Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This soup is a monthly winter staple at our house. When we lived in Minnesota we were introduced to this native dish. It is great with a fresh crusty bread. When I was searching for a recipe to make this most had a base of cream of something soup. This recipe is completely from scratch however. This provides you with a superior flavor and texture.My favorite Minnesota rice is this one from the Red Lake Nation. When we lived in Minnesota it was readily available at the grocery stores, but since we moved I either order it or wait until we go back to pick some up.I have always made this with plain Minnesota harvested wild rice. I’ve never tried the quick cooking or something like Uncle Ben’s. I imagine this wouldn’t change the consistency much, it would just shorten the cooking time substantially.  Just remember to make the rice before you start the soup. It takes so long  to cook you won’t have enough time. I typically make extra chicken in the crop pot when we have tacos and then freeze some of the shredded chicken. This helps when cooking this meal because then you just need to defrost and add the chicken.

---

Creamy Chicken and Minnesota Wild Rice Soup½ Cup Wild Rice (Prepared)2 Tablespoons ButterChopped OnionChopped CarrotChopped Celery4 Tablespoons Flour32oz Chicken Broth1 Cup Cream2 Large Cooked Chicken Breasted Shredded or ChunkedThyme, Pepper and Salt to taste

Prepare your Wild Rice (½ Cup Rice, 2 Cups of water, boiled for 50-55min and then drained and rinsed)

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven.

Add the veggies and cook until the carrots are tender and the onion is translucent.

Add the flour and whisk until combined.

Add the broth, cream and seasonings.Bring to a boil

Add the rice and seasonings, heat thoroughly and serve.

Red Velvet Mini-Bundt

Red Velvet is a great way to make any dinner party or dessert a little fancier. These bundts are a vibrant red and have a delicious flavor. They would make a fantastic Valentines dessert.  I chose to top half of them with vanilla cream cheese frosting and the other half with chocolate ganache and white chocolate chips.

---

Red Velvet Mini-Bundt½ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Oil½ Cup Buttermilk1 Eggs1 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring½ Teaspoon White Vinegar½ Teaspoon Vanilla1 ¼ Cup Flour¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar½ Teaspoon Baking Soda¼ Heaping Teaspoon salt½ Tablespoon Dutch Process Cocoa Powder

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a mini-bundt pan

Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, vinegar, buttermilk, red food coloring, milk and oil in a large bowl.

When well combined add the baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.

Add the flour and mix well.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 2 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.(If you don’t turn them out right after you bake they will likely stick to the pan.)Let cool completely then glaze, or ice.

---

Source:Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

---

 

Mint Chocolate Mini-Bundt

These bundts have a deliciously light mint flavor while still maintaining the perfect chocolate effect. They are reminiscent of Girl Scout cookies, especially when paired with a chocolate-mint glaze. Be aware that you need to add boiling water to the batter. Be careful when pouring  so as not to burn yourself.For these bundts I used a chocolate-mint ganache on half and a vanilla cream cheese frosting with mint-chocolate chips on the other half.

---

Mint Chocolate Mini-Bundt¾ Cup and 2 Tablespoons Sugar1 Cup Flour¼ and 2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder½ Heaping Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Heaping Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Heaping Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract½ Tablespoon Peppermint Extract1 Egg½ Cup Milk¼ Cup Oil½ Cup Boiling Water

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a mini-bundt panMix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, peppermint, milk and oil in a large bowl.When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.Add the flour and mix well.

Slowly add the boiling water and mix well, being careful not to splash the liquid around.Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.Let cool for 2 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.(If you don’t turn them out right after you bake they will likely stick to the pan.)

Let cool completely then glaze, or ice.

---

Source:Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

---

  

Vanilla Mini-Bundt

I don’t normally enjoy plain vanilla, its just too bland for my tastes. This cake has a lot of good flavor though and is light and fluffy. Make sure you cream the butter and sugar together before adding the other ingredients. This will give you a fluffy buttery base for your cakes. I iced half of these with a vanilla buttercream and the other half with Nutella.

---

Vanilla Mini-Bundt1 ¼ Cup Flour1 ¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda¼ Teaspoon Salt6 Tablespoons Butter¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar2 Eggs¾ Teaspoon Vanilla½ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Milk

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a mini-bundt panCream together the butter and sugar.Mix the eggs, vanilla, milk and vanilla into the butter/sugar mixture.When well combined add the baking soda and salt.Add the flour and mix well.Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 2 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.(If you don’t turn them out right after you bake they will likely stick to the pan.)

Let cool completely then glaze, or ice.

---

Source:Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

---

 

Chocolate Mini-Bundt

The second set of mini-bundts I made for Alex’s work was a dozen chocolate bundts. This recipe is very easy and turns out fantastic! For these bundts I made half of them turtle (caramel and pecan) and half were iced with a vanilla cream cheese icing. Be aware that you need to add boiling water at the end of this recipe. You will be adding it to the prepared batter so stir very carefully.

---

Chocolate Mini-Bundt¾ Cup and 2 Tablespoons Sugar1 Cup Flour¼ and 2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder½ Heaping Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Heaping Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Heaping Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract1 Egg½ Cup Milk¼ Cup Oil½ Cup Boiling Water

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a mini-bundt pan

Mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk and oil in a large bowl.When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.

Add the flour and mix well.

Slowly add the boiling water and mix well, being careful not to splash the liquid around.Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 2 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.(If you don’t turn them out right after you bake they will likely stick to the pan.)Let cool completely then glaze, or ice.

---

Source:Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

---

  

Pumpkin Mini-Bundt

Recently I had the opportunity to bake birthday treats for Alex’s office. I couldn’t decide what type to make so I went ahead and made five different types! I absolutely love the Nordic Ware Brownie Bundt pans. This recipe makes one pan of mini-bundts, just multiply the recipe per how many dozen you need. They also tend to pop over the edges, if you want smaller bundt use a mini muffin pan for the extra batter.This bundt pairs well with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, caramel, cinnamon glaze or a vanilla buttercream frosting. I had a jar of Trader Joes Pumpkin Caramel Sauce on hand so I used that on one half of the bundts. I put a vanilla buttercream with drizzled caramel sauce and crushed pecans on the other half of the bundts.

---

Pumpkin Mini-Bundt1 ½ Cup Flour½ Tablespoon Baking Powder½ Tablespoon Baking Soda½ Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice½ Teaspoon Salt2 Eggs½ Cup Sugar½ Cup Brown Sugar1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract7.5 oz Pumpkin Puree½ Cup Oil

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a mini-bundt pan

Mix the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree and oil in a large bowl.

When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well.Add the flour and mix well.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 2 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.(If you don’t turn them out right after you bake they will likely stick to the pan.)

Let cool completely then glaze, or ice.

---

Source:Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

---

 

Homemade Pretzel Buns

These buns have become a semi-regular occurrence in our household. They are light and fluffy with a slightly sweet tang to them. We love to pair them with Pulled Pork BBQ or Chicken BBQ. I always make them in our automatic bread maker, but you can just as easily adapt this recipe if you don’t have one. Just mix and let rest for an hour, then beat and let rest for another half hour. Just make sure to keep the dough warm to encourage it to rise.I find that when I go to cut the dough apart for rolls it is easiest to do if I use a pizza cutter to separate the dough. I also cut it into quarters then cut those in half. This gives me rolls about the size of a hamburger bun. If you want smaller dinner sized rolls just cut the quarters into quarters and then form your rolls. I find this tutorial very helpful when rolling buns or dinner rolls and I suggest you check it out.

---

 Pretzel Buns:1 Cup Water (room temp)2 Teaspoons Salt1 Tablespoon Honey3 ¼ Cup Flour2 ¼ Teaspoons YeastBaking Soda Bath:4 Cups Water¼ Cup Baking SodaPlace the water, salt, honey, flour and yeast in a bread maker in the order listed. Select the “Dough” cycle.Once your dough cycle is complete remove from the bread pan and set on a lightly floured counter.

Cut the dough into eight to twelve pieces. Shape into buns.

Let rest while you prepare the baking soda bath.

When your baking soda bath is boiling add the buns one at a time. Poach both sides (approximately 1 minute).

Remove from the baking soda bath and set onto a lined baking sheet.

Cut vents in the top and cover with Kosher salt.Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes.

---

Source:Adapted from: Cuisinart Recipe Booklet

Pumpkin Brownie Pie

This is a pie you must try! When we celebrated the holidays with Alex’s family I made several different pies. In my opinion this one was by far the best. It is decadent and is a unique flavor combination. I never would have thought to pair chocolate and pumpkin in a pie.  The chocolate in the dessert is quite rich and the pumpkin filling is light an airy.One thing that you need to make sure to do is mix the extra water into the left over batter. I forgot to do this on my pie so the brownie filling sort of sunk to the bottom instead of being swirled on top.

---

Pumpkin Brownie PieBrownie Filling:1 Stick Butter12oz Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips2/3 Cup Brown Sugar2 Eggs1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract½ Cup Flour2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Salt Pumpkin Filling:1 Cup Pumpkin Puree1 Cup Heavy Cream1 Egg¼ Cup Sugar¼ Cup Flour½ Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice¼ Teaspoon Salt Preheat the oven to 350 and coat the bottom of a 9in pie plate with oil or butter. To make the brownie filling:Heat the butter, chocolate chips and brown sugar in a saucepan, whisking occasionally until the butter and chocolate are melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in eggs and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until combined.. Pour about one third of the batter into the plate and set the rest aside. Bake until the top is shiny and just set, about 20min. To make the pumpkin filling;Combine the pumpkin, cream, egg, sugar, flour, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the pumpkin over the warm brownie layer. Stir 1 Tablespoon of water into the remaining brownie batter, then spoon the batter onto the pumpkin filling. Using the back of the spoon or a knife pull the brownie batter into the pumpkin filling creating a swirl design. Bake until the whole pie is set about 40-45min.

---

Source:Adapted from: Food Network Magazine, November 2014 pg. 184

Peppermint Chocolate Pie

So now that Christmas is done and you've (hopefully) taken down most of your decorations I’m sure you've got candy canes left over and are searching for the perfect sweet treat to use them with.  This is a fantastic way to use those last few peppermint candies! This pie is light, fluffy and pepperminty. I used peppermint hot chocolate instead of water in order to give it a more complex flavor.

You can make this pie in either a graham cracker crust or a traditional pie crust. Just be aware if you choose the traditional pie crust you will need to blind bake it before you add the filling. I used Cool Whip as the topping for the pie. If you have more time while prepping you could try a homemade whipped cream in either a vanilla or peppermint. This will accent the lightness of the pie well.

---

For the Crust:30 Wafer Cookies or 1 Package of  Chocolate Graham Crackers3 Tbsp Sugar6 Tbsp Melted ButterYou can also use a premade graham cracker crust. If you choose to go with a traditional pie crust you will need to blind bake it before you add the filling.To make the crust grind the cookies and sugar in a food processor, add the melted butter and pulse until moist. Press into a 9inch pie plate and bake for 18-22 minutes. Cool before filling.For the Filling:2 Cups Milk or Cream½ Cup Sugar¼ Cup Cornstarch½ tsp Salt4 Egg Yolks2 Tbsp Cooled Peppermint Hot Chocolate¼ tsp PeppermintExtract4oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chopped/Semi-Sweet Chocolate ChipsHeat the milk in a large saucepan until hot but not boiling. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl then add the egg yolk, cooled hot cocoa and peppermint. Whisk half of the hot milk into the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. This will take approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat once it thickens and stir in the chocolate.{The recipe calls for chopped chocolate. I never seem to have the baker’s bars on hand so I typically just use chocolate chips. I know some bakers’ say not to do this because of the differences in the amount of cocoa butter in the chocolate chips and the baker’s bars. I’ve never had any trouble substituting the chocolate chips though.  If you happen to have a baker’s bar on hand I would suggest you use it. You will have a richer finished product. But don’t worry if you only have chocolate chips on hand, those will work great in this recipe!}Transfer the mixture into another bowl and let it cool, whisking it every so often to prevent a skin from forming.Pour into the pie crust and press plastic wrap onto the top and let it cool in the refrigerator. I found it was best to leave it overnight in the fridge. The original recipe calls for at least 4 hours. When you are ready to serve, top with Cool Whip and crushed peppermint candies.Because you put plastic wrap on the top you won’t have a very pretty top. However, the plastic wrap will keep a skin from forming on the pie. You probably want to cover the whole top so you can get a gorgeous dessert in addition to a yummy one.

---

Source:Adapted from: “Sweet: Our Best Cupcakes, Cookies, Candy, and More – Editors of Food Network Magazine

---

 

Fried Ravioli

Are you looking for the perfect hors d'oeuvre to complete your New Years Eve party menu? This is a great last minute recipe that your party guests will love.I absolutely love ravioli in any form. I just love the way the filling adds the hint of cheesiness that make the pasta so yummy. These are super easy to make, and your party guests will love this treat.

---

 Fried Ravioli:Boil the ravioli until fully cooked. They will rise to the surface of the water when they are done. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.

Place about 2 inches of oil in a sauce pan and set on medium low heat.

While your oil is heating prepare your breadcrumb topping. I used about 2 cups of Panko bread crumbs, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and a pinch of white pepper. You can use whatever flavor combination appeals to your taste buds. Be sure to mix thoroughly.Take two eggs, put them in a separate bowl and beat lightly until the yolk and egg whites have mixed.Take your dry ravioli and dip in flour, then in the egg mixture and finally into the bread crumbs.

When your oil is bubbling put the covered ravioli in the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on clean paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Serve with Marinara sauce.

Potato Soup

Alex and I love to have a different soup every Sunday night during the winter. This is one of our favorite recipes to enjoy. It makes a fantastic and hearty soup. This is a great recipe to make when you have leftover ham lying around. This recipe is from my Mother, originally from my Aunt I believe. I have made a couple of changes depending on what I have on hand when I go to make this. This pairs well with a nice crusty bread. Our favorites are and Italian or Flax Seed made in our bread maker. This would also be great with leftover rolls from your Christmas celebration.Typically I use water when making this recipe, but the last few times I’ve made it I’ve had leftover chicken stock from other soups in my fridge. I find that adding the chicken stock give the soup a more complex flavor and would suggest it if you have some on hand.The best veggies to use in this recipe (the ones my mother always uses) are the frozen California Blend veggies. These should be diced before they are put in the soup. However, I don’t always have those veggies on hand. When I photographed making this I had a bag of frozen mixed veggies in the freezer so I used that. Alex said he really enjoyed that since he got a wider variety of veggies.I have also cooked carrots and celery in the pot with the potatoes and removed them all before pureeing it. Then added them back in along with broccoli, corn or green beans. You can use whatever veggies your family prefers or that you have on hand. Just make sure that if you are using frozen veggies you don’t put them in the soup frozen.

---

Potato Soup:4 Cups cubed Potatoes2 ½ Cups Chicken Stock (or Water)1 Small Onion3 Tablespoons Butter3oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese1 Cup California Blend Veggies (diced)Ham, CubedSalt, Pepper, Garlic and Paprika to tasteBring the potatoes, onion, butter and chicken stock to a boil in a large stockpot.Boil for approximately 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft and the onions are translucent.Spoon half the potatoes and one third of the liquid into a separate bowl.Puree the remaining potato mixture in stockpot. Put the potatoes and water back in the pot. Add the ham, cheese veggies and spices and heat through.

Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

For the last few years I have been obsessed with bundt cakes. I love how elegant they are without being horribly time consuming. I found the most amazing bundt cake recipe book called “Kiss by Bundt”.  This is a great cookbook that gives great base recipes that you can combine and change to suit whatever flavor you are trying to achieve. This cake would be a great last minute addition to any Christmas or Christmas Eve celebration.I decorated the top with holly leaves for a festive feel to the cake. Since I didn’t want to get out all of my icing paraphernalia I simply used snack sized baggies and cut and end off. You will want to mix a small amount of icing with red or green food coloring to get the detail for the cake. I used a toothpick to pull the icing out to make the decoration.I always keep dry buttermilk on hand for baking. I have not found that this effects the taste of the cake any.

---

Red Velvet Bundt Cake:1 ¼ Cup Oil1 Cup Buttermilk2 Eggs2 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring1 Teaspoon White Vinegar1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 ½ Cup Flour1 ¾ Cup Sugar1 Teaspoon Baking Soda2/4 Teaspoon salt1 Tablespoon Dutch Process Cocoa Powder Chocolate Ganache:¼ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream¾ Cup Chocolate Chips1 Teaspoon Vanilla Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:2oz Unsalted Butter4oz Softened Cream Cheese1 Cup Powdered Sugar¼ Teaspoon Vanilla To make the cake:Preheat the oven to 350. Using an electric mixer, combine oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.With your mixer on low slowly add your dry ingredients.Transfer your batter to a large bundt pan that has been generously coated in cooking spray or flour.Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.Invert the cake onto a cooling rack. It should just fall right out. If it resists let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting. Cool completely before frosting (about 1 hour). To make ganache:Heat the heavy cream over medium heat until boiling.Remove from the heat and add chocolate chips and vanilla.Stir until smooth.When it is cool pour evenly over the top of the cake and let harden. For the frosting:Cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.Slowly add powdered sugar until well combined.Add vanilla and combine well.Spread over the top of the cake with a spatula. To Decorate:Fill baggies with small amounts of frosting and mix with red or green food coloring. Cut an edge of baggie and use to apply frosting.Make small lines of frosting on the cake.Use a toothpick to pull the frosting out into the design.Make small red dots for holly berries.

---

Red Velvet Bundt Cake Source: Kiss my Bundt – Chrysta Wilson

---

  

Twelve Days of Cookies: Molasses Sugar Cookies

These are Alex’s favorite cookies. They were originally made by his Grandmother and now his Mother makes them.  They taste very similar to a gingerbread or gingersnap cookie but they are far softer than either of those.  These are definitely the best smelling cookies that I made this year. My whole house smelled like Christmas while they were baking. If you are looking for a last minute cookie to take to your celebration this is an amazing choice.

---

Molasses Sugar Cookies:1 ½ c. shortening2 c. sugar½ c. molasses2 eggs4 c. flour4 tsp. baking soda1 tsp. cloves1 tsp. ginger2 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. saltAdditional Sugar for rolling Preheat the oven to 350. In a separate bowl, melt shortening.Remove from heat and let cool a bit (so eggs don’t cook when added!).Add sugar, molasses, and eggs.Beat well with electric mixer.Add dry ingredients and mix well.Chill dough for several hours (or overnight).Roll in 1” balls and then roll in sugar.Bake 8-10 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Gingerbread Men

I have tried several gingerbread recipes over the years. This is by far my favorite recipe. With the other recipes I have tried they have never truly turned out.  These cookies are deliciously spicy and are especially fantastic when decorated with royal icing. This year I didn’t really have time to add any icing to these, but I have done it in the past and they turn out amazing.

---

Gingerbread Men:1 Cup Butter1 Cup Sugar1 Cup Molasses1 Egg4 Cups Flour1 Teaspoon Salt1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Vanilla1 Teaspoon Cinnamon1 ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves2 Teaspoons Ginger1 Teaspoon NutmegPreheat the oven to 350. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.Mix in molasses and egg until well combined.Add the vanilla, soda, powder and spices. Combine well.Add the flour and mix until incorporated.Cover the bowl and chill for at least one hour.Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately a ¼ inch thickness.Cut into the desired shapes. Place cookies onto a prepared baking sheet.Bake for 10 minutes. Decorate as desired.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Snowballs

These are my personal favorite cookies that I made this Christmas season. I love the chocolaty flavor combined with the powdered sugar coating.  Surprisingly this was the only chocolate cookie I made this season. These cookies will be quite popular at any Christmas gathering you might take them to.I strongly urge you to invest in a quality Dutch Process Cocoa powder. You can really taste the difference between the natural cocoa and dutch process cocoa. You will get a richer, more complex chocolaty taste if you use the dutch process. I hear a saying once, “once you go dutch, you don’t go back!” and it is very true! I only use dutch process cocoa powder now to bake. I prefer to get my cocoa powder from Penzey's Spices in Minneapolis. I find they have excellent quality cocoa for a decent price. You can also find dutch process cocoa online if you prefer

---

Chocolate Snowballs:½ Cup Butter1 ¼ Brown Sugar1 Egg1 Teaspoon Vanilla1 ½ Cup Flour½ Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder¾ Teaspoon Salt¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda Preheat the oven to 350. Cream together the butter and brown sugar.Add the egg and vanilla.Slowly combine the dry ingredients.Cover and chill for 30 minutes.Roll into balls and roll in powdered sugar.Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Raspberry Jam Thumbprints

These are the most versatile cookies I make during the Christmas season. Each year they turn out differently depending what jam I use. This year I used raspberry jam. Last year was strawberry jam. These would also be excellent with a homemade jam on top!One thing I have noticed is that people tend to enjoy the cookies more then there is a mound of jam on top of these cookies. I had one person remark that they hadn’t ever seen cookies this large and jam filled before. I’ve found that these cookies tend to spread out so make sure that you top them with plenty of jam so that each bite has a lot of flavor.

---

Raspberry Jam Thumbprints:1 Cup Butter2/3 Cup Sugar2 Eggs1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 Cups Flour½ Teaspoon SaltApproximately 6oz of JamPreheat the oven to 375. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Beat in the eggs and vanilla.Add the flour and salt and mix until well incorporated and the dough comes together in a ball.Form the dough into 1 inch balls.Flatten the balls slightly with your thumb or the back of a spoon leaving an indentation in the center.Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms are just barely golden.Remove the baking sheet from the oven and redefine the indentations. Fill the indentation with a healthy scoop of jam.Bake for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the jam is slightly melted and the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Snickerdoodles

This classic cookie is one of my Mother’s favorites. I have very fond memories of making these cookies as a child. These cookies have a crunchy, sugary taste that pairs well with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. It flattens a lot while baking so you want to make sure that you space them out far enough. If you use a baker’s half sheet you can fit about a dozen cookies per sheet.You want to make sure that you coat these generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture. This mixture provides much of the flavor for the cookie so don’t skimp!

---

Snickerdoodles:2 ¾ Cup Flour½ Teaspoon Salt2 Teaspoons Baking Powder1 ½ Cup Sugar2 Eggs1 Teaspoon VanillaCoating:1/3 Cup Sugar2 Teaspoons CinnamonPreheat oven to 400. Cream together the butter and sugar until smoothAdd the eggs and vanilla.Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until the dough is smooth.Wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm (one or two hours).When the dough is firm enough to handle, roll into 1 inch balls.Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on a cookie sheet.Gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass.Bake 8-10 minutes.(Best if stores in an airtight container at room temperature, and eaten within 10 days.)

Twelve Days of Cookies: Sugar Cookies

These are a great classic sugar cookie.  While you can’t roll these out they have great flavor and are quite chewy. These are a fantastic addition to any Christmas cookie platter and are appropriate throughout the year.  If you wanted to give these an extra special kick they would be great paired with a buttercream frosting.

---

Sugar Cookies:1 Cup Butter1 ½ Cup Sugar1 Egg1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 ¾ Cup Flour1 Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Baking PowderPreheat the oven to 375. Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth.Beat in the egg and vanilla.Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.Roll rounded teaspoonful’s of dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Coconut Shortbreads

These cookies were a surprise hit. They were the other new cookie I tried this year, and to be honest I didn’t have high hopes for them. Looking at the ingredient list they looked like they would be pretty bland and nutty. Two things that I don’t enjoy in a cookie!These cookies are surprising flavorful and they don’t taste like coconut. When I first saw the recipe I was especially concerned about that since I don’t really enjoy that flavor. These simply taste like a really nutty sugar cookie. You can use any type of chopped nut that you like, I simply had chopped walnuts on hand. I baked mine for the full 12 minutes suggested. This ended with a great crunchy cookie. If you prefer a softer cookie you may want to bake for less time.I picked up this recipe when we were cleaning up Hubby’s grandparent’s house. The recipe was an old newspaper clipping from the Star Tribune. Unfortunately there is no date or edition number on my small clipping.

---

Coconut Shortbread Cookies:1 Cup Shortening½ Cup Sugar½ Cup Brown Sugar1 Egg1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 Cups Flour1 Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Baking Soda¾ Cup Chopped Walnuts½ Cup Shredded CoconutAdditional Sugar for rollingPreheat oven to 350. Cream Shorting and both sugars togetherAdd the egg, vanilla, flour, salt, soda, nuts and coconut.Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls, and then roll in the granulated sugar.Place on a cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.Bake 10-12 minutes.

---

Source: The Minneapolis Star Tribune

---

  

Twelve Days of Cookies: Peanut Butter Cookies

These are classic Christmas cookies. I have great memories of making these when I was a kid. These have a great peanut butter flavor and are a great crispy cookie. They are very easy to make and are a must for a well-rounded cookie platter.Make sure that you use creamy peanut butter to make these. They spread out quite well and will be lumpy if you use crunchy peanut butter.These cookies would be great to make a cookie butter with if you have leftovers!

---

Peanut Butter Cookies1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter1 Cup Butter1 Cup Sugar1 Cup Brown Sugar2 Eggs2 ½ Cups Flour1 Teaspoon Baking Powder1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Salt Preheat the oven to 375.Beat together the first four ingredients until they are creamy.Beat in the eggs.Stir in the dry ingredients.Refrigerate for at least one hour.Roll into one inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet.Flatten each ball with a fork with a criss-cross on top.Bake for 10 minutes.