Volume 9, Issue 110 - December 2, 2005

Hello Recipe Club Member,

A quick note to remind you that our Holiday Recipe Guide is "Live" on the site.

Here is the last of the 15 Cookie recipes that Pam used in our Christmas Cookie Platters this year. Once all the cookies are baked, she arranges them on red and green plastic oval platters. Then they are wrapped in clear or colored plastic wrap. Tie two candy canes and a cinnamon stick to the gathered plastic wrap at the top of the plate with decorative ribbon and your cookie platters are done.

Leftover cookies can be left for Santa under the tree or given to the UPS, FedEx or Postal folks. They really appreciate them! Have a great weekend.

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Sugar Cookies

Makes approximately 36 cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
granulated sugar, colored if desired

Preparation:

Beat butter and shortening thoroughly with an electric mixer or pastry cutter. Add sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt and mix until well combined. Beat in egg and vanilla then as much flour as you can with the electric mixer. Stir in the remaining flour. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Split the dough in 1/2 and roll one half at a time. Keep the piece you aren't using in the fridge. Cut out with appropriate shaped cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for about 7 to 8 minutes, until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned.

Sugar Cookie Icing

Ingredients:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring

Preparation:

In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Add the corn syrup and almond extract; mix well. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to desired intensity. Dip cookies or paint them with a brush.

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Hazelnut Balls

Makes approximately 20 balls

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1 cup hazelnuts or pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl except the confectioner's sugar. Use a large wooden spoon or your hands to mix thoroughly. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Form dough into 1-1/4-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until set but not brown. Do not overcook. Let stand 1 minute in pan then remove to wire rack. Cool until barely warm. Roll in sifted confectioners sugar. Cool completely, then just before serving, roll again in the confectioners sugar.

Chocolate Puffs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
powdered sugar

Preparation:

Melt shortening and chocolate together. Remove from heat and add sugar, blending thoroughly. Add vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Sift flour with baking powder and stir into the chocolate mixture.

Chill overnight. Form into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.