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?




Comments

  1. 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. 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. 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

Stories from the Kitchen: Taste and See

I celebrated my birthday last weekend. It was wonderful and the leftovers left me with a question or two. Find out what they are and how I'm currently answering them in this week's podcast. Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 2: Taste and See Notes from the episode: Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg Dad’s New York Cheesecake (from the back of a Philidelphia Cream Cheese package) 1 ⅞ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ to ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar, divided 2 lbs cream cheese (4 packs) 2 large eggs (lightly beaten) 1 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 450F Mix well graham crackers, 2 tbsp sugar, and enough butter that the mixture holds together. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill in the freezer while preparing the filling. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until just blended. S

Tasty Tuesday: Roasted Broccoli

I ran across this recipe on Pinterest the other day that was labeled " The Best Broccoli Of Your Life. " I normally either steam our broccoli in the microwave or saute it with olive oil and red pepper flakes on the stove top. I decided this would be something to try. I did the salt, pepper and olive oil part of the recipe. I didn't have the majority of the other ingredients. In fact, all I had was a little bit of Parmesan  It was wonderful. Not the best broccoli of my life, but honestly, it was pretty close. And if I had the lemon juice and all that jazz, it may very well be the best. What have you been eating lately?

Sweet Caroline by Kelda Poynot

  First off, my copy of Sweet Caroline  (aff link) is not a gifted review book, I spent my well earned Amazon No-Rush Rewards money on this book. Second of all, this is not my standard close door kind of romance. Third of all, this is a really fun read. Caroline is a hard working young lady that is doing all that she can to make ends meet and to get her graduate degree. Part of that work is renting out the room above her garage. When she answers the phone of an unknown number, believing it's a future tenant, she has no idea how much her life is about to change.  The young man on the other end of that call, Hashim, is tall, dark, and mysterious in all the right ways. The story quickly moves from the girl next door falling for a stranger to a fight for their lives. And in true real life fashion, those fights aren't just with external enemies but the ones we carry within.  It's an entertaining story of Caroline and Hashim, discovering their love for each other and fighting to