kattitudes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
maple syrup
almond or pecan halves

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg. Sift together the flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir until mixture forms a ball.

Divide dough into 3 portions. Shape each portion into a roll about 2 inches in diameter; wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate until firm. Slice 1/4-inch thick rounds; place on greased cookie sheets. Brush each with maple syrup and press an almond or pecan half into the center of each cookie. Bake at 400° for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup nuts, chopped
Herseys chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 375°.

Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Stir in flour and nuts.

Shape dough around candy kisses using about 1 tablespoon of dough.

Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes.

Remove and roll in powdered sugar.

No bake cookies often taste best after a day or two so the flavors have a chance to intermingle and mellow together. Remember, as with all no bake cookies, there is no magical chemical process for these to go through to hide sins, so now is not the time to skimp on your ingredients. Buy fresh, buy local and buy quality.

Ingredients:

2 cups light brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup chopped nuts
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Pour over nuts, oats and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls on wax paper.

For chocolate drops use 2 cups white sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light (not dark) corn syrup
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg whites (room temperature)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring

Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture starts to boil. Continue cooking until mixture forms soft ball when tested in cold water (or use a thermometer).

In the mean time, beat egg whites until stiff. Then pour 1/2 cup of syrup over whites, beating fast all the time.

Continue to cook remaining syrup while beating egg whites, until syrup reaches the light crack stage when dropped in cold water (this will happen quickly). Pour remaining syrup over egg white mixture, beating all the while. Continue beating until candy begins to hold its shape. Stir in vanilla and nuts and food coloring. Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper.
Makes 50-60 pieces.

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter (do not use margarine)
2 pounds white confectionery coating, broken into small pieces
1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts, pecans or hickory nuts

Line a 9 inch square baking pan with foil. Butter the foil and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy, set aside. In the top of a double boiler, melt butter. Add coating pieces, heat and stir until melted and smooth. Pour over the cream cheese, beat until smooth and glossy, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Cool.

Remove from pan and cut into one inch pieces. Store in the refrigerator.

These cookies make a fantastic entry into the Christmas cookie category, with a distinctive orange marmalade glaze applied while the cookies are still warm. They taste a treat and are really worth going through the extra step to make it taste just so.

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Marmalade Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup orange marmalade
finely chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°.

In mixing bowl, cream sugar, butter, and shortening. Blend in chopped pecans and orange zest. Stir flour before measuring; combine in a separate bowl with baking powder, spices, and salt. Then carefully stir into the creamed mixture until well blended.

Roll dough out to a rectangle, about 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut into 2×1-inch rectangles or 1 1/2 to 2-inch circles. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for about 9 to 11 minutes. Cool for 1 minute; remove from pan to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar with marmalade. Spread glaze over cookies. Sprinkle lightly with chopped pecans.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour

Butter and flour an 11×7-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350°.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 eggs until light and creamy. Beat in pumpkin puree. In another bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and spices.

Slowly beat into the first mixture until well blended. Spread in prepared baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 egg, confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons flour. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Spoon onto the pumpkin batter. Using a small narrow spatula or butter knife, swirl the cream cheese batter into the pumpkin batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

No bake cookies often taste best after a day or two so the flavors have a chance to intermingle and mellow together. Remember, as with all no bake cookies, there is no magical chemical process for these to go through to hide sins, so now is not the time to skimp on your ingredients. Buy fresh, buy local and buy quality.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 box (11 ounces) vanilla wafers, crushed
powdered sugar

In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, marmalade, and liqueur (or thawed orange juice concentrate if you do not want to use liqueur). Stir in crushed vanilla wafers until moistened, then knead with hands until well mixed. Shape into 1-inch balls then roll in powdered sugar.

It is very important that these particular no bake cookies have a chance for the ingredients to mellow together. It would be best to make these a few days in advance of gifting.

Continuing with our Christmas cookie theme, we have a new entry into the double decadence that is cheesecake. Basically, this is a fruit covered cheesecake, but made into individual bars. Although it looks a little complex, the recipe is actually pretty easy once you get going, so do not let the multiple steps concern you, honestly.

Ingredients:

Crust
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold butter (10 tablespoons or 5 ounces) cut into small pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
few drops almond flavoring

Fruit Filling
1 jar (16 to 18 ounces) cherry preserves
about 36 maraschino cherries, drained, halved

Cream Cheese Filling
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350°.

In bowl, work crust ingredients together just until particles begin to stick together a bit. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned around edge. Let cool slightly in pan on a rack.

Prepare fruit filling. Mix preserves and cherries; spread over crust.

Make the cream cheese filling. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light. Beat in sugar and eggs and flavoring until well blended. Spread over the cherry layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Remember, as with all no bake cookies, there is no magical chemical process for these to go through to hide sins, so now is not the time to skimp on your ingredients. Buy fresh, buy local and buy quality.

Ingredients:

* 2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1/2 cup finely chopped red candied cherries
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup rum
* 3 tablespoons corn syrup
* 2 tablespoons butter melted
* 1/4 cup powdered sugar

In medium bowl, combine crushed wafers , 1 cup powdered sugar, cherries, and pecans. Add rum, syrup and butter. Blend well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in the 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Cover tightly; let sit 24 hours for flavors to blend.