My Christmas Cookies

I make a few varieties of cookies for Christmas each year, a couple standbys and then I try something different to keep it interesting.

This year, a few pictures and recipes for you to check out!


Dipped Gingersnaps
(got this out of Taste of Home years ago)
2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 C. molasses
4 C. flour
4 tsp. baking soda
1 T. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Additional sugar
2 packages vanilla baking chips
1/4 C. shortening

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in molasses. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into 3/4 inch balls and roll in sugar. (I use a cookie scoop for this so that the cookie will be uniform in size). Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until cookie springs back when touched lightly. Remove to wire racks to cool. Melt chips with shortening in a small sauce pan over low heat. (I use the double boiler method or have found sometimes this can scorch. I don't have a double boiler, I just use a bowl that is slightly bigger than the sauce pan and get that going with a rolling boil of water and that melts everything nicely for dipping). Dip the cookies halfway; shake off excess. Place on waxed paper to harden.


Cream Cheese Finger Cookies - (this is the exact recipe, I always double it)
(another winner from Taste of Home)
1/2 C. butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 C. flour
1 T. sugar
dash salt
1 C. finely chopped pecans
Powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in pecans (dough will be crumbly). **I have found if the dough is just a bit to dry/crumbly to shape, I will keep the mixer going on low and add a bit of water until the consistency seems right.**
Shape tablespoonfuls into 2-inch logs. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire racks.


Best-Ever Turtles
(from Gooseberry Patch Christmas book 6)
2 1/2 C. pecan halves, toasted
1 C. sugar
3/4 C. corn syrup
1 C. whipping cream, divided
4 T. butter
1 1/2 C. chocolate chips, melted

On a baking sheet, arrange pecans in sets of 3; set aside. Combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup whipping cream in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches full boil. Slowly add remaining cream and butter; heat, stirring, until mixture reaches soft-ball stage or 236° on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; still until caramel is creamy (about 5 minutes). Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel over each set of pecans; cool. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate over each; let stand to harden.

Also did some sugar cookie cutouts the kids decorated - I think they do great work!!


Hope your Christmas is also this sweet!

MS Slippers

My pal Andy has MS. And instead of getting that bit of news and running out and feeling super sorry for herself, she did something else instead.
She started knitting. And the money she makes from her endeavors online goes to support other artists living with the disease.

She has slippers and baby legwarmers. And she just fired up an Etsy store as well to multi-promote herself.

Check out her main site at MS Slippers and also her new Etsy store.

Food Porn

I can't believe I haven't posted any of the photos from Thanksgiving on here yet. OMG!!

Sonia's Hot Artichoke Dip

Here's the world famous, best you'll ever have,
Hot Artichoke Dip:

1 C. artichoke hearts (get the can of quartered artichoke hearts and then chop them up really good on your cutting board)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 C. mayo
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chile peppers
1 C. parmesan cheese
1 t. garlic salt (add more if you wish but it's pretty strong stuff)
additional parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix artichoke hearts, mayo, parmesan cheese, cream cheese and green chile peppers. Definitely use a mixer and not by hand or the mixture will not be combined well enough. Scoop mixture into a deep dish pie plate. Sprinkle parmesan cheese lightly over the entire top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is lightly browned and bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

That recipe is my own creation, configured it myself, don't say I never gave you anything. When you serve it, there is never any left - so no hope for some to make into a soup later. Sorry!

Pumpkin Bars

These pumpkin bars are easy and darn tasty. Got the recipe from a friend about ten years ago. Ten blissful years of pumpkiny, cream cheesy goodness.

Without further ado...

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 C. sugar
1 C. oil
16 oz. pumpkin
1 tsp. baking soda
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients and spread in a jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Buy the cream cheese frosting from the store and resist the urge to eat it before you spread it on the cooled pumpkin bars.

Halloween Costume

My younger son Zach wanted to be something a little outside the norm. Link from Legend of Zelda. He actually wanted to be Link last year but I was already constructing a complex witch costume for Sammie and knew I'd never have time to sew both so I promised him this year I'd do Link for him.

So....what do you think?
The forearm pieces are old soccer shin guards he outgrew that I spray painted. The boots are women's fuzzy slippers (two pair, one for the cuff added on). I sewed the tunic, hat and pants. We threw on some leather belts for the body pieces and I managed to find a sword and shield that were fairly close matches.

11th Hour Halloween Sewing

This is what I'm doing right now...full costume details after Halloween if I manage to get this sucker done!!