies

Spritz cookies

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, heaped
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, mixed in
• 1 teaspoon boiling water

Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 37 mins

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200 degrees C).
2. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl, stir to mix.
3. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Add the chocolate, beat again, add coffee and cocoa powder.
5. Gradually add the the flour mixture while making.
6. Fit a cookie press with desired plate and fill the press with dough, press the dough 1 inch apart onto a ungreased cookie sheet. If you don't have a press, I'm sure you could use a pasty bag and pipe shapes.
7. Bake batches for 7 mins or until set (you might want to play around with timings as most ovens are unique). Note these cookies harden whilst they cool, I would also recommend using a mixer unless your super strong as it's quite a lot of dough.

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Jello Spritz Cookies

Makes about 9 dozen

1 box (3 ounce) Jello
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons, 1 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cup flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together butter, shortening, jello, and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.
3. Add salt and baking powder, mix well. Gradually add flour. Mix well.
4. Using a spritz cookie press, press dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. [Alternatively, you could use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (or play around with other tips) to make freehand shapes].
5. Bake for about 8 minutes. Don’t brown the cookies, they should be just firm to touch when done.
6. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container. These cookies can also be frozen to be eaten later.

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