I Made Christmas Cookies!

I actually got into the baking spirit this season :)

And how could I resist? I have all these new kitchen gadgets -- my Kitchen Aid stand mixer and Wilton Cookie Pro II definitely got a workout!


Peanut Butter Spritz Cookies
(I can't resist peanut butter cookies, and I love using the cookie press. Put the two together....)

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon water
  
• 2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Beat the shortening with the sugars and the peanut butter until well mixed. Beat in the eggs, water, and the vanilla.
3. Gradually beat in the flour, baking soda and salt. Form cookies on an ungreased baking sheet with a cookie press (yay for Christmas-themed shapes!) or roll into balls and smash flat with a floured fork or fingers.
   
4. Bake for 12 minutes or more until done, usually when the puffed up cookie has lowered down to level. Before then it is more chewy.

I made a lot of press cookies (and experimented with colored sprinkles) and when I only had a little bit of dough left, I made regular cookies ---->
















I also made a chocolate version. You can never go wrong with cocoa!

Cocoa Spritz Cookies
(adapted from the Wilton website)

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
   
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars at medium high speed until light and fluffy.
   
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.
   
4. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture gradually and beat well.
   
5. Spoon dough into cookie press. Press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. Add sprinkles at this point, if you want to.
   
6. Bake at 10-12 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool.

And last, but NOT least, the delectable classic:

Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is great for everyone - chewy middles and crispy edges!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Mmmmmmmm........

Apple Pie

I made three of these apple pies over the course of 10 days. The recipe (from allrecipes.com - "Apple Pie by Grandma Ople") is *just that good*.



Ingredients

• 2 9-inch double crusts (for top and bottom)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. *The longer this simmers, the better it is!*
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the apples. Cover with top crust and cut slits.
   
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, or until apples are soft.

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan a la Julia

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (either the "thin sliced" kind or you'll have to pound the regular ones to about 1/4" thickness -- it's important that they're thin)
• 1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of grated parm cheese
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper to taste
• 12 oz. spaghetti sauce
• 1 tbsp veg. oil
• Oregano or parsley to taste
• 3 slices (deli-sized) of monterey jack cheese (or mozzarella)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Mix breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and parm cheese in a bowl.
• Pour 12 oz sauce in the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.
• Heat oil in a large skillet, on medium heat.
• Take thin chicken breasts and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
• Dip them into the breading, the egg, then back in the breading for final coat.
• Place coated chicken in skillet and fry about 5-6 minutes on each side (just turn once) -- they don't have to be cooked through, just brown/crispy on outside.

• Put into baking dish on top of sauce.
• Sprinkle chicken pieces with some oregano or parsley.
• Put dish in oven, uncovered.
• Cook for 15 minutes, then pull dish out and cover each piece of chicken with 1/2 slice of cheese.
• Cook for another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. (cut chicken to make sure it's done inside).

Serve with a side of spaghetti and extra sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Dip - The Original

Consider this to be the *original* chicken dip recipe: Passed down to me from my mom and requested at every social and sporting event this decade.



Ingredients

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 12 oz Frank's Buffalo sauce (brand is very important - and do NOT use hot sauce)
  
• 8 oz Ranch dressing (or blue cheese if you prefer)
• 4 cups cooked/shredded chicken (shredded is better than cut/diced/cubed, because the texture soaks up the dip better and it's easier to scoop).
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (I like to use sharp cheddar or a Mexican blend. Try pepperjack cheese if you want an extra kick!)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, dressing, and Buffalo wing sauce until well blended (to get out all the clumps, I prefer to use a hand mixer).
• Add shredded chicken and mix well.
• Spread into a glass baking dish. Top with cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
  

Serve warm with Tostitos Scoops or chunks of fresh bread (sourdough or an asiago cheese loaf ....mmmm)

Hint: For a long tailgate or party, bake the dip ahead of time and then keep it on "low" in a crockpot all day. A 1-qt crockpot is the perfect size for a single recipe.

Creamy Alfredo

Restaurant-style Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 16 oz fettuccini noodles
• 1-1/2 sticks of margarine
• 1-1/3 cup light cream
• 1/2 cup water that the noodles were boiled in!
• 3/4 cup grated ("powdered") parmasan cheese
  
• 1/2 cup shredded parmasan cheese
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp parsley or italian seasonings
  

Directions

• Slice chicken into strips and cook in your choice of seasonings until browned; set aside (I used lots of black pepper and Mrs. Dash's Table Seasoning).
• Boil noodles according to package directions (12-14 minutes or so). **Before draining, take out 1/2 cup of water; set aside. Drain.
• In large skillet, melt 1-1/2 sticks butter, then add cooked noodles; toss to coat.
• Add the chicken, cheeses (shredded parm + grated parm), water, cream, and seasonings.
• Toss it all together and serve with the extra fresh cheese.

Pesto Alfredo Bowties and Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - boiled and shredded
• 1-1/3 cup light cream
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp prepared basil pesto (still haven't attempted to make my own!)
• 4 tbsp margarine
• 12-oz box of bowtie noodles, cooked according to directions
• Seasonings to taste
• Shredded parmesan cheese for topper
  

Directions

• On medium heat in a deep skillet, brown the shredded chicken in margarine (season with black pepper, salt, and a touch of garlic powder.
• Once browned, reduce heat and add cream, parmesan cheese, and pesto.
• Mix well and continue to simmer until heated through.
• Pour over prepared bowtie noodles and top with fresh shredded parmesan cheese.

Italian Dip

Use this as a base recipe - just add your favorite pizza toppings, or make it Mexican-style.

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 12 oz pizza sauce
• 1 cup diced pepperoni
• 3 green onions, diced
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
  
• Mix sour cream and cream cheese together thoroughly and spread in bottom of 9-inch pie plate.
• Cover with pizza sauce.
• Sprinkle pepperoni on top of sauce.
• Sprinkle green onion on top.
• Cover with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with club crackers or mini garlic toast.

Jacki's Jambalaya

Got this recipe from a friend and I am dying to try it! I will follow up with comments and a picture after I make it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 tbsp. Creole seasoning
• 1 large green pepper, diced (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 large stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 can (about 14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1 lb. kielbasa, diced
• 3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
• 1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
• 1/2 lb. fresh medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

Directions

• Mix broth, Creole seasoning, pepper, onion, celery, tomatoes, kielbasa, chicken and rice in 3 1/2- to 6-qt. slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or 4 to 5 hours on high)
• Add shrimp. Cover and cook for 40 min. or until done.

Pokey Stix Fonduta

Adapted from Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta. I discovered it's likeness to Pokey Stix when I tried it with Parmesan-garlic pita chips.
[Pokey Stix are cheesy breadsticks from Gumby's. No drunken Penn State night was complete without a box...]

Ingredients
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp Italian Seasonings
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups shredded smoked* provolone cheese
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp grated Romano cheese
2 green onions, chopped
3 cherry tomatoes, diced

*either the mozzarella or provolone can be smoked. It really adds to the flavor.

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Grease 8x8 casserole dish.
In mixing bowl, combine sour cream, seasonings, green onion (leave a little for on top) and cheeses. Blend thoroughly.
Top with remaining green onion.
Pour into casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes or until melted and bubbly.
Before serving, top with tomato.

*Note: this dip tends to cool off and solidify quickly. If serving at a party, bake it early and keep it in a crockpot on low for the duration of the party.

Serve with Parmasan-garlic pita chips. This really adds to the Pokey Stix flavor!

Pizza Spirals

Calzone-like roll-up of pizza goodness. I usually have to make two!

Ingredients

• 1 can Pilsbury pizza crust dough
• 1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound sandwich pepperoni, thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp oregano

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
• Roll out pizza crust dough on the baking sheet. Season dough with garlic and oregano. Layer with Genoa salami, pepperoni and provolone cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to within 1/2 inch from edges of the dough. Roll jelly roll style. Seal the edge with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice into 1 inch pieces to serve.
• Serve with marinara or pizza sauce.
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