Tag Archives: cooking

December 3, 2010 · 7:40 am

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Revel Bars

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DAY 8: This bar cookie has been a long time favorite at our house. The recipe is from a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook that I received as a wedding gift more than 20 years ago.

A layer of rich chocolate fudge sandwiched between oat-filled cookie layers: what more could you ask for in a cookie bar?

RECIPE:

Chocolate Revel Bars

Servings: 36
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1 cup butter
2 ½ cups flour (white or whole wheat)
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla, divided
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbs butter
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat 1 cup butter with mixer for 30 seconds. Add 1 ½ cups of the flour, the brown sugar, eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, and baking soda. Mix thoroughly. Beat in remaining 1 cup flour. Stir in oats.

In a saucepan, combine chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and 2 Tbs butter. Cook over low until chocolate melts. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts and 2 tsp vanilla.

Press 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1” baking pan. Spread chocolate mixture over oat mixture. Using your fingers, dot remaining oat mixture over chocolate.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is lightly browned (chocolate layer will still look underdone). Cool completely before cutting into 2-inch squares.

Makes about 3 dozen bars (2” square).

Recipe from Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

NoEmptyChairs.me

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES (2010) RECAP:
DAY 1: Raspberry Crumb Bars
DAY 2: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
DAY 3: Chocolate Nutella Cookies
DAY 4: Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
DAY 5: Almond Macaroon Brownies
DAY 6: Trail Mix Cookies
DAY 7: Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

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Tagged as baking, better homes and gardens, chocolate, christmas, Christmas cookies, cookie bars, Cookies, cooking, dessert, food, nuts, oats, recipe, revel

December 2, 2010 · 7:20 am

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

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DAY 7: A nice alternative to regular Sugar Cookies, this dough can be rolled flat and cut into shapes with cookie cutters, or rolled into logs and cut into circles (super fast and easy!). For decorated “log-rolled cookies”: either roll the entire log in sprinkles before slicing, or slice and then top with sprinkles (press sprinkles into dough slightly).

I made these during the summer, so they don’t look very Christmassy, but with some fun Christmas sprinkles (I love the large variety packs that they sell at Target and other stores with the shaped sprinkles-trees, gingerbread men, holly, snowflakes!), they are an easy way to add fun sugar cookies to your Christmas Cookie Plate.

I also like to use this recipe when I am using cookie cutters with an imprint on the top (one that shows on the face of the cookie). Frosting covers up all of those great details. For those cookies, I mix sprinkles directly into the dough. Chill and roll out like regular sugar cookie dough and cut out with your cookie cutters. That way you get the imprint on the face and some festive sprinkles throughout the cookie.

RECIPE:

Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
About ¼ cup “sprinkles” candies

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer. Beat in sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add half of the flour and the baking powder; mix well. Beat or stir in remaining flour and sprinkles (**For round cookies, don’t mix in sprinkles; see note below).

Chill dough for 1-3 hours. Roll to ¼” thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. For a soft cookie, be sure not to overcook! Cool on a wire rack.

**For round cookies: Do not mix sprinkles into dough. Divide dough in half and roll into logs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill dough. For sprinkles on outside edges: roll entire log in sprinkles, then cut into slices and bake. For sprinkles on top of cookies: Cut logs into slices; top with sprinkles. Press sprinkles into cookies slightly; bake as directed above.

Makes about 4 dozen sliced round cookies.

NoEmptyChairs.me

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Tagged as baking, christmas, Christmas cookies, Cookies, cooking, cream cheese, dessert, desserts, food, log roll, recipe, sprinkles, sugar cookies

December 1, 2010 · 10:28 am

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Trail Mix Cookies

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DAY 6: We’re half-way through our sugar-laden journey through Christmas cookies. Time for a cookie that at least pretends to be healthy. Packed full of everything you love in a good trail mix: dried fruits, nuts, 3 different seeds (and a little chocolate, of course); plus rolled oats, honey, whole wheat flour and wheat germ. I find these cookies very addicting. I love the hearty mouth-feel and chewy texture.

RECIPE:

Trail Mix Cookies

Servings: Makes about 60 cookies
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1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour (white or finely milled whole wheat)
½ cup wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup slivered almonds
¾ cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
1/3 cup flax seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cream butter and brown sugar; beat in honey, eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour, wheat germ, baking soda and salt. Stir in oats, fruits, nuts, seeds and chocolate chips. Mix well.

Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to wire racks.

NoEmptyChairs.me

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November 30, 2010 · 9:30 am

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Almond Macaroon Brownies

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DAY 5: An easy way to dress up a boxed brownie mix!

Brownies topped with a coconut and almond cheesecake layer: thick, rich and delicious. As a real nut-lover, this recipe is one of my favorites.

RECIPE:

Almond Macaroon Brownies

Servings: About 16
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1 brownie mix for 9×13” pan PLUS ingredients for preparing (usually water, oil, and eggs)
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
16 oz (2 pkg) cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
2 Tbs. flour
1 pkg (14 oz) flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare brownie mix according to box directions. Add half of almonds to brownie batter. Spread in two greased 8×8” pans (or one greased 9×13” pan: see NOTE below).

With a mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Beat in 2 eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, and flour. Stir in coconut and remaining almonds. Carefully spread over brownie layer. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes (50-60 minutes for 9×13” pan) until center is completely cooked (cover with foil if top layer starts to get too brown). Cool completely before cutting.

NOTE: I usually bake this in 2 square baking pans because the center will set faster. You can use a 9×13” pan instead, but be sure the center is completely cooked before removing from oven.

NoEmptyChairs.me

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES (2010) RECAP:
DAY 1: Raspberry Crumb Bars
DAY 2: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
DAY 3: Chocolate Nutella Cookies
DAY 4: Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

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Tagged as almond, baking, bar cookies, brownies, christmas, coconut, Cookies, cooking, cream cheese, dessert, desserts, food, macaroon, recipe

November 29, 2010 · 11:06 am

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

DAY 4: These lemon poppy seed cookies are the texture of a soft sugar cookie, without the hassle of rolling and cutting. The cookies have just a hint of lemon flavor; I added a lemon glaze to intensify the lemon flavor.—

RECIPE:

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

Servings: Makes 30-36 cookies
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2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
zest of one lemon (divided)
¼ cup buttermilk

Glaze:
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs light corn syrup
1 cup powdered sugar
lemon zest (from half of a lemon)
1-2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and poppy seeds. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and half of the lemon zest (save remaining zest for the glaze) and mix well. Add half of the dry ingredients; mix in buttermilk. Add remaining dry ingredients; mix well.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set. The cookies should be puffy and fairly light in color when they are finished baking. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet. Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mix glaze ingredients. Add more lemon juice, if needed, for a thick drizzling consistency. Drizzle/spread over cooled cookies (or dip the tops of each cookie in the glaze).

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

NoEmptyChairs.me

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES (2010) RECAP:
DAY 1: Raspberry Crumb Bars
DAY 2: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
DAY 3: Chocolate Nutella Cookies

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Tagged as baking, christmas, Cookies, cooking, dessert, drop sugar cookie, food, glaze, lemon, poppy seed, recipe

November 27, 2010 · 4:11 pm

Twelve (More) Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Nutella Cookies

DAY 3: Chewy, chocolatey, nutty goodness. I didn’t have hazelnuts, so I substituted chopped almonds. They were really good, but next time I will try using hazelnuts so that the Nutella flavor comes through stronger.

Love Nutella? Try this Pumpkin Nutella Bread Recipe!

—

RECIPE:

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

Servings: 5-6 dozen
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¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup of brown sugar
¾ cup of white sugar
1 cup of Nutella
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbs cornstarch
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 cup of chopped hazelnuts or almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter in an electric mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and Nutella and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla and mix for 10 seconds.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda (do not skip this step as sifting eliminates clumps of cocoa). Mix into the butter mixture on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides at least once to ensure even mixing. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes.

Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F for 9-12 minutes (do not over bake; cookies will look slightly underdone). Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.

Recipe from Simply Recipes

NoEmptyChairs.me

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES (2010) RECAP:
DAY 1: Raspberry Crumb Bars
DAY 2: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

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Tagged as almonds, baking, chocolate, christmas, Christmas cookies, Cookies, cooking, dessert, food, hazelnuts, Nutella, recipe