Skip to main content

Open House

We're having an open house the first Saturday of Advent, which believe it or not is happening pretty quickly.  Last year we served pies, pumpkin, cherry, berry, chocolate, lemon meringue, apple.  This year, we've decided to go with cookies.  Our guests are being invited to bring their favorite holiday cookie.  In preparation, I thought that I would share with you the three cookies that we've picked.

Hannah has chosen Scotch Short Bread.  We have a pan that we normally make them in and she likes the one with the peacock on it.  It is one of Joel's favorite cookies to make as a child, too.

Scotch Short Bread

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients.  Roll out and cut into cookies or press dough into 8x8 pan.  Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit on a non greased cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes.

May be decorated using springler cookie presses.


Joel has decided on Russian Teacakes.  We got this recipe from someone we used to go to church with.  She gave us two, one her grandmother made and the other was from Betty Crocker.  We prefer the recipe from Betty

Russian Teacakes

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Mix and make 1 inch balls.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-14 minutes.  Roll in powdered sugar while warm.  Makes about 3 dozen.


I have chosen Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints from Land of Lakes, a cookie that I can't stand to eat, but everyone else I've ever met loves them.  I think they are beautiful and fun to make, just don't like to eat them

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

Cookies:
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup jam

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2-3 teaspoons water

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Combine sugar, butter and extract.  Beat at medium speed, scrape bowl, until creamy (1-2 minutes). Reduce speed to low; add flour.  Beat until well mixed (1-2 minutes).  Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.  With thumb, make indentation in center of each cookie.  Fill each with 1/4 teaspoon of jam.  Bake for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet.
In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon extract.  Stir in enough water to thin glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookies.  Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.  Dough can be chilled if it is spreading too much or stir in 1-2 tablespoons of flour.


So far, those are the three cookies that we've chosen.  I feel sure that there will be some more joining the party, like chocolate chip and oreos!

What's your favorite holiday cookie?




Labels:

Comments

  1. MartyJNovember 15, 2011 at 2:29 PM

    Recipes sound good. I have a sweet tooth--in fact several. I've been looking for a raspberry cookie recipe and yours sounds like it might be it.

    There is a lady up here in Harrison (I call her "my pie lady" although she also bakes cookies) who makes these. Before she closed for the winter I bought a couple of dozen and froze them to last me until spring when she reopens. If your recipe is as good (or better) than hers, then I don't have to ration them. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. PJNovember 15, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    Marty - once you try the raspberry cookies you won't go back. I don't know why Tina doesn't like them - but they are so good!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tina PuntigamNovember 15, 2011 at 6:55 PM

    As I was typing them up, I realized that they are all pretty much the same cookie, with slight variations. I think I would like the Raspberry cookies more with something other than almond extract, but the almond extract is part of what makes them so good. Let me know if you like them, Marty!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KAF No-Fuss Focaccia

I really like making bread.  It's fun to get your hands dirty, but I understand that yeast is a scary thing for people who don't have experience with it.  Somehow, I started using it when I was young and too immature to understand the fear that comes along with wasting time, money and energy.  I had time and energy in abundance.  My first real forte into baking was in the 7 th grade.  I must have cooked before then because I choose to see which flour rose the highest using a cinnamon roll recipe.  I made a lot of cinnamon rolls that year and when I turned in my report, there were questions asked of me that I had no idea what she meant.  Questions about the weather and the heat of the oven.  Things that I didn't know could make a difference in the baking of bread.  Lots has happened since that first memorable baking.  Today, I invited a friend over to make bread.  I was kind of concerned about the strength of the yeast, because we bought a huge stash of it last year someti
5 comments
Read more

Tasty Tuesday: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

  I've had loaded baked potato soup on the menu most of the month of November, not really knowing when I was going to make it. Last night was the night. I started with this recipe from Betty Crocker as an idea but as I saw that it served 15 and looked at the various quantities while I cooked, some things changed, and wanted to share the final recipe here so you can enjoy it and I won't forget it.  Loaded Baked Potato Soup serves 3 with seconds and a serving left over 1/2 package of bacon 1 small onion chopped 3 cups chicken broth (I use Better Than Boullion) 2 large baking potatoes, peeled, cubed 2 tbsp butter 2 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour 2 cups milk divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2teaspoon freshly ground pepper A generous helping of sour cream 4 oz sharp Cheddar cheese shredded (half a block) separated 2 sliced green onions separated In skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons d
Post a Comment
Read more

Project 52 Crossword Puzzle

Hannah and I had the car on Thursday and since it was officially my turn to plan date night, she and I hit the store.  We went to Target which has those great dollar bins right when you enter the store.  I found a cross word puzzle and some water balloons.  My thoughts were to make some chocolate bowls with the water balloons and do a crossword while we waited for them to harden.  Well, I got the idea of orange truffles while I was sitting around that afternoon and went to see if we had any of the stuff that would make it and I kind of had it.  So, I made up some truffles and then we covered them with chocolate that night and they were so tasty.  We made it through one crossword puzzle and cheated very little :-D  It was fun working on it together and some of the clues and words were a little ludicrous.  All in all not a bad date for a buck and some pantry raiding. In case you are interested in the dessert, I took the McCormick Eggnog Truffle recipe and modified it by omitting the n
6 comments
Read more