Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
1/2 c. real butter (or: no shortening, use 1 c. butter)
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
optional: 1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 12 ounce bag dark chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
48 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped (one 10 ounce bag)

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Meanwhile, combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

*Important!* To prevent cookies from flattening out, refrigerate dough for 30-60 minutes.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until just set, but centers are still soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to cooling rack. Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss. Allow to cool completely, long enough for the Kiss to harden. If necessary, after the cookies have cooled, they can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to re-solidify the Kiss.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/11/candy-cane-kiss-cookies/

Almond-Orange Shortbread

From: Everyday Food ... copyright 2007 Martha Stewart Note that I just melted some chocolate bark & chocolate chips to dip them it. You have to keep warming it to keep it thin, though, or your cookies will break! Also, I used some "orange peel" from Penzies rather than zesting my own oranges....

ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, room temperature 1 cup confectioners' sugar ¾ teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) Grated zest of 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons) ¾ cup sliced almonds Almond-Orange Shortbread Makes 40 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Keep the dough for this delicate, flavorful cookie in your freezer. Later, you can slice off just what you need from the frozen log of dough and bake. Make the dough: In a mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, almond extract, and salt until smooth. With mixer on low speed, add flour and orange zest; mix just until a dough forms.With a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or your hands, gently mix in almonds. Freeze the dough: On a piece of waxed paper, form dough into a rectangular log, 12 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick.Wrap log in the paper, and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 months. If freezing longer than 1 day, wrap log again, in plastic wrap. Bake the shortbread: Preheat oven to 325°. Remove dough from freezer. (If dough has been in freezer a long time and is frozen solid, let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes so it slices without crumbling.) With a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheet at least 1 inch apart. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet; transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely

Quick and Easy Fudge

(adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (or other extract of your choice)
3/4-1 cup chopped nuts (optional--could probably substitute marshmallows or just about anything)

Heat chocolate chips and condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the extract and nuts. Spread in an 8 x 8 baking dish (either butter the dish or line it with foil and butter the foil). Refrigerate for at least an hour. Makes approximately 64 pieces.

Zucchini Garden Chowder

2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 cups water
3 chicken bullion cubes
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Pinch sugar, optional
Additional chopped parsley, optional

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium heat, sauté the zucchini, onion, parsley and basil in butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in water. Add the bullion and lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, milk and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Just before serving, stir in cheeses until melted. Add sugar and garnish with parsley if desired. Yield: 8-10 servings (about 2-1/2 quarts).

Yogurt Cake

TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling

Ingredients:
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
1-1/4 cups water
4 egg whites
1/3 cup canola oil (note: I use 1/3c applesauce instead)
2 cartons (6 ounces each) fat-free reduced-sugar black cherry yogurt,divided (note: or whatever flavor you want, I like blueberry a lot and have done raspberry too)
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen fat-free Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, egg whites and oil; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fold in one carton of yogurt.

Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Place remaining yogurt in a small bowl; fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 15 servings.

Jennie Johnson

Whole-wheat Pasta Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese

Copyright 2006, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

8 ounces whole-wheat fusilli or other spiral shaped pasta
1/2 cup walnut pieces or halves
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, rinse it under cold water, and put it in the refrigerator to chill.

In a dry saute pan, toast the walnuts over a medium-high flame until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set the walnuts aside to cool then chop them coarsely.
In a large bowl, toss together the chilled pasta, walnuts, feta cheese, onion, and spinach. In a small bowl whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic and mustard. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.


Nutrition Information
Calories 434 Total fat 22 grams
Saturated fat 4.7 grams Protein 13 grams
Carbohydrates 49 grams Fiber 7 grams

Rum Raisin Cupcakes

Cupcakes (makes 12):
2/3 cup dark raisins, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons dark rum
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon rum
1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground mace or ground nutmeg

Rum glaze:
¼ cup dark rum
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons margarine
* note: we used Smart Balance “buttery spread,”

Rummy buttercream frosting:
¼ cup margarine, softened to room temperature
1 to 1¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon rum
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses, optional
soy milk, as needed


Directions:

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. In a small bowl, combine chopped raisins and dark rum. Toss well to coat raisins and set aside for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another measuring cup, whisk together soy milk and vinegar and set aside a few minutes to curdle.

3. Pour soy milk mixture into a large bowl and whisk in canola oil, sugar, molasses, rum and vanilla till blended. Sift in flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and mace and stir until ingredients are combined. Fold in rum-soaked raisins and fill cupcake liners three-quarters of the way and bake for 18 to 20 minutes till done.

Rum glaze:

In a small saucepan, bring rum and sugar to simmer over medium heat, dissolving sugar and bubbling for about a minute. Reduce heat and cook mixture for another 1 to 2 minutes till it resembles a thin, light-colored syrup. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and margarine. Allow to cool for a few minutes before dribbling over warm cupcakes.

Rummy buttercream frosting:

Beat margarine, sugar, and rum together with a handheld mixer at low speed until moistened (to avoid confectioners’ sugar flying all over the place), then beat at high speed to cream. Stop after a minute to scrape bowl and add vanilla (and molasses, if using; adds a little color and flavor). Beat till thick, fluffy and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add small increments of confectioners’ sugar if too wet; dribble in a little soy milk if too dry. Store in refrigerator or load up a pastry bag to decorate cupcakes with.

Assembly:

While cupcakes are still warm, drizzle warm rum glaze over tops of cakes—a teaspoon at a time—distributing any remaining glaze among cupcakes. When completely cool, decorate tops with a small swirl of rummy buttercream frosting.