Holiday Baking Series - Puff PAstry Pinwheel Cookies with Jam

Puff Pastry Pinwheel Cookies with Jam

I package of frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1 egg, beaten to blend (glaze)
1/2 cup (about) sugar
1/2 cup (about) assorted jams (such as peach, apricot, raspberry, kiwi, blueberry)

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 16X13-inch rectangle. Trim edges neatly, forming 12X15-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle into twenty 3-inch squares. Using a small sharp knife, make 1-inch long diagonal cut in all 4 corners of 1 square, cutting toward the center (do not cut through center). To form pinwheels, fold every other point of the pastry toward center of square, pressing to adhere. Repeat with remaining puff pastry squares. (I brought all points up and made flowers.)

Brush pinwheels lightly with egg glaze. Sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Place scant 1/2 teaspoon jam in center of each. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to prepared baking sheet. Bake until pinwheels are golden and puffed, about 13 minutes. Using metal spatula transfer cookies to rack and cool. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet, glaze, sugar and jam.

Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar, if desired. I did. (Can be prepared ahead. Place between waxed paper sheets in airtight container and freeze up to 2 weeks; thaw before using. You can also store them at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days.)

Yield: 40 pinwheel (or flower) cookies

Holiday Baking Series - David's Snicker Doodle Recipe

David's Long-time Recipe for Snicker Doodles

Cream together:
½ cup shortening
½ cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar

Add:
2 eggs
Sift together and add:
2 ¾ cups flour
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chill dough until stiff; form into balls the size of walnuts and roll in:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375.

Holiday Baking Series - Cream Cheese Cookies with Jam

Cream Cheese Cookies with Jam

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Jam
Powdered sugar

Combine butter, cream cheese and sugar; mixing until fluffy and well blended. Blend in eggs, lemon juice and zest. Add combined dry ingredients; mix well. Chill f a few hours at least. Shape about a tablespoon or so of dough into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; flatten slightly. Indent centers; fill with jam. (I used homemade peach and some strawberry) Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes. Cool; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yield: about 7 dozen

Holiday Baking Series - Chocolate Grand Marnier Balls

Chocolate Grand Marnier Balls

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk'
1 1/4 cups vanilla cookie crumbs
1 1/4 cups ginger snap cookie crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (can use walnuts)
1/3 cup Grand Marnier(I used about 2 teaspoons more than called for)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded coconut

Melt the chocolate chips and evaporated milk in a pot over low heat, stirring constantly, until well blended. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes. Combine all remaining ingredients except the coconut; stir into the chocolate mixture, blending well.

Shape the mixture into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls (if the dough is too moist, add up to 1/3 cup more cookie crumbs - I had to add some extra), then roll in coconut. Let air-dry for 2 hours po waxed paper. Transfer to an airtight container; store in refrigerator.

Note: You can use any liqueur you like such as Kahlua, Frambroise, etc. I happened to love the taste of chocolate with orange.

Yield: About 4 dozen

Holiday Baking Series - Chocolate Mint Cookies

Chocolate Mint Cookies

If you like the Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, you are going to love these!

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-Process) - I used King Arthur Double Dutch Processed Dark Chocolate
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 large egg

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in peppermint extract and vanilla extract. Beat in sugar in 3 additions. add egg and beat until blended. Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended (dough will be sticky).

Divide dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap as an aid, form dough on each into 2-inch-diameter log. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough until well chilled, at least 2 hours. (Dough can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) I also like to place on a baking sheet before putting in fridge.

Position rack in center and 1 rack in third top of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap cookie dough logs; roll briefly on work surface to form smooth round logs. (I could get them nice and round, but as soon as I sliced though it flattened on the bottom every time.) Cut logs crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until tops and edges are dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheets with cookies to racks; cool completely. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool melted chocolate until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 10 minutes. (A few minutes and it happened for me.) Sip fork into melted chocolate, then wave fork back and forth over cookies, drizzling melted chocolate thickly over cookies in zigzag pattern. Refrigerate cookies on baking sheets un til chocolate is set, about 10 minutes. (Cookies can be made 1 week ahead. Refrigerate in airtight container between sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper.)

Yield: Makes about 3 1/2 dozen

Snow in Mather? YES!

We had a dusting of snow early this morning. we got out a bit late to get good pictures of it. It had already pretty much melted. Our neighbors Jeff and Kelli got out earlier and got some great pics of it. Crazy fun! And crazy cold!

Annual Holiday Party 2009 - Part Two

Kathy, me, Bob

Buffet tables

Me and jen


David and the wine room list

Homemade mixed pepper jam over cream cheese

Part of the buffet tables and two of the trees

Sarah and Cathy helping with last minute food prep

wine exchange

Guess how many pistachios are in the container game