BUILD A GINGERBREAD BROWNSTONE -

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Gingerbread-Brownstone/

What an inspiration. If I had the time and the dogs wouldn't knock it down and eat it - I'd make a whole street! I lived in the West Village in an old brownstone not much different than this.

What fun!

(Anyone remember Sutter's Bakery? For some reason, I've been thinking a lot about it lately.)

WHAT'S CHRISTMAS WITHOUT COOKIES? WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CRANBERRY COOKIES

http://www.cherrymenlove.com/foodrecipes/2011/11/white-chocolate-and-cranberry-cookies-recipe.html

CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPE FOR YOUR DOG! WHY NOT?

Noel Nibbles

2 tablespoons honey
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cups white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened chunky applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix together honey, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add water, applesauce and egg and stir, mixing well. Add nuts. Spoon into a greased muffin tin, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a rack and store in sealed container. Makes 16 muffins.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES - 2 BITE DELIGHT

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/cherry-tassies/

Christmas: Canadian Butter Tarts

Butter Tarts

Makes 2 to 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup each: raisins, walnuts, coconut
• uncooked tart shells

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Spoon into raw tart shells.
3. Bake at 400F or 20 minutes.
4. Let cool before removing from tart tins.

Variations

• Omit raisins and coconut. Substitute pecans or cashews for walnuts.
• Add chocolate chips. (Note: This is a modern but popular substitution. I love chocolate but don't care for them in my butter tarts. If you're making butter tarts for the first time, I wouldn't use the chips. This way you can taste the authentic recipe and decide if you can take the added sweetness.)

© Charmian Christie http://christie-corner.blogspot.com/

My note: What about graham cracker crust OR your choice of crushed cookies mixed the same way as the graham crackers?

Cookies - another recipe and how to ship these goodies...

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/christmas/cookies/tips-for-mailing-christmas-cookies/?sssdmh=dm17.414287&esrc=nw100d2_10_83&email=1043230477

When I was growing up, my friend's mother, who was Polish, would make these for Christmas. I just remembered this. She would get out all the ingredients, and she, her daughter Roberta, and I would make these. The dough has to be so thin you can almost see through it. When it came to cutting the strips, the job was turned over to Roberta and me. I loved making them.

Then I would bring some home. These are wonderful! You will love them.

Polish Bow Cookies - Kruschiki Or Chruschiki Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	The word Kruschiki means twigs or brushwood. I love these cookies but make sure you place them on paper towel immediately after they have been removed from the cooking oil. These are very popular at Christmas and Easter. Prep:45m Cook:1m Servings:8	Lor
	polish fried cookie

Ingredients

9 Egg yolks
3 Tbsp. Sour cream
1 Tbsp. Rum
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Confectioners' sugar
3 cups Flour (sifted)
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Oil for deep frying

Directions

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined.
Add sour cream, rum and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add it to egg yolk mixture, a little at a time.
On a heavily floured surface knead the dough vigorously, punching and squeezing as much flour into it as it will take until the dough is no longer sticky (1/2 hour).
Separate dough into several portions and roll very thin.
Turn the dough and loosen often when rolling.
The dough should look like parchment paper that you can see through.
Cut dough into strips approximately 1-1/2 inches wide, 4 inches long.
Make slit closer to one end and bring the longer end through the slit. Heat oil to 375 degrees and fry quickly (only a few seconds) until golden not brown.
Turn only once.
Drain on paper towels.
Dust with confectioners sugar.
Makes 8 dozen.

Celebrate Christmas with Italian Cannolis!

Cannoli

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Source: CakeItaly.com

Servings: 12

Prep time: 1 hr.

Cook time: none

Total time: 1hr

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, grated
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon shortening
12 to 14 purchased cannoli shells
3/4 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

1. For filling, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until almost smooth. Stir in 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate. Cover and chill up to 6 hours.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat and stir 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate and the shortening over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Transfer to a small bowl.
Dip both ends of the cannoli shells in chocolate, letting excess drip off. Sprinkle chocolate ends with pistachio nuts.
Place on a wire rack placed over waxed paper to dry (about 45 minutes).

3. When chocolate is dry, in a medium bowl, beat whipping cream at medium speed of an electric mixer or with a wire whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold into the ricotta mixture. Spoon filling into a decorating bag fitted with a large round or open star tip (or spoon into a resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Snip off a small corner of the bag). Pipe filling into shells. Cover and chill up to 2 hours. Makes 12 servings.

4. Chocolate Cannoli: Prepare Cannoli as directed, except stir 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in with the ricotta cheese.


Note: I wish I were anorexic. So thin my bones made audible clackings when I moved so I could be put on a Cannoli diet to gain weight. If there is a drop of Italian blood in your veins, you will know what these are. They are AMAZING. They are SEDUCTIVE. They are SMOOTH WITH A CRUNCH. You can add a little rum. Or maybe Creme De Mint. We Italians love them - they are synonymous with being happy, having friends and family around and being gluttonous. Works for me.

Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate

this time of blessings, hope and inspiration. So for you and the rest of the world who loves a wonderful pastry - here is Ina Garten's (Food Channel) recipe for Rugelach!

I love these. There was a time in my life that I shopped on the lower East Side of New York City quite often on my home to Queens from work. There was a bakery - Gertel's - who made mouth watering rugelach. I was a size 5 then - didn't buy them often enough!

Ina calls them cookies - I call them pastries. No matter the name - they taste just great.

But now that this plopped in my lap today, I think I just might make some.

Hope you enjoy it...

• 4 dozen cookies

Close

Times:

Prep

10 min

Inactive Prep

1 hr 30 min

Cook

15 min

Total:

1 hr 55 min

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 9 tablespoons
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Directions

Add the cheese and butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circles into 12 equal wedges-cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Arrange the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet(s) lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and let cool. Arrange on a large platter and serve.

White Chocolate Cherry Chunkies

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Times:

Prep

15 min

Inactive Prep

--

Cook

15 min

Total:

30 min

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup candied cherries
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.

In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries, and white chocolate. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Thank you, Paula Deen!

Mandel Kakor (Swedish almond butter cookies)

Very almondy. Shaped and baked like biscotti, these will be soft and chewy if baked less, and crisper if baked longer.

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c granulated sugar
3 c all purpose flower
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp sale
2 oz. almond extract
3 tbs heavy cream
1 beater egg
Swedish pearl sugar or cake decorating sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. combine butter and granulated sugar in large bowl. Using a mixer at medium high speed, beat until light. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat well. Add almond extract and heavy cream. Mix well.
3. Turn dough out and work into ball. Cut into 4 portions and shape each into a ball. Flatten each ball into a 4 inch circle. Refrigerate 10 min.
4. Place dough rounds on baking sheet. Brush tops with beater egg. Sprinkle pear sugar on top.
t. Bake 20 min. Remove from oven. Decrease oven temp to 300F.
5. Cut each round into 10 slices, then cut each slice in half except the short end. Return to oven and bake 10 min. for crispy cookies or 10 min. for chewier cookies. Makes about 70 cookies.

Christmas Yummies

I did this last year and I know from my map that a lot of you were at least looking at them. I think I'll do candy and cookies and maybe pies and cakes this year. It's so much fun for me to look...

Chewy Cherry Almond Bars

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Makes: 36 bars

Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes

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margi21 says:

It is Cherry jam/preserves. In the Jelly section of te store

It is Cherry jam/preserves. In the Jelly section of te store

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups regular rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 12-ounce jar (1 cup) cherry preserves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease foil; set pan aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour, the oats, and almonds.

3. Remove 1/2 cup of the dough and set aside. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread with preserves. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over preserves layer.

4. Bake in the preheated oven about 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut cookies out of the pan. Cut into bars. Makes 36 bars.

To Store: To Store: Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

For the Cookie Crock - Bugia (Liar's Cookies) from Italy

• Cook Time

  15 min

• Level

  Difficult

• Yield

  about 6 dozen

Close

Times:

Prep

45 min

Inactive Prep

2 hr 0 min

Cook

15 min

Total:

3 hr 0 min

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled briefly
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon ground anise seeds
• 4 to 6 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• About 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt, and sugar and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, butter, orange juice, brandy, vanilla, and anise seeds until well blended. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and adheres to the paddle.

Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured board. Knead by hand until smooth. Form the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, and place in a bowl. Cover with a tea towel and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight to allow the dough to relax.

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, cut the dough into 4 or 6 equal pieces. Keeping the dough and work surface well floured, pass the dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine 3 or 4 times. Then pass through successively narrower settings until the dough is almost thin enough to see through; depending on your pasta machine, this will probably be the next to thinnest setting.

Cut the dough into long strips 3 inches wide, then cut the strips on the diagonal into pieces about 3 inches long. If the dough tears, cut it off and work it back into the dough. The cookies curl when they fry, so fancier shapes are not important. As the cookies are cut, transfer them to baking sheets lined with flour-dusted tea towels, and cover with tea towels so they won't dry out before frying. Fry in batches, turning once, until puffed and golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

While the cookies are still hot, dust them well with powdered sugar. Wait for a few minutes while the oil and heat absorb and melt most of this first coating. Dust well a second time until the cookies are quite white. The cookies will keep for a week or so in an airtight container. You may need to re-dust them with sugar before serving.

Only a few cookies at a time will fit, even in a big pot, so frying takes time. It is best to have company in the kitchen, ready with lots of good talk to keep you amused. And there are always the warm cookies to eat along the way as a reward. You can also dredge the cookies in granulated sugar, crystal sugar, or even a mix of powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder.

For the cookie crock - Cherry meringue cookies

Cherry-Almond Meringue Cookies

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Makes: about 48 meringue cookies

Prep: 45 min.
Bake: 20 min.

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Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup cherry preserves
• Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Place egg whites in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil; set aside.

2. In a food processor, combine almonds and the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cover and process until almonds are finely ground. (Or if you have a coffee grinder or nut grinder, work in small batches to grind the nuts with the sugar.)

3. For meringue: Add almond extract and salt to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add the 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks from (tips stand straight). Fold in almond mixture.

4. Transfer meringue to a decorating bag fitted with a small open star tip or a large round tip. Pipe 1-1/2-inch circles 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets, building up sides to form shells. If the tip gets clogged, use a toothpick to unclog. Bake all of the meringue cookies at the same time on separate oven racks for 20 minutes. Turn off oven; let cookies dry in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Lift cookies off paper or foil. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.

5. Before serving, spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the cherry preserves into the center of each meringue cookie. If desired, sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar. Makes about 48 meringue cookies.

6. Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare and bake meringue cookies as directed. Layer unfilled cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. To serve, thaw cookies if frozen. Fill as directed in step 5.

For the Cookie Crock - Bourbon Balls

No self-respecting southerners would go without Bourbon Balls for Christmas...

Bourbon Balls

Substitute the bourbon for rum and call these Rum Balls.
Makes about 60

3 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 75)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup light corn syrup
Powdered or granulated sugar

Mix crushed wafers, powdered sugar, pecans and cocoa. Stir in bourbon and corn syrup. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Refrigerate in tightly covered container several days before serving.

For the cookie crock - Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars

Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars

Rated by 3 people

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Makes: 48

Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder or instant espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Coffee Glaze (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl stir together oats, flour, the 1 cup pecans, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined, scraping the sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, 1 tablespoon coffee powder, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the oat mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining mixture with a wooden spoon. Reserve 2 cups of the mixture for the topping.

3. Using floured hands, press remaining oat mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Spread caramel topping evenly over crust to within 1/4 inch of edges. Drop spoonfuls of reserved topping mixture over caramel topping; sprinkle with the 1/2 cup pecans.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are set (do not overbake). Cool in pan on a wire rack. If desired, drizzle with Coffee Glaze. Cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.

5. Coffee Glaze: In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons very hot milk and 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder; stir until dissolved. Stir in 1 cup sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over bars in pan. Let stand 15 minutes to set glaze.

6. To Store: Cover pan tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Bittersweet chocolate mint sandwich cookies

• Cook Time

  50 min

• Level

  Intermediate

• Yield

  24 cookies

Close

Times:

Prep

40 min

Inactive Prep

20 min

Cook

50 min

Total:

1 hr 50 min

Cookies:

• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus a little extra for greasing the baking sheet
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped or shaved into small pieces
• 1/2 cup sour cream, preferably at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small metal bowl, combine the 2 types of chocolate and melt them gently over a pot of simmering water or a double boiler. Cool chocolate to room temperature.

Make the shortbread dough:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Blend until smooth and "creamed," 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in the cooled melted chocolate.

Sift the flour and add to the butter mixture and blend on low speed to incorporate the flour. Do not over mix . Remove the dough from the bowl and refrigerate for a few minutes to chill.

Make the chocolate sauce:

In a medium-sized pot, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the white chocolate pieces. Allow the mixture to sit and cool for a minute. All of the white chocolate should easily melt into the cream. Whisk in the sour cream and taste for seasoning. Cook's Note: Sour cream is temperamental when heated, so take care that your mixture never gets overly hot. If so, cool a little before incorporating. Set aside at room temperature.

Press the shortbread dough evenly into a 9 by 13 by 1-inch greased non-stick baking pan. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the dough is fairly firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow the shortbread to cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into 12 rectangles, 4 by 2 inches, and then cut diagonally across rectangles to form 24 long triangles for good dipping.

Arrange shortbread wedges on a tray with the white chocolate sauce in a bowl for dipping.