VGP #13 Peppermint Molasses Cookies

What? Yes, you read that right. It's nearly impossible to get more Christmasy than peppermint and spice cookies. Maybe that seems a strange combination - it did to me at first. But they compliment each other perfectly and the result is a holiday treat that could easily become a family tradition.

Tips:

- To easily crush peppermint candy, freeze them first. Then place them in double ziploc bags and smash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. They'll shatter like glass.
- To drizzle peppermint icing evenly, use a spoon or fork or something. I put it in a ziploc bag and snipped off one corner like a piping bag, but it kept getting clogged with candy pieces. The I cut the hole bigger and it fell out too fast in globs. Artistique, non? Well, it still tastes delicious.2/3 cup butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup crushed hard peppermint candy such as Starlights or candy canes

Peppermint icing (see recipe below)

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 2/3 cup butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture, then beat just until dough comes together. Stir in peppermint candy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls or scoop with cookie scoop and place about 2 inches apart on buttered (or parchment-lined) baking sheets.

4. Bake cookies in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 13 minutes. Allow to rest for about 1minute on sheet before moving to a wire cooling rack with spatula. When cool, drizzle with Peppermint Icing.

Peppermint Icing: In a bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 T milk, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, mix in more milk, 1/2 tsp at a time, until thin enough. Stir in 1 T finely crushed hard peppermint candy and 1 to 2 drops red food coloring if desired.

Makes about 3 dozen

VGP #12 Yummy Pumpkin Giveaway!

Mmm, pumpkin muffins. Trader Joe's pumpkin muffins. You already know I love them. It's time you did, too. I gave a box to my friend Vanessa who was recently visiting. A week later she sent me this email:

Kari,

So I love, and I mean LOVE, the pumpkin bread mix. I wasn't expecting it to be THAT good. So fluffy, so flavorful, just the right amount of spice. We are headed to Raleigh the second Saturday of December and I have already located the nearest Trader Joe's. There is one right by the temple. I am making a stop.
Thanks again,

Vanessa

You see? I'm not just blowing smoke on this.

So if you live farther than 30 miles from a Trader Joe's put your name & email here and you're in the running for a random giveaway of the gnarliest Pumpkin Mix on the planet. (And another bonus surprise as well - a copy of my "So-Good-I-Amaze-Even-Myself" Christmas mix CD.) Giveaway closes tomorrow at 6pm. So start salivating and good luck!

VGP #11 Chocolate Chewies

I mean, yeah, these are fairly simple chocolate cookies. But they are D-I-V-I-N-E to bite into...and to chew...and to swallow and bite into again. Recently I made these for my friend, who later that night emailed me their praises and asked for the recipe. Then she passed it on to her sister whose whole family loved them and say they make them all the time now. I think you will, too.
The name Florence Manwaring may not mean much to you, but she is famous in the Younce household. Florence was my mom's friend when they were young marrieds in California in the 60's. Florence had 5 kids and made fabulous bread, cookies, rolls and candy constantly, and Mom cleverly obtained many of her recipes, including this one. Later the Manwarings moved to Idaho where Florence and her husband started a candy shop, which is still going strong. Check out Florence's Exquisite Candies...tell her the Younces sent you and thank her for these cookies!

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 T butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together, slowly, either over a double boiler or in the microwave. Remove from heat and add sweetened condensed milk.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Pass it on.

VGP #10 Hazelnut Sacher Brownies

Sachertorte is a famous Austrian cake - it is layers of chocolate sponge cake spread between and on top with apricot jam, then coated with a thick layer of velvety chocolate. Not bad, right? These brownies have a closely-related European flair, with the addition of a hazelnut pastry on the bottom. They are totally sweet, totally rich and unbelievably fabulous! As always, use the best quality chocolate you can. And I bet raspberry jam would be a yummy variation!

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground

3/4 cup apricot preserves

1/2 cup butter

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

1 oz. white chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil and grease it. Set aside.

2. For the crust, in a small bowl beat 1/2 cup soft butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium until combined. Beat in the 3/4 cup flour and ground nuts. Pat mixture into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.

3. In a blender or food processor, cover and blend/process preserves until smooth. Spread pureed preserves over the baked crust and chill for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan cook and stir the 1/2 cup butter and unsweetened chocolate over med-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl beat the egg, egg yolk, granulated sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in the 1/2 cup flour. Carefully spread over chilled preserves layer.

5. Bake in the 350-degree oven for 20 minutes more. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using the foil, lift the brownies out of the pan. Carefully peel the foil from the sides of the brownies. Spread the top with the melted semisweet chocolate. Drizzle white chocolate over semisweet layer. Swirl with a toothpick if desired. Let brownies stand while chocolate sets. Cut into bars. To store: Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

VGP #9 Lemon-Honey Drop Cookies

OK, when Ed saw the name of these cookies he said it sounded like a cough drop. But what could be more appropriate for the first month of winter? Then I made them and we both agreed these do not taste like medicine. The honey is present but subtle, the lemon is bright and cheery. It's like a drop of sunshine borrowed from summer. Lovely with a cuppa.


1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 T butter, softened
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp lemon extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
Cooking spray
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon rind

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat first 3 ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add honey, extract, and egg; beat until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour. Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Combine powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Brush powdered sugar mixture evenly over hot cookies. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tsp rind. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Makes about 2 dozen

Recipe from Cooking Light magazine

VGP #8 Turtle Candies

And speaking of turtles, if you're more of a purest, try these. They couldn't be easier, they look amazing, and taste even better. I'd love to take credit, but these come from my clever and amazing friend Shanna Stratton.

Ingredients:one pretzel + one chocolate caramel (or Rolo) + one pecan half

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with spray or butter. Lay out pretzels on sheet. Place a Rolo candy on each (I use Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered caramels, cut in half.) Heat in oven for 3 to 5 minutes until candy is soft.

2. Press a pecan half into each candy. Allow to cool completely on wax paper (I lightly butter this too.) Impress all your friends and neighbors, or eat them all yourself!

VGP #7 Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Another runner-up in Cook's Country cookie contest, this time from Robin of Evergreen, Colorado. Turtle candies are usually pecans covered in caramel covered in chocolate. Nothing not to like there, so I am always open to variations on the theme, and these cookies are beautiful and delicious. Actually, I understate. There is no way to explain how perfect these cookies are. So read carefully as I try.

This is probably the BEST cookie I have EVER made.

I would save them for last but that would be cruel - you can't live without them that long. You need time to make them at least a few times before Christmas - once to try them, another for goodies to give away because your family snarfed the whole first batch, and at least one more because you're constantly bombarded with requests for more. This is no-doubt, hands-down, going into my rotation of regular cookies.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped fine
14 soft caramel candies
3 T heavy cream

1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on med-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment. Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentation again with teaspoon measure. Fill each with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen (not nearly enough!)

VGP #6 Peppermint Crunch Bark

Last year my friend Kristin Taylor gave me a gorgeous square box full of this bark for Christmas. Her mother-in-law works for the Pottery Barn family of stores so I was SURE she got a box from Williams-Sonoma and divided it among friends. No complaints here, so I thanked her profusely only to discover she MADE it herself! It was amazing, and this year she gave me - and you - the recipe, with her own tips and adjustments. Then she cursed me for asking for it because then it made her want to make and eat it. So sorry, Kristin.

10 oz. good quality white chocolate (such as Lindt, Ghiradelli or Baker's), finely chopped
30 red-and-white striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed (about 6 oz.)*
8 oz. good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 T whipping cream
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

1. Turn large baking sheet bottom-side-up. Cover securely with foil. Mark a 9x12-inch rectangle on foil. Stir semisweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth. Pour onto rectangle on foil. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill rectangle. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth and candy thermometer registers 110 degrees (chocolate will feel warm to touch.) Remove from over water. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour white chocolate mixture in long lines over dark chocolate rectangle. Using icing spatula, spread white chocolate in even layer. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.

3. Lift foil with bark onto work surface; trim edges and EAT THEM! Cut bark into fancy squares or triangles or (my preferred method) break into random pieces. Store chilled in airtight container up to 2 weeks. Just lovely!

Makes 1 serving if you're me

*Tip: To easily crush peppermint candy, freeze them first. Then place them in double ziploc bags and smash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. They'll shatter like glass.

VGP #5 Chocolate Peanut Blow-Out Cookies

I have died and gone to chocolate peanut heaven. And you can, too. You know anything with this going on is gonna be special:
I've done pretty well with my diet amongst all this baking - a few tastes of dough, one or two cookies, then freeze or give the rest away. Yeah, but I really struggled with these. I had to call Ed at work and have him talk me through it while they cooked. Honestly! I just wanted to eat all the dough! And then all the cookies!

These are soooo yummy and comforting. They are Christmas Eve cookies, feel-better-on-a-bad-day cookies, impress-the-church-potluck-or-school-bake-sale cookies, make-your-kids-seriously-smile cookies, and definitely must-put-on-holiday-goody-plate cookies. Anyone you share these with will beg - BEG! - for the recipe (between stuffing their mouths with them!) And they're never better than ooey gooey hot right out of the oven.

Come to Momma.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
3/4 cup coarsely chopped bite-size chocolate-covered peanut butter cups (about 15)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add the sugars, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides.

2. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour a little at a time. With wooden spoon, stir in chocolate pieces, peanuts, and chopped peanut butter cups.

3. Drop dough by generously rounded teaspoons (or cookie scoop) 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Makes about 3 dozen.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens 100 Best Cookies

VGP #4 Raspberry Almond Cookies

Bridget of Manly, Iowa, came in as a Cook's Country cookie runner-up with this traditional recipe from her mother-in-law. My favorite jam is seedless black raspberry so that's what I use for the glue. And, since I had it, I rolled the edges in Penzey's vanilla sugar - such a sweet treat and very pretty!2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups slivered almonds (or 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds)
1 cup sugar, divided
16 T (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Process 1 cup flour and almonds in food processor until finely ground. Add 1/2 cup sugar and remaining flour and process until combined. Add butter and vanilla to food processor and pulse until dough forms.

2. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies, gathering and rerolling dough as necessary. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake until light brown around edges, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack.

3. Transfer remaining sugar to bowl. Working quickly, spread 1 tsp jam on bottom half of warm cookies, then press remaining cookies onto jam to form sandwiches. Roll cookies in sugar to coat. Cool completely on wire rack.

VGP #3 Brownie Waffle Cookies

These clever treats are for my friend Christy, whose oven is broken and who has been using alternative cooking methods lately, like the grill and crockpot. She even tried grilling cookies, but they didn't turn out so well. So let's try the waffle iron, shall we? These are simple, chocolatey, and pretty darn fun to make. Plus they look cool. Unfortunately Christy is allergic to pecans but any nut will work, or you could try them without.

1/3 cup shortening
1 (1 oz.) square unsweetened chocolate
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 T milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided

1. Preheat waffle iron. Combine shortening and chocolate in a heavy saucepan. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted; cool. Combine egg, sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl. Stir in chocolate mixture.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture. Add 2/3 cup pecans, stirring well.

3. Lightly spray waffle iron. Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls onto iron, at least 2 inches apart. (I have a Belgian waffle iron with 4 squares so I just did one in the middle of each.) Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Close iron and bake about 3 minutes or until done. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen.
Recipe from Chocolate Fantasies by Oxmoor House

VGP #2 Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels

These lovely chill-and-slice cookies are slightly time intensive, with the double chill, so just plan ahead. They are worth it, though. The bright, tart cranberry is perfectly complimented by the sweet orange butter cookie. Totally festive, too.

Got this one from Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best Cookies magazine, which also included this helpful hint regarding slice-and-bake cookies like these: "To prevent rolled dough from becoming lopsided, cut in half if longer than 8 inches. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and twist ends to seal. Place wrapped rolls in tall drinking glasses. Lay the glasses on their sides while chilling in the fridge. When you slice, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife in a sawing motion and rotate the dough roll frequently to avoid flattening one side." I tried it, it works.

1 cup cranberries
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp finely shredded orange peel
3 cups all purpose flour

1. For filling, in a blender or food processor combine cranberries, pecans and brown sugar. Cover and blend or process until cranberries and nuts are finely chopped; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and orange peel until combined. Add flour and mix in. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

3. Roll half of dough between pieces of waxed paper into a 10-inch square. Spread half of the filling over dough square to within 1/2 inch of edges; roll up dough. Moisten edges; pinch to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 4 to 24 hours. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

4. Preheat oven to 375. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices; place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack; cool. Makes about 60.

VGP #1 Hazelnut Chewies

Welcome to Day 1 of your Virtual Goody Plate! (And Happy 16th Birthday to my oldest nephew Thompson!)

Every issue, Cook's Country magazine (which I LOVE) has a recipe contest and publishes the $1,000 first place winner and four runners up. The most recent (Dec/Jan) issue's contest was cookies, and while I was not at all tempted by the winner - "Fudgy Peanut Butter Mousse Cups" - all four runners up looked awesome.

The first one I tried was "Hazelnut Chewies" from Jennifer in Tucson, Arizona. The original recipe called for 1 tsp espresso powder so I substituted cocoa powder. Also, Jennifer must have a very sweet sweet tooth, because I found the final roll in powdered sugar overkill. I mean, they already have a whole freaking jar of Nutella in there. So while the white is pretty, I think it's optional, and they taste just as good or better without. This is a cookie for someone in the mood to enjoy the process - there's a little more toasting, chopping, chilling and rolling than more straightforward drop cookie recipes. But it's great for a rainy day and they are totally delish. Plus they ode to my firstborn.

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups Nutella spread (a 13 oz. jar)
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant espresso powder (or cocoa)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and chopped fine
1 cup powdered sugar, optional

1. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on med-high speed, beat Nutella, butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, espresso (cocoa), and eggs and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and milk, and mix until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup hazelnuts and refrigerate dough until firm, about 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375. Place remaining hazelnuts in bowl. Add powdered sugar to another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in hazelnuts, then roll in powdered sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies

(With)

(Without)